thelerner

Good to have a main system you're married to, one that provides a path that resonates and takes you where you want to go. Its also good imo to have a few side practices. For example, chanting is powerful. I think everyone should have chant practice, heck we're in the shower anyway. It could be mantra, it could opera, in my case its Rawn Clark canticle system YHVH. Sound is powerful.. elemental.. use it. Likewise knowing a couple of moving forms is also good. They don't have to be long and complicated unless that's your thing, but movement and feeling flow is important, I like Pangu and the simple stuff on Michael Winns Fundamentals II DVD. Sitting practice is important too, after years of sitting still, I like Ya Mu's Stillness Meditation ideas on sitting, which incorporate slight natural movement. Then there's the strange.. Not a bad thing to snack on but probably not make a steady diet of. Spending $200 to learn a 10 week system like Wim Hof method gave me powers and abilities far beyond what I could do before, even if they were only very long breath control (2 minute breath holds after exhaling) and ability to take long icy cold showers, baths and polar bear plunges. Likewise I enjoyed taking a weekend of study with Max Christenson and learning his spontaneous chi gung method.

Hmnn, is this Origins of mankind, or Endings..?

Like so many other pieces of useless factual knowledge I've collected, it allows me to tell others- I'm right, you're wrong- and get a little glow of egotistical satisfaction. That, and aligning myself to it's Purpose, which should probably give me some sort of bonus points..

moving back towards the OP, there is a third forgotten hominid in our branch of the family tree. The Denisovans. Like the more famous neanderthals, we share aspects of there dna. We are there children, a hybridization somewhere early in homo sapien history, just as we mixed with neanderthals. I wonder where else speculations and proofs might go. from https://genographic.nationalgeographic.com/denisovan/ Why Am I Denisovan? When our ancestors first migrated out of Africa around 60,000 years ago, they were not alone. At least two of our hominid cousins had made the same journey—Neanderthals and Denisovans. Neanderthals, the better known of the two species, left Africa about 300,000 years ago and settled in Europe and parts of western Asia. The Denisovans are a much more recent addition to the human family tree. In 2008, paleoanthropologists digging in a cave in southern Siberia unearthed a 40,000-year-old adult tooth and an exquisitely preserved fossilized pinkie bone that had belonged to a young girl who was between five and seven years old when she died.Recently, scientists successfully extracted nuclear DNA from the pinkie bone and conducted comparison studies with the genomes of modern humans and Neanderthals. Studies show the girl was closely related to Neanderthals, yet distinct enough to merit classification as a new species of archaic humans, which scientists named “Denisovan” after the cave where the pinkie bone was found. The Denisovan genome also suggests the young girl had brown hair, eyes, and skin. Surprisingly, the scientists found genetic overlap between the Denisovan genome and that of some present-day east Asians, and, in particular, a group of Pacific Islanders living in Papua New Guinea, known as the Melanesians. It appears the Denisovans contributed between 3 to 5 percent of their genetic material to the genomes of Melanesians. Scientists think that the most likely explanation is that Denisovans living in eastern Eurasia interbred with the modern human ancestors of Melanesians. When those humans crossed the ocean to reach Papua New Guinea around 45,000 years ago, they brought their Denisovan DNA over with them. If this genetic mixing did occur, the fact that Denisovans were discovered in Siberia but contributed to the genomes of modern humans living in Southeast Asia suggests the species ranged widely across Asia, although their low genetic diversity also indicates their numbers were never very high. According to one theory, Neanderthals, Denisovans, and modern humans are all descended from the ancient human Homo heidelbergensis. Between 300,000 to 400,000 years ago, an ancestral group of H. heidelbergensis left Africa and then split shortly after. One branch ventured northwestward into West Asia and Europe and became the Neanderthals. The other branch moved east, becoming Denisovans. By 130,000 years ago, H. heidelbergensis in Africa had become Homo sapiens—our ancestors—who did not begin their own exodus from Africa until about 60,000 years ago. addon> from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/03/160328133514.htm Most non-Africans possess at least a little bit Neanderthal DNA. But a new map of archaic ancestry--published March 28 in Current Biology--suggests that many bloodlines around the world, particularly of South Asian descent, may actually be a bit more Denisovan, a mysterious population of hominids that lived around the same time as the Neanderthals. The analysis also proposes that modern humans interbred with Denisovans about 100 generations after their trysts with Neanderthals.

