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Now now kids. I can't believe its another "my ... can kick your ...'s ass because my ... is far better because I said so." The only part about this discussion worth caring about is when people put up actual information to support their view point, such as Santi discussing his training regimen or how Javanese crazy ass killers think? (no disrespect but yee gads man!!!) Also like the links to isometrics. Now I'm going to go move some kettlebells around and do my nice peaceful Taiji which makes me feel good, but doesn't especially prepare me to KILL people...oh well. PS - I don't bench press anything, so don't ask me how much I bench. PPS - If I was in Miami I would STFU and go hang out W Santi to get some cool training. PPPS - Ripping open coconuts with my bare hands would be more useful then benching 300lbs. Unless the coconut tree fell on my chest first...then benching would be useful.

Glad you are here bro. I think you may have inspired me to pick up my guitar again. Miami is about as far from Portland Oregon as places can be in these united states. Keep it comin I doubt I'll be able to meet you in the flesh anytime soon, but I have enjoyed your presence here. You haven't said anything yet that seems out of whack. But you don't pull any punches. ONce you are part of the family it is hard to stay away. I really need to practice more.... Thanks Craig

Yatzhong I agree with you somewhat. In fact considering what I know of Song...'s training and his access to instruction in China with a Master I am somewhat puzzled as to why he is feeling the need to seek out supplemental training to what is already there. But so he is. Actually some of the best improvements in my structure and opening of my hips from KB training came from the warm up exercises, which are comprised solely of two bodyweight exercises. The wall squat and the other one which looks like a cobra pose. The Wall squat is done by getting as close to a wall as possible and performing a squat while keeping the spine straight and not pionting the knees out to the sides. It forces you to open up the kua (qua?). The other is like the cobra pose and downward dog, but you pry your hips from side to side opening up your hip flexors. doing these everyday probably did a lot for my hips without reference to the KB training. But the ballistic flexing of the hips in the KB movement was very good too. I am not entirely convinced that strength training is best done only with bodyweight and traditional movements and training techniques. I am also not convinced KBs are the best way. I know they were very effective at increasing my overall strength VERY fast (at age 43). I can heartily recommend them over standard weight training which I do not do at all. I have added standing in the 8 positions of the mother form recently and this has been good training. Always good to go back to the foundation. all for now. Craig

Hello Lama Tantrapa Welcome home soon from a fellow Portlander (almost...a bit out of town actually). Did I understand you correctly that you are coming back to Portland? Maybe I will have the chance to attend the workshop in August. I hope you understand that people on this forum are coming from all over the place. I mean that in a sense of their location AND their attitudes. Also I think I can safely say that many have their BS detectors set to alarm at one part per billion detection level You will get no disrespect from me. I had encountered your website some time ago - maybe only a little while after you left Portland. I think someone pointed it out here on the Taobums. Good luck on your travels. Please send details about your workshop either by PM or post here. With appreciation of anyone who seeks to spread beneficial teachings. Craig PS - I am pretty sure Drew was making a joke about that spelling thing...in case any of the rest of you didn't already figure that out.

Just do it. Experience will answer your questions better than anything. Then you can find your own answers. My teacher often says that the only things he tells us are his own experiences, not something he read or heard. If he hasn't experienced it he will say so and even ask us to explore that ourselves and tell him what our experience of it is. Craig

Last fall I added Kettlebell training to my routine. At that time I was using qigong (28 lunar mansions) as the warmup for the kettlebell training. Later in the day I would do Taiji, or would have done it earlier as a seperate practice. Meditation time has usually only been in the morning (Tu gu na Xing...I think you know it). But I would also sometimes sit in half lotus after Kettlebell training and sit and breath in meditation. The KB workout definitely warmed up and opened my hips so therefore helped become more comfortable in the sitting. For years I practiced taekwondo twice a week from 6-8 PM. This became almost hardwired into my system as an ideal time to workout. Perhaps my body liked it because is was close to the 5-7PM time you mentioned. Couldn't you do your taiji form faster to emhasize calistenics? Maybe I haven't practiced enough yet, but my forms practice often raises my heartbeat significantly (not like KB's of course). Does your "hard qigong" come from the same teacher as the Zhaobao Taiji?? What does your Taiji master think about this line of thinking? have you broached this with him? From what you told me when we met, and from what I observed, you were receiving specific instruction in how to train the form in order to develop certain aspects. How does your proposed body weight training fit in with this? How does the hard style qigong? Can you describe more fully what is the hard style qigong? How about describing the meditation practice? Craig

