doc benway

A part of spiritual growth is awakening to our connection with others and feeling their pain. It can be overwhelming. A part of my practice is to visualize other people and try to see and feel their challenges. Always best to start with people closest to you and eventually extend the practice to people you don't get on with. It's easy and convenient for us to imagine that there are those out there with supernatural powers who can fix our problems, fix others' problems, perform magic, and defeat all challengers. Maybe it exists, maybe it doesn't but it's pretty obvious that they have little or no impact in most of our lives, other than in our imagination. The magic is that very feeling in you - the empathy and desire to help. Even more magical is when you actually go out and do something about it. So what I'm saying is that if we want to make changes in the world we need to make them ourselves. And the place to start, as others have pointed out, is at home - with ourselves and our relationships to those closest to us. How many of us meditate on compassion for all sentient beings and never call our mother or have unresolved issues with our partners, children, or employees...? It's healthy to be aware that there is enormous suffering so long as our response to it moves us in a positive direction. It's healthy to feel sadness and cry about it from time to time but if we find ourselves crying all day long, that's a problem. It should generate spontaneous and genuine feelings of gratitude, generosity, and compassion. That is something we can build on. Edited to add: My teacher tells a funny story about a practitioner who trains for years, goes through all of the preparation, masters all of the practices but has unresolved issues with their mother. On that day when they are on the cusp of achieving complete enlightenment, who will be waiting for them but their mother, wagging her finger saying "Uh,uh,uh. You? You're not ready yet!

While all religions are certainly created by people, I think the primary purpose was (and is) to explain life's mysteries and provide support during difficult times. The control piece comes later as the religion becomes institutionalized and politicized. Not sure the distinction means much but I thought it worth a mention.

Sometimes I ponder the nature of choice and who is doing the choosing. Is not the decision to help the starfish simply the universe itself deciding it was not the starfish's time to die? We have this illusion that the verbal formations in our head cause our choices and our deeds to somehow be other than the very choices and deeds of the universe. What are we if not the very manifestation of it? The eyes and fingers of the universe. There is a fine line between using such an idea as justification for all sorts of negative and selfish activity. On the other hand, if we act with sincerity, we are nothing more or less than Dao itself dancing its dance.

Swanky as candy Don't judge me by my cover I'm quite sweet inside!

Radiate

Fire

WC

Worm

Thank you Taomeow, that was very nice to read. The very assertion that one can judge a system of martial arts from the winner of a sparring match (even true combat) is misguided, IMO. That's why I avoided the 'fake' thread. Taijiquan has never fought in a match, people fight. People are imperfect whether master or disciple, they have strengths and weaknesses, their training methods and emphasis vary, even within a given style and school. No one is a perfect embodiment of taijiquan in this lifetime, though some may come close, and even the greatest of masters and pupils can be defeated on any given Sunday. While some may argue that there is a perfect system or school, I would go back to the adage that there are 3 critical components - system (lineage), master, and pupil. If any of these are deficient, the fruition will be lacking. I think it is healthy to remember that no person and no art is perfect, or even best. What works for one may not work for another. We have different proclivities and needs and it is important to retain some degree of humility and open mindedness in our approach to martial arts and spirituality.

I see it differently. Taijiquan is simply an application of Daoist principles to martial arts. It is more an expression of Daoism through martial practices, an elevation of the martial endeavor rather than a degradation or denigration of Daoism. The Daoist aspects are incorporation of principles like balance, yielding, connection, non-separation, non-obstruction, naturalness, and so forth. Health, power, and magic have all been thoroughly intertwined with Daoism for millenia, although I would agree that they are more a reflection of human desire and aversion than the intention of the sages. Of course they are expressed in taijiquan, just as they are reflected in most human activity. Your last 4 lines ring true but we still have the opportunity to engage with the world and bringing the influence of Daoist principles to that interaction is a good thing as far as I'm concerned.

