thelerner

Its a situation thats hard to get a good grasp of. I'd be interested in reading more from locals and people who have a first hand sense of whats going on and whats led to it. Too much of the media focus is polarized I hope the situation doesn't expand or explode much. From what I've read it was an honest vote. We may not like it, but if Crimea had an honest vote to join Russia, then .. I.. wish'em well and mostly don't care.

I like Cracked.com good comedy, and strangely imo insightful history articles.

Thanks, but I don't think I need to worry about such things. It wasn't an exorcism, just a short very intense piece of bodywork. Matter of fact I'm generally in the category that its our belief that (generally) gives them power. Most of the time; such psychic events whether external or internal- if you let it go, lose there power; clinging, worrying and belief, fuel them. Thus I have a strict policy when strange things happen; I ignore them or rather- keep calm, carry on, and give them little credence. back on track. I think Clyman's bodywork is a very powerful (and painful) healing modality, but I was a poor test subject. Similarly if I'd gone to a world class acupuncturist without any particular problem, had a treatment and came back with the similar story, it was interesting, but I don't feel a difference. Its not them, its me.

Historically there seem to be levels of banned in TB with heart taking precedence over strict law. I think TG sending a message implying the first thing he'd do when he got back (after a relatively short time out) was (in my mind) insult (..retards..) the mods was probably an egotistical strategy that didn't play very well. Give it time. Things will work out. Having time away from the board can be a good thing.

Two bits about that: 1> Cancel all thoughts, is probably over simplifying Buddhists philosophy on thinking. 2> Zen's longer title is Zen Buddhism, so its not necessarily so different from the many other forms of Buddhism.

Looking at it seriously, there do seem to be a few breatharians who've succeeded in living without food and whole lot of dead ones and a few frauds caught with food in there mouths. Water is hard, tortuous after a day or two, dead in a few. Still there are stories of cave Taoist ancient and present who'd limit the loss by drinking (some) of there own urine. Michael Winn had a good article on that. Air.. hmnn, I don't think anyones thinking of launching a program called Taoists in Space. But classically Taoists and mystics, hit the hills and high mountains. Places where the air the thin. Modern athletes will head higher too, in the hopes high altitude training gives them an edge. There's probably a place in training to go ultra minimal. No distractions of mind or body. Undoubtedly excellent training, but I wouldn't want to live there. Even in the U.S I've heard of places where you stay in a room or cave and food is brought in. Certainly there are places like that out East. Yet, such seclusion over long term might create a lopsided practice.

I'd be okay with it. If it was done, would it be under probationary terms?

There seems to be some nice new blood posting online. Maybe my job here is done and I can retire to a place where the only electricity is fire flies and finally get some piece of peace.

