TzuJanLi

Greetings.. "It is, after death.. as it was, before birth".. in between, we exist in a 'temporary' physical reality, but.. a reality, regardless. So, with the observably tangible reality requesting full interaction, why do so many people grasp at the 'intangible' mind-scapes? The process of deducing that the 'temporary' physical reality is not 'real' is supported only by purely subjective 'if/then' conditional statements, and second-hand testimony of unverifiable phenomena.. What is also observable, is that 'Deeds' are the signature of one's actual beliefs.. i find very few 'believers' that truly 'walk the walk', very few.. while praising the 'true existence', non-physical, i find almost every 'sane' being eager to preserve the physical experience, the 'illusion' as some refer to it.. it seems like a fundamental contradiction.. Be well..

Greetings.. LOL, no.. this is a misinterpretation.. the original instruction was to "focus on nose".. which meant to focus on 'Breath'.. yep, there's a bunch of numb-skulls out there staring at their noses and getting headaches, AND trying to rationalize the process.. Be well..

Greetings.. It seems that few prople are willing to suspend ALL beliefs.. to have direct experience. I hear and see so many references to Buddha, Tao, this master and that.. i come here not as a 'Taoist', but as one to whom Taoism has deep resonance.. i find resonance in elements of many belief systems, but none represent 'Truth'.. Truth cannot be revealed through a system, the error is already manifest.. but, a system can enhance the likelihood that one might experience truth, like pieces of the puzzle.. It's very much like putting a jigsaw puzzle together, the Whole undivided picture is right there, the model you refer to while searching for pieces of the puzzle.. finally, the puzzle is complete, but you still see the separate pieces, but now they are linked in Unity, the picture is discernable.. but, the Whole undivided picture was there all-along, you kept referring to it.. i hope you see my meaning.. Be well..

Greetings.. Hi Marblehead: Do you consider the 'deeper concepts and inspirations' to not be 'experiences'? Is deep meditation not an experience? In deep meditation, or in deep sleep.. i sense that the 'stilled mind' begins to detach from the structure of the local mind.. that 'structure' is largely the result of programming, some consentual, some imposed.. but, as the 'structure' is temporarily dismantled, Clarity emerges.. Consciousness realizes its inherent Unity/Oneness, it re-establishes coherence with its Oneness.. and, focuses its awareness in Oneness.. we have experiences, energetic activity wherever, in the Cosmic existence, that Consciousness focuses its awareness.. returning to local awarenesss, we recall these experiences as dreams, insights, intuitions, visions, etc.. and, due to the same structure/programming, we simply have no frame of reference to recall some of these non-local experiences.. these are the intervals of 'nothingness'.. These are truly profound experiences when allowed to 'mature', but.. often the experience is so 'charged', that the mind engages just to absorb the experience completely..once engaged, the 'mind' will tell itself great stories about these experiences, it add lavish embellishments, and seek consensus and validity.. the mind will construct pathways and rituals so others can have similar experiences and support your 'mind's stories.. but, wise people discovered ways to control the mind, to harness its logic and reasoning for distilling the 'stories' into cross-referenced categories.. now, the mind has fully engaged and 'thinks it knows'.. soon, it realizes that its 'structure' is so complex that it only understands 'stories' about itself.. We still the mind.. we stop telling ourselves stories.. and, we Be Well...

Greetings.. Hi Marblehead: Yep, it's the only game in town.. well, you could pretend you don't exist.. then, tell everyone else they don't exist either, but.. kinda just ends up non-existent.. Or: One could pretend that 'Awareness is the experience'.. but, what is 'it' that is aware? Awareness is that quality of Consciousness that finds and returns information.. Awareness doesn't exist apart from or prior to Consciousness, they arise mutually.. experience IS the 'experience', awareness merely informs us of that experience.. While i admire such a 'leap of faith', i cannot support the total absence of plausibility. "A rose, by any other name, is still a 'Rose'. And, Nihlism, by any other name, is still 'Nihlism'". Awareness is simply an attribute of Consciousness, and.. YES, it's a very important and very cool attribute.. Be well..

