Apech

I tried this ... then .... "The fair girl went on her knees and bent over me, fairly gloating. There was a deliberate voluptuousness which was both thrilling and repulsive, and as she arched her neck she actually licked her lips like an animal... I could feel the soft, shivering touch of the lips on the supersensitive skin of my throat, and the hard dents of two sharp teeth, just touching and pausing there." "Ah ... Listen to them. Children of the night. What music they make."

Hard to comment at a distance like this but I feel the following. Don't know what meditation you are doing but I think it is important NOT to change posture by standing or lying down or anything - especially if this is chi cultivation. As one of my teachers used to say 'doesn't matter just keep going' - distraction, pain/itches/tingling and strange feelings are a constant feature of meditation but it is important not to follow them mentally but remain with what ever you were doing originally, watching breath, visualization or just formless - whatever. Persist, do what you can, rest - have another go - don't give up.

Please do let us know how it goes.

You need some quality stuff - its got a delicious tea/sweet after taste. But maybe its not for everyone!

Can you describe the tickle a bit more. Does it move up/down. Is it pleasant/unpleasant.???

to those body parts I would add some licorice but my cauldron's full.

You are being dualistic. God can have parts, while God is the parts, the parts are not God. If for instance you understand God to be an infinite field of vibrational energy or consciousness, then it is possible to understand that zones of function within this field appear as separate entities or objects, while they are nothing but that that same vibrational energy. If we are parts of God, this means that we are God in this place, being this person. Our nature is infinite and is God but our appearance is functionally specific, unique and individual. See, for instance, Advaita Vedanta. Gunpowder green tea for me please.

Ok see what you mean. Its a form of mental attachment which is very unhelpful I agree.

Hi Ian, The thing I value most about this place is the low level of moderation and control (though I know that people get suspended). I think its really obvious if someone is here to do marketing - and I'm not keen - but given its so obvious I think everyone else can see it too. If some one is running a business around chi, martial arts or meditation and so on - then best of luck to them. There is a kind of debased Christian objection to people earning a living from teaching - but I think this is a distorted view of what spirituality is. The problem is always exploitation, making false claims and rip offs. But that's true in the rest of life also. I would like to keep things as they are and if someone is overtly selling instead of discussing them we can all ignore or leave replies which point this out to everyone else.

Don't try to clear your thoughts. Don't try to get a sense of timelessness. Sit a bit longer and watch your mind. That's it.

Six perfections of Buddhism. Generosity Ethics. Patience. Energy. Concentration. Wisdom. (from memory! - feel free to correct) They are the positive aspects of Bodhisattva activity. That's Mahayana. Theravada add another four.

I want to know about the 7 cervical vertebrae. In the Egyptian system the serpent Neheb-kau swallows seven cobras which give magical power. This serpent is related to the neck - hence seven (because of the neck bones) and so on. Also there are the seven celestial cows which represent 'heavens' or levels of perception. As consciousness or energy rises up the neck these seven perceptual levels are opened up. This energy is characterised by a bull called the bull of heaven. Each of the cows has a name which are given in Ch. 148 of the Book of the Dead if you want to look it up. For instance "Much beloved red of hair". What I am not sure of is the exact nature of these levels of perception but is possible, indeed probably that in the Chinese system there is something similar. That is energy centres/meridians and nodes in the neck which link to visual cortex??? Anyone with knowledge of this or can provide links??? Thnx.

Thanks that book looks interesting - I think I shall buy.

mmmm ... hot chocolate hum my delicious mantra its warm, its cool ...mmmm.

One of the videos above shows the Buddha with the swastika on his heart centre. I think the three Tan tiens are strongly connected through the central channel and the upper an dlower come together through the heart. (?) What do you mean Darin when you say you failed? Being not sure is a perfect position for learning. Most people who say they are sure ... well actually they are not! IMHO. Do you think that the symbol is originally a comet? The diagram shows all sorts of shapes for comets and the swastika is only one. Here's a nice one BTW,

Ah - that's interesting. Clearly the swastika is very ancient and it pre-dates any of the current religions of Buddhism, Hinduism. I was going to suggest Indus Valley/Mesopotamia as it indicates here: http://www.symbols.com/encyclopedia/15/151.html But I think now it is older. Anyway no point squabbling about who had it first because it seems to go back to the very earliest times when IMO there was a common wisdom-teaching which is the source of all shamanism/mysticism and so on which existed afterwards. I would say it contains both the idea of rotation (sun, stars, seasons etc.) and fourfoldedness i.e. four compass directions, four seasons, four points in the year (solstices and equinoxes), four phases of moon and so on. By the way is this the dragon gate or not ( I am confused by this thread)

tear up by the roots all your hatred, pride, anger, good weeds for compost.

On the positive side you appear to be smiling!

Garden glades beckon! Beneath that bush a keyhole. I thought you had shaved!

I would have you whipped! or possibly in hand-cuffs but that's my problem.

to be or be not - Shakespeare has a hissy fit "Stop misquoting me!"

Hi Karen, I realise it depends on the practitioner. I switched to gentle theraputic massage and physio which helped a lot. I suppose its pretty obvious that you should minimise the ionizing radiation as much as possible. I had to accompany my friend who had a MRI brain scan and that was quite terrifyingly noisy! I would like someone to look at my neck - you mentioned a particular type - do you know how I could find someone who does it??? In the UK? Cheers.

Found this info on seven neck verts. Thought it is interesting that the nerves which go out from them (from spinal cord) govern all the upper body functions from diaphragm upwards. This links their function to breathing (diaphragmatic). I notice when I do focus on the neck in meditation breathing improves and as does flow down arms to hands.

The seven spirits which are summoned by Anubis are connected with the seven oils used in mummification and the seven stars of Ursa Major. I see a relation to the seven chakras. From what you tell me here the Sheshnag serpent seems very similar to Neheb-kau the 'uniter of kas'. There are two sets of names for the seven spirits and they are: Imsety Hapy Duamutef Quebehsenuef He who sees his father He who is under his moringa tree Horus the eyeless The second version of their names is: Nedjehdjeh Akedked Bull whose flame was set for him who is in his hour He who entered in to him who is in his hour Red eyed who is in the Mansion of Red Linen Radient one who comes out after having turned back He who sees in the night what he shall bring by day I realise these are largely incomprehensible but I can supply some detail if you wish.

I had an x-ray of my lower back when I was suffering from sciatica. It showed that I have a fused vertebra (5th lumbar I think) which results in a lack of flexibility in my lower back. I went to an osteopath who nearly killed me with vigorous crunching techniques ! I thought the x-ray was the most useful thing.