Astral Monk

monday and tuesday and wed, morning practice; also, standing post last night, about 20 mn

Today's practice--micro cosmic orbit meditation, 30mins. 8)

some standing post practice tonight, with a variation on SFQs formation of yin/yang 8)

morn practice Thursday +2 evening practice today +3 8)

practised in the morn and this eve. right now i'm focussing on Spring Forest qigong with supporting exercises in Tristar Taiji and the occassional mud-step. i watched an elderly lady practice circle walking in Richmond there othr day, going thru the standard Bagua palms; very inspiring! 8) +1

If multiple cultures are telling the same story, it stands to reason that this represents a real event that human beings experienced in the past and was important and dramatic enough to withstand cultural drift and thousands of years of embellishments. I dont' see this as 'allegorical' or as reflective of 'local' floods. These stories all tell of a single cataclysmic event in which a small number of humans are spared or saved or warned by gods. Whether such a global flood was due to ice or some other factor is open to question. But I'm sure that there was a single event that these stories are echoes of. 8)

No detrimental effects. Just do it. Reverse breathing is mainly to kick start the dantien. In SFQ the most important thing is your intent anyway, your visualization. I suggest trying the set both ways--using both types of breathing, and see if you notice any difference. Reverse breathing shouldn't be stressed or strained at all. But either way you breath, keep that tongue connected to the roof of your mouth. In fact, when I went to a seminar for Level One, Chun yi didn't say anything about reverse breathing, even though it is causually mentioned in the Level One dvd. Practice and intent are the keys, deep breathing will come in time. 8)

Solipsism is an impregnable epistemological position. Although it is often mistaken for the belief that only 'I' exist, it is not really about and ego or individual person being the only thing in existence. Rather, it is about the fact that it is impossible to know anything other than what one knows--ie, direct experience of one's own existence. Skepticism about 'other minds' ends up with the very idea being discarded, as it is not required for a coherent picture of reality. I think the Buddhist view of solipsism would be 'don't get caught up in words', in other words, don't worry about it. It may or may not be 'true' metaphysically, but whether or not it is doesn't impact the path of cultivation. If you still want to achieve Buddha-results you will still have to put in Buddha-work, even if you are the only 'actual' center of existence that exists. A Taoist perspective might say something similar. 8)

Good question. I'd be interested to see such a survey of the historical and modern qigong trends. My teacher developed a form of qigong based on two sources--research into existing forms of qigong in Sichuan, and an analysis of certain ancient relics of the Shu people (who lived in Sichuan). It involves a lot of standing post type practice. 8)

I don't agree with this. The kind of energy that exists as the substratum of the universe, the sort of source that one would be 'asking' to gain some sort of effect from, is boundless and infinite. It doesn't require to take from somewhere to give to something--all one does is draw from the source and create more. If it were the other way, then there would never be any point in doing good deeds--because the universe would always need to balance out and create an equally bad deed somewhere else. If people lack something, it isn't because someone else has it--it simply doesn't exist for them yet. Anyway, putting your faith in the 'universe' in this sense probably won't lead to anything exciting. One might see some results sometimes, but only intermittently or randomly. We don't even need to specifically 'ask' for anything either, since we are always vibrating our thoughts and desires and attracting or repelling things similar to those thoughts and desires. It's a weak attraction, to be sure, but its there. One's best bet is to align oneself with one's desires and put action, thought, feeling, intention all to work in one's daily life. Then you will see 'miraculous' things happening. Fortune favours the prepared mind! 8)

They probably do this instead: Praise Moves! 8)

When the Chinese say something promotes 'longevity', should we just take it to mean something like when we in the west say 'its good for you'? Rather than literally thinking it will stretch out your lifespan? Because obviously a master who says his practice will promote longevity when he is in his 40s or 50s can't really know that it will take him to his 100s or 120s..until it actually does. Or until he sees his own master at that level. And I'm not sure anyone can say about a given practice that it promotes longevity in this sense unless we consistently observe practicioners and masters of the practice alike reaching and exceeding these milestones. Is this a case of 'the way is narrow', so that the key is there but very, very few do it 'right'? Or is it a case of sweetening the honey pot with a suggestion of outcomes that can't be demonstrably linked to the practice? hmm.... 8)