I've talked to people who have said they've had access, but.. I'm still a bit skeptical, in the way of fantastic claims need solid evidence. It seems like it'd be something that'd be a slam dunk to prove, ie ask me anything, I'll get you answer and it'll be correct. But it doesn't seem to work that way. (suppose Edgar Cayce was close) I've never seen such proofs. So like much psychic phenomena its tricky slippery business that doesn't seem easily called upon on request.

Stiff. We are a stiff necked people. don't expect us to do much bowing down.

On a physical basis walking tends to be very anti-inflammatory. The gentle rhythmic movements and little boost to the circulation tend to even out the system a bit. Done in nature its the definition of grounding. Addon> It's nice to turn off thoughts and focus on hearing and the sensations in the feet when we walk. Sometimes I'll close my eyes and see how far I can comfortably before opening up. Its a good lesson in trust. I'll often walk 32 steps, blink my eyes open, then do another 32 steps with them closed. If I get hit by a car doing this I want my tombstone to read 'He went- Too Far'.

What I mean is, should it be considered an amalgamation? A modern creation from different historic sources. In some cases widely different sources? I greatly admire the IIH, but wonder if you gain a steady standardized path but lose something.. passion or power(?) along the way.

First of all, oy vey. Second of all, love you guy, but uh, i take what you say with grain of salt, two shots of vodka and a beer chaser. I think your forte is probably best on esoteric mysticism and not so much as answering as head of Judaism. I got nothing but respect for last two popes. Nice for the current one to visit the local synagogue and I'm sure he was respectful. Its always interesting how different religions (and sects) interpret the Aseret ha-Dibrot. Lots of room for different interpretations. As my uncle explained 'No problem, you do it your way, we'll do it G-d' Last two popes, were great guys, holy. I like what they've been doing.

I probably shouldn't have created such a side tracking 'versus' for the thread. Really I'm interested in ways to gain Strength and Vitality. What works for people.

I mean to look into it. FWIW the link in the OP was sending me elsewhere to a gaming/light porn site!? Here's a link that's working for me. http://www.thepresenceprocessportal.com/

I'm a bit more positive on the human race. (other species have had heydays of growth as they've reached new continents and grown exponentially) We're smart, we're adaptable. Our big brains allow us to change the environment like no other creature. It keeps us alive, comfortable and moving forward. Even on a more spiritual basis we've spread because we've worked together. Individually we're not much but together we're the top the food chain, whether we choose to be carnivores or not. We can do alot better though. Get our global and social act together. Moving our love of immediate family outwards, translating into action to care for all humanity.. kind of stuff.

Welcome. I've always considered the bums more eclectic then daoist. More bum then dao anyway . It'd be good to have someone start a new thread on strength and vitality. A west vs est view.

If you recognize you are in it, sleep paralysis can be a very nice relaxing experience. Pretty much like getting in to a deeply hypnotic state. Guess my advice is if you find yourself in bed and can't move. Don't think paralysis, think deeply relaxing hypnotic state, good chance for healing and deep breathing. Go with it, no worries.. unless you've suffered a severe spine injury lately.

?? my Mac (mini) does. Might be more a browser issue then your computer. I'm using Firefox.

hmnn, I took 2 classes on logic in college. First one was centered around things like the 10 commandments the 2nd was bit more like computer programming with syllogism and proofs. Long lists of grouping and if thens.. Frankly it gave me an appreciation for Lewis Carroll, Mullah Nasrudin and all kinds of crazy wisdom. Sometimes the shortest distance between two points is to step backwards. Crazy, but sometimes crazy true.

A number of my old girl friends would agree, though sometimes its baboon, ape or pig. .

Years ago I had a practice of doing zhan zhang standing in the afternoon, facing the sun as it lowered. After a month and a half I got a jolt. Hot energy moving very fast up and down. It felt a little like frying my heart. I stopped the practice and went back to just sitting for a long time. Nowadays I'll still face the sun sometimes, but not as regularly or as long, waiting til its a bit lower and less intense.

(member) Silent Thunder- Sit with it. It will pass. All emotions are like clouds, storms even, but the fiercest storms are the shortest lived.

I guess we all have a mental balancing act between skeptic and uber open mindedness. I probably have a default skeptic setting, but fight against it because.. that's where the fun is. You might miss things if a skeptical mindset keeps you from noticing the strange side of reality. Being a Burner means when you see strange lights land in a field, you want to walk up to it, beer in hand and shout out 'How was your flight?'