Its a bit long, hopefully semi-well written and mostly accurate. Here is my write up on this experience. I thank Master Clyman and Dorian for making it possible. In the interests of full disclosure it should be pointed out that before writing this article I got a call to my house from Master Clyman and in the subsequent conversation there popped up mention of an ex TaoBum member he’d like to hunt down and kill. I’m sure that was tongue in cheek, but I also know Gary’s fingers are deadly weapons. So while I wouldn’t want to piss him off.. I write the way I write, raw, humorous, 96% honest, which is as much truth as I can handle. I found Gary Clyman to be polite, knowledgeable, generous and very talkative. His conversation moved from his young girlfriends to his grandmother. He is a very yang kind of guy. That drive has made him the master he is. Myself, I am pretty yin, generally only putting out only as much effort as required. Clyman seems to think there are haters on the Tao Bums site. This is not true, no haters, we do have some crazies though. The flack that comes up in some threads is because someone named something ‘the best’. If they’d stopped at 'very good', there be little or no negativity. But once something is named best, or worse, 'Thee Best', then its like moths to flame; negativity gravitates to it. Its a human thing, say something is spotless and people kick mud and bring out their magnifying glasses. An extreme example of this was Isbivz Rep a very sincere Moslem, but his writing came from such a proselytizing angle he did his cause way more harm then good. Back on subject. When the first person declined Gary’s generous offer (due to distance) of a healing session referred to as Emotional Liposuction, I, due or despite an early show of sarcasm was given the opportunity. I accepted knowing little about it. I didn’t watch any of the video’s he has online thinking they might prejudice my experience. Tao Bums member Dorian Black PM'd recommending I have a good nights then destroyed that possibility by writing “.. maybe only drink coffee in the morning to increase the pain barrier.” Hmnn Pain Barrier, interesting pair of words. I anticipated something like a painful massage. Well, I’ve had deep tissue sport massages that were pretty rough, how hard could Emotional Liposuction be? Such thoughts kept me up. Gary’s office is in a very happening part of town, right off of Randolph Street, a little north of downtown Chicago. An old meat packing strip t, now gentrified into some of Chicago’s best restaurants and bars. I entered an old building just off the strip, walked up 3 flights, knocked on the door. I was greeted by 2 dogs, smallish side of medium, playful. I shook hands with Gary and presented him with some computer art I’d created for him. One a jumble of multicolored words from his website. The other his portrait drawn using words of peace in 30 languages. Its a cool effect. I felt the need to give him something because this was an expensive treatment and I was getting it for free. He led me past a small practice area into the therapy room. It had a massage table in the middle, in a corner was a young man from Ireland. This reflects very well on Gary. This man had traveled half way around the world to see him again. Dorian Black, Gary’s biggest fan in the Tao Bums is from Germany. I can understand how Clyman could feel like a prophet unloved in his own country. Those who know him are often fanatical boosters. We talk and talk, rather he talked, I mostly listen. Then it was time to get on the table. I ask if I should change into shorts I brought. Not needed. I take off my sweater so I’m on the massage table with jeans and a T-shirt. There I learn some inconvenient truths. He folds a dish towel in half then rolls it up halfway. The thick round part goes into my mouth for biting down on. The unrolled half goes over my nose to cover possibly explosive spittle from my nose and over my eyes, so I won’t know whats coming. My hands were given a long round noose with a ball attached. Mouth gagged, I thought.. this doesn’t bode well. I don’t think I’m tough, but years, almost 2 decades of martial arts gave me, I think, a higher then usual tolerance for pain. I did 13 years of Aikido where you’d give someone wrist and they’d use the bones in your forearm and wrist to crush the sensitive ulnar nerve til you screamed and went down on your knees. Similarly I’d leave old style Shotokan karate with 6 inches bruises on my forearms from brutal step step step, smash block, smash block, smash block ‘katas’. Here is my thinking which could be inaccurate: The idea of Emotional Liposuction is there are points on the chest, many along the rib cage. Different emotional problems have different points, these points ache when pressed. Once found, they can released with a combination of chi, accupressure and hitting. Properly defused the person treated achieves a great release. On the table Gary asked what problems I had. I’m not in great shape, but I feel fine. I am not an emotional guy. I admire stoicism. I remember being in a hospital waiting room with my mother and a clergy woman came in asked if she could help us. We told her- no, we’re good. She asked why we were there, I mentioned my dad was having a triple bypass and we were waiting. She asked again if we wanted her to pray with us or comfort us; again we told her- nope and shoo’ed her away and continued to read our magazines. Its not that we’re unloving, its a realization when you can’t do anything, and you don’t know whats happening stay calm. My dad is the chief stoic. (& he’s alive and well) I’d told him earlier that day he looked like crap and suggested I drive him home. He said no. And added that it’d be silly because we had 2 cars there. I told him not worry about the other car, he should get home. He repeated no. Later he left work early. I called home to check on him, he wasn’t there. He’d driven himself to the hospital, left the car running infront of the emergency room entrance, walked in and said ‘I’m having a heart attack.‘ That’s my dad. So what emotional problems do I have. None. I told Clyman my biggest problem was laziness. I procrastinate hugely. He nodded, I lay back and the poking began. I was okay for this and that pressings. For example, no fury issues. Then came the anger point, that hurt. he repeatedly pressed it hard. I relaxed and breathed into the pain. I could take it. A few more pokes and he found the abandonment point. Again painful, sharp, a bit nasty after repeated pressure. By the end it hurt to the point I squirmed a little, but all in all not too bad. Then came the Bitterness point. When he pressed it hurt and instead of pressure he jabbed at it and it felt like a punch in the solar plex by an expert. See, when the average person punches they tense up and that tension slows the strike down; flexed muscle feel powerful but work against each and the effect is a blow that bounces off. An expert is relaxed, there casual looking blow is fast and penetrating. I don’t think one of his blows would have knocked me down, but 2 would have. They were 9 parts light up pain and one part nausea. And they kept coming every 3 to 5 seconds. I fell back on an old strategy I’d use when I was wiped out in martial arts class and had to keep going. I laughed, it introduces endorphins and helps clear the mind of worry. I’d laugh and laugh, Gary would join in and so would the Irish kid who was still in the room. The trouble was laughing takes up oxygen quickly and when I stopped. I’d get a devastating jab to the solar plex. (actually it only felt like the solar plex, looking at the relatively pinpoint bruising the strikes were small and (I now believe) against the breast bone) Still I kept up with it, if no other reason he didn’t hit while I was laughing. When I stopped, he didn’t hit immediately he'd waited until I just untensed, then lit me up. This went on for a few minutes. The laughing strategy failed me and I reached a point where I felt I couldn’t take it anymore. At that point the blows may have been lighter, I couldn't tell they seemed just as hard to me. Gary instructor me to Push it Out, Push it Out. What?? The bitterness. I could only concentrate on being in pain and wanting it to stop. Maybe sounds would make him stop, so made grrr’ing sounds, which helped a little because it tensed my stomach, but it what he wanted. At one point I think he said, ‘Stop being a lazy Jew’. That refocused me. I don’t think he heard me because my mouth was gagged, but I spit out ‘I’m not going to stop being a Jew.‘ At some points he’d press down hard. While doing this he talked to the Irish kid and at one invited him to ‘work‘ on me by holding down on midchest pressure point. I hoped that’d bring some relief but the kid was strong. I could no longer get fulls breaths and without that, my cognitive powers shrank and desperation set in. When he stopped, Gary went on for a minute more then mercifully stopped. In all it was probably lasted only about ten minutes, maybe less. I'm honestly not sure. He asked how I felt. I said ‘I feel okay.‘ Did I feel lighter? I told him a little bit. Any changes? I told him I didn’t know. My chest hurt. He said the horrible words ‘Let’s try it some more’ and he produced another rolled up towel gag, stuffed my mouth with it and began again. My cognitive ability was back, so was the intense pain and a new fear that he might actually be doing me damage. Still, I either trusted him enough to stay down or was simply too dumb, numb or docile to move or stop him. Thankfully this session was short. I had intense feeling of relief. Some release too, but mostly relief that it was over. We talked afterwards. I asked if he felt his words during the procedure had the most effect. Since during the pain he’d told me to stop being lazy. He’d repeated ‘Push it out’ a few times. He said no, often he wouldn’t speak at all. There was a feeling of catharsis, but how could there not be. It was the most painful thing I’ve physically experienced in my life and I’ve been to the emergency room a few times (usually driving myself). I believe in the theory of body armoring and we lock in dark emotions physically. His theory makes sense and I know his practice has helped many people. Its the atomic bomb of body work. It is also pain and torture. Yet in our lopsided civilized life, such things are occasionally needed; probably good for the soul. I feel if I was ever arrested and tortured I could look them in the eye, ‘Hah, I’ve worse, you’re nothing compared to Clyman.’ Yet did I have an intense healing? No, but I wasn’t sick or emotional. I am yin, I absorb, hold out, strive for moderation. Nor am I particularly energy sensitive. I’ve been in rooms where people were being ‘energetically’ healed and many of those watching swayed to unseen energies. I felt nothing. Bottom line, I’d recommend Master Clyman treatment. Its beyond intense and quite powerful. Maybe we need that intensity to create real change. I have been more active during the past few days. Maybe it’s acted as a bookmark in my life. I don’t feel much different, but change isn’t in my nature. I dabble, I enjoy myself, meet interesting people, occasionally do strange new things(LakesofFire tickets on sale 3/19). The world changes around me and I look for a comfortable seat to watch.

