doc benway

Interesting way to put it. Does the yoga paradigm distinguish between the stability of mind that comes from effortful restraining vs opening and releasing? These are different stages in the meditative process in my experience ( and tradition). “Engrossed” to me suggests effort and restraint. Although that may be my projection, of course.

What is the meaning of "engrossed mind" in this statement?

Funny, I was going to let it slide but changed my mind… Maybe another week will give you time to read the rules and follow them. ~ management

@MetaDao Posting links to pirated materials is indeed against the rules. Please do not do it again. Thanks ~ management

I would suggest you try and see what happens. Take your time. Increase time gradually. Get up and move around or stand whenever you need.

For me, sitting cross legged on the ground with a small cushion is the most supportive posture. I find it to be more stable and allows for deeper settling and opening for longer periods of time with less distraction and dispersal of attention and energy as compared to sitting in a chair. The most supportive and comfortable posture for me is Burmese. My knees and hips do not allow full or half lotus for long periods of time. I think there is enough benefit to sitting on the floor/ground that it is worth some time and practice to try and cultivate one of the standard postures - full lotus, half lotus, Burmese,… If your body does not cooperate, then let it go and know that you can achieve your goals sitting on a chair or bench. It’s simply a matter of finding the right seat, height, and posture so that minimal energy and attention are required to maintain a stable yet relaxed, upright posture. Sitting cross legged on the ground was recommended by both my Bön and Daoist teachers. They also felt that sitting on a chair, stool, or bench is a reasonable alternative if necessary based on our physical conditions. It is important, however, to sit properly in a chair. It is best to not lean against the back. The spine should be upright and balanced over the seat, the hips should not be overly flexed nor extended. The feet can be flat on the ground or crossed at the ankles. When you find a stable and supportive posture, you will feel it.

And the yin

Here is something that mentions him but offers limited info - http://www.godsdirectcontact.org.tw/eng/news/41/mp.html I’ve also come across a brief reference in Keith Stevens "Chinese Gods: The Unseen World of Spirits and Demons.” It mentions he was master of Kunlun Xianzong and brought it from Shandong. I also found this figurine of Liu Peizhong that was sold at auction:

Thanks for the link, I’ve seen that film but my Chinese comprehension is too limited to make the most of it.

I know the books but neither I, nor my teacher used them or recommended them. The techniques I learned from my teacher are quite a bit different from the books but of course there are some similarities. Yes, I've begun reading that recently. Lots of good info about modern and recent Daoist practice. I'm slowly working through it. Thanks Very interesting find! Thank you for sharing that. If you come across additional references that shed light on Liu Peizhong and the Kunlun Xian Zong Pai, please consider sharing here. I will as well. I've come across a few references here and there but they're scarce, in English at least.

Eddie Ochieng of Kenya!

UPDATE - @Shadow_self and @MetaDao are suspended for 1 week. I encourage them to cool off and reassess their motivation and commitment for participating here. Please review the insult policy and forum rules when and if you return. Moving forward with a constructive and respectful discussion of neidan and internal alchemy…

Interesting article for me, thanks for sharing that. How definitive is the assertion that all neidan has come to the west and modern China through the Wu-Liu teachings? Are there resources in English on the topic I can access that you know of? Are you familiar with the Kunlun Xian Zong Pai (崑崙仙宗) as popularized by Liu Peizhong in Taiwan? I certainly see some practical similarities with the paper you linked but my teacher never mentioned the Wu-Liu and I haven't seen it discussed in the context of Liu Peizhong. There's a lot of info on the five modern trends in Daoist cultivation in Daoism in the 20th Century by David Palmer and Xun Liu. Not much regarding the older connections and sources of practice.

“I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy.” ~ Rabindranath Tagore

“First and foremost, we have to understand concretely how our mind is, how our body is, how our energy is, how everything can be limited, and how we are conditioned by these limitations. Before we can even think of directly discovering the nature of the mind, we have to discover our relative condition and become aware of it in every moment. If we do not proceed in this manner, we run the risk of building castles in the air that lead nowhere.” ~ Chögyal Namkhai Norbu

I think breaking glass can be interpreted in different ways. A shattering of expectations, a restructuring, breaking something down to allow something new to arise, or letting go of something bottled up or contained. At the end of the day it’s good to turn inward and be very quiet inside and see what comes up spontaneously and effortlessly for you. I think signs are very personal and accepting the interpretation of others can be misleading.