Greetings.. From Wuji came Taiji (Yin/Yang).. Between Wuji, and Taiji was Tzu-Jan, spontaneity.. Wuji, as i understand it, is the interval of Singularity, where all that is perceivable, is nothing.. absolute nothing.. the Tzu-Jan, spontaneity, is recognized as the 'big-bang' or mitosis..resulting in the manifest Cosmos.. Wuji, is considered as 'nothingness' only because ALL that is is a perfectly entrained Single energetic vibration.. it is not an entity, it is not a 'being', it is Consciousness reduced to its lowest common denominator, the "I AM" (Om/Aum).. it is, for lack of a more appropriate description, the Source.. it is the common thread that transcends the cyclical manifestations of Cosmos after Cosmos.. it is guided by a single principle, self-organization.. as in the Taiji Symbol, as Chaos reaches totality it begins to exhibit 'Li', random order, which.. begins organizing itself according to its 'nature'.. Just as Chaos at its expreme begins to exhibit random order, 'Li'.. as order approaches a perfect static balance, it begins to fall-apart.. either condition, complete and total Chaos, or perfect static balance, cannot occur without negating existence altogether.. i sense that Taoists are interested in this relationship.. Ooops.. rambling again.. humble apologies.. Be well..

Greetings.. Agreed! but, so many of my 'Buddhist' friends keep telling me i'm suffering but don't realize it.. somehow, it just doesn't 'feel' like suffering, you know what i mean? Be well..

Greetings.. Hi Marblehead: I will try to make sense.. i sense that intuition, along with insight and emotion is how the 'mind' receives input from its non-local aspect.. i sense that logic is the 'mind's' application of its best understanding of that 'input' in the local environment.. A good friend, and former Buddhist, once remarked: It seems like we Buddhists simply can't tolerate those that won't share in our [buddhists] suffering.. i laughed and said: Everyone does share in it, some just don't hang on to it.. Be well..

Greetings.. Hi CowTao: When 'the river and the bridge' stop focusing on each other, they notice the grander movements of nature, the rhythms and cycles that make-up their environment.. it is in this context that experiences have revealed, to me, that fixing a definition, even as subtle as non-duality, sets up an exclusion to other possibilities.. It is very practical as you describe it.. but, suppose there is no 'struggle with the view of separateness'? Here, is where most spiritual types thrash me for being any one of their favored 'ignorant' labels.. i have no issue with the notion of separateness, no struggle.. a recent discussion went something like: 'we are like waves on the Ocean, unique expressions of the same thing'.. i replied: Let go of your attachment to the Ocean.. be the 'snowflake', it's unique pattern is no less 'water' than the ocean is itself water'.. too often people are 'bound' to conceptual descriptions,.. the reply to my 'reply' was: 'No, no.. you're missing the point'.. when, actually, the point was their attachment to their 'description' of a perfectly valid experience.. they understood the cancept, but couldn't accept the Divine Dichotomy where Wholeness and Separateness exist simultaneously.. is the snowflake or raindrop any less 'water' than the ocean itself?.. i sense that your meaning of non-duality would be consistent with the 'water' aspect of my discussion.. Hi Marblehead: Excellent point! i struggled with this notion for a time, but.. if you can indulge a little bit of 'me' projecting my understandings onto the 'singularity, i will explain my understanding.. Suppose you are the 'singularity', you radiate your awareness out into the void, but.. awareness never returns, there's no feedback, no information, just 'nothingness'.. so, you conclude that 'You' are ALL there is.. from one perspective 'you' fill the void, there's nothing but 'You'.. Then, from the void's perspective (Infinity and Eternity), "you' (the singularity) are so insignificant as to be non-existent.. but, in both cases there is the Singularity, and there is that which is not the Singularity.. there's only one way for awareness to return information and feedback, there must be something else 'out there', but.. there isn't, you are ALL of it.. then, in a process like the big-bang of something more subtle, like mitosis.. the Singularity becomes multiplicity and awareness abounds, information is everywhere.. the next Cosmos emerges.. Remember, i'm a simple kinda guy.. things need to 'work' for me to understand them.. considering that the Singularity radiates its awareness into 'absolute nothingness' and no information is returned.. i conclude it is aware that there is ''absolute nothingness' surrounding it.. i hope i'm making some sort of sense, here.. i respectfully await differing perspectives.. Be well.. Existence is defined by 'contrasting principles', like Yin and Yang, on/off, ISness/IS NOTness.. Now,

Greetings.. Hi Marblehead: Your Clarity shines crystal clear.. concise and consistent with the 'way' things are.. if i could make a humble suggestion, that the 'singularity' is only identifiable or referencable against a background of what is 'not' the singularity.. it has been my experience that this is the Original state of ..... well, i don't what to call it, i just don't know.. no word or phrase seems adequate.. but, the ground state of 'it', is the condition of ISness (singularity) and IS NOTness (Void).. the Prime Duality. I know this flies in the face of many people's preference for 'non-duality', but.. 'it works'. non-duality doesn't 'work'. I generally believe that people use 'non-duality' where 'Undifferentiated Whole' seems more appropriate.. Undifferentiated Whole represents the fully integrated Unity of all manifestations.. The Hindus understood this condition as the 'Prime Vibration' of Energy, Om or Aum.. a single direct experience of Om or Aum, is a thousand times more appropriate that every word spoken thereafter trying to describe it.. or, a practical analogy is how music is only 'music' as a relationship between sound and silence.. we/us/life are the music, the relationship between 'sound and silence', ISness and IS NOTness... Be well..

