balance.

I'll pm ya tonight, Bum!

Bum: You should've given me a shout-out! And RP 2 just isn't being taught immediately--- and while I'm sure Max has his reasons, I agree completely with Joe that the two together seem to mitigate problems that can arise by practicing 1 alone... but again, I try to acknowledge/respect the pace that Max set. (But of course, if Joe is interested in passing it along...... ) *Also-- I would suggest sticking to the 12/24/36 repetitions while you're still developing a sense for the practice... as that awareness deepens-- by all means, do away with rep-counting and give primacy to feeling. And Cat drawing attention to sincerity is important too--- make sure your RP session is not just a cerebral affair. And you *should* be closing down everytime--- it's just not worth courting discomfort that can be easily avoided by being diligent and just the bringing energy down. I-Jong can be an absolute lifesaver if you feel yourself getting foggy--- I always finish red phoenix work with i-jong. Always. How is everything else going, bum? balance.

(Pope John Paul II --- Batting Practice) best. balance.

Roger that (and many thanks) Gonna proceed with 2 tbsp ACV with 2 tsp Spirulina and see if that mitigates the near constant soreness my level of activity generates. best. balance.

Drew: In what proportions are you mixing spirulina and ACV? What do you consider to be a dose? How many doses are you taking daily to hasten the recovery of muscles? much obliged! balance.

I think breaks are absolutely necessary.. and frankly, the active embrace of the rest cycle is one of the hardest things for me to do. ... *but*, interspersing periods of activity/growth with periods of rest/gathering is exactly what happens in nature. best. balance.

Yup--- textual glitch. "On" position is with the pinky "down".... think british tea-hands. Maintaining some tension in the pinkies is ideal --- not necessarily trying to fall asleep (unless your aim is a dream practice). Light awareness / transitional-state. Placing yourself in that slightly-upright position is supposed to encourage some wakefulness (but, in spite of my best intentions, I generally find myself just nodding off...... ). I prefer seated. best. balance.

DAO: This is exactly the sort of discussion I'm not interested in having. The decision to practice (with sincerity/diligence/patience) or not to practice is entirely up to you-- but don't just sit on the fence debating the thing forever. (but know, that if you take your practices far enough, you'll have the direct-experience you need to answer these questions for yourself. There is so much we don't see and don't experience because we are closed to them. Good practices will open you up.) best. balance.

DAO: I don't want to tread too deeply into conceptual territory, because in the end, it's practice that matters.. *but* ... "Oneness" aside, mantras are all different. The phonetics/acoustics stimulate different parts of the body and connect you with entities that also have different energetic-qualities. I believe Bodri said mantras were like having an energetic phone number-- a way to contact a specific entity. Jenny Lamb says mantras can be used for purification/karma-reduction/healing/self-awakening (the stories about her pursuit of the Amitabha mantra are really illuminating) . Master Nan said only a high-level Bodhisattva could explain why mantras were so powerful. ...... in my understanding, mantra's are not necessarily just tools of worship, but ways in which we can connect and merge with those beings that attract us, and then enjoy the benefits of that relationship. Over time, it seems that those qualities that attracted you in the first place come more and more naturally to you--- you become more and more like the entity you're casting your awareness out to. But IMO, it takes great patience/sincerity/purity in your intent. best. balance.

I've been performing this for a little over a year-- but not as my sole practice. It was the first mantra I've ever been compelled to pursue and it has become a bridge in terms of cultivating mindfulness between sessions of my core alchemical work (kunlun). Couldn't begin to say how many times I've performed the mantra... Never bothered to keep track. I fill up "empty" time with silent recitation day in and day out. My conservative estimate is around 700-1000 recitations a day, but who knows... Jappa practice requires a great deal of patience (IMO) , and I'm in no rush. I have had dreams connected with this practice (and those are mine), but none so auspicious as the white vomit. (yet) In terms of the stimulation of the heart through this practice (and I *don't* make use of the mudra) , I find my other practices are more vigorous in this regard.... but the pursuit of this mantra satisfies something deep all the same. I personally enjoy the marriage of both mantra and neigung in my work. I agree with whats already been said--- that the intent should be pure.. but there are plenty that feel making use of deeper spiritual work for power/material/temporal-gain is legitimate as well. I have my own practice and it's not for me to say what's proper and improper. Our paths are our own. best. balance.

