TzuJanLi

Greetings.. Before anything (unless nature tells me otherwise), i do one set of 24, and 3 sets of Dragon Gate QiGong.. then, start the coffee, take a shower, and gear-up for another day in Paradise.. Be well..

Greetings.. It's funny that you bring that up.. i just finished CT for the umteenth time, and i can't find the terms phenomenona or relativity, or dependent nature.. is it just me, or am i missing something? It is observably so.. Is this intended to illustrate a superior aspect of yoga? Be well..

Greetings.. Just as an observation... It seems that when i'm not thinking about 'happiness' or 'unhappiness' or variations.. life's pretty cool.. and, if i'm honest with myself, i think the best i 'feel' is sensing the spontaneous joy of others.. it's like contagious... and, in the quiet times, alone with nature.. realizing the sacred nature of this relationship with Life.. OOooh, that reminded me of a quote: 'Worship nothing, yet maintain a sacred reverence for ALL things'.. Be well..

Greetings.. It's important to know when enough is enough.. Hi Dwai: Pure insight!! Sweet!!! So, when i ponder, 'What's it all about'?.. i keep returning to, 'Just look, and see'.. the Universe is screaming the truth at, and through, you/me/we/us/LIFE.. stop and 'listen'.. Be well.. Be well..

Greetings.. With respect, i suggest that you stop studying the beliefs of others.. i'm sure i'll screw-up this quote, but: 'Don't walk in the foot-steps of others, seek what they sought.. on you own path.." A primary issue for 'me', and for Taoists (if i recall correctly), is a lack of authenticity.. where the experiences of Life are tainted by preconceived beliefs, experiencing life through your beliefs is to abandon your opportunity to be 'You'.. and, yes, i understand some people are not interested in being 'real', they prefer to play their parts.. delightful little puppets for an amused audience.. Hi Alwayson: What's "hard to understand" is that "I" IS the body, AND "I" IS the 'Source'.. simultaneously.. "I" never vanishes, it does change perspectives, though.. Any memory of a 'previous life' is most likely a mis-interpretation of a glimpse of your 'non-local' consciousness, of the 'Cosmic Memory' of ALL past existences/experiences.. from which elements of your 'local' manifestation resonate with some past existence resident in the Cosmic Memory.. which, could be argued that since we are, ultimately, One thing behaving in a Universe of 'ways'.. it could be argued that the resonance with a memory of a past existence is also an element of that same 'One thing', then okay.. it's 'your' past-life, but.. that's a bit of a stretch just to feel 'right'.. as i have been fortunate, on occasion, to experience the 'Cosmic Consciousness', i am clear as to the relationship between my current manifestation/awareness and the Oneness encounter.. as mentioned above, the glimpse of Cosmic Consciousness experiences the entire totality of existence "in that instant".. you betcha!!! WOW!!! then, as we return our awareness to our 'local' manifestation, we will recall aspects of that 'Cosmic' experience based on resonance and coherence of our individual 'understandings'.. we will interpret those recollections according to the same understandings, preferences, and prejudices.. if i prefer ancient Chinese Sage's experiences, then my recollections of the 'Cosmic' encounter will likely focus on 'Cosmic Memories' related to that.. if someone prefers 'Angels', their interpretations will resonate accordingly.. which is kind of why very few people recall their 'past-life' as a weak abused sex-slave for some slovenly warrior clan.. nope, they generally imagine a resonance much more romantically, or more 'hero-like'.. anyway, i ramble too much.. nothing i say is true because i say so, it only makes more or less sense to the observer according to their inclination to validate it through their own experiences.. Be well..

Greetings.. It must first be recognized, if we're talkin' about it, we ain't got it.. 'Aggregates', and 'selfs', and 'proofs'.. turds in the punchbowl.. 'Still the mind', and.. Be well..

Greetings.. Except, all this 'on and on' about what is or isn't "I"/self.. is someone's individualized thought/opinion, based exclusively on the actuallity of individualized existence.. lol, not so much, really.. the "Real I" as you put it, is telling us about their 'imagination' and pretending their imagination is 'real'.. at the same time, pretending their actual physical manifestation is an 'illusion'.. Be well..

Greetings.. Hi mikaelz: You just did it for me, thanks.. I like that about you, so helpful, so understanding.. and, to do it with the freshman ploy of 'prove it', was simply brilliant, great job!!! Be well..

Greetings.. We are like snowflakes, unique patterns of exactly the same 'stuff'.. 'God', spirit, Tao, Energy, etc.. this 'stuff' is conscious, aware, and intelligent. The 'stuff' has 'Principles' that influence its existence, a fundamental 'Principle' is that the 'stuff' is 'self-organizing'.. we/us/Life are the 'stuff' organizing itself into independently functioning uniquely self-aware 'individualities', in our case, Human Beings.. the "Principle" guiding the manifestation of 'individuality' is 'self-awareness'.. the 'stuff' is aware that it exists, simply because it is aware there is a 'void' within which it exists.. awareness radiates into the 'void' and reveals no 'information'.. so, the 'biggie', the 'stuff' responds to another 'principle' Change (Taiji).. the 'stuff', aware of itself and aware of no 'other', no feedback, no relationship, the 'stff' asks the critical Question.. What am "I".. we/us/Life are the answer.. Within the 'stuff' as its Unified Wholeness.. is the sum of of all its experiences, existent as, for lack of a better term, the Cosmic Memory.. which is the structure that differentiates order from chaos as the fundamental state of 'stuff'.. so, there is 'self-aware' stuff experiencable as 'order', there is stuff that is unaware of itself, experiencable as chaos.. and, the 'Stuff' is the Self, both as its inherent Unity/Oneness AND as its manifested individuality.. There are a multitude of religions and philosophies describing the inter-relationships of individualities as those relationships relate to their inherent Unity/wholeness.. these are conceptual interpretations of the basic fundamental process of the Unified/whole Self experiencing its own existence through 'itself' manifested as independently functioning individualities.. OH YES!! there is a 'Self', and it celebrates its existence through 'itself' as we/us/Life.. the eternal process of 'Self-discovery'.. Be well..