I'm hoping the sequel is shorter and all pictures .

Here's what I learned from a biography on Buckminister Fuller, a modern renaissance man. To become excellent at something you have to be a bit fanatical. Give your all, sacrifice for it. Even when its something partly foolish. Become a true believe (hopefully not the insufferable kind who thinks everyone Else must do the same). The other side of that is knowing when to give it up. Walk away.. you've plumbed the depths, lived it but sayonarra. The teacher sets the tone for the class. If there's not a good jibe, its hard.

For TG its not just a practice its a religion, and he's a convert fundamentalist, which means twice the zealotry and three times more to prove. Not following or giving obeisance to it is an insult. Often his worst criticism are those who follow a different path of Mo Pai. Those people seem to get even more wraith then those who don't think its the greatest thing since sliced bread. Worse, its an art that says Sorry Whitey, for reasons of genetics and maturity we won't teach you. That in itself might twist someones head around, when they love something that says, you're not good enough to be taught, cause your white or Western.

Sure, dozens of not 100's of hours. They separated out breathing exercises, from meditation ones. I'm mostly writing about experience in Ki-Aikido, the meditation done during Ki-classes. Breathing was done through the nose, always keeping in and out even and quiet. At times it'd be very formal and the person leading the class would clap, and you'd breathe in slowly, he'd clap and you'd breathe out slowly. He'd get visual feedback from the group, but he'd gradually lengthen the amount of time during breath to about 25 seconds. Most often a 50 second breath cycle. An assistance would often make adjustments to peoples seated posture. You assume a beginner won't be perfect. I assume someone meditating for years, will also slip into not being perfect. Unless you're filming yourself, its easy to slip without knowing it. Such perfect posture may not be the most important thing in the world, still, I've seen people in meditation, just sitting. And I'm impressed as hell. clearly visible amongst dozens of other practitioners, you can see decades of practice in there posture, part of that is a general wah, air about them, but its is 100% there. The ki-classes worked on the basics sitting, standing, breathing, meditating. Oh, you were judged on how your belly, chest and shoulders moved. We learned how to walk properly. Without the practice given, I 'd probably fail the tests and I'm not walking properly these days. One kind of test would be someone infront of you with there hand out and could you effortlessly walk through them, no change pace or effort.