Two ideas that I disagree with and I just want to highlight. One, the idea that practicting while not 'practicing' is NOT practicting--eg, assuming a perfect standing post while brushing your teeth doesn't count as 'practice'. Any amount of practice is good. The best masters work to 'practice' all day long at everything they do. They bring their practice to their lives and don't keep it contained in the gym or the timespace where 'real practice takes place'. Perhaps there are things you won't accomplish if assuming a perfect posture while brushing your teeth, but that doesn't mean it isn't an extension of real practice, and a legitimate one at that. Every little bit helps, and I don't think we should only look to a specific time, place, or mindset for real practice to happen. After all, true breakthroughs happen in an instant. Second, the idea that Zhan Zhuang isn't for beginners. On the contrary, standing post practice is the most acccessible practice I can imagine. All you have to do is stand. Nothing else! How can this not be for 'beginners'? This is a practice that anyone at any skill level can utilize. And in fact, I recommend a healthy dose of standing post before you start doing any moving exercises like taiji or bagua zhang, not only as a warm up, but as a foundation exercise. If you can stand strong and properly you will be able to move with poise, balance, and power. Sure, to get the most out of a practice like standing post you will need dedicated time to focus just on that. And of course only after a certain level of proficiency is achieved will you see or feel extensive and lasting results. I don't think that any practice, especially Zhan Zhuang, is geared to give every person instant results. Its a challenge that you need to work towards. In the meantime I don't think we ought to get caught up in limiting what is and isn't true practice. As long as you're observing the fundamentals and keeping your mind active and focussed with pure intent to advance your own capabilities, you are practicing, even if that's for a few minutes while peeling the potatoes! All the moreso since in Zhan Zhuang, at least how Master Lam describes it, you aren't trying to make your energy do anything, unlike many qigong forms. You just stand--and trust your body (at all its various interconnected levels) to sort itself out. 8)

Or how about just meeting people from a close cluster of birthdays? I tend to meet/know a lot of geminis for instance, and rarely if ever meet a sagitarius. Maybe there are just more people born in the warm summer months in the northern hemisphere. 8)

If your balance is perfect, that's great! Then, as Master Lam says, take the posture deeper until you're less confortable. Bend the knees more. Remember to keep the weight over the middle of the foot towards the toes and not stand back on the heels. Keep the tailbone tucked and done let it curl back out to arch the back. Don't let your knees move outwards, but keep them flexed slightly inward. Head straight, chin slightly tucked, chest relaxed. You can close your eyes. The reason Master Lam recommends no to at first is in case your balance and stability is not there yet. Once you're well practiced its OK. But staring at one point is more difficult than closing your eyes! And if all that is good, try longer periods. It really is a challenge. Master Lam does say listening or 'watching' media is fine, but you will eventually need to leave that behind. If it helps you now, that's good. But you can't depend on that. If you want to progress you will have to push past the boredom and internal chatter without an external aid. I find that to be a challenge when doing a longer qigong set--I get anxious to 'finish' and start thinking about time. Another hurdle to overcome! 8)

Seriously though, if you're only starting and working from 5 min up, don't you have enough to focus on with maintaining your posture and balance and focus without having media playing..? I'm already trying to use the mind to relax the body at the extreme ends, as things start getting sore or seemingly, and I'm only working upwards of 6 minute intervals!! I think that one might only be able to take in other media after a certain level has been reached. Not as a recommendation for just starting out. You don't want to establish bad habits from the start, right? 8)

Go for it! Try it with a spike under your butt, ahahaha! Hey maybe we could have a horse stance video competition...post a video of how long you can do your stance. Bonus points if you have someone whipping you with a thin reed while you're doing it 8)

I wanted to add the idea of cultivating in all aspects of life. I'm reading some books on bagua zhang right now and it seems that many old masters emphasised the importance--even the root of bagua zhang practice--in being a moral person, in cultivating good morals, ie, being virtuous. The idea is that you can't progress past a certain point if you are not engaging your moral center in your life. Techniques are just that, but they can't make you a complete person. And that is what the highest levels of any art aim at. It makes you think. You practice extends well outside of the practice hall. In Shorinji Kempo we start each session by reciting the oath and creed of the sect--which acknowledges that our spirits come from dharma and of bodies from the world and pledges our intent to be good upstanding persons in our community. It's easy to just recite the words, but take them to heart and it is very disturbing! That is, you can be disturbed out of your normal habits. Am I really acknowledging that my spirit comes from dharma? Am I really being a person who loves peace, acts with decorum, and helps those in need? Am I actually applying this oath that I recite in ANY WAY outside this dojo?? An advanced practioner might not be physically skilled, by still works hard, but has truly applied these moral principles in their daily lives. 8)

