secularfuture

Thank you. It's too bad Taoist teachers can't be more like Buddhist teachers. Look at the quality resources Buddhists have, for FREE. http://www.audiodharma.org http://www.bhavanasociety.org/list/category/MP3s/ http://www.bodhimonastery.net/bm/about-buddhism/audio.html And, from the looks of the pricing on that KAP page, you have the money too. Not everyone is as rich as you are. My Google search only brought up results for "Kite Aerial Photography" and "CSAT's Knowledge Application Program." And this forum has a 4 character minimum for searches. You're a high roller. Because in my world it doesn't grow on trees. I have to stick to a budget, and programs that I can afford. Not entirely. I could go out and spend $400 on a Taoist teacher if I wanted to, but why do that when I can order a training video from Amazon for 1/4th the price, and study in the comfort of my own home? Because I'm too busy with work, practice, and my social life to bother. As long as the Earth is here, there will always be books. You have the nerve to tell me that I don't know what I'm talking about? I'm not the one trying to encourage people to quit their jobs for Taoism. You are a hoot. This is my point, in summary: If you can find and afford a teacher, go get one. But if you can't, this shouldn't discourage you from practice. There are many things that you can do without a teacher. I agree. If you want to learn more about controlling your blood flow and breathing, you shouldn't rely only on a book for that. However, the average Joe and Jane doesn't need to bother with the really advanced practices. They're not required for alleviating stress and spiritual development.

I haven't read this book yet, but I've heard a lot of good about it. Let us know how it is. Same here. It's the best introduction to Taoism that I've read.

I'm very much into the spiritual practices. What's the point in having good health and hot sex if your life is cluttered and meaningless? I've been looking further into the various multimedia aids available for at home practice. I've found the following: TAO of Letting Go: Meditation for Modern Living by Bruce Frantzis The Essential Qigong Training Course by Ken Cohen Spring Forest Qigong by Chunyi Lin Are there any other quality training kits similar to these? Your suggestions would be appreciated.

I guess not... I never said that. I said, and I quote, "But if he can't find a teacher, he shouldn't let that discourage him from practice. It is possible to learn and practice Taoism without a teacher if you have the right training materials." I'm not against teachers. I'm only against those who try to say that you can't accomplish anything without a teacher. In your opinion. I don't sit in an arm chair when I read. Why do you refuse to give me a link and some pricing information on "KAP"? I disagree. Tao of Letting Go: Meditation for Modern Living by Bruce Frantzis is as step by step as you can get. He literally walks you through the meditations. Ken Cohen does the same on his DVD/CD set. Really... Who was your teacher, and how much did you pay for him/her? Have you ever considered the fact that not everyone learns in the same way? Some of us like going at different paces (some faster, some slower), and would prefer studying in the comfort of our own home. Why does this bother you? Just because you couldn't learn anything without personal assistance doesn't mean others can't. I'm sure some of them would suggest finding a teacher. I know Ken Cohen does in his series. But I highly doubt any of them would try to discourage a seeker from practice if they couldn't find a teacher, or chose not to use one. There are a lot of practices that you can do on your own. For one, you don't need a teacher to learn how to lay on your back, clear your mind, and focus on the present moment for 5 minutes. And you aren't going to break anything if you accidentally think about your dog or something. It's very difficult to make "mistakes" with basic sitting, lying, and standing meditations that don't involve any physical moment. I disagree. Spring Forest Qigong is another group that offers excellent training multimedia. They're a bit pricey, though. Personally, I prefer the works of Bruce Frantzis. Well, I can, and I just did. I disagree. If you can't find a teacher, or would rather not work with one, you can achieve a lot through books and training multimedia.

"One or all of your search keywords were below 4 characters or you searched for words which are not allowed, such as 'html', 'img', etc, please go back and increase the length of these search keywords or choose different keywords." Yes, me, yes, and yes. I value it very much. It has had a very positive effect on my life. No, but I do trust Ming-dao Deng, Bruce Frantzis, and Ken Cohen. Taoism for the laity isn't as complicated as oral surgery. I am learning from qualified teachers. Ming-dao Deng, Bruce Frantzis, and Ken Cohen are 3 of the best Taoist teachers in the Western world. Advanced techniques are not a perquisite for peace of mind and spiritual harmony. A teacher can come in handy for advanced techniques, sure, but not everyone needs to go that far. An "Armchair Taoist"? Who are you to judge the practicing habits of others? If their approach works, and helps them become a better person, you have no business attacking it.

I'm just a little frustrated with how a lot of Western Taoists focus mostly on the medical and sexual practices, and hardly ever make mention of the spiritual practices. Even when you come to this site you're hit with a huge "AUTHENTIC SEXUAL POWER" banner at the top of the page. Taoism is much deeper than that. The answer to this can be found in nature. We should probably go with the natural flow of life, enjoy the good, and let go of the bad until we reunite with the Tao after death. Keep it simple.

