thelerner

Isn't having students replicate what you teach the best evidence your art works? There are people with extraordinary native talent and perhaps others with .. spiritual connections not available to others that can do extraordinary things. To me the test of an art isn't the teacher but his students. Imo we don't become the teacher, we don't have the head start, the time, the incredible dedication, native talent; we become the sum of his students.

You know, I think I got 20 or 30 'Fuck You's' aimed at me from the panda guys site. Nor am I alone, he used his website to swear and insult many people here. There is some bad blood, unfortunately. We can move on. I get as heated as anyone else and a trick I use is waiting a day or two before I post. Letting things calm down before they devolve. You and Kenb are valued members on this site. Why don't we all let some wounds heal a bit without scratching them. Its pretty easy. There's a world of things to post about. I myself am exploring various vortex points in the inner nasal cavity and the tasty treats that can be found there.

I will also celebrate because he'll deserve a freakin party and metals for all the work he (& the other mods) do and for putting up with the immature crap that pops up here every month or two.

Not that I do it but you could try waking up extra early (3:30, 4:30 am), so you're very sleepy. Get in position, maybe start w/ back against a wall. Listen to a short guided meditation or hypnotic script for sleep and try see if you can't fall asleep for a short nap period.

ahh, but what about those who write? somewhere inbetween? or has a philosophical idea devolved into a tactic to silence those disagreed with?

As I've gotten older I've found much of what is wrong with the world happened due to people with good intentions who either didn't anticipate unintended consequences or whose view of what is 'good' was actually a selfish dream. Even when they acted with what we'd consider virtue; for the good of all, they didn't end up with it. I see this in politics quite often. Virtue needs to be more then just trying to do good. Good is nice.. but too slippery.

I don't know. 40 years ago, all martial arts were Karate.. In college I took TaeKwonDo and the sign said, Karate because that was the name martial arts went by. Now there's many styles, though its still a hard business to succeed in. Yoga used to be exotic, now there's a dozen places in my suburb and they're not Yoga, they're differentiated by there various styles. Eastern arts are being taught, (& watered down) at every community and health club. Thankfully there are also more hardcore independents. All in all I'd say we're doing better over the years. Even with the watering down.

, more like the western Mo Pai suicide squad. He made the same point in 3 threads in row, asked to stop, said no, given a final warning, then said "I refuse your final warning". Instead of moving on and actually discussing standing and the nature of mo bu in Mo Pai, he seemed to be plugging his ears and repeated saying 'you're a troll' when people were just trying to bring up what could be an important aspect of practice. To bad the thread was getting back to substance.

Religious fundamentalists have always attacked eastern studies but this time its hyper political correctness!? Unless it gains momentum I'm thinking the controversy actually gains eastern arts more publicity because its so silly. Course I've been wrong before.

We can only repeat this so many times. Most people here don't have strong feelings about Mo Pai, its no more counter culture then most arts around here. But some the practitioners tend to insult other arts, thus set up a cycle where people criticize there's. That's the problem I see. In my opinion the Panda guy exemplified this by going to random threads to tell them how ignorant there were. Doing it on constant basis. It created ire and people naturally piled on against him. It wasn't Mo Pai it was his obnoxiousness. There's no conspiracy other then politeness. The 'in' crowd is pretty much everyone who shows respect for others and there arts. Its not a hard clique to get into. You don't have to agree, this site is about discussion and argument, but there's a line where behavior becomes obnoxiousness and there is Mo Pai 'clique' that constantly passes over that line, imo.

He is distinctive .

In Western thinking an opposite is the total lack of it counterpart, whereas In Tao opposites create each other and are intimately linked. Too much yin creates yang. Its the realization that things cycle. As seasons pass elemental forces create and destroy, changing into each other. This is (imo) at the heart of Eastern strategy, arts and medicine. from fivelementtraining.com

This captures my view pretty well.

life happens. crap happens. i've found the best way to move on is to have a plan b and c available. CC555, you've got real skills. Sooner or later you'll find the right place to put them to use.

