thelerner

There have been people, posts and premises here that have inspired me. Not everything, maybe not even most things, but there have been some great connections here. Being exposed to practices I'd otherwise have no idea about from Kap to Kunlun. Meeting interesting people, not only through type, but also some great late night sessions on Live Chat and even a fantastic road trip meeting a couple bums live in Sedona & Phoenix. Being exposed to heavy duty Taoists from Ai Wei to Mak Ti Sin. Learning from the good, the bad and the ugly. Lots of good stuff, some even great. Michael

Its not the most pleasant concept of an afterlife, but its shared by a number of Taoists Traditions, not just BKF. (In a history as diverse as Taoism undoubtedly there are a couple other competing theories) The thinking is some people remember past lives because they have a fragment soul that lived it. It also explains human confusion based on the many voices going on at one time due to the number of souls. Michael

Short answer: Not for those who get them to work. In each case there are people who get excellent results. Medium answer: I find Kunlun is an easy exercise and a nice addition to a meditators practice as something totally different. Retention can be problematic, but lots of traditions call for it. If done you should probably be actively in and watched by an experienced teacher within the tradition. Tummo is fascinating, not easy, but as winter is coming its a life skill that makes sense. I've done a bit of tummo with KAP. Personally I've had so so results, but others get pretty hot. I think its a matter of practice, practice practice. Some give up because its not for them, others give up too early. Michael

It may vary from person to person, but I find avocados an energizing, qi filled food. They're such a unique fruit, power packed with healthy fats and excellent vitamin/mineral content. Taste wise they are immensely satisfying. Here's a internet quote: "According to Chinese medicine, the avocado has the ability to build blood and yin, harmonize the liver, and lubricate the lungs as well as the intestines." If you like vanilla shakes try: half avocado, half frozen banana, handful of baby spinach, little bit of vanilla extract, little bit of sweetner and fill with enough milk (your type of) to blend an inch or two over rotors(stump it down if its not blending). Its a nice green color, but the taste is creamy vanilla shake. Sometimes I'll add in a few almonds. Michael

I tend to practice in cycles. There's a point where after 2 or 3 weeks of daily emptiness meditation when my mind is getting quiet so that what thoughts are there become louder. When you dial down the static what comes through can be disturbing. A week to two later it settles down or something happens and I break up my routine. Earlier this year I was doing Zhan Zhang. I found a spot where the the afternoon sun streamed through a window strongly and did 20 minutes standing each day. Even with my eyes closed the sun would throw my vision into neon oranges and reds. After 3 weeks I had the feeling of energy bouncing way too fast up and down my center. My heart literally hurt afterwards. In 25 years of practice I'd never experienced that kind of rush. I followed the advice I've seen and given other. Backed off that particular meditation. I did and in a week or two I felt better. I think the standing combined with strong light overloaded my system. I've done Zhan Zhang since, but not in a position where I soak up so much sun for so long. Michael

Nice picture, you are also a taoist. but seriously, I think of 'energy'/alchemical taoism in terms of what Mantak Chia teaches (though some argue it may be a bastardization of the real thing(huh bastardization is considered a real word by the word processor dictionary, wouldn't it be amazing to use it in a scrabble game, I digress)). Its the exploration of energy systems in the body. The meridians, chakra's, organ/gods etc. To get a handle on one way its taught you can go to HealingTaousa.com and look under FAQ:Straight Answers. Again everyone has there own definitions and it goes from circulating energy all the way to immortality. Taoists have different levels of immortality, frankly unless the person is at least 200 years old they're talking second hand . Michael

Here's my take on it; Labeling and judging create filters that distort reality. When you drop them action can still be taken, but it is done egolessly and simply, without stories and justifications running through your mind. Michael

The strange truth is- I decide if someone is a Taoist or not. Looking at your picture I have decided---....you are a taoist. Now go study and meditate. 1 question answered 999,999 to go

I'm on a computer most of the day. One thing I've been tuning into is Ted.com. I think its one of the best things on the internet. Its different videos on deep subjects taught in entertaining fascinating ways. For example I just finished listening to Randy Pausch: Really achieving your childhood dreams, also known as 'The Last Lecture'. Brilliant, heartfelt. Every thing I've listened to there has been dynamic and meaningful. If you're hopping around the internet, its a good place to sit a spell, choose a video based on courage, beauty, inspiration and listen. I think most people will be very impressed. Ted knows how to pick them. Michael

