nightwatchdog

Nope. nightwatchdog

As I've pointed out in other threads, this is the way Buddhist Monks have been doing it for about 2500 years. It's good cultivation.

It depends on the movement, but often I feel I'm bringing energy up with spirals... sometimes out, often also in. Down happens when resistance pushes against, or when I'm dropping. Some folks would say dropping Dan Tien, but I can't relate to that image anymore. With Dan Tien connected to everything else ala six harmonies.... you drop everything. It's not even dropping, because nothing ever was "holding you". It's really "whole-body-down" which is more like "relaxing-controlled-fall-land-on-feet-in-posture." Dropping's easier to say though. Whole-body-down is more accurate. Is this what you mean? How does this contribute to safety? (Aside from teaching you to throw, kick, and bounce energy into a target very hard, which is self-defense effective, and therefore "safe" when a nasty person decides they can hurt you and get away with it.) I really, really want to get some youtube videos up so I can start showing what I mean.

Thanks both for replying. It is very high level work, rain, in the sense that it takes most people who can do it many years to develop. Some get it, but aren't aware of it because it's inherent in thier training system's way of moving. As soon as they stop practicing, and start operating in "normal" mode, they no long can do it. For example, how often do you see a tai chi practitioner silk reeling as they mop a floor, or closely observing the six harmonies as they select a ripe melon in the grocery store? This way of moving and being can make you tremendously healthy and powerful if you do it all the time. Perhaps that is one reason why the majority never get it at all. Maybe this is why it's not something B.K.F. touches on frequently. Those who are going to get it are going to need years of work to develop the ability to consciously spiral energy. Of those who do, fewer still are going to integrate the work seemlessly enough to really start "being" that way, as opposed to just "training" that way.

Koans are an intersting exercise. For some, they are an invitation to drop the "I" mind, for others they are a chance to explore it. It's dosen't matter what you answer, it's the act of sitting with it, and applying the "Nomind" to the problem that matters. Better answer correctly. KOAN: If you answer this koan with your "I" mind, your answer will earn you 30 lashes. If you answer with the "Nomind" your answer earns you 30 lashes. If you do not answer at all, you recieve 30 lashes. How do you answer?

Have you ever noticed that when you are sick, your urge to be healthy becomes stronger? 1. I used to smoke when I was younger. My urge to smoke would lessen or disappear entirely if I was ill. 2. I used to drink often. My urge to drink would disappear. 3. I used to eat animals sometimes. My urge to eat animal food would disappear, and sometimes my urge to eat any sort of food would disappear. 4. My urge to drink water or other clear fluids always increases when I am sick. 5. I rest more often, and for longer periods when I am ill. 6. My urge for caffiene disappears, and I never experience caffiene withdrawl symtoms if I am ill. 7. I take the time to keep my body and environment cleaner. 8. I travel less, and spend more time at home. It seems so simple, and yet so profound. It is as if the body naturally knows what must be done to be healthy, and it is the mind which is so resistant. How wonderful to have the opportunity to be ill. Perhaps one can be healthier simply by following the sick body's wisdom when one is not sick. Can anyone think of other things that naturally occur in response to illness? How do you take care of yourself now? What changes in lifestyle can be made to use this body wisdom for greater health? Thoughts?

The Buddha Baker Everyone is born with a certain amount of Karma. We have a body, we have at least one sense organ, we have a mind. These are our flour, our water, and our recipe. We may be born with a healthy body like Jack Lelane, or we may have a sickly body. We may have completly healthy sense organs, or we may have bad eyesight or poor hearing. We may be born with a mind that is razor sharp, like Albert Einstein's, or we may have an ill mind. Whatever the quality of our ingedients, they are all we have to work with. If we are very lucky, we can use these ingredients to bake a Buddha. To bake a Buddha, we need an oven. We have the flour, and the water, and the recipe, but without an oven, it's just inert material. It isn't good to eat. It can't nourish anything. So we must find a good oven to use. Our oven is our cultivation. It too has parts that make it work. We need a container of some sort: This is our Dharma, our path. We need some heat: This is our method. We need fire: These are our precepts. The Dharma takes many forms, just as there are many kinds of oven. There are big ovens, small ovens, all kinds of colors and materials are used. Some are holes in the ground, some are big hundreds of thousands of dollars industrial affairs. Likewise there are many Dharmas, Taoist, Buddhist, Hindu, Christian, Jewish, Islamic, whatever. Many of these Dharmas use different methods: prayer, mediation, reading holy words, giving and recieving talks, dipping ourselves in water, offering incense at holy shrines, helping eachother, giving alms... there are endless methods. All of them are like the heat inside our oven. It is the heat that actually "cooks" our ingredients. It cooks and tranforms our basic components into tasty Buddha-bread. All Paths concentrate and cultivate methods by the keeping of precepts. This is just like an oven concentrating and amplifying the heat from a fire. Precepts are restrictions on our lifestyle that are there to create good Karma for cultivation. There are many sorts of precepts, but one precept that is universal to all Dharmas is the precept against killing. This is because killing is the most destructive action, and it is also the most difficult to give up. It is the first precept, and the last one. You may get some heat for your oven by not stealing, or by not lying. If you really want to turn up the temperature to "High", take the precept of not killing. It is okay to take precepts because of a moral judgement. It is okay to take precepts because of an inner knowing. It is okay to take precepts because you understand that your cultivation will not work without them. It dosen't matter why you take the precepts. It is only important that you do. Just remember that if you are trying to bake a Buddha without precepts, you are like a baker who refuses to heat his oven. I hope this talk helps.

