thelerner

It certainly rings true for me. We project so much. I think there is one true world that we share, but its experienced a thousand ways with a million interpretations. Michael

Its moth balled but I have a Vita mix. An old one, back when they had metal ptichers on top. Its very powerful, they say it can turn wooden blocks into saw dust. It does one trick most blenders can't, that is run inf forward or reverse, which can help mix up solider masses. I used to make bread with it, a very minimalist process. You put in Hard winter Wheat, and the vitamix made it into flour, then water, molasses, yeast and a touch of salt iinto the blender. Mix it up for a few seconds, wait an hour or so, mix it up again, then pop it out and into the oven. It was awesome whole wheat bread, from freshly ground flour. I'll have to look into blenderifying avocado pits. Michael

I used to love walking w/ my babies in a Bjorn(a frontal papoose). It was amazing the heat they'd generate. I guess you teach by example and by story. Stories from your past, good and bad. I tell my kids stories from comic books, origins of super heroes, etc, plus I make up stories and story lines for them. Stories about their grand parents. Kids seem to have strong dispositions toward things. Its best to lay off the, 'My son will be an enlightened, vegetarian, yogic, martial wonderkind'. Despite plans and common sense you end up saying, "Put that chicken McNugget in your mouth and stop throwing'em at your sister." Michael

I think Yoda summed it pretty well, "I think many of the ideas, studies, programs of TM are extremely cool and quite pioneering, but there's that common slightly culty aftertaste." I'm getting a little more into chants and sounds. I've been working w/ the book Ecstatic Kabalah and doing some of the vowel chants and prayer as sacred sound practices. On a psychological basis, simple chanting get you out of the monkey mind state. On an internal energy basis, some sounds seem to resonate in different parts of body (try laughing hee heehe throat, Haaha haah heart, ho ho hoho belly, etc). You get a further lift if you can connect to the meaning (hopefully sacred) that is behind the chant. Michael

I see 8 members on and it seemed easier then PMing all of them. Well I'm going to Live Chat meet me? Michael

too late now, but had a nice conversation w/ Max and Lozen. Michael Video Chat in 2007!?

To me, even if the Taiji instructor gets his butt kicked every single year, he is still the hands down winner if: If he lives to 95 and enjoys his art on a daily basis, and the hard styler, practices for 6 or 7 years, gets good then quits, fights yearly and wins every fight, and dies at age 70 or 75. The Taiji player won the big battle, the hard styler just slapped people around. Michael There's a Chinese martial philosophy we should begin hard style and evolve softer and softer. Sounds right to me.

My water is mostly from an Aqua Pure filter system. Cheap pitcher type. I do think its important to drink from the tap every now and then. I don't want a system so ascended and purified that drinking tap water makes me sick. Michael

I read the veggie life style is healthy not so much because of lack of meat as because of so much more vegetables, fruit, legumes, nuts etc. then the rest of us. More of the good stuff. Also much of our meat is hormone and grain fed, get little exercise, consequently its much higher in saturated fats then say Brazilian and other grass fed grazers. Part of the eskimo paradox is that they eat the whole animal, particularly the liver and other organ meats. Extremely high in vitamins and enzymes, much greater then the muscle meat we chow down on. Plus as with all hunter societies eats wild animals, so you benefit from the myriad herbs and varied diet of what the prey ate, much greater then a similar farmed variety. Michael

I used to be a daily user. Now I don't need the suit and tie, and can dress more to the elements. I'll use Arm and Hammer stick once or twice a week if needed. I have a crystal but that never really worked for me. Michael

You had me at B.K. Frantzis stuff Michael

Actually Jeremiah posted something like(should have pasted it)'in the winter he's doing more passive, stillness meditations'. Going still and deep makes sense in the winter. Eating hardier, winter rootery foods. I haven't really made a conscious decision to 'do' winter, but I should. Sleep more. Exercise wise? Slow down, don't test limits, move gently into deeper endurance? Let Spring be a time for growth, Winter a time for sustaining, deeper inner growth, more sitting, more dream work. Thoughts? Michael

Great to have you onboard. How would you describe the style of neigong that you teach? Welcome Michael

I loved Farscape, fantastic sci fi show that redefined the Flash Gordon Space opera of yesteryear. But for all the good story telling and special effects, Ming the Merciless and Scorpius don't exist, and the Scarrans are guys in lizard suits. We we we need enemies So so so badly. Demons, devils, people across the boarder, skin type or which end of the egg they crack. Its one of those pathological diseases of mankind. As a one time martial artist I learned to imagine a circle around me, that moved as I moved. An opponent within the circle was a real threat that had to be dealt with. Drawing the circle too far out, makes for impotence and paranoia. Beyond a certain point, it's hard to distingquish between figments, fragments and projections. Peace and tranquility have to happen now. Right now, I am fine. There will be a near infinite amount of moments where I can relax completely because there is no opponent within my circle right now. I have a crystal ball that is never wrong. It always predicts change. In the very very unlikely chance Reptilian Overlords exist, then lets hope bad guitar playing scares them away. Because in that case they'll stay far away from me Michael

