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When this movie was first launched it was merely called "The Secret". I purchased a copy after it came out. You can see more about the movie at http://thesecret.tv/home.html the new title is a bit better perhaps, or maybe it is just Tortuga's name for it? I really liked it. Actually I had the oppurtunity to see it before it was widely released. It was inspiring to me. Even though what is presented in the film are all things I claim to "know" it is really nice to have them presented in this way. At the time I said to my wife. "This is the kind of thing I would like to have on the TV all the time" Which is a good goal when you have small children who want to watch TV junk food all the time. It's been a few weeks now but I plan to watch it again. Hey maybe I'll take it with me on my next airplane ride to NY (in two days time). Let us know your impressions. Craig

Sean I recommend going right to the source Sopharma in Bulgaria. You can look them up on the web. Their product is called Tribestan. There are many products on the marketplace which are standardized to Saponins. Saponins do not indicate effectiveness for Tribulus. You can get lots of Saponins in cofffee grounds, but they will definitely not make you more virile. Saponins May indicate the presence of protodioscin. this is probably the real active in Tribulus. There is a great deal of tribulus available from China and India standardized to saponins and made from the fruit - which is not what the Bulgarian material is made from. Bulgaria is the source of the original natural bodybuilding product which is also libido enhancer and has other functions (see Sopharma website.) Bulgarian material is made with a specific process for time and manner of harvest of Aerial parts of the plant - leaves and flowers and maybe some fruit as well - this is proprietary and the Bulgarians ain't sharing. I have experiemented with several types of Tribulus. Even Tribulus powder from Bulgaria has an effect on me, but i am sensitive. The Sopharma material has the strongest effect. ther are extracts also from Russia and Germany which contain high levels of Protodioscin, but I still felt the Sopharma product to be the best. Their enteric coating tablets does seem to be the best way to preserve the efficacy of the product. It's something like $30 for 60 tabs direct from Sopharma. More expensive from Domestic internet sources, but perhaps quicker and more reliable to purchase that way. For young guys who do retention it is pretty strong medicine and you should anticipate very increased sexual energy. plan on doing something with it. Now that it's springtime you would probably get a double whammy to start taking now. Also this is a good prosexual tonic for women as well and is purported to work positively on womens hormonal system overall. Also increased testosteron in women is a good thing if you want to increase sex drive. enough for now, I wrote a small book between here, HT forum and work today. Ciao Craig

Free form, sounds interesting. One thing I have experience with is the power of the group chi field when working in seminars or classes. It is always more powerful in a group. If the teacher consciously works on this level of harmonizing and enhancing the group chi field, then it can be even better. Regarding tranmission. Whether you accept it or don't it is true that most traditional teachers believe in this process. Some more consciously than others. Some consciously hook their students up to "Lineage Chi" as part of the teacher student process. This is a very specific frequency and is different from chi tranmission from the teacher of his own energy or channeled energy from the universe. It is a direct connection bridging the gap for the beginnner to a more direct tranmission of whatever it is that the lineage has connected to over time. A big headstart and support for the student. This is the theory about transmission of lineage chi. I will not put forward my opinion as my experience of this is too limited. On another level there is always multi layered transmission between humans when any communication takes place. In martial arts training if you open yourself up to your teacher it is easier to "get" a technique simply through the transmission of modelling the movement and energy behind it. That was my experience. Takes a certain kind of focus to receive on multiple levels like this, but being conscious of it does seem to improve the process. It's a big subject and I only skimmed the surface. Craig

DanC Take Tribulus and then DON"T ejaculate and see how you feel. I suggest you have a good method of recycling this energy, or some hard physical training to accompany it. Taking Tribulus and ejaculating frequently is a good way to deplete yourself faster, I strongly recommend against this approach. One thing M.Chia said which resonates with me goes something like "there are two kinds of pleasure. Losing energy pleasure and gaining energy pleasure." There is no doubt that to the average male that ejaculation is highly pleasureable. However using up your essential energy is eventually going to result in less potential everything, including sexual pleasure especially. A middle ground from where you are may be to take the jing tonics and practice not ejaculating as frequently and recirculate the energy. There are those who take the position that its an all or nothing choice, celibacy or ordinary sexual practice. I believe there are health benefits to a middle road. Complete retention is potentially the most effective, but again I think our discussions on this subject have concluded that this path is VERY difficult for most and can cause problems when rigidly applied. Craig