I don't see anything wrong with that.

Obscuration Origin: 1425–75; late Middle English < Latin obscūrātiōn- (stem of obscūrātiō) a darkening, equivalent to obscūrāt(us), past participle of obscūrāre (obscūr(us) ..., I won't

To follow, not really, but there is minutiae- little things, that not only are easy to get wrong, but easy to slip into unconsciously. Things like, keep your back straight. Many is the time a senior would make small adjustments to my body. At times the most comfortable position was not the ideal one. In a formal class (not zazen, but meditation) after awhile, my back get rounded and I'd be corrected. To get into really small stuff there'd be a practice where you'd observe a meditator and they broke mushin, small stuff, a break in breathing, a tightening of the face or body due to fleeting thought (in lyrical terms a cloud passing over them) you'd pat'em on the shoulder. Not a practice we'd often do, but sometimes. Without experience we'd often fail within a few minutes. Some dojo's would have a tester not just look, but actively try to knock you over and the test was to just be. Very hard. Even now I've found something as small as a insect landing on me rocks my meditation. Sometimes we're unaware of what we don't know. And teachers with decades of experience can open our eyes, and teach us be 'just so'.

http://www.thrillist.com/drink/nation/most-expensive-coffee-thrillist-nation and you thought Starbucks was expensive excerpt: How to make a cup of coffee that costs $54,562 Published on 1/19/2014 By Dan Gentile If you're the type of coffee drinker (29 of them here) who wants to spend the equivalent of more than eleventy million or so Dunkin' Donuts coffees just to get a lot of bragging rights/people talking about what a dumbass you are behind your back, we've got just the set-up for you. So drink in all the ludicrous elements making up this $54562 cup of coffee, not counting whatever denomination bill you use as a stirring rod.

and thats why we should have (at least) 3 levels of emails. The 'junk' email name (aol is good for this) that we look at once a month. A could be important one that we look at weekly, and friends/family only email address. Gmail has nice filter settings (bottom of More button) that allows you to throw things into folders without being seen in regular mail. A good option for newsletters. Plus its good to be ruthless with Spam or polite and unsubscribe as much as possible.

I've always thought of zazen practice as a type of meditation. A strict formal kind. Striving for perfect posture, long sitting with a concentrated yet empty mind. Its probably old school, but I imagine students lined up on zafu's facing the wall. A sensei pacing the room with a long bamboo rod, ready to give the 'whack of awakening' to those who break form. Ofcourse I realize that's a bit of a caricature. I do see a much more 'just so' in the posture, mind and breath of zazen vs other forms of meditation.

Speaking of anime, The Wind also Rises by the famed Miyazaki (Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle..) is out. Its reputed to be his last work. A genteel story about a young man in the 1920's who dreams of building airplanes. It captures a side of heroism that is rarely seen in American films. Slow moving, his trademark beautiful scenery, love story and a interesting view of preWWII Japan.

I use it to mean - 'YES!' or 'This is thought provoking'.

I find my KISS kindergarten level of Buddhism to be very satisfying. Its fascinating how deep it goes, but the simple ideas and explanations are profound. even at the Fiire... GOood level.

It'd hate to miss an opportunity to be worked on by a master. Its a very generous offer. I accept and promise to be open minded and give an honest assessment. I am however a private person (also relatively boring unemotional one). I'd want to see the video and have the right to say no to it being shown publicly. And would the make the same concession on what I write.. if it doesn't meet your and Master Clymans approval then it doesn't get shown or printed. Here is a question. Truthfully I haven't watched any of the Clyman videos. I did see some a while ago. I assume its better to go into the experience blank, without expectations. Or should I see some of them before? PM me and I'll give you whatever information you need.

Jeez, I thought it was a colorful knitted 'skull' cap and that 'real skull' was a euphemism. Huh, its not, a tibetan skull cap is a decorated metalized human skull! WTF. What do you drink out of it, spring water.. blood?? One more reason to avoid tibet and the crazed head hunters that roam there. mostly kidding.

Not my cup of tea, but I admire concept albums. Not a bad sound either.