RiverSnake

Although I have not read any of his works and he also seemed a bit crazy.....he is without a doubt one of the most influential characters in Western Esotericism. Aleister Crowley defined Magick as: "any willed action, is a magical action". This is a statement I agree with. The most common form of "Magick" I use everyday is prayer....a very powerful practice. I think the words and definitions we use are tangling this conversation more than anything else. My 2 cents, Peace

I would say that a garden bulb does exert effort. But it is an effort that is naturally and perfectly aligned with its nature as a garden bulb....and thus is effortless, it simply follows its nature. The more aligned with are nature as individuals we become the more life flows and are efforts become effortless because they are in harmony with the cosmos and all forces within and without.....but that doesn't mean life isn't gonna still throw you a curve ball and kick your ass every once in awhile....requiring us to wrestle and grapple with existential factors, life difficulties.....etc. However, in general the more unbalanced and out of whack we are the more life both magically and mundanely grinds In the gears like a 15 year old trying to drive a shift stick for her first time. My 2 cents, Peace

Teachers generally want "ready" and open students. If every Bum learns to be more "ready" for the pickin.....I think teachers would likely swarm this site. My 2 cents, Peace

I remember in the book Mysteries of the Life Force, the Chi Kung student asks his master why he doesn't carry a wand......and the master says: "My whole body is a wand." Good stuff, a book well worth reading: http://www.amazon.com/Mysteries-Life-Force-Apprenticeship-Master/dp/1591810558/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1396893205&sr=8-1&keywords=Mysteries+of+the+life+force My 2 cents, Peace

I agree. Nature knows what it's doing, you can work against nature, with nature or simply be neutral. We are a part of nature and part of being humans is we have a Will and Freedom....much of learning I think is learning to harmonize are mundane as well as magical actions with the cosmos as a whole. It is important to engage and shift life and are lives towards greater harmony rather than just sitting by and saying nature will take care of us.....IME....that is not the way life works and is a heavily ungrounded approach.....we must exercise are creative abilities in a powerful and balanced way in order to explore and experience life as blissfully as possible....and in order to walk are own separate paths. Life requires effort and the exertion of ones Will.....Magick is to exert ones will with intent and intensity much like someone whom is enflamed with prayer or caught up in a focused trance as they paint a painting. Magick is not divorced from reality....but the intimate matrix underpinning reality. My 2 cents, Peace

If I ever get to that point and I hear a big booming voice say....."To be one with the TAO you must give up all magical practices!!".....then I will let you know . Many would consider chi Kung a kind of magick....when we meditate on the LDT or when we pull mixed energetics from our surroundings are we not using focused intent and will in order to build energy within and without us?.........in my definition this would be considered Magick. Though when people here the word Magick they simply think of winning the lotto with a fling of our thoughts. My 2 cents, Peace

I know I'm right. Magic in some ways is the focused application of the natural principles of the universe. For example, a thought, we all think thoughts every day. But in some magic the idea is to put as much focus and intention into a single thought as possible to manifest things we need or want. Is this separate from the Tao? No.....thoughts are part of existence. In this context magic is simply using the rules in an empowered and focused way. Magic is simply knowing and understanding the rules and power of existence and using them skillfully rather than living haphazardly with our energies as most people do. Magic is not dirty and it's not clean it's empowered action colored with ones intent. Magic can be balanced or unbalanced depending on the person and the intent....but one things for sure....magic can change your life for better or worse. If your interested in understanding magic Zerostao I would recommend Magical Knowledge by Josephine McCarthy and Initiation into Hermetics by Franz Bardon. Those are the two books that have been most influential in my understanding....ofcourse there are many others as well. My 2 cents, Peace

Hey amoyoan. I think the most important thing is that you have understanding and mastery over your sexual energy. That it flows uninhibited and you can consciously choose rather than be controlled by your desires. Eventually this level for self control extends into every aspect of our being (mind, emotions....etc) as we continue to cultivate. I was wondering, when you first got on hear you started practice because of chronic fatigue. How's your health now adays? My 2 cents, Peace