Greetings.. "Non-duality"? How does the 'unique' perspective you know as 'you' perceive 'non-duality'?.. Here's another example of the mis-use of terminology, true non-duality has no perceiver, no perception.. no anything at all.. but, i've had this discussion many times, and.. people that favor this perspective refuse to detach from it.. My experiences reveal a 'process' where the Source manifests its self-awareness as we/us/life.. and, oddly enough, we/us/life try to return to Source.. it is the rare fully awake being that realizes the circular/cyclical nature of this process, and.. "goes where no man has gone before", beyond.. the 'process will forever be stagnated in variations on a theme, until.. it is realized that returning to Source is its own prison.. Source has Infinity and Eternity with which to evolve into infinite and eternal potentials.. but, its vehicle for evolution keeps returning, like a persistent boomerang.. it's like releasing a captive bird that keeps flying back into the cage.. we/us/life are Source evolving.. or, some keep returning to the 'nest'.. The traditions you believe will liberate you are actually the the prisons that confine you.. you attach to foreign words, abstract concepts and rituals upon rituals.. then, declare that others are clinging? i choose to greet each day, each experience as a fresh new possibility.. another opportunity to advance my personal understandings/experiences, and, by virtue of the Unity of ALL things, advance the evolution of the Source.. i experience the Universe as a living organism growing into the Infinite and Eternal Void, each experience adding to its understanding.. each experience, each manifestation adds to the 'organism's' growth.. i don't wake up each day thinking 'this is how it is', i wake up curious about 'how it will be'.. Almost all 'paths', Buddhists included, begin with a premise.. and, that is the attachment that confines.. Be well..

Greetings.. I understand your meaning, but.. it has been my experience that the 'interpretation' is useful only if you are unable to acheive Clarity.. with Clarity the process reveals itself without interpretation.. in a purely 'Now' experience, the 'interpretation' separates the experiencer from the experience.. intuition, when emergent with Clarity, 'fits' the current situation without invoking interpretation.. A particularly 'aware' mentor of mine was telling one of his 'stories'.. as i sensed the lesson, i remarked that the subject of his story was a 'liberated' being.. he laughed good-naturedly and said: 'No, you just imprisoned him"... Be well..

Greetings.. I was just pondering the OP, what DO Buddhists and Taoists have in common? It occurs to me that they share the same experiences, but.. they each limit their interpretations according to the preconceptions programmed by their choice of 'path'.. then, to add fuel to the fire, they feel compelled to defend their choices.. generally, by trying to discredit the choices of those not in agreement with their programming.. Be well..

Greetings.. Hi Jess: Sounds like a well-rounded perspective.. i haven't trained with BKF, but some of my mentors speak well of him.. My training is not intended to make me superior to anyone else, only expand the potential of the being i have become.. one of my mentors, Chan Pui, says: "learn self-control and others will be no problem".. while i don't care for the term 'control', i understand his meaning.. Be well..

Greetings.. One of my favorite breath QiGongs is playing the Shakuhachi (low D, 2.4 ft.).. i get to play with some amazing vibrational frequencies, exercise and regulate the DanTien, and bring pure 'mindlessness' into the practice.. i usually play for 15 - 30 minutes per evening.. the flute is a great whole body breath practice.. Be well..

Greetings.. Hi Vortex: I agree with much of what you said in the last post, i feel the effects of training for 45 years (i'm 59).. i still train semi-pro fighters, not the whole game anymore, though.. my partner handles grappling/BJJ/and 'hard' takedowns.. i assist once on the ground.. i teach a combat level of QiNa and Internal principles applied to MT and standard 'ring skills'.. my 'go to' skills are Taiji, richly flavored with QiNa and Aikido.. but, i'm noticing a serious 2 day lag between heavy contact sessions, for two days i'm so sore even my ear-lobes hurt.. I'm beginning to favor a more contemplative perspective.. fortunately, i have matured into the perspective of, use only enough 'Art' to neutralize conflict.. there is no winner when someone "wins".. or, as my partner likes to see it: The opponent will determine how much 'art' is needed.. anyway, the last 20 years have been very focused on Internals, refining Qi.. no, not 'fireballs' (that has a painfully sinister interpretation).. refining the physical structure, its movements, alignments, diet, flexibility, and, yes 'strength'.. but, not as in muscle mass, i never work with weights that exceed my body weight (+/- 150 lbs.), and only work weight that incorporates whole body movement.. 'my' goal is to refine the structure that is animated by Qi such that it is the most efficient and effective 'conduit' for converting Qi to physical 'intention' (Yi leads Qi).. Sorry, i rambled a bit much.. Be well..

