thelerner

Playing devils advocate (cause he's more fun to play with) one thing that impressed me about Verdesi is he inspired people to engage in long hard practice, far beyond what most Western teachers require. Maybe its because he's charismatic or its a byproduct of charging so much, but he got his people to work 3,4 or more hours daily. That's quite an accomplishment. One that will lead to gains no matter what your practice is. Even the people who leave his teaching dismayed are probably better for it because they know the discipline of long practice. Michael

Happy Birthday Michael

Sometimes-depends what I'm sticking the tongue into

The Matrix series, particularly Morpheus was a good 'Taoist' character. Maybe we're lucky there's not a major series of Hollywood movies showcasing Taoism. There's enough New Ageisms and Charlatans in the business already. Better to keep it real then look to Hollywood fantasies. Michael

LDT = Lower Dan Tien. Located in the belly, about two inches or so below the navel. Its considered by some a chakra, others a collection point of energy and often a focus during meditation. MCO= Micro Cosmic Orbit is a taoist meditation where energy is run up the spine to the top of the head then down the front channel to the perenium (Between genitals and anus) repeatedly (sometimes the flow is reversed). I think of it as a controlled kundalini exercise. Its talked about more then its achieved. Jing, ??I consider Jing to be juice in every sense of the word. peoples definitions will differ. Michael

Winn will always be a polarizing figure, with people liking, disliking him and switching between the two. It doesn't help that Winn has followed in the footsteps of Chia in over promising results. So you do get teenagers looking for immortality and getting disillusioned. Still I've found him a very good teacher and trailblazer for Taoism in the West. I never set teachers up that high, so I'm not disappointed when they're proved just human. I'm willing to pick and choose what I feel is valuable (or simple) from the teacher I'm with. The bad part that is I'm less inspired and concentrated on a practice. I applaud people like Findley & Stigweard who are inspired enough to practice hard and make pilgrimages to China to learn. Michael

Findley, I'm sure you meant to be "genuinely humbly & polite as possible" but you may have immediately insulted him by saying you studied his material and it didn't give you anything. After the insult you followed it with "open my mind to reality" (I have a few minutes) and ended with give me an intimate powerful transmission. The pattern of insult, unrealistic request then asking for gift is not going to work on the majority of practitioners. Whatever there field people approached this way are going to say 'buy the tape' and move away. I took a class w/ Winn. On one hand the man definitely has an ego, but is also very knowledgeable and open to sharing. He'd eat with us, chew the fat and was willing to discuss and share what he knew. At a seminar I organized a camp fire and he came and was 'one of the guys'. I don't think he calls himself a high grandmaster or puts on airs like one. All teachers need to be approached with respect. Without establishing some connection making 'gimme requests' is going to fall on deaf ears. Michael

Li Ching always comes up on discussions about longevity. "1. Li Ching-Yuen (born 1677 or after died May 6, 1933). alleged lifespans of 199 and 256 years" If his story is true (which I doubt) it shows the flaw in his method. What I mean is -Why wasn't he able to teach his way to his wives, children, grandchildren etc...Did they not care? Did he not mind them dying?? It seems more likely that many of them did and could not duplicate his success. There are ascetics past and present who have devoted every moment of life to practice and they age and die like the regular population or at least not all that differently. I think the biological clock starts running down in our 60's, at best late 70's if we work out, eat right, good genetics, then its a downward spiral physically. Mentally and spiritually there are fewer limits. Michael

That night she rubs peanut butter all over herself and you have a wonderful time, but as the week wears on she becomes more interested in the peanut butter then you, with a chubby peanutty hand she waves you away. I wish it would stay in the 50's here in the Midwest for another 2 weeks. Michael

For spirally dynamic I like the Pan Gu form. Its taught by a couple of different schools, I have Michael Winn's version. Most of the movement is in the arms, while the palms spiral energy. Its very simple yet powerful. You may be able to find visuals of it on youtube or the healingtaousa site. Michael

