thelerner

That might suck on the morning of day 8 if you're alive and realize you need to make some calls and get stuff back .

Went through another session of level 1 this morning. Did it standing and the 15 minutes went by even faster. When he says to concentrate on the skin muscle and bones in the hand, it was easier for me to visualize and feel. I'll do another few days of this hopefully twice a day. Then move onto Level 2 which as I recall is feeling the space around each 'section' and getting the 'feeling' of the element. What do I hope to get out of this practice? Nothing as grandiose as the Rawn's description above. Maybe nothing beyond putting in a couple hours of zhan zheng. Of course Zhan Zheng- standing meditation is pretty powerful by itself. At this point the practice feels good. My stomach gargles when get to it, I feel circling within my waist. The chest level air element feels good and spacious. Head as fire- not so much, though I see fire here as more light of awareness then heat, maybe that will change. The practice allows me to stand stronger. Starting with level 2 it allows me to delve into the elements, ie focusing on the Earth element pinned to my feet to waist as strong, stable, stoic, unmoving, steady, dependable etc.. Unless there are other answering posts I'll just add to this one through <edit> and let it slip down so as not to clutter the Hermetic area. If it interests others now or in the future, great.

This is not what 30 Day Mentorship is for but here's what I'm doing: This month I'm working on the Archaeous series of exercises from Rawn Clark's abardoncompanion.com site. Its a series of 9 lessons. I'm no expert, matter of fact I usually only get through level 4 or 5 of his programs before they get a bit too much for me. Still, I think its very worthwhile. If anyone else is interested in spending a month going through some of it, we can share our experiences in the Hermetic Section. Like most things on Rawn's site, it is free. http://bardon.dnsalias.net/Archaeous-Links.html These are inspired by Franz Bardon's Initiation Into Hermetics, but are also a unique practice. I find them to be a way to delve deeply into another system of Element theory. A system to intimately understand our body and inner working. Here is a piece from Rawn Clark about it: Archaeous defines three "bodies" which correspond to three "realms": Mental, Astral, and Physical. The healing effects of the Archaeous are achieved through the conscious manipulation of these three bodies, and most especially, through their integration. 

 At every step in the Archaeous, one works in conscious cooperation with the pathways of influence and power which Nature herself provides. The technique mimics one of Nature's most essential processes: Integration + Separation + Re-integration . . . the rhythm of life itself. To this fundamental equation, is added the practitioner's own magical will, along with the focus of healing.

 Lessons one, two and three, are concerned with the complete awareness of each body and their integration with each of the others. Lesson one with the complete awareness, relaxation and integration of the physical body; lesson two with the complete awareness of the astral body and its conscious integration with the physical body; and, lesson three with the complete awareness of the mental body and its conscious integration with the astral and physical bodies.

 Lessons four and five are concerned with the passive separation of these bodies, one from the other, and with their subsequent re-integration. During the period of separation, each body naturally achieves a degree of rest unknown to it by any other means. The archaeous takes full advantage of this healing by-product of their restful solitude. 

Lesson Six is concerned with the purification and balancing of each solitary body and the subsequent re-integration of these balanced bodies. This is achieved through the loading of each body with the four Elements in their appropriate regions.

The final lesson, seven, is concerned with a higher form of integration -- that of integrated self-expression through your consciously unified and Elementally balanced physical-astral-mental body. 

 The archaeous is designed to be pursued in conjunction with the work of Initiation Into Hermetics. Lessons one, two and three, which are focused upon integration, are suitable at any of Bardon's Steps. 

Lessons four and five however, which are focused upon separation, should only be pursued after the completion of Step Two and the attainment of the rudimentary Elemental Equilibrium. 

Lesson six, which pertains to manipulation of the Four Elements, should only be pursued after good progress has been achieved with Step Four and the work of accumulating the Elements. 

And finally, lesson seven should not be undertaken until the work of Step Six is begun.


