doc benway

I'll take the acupuncture any day... ... and I'm an MD...

Excellent point rex. No matter how deeply we connect with the inner essence, no matter how skillful we integrate practice and life, we remain human. We have minds, thoughts, and habitual tendencies that are with us until death. Formal sessions are the foundation, the reference point if you will. Many practitioners continue with the "preliminary" practices throughout the course of their lives. Similarly, dzogchen is essentially a practice of no-practice and yet traditional dzogchen practice includes guru yoga, refuge, bodhicitta, and dedication practices as an integral part of every practice session for precisely the reasons you state.

Several right now: Songs of Spiritual Experience compiled by Thupten Jinpa - marvelous collection of songs and poems by spiritual seekers of the Buddhist tradition compiled and translated by a master Chen's Tai Chi Old Frame One and Two by Chen Zhenglei - wonderful introduction describing the path and skill of taijiquan followed by step by step form instruction (a great study aid, although I wouldn't recommend trying to learn solely from a book - any book) by a Grandmaster of the style The Heart of Meditation by the Dalai Lama - succinct and profound exposition on dzogchen theory and practice through the Dalai Lama's teachings on The Three Keys written by the 19th century master Patrul Rinpoche. This is one to read over and over again, always going deeper into the meanings and yourself My Notebook - me For my occasional dabbling in poetry

In the tradition I practice, there is a progression. First there are preliminary practices that are meant to break down conditioning, habitual patterns, and self-destructive behavior. This permits us to open to the possibility there is another way to be. Next there is recognition of the meditative state. Then I must develop absolute certainty of that state. Once there is certainty, there is development of stability in that state under optimal circumstances (on the cushion in a quiet place, undisturbed). Then I can begin to enter that state 'off the cushion' and bring it into my life. It's best to begin by bringing it to spiritually positive activities - reciting mantras, doing prostrations, etc... (of course that will vary with your preferred tradition). Then when that is working well, I can bring it to neutral activity (eating, dressing, interacting with friends). Finally, I exercise the ability to bring it to negative situations (stressful environments, work, conflicts,..). Ultimately, if I am able to rest in that meditative space in every waking, dreaming, and sleeping moment, up to the point of death and beyond - there is enlightenment. At least that is one way to define it. Certainly there are other conceptual frameworks for enlightenment. This is an artificial breakdown of the process but it more or less flows in this direction. Ultimately we are in meditation at all times (good luck!). No question that it brings profound healing to our lives - physical, energetic, psychological. It is very important to be careful in psychosis. Psychosis has a very specific definition regarding the ability to distinguish "reality" from impaired interpretation of reality (delusion). Intense fear is not necessarily psychosis but certainly can be a symptom. Intense fear can also be neurosis. No doubt in my mind that skillful meditation will bring about healing but it does not work for everyone and must be used, like Liminal suggests, with utmost caution in those with true psychosis (impaired reality testing). In some cases it can make matters worse like with the young woman who committed suicide after a Goenke bootcamp in Pennsylvania recently.

My guess - it was simultaneous...

You won't find it out there...

If we could live without food, we would have no reason for a digestive system...

I think it becomes less of an issue if you have the view that all is divine... or none. At least that's how I see it.

Me too, I think it's a smart and healthy approach.

It's an interesting coincidence that I recently had a link to this group appear in my Facebook feed - in fact it was the day after I noticed this thread. I asked if they would be so kind as to share the name of their lineage and Dr. Barry's teacher but received no reply...

I have as well - I guess I've got issues... To connect with these subtle and elusive forces, for me at least, requires openness, trust, and a deep personal connection to the lineage. Knowledge, intellect, and the analytical mind, no matter how powerful, are of little value here. I also think some individuals are particularly sensitive and conducive to such visitations.

I'll have the course on relationships for $5100, please! https://energyforsuccess.org/product/relationships-for-the-individual/

No

Thanks for sharing that. Like I said, we all have our different paradigms and experiences. I respect all legitimate traditions and am open to the possibility that there are different yet equally valid approaches to this stuff.

No question whatsoever, in my system and experience, that the cultivation of Yi is more efficient in seated practice and is then applied to moving practices, whether they be neigong, qigong, or martial. My teacher's emphasis was always strongly martial. And I'm open to the fact that it's different and equally effective in other systems. At the end of the day, it is all a mental construct and an approximation/interpretation of what is. I don't buy into the whole energy leakage thing... To think that I am an impervious Qi container does not fit with my personal experience or view of the nature of Qi. For me, the Qi is continuous inside and outside. Certainly there are gradients, concentrations, fluxes, flows, and so forth but the materialistic implications that some views of Qi seem to imply just don't work for me. I recognize that there are those who have this view and respect that we have different approaches. We have practices that involve covering the ears and eyes but it is not related to energy leakage, more related to healing and rejuvenating type thing.

Interesting read - thanks for that. Here is an interesting article on pancreatic embryology that you may find useful as well: https://embryology.med.unsw.edu.au/embryology/index.php/Endocrine_-_Pancreas_Development#Some_Recent_Findings

The figure in your last post demonstrates my point. The abdominal viscera all receive sympathetic innervation through branches of the splanchnic nerves and the celiac ganglion. The pancreas is no more directly connected to the spine than any other viscus in terms of sympathetic neurologic connection.

You may want to do some independent investigation as to that claim. I'm not sure it is accurate.

I guess it depends on context. In the quote from Wallbridge, he is referring to 身(body - shěn). When discussing the three treasures, we are referring to 神 (spirit - shén) I find it very useful to include Hanzi when discussing Chinese terms as the English transliteration is always ambiguous (unless of course you add the tones which helps limit the ambiguity).

Which character are you referring to as shen? I'm familiar with 神 (spirit) and 身(body). Do you mean 心 (xīn)? Xin leads the yi, yi leads the qi?