This is quite an interesting topic. I have met a few people over time who seemed to have a strange effect upon electrical appliances. They have reported similar problems. It doesn't seem like much of a stretch to imagine some peoples electromagnetic field would have a strong enough charge to do something like you describe. The two people who come most quickly to mind had VERY strong libido, and to me a palpable sexual charge, and they were also women. I seem to recall a male friend of mine describing similar occurences but I cannot remember who this was so... I have read there is often a connection between adolescent females and poltergeist activity. Any connection? My two bits. Craig

Once upon a time I would have given you chapter and verse from M.Chia's book which goes into great detail on the orbit. Now I am pretty sure that for a beginner the visualization of the orbit is not really the small orbit practice as referenced in the old days. As far as point location and description of points on the Du and Ren channels M.Chia's book is good enough. But...different teachers, different methods. But if Master Lin uses the chinese names for the points on the orbit which correspond with acupuncture points on the Du and Ren channel then at least you should be able to determine their location on the body. You asked " Is it the general practice to use reverse breathing pattern during the orbit?" General practice for what school? Nothing is general from school to school. In healing Tao it is not general practice. It is my understanding that for some schools reverse breathing is general practice during many different techniques. I am not familiar with SFQigong but I would be surprised if the question about breathing were not readily available from the teaching material. You asked"Is there a standard on the different centers in the orbit? Mantak Chia lists a whole lot and some others leave out these." M.Chia's system uses a much larger number of the total points on the Du and Ren channels as compared to other systems in print or otherwise. In general the path described as the small orbit is clear. How to make it (or allow it) to circulate and whether one can actually do so through ordinary meditation and/or visualization is a subject of some disagreement which I think has been covered quite widely on this site. Currently I only focus on an awareness of not leaking from the perineum (close the earthly door) and an awareness of the crown (open the heavenly gate) while doing all practice, but with the idea of all activity being connected to the lower tantien. So you have your starting point (Tantien) your bottom and your top of the orbit. This leaves out focusing on all of the other points in basic practice, but in theory once the tantien is more full and active will allow energy to flow where it needs to. I presently only work with energy in this way. No intention to "make" anything happen. Just allowing connections to be and moving into deeper state where things can happen by themselves. Craig

Song Yongdao River Heron Two brothers of my Shen family who I know by their real names. Do you know that you two have met in China? Qin in Xian anyone? Much wisdom from both. Many loans have I taken. Some investments have paid off in a big way, and continue to without further borrowing needed. River Heron continuing the interesting mushroom discussion from Cloud Mountain that I was only peripheral to. What a subject. Not easily dismissed. Something really deep there. Source of my first shamanic journeys before ever I encountered Taoism. Now returning full circle to Shamanistic Taoism. But big dipper walking may be more powerful than all. Sorry everyone else, feel like speaking in riddles to my brothers. Craig

I would think Jesse's explanation is likely more correct with connection to the Taoist Longmen Pai, then. Very interesting. I still would like to study with him in China sometime, but just ran out of vacation time this year... Jesse's reference is correct. In all respects. I have the great good fortune to travel there this year. It is an absolutely magnificent place. Quite untouched compared to many famous Taoist sites. Especially compared to Huashan which while also incredible and powerful is absolutely overrun by tourists. This place cited by Jesse is referred to as "The Dragon Gate Cave". As it was explained to me it is referred to as ...Cave, because it predates the Taoist Temple system which came later. So although there are shrines and temples here there were people doing cultivation in the many caves here long before. Don't know anything about the Dragon Gate Grottoe. It may or may not be directly related with Longmenpai and complete reality (Quanzhen) Taoism, but it is not "THE" Dragon Gate. All of this of course does not go to the original question about Dragon Gate symbols, which I cannot address either. Craig