Karen you recommended homeopathic internal arnica. Your knowledge of Homeopathy far exceeds everyone on this board I would guess, but... I would recommend Arnica gel for external also, in conjunction with your recommendation or Traumeil which is a combination of Arnica and something like flower remedy for emotional support along with the Arnica. Good stuff. Regular application externally for this type of injury, especially when done immediately after the injury is really effective in the long run. Also, if you are involved in any type of impact sport you should have Arnica in your gym bag so you can leave the mat and apply it immediately. I found it essential in my earlier taekwondo play. Some people would even put it on their shins before sparring to reduce the potential injury which is inevitable in TKD fighting. Also about AIKIDO. I highly recommend reading "Angry White Pajamas" which is a very funny and very fascinating tale of an expatriot journalist living in Tokyo and training Aikido with the "Tokyo Riot Police". A great perspective on what AIKIDO is to hardcore people in Japan, as compared to the way it is perceived/marketed here in the US. Aikido is TOUGH on the body. Bouncing off the mat uncounted times every class is NOT EASY! Craig

Who is behind this proposal? This is the first most important question. A cursory reading of the document leads me to believe that this represents a power grab by the FDA. Language which looks innocuous enough but which seems to proceed from the assumption that there is NO assurance of safety in traditional medicines. wouldn't we be better served focusing on some better assurance of safety in Pharmaceuticals? This smells rotten to me, very rotten. Craig

Watch out for some serious sarcasm. do you expect a straightforward interview? I know how you are in written forum, I hope you are able to get in your shots verbally. I am sure it has probably occured to you that this is just the type of stuff a show like Mancow would get a lot of mileage making fun of. Anyway...good luck to you. Craig

This reminds me of something I read recently. 80% of written communication, e.g. emails and I would lump forum discussions in with this, are Mis-interpreted. That discussion was terrible. Scott defending what didn't need to be defended, and never addressing the invitation to discuss things that Sean was bringing to the table. However mild mannered Sean is in his post, if you get down to what he said I think he did throw down a gauntlet in respect to Scotts concept that Prasara body flow is a COMPLETE practice. That's what it looks like to me as an outside observer. I think that Scott was defending territory he has staked out for RMAX. My very limited experience with that forum and now with this battle between Scott and Sean(inadvertant though it may have been) indicates to me that there is a degree of fundamentalism and exclusivism there. A recent theme of discussion I have had (outside forums, like face to face conversation - remember that?) is that what I value is a stance of inclusion and not exclusion. Sean seems to be trying to point out that he thinks RMAX is missing some things and Scott is adamantly saying - It's all here! Scott's idea that he has created a culturally contextual free zone for the modern man is truly a noble ideal. I think that he has achieved this in the physical culture to a large extent, and physical culture is where he is coming from. To truly get into the idea of the realities of working with Chi, or whatever non-loaded words you care to use seems to be outside of where he wants to go because he is SET on a scientific model. It needs to be provable. Sean, IMHO, is about integrating Physical culture, subtle energy culture and spiritual culture. Taoist terminology Jing, chi, shen. I think they are going to have a hard time seeing eye to eye. Sean did not perceive that he was attacking Scott's perspective perhaps. Scott onthe other hand, rather than even attempting to engage in what Sean was trying to say just shot down everything by calling it a straw man argument, or a logical fallacy. Great debate tactics if you want to win a debate, but really poor if you want to move forward in communication. I don't think Scott came off looking very good here. Perhaps HIS tribe thinks so, but from where I am sitting it wasn't pretty. Lastly - why do I care? Because both these indiviuals have a lot to say and are very clear in their communications- generally - but both seemed to fail miserably in this instance. Too bad. Cheers Craig

Thanks for you input. As I mentioned before your mileage may vary as far as what you can get from studying a video image. I think this form is very learnable from the tape and it has helped very much for me to get the form. When is the last time you were able to pause the teacher any time you want to study the intricacy of the movements. Remember we are talking to Taobums all over the world here. I heartily recommend getting the DVD if that calls to you. By the way, someone else on this Forum was talking about doing the Tiger form from the DVD and that is MUCH more complex than the Fire Dragon chikung. Music, I like his music so much I even put his DVD in and just left the intro playing on my computer in my hotel room while doing other things. I'm off to study with him in a couple of hours. Any yes I feel priveledged and grateful for the oppurtunity. May we meet again soon. Just haven't been able to come up with a good enough excuse to go on a jaunt to Asheville yet. Cheers Craig