Excellent thread. Some great insights here taoiseasy. A lot of what you say resonates with what I've learned in Spring Forest Qigong. Chun yi also describes his qigong as 'information healing' and isn't a stickler for details. So long as your intention is in the right direction, you are doing better than naught. There is also a component of connecting to the master's energy. This master can be any source you choose. Often people might choose Chun yi or Buddha or someone like that, and use that source to draw from the infinite energy of the universe, or to guide it towards themselves. (I sometimes like to appeal to the energy of the tall cedars near my home as they are both plentiful and embody an energy that I want to emulate, particularly in standing postures.) This resonates with what you said above about a master's energy being contained in books and pictures etc. I know many people have experienced energy flow from Chun yi's recordings, for instance. These are all like door ways or portholes to connect to the infinite energy. And as media, they can stick around for a long time, still performing the same function. If you have interest in a certain style, it's good to collect works that express it--videos, talks, books. Probably more important to play with it. And here is a very cool distinction. Certainly in martial arts many people only see practical use as valuable and soundly denounce mere play since it is understood to be ineffectual. And yeah, if your goal is to be able to take down 300lb gorillas then you will need some one-on-one physical practice to refine your body's movements. But if your goal is more internal, to realize your own nature, your own potential, and maybe an insight into something greater, 'mere play' might be an excellent way to go. Reminds me of a nice little book on Tai Chi called 'Embrace Tiger, Return to Mountain', written by a person who learned tai chi as a child, grew up to become a trained classical dancer, and taught tai chi as spontaneous movement. Does tai chi need to be able to project energy and throw an opponent to the ground, or can it be used to open a person up to the potential of their own nature? I guess the use depends on the intent. Anyways, please continue! 8)

All good points. I'm wondering if the difficult times that these modern masters lived is the cause. As it is, most modern bagua zhang masters lived during the 1900s through so many conflicts and upheavals in China (and globally), even having to supress their own art for a time. Which is why I wonder if we will see more longevity in the contemporary generations of bagua practioners than their predecessors. The question remains whether bagua zhang does promote longevity in a tangible way. Or would a person be better served (longevity-wise) to practive Taiji? Is there an independent source of info we could observe? For instance, a group of people who only do circle walking without practicing any martial aspects of bagua zhang? If such people exist, do they have more longevity than the average person? 8)

Interesting. I for one would be a little skeptical about aliens imparting qigong. Until the human race sees and knows for itself what is 'out there' and gains an idea of the bigger picture about what exists in the galaxy, I would be leary of trusting such sources. Far too many people are promoting nonsense based on channeling 'super energy beings from Andromeda' etc. I would be a little disappointed to find out that the origins of human qigong lay in something 'aliens' did or gave to people in the distant past. For me, Taoism and qigong seem like really organic home grown human practices--very different from religions that seem to be based on a super-being giving out orders and having people obey them. On another note, I practice a form called Tristar taiji, a modern variation on several internal styles. The teacher developed a Tristar qigong based on two sources--a study of qigong styles native to Sichuan, and a study of the relics of the ancient Sanxingdui civilization. Looking at some of the statues, it appears that the ancient Shu people may have been practicing a form of qigong. Now I know that speculation based on the stylings of ancient artifacts may not be wholly sound, not knowing the precise context, but looking at the bronze heads etc one is struck by the oddness of them. Do they represent a distortion of human features or are they reflecting the true features of a race that we have no current knowledge of? They look rather alien. My first thought was 'qigong was developed by the reptilians!!!' Or, one might say, the nagas, dragon kings. I wondered what a reptilian qigong might do in the human body. I mean, people talk about the kundalini, the rising serpent. Well suppose it is not just a metaphor for a build up of energies, but a reference to the indwelling of a serpent-being who either can only get in (or out) through the gateway of certain 'energy practices'. I'm sure some people would still go for it. Obviously, you can't really reconstruct an ancient qigong based solely on statues. But they can give you clues, that, when combined with existing knowledge, can pave a path towards a new type of practice...or old type as the case may be. Could we tell the difference between a totally human qigong and an alien one...? Surely there would be a difference. I think, cutting through the chatter, the Buddha had the right idea--he didn't pay much attention to the ramblings of all these other worldly beings, and just kept pushing ahead until he attained (or didn't attain) the highest, most fulfilled, awakened mind. After that he could observe or engage any of those beings at leisure. My point--we might be cautious of those who are 'led' by such beings. They may or may not have our interests at heart. 8)