Excellent. Well done. And in my own backyard. I will look these people up. Craig

SAmbazon Acai' (prounounced much like my favorite Japanese beer Asahi) is a strong antioxidant berry from Brazil with a TON of marketing behind it now. Their energy drink uses so called Organic Guarana extract, Yerba mate' extract and green tea extract. All three of these are a source for caffeine. Not knowing what kind of extracts these are from the label let me generalize a bit from what I know within the industry. Guarana - A large majority of guarana extracts out there are mainly extracts with caffeine added. Since this claims to be organic I will give them the benefit of the doubt and assume that they are using REAL extract without just taking cheap extract and adding caffeine. Therefore this Guarana will be approximately 10% alkaloids mostly caffeine. The advantage of natural guarana is that it will have other alkaloids which tend to mute the jangly effects of straight caffeine. Yerba mate is a good tea. Once again though Yerba mate' extract tends to be an extract with caffeine added. Also like guarana real yerba mate' will have other alkaloids which ameliorate the effects of straight caffeine. Green tea extract. There are so many varieties of green tea extract as to make it difficult to determine from the label what you are getting. Also usually this GTExtract is a source of caffeine. Really good extract will also have Theanine which is good to chill you out, but it is doubtful to be here. Finally you have to notice on the label that sugar (as pure crystallized cane juice) is listed higher on the label than is the acai'. In summary I reccomend you get some source of purer Acai' and make your own smoothies. Stick with quality tea (a billion chinese can't be wrong) as your caffeine source. Or even switch to quality yerba mate' tea, not extract, once in a while for variety if you are feeling the need for something exotic. RM-10 What you need to know about mushrooms. This formula contains mushroom MYCELIA only. Not extract of MYCELIA, not whole fruiting body of mushroom, or extract of whole fruiting body of mushroom. The mycelia is the cheapest form of the mushroom. While mushroom mycelia can be a quality source of some components of some mushrooms it would be better to dig a little and look for top quality product. I reccomend you check out the Mushrooms Reishi and Cordyceps which can be found at Dragonherbs (you knew I was going there already right...). Here is an excerpt example from their website going into some details on Reishi: There are a few superior sources of hot house Reishi available in America. These are from folks that have obtained special strains of Reishi from the Japanese scientists such as Yoshi, who first developed the modern strains of Red Reishi. Then they are grown in superior media. These mushrooms tend to be large and red and look like real Reishi mushrooms. They smell fresh and rich. When you break one open, they have a pulpy interior that has a more subtle texture than the cheap cultivated varieties. These mushrooms can even be obtained in their mycelial state from some mushroom mail order houses, in which case you can grow your own fresh Reishi mushrooms. This is a real treat that I recommend very highly.* Reishi Mycelium: The actual fungus is not in fact the mushroom that we associate with Reishi. The mycelium is a whitish blob that grows into a piece of wood or consumes some sort of nutrient until the nutrient is gone. At a certain time of year, the mycelium puts out its sexual apparatus, which is the mushroom that we see projecting out of the ground. The function of the mushroom is to reproduce. Reishi mycelium was not traditionally used as a tonic herb by the Chinese or Japanese. However, it has recently been discovered that the mycelium is very rich in the same polysaccharides that make the mushroom an effective health product. In fact, the mycelium has been found to contain much more polysaccharide than the mushroom, since the mycelium is much larger than the mushroom. This has led to many people using the mycelium in products. These products usually do not include the mushroom, but are simply ground mycelium. This has been widely accepted in America, but is looked upon with disdain in China and Japan. Specialists there point out that all the research has been done on the mushroom, not the mycelium and that the virtually miraculous health benefits of Reishi are found primarily in the mushroom. The mycelium is, to this day, not used in China or Japan. Though the mycelium may be useful, it does not match the efficacy and balance of the mushroom. They are not in the same league. This is especially true since virtually all mycelium is grown in hot houses on less than optimum nutrients.* Duan Wood Reishi. The real deal, when it comes to Reishi mushrooms, lies in the domain of what is known as "Duan Wood" Reishi. Reishi that is grown on certain specific varieties of wooden logs, without any chemicals, in a pristine mountain environment, is known as "Duan wood" Reishi. In nature, Reishi grows on a large variety of trees in mountain forests throughout Asia. Just as "we are what we eat," a Reishi mushroom, too, is what it eats. Depending upon the kind of wood a Reishi grows upon, the Reishi may be powerful and medicinally marvelous, or it may be weak or even useless. The best Reishi grows on certain kinds of old hardwood trees that are indigenous to certain regions of China. The Chinese have made a very thorough study of this, including conducting years of pharmacological studies on laboratory animals to determine which Reishi is the most potent, based on what kind of wood it is grown on. * There is more there, but this should be indicative of the lengths they go to to provide the correct product and also educate the consumer regardless of whether they purchase their product or not. They only carry Reishi and Cordyceps as stand alone products. If you want more tonic mushrooms you need to look further afield. Based on what I see of RM-10 it would be difficult to recommend it as a first choice. Also I cannot find a price online for this product so once again it is hard to contrast and compare on that basis. NOTE: I am not affiliated in any way with Dragonherbs, I just think they are the best, from my own experience of their products. If you wanted to use mushrooms to boost immune function I think Maitake, Shitake and Matsutake would be beneficial as well. I don't have any particular products in mind to recommend, but I know there are other quality products out there. I like those which offer a blend of whole mushroom and extract to try to provide the benefits of the natural substance added to those of an extract. Good luck. Craig