For those who may not take the time to check out your link, I thought I'd take the liberty of posting a different excerpt. A bit off topic but I find it worthy of sharing: "My Qigong teachers in China talked with me one time about a perspective on the 三寶 San Bao or three treasures. They explained that there were several, perhaps uncountable, lists of things that were San Bao. They said the San Bao of philosophy are Daoism, Confucianism and Buddhism. The San Bao of existence are 地人天 Earth, man and Heaven. They then explained that the San Bao of the self were 精氣神 Jing Qi Shen/essence qi and spirit. They drew a diagram with each of the first of the lists at the bottom rising through the others to the top, like this: 佛 天 神 孔 人 氣 道 地 精 They said Daoism relates most to the Earth and its practices are the most focussed on essence. Confucianism is focussed on the world of men and their relationships and so is the most focussed on the cultivation of the Qi between things. Finally Buddhism looks to Heaven and so is most concerned with cultivation of the spirit. They explained that each practice has its place and purpose. They are like the roots trunk and leaves of a tree, none is better or more useful than the other. That being said they then smiled and explained to me, “Still it is the study of Dao in the natural world which is the basis of all of our practice (not everyone’s practice, the practice that they were teaching me at that time), so first you must cultivate the Jing and never leave it behind for pursuits of the mind. Always carry it forward to provide an earthly grounding upon which your practice stands.” I received this lesson at Clear Sound Pavilion 情音閣 on 峨眉山 Emei Mountain in 1991. I’m not saying its any kind of standard or truth in Daoist practices, it is simply a lesson I was taught over a cup of tea."

his blog Yes, I agree it is a critical and foundational point that the Yi is not the same as visualization, imagination, intellect, or analytical mind. One of the greatest benefits of a personal teacher is to help us get these experiential aspects of practice that transcend the conceptual. This is what is referred to as transmission. As far as Kevin Wallbridge's quotation goes, I would be a little careful about translating 心 as heart and 意 as mind. As I have no doubt you are aware that 心 implies heart/mind as the Chinese do not make the same distinction that we do in the West between heart and mind. Furthermore 意 does not imply mind in its totality but rather a very specific aspect of mind that is related to intention. My teacher always translates it specifically as mind of intent. So I would tend to translate - xin ling yi, yi ling qi, qi ling shen - more along the lines of heart/mind leads the mind of intent (or simply intent), intent leads the qi, qi leads the body. Not as fluid but perhaps a bit more specific. [edit] PS - I just looked at the blog you refer to and I like how he uses both intent and attent as being related to Yi, the key for me from a practical point of view is the mind/body connection achieved through awareness

It was daunting at first but the approach I take is that I am eating, breathing, and living, the days and years are passing, so I may as well be practicing. If I die before I finish, so be it... The heart mantras and prayers all went fairly quickly. I'm nearly there with the 100 syllable mantra and about halfway with the prostrations. The mandala offerings are going to take a while yet... One of the benefits (and intentions?) of such a large number I've experienced is that it forces me to focus more on the process than the goal and it also helps me to lighten up and have some fun with it rather than take it too seriously. Life the Alan Watts video I posted recently about music and life, this approach is very helpful in Buddhist practice, IMO.

PS - I just looked at this animation and it is nothing like the MCO practice in my tradition. I'd like to add that there are traditional schools of Daoism (I'm not referring to Mantak Chia or any other school that has printed English resources I am aware of) that do emphasize dedicated practice of the microcosmic orbit in seated meditation as a foundation. Intermediate and advanced practices are only added once the teacher sees appropriate signs in the student. The MCO can be the primary practice for years before advancing. One primary and critical function of such practices is to cultivate very powerful mind of intent - 意 (Yi). While this is an integral part of Qigong and Taijiquan practice, it's my personal experience that concentrating solely on cultivating the Yi to guide the Qi while seated and still is extremely effective. The absence of body movement allows one to focus with far more precision and depth. My teacher used to say that the only way to reach higher levels of skill in the internal martial arts is through practicing such meditation [edit - here I am not referring solely to the MCO but to more advanced practices, all of which use the MCO as their foundation]. It was certainly my experience that it took my martial practice and ability to another level. I'm not saying that it is the right way or the only way but I thought it worthwhile to add a different perspective as most of the comments above seem to denigrate the value of dedicated MCO practice. It is a very concentrated and powerful practice, hence my recommendation earlier to practice with a credible master. I suspect much of the negative attitude towards the practice comes from the fact that many in the West adopt it from books and videos and do not have the benefit of direct instruction. I've never read or studied Chia's methods so I won't comment on them. I would invite people to have an open mind and consider the possibility that there are alternative ways to accomplish Daoist cultivation to their own preferred methods. After all there are many schools and most have little or no representation in the West or in the English language. The more perspectives we are exposed to, the more comprehensive is our understanding and appreciation of these arts that we all love and value.

In our tradition the ngöndro has 9 accumulations of 100,000 each - Guru yoga prayer Bodhicitta prayer Refuge prayer Prostrations 100 syllable mantra (different than the Vajrasattva mantra) Mandala offering 3 Heart mantras - A Om Hung Ah A Kar Sa Le Ö A Yang Om Du (essence of Dharmakaya) Om Ma Tri Mu Ye Sa Le Du (essence of Sambhogakaya) A Kar A Me Du Tri Su Nag Po Zhi Zhi Mal Mal So Ha (essence of Nirmanakaya) For a total of 900,000 It does take a significant commitment, especially for those of us with full time jobs and families and such... No less of a commitment for monks but at least they can dedicate themselves 100% to the practice. Traditionally some complete the 900,000 in as little as 3 months in retreat. That means 1,000 of each per day! I don't know how they do it.