You have a nice site yourself. Glad we have your experienced input. Michael

Am there, grin and bare it. Also there are certain low humming tones you can use to counter act annoying external sounds. Til you find them, focus on the love. Michael

Unless you are naturally gifted dream work takes time and effort. IMO many dreams are 'junk' dreams, misc regurgitations of days events and various fears and wishes. Recurring dreams go beyond that, showing aspects the subconscious wants us to examine. Dream work goes very deep as you gain lucidity. Personally I don't buy into the whole are we may be butterflys dreaming we're men dictum. A great modern teacher is Robert Bruce, he's done lots of research and has quite a bit of free material available.. Here is a link to an interview http://www.theartofastralprojection.com/blog/interview-with-robert-bruce and http://www.astraldynamics.com/home/ Michael

I'm mostly agnostic to the magic paradigm. More open minded since I've been hanging out on the bums and reading some of the works of Rawn Clark and other Hermetics. If its real, its a difficult skill needing much discipline and talent. Still there are internal magics, within the body, dream work etc. that can be obtained through steady work. They may open the door to other things. My thinking about spirits run along the same line, most being various internal voices..but somethings that bump in the night, really are bumping. The world may be stranger then what we know, yet real life is chop wood, carry water. Michael

It occurs to me that ultimately the true MMA champions are going to incorporate IMA deeply into there styles. When I see the very highest level, people like 'The Spider' Silva, they seem to be in another time zone then there opponents. When I look at Chuck Liddell's physique there is a deceptive softness to it that is common in high level IMA. There are a number of champions who look clumsy but have deceptive power that puts opponents away. It may well be that the very best use IMA techniques now as there secret weapons. Michael

I accept. My IMA is astral projection. The time is NOW! Hah, I see you, you're on the crapper grabbing for the toilet paper. I scream my intent and you ignore me; to your own peril. HiYahhh. Its horrible, I can't describe the scene, another win, I follow the silver cord back to the computer. Michael I'm spending way to much time with my Writers Group.

bump. Very impressive, beautiful cinematography. Note at first it wouldn't show on my mac using Firefox until I hit {clearstream} and got to a different link site.

In the case of the 'cheerleader' I'd say it was premature ejecting, which is always unsatisfying to both parties, still I don't think the moderators are heavy handed. They rarely use there awesome powers and its a pretty thankless job. I'm glad its divided and I think they'll discuss bigger issues. Ultimately getting a time out is not so bad.. If you take it too hard its probably a sign you're spending too much time here and need to get out more. Michael

Weird, you don't hate..you just spread it? You engage in Racism 101, taking quotes out of context. Clipping and pasting parts where people say things like "Whoever gave the Egyptians (in Genesis) horses, they should be killed" or "The Romans have burned my village and killed my family, they should all die horribly". Statements like these in the 9 to 12 volumes that make up the Talmud give you your quotes, but its a game rascists have always played. You're smart enough to be angry when people do it to you ala http://en.wikipedia..../Satanic_Verses http://www.muslimhop...sInTheQuran.htm but you lack the moral fiber to look into the truth before you sling out quotes like "Moslems are told to murder, lie, rape, and be pedophiliacs". Whoops did it again, I meant you wrote Jews.. I get you mixed up with GoldisHeavy sometimes. Frankly, the bible many of the stories in the bible are damn hard to justify, particularly the actions of G-d. Thats why the Talmud is so important. (The blood baths in the Quran and just after it are no walk in the park either though.) You link Samson as the first suicide terrorist (you are soo clever). If you took a course in the Talmud you'd learn how to analyze, also about what sages thought about Samson- Mostly he was a case of more brawn then brains. The moral they give in general is 'Don't be like Samson', more specifically 'Don't let your dick lead you around'. Lots of good wisdom there. Also don't take things so literally, no one has a score keeper behind them in the bible, 3000 killed just means great warrior. Samson as a suicide bomber?? Blinded, harassed and chained to pillars that may not be securely mortared. I think anybody would pull and hope for the best. Its a far cry from strapping on explosives and walking into a restaurant, bus, or crowded market area. Suicide bombers aren't a real high modern moral point for Moslems, enough said. Anyway, as a Jew I've found reading stories in the Quran related to the old testament very enlightening. When I wrote the Quran thought the world was flat, shaolin wrote no they didn't so I did research on it. Its enjoyable to learn and research, I reported back that the evidence pro and counter is murky. Most of the quotes to prove it were taken out of context (big surprise)! shaolin, you'll never take a class or read the whole Talmud, but before you sling accusations of murder rape etc. read the section in it on morals. Just spend a half hour or so reading Perkei Avot, Ethics of Our Fathers. Hopefully it will kill a part of you that should be dead. I believe it was Mark Twain who said "Learning and travel are deadly to prejudices." Spend some time reading GoldisHeavy's posts too; maybe you can learn Hillel's(famous Talmudist) Rule "What is hateful to you, don't do onto others." Its ironic that internet has been such a boon to rascists of all stripes. You can always find a demented group willing to say, "We're right, they're hateful, we're special." The truth is we can be special without wallowing or in your case shaolin spreading hate. Michael