I just had another idea. This needs to go at the head of the front page of TTB. "The Tao Bums should be played for entertainment purposes only. TTB is not intended as a replacement for any actual cultivation practice. Please consult a professional before engaging in any practices or methods presented at TTB. Sean Omlor is not responsible for any damage resulting from prematurely awakened Kundalini and/or excessive retention practices. Please use responsibly and make sure to HAVE A REAL LIFE" PS - not feeling serious about anything today. Craig

OK, lets draw you out a bit on this subject. You seem to be saying that you think Max is currently possessed by a new energy or entity than he previously was and that is why there is a perceived difference by people who knew him in the "old days". Is this your perception or only your supposition? Is this the possible result of delving in certain practices and/or making contact with non-physical realm entities? Is Kunlun powerful because the transmission is hooking people up with a very strong lineage Qi which also has changed Max from what he once was to what he now presents himself as? Is this related to powerful non physical entities? Does this have any connection to earlier allusions about Aliens and other stuff which Cameron swore not to go into detail about? And then there is the whole faking your own death stuff. When Mantra68 first came out with this revelation I was like "well gee, instead of going for the simple explanation it looks like Mantra68 is pulling out all the stops and stirring up the plot even more. This is really getting fun." At this point I don't even care, but I am starting to daydream about writing a really cool fantasy/science fiction novel based on all of this. Probably Mantra68 will beat me to it, after all he has good self publishing resources to draw on, and an apparently fertile imagination. OK, I'll go back to lurking now. Craig

Not to defend Drew...but For those who have not been here long it should be pointed out that Drew is in the habit of posting stuff which he has posted elsewhere in toto, without explanation. In fact for a long time all his posts seemed to be of this type. Santiago I agree that Drew can be misleading to the inexperienced in his particular enthusiasms and what he emphasizes (overemphasizes). Your concern to balance his blanket statements about his perceived truths with a more rounded balanced and rooted voice is noted and appreciated. I think you are above merely sniping at the man though. You have a presence which commands respect. I hope you stay, not merely to protect, defend and clarify about your Mentor/Friend Dr. Morris but also to provide guidance and information as you feel called to do. I have enjoyed reading your comments. Drew I love you man. You may say the same things over and over, but you are an interesting read to say the least. Part Mad scientist / part Taoist renunciate living in the big bad city chillin at McD's and having strange interactions. Maybe Drew has gone down a side path...maybe permanently, but he does have some rather interesting things to say. May we all find the paths which lead us to wisdom and attainment. PS - Lighttime - Hey man you are all about links lately. :-) Peace and peaches Craig

Zhaobao Taiji - Wudang He style flavor. Still learning the form. Studying since end of 2006. Hope to complete learning the actual moves this year. Also a shortened version sword form whose origins may be Dragon Gate. A couple of years ago I would not have expected that I would be so INTO Taiji as I am now. Previously really just wanted to practice qigong. Now Taiji is usually the only qigong I do daily. Craig

I believe Kingfred is asking about "Dragon-Tiger" Breathing which was taught in one of the videos that was done a long time ago in association with David Verdesi. There were a couple of videos which stirred up some controversy many years ago. I can't remember what they were called. They had some practices about using Urine as medicine and other exotic techniques. Anybody else remember what these tapes were called? The closest I got to hearing it was one of Michael Winns classes on tape wherein he described to method as too forceful for his vocal cords, and he did demonstrate it briefly. He made it sound really harsh. I doubt this method will be of much use to attempt merely by learning the sound from a written description, or even a recorded one. Maybe Universal Tao still sells them?? Craig