This site has many good insights into pyramid building: this breaks down the (possible) numbers as well as giving historical assumptions- http://www.cheops-pyramide.ch/khufu-pyramid/pyramid-workers.html and http://www.cheops-pyramide.ch/khufu-pyramid/pyramid-construction.html . Just incorporating rope and pulleys (see Franz Löhner's rope roll) intelligently could cut the time and manpower substantially, and the Egyptians were pretty smart. Possible numbers (from the site) " Stone quarries in Giza (limestone for the main body of the pyramid) In the stone quarries in Giza 500 blocks daily (an average of 431 blocks rounded to 500) were quarried from the wall in square formats. Using the usual methods where stones are levered with wooden beams from the bedrock a team of 8 men can lever 2 to 3 stones per hour. For the 500 stones daily you need 25 teams. 80 men had to make sure, that the stones fell on soft ground instead of hard rock. A bed of soft material like sand or soil is put down where the stone is likely to fall. In such a way no stones crack and no corners are chipped. 6 men fasten the stone to a sledge (incl. overseer and water carrier = 8 men). Calculating 4 hours to lever the stones and tighten them on the sledge a team could handle 32 stones per day. For 500 stones we need 16 teams (rounded) Next step: Transporting the stones to the pyramid building yard 200 stone-breakers / quarrymen and stonemasons (= 25 teams of 8 men) 80 men to make sure, the stones fall on a soft bed 130 men for loading stones 410 TOTAL Stone quarries in Tura (white limestone for the outer casing) The casing stones were primarily used during the first years of construction, so we calculate with 10 instead of 20 years. The white stones for the outer casing were made to order. The stone breakers cut the stone accurately to size and with the right inclination of 52°. The angles of the outer stones were cut here and not at the pyramid. If there were any cracks, the stone was discarded immediately. The corner stones had to meet even stricter criteria. This precise work was slower, so we calculate that a team (see above) required 75 minutes for breaking off a stone. The daily output was around 6.5 stones per team. If we stipulate, that the work should be finished in 10 years, 69 Tura stones should be quarried per day (assuming 290 working days per year). We calculate 11 teams (88 men), together with helpers, overseers etc. about 120 men. 40 men had to make sure, that the stones fell on soft ground instead of hard rock. The stones had to be handled with care when loading them on the sledges. The wooden levers were wrapped with straw and the cargo was specially secured. A 8-men-team probably only handled 3 stones per hour which works out to 25 stones per day. With 69 stones per day we need 3 teams of 8 men each (=24 men, rounded to 30 men). The stones had to be transported to the Nile. The sledges with the stones were loaded on boats and shipped to Giza. Hauling teams of 15 men [3] haul the stones down to the Nile. They can handle 6 stones daily. We calculate 12 teams of 15 men each, adding 10 men for supervising and helpers we get 190 men. Next step: Transport to Giza on the Nile 120 stone-breakers / quarrymen and stonemasons (11 teams of 8 men incl. overseer, helpers, water carriers) 40 men to make sure, the stones fall on a soft bed 30 men for loading stones (3 teams of 8 men, rounded) 190 haulers(12 teams of 15 men plus 10 helpers) 380 TOTAL Stone quarries in Aswan (granite for the King's Chamber and the Grand Gallery) In the open quarries of Aswan the granite was worked as follows (more information): The stone was pried from the bedrock by inserting several wedges. First a series of holes has to be drilled. We propose, that like in the ancient quarries of Europe not an actual drill was used but a forged chisel. With the hard granite this is only possible with iron tools. The stone has to be cut along its cleavage plane, that is the structure by which certain rocks split most readily. A man sits on the stone holding the chisel perpendicular to the surface to where a hole is placed and three men pound on the chisel with sledge hammers by turns. After each hit the chisel is rotated by one eighth until the hole is 10 to 15cm deep. A row of holes is drilled in such a way along the cleavage. Now a pair of metal shims are inserted in each hole with a wedge between and lubricated. Each wedge in the row is pounded until a thin crack forms between the wedges and the rock can be levered apart. For the granite stones we need 2 teams in two shifts with one man holding the chisel and 9 men (3 times 3 men) pounding. Each half hour the shift is relieved, because this kind of work is very exhausting. An average granite stone can be cut in such a way in one day. Even calculating that it takes 20 times longer to cut a granite stone (1 block every 20 days) it was still possible to cut the required blocks in only 10 years. A team of 20 men is loading the granite blocks onto sledges and 25 men haul them to the harbor (1.5km away - we calculate 120 min. to haul a stone there and walk back). A team can haul 4 stones per day (with rope rolls). Still tied to their sledges the stones are shipped down the Nile to Giza. If one of the large 40-tons block had to be transported, additional workers from other quarries were asked to help. Next step: Transport to Giza on the Nile.. .. .. additional large team for transporting the occasional 40-tons st TOTALLY 1170 workers in the quarries are extracting all the stones necessary by breaking them from the bedrock and into square blocks.