Greetings.. It seems that when i begin to conceptualize 'free-will', it gets less 'free', and more 'willful.. Be well..

Greetings.. Hi V: It is my practice to be curious.. to ask: What is that? How does it relate to the 'Environment'? then, shut up, still my mind, and.. let the situation reveal itself.. Oh, when i use the term 'Environment', it is all-inclusive, all possibilities of environment.. considering we are interconnected throughout the Cosmos, my use of the term 'environment' includes the Whole Process.. or, that's my understanding of our 'Environment'.. I really do try to read everyone's posts with the same curiosity: What is the message? How does it relate to the 'Environment'? Does it enhance the Human Experience? Is it consistent with the 'Way' things are? So, thanks for sharing.. and as i find the opportunity for stillness and subsequent contemplation, i will consider the effect of expressing wisdoms in the manner Buddhists favor.. there must be something to it, there's a bunch of Buddhists out there.. Be well..

Greetings.. Hi V: Being the simple kinda guy i am, that seems confusing.. even with the good explanation that follows, i have to wonder, why not just say what needs to be said? Parables and metaphors are useful only when words fail.. analogies are useful for finding common interpretations of similar experiences.. but, generally, good use of language is a great tool for communication.. it's a bit frustrating when someone says, it really doesn't mean what it says.. Be well..

Greetings.. Hi Ya Mu: As whatever the conditions i described above might be called, it seems the more i 'try' to cultivate them the less they manifest 'usefulness', so.. i have learned to relax and let whatever wisdoms they impart simply reveal themselves spontaneously.. i'm sure it's "different strokes for different folks", but the spontaneous revelations suit my understandings well.. Be well..

Greetings.. I cannot speak for others, but.. when 'i' use the term "we" it is a recognition of the inherent Unity of all things, regardless of perception or belief.. As i contemplate these postings, it occurs to me that the vast majority of philosophical conflict is nothing more than sophisticated 'mind-play'... it seems like most 'spiritual' folks are working the process in reverse, playing-out conceptual beliefs toward a speculated result.. 'my' understanding of Taoist philosophy, is that the 'conceptual understandings' are used to enhance the Human Experience.. so much focus on conceptual differences (Taoism vs. Buddhism vs. Christianity vs. Great Spirit vs. etc....) lacks any sincerity for enhancing the Human Experience, and.. IF i believed in the notion of an "Ego", it would imply a substantial attachment to that notion.. 'My' understandings of Taoist philosophy and history suggest such 'mind-play' is wholly contradictory.. i have 9 translations of Tao Te Ching and 8 translations of I Ching, and 4 translations of Chuang Tzu.. i sense that any of those original authors would be disapointed in the majority of this forum's version of Taoism.. but, that's just me.. i experience Life with such gusto and such appreciation for the opportunity to experience the process from a tangible perspective, that the disrespect and quibbling mind-play feels like a festering malignancy.. but, again, that's just me.. of course, it's ALL Tao.. then again, there's water from a bubbling spring and there's water in a cesspool, and i do favor one over the other for nousishment.. Be well..

Greetings.. It is an honor to find a forum dedicated to 'The Way'.. i hope to share experiences with others that realize how Tao manifests its simple principles in the art of Living well.. Respectfully, Bob

Greetings.. My teacher says: One slip or mistake due to poor tassel control can cost you life or limb.. but, we actually sparred with swords, so the cute little tassels were generally discarded.. they are actually nice little dainties for the noble folks.. my training equally emphasized both ends of the sword, and i actually prefer the hilt's usefullness.. Be well.. Greetings.. I recall Sifu saying: People will fear the blade and eat the hilt.. much truth to that! Be well..

Greetings.. Below is the link to a very good site.. it is consistent with my training with Devi Mari Kalur, a Master from Bhutan.. spend some time researching, the answers are there.. Be well.. http://sivasakti.net/articles/tantra/shiva-shakti-art37.html

Greetings.. Suppose there are two Porsches sitting side by side.. in one i put some old 83 octane cheapo gas, and in the other.. i put fresh 101 octane racing fuel.. unattended Qi is like the old 87 octane, and refined Qi is like the 101 octane.. which Porsche wins? Now, suppose i put a new 911 Turbo Carrera next to a 1963 VW Bug.. then i put the 101 octane racing fuel in both.. which one wins? Maintain the body (cars) well.. refine the fuel (Qi).. and the only variable is the 'driver'.. Balance.. Be well..