About Shamani Tiger Chi Kung - Book and Movie. After taking a few classes with Master Wu I purchased his book. I had begun to study shamanic orbit chikung and FireDragon Chikung and mentioned to him that maybe I should refrain from beginning to study the Shamanic Tiger chikung, his reply was that the book had a lot of philosophy, and so I could get something out of it more than just to begin studying the tiger form. His perspective is correct - naturally he would know wouldn't he? I enjoy the book. I haven't really used it for the moves, but the discussion of the meaning of the moves is really good stuff which wouldn't fit into the DVD. The DVD is EXCELLENT. Good production value too. The form is amazing to watch. I have not started to practice it yet as I feel I need to work the other material first. If you want to learn the form primarily, get the DVD and then if called to explore deeper, get the Book. If you want to know a bit more of where Master Wu is coming from primarily, then get the book. The form is complex. After watching it I read somewhere on his website or on Amazon that this was a 24 movement form. This makes is sound simpler than what is my perception on watching it. Of course complexity of forms is a relative thing. If you do TaiChi longform maybe this is not terribly difficult. For me it is a big piece to chew on. Regarding- FIREDRAGON Chi Kung. I don't know if he lists it on his website, but he does have a DVD of the form. It seems tohave been done privately, but it is good enough quality to learn from. I am sure if you contact Master Wu he will be able to offer this. This is a simple meridian chikung form, and it is also not so simple. To contrast and compare with M.Winns 8extra vessels chikung form (which I also love) I would say that the end result of the practice is a nice flow, but that M.Wu's form is MUCH MORE physically challenging and works the body more on a structural muscular level. whereas M.Winns 8Xtra form goes more extensively into all the channels and the core channel with intention and movement guidance, it does so while remaining quite still physically. This form moves the body around quite a bit and if done properly is in quite a DEEP horse stance. Being a martial artist I naturally strive to match M.Wu's movements, and it has been KICKING MY ASS. Net result is that my body feels good and my chi is flowing after doing this form. First time I have really felt worked out and charged up with chi simultaneously to such a great extent. though I have experienced this to a lesser degree with other internal MA training (Bagua/Hsing I etc.) This form is also not simple and it has some beautiful movement that shifts you from side to side and up and down. Like any internal MA, there is a lot going on in even the small movements. So, now that I have the framework down there is a lot of filling in to do! Re-Shamanic orbit chi kung. Nothing available but the pamphlett (Kudo's to M.Teeter who I just realized was credited in that pamphlett) I am still learning this form. It is GOOD stuff and I hope M.Wu puts it to DVD sometime, though this is much more internal and still than the other forms mentioned, and is in a way more of a meditation form. Just learning the first sound (mantra) which he teaches is great for opening up the front channel and sinking your chi. More on this form later as I get more into it. Cheers Craig

GT I have had the great good fortune of studying with Master Wu here in Portland since early February. I have no hesitation in acknowledging him as a master. I am learning his Shamanic orbit Chi kung which is a method of opening the channels using mudra and mantra. Actually the Mantra's are really more like tones for sending vibrations for different purposes. I am also learning his Fire Dragon Chi Kung which is a really beautiful meridian opening chikung with some intricate movements. I especially like the combination of practicing chikung while in a challenging deep horse stance. A workout and chi opening blissful experience at the same time. I have his book and video on Tiger chi kung and they are very good. My plan is to take on this much longer form of tiger chikung after I have really integrated the other two shorter forms. I want to study deeply all that he has to offer. And all those of you out there who have the funds, please support master Wu with your purchase, you will not be dissappointed. Check out his website at http://www.masterwu.net/ Craig

Um, just curious, but what's the problem with Flax seed oil? Ugh... is just not descriptive enough for me. Craig

WOW!!! Holy Shi.... You guys rock. I think I am going to have to be there, since I actually live in Portland, well, OK, 25 miles west of Portland, but Wow what an oppurtunity. I haven't directly checked out any of his stuff, but I have read all about it and checked out RMAX material. I get the impression that you experienced guys will get a lot out of this, but that even someone not familiar with Scott's work should still view this as an oppurtunity not to pass up. So, if things work out schedule wise I think you might get to meet me too. Craig