Impermanence and continuity has to do with the nature of 'things'. All 'things' exist as aggregates, composed of parts. It seems logical to say that if there are aggregates of parts, then there must be simples, or things that have no parts. But searching in the phenomenal world we do not and cannot find such simples. Every 'thing' we observe is yet another layer of aggregation, another composition of parts. And, since aggregates must come together (from their parts), they must also fly apart (into parts). Thus no 'thing' is permanent, that is, all 'things' arise from other combinations of parts and ultimately resolve into combinations of parts. No 'thing' is permanent, no 'thing' has continuity. You might say that the source of the projection of all phenomena, the observer that is aware of 'things', is the only true continuity. But, as soon as you attribute parts to this source, and understand it as a 'thing' in its own right, and suggest that this new 'inside' thing has continuity, you fall into error. Thus neither self nor object has permanence. Even though many things are long-lived, ie, they stay together without breaking apart for a long time, all of them must eventually decay and resolve into new combinations of parts. Just like the mountain. It is not that the mountain is now part of the bird or the tree, but that the parts that were once assembled as a mountain are now assembled as another form. The mountain is just one form. It does not grow through the resolution of its parts. In essence, its form, like all forms, is empty, because it has no permanence--it came into being and will cease to be. And by coming to be and ceasing to be it only means that a bunch of stuff formed an aggregate in a certain pattern and later it will break apart into it components, and those components into their components and so on ad infinitum. None of these parts or parts of parts or parts of parts of parts have a form or aggregation that is continuous throughout timespace. They are merely temporary combinations. Hence there is never any 'thing' that has continuity and permanence, and we say that all 'things' are impermanent. If we say the Tao is unchanging, we should know that the Tao is not a thing, does not arise, does not cease, has no form and is not formless--as all these states refer to combinations of parts, which the Tao hath none. 8)

Dependent origination. The German rationalist philosopher G.W. Leibniz had a good metaphysics that ties in with holographic theory. In his model there is no physical universe. There are only points of consciousness called 'monads' whose only function is to project perceptions. They do not interact physically like atoms and do not receive or emit anything outside themselves. Everything is contained within them. As such, they do not come into existence or cease to exist independently in time. Rather, they are all created or destroyed together in on single event. For Leibniz this was God's creation, and God was the guiding force that coordinated all monads so that their internal perceptions were harmonious (one might say, so that they all resonated on the same plane of existence). Monads have no mass, no shape, no form, no velocity. They project spacetime in their perception but do not exist within spacetime. The ideal holographic medium. Since they all come into existence at once and cease to exist at once, every part of them is interconnected--a perfect fabric of perceptions. 8)

YES to fennel!! A very cool looking plant and a good chew whilst in the garden. Boneset is interesting. My little herb book says not to take it fresh though, as it contains deadly toxins. Drying it removes the threat. 8)

And don't forget, you can add a little feng shui to your garden plot. Wealth, fame, and marriage in the Aspirations of the Bagua face north. Overlay this on your garden plan. Overlay the bagua with Ken (mountain), K'an (water), and Chien (heaven) facing either north or your street frontage. You can connect your garden to the larger feng shui of the property, or create a pattern just for the garden. Each area of the Aspirations can be 'activated' by adding elements associated with it or with your personal triagram. For example, the 'wealth' corner can be improved with yellow and orange flowered plants and some flowing water, both of which represent money. Marigolds If your personal trigram is Tui (the joyful, lake), for example, you might add something that produces white flowers or is white to activate it for yourself: Clematis armandii (white flowers) Dusty miller (white stems and leaves) This is, of course, just a guide. You might be limited by the nature of your plot and need to do things differently. Or you might have chunks of the aspirations missing or blocked. You can add things like mirrors or reflective surfaces or lights to the garden to mitigate some feng shui challenges. I had this in mind last season but I think I will make more of an effort to coordinate each section this year and build up some balance in areas that were lacking. 8)