If you want an exact answer get a book, it'll take a while, there are threads here recommending basic reads and ofcourse there is a book discussion section. The Healing Tao US website has some indepth articles by Michael Winn on what he's trying to accomplish with his system. I find Taoist meditation systems (and there are many of them) tend to be esoteric and energy oriented. Take Winn's system (based on Mantak Chia's, based on the Hermit White Cloud?). You learn the inner smile, sending good feelings to your inner organs. Later some qi gong forms, some old and shamanistic. Get into the Microcosmic orbit, which circulates energy around the central channels. Later there's a whole set of visualizations and energy manipulations. Plus learning about the unique Taoist philosophy of your multiple souls and how they react. In other words they tend to be kind of busy, though some are simpler then others. That's there blessing and curse, where other systems have you sitting quietly for decades, Taoist systems tend to have levels that build on each other. Michael

Reading, writing, rithmetic plus a safe environment and nice park to play in is all I required from a school. Meditation, Mindfulness, Mushiness those are things best taught and practiced at home or under a good teacher in an after school program. Montessori can be a good choice- if you don't mind paying college tuition for 14 years. There's home schooling, but a good solid regular school is not a bad option. I'm against busing kids far away for schooling, it puts them too far from local kids who are the most convenient to play with.

Touching the sword blade also goes against the sword and bokken training I've had. Matter of fact even stepping over a bokken was considered a breach of etiquette and if it was a sword you may as well keep heading out of the room. On the drug matter, drugs kill, cause addiction and destroy lives, lots of them. I think there's wide room for debating how liberal we should be. If there are lone voices preaching against them, thats fine w/ me. It balances out the any drug any where fan clubs. Lets be careful out there, particularly when we tread on other cultures sacred plants. Michael

I'll bite....Lets see: Does the Universe/God care about us? Is It aware and how should we relate to it? Within the context of that question, how should we consider events that happen in our life? Should we see them as signs and guidance or as random events knocking us around. Thanks Michael

A piece I picked up is this: Sacred is what you make sacred. Our actions and reverence make or break Meaning. Michael

At a monastery a new monk and a professor waited to see the master. As they waited they talked and were served tea. The new monk poured and overfilled the professors cup and told him he, like the cup, must be empty inorder to learn the lessons of Zen. When the door opened the master saw the professor and told the new monk he would not see him. Why?

Libra I am, though being on the cusp of scorpio hardens me (if you believe in that sort of thing, which I don't). To me the comparison sets up a false dichtomy, perfect for an I got you either way. Personally I know I must fight against the prejudices and lack of mercy that comes almost reflexively from my darkest most egoic side. Reality presents us with situations too complex for such simplistic conditioning. I think you need a practice that includes the heart, and with an open heart comes a natural tendency for mercy. Reading the newspapers on a daily basis has calcified aspects of my heart. Maybe of necessity, maybe not. One helps others when one can. Michael

"I left her by the bank. Why do you still carry her?" There was a small Zendo in the inner city. A student asked the man who ran it 'Why are there no pictures of the Buddha there?' 'There's one behind the curtain' and pointed to a small frame covered by cloth. What was behind the cloth?

I believe I speak for many when I say 'I don't care', it really doesn't matter. If somebody posts under 2 names or uses false ones, they need a life and to get away from the computer for a while, but unless they're really SPAMming up the board, its there (psychological) problem. Michael

There was a time, long ago I was really into these dramas. Even got myself kicked off of Healing Tao website for a time, which takes some doing. I think its a point of maturity (least for myself) to state your truth and walk away. No writing, no reading, not giving it a thought. Obviously whatever dark thoughts and insults you have against them, they have for you. Its not worth the trouble, worse it turns noble aspiration which hopefully everyone in the field of spiritual work has into mudslinging gossip. Michael

Is the theme of the question-These 'so-called' people disagree w/ me, so its easier to postulate they're only one person rather then think so many think you're full of wrongful ideas ?

Nice, a true guide post. Michael

I've been enjoying the series. & you're the right the eternal lesson is : PRACTICE Michael

Eric Yudelove who was heavily influenced by Mantak Chia used cross eyed practices in his book, 100 Days... Anne Wise found looking up 'focusing on the 3rd eye' brought on a relaxation response measurable w/ by her Brain Wave machine. She also found doing it long brought on stress which reduced the effect. So some of her guided meditations have you look up on the breath in for the first few breaths. Michael

Keep'em coming, I like'em and there's good information on it. Its hard to learn kata from a video, but there are philosophies within the practice and katas that can be taught. In any case you're inspirational enough for me to get out some boken and start a few forms myself. Michael