.broken.

It appears that samadhi needs to be cultivated before one is able to undergo much of these alchemical transformations which you, Drew, write about. This confirms my suspicions that being able to maintain a one-pointed concentration is essentially the first step in spiritual cultivation. Many congratulations on achieving the macrocosmic orbit (breathing through your hands and feet). Your hard work and dedication have brought you far. Wishing you further bliss, James

Drew, am I right in thinking then that the full lotus can indeed be faked? By this I mean that someone can have the flexibility but not the energetic development... If this is the case, this point to the model that one can train the body externally and/or internally. I assume that therefore you advocate the interal always? Clarificiation would be gratefully appreciated Yours humbly, James

Yep. I believe his main method of develop the body is through diet: usually fasting and reducing the microbiological load on the body. I disagree with Darin Hamel though, I've been a member of his site for ages and I get no spam other than Bodri trying to sell me the odd ebook.

If a heroin addict wants his/her hit and you refuse to give, or allow, it - is this out of ignorance or compassion? If, without the heroin, the user then goes on to commit crimes to fund a habit which, in turn, causes greater pain to many more individuals - would you still consider the same option? Sometimes what may seem like ignorance, may be a blessing.

I believe many, including Chuang Tsu and Plato, have linked ignorance with human inability to see the divine. Interestingly the word "ignorance" is borne out of not seeing the whole and holding preconceptions - this leads back to advaita, where everything is one, and also the Taoist methods which emphasise forgetting/unlearning. It is possible to reach stages of spiritual development through the use of intellect. Or, at least, to be able to come to a logical conclusions that one needs to undertake spiritual practice to develop one's mind (and by this I guess I emphasise the gaining of wisdom). I posted an interesting article about ignorance/suffering last week... here's the link if you're curious: http://www.thetaobums.com/The-Suffering-of-Self-t5155.html

whoops... accidentally posted the last thing twice...

This article highlights a number of things worthy of reflection. Habitual thinking is an interesting phenomenon. We have no memory of our bringing into this existence we call the waking world; life. A sense of self develops in the early years and all of a sudden we are. The nature of our surroundings, and the long period of growth before becoming full fledged adults, give the sense of self more than enough time to imbed itself. In fact, it is arguably necessary for it to exist if we wish to communicate effectively. Without definitions of objects and feelings, communicating would be almost meaningless. As such, there is a need for an individual to construct an 'I'. A holder of emotions and a receiver of information from our senses. It is due to our habitual thinking that we attach our minds to a sense of self. It is due to our ignorance that we cannot see beyond it. Habitual thinking implies that we are caught in a loop that we will forever travel in our minds, without any independent thought after these habits have been formed. It's as if you build a road in a vast desert and only travel along that path oblivious to your surroundings. You fall blind to anything other than your own creation. You fall into ignorance. Ignorance cannot know itself. For all I know, this enquiring and probing into concepts and ideas that my mind regularly does is, in itself, habitual thinking on my part. Alas, I cannot know the answer. There are no flashing lights, no alarm bells, no warnings in which the mind knows it is being ignorant. Only through our communication with others can we occasionally think, "I am being ignorant." We thus change our behaviours accordingly. If we cannot know our own ignorance, then we can assume that we are always in a process of habitual thinking.

The manner of communication is key. Ever had to teach a struggling colleague something they couldn't grasp, yet to you it was so simple? It's easy to get the penny to drop if you relate what you are trying to teach to their own experience. In the words of the clever pothead in Road Trip: "I could teach Japanese to a monkey; all I need is something to relate it to." Also, if you know the person well, you will see that they turn off when you use particular words. 'Energy', 'religion' and 'spirituality' are all common off switches to many people. Common off switches are regularly misconstrewed by the listener/interpreter rather than being interpreted in the manner in which they had been intended. You can give people deeper understanding of their existence if you do not relate it to one of their off switches. An example may be to teach somebody the art of empathy and compassion, but to avoid mentioned what you are relating is anything to do with Buddhism/Christian teaching. Ultimately, I would suggest that if you want to "thump" this to people, you are going to have to explain it in a way that keeps them engaged and avoids touching upon the person's preconceived views. One last thought for you - people are not always willing to change their ways, wisdom plays a great deal in knowing when to guide them and when to just give them a sympathetic ear.