I was going to put in a flip obnoxious post like.. 'I agree, today I won't hit any woman', but it's too serious problem. As far as I can tell the only long term answer is parents teaching there children, not to give abusers a second chance. Once they see a sign of mental or physical nastiness leave the relationship, leave it early, leave it completely. Do not give abusers chance after chance. Do not assume they'll change, blame it on circumstances, or get caught up in a manic cycle of abuse then gifts/tenderness.

You know Drew's new handle is Conspirachi. I think I spelled it right.

Netflix is showing Marvel's Jessica Jones. Just finished the 13 show series and wanted more. Good quality, well paced, very noir look at a partially broken would be hero. Just as good as Netflix's Daredevil, with less action more angst and mood.

Welcome Virtue tends to leave peace and harmony in its wake. Maybe we should judge an action by its fruits.

Hawaii, I'm not to particular about the school or person. Sure I'd find something worthwhile there and have fun looking . Seriously, sometimes in wandering you find the greatest treasures. specially in Hawaii .

I'm not sure you understand my point or are just covering up insecurity with sarcasm. The problem with your thinking is its all or nothing. Its all true or its all false. In my view, hell I explained it in my first post here a couple pages ago. Ultimately I think the 'its all true pov' is naive and gullible. So is the opposite. I've only stated a dozen times that John Chang is a legitimate master and healer. Does that means he is above playing some tricks on gullible Westerns, no, not in my opinion. That what hooks people like you. He can legitimately do some things. But when its not enough to be a healer have some electrical discharge ability, its not enough for Westerns raised on Castaneda and superheros. He needs more to impress you and thus the trickery and stories begin. Whereas in the East they're not needed.

<edited Poor etiquette on my part to bring Jim into the discussion. Perhaps I wrote poorly. Admittedly I am no expert, far from it and just putting down my suspicions. Still sometimes a little distance from the matter allows a truer view. What I believe is Kosta was writing down (truthfully) what Chang told him. What Chang included ( imo) was stories and legends. It was .. romanticized.. someone said it best when they wrote earlier, most martial and family arts have a 'real' tradition and a legendary one. At the time Kosta was writing with stars in his eyes. What I'm getting at is Chang is capable of more then electro shocks, but less then what some of his demonstrations suggest. .. helped along the plot of wizard level something versus wizard level whatever in a death battle, but real.. I don't think so. I do think Mopai has juice to it but so do other arts. And those arts have real teachers, authors who actually practice the art, who teach and explain the niceties and complexities and keep people from screwing themselves up. Get people into deeper dharmas, change them, evolve them even humble them. The best proof, I suppose, will lie in the future. We will see if those working with Mo Pai get the power to knock over small empty boxes as long as Chang and friends are in the room. Will they attain the powers they long for? Dunno, we will see. Not that I care much. I like Buddhists view that obsessing with powers is a distraction, and the Taoist one to keep it natural, follow and connect to nature's rhythms.

Keep it simple. I like it. I'd you here toward Ajahn Brahms. Simple, yet definitive classic practice- Start here and look up his other books and audio karma talks on the web http://www.holybooks.com/simply-this-moment-ajahn-brahm/ 321 page download Simply this Moment and his audios http://www.diydharma.org/search/node/ajahn%20brahm witty and accessible, and it you follow it and apply it to your life pretty deep. The approach is more Buddhist and meditative then Taoish and Qi Gong, but you follow a peaceful path with Jhanas, which is pretty good.

Often before meditating I'll do a vispassana dialog with myself. I am not my body - I'm that which inhabits it I am not thoughts- they are ephemeral, like clouds passing through the sky I'm not my emotions - I acknowledge them and let them pass like circles in a pond. I am not my.. past.. future.. family.. possessions.. it goes on like that. I usually end it with I am breath and awareness. The repetition has helped me when I've had dreams where I die. Given me enough space to relax and see what's next. Last year I had a stint put into a heart artery. I wasn't knocked out all the way and distinctly heard the surgeon say 'Well this isn't going very well'. Maybe it was the anesthesia but while my initial thought was 'That sucks', I remained calm and kept in a space of lets see what's next.

Hmnn, probably with a whack That's what I like about Zen Buddhism.

hmnn, what's the value of x? and what spot does it mark?