My Aikido instructor was good friends w/ a amateur boxer. So we'd do more work w/ jabs and the like. It does change the spacing, timing and stance. The entering style is different, but the basic throw and philosophy was the same. Truthfully most of the free style Randori were done against opponents using bigger exagerated attacks that beg for throws. But there 3 or 4 four of them swigging and kicking full force, so it wasn't exactly a cake walk. I did know some Aikidoist who moved onto to BJJ. More power to them. Its good to be well rounded and I admire BJJ. But Aikido can go way beyond 'just' martial arts. At its best there is a magic to it. One of the most talented Aikidoists I knew (who later joined a Llamas Kung Fu class and quickly rose to instructor level), said "Everything I do is Aikido". Her Aikido background influenced the way she moved and the way she saw. It was a lifetime source of strength. Beyond the throws, pins and atemi, a good Aikido Dojo should be path oriented. Whereas a good BJJ should be no nonsense hard core, technique technique technique. Which is great, but can lead to injury, injury, injury. Realism can create real injuries. Expensive and no fun.

Maybe some slithering sexy green ones to make hybrids with (cause they get the best mileage) Michael

I notice Max knows quite a bit about these scaly invaders. Yup, he seems to have some pretty intimate knowledge about them. Maybe a little too intimate. What am I saying? He's either one of THEM or sleeping w/ one of the sexier slithering types. Thats why he's Smile. On some level, non belief has its benefits. Not believing in my laundry list of boogie men, makes me much less likely to see them, whether they are there or not. Ofcourse the reverse is also true. A true believer will see/feel/sense the object of their obsession. I think there is one Reality, and its probably a good one. But our interpretations, preconceptions, cultural biases & human predicaments create filter after filter. Thankfully my piece of elephant is undoubtedly the real one. Michael

Confessions of thelerner I love this country I don't agree w/ the Iraqi war but support the troops there I did (and do) support the Afghanstan war. I shop sometimes at Walmart (and sold them 10's of thousand of used boxes) but think they're poison in small/medium town locations I regretfully voted for Bush received boos from various friends for it (deserved) I need to lose 25#'s Practice more Write more Cook the ravioli for dinner (whole wheat w/ sun dried tomato and chicken) etc. more confessions I'm optimistic about America I'm old enough to see history as a pendulum of opposing forces and see pessimism as youngsters seeing the now and concluding current trends will only get worse. My children love America's Funniest Videos I don't believe in; phantom reptilian ovelords & there compatriiots reds and greens chemtrials illuminati theories all fats are bad science and technology are inherently bad astrology tarot (though I like to get my cards red once a year as a rorchach test) palmestry (again rorcschacian) communism (good in theory, doesn't work in practice) Exteme socialism (see communism) Extreme capitalism I think: Most people are good though it doesn't take many bad people to make a real bad scene Enlightenment in this lifetime is possible Michael

Retired, playing house husband, learning guitar, just finished a childrens writing class. Michael. Latest idea.. Recreate Wizard chess. Use computer and printer to create 32 T-shirts w/ chess pieces( and xtra queens) on both them, both sides. Staple together large felt chess mat, save time by only one color, other one blank. Then just need 34 kids to play. Only 2 who need to know the rules. Hmnn, could put pieces legal moves on bottom of each shirt.

Hmmnn, Whats wrong with fighting the martial art that's just right? IMHO the Universe rebells against just right. You find a place thats comfortable, teaches great real world technique, but the teacher or a few students have big egos, or you find one w/ less 'real' technique but the people are wonderful. Or one where both are great, but its a cult and they'll want you to shave your head. On the fourth hand, everything is great, its not a cult, but inevitably old students/instructors leave and are replaced by others. I'm just thinking that we shouldn't throw out good and/or very good, on the path to just right. Because its almost impossible to fully fathom a dojo or martia art from just a few visits. Michael

What are you? The Goldilocks of Martial Arts? My advice, be less picky and prejudgemental, observe classes at the closest places to you. Often its not the art, but the teacher and the atmosphere of the place. With the right sensei even the martial art tea ceremony style can be both satisfying and deadly (first make sure the tea is verry hot, then.. ) Michael

The HT alchemical taoist path has some safe guards, ie, the Inner Smile to keep the mind/energy smooth and relaxed, away from contraction and paranoia. Likewise, circling the energy can keep it us from being congested head cases w/ kundalini problems. Still, this site and others have seen people crash and burn. A live teacher isn't a must, but its highly recommended. Trying to do these when you lack mental balance is a recipe for trouble. Overdoing them can cause problems. Straying into thoughts of paranoia or mesiahship, depression or too much elation, are signs to slow the practice down. Personally, I'm not that energetically sensitive, I just muddle along, slowly. Enjoy the practice and what comes w/ it. Michael

As I recall, Michael Winn was of the opinion that Castenedas stuff was setting students up as psychic 'fresh meat' for the spirit world. Not my area of expertise, but a unique angle. Michael

Whoa, that you in the picture ? You've been working out. Michael

Thad, I think you're backed up in this by some of the oldest Taoish Texts. Which book is it that has the Yellow Emperor chatting w/ the enlightened women? The wisest, the plain woman, does let him know that ejaculation will weaken his jing. When he says he will stop sexual relations, she tells him, that is also not the way, it will lead to stagnation. I know I read that as a quote from one of Daniel Reids books. Retention for the young gets pretty problematic if you don't have a better then average outlets, be they exercise or energetic. My 2 cents Michael