A brief article I was emailed by DailyGood: http://www.odemagazine.com/doc/print/51/pr...or-of-happiness

Concepts are communicated through words. Words create conceptions. Conceptions are general. Generalising omits all information. Being uninformed means ignorant. Ignorance means a lack of empathy. Empathy is a basis for compassion. 'True' compassion is without ignorance. Attempts to attain will fail. Attempts to fail won't attain. Don't attempt, no intent. Sit to sit, breathe to breathe, moment to moment. Now.

I had a girlfriend who was simliar - unable to come unless through touching herself. She was gang raped by 3 men when she was 15 and ... well, let's just say there was a lot of emotional baggage. I'm not suggesting your girl was exposed to anything similar but I know how powerful emotions can be. I would suggest some psychotherapy which engages the body as well as the mind - something like Rubenfeld Synergy perhaps? Just my two cents.

Well written freeform. It makes perfect sense. I used to have dreams and aspirations, but I either saw them as a really difficult uphill struggle or so distant that it would remain fantasy. Recently, I've moved from no fantasies and an ever dimishing group of goals because now if there is something I think will take me somewhere I just DO. No thinking, no planning, no goal setting It's the only way i've been able to make myself do regular cultivation. 20 - 30 mins twice a day of focusing on my dan tien. Progress is slower than my goal setting mind wanted previously, but my new found 'doing' remains unaffected.

Although I am not one who thinks my practices are better than those of others, I would like to state my goal. My goal is that of complete enlightenment as found in the sutras. Along the way I would like to teach others what I know and help heal some poorly folk too. Patience, compassion and charity are my tools.

If you define gnosticism as seeing God within yourself then you place satanism, buddhism, taoism, theosophy and many other isms/sophies under the category of gnosticism. In my eyes, this could be both a correct and incorrect definition. It all depends on which term you wish to use for what is essentially the same discipline. The matter of practice is what differs between them.

I never knew the Hawaiian's had a Haka... I've only been familiar with the Maori one: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=9Zvs4T4RU30

Drew, thought you might be interested in this article... Also, here's a brilliant example of overtones http://pl.youtube.com/watch?v=JbSczKB03Ts Peace

I know some sutras and instructions i've recently come across when reading "The Secrets of Chinese Mediation: Self-culivation by Mind Control as taught in the Ch'an, Mayahana and Toasist schools in China" by Lu K'uan Yu (great book btw, though at times heavy going) recommend not eating after noon. So i guess breakfast is the most common one Personally, i still eat some 3000 - 4000 calories a day... but i'm a growing lad!

Lin, I thank you for your reply. Unfortunately you did not answer in a manner that satisfied my intellect. I shall rephrase my initial question: What had you failed to do in previous cultivation practices that Master Xuan Hua instructed you to take up? What was it (i.e. which practice) that helped give you that foundation that Master Xuan Hua said you lacked?

I was most intrigued by this paragraph. You mentioned that you did much cultivation before reaching this point. May I ask as to how your cultivation practices changed as a result of turning your awareness to the missing foundation? How did you train humility and wisdom of the mind? Yours humbly, .broken.

I think the confusion has arisen from jing being used as a word for 'power' as well as for 'essence'. Alchemically speaking, all schools of Taoism that I have read about inform of essence being turned into chi. Chi is then used in the raising of the spirit, or shen. Chi is most certainly used to develop power, the method of dispersal of which is called fa jin. I, personally, have never come across jing being translated as power.

England is easy enough for me to get too Bonnie auld Scotland ain't far!

I would not claim that I am experienced, but I'd like to throw in my two cents. From what I've read many of these reactions are normal. I believe it was Nan Huai-Chin who said that if the body does not want to sleep, then do not sleep. Alternatively, if you are attached to sleep... I assume that you are doing these practices before going to bed? If this is the case have you considered changing your waking hours to incorporate an extensive routine when you first awaken, thus giving you all this energy for the day ahead? Doing it this way would most likely keep you from wanking away most of your jing (because you'd be in a rush to get to work!) and you'd be able to use your extra energy throughout your day. Regarding the meditation you do, I would recommend taking up vipassana rather than emptiness. From what i've read it is generally recommended that one will not experience true emptiness until one can go beyond the step of one-pointed meditation.

Is this necessarily a bad thing? Afterall, there is the old Taoist saying of: When the jing is full, there is no sexual desire. Most schools also believe in 100 days of laying the foundation - by which they mean no ejaculation and meditating for 100 days.