This is something I've struggled with ever since I started practicing. Only meet one person that I could talk for hours with about this topic. Chatting on forums and blogging about my experiences has been a good outlet for me as well. However, recently as my social circle has started to empty of my old "normal" friends.....I have found that it has slowly started to become populated by other cultivators. It's interesting how this shift occurs when we create a space within our lives for it to do so. Also....are you by chance Dolama from the Mantas Jacikas channel on youtube? If so, I really enjoyed your videos in the past, quite inspirational.....haven't watched them in awhile though. Anyways welcome to the forum. My 2 cents, Peace

I think you should play the fiddle. My 2 cents, Peace

I began to formulate a proper response to this thread....but It became apparent that the OP has no idea what the heck he is talking about.....IMO. So there. My 2 cents, Peace

Don't think I could have said it better myself. My 2 cents, Peace

Just started watching Attack off the Titans. Shit is crazy, probably one of the most intense anime I've ever seem. My 2 cents, Peace

I agree. She can use whatever energy you've stored for any purpose and you will get the backlash. Quite sloppy of you. In addition it's suppose to be a symbol of your Will, doesn't bode well if someone else has control over it. My 2 cents, Peace

A recent interest that I've had lately is cord Magick.....ie.....using threads to store energy and thus enhance your own. There are many more expensive ways to channel and store energy as well (wands, staffs, crystals....etc) My 2 cents, Peace

Indeed, I hope so too....and that it moves up in a balanced fashion so we don't eventually have a reverse swing the opposite direction in the long term. My 2 cents, Peace

Cool name. Welcome to TTB Pepperbelly. Enjoy your stay. My 2 cents, Peace

Walking with the Angel has just been released by Nephilhim Press retitled Holy Guardian Angel. Just ordered mine. There's a limited number of copies (500) so if your interested jump on the gun quick. Link: http://nephilimpress.com/store/product.php?productid=17701&cat=0&featured=Y My 2 cents, Peace

Yep, seems like it was quite a sour affair. I try to just read there books for what the depth they provide....anything else isn't minding my own cabbages. My 2 cents, Peace

Cool, sounds like good stuff. For the record, In the past.......I have had to take up disciplinary positions in organizations I was part of as well. Thus......I understand how difficult it can be for many moderators on the forum, dealing with people in this fashion. It can be a very taxing ordeal....emotionally and psychologically. It sucks to have to deal out the hurt and mold and decipher the best course of action to take. I give great thanks for all of the Bums whom have taken up the challenge of being leaders and stewards in this forum. The Tao Bums is a place of learning and sharing that is worth preserving. May you continue to grow as powerful and wise emperors, constructively guiding the course of policy in this site. Blessings!! http://dreadgod.net/the-emperor/ My 2 cents, Peace

With these changes and the giving of more authority to moderators, one thing I'd like to request is that when some is suspended (temporarily or for however long) or banned that the moderator log be updated at the same time that it is done as well as the reasons given that such action was taken. Thus, there is a sense off open-ness in regards to this kind free style moderation. Would like to hear others thoughts on this? My 2 cents, Peace

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r81IKjbQz98

GOT 1 seems stronger than before…..not sure if there is a correlation…..its difficult to distill cause and effect with this stuff. Could be just do to overall progress. My 2 cents, Peace

IME, Fasting boosts the immune system. Another good trick is to fast when you get sick. It's worked for me numerous times, it kicks any illness right out of your body. My 2 cents, Peace

Had a pretty cool GOT session today. Gathering so much energy and remaining absolutely concentrated on pushing and holding the energy. The pressure gets so thick that it gets more and more difficult to move. I was wondering can you be moving/shifting too much energy at one time and hurt yourself or overload your system? My 2 cents, Peace