thelerner

Weird wonderful things are out there. I met a guy Wild Bill at a Burning Man event. He's south of Chicago in a group that has a wild bonfire party each full moon. I've never been there, but once it warms up I've got to search it out and join in.

Yup, unfortunately I only make it to 3 or 4 a year. Nice mellow people and often there's only a handful or two there. You'd think it'd be packed, it ends pretty late and is in a so so part of town. The teachers are mellow Eckhardt Tolle types (including the accent). I should probably do a session or two to Gabriel Roths 'Sweat Your Prayer' (http://www.amazon.com/Ecstatic-Dance-Gabrielle-Video-Collection/dp/B0001610TI/ref=pd_sim_b_2) stuff so I remember how to move w/ some flow.

I've never heard the word kareeza before this but seems like I've fallen in some of its practices. Just being intimately connected and one person breaths in as the other breaths out is something I've done for years. I get the feeling kareeza is the Tai Chi of sex Michael

Cool, that reminds me, This Saturday the IMU (www.lifesurfing.org) in Chicago has there full moon meditation. 3 rounds of 45 minutes silent meditation followed by 15 minutes of free form dance. Its a great combination. The power of dance (like that of just standing) is often underestimated. Michael

good stuff

Interesting website. Karezza is something I might be interested in trying. I think persecuted minorities (historically the case w/ homosexuality) often end up creating works of genius. Society dismisses them so they don't need to follow societies rules and restraints, wallah you get works of genius.

If I may ask, how many days and how many hours was the NY seminar? What did you personally get out of it? How did it help your development. One thing I've read from people who've practiced with Master Wang is the high commitment; dedication and daily practice regimen he asks for. Does he require 3 to 5 hours a day? Thanks Michael

I like Kunlun but I don't consider it a full blown system. If you work on it I'm sure it can take you far, but lets face it, there's not a teacher you have access too and the practices are few and pretty simple. To me its a nice tool to have, but a full blown system..no. To me a full system means body, mind, spirit..breathing, sleeping, ethics etc. A world of practice and study. A capable teacher to keep you on track. Things that can take you far in 10 or 20 years of dedication are things like Bardon's Hermetics, which is a Western take on alchemy. Look into Rawn Clarks site, abardoncompanion.com . For a course with in energetic esoteric meditation, we have Santiago who teaches KAP, its taught through skype so you access to live classes online and some real feedback. Don't get too hung up on powers and enlightenment too early. I'm seriously thinking of taking Ya Mu's seminar this month. Looks like its on the power of stillness. Stillness, yin, sounds like just the ticket for Westerners, no powers, just an exploration of stillness. Sometimes we need the opposite of what we desire. Michael

This is more a niggling then a question. As a kid I was intimately aware that God could hear my thoughts. God was someone I proposed gambles too. If I do this then you do that. I'm sure I made several propositions a day of some sort to God. To what extent is that part of Our shared childhood? Or was I just a strange kid? At some point I lost that sensibility. I became rational and scientific. It might be a loss on my part.. in my mid 20's I went to a Yeshiva and I think wanted to rebirth that sense in me, but by that time it was too late. Instead of 'thinking' God hears my thoughts, I look for God in deep silence. strange.. Michael

My dirt is good. I've covered my garden area in a thick patch of half decomposed leaves. The soil this spring is dark and moist. My 2 gardens are relatively small and narrow so there's never been a foot on it to compress it. I tried simple composting just throwing greens and sticks into a old trash can and keeping it moist. I read that the simple way. It didn't really work, it ended up half decomposed, but it still made a nice mulch that's protected my soil through the winter. I have a neighbor who has an amazing giant compost pile. For some its an ugly brown eyesore, but to those in the know its brown gold. This year I'll have another 'gazpacho' garden (tomatoes cukes, peppers, lettuce) . I'd like to accent it with some sort of garden sculpture using metal tubing. I'm also going to build a trellis gazebo for my back yard, with hopefully grape vines covering the top.

Due to his 6 month absence, let me follow up with his questions Actually the questions aren't bad. I'd love to get the perspective on K. from someone with experience and who comes from an established lineage school. Sincerely Michael 2 cents. People ask why K.? I think its because its literally considered a step up in ones personal evolutionary ladder. (course what the heck does that mean.)