I only watched 10 or so minutes, but it seems like it compares the best of the old world against the worst of modern times. If they actually compared apples to apples; the best modern architecture and art against the best there it'd be a different story. Especially if you compared tech and everyday conveniences. Also I'd prefer a closer look at those 'untrained' artists hired for big bucks that produced the masterpieces. I'm guessing in order to get hired they might be a bit more trained then the reader suggests. I wonder if the writer ever walked through a modern art mueseum and talked to curators. Maybe many of her questions would be quickly answered by professional who studied the history of art, the answers are readily available or she could google them. I grew with access to the Art Institute in Chicago, a fantastic world class art mueseum and when you go on a curated tour, you learn the history of the main pieces. The schools and lineages of the artists as well as the influences, artistic, commercial and personal behind the individual works. The woman could learn so much and have her questions answered by talking to an expert who's studied art. While undoubtedly she'd get the usual internet trolls, if she opened up discussion on the youtube channel she'd also get people answering the questions she thinks are mysterious. <add on> Listened to a little more. She is really dissing modern artists. There are many excellent ones producing mind blowing work. Saying no one can reproduce this and this and this, is simply not true. You have people doing amazing work, photo like work with pencils, pens, very simple instruments. Its a luddite mindset, everything old has to be good and nothing modern can be. Not true.

100,000 men working for years could accomplish amazing things. Egyptians had been making pyramids for generations (100 or so years, I think) before Khufu's, so they had a system and expertise. Being a pyramid shape means there's a certain mathematical progression to the stones. Gifted/crazy individuals over a lifetime have damn near carved out mountains, a 100,000 well motivated men could build a pyramid in 20 years. The pyramids of Giza are true wonders of the world, but we/mankind could have produced them. No aliens needed imo. They did use astronomy in there placement and some tunnels, but those I believe are due to religious values. Ponderings.. If I was living back then and a pharaoh, and had the good will of alien/gods, I wouldn't ask for a large impressive tomb, I'd ask for a powerful weapon. I'm sure there was always a fight or threat going on, I'd ask my benefactor for that. Such a weapon might have made it into the history books.

I think this site sums up the history and experiential way we Know the earth is round. How it was discovered thousands of years ago and the ten of the easiest ways to prove it. http://www.smarterthanthat.com/astronomy/top-10-ways-to-know-the-earth-is-not-flat/ Two examples from it: " (3) Varying Star Constellations This observation was originally made by Aristotle (384-322 BCE), who declared the Earth was round judging from the different constellations one sees while moving away from the equator. After returning from a trip to Egypt, Aristotle noted that “there are stars seen in Egypt and […] Cyprus which are not seen in the northerly regions.” This phenomenon can only be explained with a round surface, and Aristotle continued and claimed that the sphere of the Earth is “of no great size, for otherwise the effect of so slight a change of place would not be quickly apparent.” (De caelo, 298a2-10) The farther you go from the equator, the farther the ‘known’ constellations go towards the horizon, and are replaced by different stars. This would not have happened if the world was flat: (4) Shadows and Sticks If you stick a stick in the [sticky] ground, it will produce a shadow. The shadow moves as time passes (which is the principle for ancient Shadow Clocks). If the world had been flat, then two sticks in different locations would produce the same shadow: But they don’t. This is because the earth is round, and not flat: Eratosthenes (276-194 BCE) used this principle to calculate the circumference of the Earth quite accurately. To see this demonstrated, refer to my experiment video about Eratosthenes and the circumference of the earth – “The Earth’s curvature is tasty!“." Think about it the Greeks knew this and had proofs.

Brains are just one part of the equation, though an important one. They don't confer wisdom, empathy and importantly leadership. Kennedy tried to create a cabal of the best and brightest. Just labeling them that created an atmosphere of herd mentality where bad decisions were made and carried out because the guy who suggested and another who seconded it were soo smart. There in lies the big problem. A group or person who thinks they are very smart will carry on with a bad idea far longer then a normal person who used to double checking and re-evaluating. High IQ people get tangled in cults and weird ideas just as often and more intensely then normal people because they put there vast intelligence to endless rationalizations.