DaoChild

Who are you trying to convince? Us, or yourself?

There is a book written about the Taoist and Buddhist monks of the mountains in China. A group of guys went out to speak with them and get a good feel for what's going on. One monk, a taoist, said he was cultivating wrong and he went blind. Pop - just like that, lights out. Not sure how that's possible, but that's what he said anyway. He was in his 70s.

Not quite sure where you're getting the information. Plants can't manufacture vitamins and minerals? (If this is what you were saying) you know this is simply untrue. Fertilizers don't supply nutrients? That's the POINT of industrial fertilizers.. they provide farmers with "the big 3" nutrients -- N,P,K and the ratios between those. You are right in saying that modern farming techniques deplete land of nutrients rapidly, and that the overall nutrient levels in lands that have been farmed are quite low compared to more virgin soils. I'm personally anti-vitamin supplements. I don't believe that reductionist science can take one nutrient, supplement a diet, and expect to find the same benefits that you'd get from eating the whole food.

Alwayson, You are much better off getting a small plot of land, having a large garden (Which you can do quite cheap), and living a simple life that way. It doesn't make any sense cultivating some sort of "ability" for years, just so you can find a more remote place to meditate. Just my thoughts.

Ain't Nothin' like arrogance on a forum for spiritual growth. Yeehaw partner!

I would highly recommend Aiping Cheng . She's located in Milford, so it's about a 30 minute drive, but she is most likely one of the most skilled practitioners you'll find. Contact info: http://www.aiping-taichi.com/

Bindo -- this guy has been discredited at least three times on this forum. Try doing a search for him, and lots will show up. A simple Amazon search of his book will show you the controversial reviews. I'd say away. You're better off asking my mom her beauty secret. She's in her mid 50s, and all the time gets asked if she's in her mid 30s.

Area -- There is evidence that cinnamon and ginger taken internally can reduce inflammation and ease arthritis pain in some people. The link isn't strong, and it isn't guaranteed, but it has been shown to help some people. Also, you see how many people say that Qigong cured or fixed their arthritis pains? It all comes back down to localized blood circulation which can happen in a variety of ways. Qigong, walking, exercise, massage. Exercise (in one of its myriad forms) is probably the single best thing you can do regarding lifestyle changes. Good luck

Exercise. If it's in a specific area ( e.g. wrists ) work out that area. For the wrists, use a hand grip device. I guarantee it'll feel better.

Hehe, the monastic situation in China is quite twisted and derailed. It's not just "show up as a foreign novice, chill and meditate. I'll do whatever you want". If you're interested, I suggest you contact Dr. Louis Komjathy at UCSD. I spoke with him recently about this situation, and he is an initiate in several Quanzhen lines of Taoism. He has traveled all over china doing doctorate level research.

Haha, I got a chuckle out of it. However, I don't think ever such a study occurred in the New England Journal of Medicine. I had no results trying to dig it up, and there is nothing else published by the supposed author "Dr. Karen Weatherby." Sorry, folks! You're much better off sexin up your partner and getting a real cardio workout, hehe.

Athanor, When I was a freshman in college, "PK" as it was known was becoming pretty popular, and those "psi-wheels" were the things to try among those interested in attempting to scientifically study telekinesis. I daily practiced for 30 minutes, recording 10-12 variables, ranging from sleep, hunger, moon phase, amount of time meditated before, etc. I recorded everything daily for around a month, and then moved onto moving a straw atop a water bottle. After a few days I could move the pin wheel every day easily, however, I could never do it under a jar. Personally, I concluded that it was a waste of time and it was likely convection currents (read: the transfer of heat through a fluid [air] that causes movement on the wheel). If you would like, I can personally send you a video of me moving 2 wheels at once. All in all, it didn't give me any answers unfortunately. Nonetheless, I think most of the videos are BS.

Usually sitting upright quickly and seeing white spots is nothing metaphysical or spiritual. You merely get faint / light headed and "see stars" as it were. Heat usually is a common sensation of belly breathing.

I guess it also depends on what you define as psychically miraculous. Are you talking about intangible like telepathy, precognition, or tangibles like meditating in the snow and maintaining warmth (Tummo), or moving things with your mind? Clarification may help a little bit.

Excercise #1 Diet #2 Erections = blood flow. (Assuming it isn't a psychological reason for impotence), you are likely in poor health or simply have poor circulation. Do 30 minutes of daily cardiovascular exercise (The harder, the better, but work your way up). Eat a clean diet that will promote good circulation.

I think you're making this a little more complicated than it needs to be. The BEST way to maintain health into old age is exercise daily. Moderate exercise that gets your blood going will by FAR promote wellness and graceful aging well into your 80s. Make sure you are a healthy body weight. Diet is important, but your physical exercise should be king, since it technically can negate your diet even if it's garbage. Physical exercise = increased circulation = maintenance of organs, hearing, eyesight, etc. A diet high in vegetables with a little protein (mostly fish) and plenty of fruits will help graceful aging. Don't make it complicated, remember that simplicity is the heart of Taoism.

It's really hard to meditate in the midst of disturbance -- however, if you meditate in a perfectly quiet environment, what happens when you try to apply the fruits of your efforts in a noisy area? Attain deliverance in the midst of the chaos, and you will be able to apply it anywhere. Definitely not easy -- and family always find a way to irritate you. Good luck

Hardyg, Although the heat is generated from inside, the Harvard study has suggested that the heat is superficial, and although it warms the body tremendously, it doesn't have the same effect as a fever. Thus, you don't see cell death but instead a reduction in the metabolic rate . Hope that helps.

Prof. Yu Yong Nian has written a book on Zhan Zhuang. He was a student of Wang Xiang Zhai, and has been practicing daily for over 60 years. Has anyone picked up a copy of this? I think it may only be available electronically currently: http://yiquan.chinamartialarts.net/Yu-YN-ebook.html Wondering what others have heard..

Nothing. It's simply (from a purely physical point of view) a very structurally stable position, which = you move around less, and your mind moves around less.

Two Reasons: A) If you worked hard 10 years just to find out your boss's great secret to success, would you easily give it away? Because regardless of the greatness of the master, there are few great students.

I use spoons to eat soup.

Careful "Countering" the aches and pains though. Once you hit 40, it'll be all ache and pain, and no way to counter it. That's assuming you damage it sufficiently while young.

Any research to support this, or is it pure spiritual conjecture? Vortex, Sun Lu-Tang was asked by someone what the role of martial arts was, at a time when guns were becoming the weapon of choice. Do you remember his response?

I think it's a bit misleading. One can say that you enjoy video games or tv all day.. but do you really? I view them as modern day distractions, even if people *think* they enjoy them. Illusions worse than the illusion of life. Sleeping in all day - - perhaps you enjoy it, but is it because you are depressed? A sociopath may LOVE killing people. Truly enjoy it! But he may have a chemical imbalance in the brain that encourages harmful behavior. It's a sticky situation when you get into chemical imbalances in the brain.