Self love is good. Its the necessary starting point, but imo it needs to expand. Beginning as sympathy, empathy and understanding moving into acceptance..liking..love. We are more the same then we realize. You can't stop with self love..keeping going.

One week to live..I'd probably avoid people who were trying to push there religious philosophy at me. Make peace with myself, family, the world.. peace with my death. Happily I lived, happy I die. Perhaps death is stranger and more wonderful then we imagine. Maybe its just an off switch. Regardless I join mankind in its shared legacy. More specifically- Spend less time on the internet , more time in nature. Get in some deep meditation as well as at least one drunken blowout party with friends. I've always liked visiting extremes and returning to the middle road; so there'd be some of that; days of simplicity, one or two of extravagance. Course the truth is we all just have one week to live, we just don't which week it'll be.

Yup. Seems to me the prerequisite for all spirituality is a quiet mind. Getting too tied up in all the Thems out there is cluttering it up. Strive for a quiet mind. Do what one can. Go back to a quiet mind. edit> I'd add, going back to the original post that while I'm not Catholic or Christian I'll stop in Cathedrals when visiting other cities, particularly the beautiful ones. I think there is sacred geometry built into them and seems to me many people there are in meditation, sitting quietly, eyes closed, hearts open. Nooks and crannies in most where you see believers in devout silent contemplation. Like most religious traditions meditation is there at many levels, from silent heart worship, theological intellectuals who've written on it, mystics both saints and 'heretics' even monasteries with striking similarities to those in the East. Meditation exists and not to far from the surface. You won't find people seated cross legged or priests telling parishioners to join Buddhists temples, but meditation and spirituality is there if you look for it.

I'd add look around your area. Often a live experienced teacher who can give you feedback is worth more then a master on a video tape. As far as the video/book route goes consider doing some google and Youtube searches, you can find many of these teachers there and see if any connect to you. Keep in mind flashy often means little, in the chi gung game looks are often deceiving. When you find someone you like, get there stuff, preferably a little at a time and practice consistently. I started out with Michael Winn's Healing Tao USA stuff. Solid courses and he had frequent seminars.

I have done sustained one minute breathing cycles, currently doing 44 second. I can juggle, 3 balls 2 hands or 2 balls one hand <my own balls take 2 hands>. I can use a neti, pouring warm salt water into one nostril til it comes out the other. I can reduce my heart rate by 7 or 8 beats a minute by visualizing being on a hammock watching the moon rise. I can deal with cold pretty well, I've studied 2 forms of tummo, mastered none. What else..change a diaper without wincing and make a mean bowl of chili. Thats about it.

Hmnn, I've got 30 years on you. 18 is a confusing age, not a child anymore, but not a 'man' either. The whole concept of 'being a man' is a stereotype. You don't have to look for it or change to become 'it' or find some elusive secret; get a bigger car, abs, shoulders or penis. Being a man is about accepting responsibility. Using the Tao to find the inner man..?.. One translation of Tao is path. Find a discipline, a couple disciplines. Things for your mind body and spirit. Like waking up early. Physically a path like uhmm, martial arts or physical exercise like Convict Conditioning book where like a martial art you build skill in levels. Mind, put yourself on track to learn something difficult. Could be computer programming, could be sculpture, could be anything. Something you're interested in..make it into a way, work at it each day, get good teachers and strive to perfect it. In the East many skills follow a martial style path to mastery. Spirit, look around for a path. Don't disregard the spirituality of your own tradition. Most have mystical branches if thats your thing. It all begins with quieting the mind and learning concentration. Thats my advice, easy to give, hard to take. The trick isn't finding the inner man, its giving the outer man a path and discipline to follow it. Decide on your Way for Body Mind and Spirit, find the discipline to stay on them. What they are is secondary to the devotion you give them. Greatness can be found by meditating facing a wall. Along the way, you'll find helpers and friends. And when great teachers appears you'll be worthy of them.

