thelerner

I also found the people very kind. I wanted to buy his book and he was out. A woman who had 2 gave me one of hers and wouldn't take money for it. It was nice to have a group dinner and informal lunches together besides the time spent in the seminar.

Beyond schools, deci belle approaches (often) from a poets point of view that moves the subject out of intellects range and into a different, maybe better realm for conceptualizing. imo

oh my.. Oh my god, has this thread really made it to the 18th page! just wow.. what are philosophical implications of that? Don't Answer! you'll only feed the beast.

I miss Chegg too. Very optimistic person. He gave Christianity a good 'face' here.

I was paging through the E vs C and thought I'd take this tangent. If you had to pick a heaven amongst the various religions, what would it be? I'll start: Judaism is all over the place on the after life. Biblically there's a somber Sheol, reincarnation, mass resurrection, back to dust.. Which later moved towards heavenly 'World to come'-much like earth but nicer. and immortal. However it seems an evolution towards bodyless soul at one w/ God. Sorta basking in the ultimate. Seems like Catholicism has been moving in that direction too. In someways would be pick impersonal basking in Oness vs Classical ourselves in heavenly place? I suspect we don't pick, still between those two.. in the short run I'd pick myself in a heavenly settting. In the long run I suppose I'd go for basking.

No, your thoughts and participation are important. (aimed at everyone>) Just argue with good will. Be against ideas, not people. Don't take things personally. State your case honestly and move on. Don't continually rehash, don't hold grudges. Particularly in the Buddhist area, be more respectful, because it is the Buddhist Area; it should showcase Buddhist ideals and mentality. And to get nasty here is to betray those ideals.

To me, the great thing about Buddhism is his name isn't important. Nor his power, lifestyle or divinity etc., Its all about his teachings. They stand on there own, without claims to the supernatural.

wise ass answer 1: It looked alot like my grandfathers, or so I'm told. wise ass answer 2: Mu! (always a good fall back to Zen questions) my best answer, as of right now I had no face. thats the best I got.

I was looking up where the weilu point was and found this article (by T.K Shih) that I found interesting:http://www.qi-journal.com/Qigong.asp?-token.D=Article&-MaxRecords=1&-SkipRecords=3&-Op=bw&Name=Body%20Posture%20for%20Qigong%20Practitioners THE FIVE PAIRS A "pair" refers to the mutual relationship between one place and another. It is also the connection between points and lines. The five pairs include the nose pointing at the navel, the wei-lu point being opposite the heel, the kneecap pointing at the tip of the foot, the elbow facing the knee and the mental connection of the middle fingers. By using these five pairs, we can enable the movements of the body to be unified and the upper and lower parts of the body to be joined into an organic whole. 1. The Nose and the Navel A vertical line is made from the tip of the nose to the navel but this is not accomplished by lowering the head and pointing the nose. Rather, there is slight pulling of the two points after they are aligned. In this way the chin and throat are tucked in and the energy at the crown of the head is light and sensitive so that the head and body are connected. This can then cause the "head to be erect" at all times when moving the body forwards and backwards or turning it. 2. The Wei-Lu point Faces the Heel A vertical line is made from the coccyx to the heels (it faces the middle point between the two heels when one is in the horse stance and faces the rear heel when doing the horse or sitting stance). However, when these points face each other, it is necessary to pay attention that the heel, wei-lu point and occipital bone in the back of the head connect into one line.When the body is in a sitting posture these points form a straight line, when doing a bow stance they form an oblique straight line and when the body is bent forwards they form an arched line. When the wei-lu is made to face the heels one must tuck in the hips and buttocks, raise the knees and sit with the body. The head, trunk, lower limbs, the upper and lower parts of the body, will be connected and one will be able to keep the "body straight." 3. The Knees Face the Tips of the Feet This refers to having the force point of the vertical line from the middle of the kneecaps (bi-du points (ST35)) face the tips of the large toes (the yin-bai (SP1) points on the insides of the toe nails). The kneecaps must always face the tips of the feet whether one is doing a bow stance, empty stance or horse stance. When the tip of the foot is raised up it is hooked up and faces the kneecap. When the tip of the foot is turned the force point of the kneecap faces the tip of the foot. If one is able to have the knees face the tips of the feet, this can make the feet flat and the steps stable. 4. Mentally Connect the Middle Fingers This involves connecting the middle line of the two arms. Regardless of the distance of the two hands or whether they are in front, in back, above or below, use the mind to connect the force points of the middle fingers (there is slight pulling). As a result of this, one will feel that the whole body is full and connected with the qi of the dan-tian. The mental connection of the middle fingers is the key to keeping the "two upper arms rounded." 5. The Elbows and Knees Face Each Other The elbows are the centers of the arms while the knees are the centers of the legs. If one is able to pay attention to make the upper and lower connections of the elbows and knees whatever the movement is, then the arms and legs will not become stiff and straight. One can also then make the upper and lower parts of the body correspond each other, protect the ribs on both sides and integrate the head being erect, the body being straight, the feet being flat and the upper arms being rounded so as to cause the body posture to be connected into one organic whole. #4 is a practice I 'discovered' doing Aikido that has added power to my movements. The article reminded me of the power of the little things. Small adjustments and ways of thinking, standing and moving that increase your power.