Where, and for how much? A teacher can be helpful, but he / she is not required. This is really all you need to get started: Scholar Warrior: An Introduction to the Tao in Everyday Life by Ming-dao Deng The Tao Te Ching trans. by Sanderson Beck The Parent's Tao Te Ching: Ancient Advice for Modern Parents by William Martin 365 Tao: Daily Meditations by Ming-dao Deng TAO of Letting Go: Meditation for Modern Living by Bruce Frantzis The Essential Qigong Training Course by Ken Cohen In my opinion...

But if he can't find a teacher, he shouldn't let that discourage him from practice. It is possible to learn and practice Taoism without a teacher if you have the right training materials. TAO of Letting Go: Meditation for Modern Living by Bruce Frantzis The Essential Qigong Training Course by Ken Cohen

I agree. Another good starting point would be with the canonical texts. Here's a nice translation of the Tao Te Ching: http://www.terebess.hu/english/tao/beck.html

Taoism isn't just about healing, diet, sex, and immortality... If you want a book that'll give you a more complete picture of Taoist practice, I highly recommend - Scholar Warrior: An Introduction to the Tao in Everyday Life by Ming-dao Deng.

Thanks for the replies, folks. Today's Lesson: Don't believe everything you read.

Buddhists have lovely sites like these: http://www.audiodharma.org http://www.bhavanasociety.org/list/category/MP3s/ http://www.bodhimonastery.net/bm/about-buddhism/audio.html Where can the Taoist mp3s, lectures, and podcasts be found?

Kind of. I just find it odd that with all the great teachings and techniques that can be found in Taoism, the ones that are highlighted the most in the west all have to deal with healing, sex, diet, and astrology. Trying to find useful information on spiritual enlightenment has been a bit of a chore. Maybe I need to learn Chinese? I haven't seen this link before. Thanks for pointing it out. Deng Ming-dao is the Thich Nhat Hanh of Taoism.

Youtube is great, but it's kind of hard to find Taoist videos that aren't about healing and sex. I guess these are the 2 things Westerners care most about Taoist practice. I'll try to dig through the results and post the best clips here.

Thanks, Steve. I'll check it out. Here is a link that I just found: http://www.365tao.net

Scholar Warrior: An Introduction to the Tao in Everyday Life by Ming-dao Deng is an excellent introduction to Taoism. I'm still looking for a good books and mp3s that focus on just the meditation practice. There is a Qigong meditation course by Ken Cohen that's very good, but it's a bit pricey. If I find something less expensive I'll post about it here. I can barely navigate his page. It looks like one big infomercial.

LOL! I was having a good time there until some of the moderators, particularly Namadrol (not sure about the spelling), made the board an unpleasant place to be.

When ever I research Qigong, I always run into material on how to heal my body, or improve my libido. Do the spiritual practices that focus on becoming one with the Tao have a specific name or category? Perhaps if I knew this name, it would be easier for me to do my research. Your help would be appreciated.

I was a Theravada Buddhist for 3 years. It has some good philosophy, but the philosophy as a whole isn't for me. I find Taoism to be more compatible with my worldview. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I'll admit, I don't know much about Vajrayana, but I didn't get along at all with the Theravada and the so-called Mahayana. That sounds better than what I heard. That's fine. We are all the victims of our "habit patterns." I see Taoism as a way to break from these habits so that we can go along less stressful paths, and move closer to Tao. Thank you. This gets my vote for the uninformed comment of the week. I'm not just pulling that out of my butt. Some teachers teach this way. For example: "In summary, Buddhist meditation is a gradual method of renunciation." -- Ajahn Brahm

I think the phrase I'm looking for is "internal alchemy." I'm not asking for spiritual advice. I'm looking for the word that defines the spiritual practices in Taoism.

Obviously, each of these Qigong meditations are important in their own way, but do you have a particular favorite? I especially enjoy the Spiritual Qigong meditations.

While making my rounds through iPhone / iPod touch sites, I found this: http://www.148apps.com/app/330941841 I haven't tried it yet, but it's only going to be free for maybe another day so I'm posting it here just in case anyone here might be interested.

What kind of talents do you have? Perhaps you could make extra money as a freelencer so that you won't have to work as much? I think it's completely natural. The desire to avoid death was programmed into our instincts. But, to live without fear, we must find a way to come to terms with our mortality. When I was a Buddhist I used Satipatthana Meditation to dispel my fears. I'm not sure what the Taoist equivalent of this is yet.

Thank you for the suggestions. I'll definitely research them on Amazon. I don't entirely agree. There are very good training videos that can walk a seeker through practice, and some of them were made specifically for people who can't find a teacher. A teacher is only needed if you need help with a specific problem, or aren't sure about something. And even then you could just come to an Internet forum such as this one, or call or email a teacher for help.