I don't know. If your not on the verge of getting a suspension every 6 months or so, are you really contributing?? <I should probably put a 'just joking' symbol on more of my posts or at least a smiley face, though sometimes even I don't know if I'm joking. The damn post just writes itself. It's not so much we should be rude and insulting, but every now and then a show of passion is nice. Passion cuts through arm chair fluffy discussions.>

(I am) Winner by P.M. I'm going on vacation soon. I wouldn't mind being second in line for the rods if/when they're available. From what I remember they're something of a 'Kunlun' accessory. Max recommended them. I'd probably want to brush up my position before using them anyway. M.

They're going to become a leading power because they've adopted capitalism. Freedoms, religious amongst them has returned to China, no thanks to Mao. IMO he was responsible for killing 10's of millions of his own people. Burning down universities, monasteries, imprisoning and torturing anyone suspected of not following his vision. Millennium old traditions were outlawed and burnt with glee. Monks, teachers, intellectuals anyone vaguely suspect were sent to a forced labor camps or desolate countrysides to starve in the name of Mao's ideal. Very bad guy in my book.

Too easy. edit: Wait, now I see it: Mary was bludgeoned by an Egyptian Rod

By Subscribe there was a Bitt Coin 'button'. Now when I log onto the taobums I get a long search that seems to be trying to get to 'coin something'. Is this a new feature or nasty bug?? Thanks

Hmnn, Tao also means path. You can be goal-less, walk the path steadily and you get some place. A good path takes you to a good place. Versus no path and you tend to walk in circles or So goal oriented you lose the path because your eyes were on focused on the distance.

Seems to be non-invasive now. Glad to have it if it helps the site. For those interested, here is a video about it. https://coinbase.com/

Sounds True is having a $1 sale on teachers as diverse as Alan Watts, Adyashanti, Ken Cohen and a host of others. . Its mostly shorter 20 to 40 minute audio's so its not an earth shaking deal, but if there's a favorite teacher you have represented, it may be worth it. http://www.soundstrue.com/news/PEARLS/?utm_source=Sounds_True&utm_medium=email&utm_content=postcard&utm_campaign=WISDOM&_bta_tid=3.RM0.AmdITA.AsvL.F9yT..Xs6h.s.Kgc.l.ATe6.a.UUk0QA.UUk0QA.5Fh_-g&_bta_c=jsabgws9zuumeixz1hdj52q6mfvt3 I particularly liked the Adyashanti audios.

Maybe..maybe not. Still the ultimate film on the subject may be What Dreams May Come with Robbin Williams. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What_Dreams_May_Come_%28film%29 Beautifully shot, good story but relatively little known. It postulates the only thing truly real is what we create in our heads, all the physical stuff is temporary. If you haven't seen it, you should. A fun book to read which incorporates the idea a bit is 'The Strange Adventures of Rangergirl' well written by Tim Pratt, who writes great short stories. It takes place in 'our world', but within it, mostly unseen, creativity, artistry and myth are powerful forces. Both available at my library at least.

eh teachers need to eat too. Sometimes spending a buck to learn what you don't like is worthwhile. These audios are short enough to get an idea of the teachers main thrust with out getting married to them. However if Sounds True is too crass and commercial, then here is a free site with hundreds of great dharma speeches and guided meditations. http://diydharma.org/DIY-audio At the risk of finding out who he's put in the hospital or morgue, I recommend Ajahn Brahms dharma talks. He's excellent. He's got some free ebooks online too. Can't recommend him highly enough. I agree Adyashanti is bit stuffy but liked his insights on meditation.

We may go through our days and there are hundreds of opportunities we miss. Walking past them unaware, because we have a fuzzy idea of what we want, but aren't awake enough to connections that could lead us closer to it. Maybe thats where the connection between subconscious and 'asking' comes in.

