thelerner

While mainstream organized religions create rules and dogmas, most, maybe all, have mystical traditions where you can keep flavor of tradition while dropping much of the dogma and heading for the source.

While I applaud giving up anger at strangers who belong to quasi-secret clubs, I can't help assuming when a person stops thinking of other groups as pathetic, they're further along the way. Just as anger hurts the person who holds it, so does dividing the world into who's pathetic and who's not. Sometimes such thoughts come of themselves, but dwelling and feeding on it, seems like back pedaling. Maybe we can't control such thoughts, but we don't have to hold onto them. The worst thing about quasi-secret groups is thinking they're so much better then everyone else. They're the best all others are pathetic. Yet, at times we are a group of one, guilty of such ego expanding states. Not easily overcome but at least we can avoid clinging to it. And at times it might be true enough of some negative groups that there is some wisdom to stay away from them, but even then, move away, body and mind.

Hell is a form of control. It's often religion's 'big stick'. Western religions have no monopoly on it either. Some olde Taoist systems have nasty hells that you can pay a priest to get your relatives out of. I tend to doubt nature/universe is quite so moralistically punishing over human foibles.

I was hoping it was bullshit. Your word is good enough for me. I do think MPG is obsessed with Mo Pai, I really do. I also think he's a bit obsessed with me. He's written a huge amount of posts and he's had a silly war with TTB's ever since he got ban. You shouldn't leave. There is no crap behind your back. Just me being stupid. I will certainly delete the message I wrote on your PPF. edit> damn too late.

Ah, Regret and its sister Guilt. Not the most pleasant relatives, but they help keep one on the right path. We may not want to live with them, but imo its good to take there phone calls.

Huh, I wonder if that's considered the highest form of Iron Shirt. I always thought Iron Shirt was a skill/gong that was more like body armoring. In one form I studied, Kaishan, the higher ups would be pounding each other with pretty thick rods. I thought the Healing Tao Irons Shirt was more health based and less martial/impact based then that.

Yowza.

Thank goodness for the rebels, without them we'd be.. we'd be.. we'd be, um.. we'd be like Canada.

I think his true power is shown in his intelligence not to use it .

I've asked the board to take me off as a mod this month. Its summer and I intend to let down my hair.

After spending 5 days thinking about the nastiest most psychologically damaging things I could write on MPG's site, when I got there and saw how much he'd written about me. Seeing his obsessive writing (about me!) the anger and bitterness. Was a wake up call, a real slap, to Not Be Like MPG. It hit me in the gut. Such anger is crazy. Its just a forum, its not real life, partly make believe, nothing to protect or prove. I sincerely hope he chills and gets some perspective, but clap clap. I'm out. I think dropping out of being a mod for a month was good. I think ignoring all things Mo Pai (as if I care about it) is better. And my thoughts on MPG (& KenB cause he's right, I & others attacked him to hurt MPG), hope he doesn't hurt himself. and if he does wah wah wah.

from http://bibhudev.blog...g-true.html?m=1 In fact, from 1997 onwards, the level of earthquakes has really increased all over the globe. For instance, between 1986 and 1996 (inclusive), over a period of 11 years, there were 15 earthquakes listed by USGS having magnitude of 7.0 or greater. But between 1997 and 2007 (inclusive), over a period of 11 years, there have been 99 earthquakes with magnitude 7.0 or greater. This is more than a six-fold increase over the previous period. By limiting the statistic to earthquakes above 7.0, we can ensure that the increase in the number of earthquakes over this period cannot be attributed to a corresponding increase in the number of seismograph stations across the world, since such high intensity earthquakes above 7.0 could have been easily detected by a lower number of seismograph stations. from http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/topics/increase_in_earthquakes.php Are Earthquakes Really on the Increase? We continue to be asked by many people throughout the world if earthquakes are on the increase. Although it may seem that we are having more earthquakes, earthquakes of magnitude 7.0 or greater have remained fairly constant. A partial explanation may lie in the fact that in the last twenty years, we have definitely had an increase in the number of earthquakes we have been able to locate each year. This is because of the tremendous increase in the number of seismograph stations in the world and the many improvements in global communications. This increase in the number of stations and the more timely receipt of data has allowed us and other seismological centers to locate earthquakes more rapidly and to locate many small earthquakes which were undetected in earlier years. The NEIC now locates about 20,000 earthquakes each year or approximately 50 per day. Also, because of the improvements in communications and the increased interest in the environment and natural disasters, the public now learns about more earthquakes. According to long-term records (since about 1900), we expect about 17 major earthquakes (7.0 - 7.9) and one great earthquake (8.0 or above) in any given year.

I learned, it its Buddhist and has more then 6 syllables in its name, expect a flame war .

those debates get the longest. More speculation + less expertise = more argument and personalities brought in.