First, I didn't read the whole article you linked. I will simply say that while there are certain predictable and inevitable stages along the path, I suspect they vary for every unique individual. While we may be able to map a path, different individuals will move along it in infinite variations. Labelling thoughts, memories, feelings, images, emotions, all of that has value (though perhaps not to everyone) as it helps us to dis-identify with those mental states and fabrications. It is an important step to replace "I am angry" with "I notice the experience of anger now and I know it will pass." It is over-identification with moods, concepts, beliefs, thoughts, etc... that is the root of our struggles in the Buddhist and Bön paradigm. Ego does certainly manifest on the path and this needs to be dealt with. There are several skillful means to this end. The objective is not to reinforce the ego but to liberate the ego and begin to connect with that from which it arises. Once we have successfully dis-identified with the mental states and formations, we are facing the question of the observer. Who is observing all of this? Who is "I"? What is "I"? This is an important exercise. We must try to find the answer to these questions and develop authentic certainty in the answers we find. It is not the answer to an intellectual question, it is not information of any sort, it is an experience of a deeper, more subtle, and pervasive sense of self. Rather than speak of the enlightened, I'll refer to those who are making progress along the path. Early on, we need to engage the intellect and the observer in moving away from programmed, habitual patterns of behavior to a more contemplative and open approach to life. Effort is needed, often forceful. Things like labelling, prayers, meditation, mantras, visualizations, and so on, are valuable tools. Dis-identification with the mental formations and patterns becomes less effortful over time. For superior practitioners it becomes fully automatic. The example is "like snow on the ocean, it instantly melts upon contact." People progressing along the path still have and fully experience emotions. Arguably they experience at a fuller, more connected and authentic level. The illusory self with all of its negative, and positive, baggage is not there (or at least less solid) to limit or distort the experience. The process is one of dis-identification with the subject of experience or dissolution of said subject. If we no longer over-identify with the subject, we are no longer as prone to being carried away and manipulated by those experiences, be they negative or positive. If you identify with a more pervasive, less focused aspect your experience of self, there is less of a fixed, solid subject there to be threatened... or elated. Have you ever taken strong pain killers while in severe pain? You know the pain is present but it isn't as threatening or controlling. You can smile and enjoy the warmth and yet you see there is pain, and it's OK. I hope I don't sound too much like a lush but I think there's some truth in that analogy. I don't mean to say that liberation is in any way a drugged state, it's the opposite, but the dis-identification with the self is a divine pain reliever. The key is your relationship with the subject of your personal narrative. That's where the magic happens.

I'd like to point out the recent publication of a valuable book, the Pith Instructions for A Khrid Dzogchen. Written in the 13th century by Dru Gyalwa Yungdrung, it is a condensed training manual for the entire curriculum of the A Khrid which is one of the three core lineages of Bönpo Dzogchen teachings. The book includes a complete translation of the entire root text along with the author's commentary. It was translated by Geshe Sonam Gurung, a Bönpo geshe from Mustang, and an American Bönpo, Daniel Brown. https://www.amazon.com/Pith-Instruction-Khrid-Rdzogs-Chen/dp/0986282650

Good question, yes I do improvise (after a fashion) but it is no substitute for traditional form and drill practice - that's important! My recommendation to most people would be to focus nearly exclusively on traditional forms and teachings for about a decade before being too concerned with improvisation, particularly if interested in martial application and optimal health and energetic benefits. Occasional dabbling in improvisation or cobbling together combinations to refine footwork, balance, and transitions is fine and beneficial. Creating your own short form for competition purposes is a great exercise for beginning and intermediate students. Creating your own drills is even more important as you advance. It is important that we dig into the forms and drills we are taught and find the multiple meanings - some obvious and many hidden. My training partner and I dissected the 2 man form (Dui Lian) in our style over a period of several years and extracted dozens of martial drills which we practiced obsessively. I think this is how the style is meant to be treated. We are given the alphabet and a few beautiful songs made of these techniques. We then learn to speak the language fluently and eventually to sing. At some point there must be improvisation, particularly if you are interested in martial application. I do think it is important how we approach improvisation, however. In essence, what I am referring to is a shamanic approach. This approach requires skill, experience, trust, devotion, gratitude, openness, and lack of self. It is greatly enhanced by direct connection to a lineage and living master. For me, "improvisation" is a way of practicing wu wei, spontaneity, and a way of integrating the meditative state with movement. Most importantly, it is a way of connecting with the inner master which is ultimately the source of all teachings and the place we turn for help when our teacher is no longer there for us. Eventually in our training, there comes a time when we are the ones who need to answer the questions, there needs to be confidence in that inner resource. When that is there, we are ready for improvisation.