Does anyone remember S.Biel - Steven Biel? Back in the day, lo these many years ago, S.Biel was a counterpoint to some of the insanity going on at that time on the HT Board. S. Biel posted some of the most well thought out and erudite stuff over the course of 3-4 years and finally just disappeared. I appreciated his input very much. But this was a LONG Time ago. I think the last time he posted may have been before 2001. I still have a couple of things he posted saved to my computer and transferred through two more laptops over the years. He is definitely in the top 5 for me. Craig

Ahhh Here is a great quote from Master Wu about quieting the mind. "Although there are numerous books about Qigong in both English and Chinese, the quality and content of many of them is questionable. Some of these books contain inaccurate information. Sometimes they reverse things; sometimes they catch the tips rather than the roots. For instance, some books suggest that you should try to keep your mind quiet and not think when you practice. This is not only reversed, but also completely wrong. A quiet mind is the result of a solid Qigong practice continued over time. If a student does the practice, eventually the mind will become calm." Exactly! Craig

Michael You been holdin out on me? this guy is like...in my back yard and I didn't know about him. I think I will be meeting him soon! Thanks for everything. I hope we can meet again in the flesh someday - now 1.5 years post China trip Smiles Craig

Yoda On with the experiments. As long as you are experimenting. Get some good Rhodiola extract. Tao in a bottle has tibetan rhodiola, because that is the choice Ron T. made for his products, but even better is Rhodiola Rosea. So for those long interstate drives(or whatever else comes up), stick to Theanine only from Nice Green Tea, and take some straight Rhodiola for focused concentration. It also has properties of stress reduction based in demonstrated ability to reduce cortisol. Rhodiola is one of my favorite herbs. HerbPharm has it in liquid extract form and theirs tastes like the real deal to me. Can't recommend any other brand. In interest of balanced herbalism, Rhodiola is somewhat warming and astringent, so can tend to dry you out if used all by itself. Happy experimentation. Craig

Lozen I agree with much of what you have said. It is true that the BEST approach to herbalism is an individual approach. With customized formulation to fit the persons needs at the moment, and to adjust to the changing needs of the person over time. There is no one size fits all. I agree with what you have said about NOT to take ginseng until older, it is the standard line about ginseng. I am not sure all modern herbalists would agree with this, and TCM is not the most flexible system when it comes to adjusting to modern realities. The problem we have in the modern era is that not everyone has access to the resources of an herbalist, or the education to sort things out for themselves. I agree with what you have said about extracts, when applied to "Standardized Extracts". Simple hydroalcoholic extracts can be as effective or more so than the original whole herb. But, yes there are good and bad extraction methods and good and bad extraction manufacturers. Make no mistake, Ron T.'s website is CHOCK FULL of marketing hype. It is also full of information. I don't know and don't care about the credentials of his "master". I do know about his Sourcing of his raw materials, which I believe to be some of the best in the industry. I don't care what martial arts his master does. I care about the connections his wife has in China to get the primo herbs available. There is a LOT of CRAP being sold as quality herbs in china which doesn't contain 5% of the activity it should because it is poorly grown, spoiled with contaminants...etc, etc. This is where Ron gets my support, that and his reputation in the industry of which I am a part. Could YOU do better than taking herbal blends from Ron T? Yes, without doubt. Could the average consumer do better, quite likely not. I agree with you about jumping on the next magic pill bandwagon. But even for modern Taoists, sometimes convenience wins out. You make a lot of good points. You have a lot of valuable knowledge of herbalism, for sure beyond mine. You requested some backup on the quality of Ron T's products. I have used some of his herbal extracts in simple tincture form and have found them to be very potent. This is where the strength of his quality comes out, in my opinion. I am not connected to his company, but I know about him. I trust him and I trust my gut when it comes to sensing the quality and integrity of his products. Yeah, Cam may be a bit too high on Tao in a Bottle, and of course it is being hyped with marketing. To throw out the idea of Theanine as an amino acid which is very beneficial by itself I think is perhaps a bit luddite. Do you also disagree with a valuable supplement called Co Q 10? I highly recommend this to people at risk for cardiac health issues, but this is a highly refined product which though naturally occuring and ubiquitous throughout the body, is certainly not produced "naturally". Theanine is NOT just a marketing angle. IN conclusion, I give respect to your tradition. I acknowledge that the IDEAL would be to get all our support through practice, diet, exercise and individualized application of "forgotten foods" (HERBS). This is not possible, or at least not probable for the vast majority. Which is why I try to recommend the best supplement companies I encounter in this industry and throw out a healthy buyer beware about 99% of the rest of them.

