thelerner

Retention is not my strong suit so I'm biased towards dismissing its importance. When I studied Kaishan Golden Bell Chi gung they said you needed the 100 days of celibacy and it was best to do it at the beginning of your practice. Max's Kunlun system is similar. Its a fairly common in many esoteric systems. How important do you think the 100 days is? Michael

Good advice from Liminal. I'm a reflexive sceptic and generally anti guru. I hope when I go the (phoenix)seminar I shed all judgements and stay in the moment, take what I can get, digest what I can. I'm not looking for enlightenment in 6 hours or to find a godlike guru. I want insight on powerful simple system that produces a bit of happiness, health and clarity of mind. I'd be happy w/ 2 out of 3 . The only transmission I know about is in my car. I'm very curious to experience it. Michael

Its very intriguing. It goes along pretty well w/ TCM theory I think. There's a book out on heart recipients memories. There was a thread on heart transplants on the healing tao usa site a long time ago. I'm generally skeptical, but echoed memories from transplants and a book I read about the scientific pursuit of children reincarnated memories (right down to birth and death marks) make me keep an open mind. Michael

Friends who thought a video camera was too intrusive made an audio tape of their wedding. Later on they used it in a slide show DVD. The words and emotions caught on tape capture the moment very well. Its late and you got me thinking about marriage. Misc. Marriage thoughts. Why marry? Why marry that person? Maybe we marry because we know the risks. There are the big 4 annoyances (Children, Money, Sexual Differences, Inlaws) and 1000 little annoyances (toilet seat up, socks on floor, tooth paste not rolled up, coffee too light etc.)that must be faced. By marrying we're saying you're worth fighting for, worth risking for, worth going through the 1004 annoyances for. Making a promise before community and friends. A promise of the heart and soul, lawyer and government. One that'll be pretty damn hard to get out of. It's saying when my blazing love becomes a dark ember. I won't walk away. I'll hold your hand, blow gently and rekindle the flame..over and over. Lonely searching stops and life long discovery begins. M

Hmnn, Cam has a good point. Course I'm not thinking so much Party Central as much as silent meditation together. If we do expect a powerful session then discussions before digestion it would be counter productive. Now semi ignoring that point, I'd still like to see a bull session maybe Friday night before the session begins. Before the trip we should have each others cell #'s.

Let me also float an early morning group meditation for Sunday. Too bad the sun will probably not be up til late morning. It would be great to meditate outside, watch a sunrise. I'll have to google an almanac. Michael

Vortex, I see the book you're quoting from is from 1974. There was a rise in radical feminism then, I think the pendulum has swung back quite a bit. To me it sounds like you're fighting a war thats largely over. The pendulum swings. Forces and counter forces come into existence. To me isolation and indifference are this decades main enemy. I thought the battle of the sexes was over, and that those who found a good partner to have sex with Won. Michael

We should definately get in some time for group meals, walks and meditation. If L. Max is willing we could sponsor a special Tao Bums dinner. What a great idea (If I say so myself). Mantra/Chris I don't know if L. Max follows the TaoBum madness, but please let him know that he has ignited much interest and the largest longest posts ever on this site. We would like to treat him (&you) for dinner. Please let him know. It would be great to get together informally. I thinking of going 2 days early and going up to Sedona. Here's a nice web site I found: http://www.visionsofheaven.com/journeys-se...SedonaIndx.html . So far I've signed up for the seminar but haven't made plane or hotel reservations yet. I'm sure I'll stay at the Mesa, but I want to look into a room in Sedona. At the moment I'm planning on leaving Sunday night. Michael

Don't confuse me w/ an expert. From the discussions here on retention there is a real controversy if 'forced' celibacy particularly for the youngish does more harm then good. Clyman admittedly has some juice but is not without controversy (and a bit of ego IMHO). Instead of sweating out 100 days of celibacy you may want to consider another gi gung route. I like Michael Winns products, many of are fans of his Primordial Chi gung. I really like the routine on Fundamentals I video and his Fundamentals II has a nice routine called Pangu. Plus he's a accessible teacher. Course he's not w/out ego or controversy. Hell everyones controversial . What I'm saying is Clyman's isn't the only game in town. If you have the time and inclination read through some old posts to see what people here have been into. Certainly the practice dujour is Lama Max's Kunlun(see hell statment). Thats not to say we're all lightweight guru hoppers, but he certainly looks interesting, accessible and highly juiced. Look around, see what path has head and heart. Michael

I've signed Seminar and instead of 45 minutes I get to ask him 3 questions. I can see the conversation now: I walk into the room. Me: Thank you for meeting with me, um how should I address you? Him:Please call me Lama Max Me:Are you really a Lama? Him: Yes, I am Me: Really? Him:Really. Me:How can I see the divinity in all things? Him:Actually it is quite simple, but your 3 questions are up. I'm thinking of flying up a few days ahead of time and spending 2 nights in Sedona. Here's a nice site for Sedona info http://www.visionsofheaven.com/journeys-se...SedonaIndx.html . Michael

