rex

Was spirit ever defined by anyone? If not then from a Western perspective (Hermetic & Judeo-Christian) isn't spirit the divine spark of God in everyone? Man made in the image of God. This is disinct from disembodied consciousness in the sense of an ominous declaration of 'There be spirits!'

You're welcome! Please excuse the following unsolicited reading recommendations but since concerns have been raised, then there's this article on different practices and disciplines - needless to say it's not all about getting rich, getting laid and exalting egoic whims:http://galabes.blogspot.co.uk/2015/12/the-scope-of-occultism-part-one.html (It starts off a bit rambly, the meat of it starts half way through). There's also this on discernment: http://rjstewart.net/unseen_worlds.htm

There's a book on this: https://www.amazon.com/Magical-Healing-Survival-Magicians-Healers/dp/1940671434/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1472063888

As the saying attributed to Oliver Cromwell goes,'Trust in God but keep your powder dry'.

If this approach can get someone to develop positive mind states that facilitate sanity, altruism and a sense of responsibility then why not? It's all good. Another approach to mantra recitation is not to deliberately cultivate any emotion, sensibility or feeling at all, just relaxing into the flow allowing whatever quality to arise spontaneously.

Yes and no. The mechanics of recitation requiring mindfulness and awareness are but the mantra itself will plug into particular qualities. Arguably mantra recitation is a good counter to the danger of developing a cold almost demonic clinicalism which denigrates the value of emotions.

Can 'resting' be considered the middle ground between 'thinking about/contemplating' and 'merging with'?

Thanks for sharing and well done for trying it out. I didn't take to the part about eschewing all current spiritual practice. Personally I think there are other ways to develop stoicism then enduring the pain of physical restriction as a training to deal with the harshness of life.

Unhelpful post deleted - sorry

Confidence, attitude and filling the lower dan tien.

Bodhicitta can also be translated as 'heart of the enlightened mind', the union of wisdom and compassion. The light and warmth of the sun is also a metaphor for these two qualities.

Neuroplasicity says yes.

No apologies are required from anyone manitou, especially from you. After all it's the nature of the forum to have debate. Everyone belongs in the Buddhist section and it's good that others find this thread helpful, it's just that for a good while it was a relatively quite sanctuary from the clanging, clashing and dissonance of daobum dharma debate. No one officially stated that this thread was to be an oasis, it just grew that way and like all gardens plants growing in the wrong place can be replanted elsewhere.

I had this. It looks like the website URL field has/had become mandatory. I just put in http://a.b.c.

Just a suggestion, recent debate has vitiated this threads quiet and inspiring smooth flow. Perhaps posts 716-750; 752-754; and 757-788 be moved to the Buddhist discussion area?

Yes and this too:http://www.thedaobums.com/topic/9719-dr-morriss-secret-smile-breathing-basic-kap-1-giri-for-the-tao-bumbs/?p=116420

The fundamental existential questions: Who am I? Where have I come from? Where am I going? The fundamental advice from the Chaldean Oracles: Know thyself

That's the spiritual warrior speaking whose real opponent is themselves. That's the tribal warrior who defends the tribe.

Feeling chi is not particularly mysterious, anyone who experiences emotions is feeling one expression of it. It's only important to feel chi if you think it's important to feel chi. People following internal arts and cultivation may place importance on feeling chi as this can provide feedback on the practises they are doing and where they are in terms of short and long term goals. Getting outside the body is a specialised practice with different goals depending on the training and the tradition. It could be done to demonstrate that consciousness can function in a disembodied state with clear implications for questions relating to survival of consciousness at death, or to travel to other realms to receive or bring back teachings. Feeling something between you and someone else has value as it's providing information on the quality and potentials of any interaction you may have with them. I think gut feeling is another manifestation of feeling chi.

The thread's fine as it is. Sex and death are about coming and going, so being so primal they evoke all sorts of reactions.

Not a moan but an observation - It's interesting to see how the topic of death invites reflection on living. So along with biking and guitars the conversation has turned to sex as well. Hardly suprising as Eros and Thanatos are powerful elements in the psyche.

There's no such thing as a weed. A weed is a plant in the wrong place.

Still it doesn't preclude snatching the stick off them and giving them a good whack - all with the best intentions of stopping them incurring the negative karma of being a danger to others and themselves!

The kindle version is more expensive than the print! I wish Amazon would give a free kindle version of a book with each purchase of a print copy.

In horror of death, I took to the mountains— Again and again I meditated on the uncertainty of the hour of death, Capturing the fortress of the deathless unending nature of mind, Now all fear of death is over and done. This quote from Milarepa represents one approach and solution to the question. That's one approach, here's another from a different raft (Hi 3bob!): "The idea of everlasting life has nothing to do with hankering after life. The truth is that actually there is no death. How can there be no death? Because actually there is one single energy, one all-encompassing motivating force which lies at the root of all life's activity, not two. The Great Void which is the common ground of all life is there already, with life continously being born within it. So what need is there for life and death? It is because our desire for things assumes undue importance that we go astray and begin separation of life and death. If we view them from this space of quiet and tranquility we can see there has never been any life or any death. Evidently there is only this one single energy flowing and circulating about." From the Preface to Can Tong Qi Shuliu, 1564