Nature saying yes.

Trick question- All of them. Seriously, I admire Buddhism because as I understand it, its godless. There's no need to guess at what a supreme being wants, instead there's clear writings about the human condition and a clear method for living well. Ofcourse it couldn't overcome man's desire to religionate (another word I'm patenting) and make things more complicated. Michael

shaolin, I hold you in a much lesser degree then Marblehead. Misc. but witty insults that have been taken down due to poor taste. I'll just PM them. Michael

Hi shaolin, Actually I looked into the Quran world is flat thing. There are some sites that have some solid information. If you disregard the hatemongers (like shaolin**more on this later) and look to intelligent thoughtful people you find most of the relevant quotes are poetic and subject isn't cosmology. You can't really figure out what early moslems thought about the shape of the world from it. More telling is that later Islamic astronomers and mathematicians built on Greek and Roman learning to not only model the earth but to get the diameter much closer then the Greeks previously had. The western world owes the East greatly because it kept classical learning alive during the Western dark ages. I calll shaolin a hatemonger because he said Moslems are taught in there holy books to murder others, to rape, lie, steal and have sex with 3 year olds. In many ways he was echoing GoldisHeavy's early post on Dirty Islam. I just thought it was wrong. Oops, my bad, shaolin is MOSLEM hatemonger. He was just using the same form as GoldIsHeavy though I think Gold's post had Moslems having sex w/ 6 year olds and shaolin placed Jews having sex with 3 year olds. He's so competitive. Dollar to donuts he's never seen much less read the Talmud. I assume he's taken the KuKluxKlan (or equivalent) course in it, but thats not saying much. Some of his quotes are outright lies others are taken out of context. (like 2 scholars in 30 A.D. damning whoever gave the Egyptians horses during Genesis ..boom you have a quote). Its the dictionary is a book full of dirty words fallacy. Its the exact same as the Dirty Islam post. Hate warms some people. Its kinda like there true religion and its sad. As if generating hate give them power. Shaolin wrote his Jews are taught evil in a post that had nothing to do with religion, but some people are so full of hate that they can't keep it in. The shame is shaolin never had the opportunity to take a real course in the Talmud, if he did he'd be a better man. Its not the information in the books (9 to 12depending), but the method of learning. The Talmud has long sections of arguments about ..everything, legal, moral, religious. Its studied in 2's, each student is expected to learn both sides as well as the history and context of each dilemma. You may not agree with a side, but you have to understand it. No cut & paste allowed. shaolin is able to grasp that Islam is nuanced and has context, but his prejudice keeps him from understanding that other things do too. Learning has to go beyond convenient catch phrases that warm our dark side. Michael

I'd add I don't think you're (shaolin) an honest person to talk to about it either. You seem more then willing to lie or slander when it suits your prejudices. For example in another post you said the Talmud states- Jesus should be boiled in excrement. Only problem is, it doesn't. You were taught a lie and because it suits your prejudice you repeat it. You are on equal moral footing with the person who copied and pasted posts on why Islam is a dirty vicious religion. Like you, he had many cut & pastes, but thankfully people here pointed out grabbing quotes out of context is wrong. Its good to discuss things with open minded people, but zealots are a bore. Michael