What you say is highly logical. Yet I've seen and heard about synchronicities that go beyond chance. Its doesn't seem to be done by commanding the universe and its not ever a sure thing but there are uncommon people, often 'holy ones' who seem able to tilt a little piece of the universe in there favor in ways that defy probability. Why haven't they cured hunger and disease? Perhaps the universe doesn't bend all that much. I'm firmly in the category of putting in the work to get things and not depending on wishes or fishes but the world may be stranger and more dimensional then we know. It'd be a shame if it were and we ignored it.

You seem a little obsessed with Christianity. On this site we've pretty gotten rid of bible thumpers who blame everything on 'the devil', at times your frequent coming to Christianity in almost every subject is very similar. A bit long winded and redundant. Course so have my answers been, though I've kept them shorter. I'm fine starting little because I'm not a Bodhisattva. I don't think you are either. I wonder if your idea of teaching a person to fish is to show a hungry child a free 30 minute youtube of Mckenna. Ah, good deed is done, no need for pseudo acts of kindness like feeding the child. Once you explain yourno belief system, substantiation of light and why all religions are bad, you've done your work, problem solved. Except its not, cause right or wrong<certainly I think its wrong 12 ways> its not that easy to found your own religion or change minds. And like so many fundamentalists your 'Answer' is always the same. 'Once everyone believes exactly what I do, the world will enter an era of authentic kindness', the creed of all fundamentalist groups, be they Christian, Moslem, Hindu or whatever, it is the foundation of their belief system. Another is intolerance, no matter what the conversation They'll turn it to who they're against. They generalize, marginalize and insult. Bad habit of all fundamentalists. The idea of live and let live is..not allowed because- this groups an idiot, that group is foolish, the one is murderous. It can feed a monstrous ego, an elephantine one they can't see because it can't possibly exist. I think there are lessons and wisdom in most religious traditions. Not everything, but all have had wise enlightened teachers, but too many go out of your way to- Generalize, marginalize, insult all groups that aren't their 'Us'.

Please break down the big points of your wish list. Be specific. How much would you like the population weaned? and how? What tech would be allowed? Any metals? Any medicines or those with such treatable conditions like diabetics killed? Shelter. What would be allowed, only dead trees? Concrete? Bricks? Clothing. Textiles allowed, or only dead animals? Would trade be allowed? Money or only barter? How would you envision these things being enforced? What punishments for spreading knowledge, building anything helpful and any general improvement? Say someone wants to develop penicillin? Death sentence? Lastly what if you got everything you wanted but it just took place in your country? Close your eyes imagine it. Can you see it? Are there dead bodies there? How many? 100's of millions? Fine disintegrate them away, look at the survivors. How many will survive? How many will die fighting for nontainted water? Food? Take time to see the first days and weeks of your vision. Are you alive in it? Do people know you're the one who decimated everything they had?

Would Mother Theresa helped anyone if not filtered through her faith? I don't know, I'd guess yes, some people are natural 'Mothers', its not a faith thing, its a human one, no theology needed. What is the value of her help? Again, I don't know, but I do know its life saving to be fed when you're hungry, its soul reviving <no theology here> to have a person look at you and converse like you matter. You can be inspired by her actions or not. What matters is personal action. What a person does, if they take the time to help or not. I think a person can feel they're free of beliefs when in truth they're filled with negative ones, and thats just as bad. Positive or negative, a strong belief is followed strings of often biases intellectual reasoning. Worse they're the stuff of mind noise and chatter.

Whoa, its not about Christianity<really, really>, theology, salvation or saving the world; toss all those beliefs out; its about simplicity. Don't let your mind run on. Keep it simple, you see someone who needs help, its in your power to help them, ease there burden a bit, then do so. That's all. Don't worry about what others may think, your future, karmic implications, teaching lessons, or long winded speeches. Be compassionate or find another word if 'compassion' sets off a complex string of unpleasant mental noise. Just help others when you can.