Our natural inclination is change, change, change. Who knows what sort of consciousness will arise next? People eat animals. People do not eat animals. When we choose not to eat animals, consciousness becomes different than when we do. When we realize we are the universe, we begin to learn what love really is. Sometimes we hurt the ones we love. Often we hurt ourselves. These are the same thing. It is very hard to kill someone you love. Some say impossible. It's been a long time since I tried and I don't really remember. I do know now that since I don't need to hurt my loved ones, I choose not to. I love you. Take care.

It goes without saying that chronically undereating is unhealthy. It's also obvious that chronic over eating is unhealthy. Fasting is a way to ensure that the body is not doing too much of one thing or the other. It is good to try once in awhile. How many recognize that chronic over thinking is unhealthy? What about mind fasting? This is good to try once in awhile also. Someone mentioned the middle path as being exclusive of food fasts, but in reality middle path encourages daily moderate fasting as being good for the body. This way ensures the body gets not to much, and not too little. Just right. It makes the body's connection to health very strong. Equally important to food fasting is the daily mind fast. This is middle path meditation. It is good for our whole self. This ensures that the mind gets not to much, and not too little. Just right. It makes the mind's connection to Buddha Nature very strong.

So any word on an actual function or purpose? As I said I've had this forever. If it's a sign of kundalini awakening or something, I'm rather disappointed in this whole enlightenment business! lol I mean gee, imagine this conversation: New Age Hippie: "Dude there is this enlightened master who can teach you this method of practice that will bring you to the highest level of being!" Me: "Really? What's it all about?" Hippie: "Well his lineage goes all the way back to the ancient monks of 惛 憨 mountain!" Me: "Whoa! You speak Chinese?" Hippie: "Yeah man! I learned it from the master!" Me: "Chinese?" Hippie: "No! The practice." Me: "Oh yeah, so what's it all about?" Hippie: "Well you sit in this difficult high level yogic posture for three hours a day for ten years, fast several days a week, swear off of sex, and take these REALLY AWESOME herbs!" Me: "Dude. No sex? That sounds hard." Hippie: "It is really hard. But afterword you're totally enlightened!" Me: (scratches head) "What exactly does that mean?" Hippie: "Well, for one thing, my ears won't stop ringing!" Me: "What?" Hippie: "My ears won't stop ringing!" Me: "Your ears?" Hippie: "Dude, listen to what I'm saying! My ears won't stop ringing. It means I'm enlightened!" Me: " Really? You're not serious are you?" Hippie: "Dead serious man. I'm totally wise now." Me: "That's cool... well..." Hippie: "There's a new seminar next week. It's only like $800! You're chakras will totally be blown AWAY!" Me: "I'm kinda busy next week..." Hippie: "Bummer man! The next Seminar won't be until next year." Me: (long pause) "That's okay. I'll be busy then too."

If it is the Shaolin method, I'd jump on it. Network or no, this is a very rare and powerful Chi Kung that most teachers reserve for disciples. It's the highest level of iron body. Edit: Found a link. http://www.goldenshieldqigong.com/ I'd look into the classes. They are describing the real deal. I wish I could attend.

