thelerner

We had an old thread on astronomical events. Couldn't find it. Here's an interesting one that comes along every 14 years. Wolf eats Mars! ie A total Eclipse of the Mars. Happening today Monday the 13th. Here's a good article on it- https://www.space.com/stargazing/the-full-wolf-moon-eats-mars-on-jan-13-heres-how-to-see-it "...on Monday evening, Jan. 13, when it will cover the planet Mars, now shining as bright as it will get in this new year of 2025. An opportunity to see the moon occult a bright planet at night does not happen too often; for Mars, a specific location on Earth can see it happen (on average) once about every 14 years. So, if you are fortunate to live in the occultation zone and the weather cooperates, this upcoming event is one that really should not be missed. The moon will be mere hours past full phase during the occultation. Traditionally, the January full moon is known as the "Wolf Moon." At the moment it officially turns full  —  5:27 p.m. EST (2227 GMT)  —  it will be diametrically opposite to the sun in the sky. By sheer coincidence, Mars is also opposite to the sun, though its actual moment of "opposition" will not come until late on Wednesday, Jan. 15. Still  —  both objects, the moon and Mars will be near enough to each other so that during Monday evening, the moon will temporarily hide the planet from view, and much of North America has a ringside seat to observe it"

This idea popped into my head. Instead of an open discussion, make a topic for people to ask a question and have one of our onboard teachers answer, if they choose. No discussion beyond a follow up question and no comments or 'advice' from non teachers. <lets see if this matures or not> Dear TB teachers <teacher=teaching students > 1 year>, <even humble Taijiquan'ers> What are 3 simple things we can do to improve our cultivation. Thank you Michael

that seems pretty exciting to me. Today while driving I spat out the window, but it was closed, and the loogie landed high up. It slowly slid down, but it was cold outside and the slime trail started to freeze. I wondered if the main ball would freeze before it got to the bottom. I checked it a few times while I I drove. Then I arrived at the restaurant and forgot about it. now that's Boring.

Sinai, if plan A, part 1- is find a senior student to give you contact information. Out of curiosity, what is your pitch to Master Wang Liping? What do you want from him and what do you offer him?

Old cartoon, vaguely political enough that I had second thoughts. Happy New Year everyone. I predict, it will be.. interesting.

I'm working on- God is what's left when you remove all the noise.

Hmm, has the age of Wang Liping seminars passed? Too bad, I heard good things about them, but they were also very expensive. Sinai, I bet if you keep on the hunt, you'll find a senior student eventually. Check their credentials, which might be difficult. In the meantime keep practicing and keep an eye out for credible esoteric Taoist practices. Even if they're not on LiPing's level they might still have much to teach.

What about most downvoted Topic? I have this historic one-

No, that's silly, but I'm selling a course in True Spiritual Cultivation ™ , it's 100% guaranteed and has the approval of all spiritual masters alive And ascended. I'm offering those on the bums an exclusive special offer, 95% discount bringing the price to $888 a month. My Guarantee: Within one month you'll be more spiritual than 50% of all people. Within 3 months more spiritual than 70% At 6 months you'll lose points and drop down to 40% but at a year, you'll raise into the mid 80's.

Don't know Iron Mountain Qigong, but years ago, one of my assistant instructors in Aikido used Ssst as her Kiai. She was very talented and the only who used it.

Seems like everything I like is immoral, illegal, fattening or bad for my chi. Long time ago I went to a Kunlun weekend done by Max Christensen. It encompasses a couple of practices but mostly a still form that leads to spontaneous chi gong. I don't practice it much but I'm glad I have it in my tool box. When up late at night, hitting the position which after a few minutes triggers at times spastic motions that later calm is good. I agree with Sahara's comment above, and his caveat.

Isleworth Mona Lisa Year Early sixteenth-century Medium Oil on canvas Subject Lisa Gherardini Dimensions 84.5 cm × 64.5 cm (33.3 in × 25.4 in) Location Private collection, Switzerland The Isleworth Mona Lisa is an early 16th-century oil on canvas painting depicting the same subject as Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, though with the subject (Lisa del Giocondo) depicted as being a younger age.[1] The painting is thought to have been brought from Italy to England in the 1780s,[1] and came into public view in 1913 when the English connoisseur Hugh Blaker acquired it from a manor house in Somerset, where it was thought to have been hanging for over a century.[2] The painting would eventually adopt its unofficial name of Isleworth Mona Lisa from Blaker's studio being in Isleworth, West London.[3] Since the 1910s, experts in various fields, as well as the collectors who have acquired ownership of the painting, have asserted that the major elements of the painting are the work of Leonardo himself, as an earlier version of the Mona Lisa.[4] Me> Some believe it to be a genuine DaVinci, but its controversial. Dating from the early 1500s and DaVinci died in 1519, and had made sketches of his Mona Lisa. This painting shows much talent and is certainly the same model, often described as younger and perhaps happier than his original. edit> An interesting point of the original Mona Lisa is the background is a river that DaVinci built a notable bridge over. The Isleworth ML the background is.. strange, I have no idea what the black blochy, rorschach image on her left shoulder is. To me it makes it less likely to be original. Artists have been making sketches and copies of the Mona Lisa since it was made, even in DaVinci's time.