people will deny anything these days so, I have decided to join the practice of dismissing things that we’ve been told are true I have decided to quit believing in death ~ it just doesn't exist for me anymore instead, I have a new theory I’m working on: when our dear ones depart their bodies and turn back into air and light they don't disappear behind a brick wall that separates us ~there are no bricks there is no wall ~there are no barriers there is only a grand window between us and those whom we have stitched ourselves to with the most divine of angel hair threads we can see our beloveds in the heart shape clouds and they can see us as we kiss their picture goodnight ever so softly death doesn't exist it's a debunked flat-earth theology where we are told that the people we love spill off the edge of the world and fall away from us into the endless unknown that's not my experience what I have seen is that when a dear one leaves me I don't feel the space grow between us I feel us grow closer together ~ our entanglement becomes tighter they travel with me to the store to buy garlic they brush my hair out of my eyes while I cry in my car in an empty parking lot they join me on my daily walk around a lake they sit on the board of my conscious and offer me advice they float above me while I write a poem they laugh when I trip over the same chair damn every day they catch my prayers and courier them to God they write love notes to me with steam on my bathroom mirror they play the right songs on the radio at just the right time they have made a cottage in my heart they have turned my eyes into miracle telescopes they converted my lungs into a retreat center they dance in the eyes of my children my loved ones haven't gone anywhere and neither have yours they are just on the other side of the window waiting for you to see them waving at you in their sundresses made out of stars and their tuxedos stitched by time and someday I will be on the other side of the glass acting so obnoxious that you won't be able to ignore me and someday I will be writing you love notes on the petals of sunflowers for you to find just when you need to read them and someday I will help paint a sunset in the exact color of the way I felt whenever I was wrapped up tightly in your arms I'm not scientist but my research tells me that death doesn't exist however, love does and it has no end and neither do we ~ john roedel

Thank you - interesting stuff!

Can you share a piece with us?

Good and valuable points about the effects of geography, physiology, and culture on spiritual practices, not to mention age, nutrition, and a whole host of relevant variables. On a related note the Tibetans were largely nomadic and relied on walking long distances at altitude. They probably had less need of standing and moving activities and often had to practice in yurts, small rooms, and caves.

Hi @chidaruma Welcome to DaoBums! Disclaimer - I'm not an expert or master of anything just a moderately dedicated student stumbling along as best I can. I have found qigong and Bön practices to be complimentary and safe together for me. One thing I've learned is that what is good for me may or may not be good for someone else when it comes to energetic and spiritual practices. The qigong I practice includes ba duan jin, shiba luohan gong, and taiji jian shen fa but mostly ba duan jin. I have no personal experience with zhineng qigong. It's a very young system created in the 1980's and seems to be an amalgam of different systems. Some of the movements appear externally similar to the taiji jian shen fa routine I practice. I think a set like ba duan jin would be safe to combine with Bön practices, it has been for me, and it is quite widespread and accessible while still being quite ancient and time-tested. My recommendation is try and learn any qigong you are going to practice from a credible teacher and to follow their advice when it comes to combining it with other practices and traditions. My other suggestion is to go slowly and cautiously and feel your way through the practices, listening to how your body, energy, and mind are reacting. Both the Tibetan and Daoist practices have cultivated heightened sensitivity and awareness of what is going on inside, and outside, for me so I think there is little risk of trouble as long as you go slow, listen, and observe closely. I would use considerably more caution when it comes to combining other practices with neigong. The Tibetan practices certainly do have a forceful and fiery side, especially in the early stages, but I find them to be well-balanced overall. The tsa lung from the Ma Gyüd, for example, includes the physical movements and breath holding which are quite "yang" but there is also the inner listening, opening, and resting upon completion of each set, integral "yin" components of the process that provide balance. If I find anything lacking in the Tibetan practices it is that I miss some of the standing meditation and upright movement I enjoyed in Daoist arts like qigong, taiji, and bagua. Not that I think this compromises the efficacy of the system but it, as you say, exercises different metaphorical "muscles." Conversely, I found the Daoist practices to be somewhat lacking for me when it came to connecting energetic cultivation to certain areas of my life in a practical way which does happen through the Tibetan approach. I think there is definite value to having a primary spiritual practice strongly rooted in one tradition but I also think it is fine to supplement, if you feel the need, with other practices. I do a bit and have yet to experience any negative effects. Good luck and feel free to reach out if you think I can be of any help.

If you click the 🔔 there is an option to click “notification settings” in the top right corner of the pop up menu. You can customize what notifications you receive but, as far as I can tell, any settings here affect all users. I don’t see a way to limit notifications from selected members. Sorry

@blue eyed snake Please elaborate on what you are looking to achieve. Thanks