If a few random factors allign, I'm in. Checking now. Taobums should coordinate which hotel they're staying at. May I suggest the first to book and post has chosen the official bum motel (I'd just as soon stay in one of the Marriots) Qlite is there a particular hotel that Lama Max will be at? Yours Michael

I was wondering who was peeking in on us in the dark Welcome to the site. Don't hesitate to post a new topic or reply to any posts. Michael

Great idea. I'd be in. Once designed we could have a member do the shipping or give it to an Online T-shirt shop that specializes in this kind of thing (if they exist) or have a large print out, have people buy and/or share the transfer paper that allows you to iron on (best option?) Michael

I've been chanting the Jewish Shmah prayer for a while. Using Rabbi Cooper's Ecstatic Kabbalah technique where its done in hebrew but its interpreted as 'May the part of me that seeks spirituality/oneness listen/understand. Imanense and beyond Imanense, Everything is one, Everything is One.' Done in the hebrew you also concentrate on how the sounds and vowels echoe in your body. From the beginning Shhhh to the ending Ohmmmnn. I also like Rawn Clarks IHVH chant. Its based loosely on Franz Bardon's Hermetic Kabalic system. Like Coopers work emotional meaning and sound vibration are of equal importance. He throws in the tree of life chakra system as well as ways of using it to cast 'spells'. Michael

Love is the Law- The universe doesn't need you and didn't have to go through a long chain of events to get you here. At the beginning and through that process there was love. Love throughout the chain. In the physical tic toc world its hard to see, but remove the veil and the truth is all around us. Love under will- Love by itself sits around looking pretty but doesn't get anything done. If combined w/ will and intention then you see good works come to life. Yours Michael

"And if it does not stop soon let a doctor have a look at it!!! Believing everything coming along with practice being a cleansing reaction of some sort can be quite misleading..." That strikes me as a very very intelligent statement. Take care Michael

I'm watching 3 kidlings and my Dad is coming over soon to have me set his new Atomic clock. So I'll be popping in and out of Live Chat Join up? Michael

Had nice chat w/ Mantis, Yoda, Binder, Xeno and others. More people should get active in Live Chat. If you like reading the crazy posts here, then you'll find typing to their writers live even better Michael

9:50 central time. I'm heading to chat land. Michael

Well, at least I'm right today. Just as I would have been right six days previous of yesterday. Now that you know what I meant to mean, go to Live Chat. I probably won't make it on til later tonight (I'll add a reply to this post when I go on). Check on the bottom of first taobum page to see if anyone is Live Chatting or reply here to throw this back on top an fish for other chatters. Yours Michael

I'm sorry Cam, thats heavy. When I don't know what to do I try to think of strategies using 5 element theory. Fire, water, air etc. With my high strung dad, I ultimately decided on water; as I perceived as surrender. Like a private in basic training it was - yes dad. Serve as quietly agreeably and amiably as I could. Every other course just caused friction. I was playing in his field w/ his ball. It was a good strategy and it brought long sought after peace to both of us. I'm not saying that it is an answer for you, but it worked for me. Whenever I feel lost having a strategy, some idea of strategy beyond lashing out reactionally has brought me great solace. So has listening to Eckhardt Tolle tapes. Yours Michael

Its about my fifth day doing Kunlun, I'm taking slow and steady. I did 'the position' last night. The morning I woke up in agony. My left calf seized up as tight as a fist. An intense charlie horse that lasted a few minutes and left me limping for a few hours til it worked itself out. I wonder if it was due to lifting up the back of my foot during kunlun? In any case I won't do it so late at night and I'll stretch a little more before and after. Nothing huge happening, but I am feeling more magnetism and heat in my palms. Yesterday was my first day doing it over a sheep skin Slightly off subject: The practice feels like a static version on Pangu that Michael Winn had on his Fundamentals II video. Pangu had a similar palms facing each other position but had you making small circles w/ the facing hands. Pangu was supposedly a powerful medical chi gung received by channeling (not Winns originally). Its a nice short simple routine. Michael

Like most of my positions, I'm in the middle. Chicago. Michael

What helped me when I was having a period of twitchy seated meditation was working out. Long hard exertion. Exhausting my body a bit smoothed out physical and mental kinks. Michael

I just did a full moon meditation w/ the IMU people here in Chicago. It was a tad Osho like. It consisted of 45 minutes of empty seated meditation, (not guided, focus on breath) then 15 minutes of dance, another cycle of 45 meditation, 15 dance and ended w/ a third 45 minute meditation. Before meditation there would be a dharma talk, which was reminded me of Echkhardt Tolle. Especially so because the leader had a german accent. 45 minutes is a longish sitting. The dancing helped invigorate and relax everyone. Group meditation certainly has a different dynamic then going solo. Michael