Nothing wrong with good old green tea. food supplements are.....Supplementary to good dietary practices. Tao ina Bottle contains some really good stuff; In addittion to Alphathean (which seems to be Dragonherbs or some other companie's trademark name for Theanine) it contains. Gynostemma extract Duanwood Reishi Extract Eleuthero extract Schisandra extract Astragalus extract Tibetan Rhodiola extract Ginseng extract Ginkgo biloba extract. I can see by your other posts that your training leans towards Western herbalism. Nothing wrong with that. But these are wonderful Tonic herbs from the orient, do some of your own research. Ron Teegaurden is a master herbalist and gets some of the top herbs in the world for his products. No I am not a paid spokesperson. Just someone in the industry who knows products and quality. My two bits. Craig

I have a copy, probably the first generation, of Chia's Tao in. I really like it, and should probably practice it once in a while. I cannot compare to Sonnon's work. My version of the video has a date of 1994 on it, so it's been around for awhile. I would recommend it, mostly for the basic practice routine on the first of two tapes. From my recollection on the second tape he goes into painful detail (as is typical of him) which seems unnecessary. Just practice the set on the first tape which is pretty self explanatory. I think I'll go back to it myself. Craig

Here's a cool link that gets into tao in a bottle, tea, and theanine territory: http://64.233.187.104/search?q=cache:5fEL_...+theanine&hl=en Interesting stuff. Yoda Many thanks for the link. I have done some web research on this item myself in the past, and you have come up with by far the most thorough piece on the subject I have yet seen. Thanks Craig

Cameron One Clarification. Alphathean is a trademark of a manufacturer of Theanine. Theanine is the amino acid found in Green tea which is so helpful. It promotes alpha state and also ameliorates the effects of caffeine. Which is why drinking green tea is not so harsh as drinking other caffeine sources. There are other brands which you can buy which are just Theanine. Sunshine might want to experiment with them. I use NOW foods Theanine which comes in a green tea powder base, and I think is 100mg Theanine per capsule. This is kind of a new product, so not a lot of choices out there, and not often found on the shelf (depending where you shop). I'd advise finding it online. I sometimes use this as an adjunct when I need more chilling out, or want to have more theanine in relation to other adaptogens going into my system. Just FYI. Craig

I would like to point out another fine distinction which you may want to consider. M.Winn emphasizes a Big difference between martial Chi Taoist practitioners and Alchemical practice. The concept that it is necessary to engage in the dynamic of always seeking to grasp/gather/hold on to energy is a concept of Limitations. In the beginning stages of cultivation it is necessary to gather Enough energy to open up the energy gates of the body. Once the neceesary openings occur, according to Michael's theory, it is possible to tap into the infinite source of PreHeavenly Chi, physically located as the Ming Men (gate of life and death). This is a major distinction. I am not even sure if this is a distinction Chia makes, but M.Winn is very clear on it. Martial artists often come from the perspective of seeking more and more Power and continue to load up/retain/grasp as much as they can. From what I can see this idea of using retention and other energy saving practices to build up enough energy to make this breakthrough is somewhat rare, though probably not unique to M.Winn's teachings. It resonates with me. At the risk of using metaphors similiar to M.Chia I would say that it is like a rocket to the moon, you have to have enough energy to break free of earth's gravity in order to move in the near frictionless environment outside earth's gravity well. You need to have enough energy to open up the space leading out of later heaven and towards early heaven. I also agree about the Woman's orgasm and retention. Women's sexuality is not really explored very fully in either M.Chia's or M.Winns works so far IMO. My experience of prolonged lovemaking leads me to agree with the idea that energy circulation and recycling during the act is very important for both partners equally. I subscribe to the theory (backed up with experience) that once a certain degree of recycling and co circulation has happened that the net Jing loss from ejaculation is much less. I am sure this is controversial in some circles, but it's where I am. Craig