I see karma as something more akin to Newton's third law than to anything associated with morality or judgement. For each action there is a reaction (consequence). The direct and immediate consequences are predictable, like a game of billiards. On a planetary scale, those consequences are unpredictable and inexplicable due to the level of complexity of interaction, like ping pong balls in a lottery machine. Everyone sees the workings of karma every day. It's simply a matter of how we choose to label it.

"The VCE study recruited Buddhist meditation practitioners from across Theravāda, Zen, and Tibetan traditions. Inclusion criteria for practitioners required a minimum age of 18 years, a meditation practice in a Buddhist tradition, and the ability to report on meditation-related experience that was challenging, difficult, or was associated with significant physiological or psychological changes, including distress or impairment." "The VCE study also recruited meditation experts who had either taught extensively in a Buddhist tradition or who had applied Buddhist meditation in clinical settings (or both). Inclusion criteria for experts were an occupational identity as a meditation teacher in a Buddhist lineage or as a clinician working with meditation-based therapies." The study criteria don't seem to discriminate between practitioners' intent or the seriousness of their practice. There is no mention of frequency, length, duration, level of experience, etc... One group is all practitioners over 18 how can answer some questions, the second group was a group of "experts." I think that quieting the inner voice will bring practitioners in touch with deeper and more subtle experiences of themselves over time, whether dedicated Buddhists or casual health seekers. This has the effect of bypassing defense mechanisms that both limit our confrontation with repressed/suppressed stimuli and maintain dysfunctional patterns of thought and behavior. I'm not sure you can have one without the other. I also think it is difficult to predict who will have difficulty. I suspect that is the intent of this study to a large degree. I find it interesting how quick some folks are to "teach meditation." I know people with very little training and very little depth of personal experience or transformation who are very happy to "teach" others how to meditate. Clearly there are those who do so for ego and money. I think many do so out of a sincere desire to help. Unfortunately, they are not aware of the potential for causing problems and are not prepared to help effectively when those problems arise. I think it's important for people to recognize the potential power in these practices and to treat them accordingly, including warnings to new practitioners that there may come a time when painful and frightening memories and experiences arise and some degree of preparation is valuable to mitigate negative consequences.

The phrase "non-dwelling meditation" implies resting in non-duality. In the non-dual state, there is nothing lacking, nothing needed, it is perfect just as it is. I think it's important to look carefully and critically at your practice, especially if you don't have the benefit of a teacher or guide. If we are not abiding with skill and precision, we can waste a lot of time and energy. The very question you are asking is a manifestation of the grasping mind. This pattern is precisely what prevents us from connecting to those deeper experiences. A great place to work is with that very thought, that pattern of desire (or aversion). There are different ways to work with it depending on your tradition - renunciation, transformation, or self-liberation. However you approach it, working with these very patterns that arise for us, as unique individuals, is what is necessary. We can certainly work on the cushion but we must gradually do more and more of the work in our moment to moment thoughts, words, and actions - in real life. There are other things that I think can be very supportive - things like sincere prayer, creating a sacred space for practice, connection to a living lineage and master, trust, gratitude, devotion. These practices developed in a culture that deeply values such things. Extracting the practices out of the culture can cut us off from an important source of fuel and support. Good luck!

Do you have any specific questions about your practice you would like to share? There are several folks here that have a fair bit of meditative training and experience and would love to help. Who knows, something may click. A good student can learn from anyone and any situation, you never know what is going to lead to an insight. Simply asking questions will get more response than pre-qualifying those who are permitted to answer. When we begin questioning each other about our experiences and accomplishments, setting expectations and prerequisites, most people tend to shut down and pull away. The more profound and beneficial our meditative practices and experiences, the more we tend to treat them as precious and sacred. We are generally hesitant to discuss such things publicly, especially among anonymous strangers, many of whom tend to challenge and criticize, historically (at least that's how I feel). What could be a collaborative experience can easily become defensive and guarded. Just because an anonymous stranger in a chat room tells you they have experienced jhanas does not mean it is so. Furthermore, if you have not yet had the experience how can you assess the veracity of their claims? No one can really ever know the level or experience of another, although there are some clues one can glean. Far easier in person than online. If you are serious about getting "there" you will do far better with a credible teacher, be it in person or online, than the Buddhism room on DaoBums... That way you're more likely to be confident that they have had the experiences you require. That said, the answer you need could be right here for the asking. Good luck on your path!

No, not even a maple-bacon donut, but that cupcake? I'm starting to feel a little fuzzy all over...

