RiverSnake

Somewhere in the world a Kempomaster is blushing. Good post snowmonki.

This statement is laughable.

Indeed like various other people said physical exercise (Yang) is very important...you gotta nurture the body and keep it in good health. When it comes to internal alchemy you are using the essences of the body for spiritual transformation...therefore the body must be healthy. I feel many people neglect the body because they feel it is something that should be rejected because it creates attachment. To a certain extent this is true because we cannot take an atom of the body with us when we die...but we also want to get all the time and mileage out of the body we can so we continue to cultivate as long as possible and reach our goals...instead of dying young due to health problems that could have been prevented. I practice 20 minutes of Hatha Yoga every morning just to keep the body strong and flexible...but you should find the practice best suited to you. -My 2 cents, Peace

You sound way to smart to be happy. -My 2 cents, Peace

No "Tradition" was born in a vacuum. -My 2 cents

Dissolving the ego can be a very difficult task for anyone on the path...it is the source of all our suffering but still we cling to it...i recently picked up on a very simple but profound and powerful practice that helps dissolve the self and really has been a very cathartic and heart opening technique for me and thought i would share it with a forum. Though it is a very simple practice it can be a very difficult one for some people depending on the strength of there ego...some people's wont even let them do this practice because they are "too important". The practice is simply this...learn how to bow....bow to what?....bow to everything. Bow to your teachers, bow to your friends, bow to the trees in your front yard, bow to the beautiful flowers in your garden, bow to to your worst enemy whom you hate and despise, bow to everything even the mind and ego...from the tiny ants crawling on the ground to the sun in the sky which nourishes all life on earth. Everyday i wake up in the morning i bow to the covers that kept me warm, i bow to my breakfast, i bow to my father, i bow to everything that comes in front of me...not for any intellectual reason...but simply to do so....put everything above yourself...making yourself small in your own life. It is a very powerful and one that can be easily implemented into your daily life...if you have the heart for it. I learned and was inspired to take up this devotional practice through one of my informal teachers Sadghuru whom i have learned so much from and continue to enjoy his words of wisdom. Here is the video which inspired me. "When there is no self...then you are ready for the super-self" Sadghuru

Nope no prostrations yet, just simple bowing....though your giving me some good ideas... -My 2 cents, Peace

Sorry...i don't think i would like some other dude talking dirty to my women through headphones.

Though they are few, there are some people on this site whom have been cultivating for 20-30 years. At least the teachers that haven't been scared away by "the Taobums Nonsense". Either way i am glad you found the solution. Whenever i am at a loss in my understanding i ask my teachers...seen and unseen. Wish you the best of luck. -My 2 cents, Peace

Hmm....i guess you could look at it as motion just like in Chi-Gung that triggers certain energetic movements in the body...maybe (whom knows these things?)...i simply think sincerity is the key....though more transmissions probably never hurt. That book of sufism actually looks pretty cool. I might actually check it out, thanks. -My 2 cents, Peace

I do both.

Sifu Rel....sounds like you could use a Sifu...though there are some experienced people on this site whom might be able to guide you. Best of luck -My 2 cents, Peace

Interesting stuff. Thanks for the review.

Ba Duan Jin is a type of Qi gong which is good for basic health but in my understanding not neccesarily best for spiritual cultivation. There are many different types of moving Qi Gong. I practice Gift of the Tao. But there are other types like Spring Forest, Flying Phoenix, Dragon and Tiger...etc All would i am sure be complimentary with basic meditation and improve ones health. Strengthening the immune system is one of the hallmark benefits of practicing Qi Gong. -My 2 cents, Peace

Like Joeblast said: Money is a tool...the problem comes when we get attached (like with anything) Acquiring large sums of money is rarely a foothold on the path. However, when were not a monk and live in society using money for survival becomes a necessity. I feel its best to endeavor to simply manifest purely what we "need" be it food, water, clothes, shelter...and throw the rest away. Acquiring excess can become very entangling. -My 2 cents, Peace

When ever i see patterns in my life or keep having the same problems over and over again i simply ask myself: What is life trying to teach me? It helps to bring a deeper understanding to whatever i am experiencing at the time. Though usually you won't understand the lesson until after it's over. -My 2 cents, Peace

Supposedly if you want to understand your past lives then you should just look at your present conditions....that is if reincarnation is correct...i have yet to have such experiences. -My 2 cents, Peace

Cool video. See how vibrations affect matter.

Way of the Superior Man is a excellent book. I recommend it too all men. http://www.amazon.com/The-Way-Superior-Man-Challenges/dp/1591792576/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1332074837&sr=1-1

Found this free copy of the Karezza Method on the net. Enjoy http://www.reuniting.info/download/pdf/TheKarezzaMethodfv.pdf

More Pie Guy...please take offense to what i am about to say. -You constantly seem to be looking for the most genuine lineage or the best path or the fastest route to get to your goal of enlightenment. However, if you were really genuinely motivated then you would find a path that was right for you and dedicate yourself to it instead of blabbing about how miserable, imprisoning, cold and indifferent life is. Yet when people like DarinHamel come online and basically say all they did was practice Tai Chi and basic meditation and it took them to the peak of cultivation (Shen--->Void) you are still looking for a "Genuine School" instead of new age garbage. Sounds like your running around in circles trying to chew through your own bull-shit. IMO the path is 90% guts and drive. If you have that sooner or later you will get to you're goal be it this life or the next. People with a better method might get there sooner...but you eventually will too. I was surprised by this thread because i usually enjoy your posts...but you just sound like your whining like a little girl...today we have more access to esoteric knowledge and practices than we ever probably have had in the history of the world and you are still looking around for "what's best?". "There is no "best", everything you require for the path lies within. I wish you the best of luck. -My 2 cents, Peace

Tai Chi is a martial art. It is also a form of internal alchemy. It is a great practice...if you enjoy it then practice it...if you practice it but it doesn't resonate with you personally then toss it. Also i am all about keeping one's practices simple and straightforward. If you think it will interfere and not compliment your current practices then don't bother with it. -My 2 cents, Peace

Found this free tummo meditation online. It mimics a lot of what i have read about Tummo in the six yogas of Naropa. Enjoy. http://www.kadampa-center.org/files/InnerHeatMeditation.pdf

I am moving after i get of college...been reading this book on Strategic Relocation. Supposedly the best places to move are Wyoming, Colorado, Utah and Idaho. Heading to Wyoming myself. I recommend the book to all you can tell it is extremely well researched though has a heavily conservative bent. http://www.infowarsshop.com/Strategic-Relocation-North-American-Guide-To-Safe-Places_p_439.html You can tell stuffs goin bad when the executive branch blatantly takes a shit on the constitution right in front of congress. Its almost painful to watch.