The kunlun book is the least expensive option presented here. (http://www.primordia...m/publications/) The trademarking of kunlun is related to once-students ripping the system off wholesale, presenting it as their own under various names (jedi training.....), changing the practices (undermining the safety of the system) , and asking outrageous prices for teaching/instruction. Trademarking became necessary to keep this presentation whole and to minimize abuse. Jenny shared the practices with Max and said it was Max's decision to then share it with the world. As presented now, each system has a different outcome. Both Max and Jenny offer beautiful/powerful systems and prospective adherents of either presentation shouldn't be put off by the laughable amounts of negativity that crop up when trigger-words like "kunlun" enter the conversation. There are 3 levels to Red Phoenix..... and even RP 1 is not just "third eye breathing". Trunks' assessment of the practice as "Brain-alchemy" is far more accurate and contains the necessary subtlety. And in terms of poor dvd quality, the Dragon Gate dvds are almost laughably crude in their presentation, but Matsuo is vibrant/lucid and gems abound. The relevance of flashy production to the quality of the contained material with spiritual work is beyond me. I'll turn on Avatar if I want fireworks. best. balance.

taodancing: Lotta relevant info here (http://thetaobums.com/topic/2568-semen-kung-chi-kung-and-crown-center-orgasms/) best. balance.

Flolfolil: Well, shaktipat is legitimate-- and certain things must be given (like the lineage)... but I do agree that it is much better to sweat/bleed/strive in order to realize those ends we want most rather than just being handed the keys. best. balance. *Grasshopper: Sent you a pm.

Flolfolil: Just get the (new) book. *Loads* for you to start doing. If you really dig the kunlun after some months of diligent/sincere practice, consider scheduling a session with some certified kunlun emissary to get Red Phoenix. Transmissions: The first level "transmission" is external--- just the technique (non-energetic--- not a transfer or shaktipat). The second level transmission is the lineage and its associated energy (and can be given when Max deems that the student is properly open/balanced/grounded and has gained the necessary wisdom). The third level transmission is "mind to mind" (secret) and has relevance only to those who have attained gold dragon body. Golden Flower-- in Max's words-- is "a refinement of red phoenix" (look at the GF mudra and split it to see how similar it is to RP....) and a very gentle version of red phoenix which is designed to open and insulate the RP pathway is being taught immediately to new students... after 6 months to a year, depending on the growth/grounded-ness of the student, more aggressive versions of RP can be given. get into that kunlun, flol! best. balance. ...and I never received any sort of transfer to activate specific practices. I asked Max about this when I first met him last year and he said they weren't necessary (he went on to say that it was important for people to earn things themselves). My sense is that the transfers just kick-start a students progress--- a gift of energy and some of Max's insights into a particular practice... but nothing that can't be brought about through sincerity in your own work.

Just got back from seeing Max and can finally do this after 2 1/2 yrs of kunlun. Totally a subtle thing. I'm sure it feels different for all of us. I just sink into the heart and relax deeply. Fin. So easy to over-think. I don't feel bliss, so the idea of "raising bliss" doesn't apply.... but this achieves that same openness that allows for tangible connections to other cultivators and natural/elemental forces (amongst other things). best. balance. (echoing deci with sincerity/openness/stillness)

Not sure that I said anything about marijuana helping my own practice?? Marijuana occludes--- clouds in front of the sun. (ime)

It is not my intent to either defend or demonize marijuana..... but in my experience, marijuana and serious cultivation don't mix... though there are posts from folk here who claim to have made a great deal of progress while meditating from within a cloud of smoke. Whose to say whats right and whats wrong when the drug affects us all so differently? Same thing about what path and what practices we choose to devote ourselves to... The only proper path is the one that resonates best with us. ... that said, there are plenty of extraordinarily successful and intelligent folk who are/were really vocal about their pot smoking (like Richard Branson and Carl Sagan) who clearly have not been hindered by the drug in their activities on this plane. I think what matters most is personal volition. You either have the drive/interest/energy to achieve and bring about certain ends or you don't. I'm familiar with plenty of people who are grossly stagnant in their activities and their movements who are not pot smokers. keep it real, y'all. balance.