I got a stomach bug about a month ago. It was actually a very nice experience believe it or not. I just let my body purge. I resisted nothing, and my body chose not to vomit, which made a difference. I fasted for three days I think. Rested a lot, and shit my brains out, until there was really nothing left. I would have liked to remain in that state of being "cleaned out" for a little while longer, but my body was weakened a bit and so I fed myself. I would like to try again in a more gentle way soon. Does anyone have a link to a "program"? Of course just drinking water and being in a clean spiritual space is enough. but I do like to change things up sometimes. Cleaning the ailementary canal made a huge difference in that instance. I can see how mindfully doing it in a state of good health might be very pleasant.

"Whence the Immortal goes, nothing can harm him. In the jungle, the tiger's claws will not cut him. In the plains, the bull's horn will not gore him. In the battlefield, the soldier's spear will not pierce him. How has the Immortal achieved this adamantine bearing? He walks not through the jungle, the plain, nor the battlefield!" -Chuang Tzu

When I lived at the monastery, we fasted every day! Zazen can be a kind of fasting. LOL But as far as food is concerned, a breakfast of vegetable soup and hot tea was served at 5:00 am. Lunch consisted of rice, and steamed vegetables at 11:00 am. Every other day we had a bit of tofu thrown in for lunch. Those were the only meals. This is observed because Buddha suggested his monks eat between sunrise and noon only, then fast the rest of the day. Middle path does not mean easy path. Remember Buddha was a Sadhu first. For him the middle path meant something very different from us chubby, lazy westerners.

I did water therapy for awhile. I was advised to drink one gallon in the morning daily instead of the smaller amount Cameron's link advises. My kidneys got very, very cold. So cold in fact that my entire lower back was uncomfortably cold to the touch all of the time. It took several weeks without water therapy to return to normal. I did not find the experience to be healthful. Perhaps the smaller dose would be better. Any comments Cameron?

Not at all. It's a multifaceted issue. Perhaps in future you will be in a position to make some of those changes as you continue your education. I have often wished for a medical proffessional who was experienced in other methods. A nurse who offered meditation classes, chi kung, ayurveda, or chinese herbal advice would be in great demand for offering seminars for other proffessionals. At least in the U.S.A such things are slowly being offered more and more frequently. My personal educational plan is to get my Masters Degree in Contemplative Psychology. I will be bringing bring this method to the severly mentally ill at the institutional level. The down side is, I suspect the major changes it requires a bit more work than the already quite demanding load student nurses undergo, let alone a working nurse! If you choose this path, it will certainly be a lifetime's work.

It seems to me that much of the difficulties we encounter in western (Allopathic) medicine (WM) is that this model is still in it's infancy. It is true that WM has made tremendous breakthroughs, and has found ways to treat illness that we were never able to touch before using other models. It's also broadened our ability to continue to explore and understand using the scientific method. This may be a quicker and more accurate way to understand illness than the trial and error that our ancestors were forced to use. Unfortunately, as I said, WM is still very young. While we possess the means to understand, we are still focused on symptoms which we understand very, very well. We have very little understanding of cause. We may even be looking in the wrong direction on that one. Have you ever noticed how every few years a new cause for cancer is found? Have you ever seen an activity or habit (say cardiovascular exercise for example), may one year be found to be very healthy, and the next year may cause a heart attack or stroke? We are obviously wandering in the dark a bit. In my own work in mental health, I am really interested in the disease (really a syndrome) known as Schizophrenia. As you may or may not know, Schizophrenia is characterized by several symptoms... most notably delusions and hallucinations that are linked to Chemical imbalances in the brain. Several causes have been identified over the years, and the list is growing. There is a school of thought that parasites cause Schizophrenia, another school says that a fetal virus is to blame, a school for brain injury, for genetic propensity, and finally a school for "all of the above." We know certain drugs can help, but no one drug works for everyone, and some people continue to be flouridly psychotic in spite of trying them all. We know that certain therapies can work, while many work only for some to ease the symptoms. The bottom line is that we don't know what causes Schizophrenia. Heck, we don't even know if it's a disease! I offer the hypothesis that all illness is like this in the case of Western Medicine. I'm not saying other sorts have it all figured out either, for the failings of WM are the same failings as any other method. WM strength is the spirit of experimentation using the scientific method. The problem, to re-state my postion, is that we are probably looking in the wrong direction. There is no microscope powerful enough for us to look closesly enough to figure out why some people (89%) can get injected with the common cold virus (for example) and get sick, while others (11%) have the virus injected and don't. White blood cells don't attack viruses. Some lymphocytes attack virus infested cells, but how are viruses expelled? How do we get well? We don't really know. Just some food for thought. Edit: P.S. to answer your question Kat, we can't help but get in the way of the body sometimes. The interventions of Western Medicine are largely experimental in nature, and as such there is always the chance, even likelyhood that for some people our intervention may harm or even kill them. The measure of success in scientific terms is whether or not the "cure" works more often than it "harms." I personally turn to Body Wisdom, and Eastern Medicine when I'm healthy. An ounce of prevention and all of that. I turn to Allopathic medicine when I've made an error and need symptom relief. I turn back to Eastern models in order to identify what I can do to be well in the future. In the meantime, during all this activity, my body works behind the scenes. It's probably rolling it's eyes at these antics as it returns to health.