I'm reminded about a story, probably true, in a book about hypnosis. The writer of the book had an office and was a professional hypnotist. One day a client comes in, and because they're working on the street in front, a loud jack hammer is going off. They can barely hear each other. Nonetheless the hypnotist goes to work, shouting out the induction and he changes it a bit. He includes- '..the louder the jack hammer the deeper you'll go, the louder the jack hammer the deeper you'll go'. It's successful and at the next session the man told him, 'I really wish we had that jack hammer again!' Perhaps more helpful- in case such an exotic mind trick doesn't work, I'd recommend a white noise machine, any device, computer, CD player, ipod etc., that can broadcast loud white noise. These days there a huge number of scientific noises made specifically to block out noise and entrain listeners.

They've got a job ahead of them. Cosmos is about the whole realm of science, from Big Bang to the DNA in the bacteria on your toothbrush. Creationist are more like one trick ponies.

Yes!

The former. Exalted is probably an expert on arguments because its his thing and it gets him attention. Thus he'll write 4 posts to any of ours and try to goad people into his game- name calling and labeling. back on track. To me the bums isn't a school (though the world certainly is), its more a cafe. People gather, converse, chew the fat. Different groups, different corners, different discussions. Its all good.

I find the softcorn Taoist to be the sexiest.

I wonder if we should have a couple of threads within the subforum labeled- hardcore only apply. Don't post unless you can name the 4 noble truths, quote 5 lines of sutra and the 3 essences of Dharmaas summed up by the Buddha himself. Or would that be flame bait in the making?

I'm heading down to OMega.

I don't know.. kinda corkscrewing on the way up the spine.

So at each 'point' you stay for 3 to 9 breaths before moving on. Right. I started with and did it fast for so long, its been harder to slow it down. Here's a question for anyone. Once you 'let it go', is it still a flowing point, ie not a raft moving along a stream, but the stream itself? Also, does anyone twist it?

"Diplomas, I've got three of 'em. They're back in my house." "That is so-o sexy, can I take a look at them?" "Sure baby. By the way, what turns you on more.. Rinzai or Soto?" don't look at me like that. i'm just rewriting someone else's story.

We have the house cat because we cannot house the tiger. We have the zen garden because we don't have room for the ocean.

If you grew up with a TV you watched countless acts of extreme violence and its only gotten worse and more graphic these days. I've read there's a part of the subconscious that takes everything literally. So beware of what you watch and what you focus on. We may all be more Pavlovian then we think. Cleansing rituals are good to have. Whether formal or mindfully drinking tea from a nice cup. I like to do Rawn Clarks Archaeous exercises which contain a bit where you drain off negative emotions. I haven't done it lately and there is probably an accumulation of negativity that happens unless you clear yourself every now and then.

yup, long meditation = deep peace = less sleep needed. Energy work can = less sleep needed. Quiet mind during the day = less sleep needed. Quality sleep = less sleep needed. I'd add intense physical activity = more sleep needed.

I bought a hygrometer ($10 hardware store) in mid winter. I've read somewhere (internet?) you want to keep humidity about half of the temperature. So if its 68 degrees a humidity of about 34% is ideal. (just glanced at it, quite high 47%) During the coldest days of the year my house was falling into the teens, so I got a humidifier and kept going 24/7 during the coldest days. It helped, less sore throats a bit more comfort. Eyes might be similarly effected.

I like Minke DeVos's Tao Basics CD which has a good guided meditation on the mco. Its a bit visual but the line between imagining and feeling can be pretty thin. I'm doing less mco these days, but when I do, I move energy slower, taking 2 or 3 breaths to complete an orbit, versus my older maybe 2 orbits or more in a single breath cycle often both will become a connective orbit where the whole channel is flowing. Don't know if its better or worse, just a thing.

I've felt the same way as ThusGone. Paranoia, its a danger when doing esoteric energy arts. The great teacher Glenn Morris made his students do the Secret Smile exercise before practicing. He always said energy runs best through a happy system. That was very important and potent part of his (and the KAP) system. Modern life, especially modern news is devastating to the sensitive soul. Taking a news fast, no reading or listening to the news; often a potent concentration of all the worst going on in the world, can be a cleansing as a food fast. Some people are toxic too or just bad combinations. In any case, if the thought of misusing chi bothers you, then change your practice. Nothing wrong with 'just' sitting or standing. Its been a main stay practice for 1,000's of years. Stay away from the manipulation stuff until you're totally at peace with it.