Greetings.. Hi Seth, your post reminds me of the realizations of a 'stilled mind'.. without the mind chattering away, telling us what to 'believe', telling us which mentor's 'programming' best solves the current situation, without the mind chattering.. there is simply Clarity, of Life as it IS.. Be well..

Greetings.. The quality of the interpretation is dependent upon the degree of Clarity.. "still the mind".

Greetings.. Why is it so hot.. and, why am i in this hand-basket? Be well..

Greetings.. The sensations mentioned remind me of the sensations that arise as my physical and energetic aspects slip into 'coherence'.. sometimes referred to as 'Central Equilibrium'.. forgive my inability at describing this sensation well, but: It's like an internal 'white noise', a subtle hissing that feels slightly cool, slightly tingling.. for 'me', it begins when i actually relax the 'girdle muscles' (abs, low back, and glutes).. it intensifies as the coherence refines toward resonance, as when i can 'still the mind', too.. i find it most experiencable during Wuji, and i'm beginning to develop it during standing-post, also.. hopeful that it will become more apparent in my Taiji, too.. Be well..

Greetings.. I do not disagree. but, i see no need for complexity or intellectualism to reveal the depth or profundity.. what i see/experience in forums such as this, are intellectual battles over conceptual territory.. which can be greatly rewarding to one's self-image if one is successful at defending their conceptual territory, or destroying an opponent's conceptual territory.. but, Life, the Universe, and our local environment continues, unconcerned with great battles when the battles are waged on imaginary battlefields.. Be well..

Greetings.. The perspective of the 'stilled mind' reveals the pride of intellectualism.. which is an aspect of 'Tao' at odds with its own 'nature'.. but, that's 'Tao'.. Be well..

Greetings.. When the 'idea' of Taoism, gave rise to the idea of 'Taoists', the 'ideas' became fertilizer for so much nonsense disguised as 'Taoism'.. Before there were Taoists, there were people that represented the 'Way',and.. the respect for their Clarity, spontaneity, gusto, and sincerity for Life gave rise to the ideas that became the fertilizer.. and, the best fertilizer is usually 'manure'.. below, is some of the best fertilizer i've observed in a while.. I hope i don't need to be more clear, as gentleness suits the occasion, but.. this sort of delusionary thought is an aspect of Tao that a self-respecting 'Bum' would cover-up with dirt or 'dispose of properly'.. So, if you 'still the mind'.. the conceptual babble quoted above simply vanishes, revealing Life, clearly.. Be well..

Greetings.. <humble bows>.. the gift is appreciated.. Be well..

Greetings.. To the stilled mind, permanence and impermanence have no meaning or influence.. those are conceptual distractions to the unfolding experience of 'now'.. Be well..

Greetings.. I did.. Be well..

Greetings.. Individuality is perceivable which suggests there is existence, and though humans see things differently, we share the same universe. As sentient beings we perceive phenomena coherently, but make varied interpretations of it. Dimension is the difference between, and the substance observed defines itself by being not other, for it can only be one way, different, so each form is necessarily unique, as are our varied perceptions of them. We perceive our own discernments while being partial to the whole, being unique in ourselves as participants in the relationship, for we only exist by being unlike any other thing. Beyond the immediacy of this instant, the awareness sensing itself in the dynamic relationship of Life's diversities with the source of its awareness, ourselves.. beyond this immediacy, is speculation.. Be well..

Greetings.. Death? Be well..

Greetings.. Individuality is perceivable which suggests there is existence, and though humans see things differently, we share the same universe. As sentient beings we perceive phenomena coherently, but make varied interpretations of it. Dimension is the difference between, and the substance observed defines itself by being not other, for it can only be one way, different, so each form is necessarily unique, as are our varied perceptions of them. We perceive our own discernments while being partial to the whole, being unique in ourselves as participants in the relationship, for we only exist by being unlike any other thing. Be well..

Greetings.. The 'forms' of Taijiquan, the choreographed movements, are just tools with which to understand the 'principles', and.. the 'principles' are the Taiji.. once the principles are internalized, the 'forms' are meaningless.. "we learn, to forget".. i encourage the students demonstrating an understanding of principles to express the principles in 'free-form', formless movement.. 'Life' is spontaneous, why would your practice not aspire likewise? Be well..

Greetings.. Unfortunately it is all too easy to expose the faults of teachers, there are none whom are faultless.. some are more or less aware or intentional in their faults, some are even dangerous.. as always: "Caveat Emptor" (buyer beware).. That being said, it seems more beneficial to listen for the nuggets of wisdom that are usually required for a 'guru' to attract attention.. The majority of my adult life (i'm 59 now) has been devoted to studying the common threads that run through the major religions and philosophies.. the commonalities that inspire humanity's relationships with each other and with their environment.. if you can sincerely look for the commonalities that bind us as a civilization, rather than focus on the differences that separate us as suspicious competitors.. Life 'can' be a beautiful experience.. well, i sense that it is, anyway.. but i seem to be in a minority.. it just a matter of perspective.. Be well..

Greetings.. Hi Marblehead: Your patience is appreciated.. Be well..