Back a bit on track. I thought this interview 6 years ago by Jim McMillan and the commentaries after it were informative and interesting: Return of the Jedi: Five Questions with a Neigong Experthttp://www.martialdevelopment.com/blog/five-questions-with-mo-pai-nei-kung-expert/

Yet Kosta no longer practices the system far as I know and some of his writing indicate. That can be telling. Most of the time you find something that connects and is powerful you stick with it. Yet people like Kosta, haven't. Heck people like MPG(doesn't have the time) a rabid promoter, doesn't practice anymore. There are arts that people stick and grow with for a life time.

I greatly respect Rawn Clark who works with the Bardon Hermetic system, he was appalled by many of the quickie routs to AP. I don't remember if he named specific dangers but he warned against some modern systems. He seemed to think you needed to have gone through intermediate or advanced energy and mental work before venturing out. Thus AP was the natural evolution of advanced practice and not necessarily a goal in itself. Yet once developed I think it can be a powerful tool for self development. But caveat emptor, for some there may be dangers external and internal.

This subject was edging into another topic and I thought it deserved its own thread. What do you think about the afterlife? Heaven, hell, reincarnation.. combination.. or nothing. Do we have control? Do we have any proof? Do we have.. hope? Personally, I don't think we can ever be truly sure of what the truth is. Proofwise, its pretty murky, heaven has its proofs, though I find proofs in literature of reincarnation more persuasive. Especially cases of young children remembering past events. I think such interviews are beyond being called away will finish later.

Your right it doesn't reflect the spirit of this board. It did when MPG was here though. He constantly insulted others. When he got his own forum he went whole hog and swore up a storm. Few threads escaped his Fuck You's. Your sensitive about it here, but would never ever mention it there because you're afraid, rightfully so, of Gooch. If you told him anything even mildly critical he'd blow up in your face. You'd be a target, lots of Fuck You's. Boy, maybe you should look to proportion from your friend MPG/Gooch. My writings to you, answering your questions end up there. Do find anything with his insults or profanity? Course not, he's your leader. He can swear at anyone here and it just fine with you, you read it and smile. Your right fun isn't the only you should do, but one needs balance. Otherwise one can become nut spending there time working and writing insults to strangers on the internet like your Gooch. When you write he's 1000x more powerful, what a comic book answer. I understand that your ilk constantly writes what everyone else is doing is fantasy and delusional and your art where you fight with your mind and gain telekinetic powers is the only real thing. But after years of practice and then sorta quitting what can he do? Other then degrade others? I know you and he can't answer, but what has he accomplished? He works so hard he can only practice 30 - 60 minutes a day. That's a fine rationality but we both know he posts constantly on forums. That he can only find 30 minutes a day to meditate doesn't wash and is an insult to those who actually jobs, have household responsibilities and practice. You should tell him from me, less time on the internet, more time practicing and at least he won't look like a hypocrite. I mean how many years until he practices the art he's screaming at others to do?

Some people use apple sauce or prune puree instead of sugar and/or eggs in baking, they'll add a sweet fruitiness and moisture. I often use Vanilla extract to add flavor to things, my sauces, stews and drinks. I don't mind being a little bad and using a little sugar in things. Its not the best, but to your body its not too different then all the other fructoses be it maple syrup, honey, agave etc.,

well so far so good. I was half expecting a message of ' and stay out' . The month day is still young. I'm missing my Burner roots. Missed the regional, soon to miss the Big Burn in Nevada. I enjoy a chance to be less me; the Me thats a father, husband, upstanding citizen and nice guy. Being at the Burn you get to expose facets of your personality that lie dormant. Shed your clothes, run around, meet crazy people, and allow your shadow side some room.

Good stuff, but I think I'll shake things up a bit. Maybe I should say unshake them. I'm sure it'll take me a while to get back into longer sitting times.

Mucho cool.

As you get deeper, its so important to have access to an experienced teacher who can give real feedback. add on edit> I like Michael Winn's take on Healing Tao exercises. Especially if you can take his live seminars.

I enjoy my guided meditations. I listen to cernterpoint rain and some other biaural playings, at times I'll lose myself in them, but I don't consider such things as meditation. They're wonderful tools, but they're also crutches. I don't start the clock unless I'm seated on my zafu, and not even then. Sometimes its quite a while til monkey mind stops. Sometimes it doesn't. These days I mostly keep it short, but in the past, I'd sit many hours at night. Though a couple years ago after listening to Adyashanti, I stopped myself from falling into a trance state. A state where hours passed quickly. I decided that wasn't what I was aiming at. Instead I brought myself, kept myself, more aware, out of deeper trance and closer to awareness. Time passes slower, thoughts appear louder, but its more real. Otherwise the trance state was better then, but maybe not so different then watching TV or sleeping. I'm mostly 20 or 30 minutes lately, but I realize that should change, I should go back to longer sessions. Though meditator beware. During my most intense periods (using Glenn Morris's Pathnotes), I'd get the energetic bliss, the shiny eyes but it'd be accompanied by a certain flakiness.. a don't care bout nothing- hippy-ness. Which was not conducive for my life then. Others who've done heavy duty meditation have ended up increasing anger and paranoia. One needs to be watched during such periods to make sure there's mental balance kept. We need a friend to pull us away sometimes. Because we get too certain; our problems are viewed as signs of progress instead of warnings.