It is not clear to me if this person is using the terms as many Chi Kung masters use them, or if he is interpreting the terms the way the masses usually do. In other words is he making a play on words to make his point, or is he missing the point entirely? In either case, the very first step in preparing for Chi Kung practice is learning to still the mind. This can take quite a long time for most people, and this can be likened to preparing one's field for cultivation. This is why zazen, sitting and forgetting, silence meditation, stillness, vipassana, wuji etc. is always considered the root of any legitimate practice. Your practice begins there, and always it must return there as well. That's why even Shakyamuni Buddha practiced zazen for fifty more years after he was enlightened! Once you can make your mind obedient, then you can place your intention on Dan Tien and miraculous things can happen. An undisciplined mind will always get in the way of cultivating Chi. It's not because the mind controls the chi, or visualizes the Chi though. It's because where the mind goes, the chi follows. We've all heard this truth. So tell me, where is your mind going? When you have a quiet mind and intention on Dan Tien, where is the chi going? Have no mind, and no intention, then where is the chi going? Who is cultivating? Who is directing? Who is experiencing? This is the key and gateway to successful cultivation.

I have undergone water fasts of several days length on occassion. I also fast weekly for a day or so. I've noticed no health benefit whatsover. Honestly. But I still do it. Sometimes it's uncomfortable. Often initially it interferes with my meditations because of the discomfort intensifying as my attention becomes more focused. At these times my mind wants to escape my uncomfortable body. If there is a benefit to fasting, for me it's the exercise in discipline.

Not at all. George Bush is very proud. We can all be proud of being a fool, especially when everyone surrounding us pats our collective back for it. When we find ourselves in a position of power over others, recognizing our own foolishness is almost impossible. Mind, ego, that thing is a tool. Just like the eyes are a kind of tool. Some people think Georgie is a tool too. Actually, in a sense we are all tools, for we are sense organs for an infinite organism in the end, aren't we? The problems of suffering and desire started when we stopped using the mind as a tool, and started thinking it was "the real me." The thing observing. But there is no-thing observing. If there was, you could find it. Actually, you can find it, but not with any of your senses including the mind sense. Instead it is a totality. Angels dancing on the head of a pin.

I've had a loud ringing in my ears and in the very top of my head since I was a very young child. It's not tinitus. It's not a buzzing either. I also can see very tiny bright multicolored lights whenever I wish to pay attention. They are also always around, floating in the air. Mostly I don't pay attention to either thing. When I was a child, I called the lights angels, and the ringing sound seemed to come from them. I would lay in bed for hours each night watching them and listening. Here's a link I found: http://www.kundalini-gateway.org/threads/th_sound.html I do notice that sometimes the tone seems like "om". Niether of these lights, nor the sounds seem to have a function that I can discern. Until it's been mentioned here, I never had cause to speak or even think about these phenomena. It seems the concensus on the Kundalini link I gave is that it's a symptom of chakras activating, or kundalini rising.

I see what you mean. That is a very good answer! No freedom. No speech. No monk. No layman. No enlightenment. Koan: The man in the tree and the one on the ground are the same. The one on the ground is buddha nature. The one in the tree is buddha nature. Who talks to buddha nature? Who dies when he speaks?

My mind is the biggest bullshit artist there is. It's so confident that it's crap will convinve me that what it says is true, that it isn't the least bit afraid to come right out and say it. You see, my mind is writing this to you right now, and your mind is gobbling up these symbols we share and quietly whispering it's translation of these symbols to itself... your mind too is not afraid to let you in on it's secret. Because mind knows you aren't just going to drop it. Anymore than you are likely to just decide to make your heart stop beating. This is ego. This little game we're playing. But it isn't real. It's you.

Thanks for explaining your view. This is good advice, and very true. In my experience abilities are illusory in nature, and thus are no different than any of the other games we play in this world, as we dance around pretending we are not enlightened. They are just more baggage that must be shed. Thanks for induging me. I'll keep quietly reading and trying to learn more.