Aren't I a wallflower. At almost 60 I've been romantically linked to 6 woman(ignore the tabloids), 3 long term. Seemed like guys around me were getting more, but I never had the moves or the motive. I was happy with my longer term relations. Never a player, never wanted to be. Happy wining dining, B&Bing, occasional parties and watching DVDs on the couch. Marriage, kids was always my goal. I tell my kids you have to engineer your life or at least try to. Life curves, rarely going in straight lines but you still have to put in effort to go in a direction. (not that I do these days) Felt like life was way too sexual in the 70s, 80s, 90s.. or maybe that's my perception from my teens, 20s & 30s. Culturally and economically kids these days seemingly aren't hooking up as much as they used to. The 'meat market' bar scenes from the past may still exist but aren't the norm like they used to be. Sex and marriage I think are more delayed. Not necessarily a bad thing. Though its best when its your decision, following your path and not cultural mores. https://youtu.be/xGytDsqkQY8?si=YMolH2MbfUnFVAW7

bump long thread worth a read through.

In Western culture, public smiling has evolved a little bit like the handshake has. To show we aren't (armed or) dangerous.

Similarly I think there's benefit to doing chi gong.. in your mind. Sitting I'll imagine myself going through the motions. Often large motions turn into tiny ones as I sit. It's not an exact substitute for the real thing but I believe there are benefits to it. A chance to feel the energetics of the form. It's so nice doing the forms and meditating outside that it's worth the stares.

I love Ajahn Brahm's work. He's wonderful at explaining the traditional in a modern way with a sense of humor. I was going to send a whole bunch of links but googling 'Ajahn Brahms metta meditation' give you a long list- writing from Lion's Roar magazine, Guided Metta Meditation from various Buddhist societies and Youtube. He's been writing about metta meditations for decades. He acknowledges that its hard and has beginners work on sending love and kindness to things that are easy, that they already like or love. Then you build up to harder subjects like the people you can't stand. He teaches with experience, depth and humor. add-on confession> One thing I've had against metta meditation is that I don't think sending good thoughts and love to another at a distance does much for them. Maybe that's not the point, perhaps its for the sitter, a chance to calm down, get perspective and rid of the garbage thoughts.

I don't think it takes very many either. I forget the number.

This site was a break off from the HealingTao USA. That site had broken down and while we're independent for a few years most of the people on the Bums were old HT members, thus well conversed w/ Mantak Chia and Michael Winn. Back then we'd have Chi/genital weightlifters debates, jade egg commentaries, million dollar point debates, many on the pros and cons of HT version of MCO. Over the years they faded. Practices like genital weightlifting have clear potential danger, much more so without a live experienced teacher and triply so if one has a Western mindset of more is better. To some extent the same could be said about a couple of Chia's practice. Some were helped, some were burned. The ones who could get the most live instruction tended to do much better. A decade or two ago I took a couple Michael Winn seminars (up to Fusion) and enjoyed them but was never hardcore. I still practice his Gi Gong basics and his version of Pan Gu. As a blast from the past my wife recently signed us up for community center Tai Chi, which is Healing Tao based. Which makes me happy. As I'm assuming it'll be more flow oriented versus precision based which plays to my bias's.

I've believed certain practices and philosophies have altered my life course. But as I've grown older I don't think its so. I am what I am. The learnings and doings have not changed my course. I am still the same canon ball arcing through the sky. Perhaps i've changed a shade or two.

I'm a fan of Anna Wise. She was an early pioneer in brain wave research. One who studied monks and faith healers in a scientific mode. Sadly she's passed away. The High Performance Mind series has a group of guided meditations that walk experientially through the different states w/ guided meditations. I found them worthwhile.

Hard times shift most people.. lower. Maybe great stays great** but good often becomes increasingly apathetic. The norm turns bad and bad turns worse. Famine, civil wars, proxy wars.. the stress of depravation, bring out the worst in people. Few blame unrest and revolution on drought, but I think in the modern world the domino affect of long drought is the match that sets nations on fire. **maybe that is the definition of great to stay good and light when the world turns dark.

Kipling captured it pretty well. If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you; If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too; If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, Or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies, Or, being hated, don’t give way to hating, And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise; If you can dream—and not make dreams your master; If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim; If you can meet with triumph and disaster And treat those two impostors just the same; If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, Or watch the things you gave your life to broken, And stoop and build ’em up with wornout tools; If you can make one heap of all your winnings And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss, And lose, and start again at your beginnings And never breathe a word about your loss; If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew To serve your turn long after they are gone, And so hold on when there is nothing in you Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on”; If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with kings—nor lose the common touch; If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you; If all men count with you, but none too much; If you can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run— Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it, And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son! This poem is in the public domain. and this- 'The Speech' from the movie Secondhand Lions

If your interested in it, try it. Read up on both sides of the issue than try it for a few weeks. See what your own experience says about it.

Huge Thank You to Steve and Trunk. You guys have seen posts and threads that no person should have had to. Thank you for your time wisdom and patience. Many Kudos to the Dwai and the new moderators. You make this great philosophy board possible.