thelerner

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.

@Exalted, I think you might be off when you assume I quote "You all claim to practice taoism", this is a generality that is wrong. We're a very eclectic bunch, by no means Taoist, though taoism is a such a wide label that its easy to for people who hang out under it. But people here who consider themselves Taoists, not so many, though most of us are inspired by Taoist ideas. Your accusation 'What kind of Taoist are you?' is nonsensical cause I'm not a taoist. I tend to mix up Taoism and Zen all the time. But a true Taoist, a religious Taoist certainly wouldn't. A Real Taoist forum would be talking gods, pantheons and temples.. monk stuff. You do know that there is a whole subforum on the TTC here. Maybe you think the discussions there are under you? Or over you? Or you don't the material well enough to join in. I don't know, don't care. But if you want to join in discussions, you may have to drop your lecturing and prejudices. Or find a new site.

Sometimes the answer is contained in what you can't see. Like humidity. The winter has been tough on eyes, the cold had resulted in very dry weather that can be irritating. For the first time I've suffered from winter time allergies and like you, I wonder what is there to be allergic too. One person guessed dust mites in my mattress from over running a humidifier. I don't' know. Much better now though. Plus strong chi can be very life affirming, but I've seen experienced practitioner in glasses, and at least one who's had corrective eye surgery. Sometimes simple works. Like eye drops.

If its any consolation I think we're in the middle of a very long list, that probably gets longer every week.

This is very similar to another post you made a few days back. This isn't Taoist or Eastern wisdom, just commonsense; If you don't like it here, find things convoluted and invaluable not valuable leave. Don't log in, quit, abstain. We'll muddle on without your exalted self and you can direct your energies to a forum you connect with. and don't let the keyboard hit you in the asterisk on the way out. <disgraceful that a mod would post so> {I wasn't speaking as a mod, you ^*OIJ:&%>

I didn't like that site. Its one of the reasons I was looking for information elsewhere. The article and the site seemed off to me. Used too much loaded language. Too many calls of Nazi without much background. I find the article you list below is better and has some good links. Still, the more I learn, the more I see it as messy quagmire to be stayed away from. Course that was relatively clear from the get go. There is no winning scenario. Intelligent strategy seems to be staying out of it.

Stay Calm And Ask WWBD? he'd kick you quarrelers in the balls thats what he'd do. he'd say, point to your true enemy, then cut off your finger. The Buddha he didn't take shit from nobody. You cross him, you are Mu! MU!

Years ago there was one guy here who had the audacity to say 'I am enlightened'. After corresponding with him and reading his posts, I believed him. He mostly studied Healing Tao stuff, in great depth, yet the catalyst or radical change seemed to be the emotional blackness he suffered after the death of his mother. His wasn't the 'powers' and 'perfection' some consider enlightenment, rather a mental shift, to a highly relaxed flowing state. A certain deepening of being. Some sort of On switch that had previously been off.

I hear the phrase nazi'ish Urkaine government/take over. I haven't found good links that give me solid information on how literally to take that. I certainly know they are pro Europe. Any links with good analysis and not so much bias. What I'm looking for is info on there rhetoric, politics and likely aims. I'm assuming/hoping the nazi- comparisons thrown around are over blown. There are certainly unabashed neo-nazi style nationalist groups gaining seats in the European countries hardest hit by austerity. thanks.

Which reinforces the creationist view with the devil being an active participant.

au contraire, I rarely want to cure that which happens naturally. Some curse the darkness. Others light a candle. I go back to sleep. unless I smell something. then i light a candle.

Little known fact. Some of the deepest threads aren't in the Main or Taoist section. They hide in the Personal section and some of the subforums. also Few things are as Taoish as appreciating that which is most useless.

and that is why, it is such a perfect koan.

That which cures can also destroy. And vice versa. baby .. bath .. water .. stuff.