I can only recommend that you get Dragondoor Kettlebells. I have heard there are some issues with other brands. I trust in Pavel, the party is always right. Anyway I suppose you can do just fine with some of the immitators, but I prefer to put my money into John DuCane and Pavel Tsatsoulines pockets. I can afford it and I think they have integrity. Also Dragondoor was/is Master Wu Zhongxian's publisher. BUt yeah, you are right it is cool that the word is getting out. KB's are just tools. The master level training for how to use them well resides with Pavel IMO. So even if you opt for the cheap tools I strongly suggest one go for the good info. Pavel really knows his stuff. I have been getting tremendous results from following his programs and doing my internal work together. Enough plugging already. Happy easter, though it is only a stolen Pagan holiday which passed two days ago. Craig

Taiji Qigong Kettlebells Walks on the beach when I can get em. Strangely enough I have been working out with Kettlebells since last september right after I started training Taiji more intensively (after learning the first 1/3rd of the form in retreat). What may seem strange since we are talking about a weightlifting regimen, is that as a whole my hips have opened up more from doing the kettlebell workouts. IN addittion my grip has increased tremendously, not to mention very significant upper body strength improvement and core strength improvement which can be attributed to KBs and Taiji I think. I also learned a VERY vigorous Qigong form called 28 lunar mansions qigong which has some very interesting isometric like aspects to it and even a couple of moves which are almost precisely in the same groove as kettlebell lifting. so the Taiji and qigong is a great warmup for kettlebell lifting and the kettlebell lifting actually has helped to open up my KWA more. Also recently have been practicing all TaekwonDo poomse (Taeguk 1-8 and WTF BB Forms 1-5) more as an intellectual pursuit. Recently the governing body of TKD in Korea has made a new "standard" for all forms which requires me to change ALL my stances, some of my movement chambers, etc. Rain - those details are for you since you mentioned Poomse practice. It has been kind of fun to revisit TKD training because learning and practicing those forms is so SIMPLE compared to Taiji!! Not doing any "cardio" training per se. but anyone who has done kettlebell swings knows they are great for resistance training and cardio at the same time "without the dishonor of aerobics" as Pavel likes to say. "Train like a man not like a hamster" is also one of my favorites from another kettlebell trainer. In the end my level of fitness will be tested by how well I can practice taiji and qigong everyday for three weeks and how well I survive hiking up Huashan. I'll get back to you all at the begginning of May. Craig

thank you for your contributions DZ. I think you know I was playing. I really appreciate this. As Pietro said, better to have a map which may have the minor obstacle of translation, than no map at all. Craig WYG M.Winn says that where the earth meets the sea you have two polar forces coming together which blend and create neutral force Yin+Yang - Yuan. Thus the seaside is a powerful place to practice. But...often windy. Most if not all my teachers have emphasized not to practice in strong wind. My experience agrees with this. But practice on the beach on a fine day is to me very nourishing. I learned Sun gazing from my Qigong/Taiji teacher and moongazing with the same principles, a very simple process. I assume they are Taoist, or at least Chinese . Craig

According to M.Chia point behind the heart not used as Joe said, to not overstimulate the heart energy. Calling Hsuan Chi the throat chakra is somewhat inaccurate. Here we see the problem with mixing nomenclature. MY recollection of M.Chia teaching is that they use the point on the throat in the front but not the back. The point on the back which corresponds to the throat point in the front is where C7 vertabrae is. As I recall too much focus on this point when bringing energy up the back will encourage flow of energy out the arms and diminish flow through the micro orbit. This is often a problem with martial artists and people with some training as healers/bodyworkers. This is without reference to any of Chia's books (I'm too lazy to pull one off the shelf) but I don't actively use those methods now. Craig

Thanks Pietro. Ooooh lookie chinese characters. doooooh. I forgot , I don't read Chinese. Silly me I thought it would be a chinese and english article. Ummm Dao Zhen thanks but what did you expect the other 95% of us who don't read chinese to do with this?? Maybe I'll print it out and wander around China. I'll learn the phrase "WTF does this line mean??' and point to my print out. I'll go through each one, in order, asking people for directions as I go. Sounds like a plan. Craig

I say call it. "The book club which is named: "unnamed" Ironic how there is more activity in discussing names and what to read next than there is on covering current book now in play for 4 days. Craig

Hi there. How can I download this in a form I can read? What software do I need to show chinese characters on my webbrowser? Can anyone else answer this question? thanks Craig