It is healthy to teach people about what meditation truly is and what it is designed for. I think the study above is particularly valuable for people who enjoy the pleasant experience of meditative rest so much that they dig a little deeper and continue with the practice until confronting deeper and darker aspects of themselves - illusions, misconceptions, repressed and suppressed psychological and emotional obstacles, and so forth. It is nice to see the scientific method utilized to study meditation and related practices. While I don't think experiential practices can ever be reduced to data points, investigation generally does lead to deeper understanding and potential for wider audiences and application. In the West, meditation is largely misunderstood and misrepresented, especially among New Age and non-spiritual participants. It has primarily become billed as a simple technique to experience short periods of relaxation and pleasure. While meditation can certainly lead to experiences of peace, relaxation, and provide physical and mental health benefits, we are really only talking about side effects of the method, not the ultimate aim or deeper fruition. In brief, meditation is a tool to help us cut through and dismantle our false concepts about who and what we are and open us ultimately to a deeper and more stable realization of ourselves. That necessarily comes with a considerable degree of difficulty and challenge. It's not too much of a problem if one is expecting this and has the support of an experienced guide and spiritual family. It can be a big problem for DIY'ers, especially those with emotional and psychological baggage and instability or for those who are practicing with inadequate guidance and support. Similarly, there are profound misconceptions about yoga in the West. While there are many different perspectives on the history, value, and purpose of yoga, this article raises some very interesting points - https://www.yogajournal.com/yoga-101/yoga-s-greater-truth.

Amazing! Wonderful stuff, thank you

I don't do anything with the energy, that is sort of the point. Certainly you can harness and transform that energy using breath, body movement, and so forth; but this particular approach is to allow the problem to liberate effortlessly through recognizing the nature of the problem and the one having the experience. It's simple but not easy and it does take work and experience to become proficient. The key is in allowing ourselves to experience that energy with full awareness and connection. Feel it in the body, in the thoughts and emotions, in our response; feel it fully without judgement or analysis. Feel the need to do something about it and just let that be there, rest in the experience fully. We learn to host the fullness of that experience. Then we look directly at the subject of the experience. Looking at the subject is an interesting thing. We can look and look and there really is nothing to find other than over-identification with a role in a relationship and unsatisfied expectations. A big part of this method is learning to allow things to be as they are and seeing that things are fine, even when things are not exactly as I would like them to be. It is my expectations that are causing the problem, not the external circumstances. If I can let go of the one who is creating the expectations, I can theoretically be OK regardless of the circumstances. If you can change the circumstances, by all means do it; but when you cannot, there is no reason to punish yourself. There are specific exercises and techniques that are useful with this method. For example, when I mentioned 'seeing clearly', there is a very specific way of looking that can be cultivated. It is seeing without all of the baggage of the self - expectations, concepts, judgement, etc... It's often referred to as nakedly seeing. All of the baggage is created by the mind and all of that is the source of the problem.

The way I work with impatience is to first notice it, that very awareness is the key. Once noticed, it is fully felt - in body, mind, words, action, outcome, ... all of it. Then I look at the one who is having the experience and when I see clearly, the impatience is OK. There may be reasons, there may not. When the subject is connected with at a more fundamental level than the emotions and explanations, there is liberation - nothing to hold onto. The peace is always there. It is the subject that obstructs and so gets primary attention in this method, not the object.

Yes, I practice lucid dreaming. You can do anything in a lucid dream including the practice of qigong. You could learn new forms from the ancient masters, create new forms of your own. You can even go to sleep in a lucid dream and have a lucid dream within a lucid dream... Lots of possibilities. I highly recommend you investigate further.

Participating in this forum has helped me to see just how strongly I can identify with a particular view or opinion. It's pointed out when my ego is too engaged. It's helped me to let go of the need to be correct and the need to have the last word. I've still got a long way to go but this is a good place to study yourself.

I have about 15 years experience studying Chen Pan Ling's taijiquan training methods (along with others). Chen Pan Ling was a powerful master as was his older son who passed away at a young age. Based on my review of Chen Yung Ching's videos, I don't think he is of that caliber and he would not be my first choice if i were looking for a teacher in Taiwan. Feel free to PM me if you want to discuss Chen Pan Ling's methods further. I have no one to recommend you seek out as my path has taken me more toward the meditative practices at this point. Good luck!