IMO at the moment Karma is irrelevant. So is playing the game of endless why's.. instead its time for how can I help?

Two questions about the upcoming seminar in Indiana. Are there still openings? For people who are unfamiliar with your teachings are there any practices that would help them prepare for your seminar? I'm thinking in terms of standing such as embracing the tree, or any particular seated postures. Respectfully Michael

Earlier this year I was trying for long daily meditations of 90 minutes and ended up blowing them off entirely. Now I'm doing 2 sessions of 20 minutes of emptiness meditation each day. Its easier to do consistently but I wonder if I'm losing benefits by keeping it so short. What are good lengths? Traditionally are there any minimums or 'daily requirements'for meditators to shoot for? Thanks Michael

This is what I've heard from a number of sources. That 20 or 30 minutes is missing a level, staying to close to the surface..not getting deep enough.

I saw this a few days ago. The moon is closer then usual, but mathematically the gravitic pull increase is negligible. A scientist interviewed dismissed the idea it would have any effect. Still math be damned its closer and there was a devastating earthquake. Could be a coincidence.

I'm very inflexible. I started out crosslegged sitting against a wall. As years have gone by I've dropped the wall and am pretty comfortable in half lotus. It takes time and a bit stretching, and as Astral has pointed out maybe more greens . So do what you can and slowly expand it. A good pillow (or zafu) that raises your butt up a few inches helps a great deal. I have access to a sauna and it makes sitting and stretching very easy. So try to warm up the muscles before you sit, through stretching or real hot shower. Actually Taoists, Western ones anyway seem to 'do it' on chairs. Straight back and close to the edge.

Probably the best 'intentionality' is the one we throw into our food and drink ourselves. In mystical traditions like Bardon's Hermetics you infuse your food with positive thoughts. Gi Gong traditions have charging water, I've seen it echoed in some kabbalistic forms, both claiming to change the waters physical properties ala Masaru Emoto's work. The simple act of prayer and thankfulness may not change the food, but maybe can change us. Its one of the simple things I too often forget. Something disregarded as superstition that actually has quite a bit of power. back to chocolate. On my wedding day I got a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon and dark chocolate. Great pairing. My latest favorite dark chocolate is Lindt's 72%, nicely creamy for a dark.

I think the writing could easily replace breath with meditation, ie so many kinds of meditation and we may forget to simply sit. Simply sit. The past two years I've been trying to take Adyashanti's words to heart and keep away from trance states while sitting. Taking a more watchful, aware role. Not Doing anything, least not after the first few minutes, keeping it simple and staying present.

I tend to mix up Zen and Taoist thoughts in my practice. But when I'm more 'on the path' I'm mellower, letting things be as they are. Less rage, less thinking, more sympathy.

It took a couple of weeks before I got any bounce. I'd only do 15 or 20 minutes of it a day. Even without movement I still felt there was some sort of alchemy going on, like the position itself was a 'holding the battery' kind of feeling.

My favorite talks are from Michael McAllistair, the Zen inspired InfiniteSmile.org, available in a 100 or more itune podcasts, a pefect balance of depth and relevance. http://www.infinitesmile.org

You should, its a good perspective, from the esoteric view as well as scientific. Are you seeing the lower dantian (guts/stomach?) as a (2nd?) brain? Its a view I've seen endorsed by others like Michael Winn, right down to neurons being found there. Or is more in an energetic sense. So much writing is on 'concentrating' and packing the lower dan tien, much less is written on sensitizing it, though its clearly we feel with our guts. Thanks

I find this interesting- 'What is a bad man? A good man's charge. ' I'm reminded of a reputed answer that the founder of Aikido Morihei Ueshiba gave to a Western student when asked 'What is the relationship between attacked and attacker?' He is said to reply 'It is as parent to child'. Ofcourse that is the reply of the older mystical man, not the younger man who once said his 'real' art is death. Still in conflict, instead of seeing the opposing force as the enemy, they are..your child, your responsibility, someone to be guided. To me its a more generous mindset then 'turn the other cheek'. Both philosophies are hard to put into action.