And, Trunk, I suppose I'm curious what prompted your change in word choice between those older posts you referenced and this most recent one ("rascilious" to malicious) .... Were folk being attacked by iguanas or some such similar thing? Or were reptiles simply congregating? It just seems that proper expression was never given to the nature of these developments in the older posts-- and folk were subsequently left to fill in the blanks. I'd really appreciate it if you could flesh out some of those unknowns here if you're able. best balance.

https://www.createspace.com/3929411 ("create space" is a branch of amazon targeting self-publishing)

Sexual Secrets: The Alchemy of Ecstasy / Nik Douglas & Penny Slinger (http://www.amazon.com/Sexual-Secrets-Twentieth-Anniversary-Edition/dp/0892818050) Qigong, The Secret of Youth: Da Mo's Muscle/Tendon Changing and Marrow/Brain Washing Classics / Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming (http://www.amazon.com/Qigong-The-Secret-Youth-Changing/dp/1886969841) The Dr. Yang isn't necessarily targeting sexuality, but there are relevant sections. best. balance.

So. I haven't finished reading through the text (190 pages), but I'm totally smitten with what I have covered thus far. Max's tone throughout is very conversational, and I really feel as if the recordings I already have of Max talking have just been doubled. There is a really healthy balance between the esoteric and the scientific in his explanations and it seems to me that everyone will find what particular emphasis works best for them. It never feels like Max is just droning on or trying to deliberately swell the page count... every paragraph seems to contain some valuable insight. Compared to the last book, things are photographed well and everything is clearly displayed (with Diana on modeling duties)... folks new to the practices should have no difficulty navigating through the postures. In terms of specific practices, Max gives One Breath, the main Kunlun 1 posture, Golden Flower, Three Ones, Traveling Hands, i-jong and standing 5 Elements. Many of these are given now with the refinements that classes receive (perhaps most notably Kunlun 1 and Golden Flower-- which now has the 4th posture). The arm positions in 5 Elements (specifically Wood and Metal) are also different from the last book. The Three Ones was not in the last book either. And no, Red Phoenix is not present, but it's easy enough to schedule a skype session with Max or a facilitator (should the desire exist) to receive it. Each practice is given ample explanation. Table of contents: The Tao of Awakening and the Childlike Simplicity Approach Developing Proper Mindset and Breathing the One Breath What is the KUNLUN System? The Refined KUNLUN Method Posture with Ying/Yang Hand Purification, Emptiness, the Physical Body and Balancing Best Times to Practice and Tips on What and What Not to Do The Golden Flower Method of Maoshan The Three Ones Meditation of Maoshan Taoist Traveling Hands of Maoshan Grounding and Balancing the Energy Maoshan Five Elements Living in Harmony with Nature Importance of Diet The Art of Tea and Teatime as Meditation The Ultimate Expression of Awakening KUNLUN System and Final Thoughts I'm extremely pleased with what I've read so far, and so happy to see what Max has to say outside of basic practice explanation. Seems like the approach and presentation in this book is far more comprehensive/holistic than the previous permutations, and there is an emphasis on lifestyle here, where as the last text targeted the more sensationalist aspects of the practices... Anyhow, can't recommend this book highly enough. Well worth the wait. best. balance.

(did not wait up until midnight so that I could place an order as soon as the book became available ) *relevant links: http://www.primordialalchemist.com/publications/ https://www.createspace.com/3929411

I like your style, golden.

Tulku: While I agree that compassion must be tempered by wisdom, this is not what we were talking about, nor what precipitated my own initial response. You made a very specific claim about the disinterest of ascended beings towards suffering, and that's what me and my ego were interested in exploring.. but you seem unwilling to engage in an actual dialogue that involves equal parts giving and receiving on both sides.. Though in light of your attitude towards relationships, that comes as no surprise. I do appreciate the energy you put into your posts, but I don't find anything of use in them. You quote well enough, but your vibe is sour. Oh, and have you ever read any Ikkyu? 15th century zen? "Don't hesitate, get laid, that's wisdom / sitting around chanting, what crap." godspeed, homie.

(for starters [via the dictionary.com]) Compassion: a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering. Virtue: 1. moral excellence; goodness; righteousness. 2. conformity of one's life and conduct to moral and ethical principles; uprightness; rectitude. 3. chastity; virginity: to lose one's virtue. 4. a particular moral excellence. Compare cardinal virtues, natural virtue, theological virtue. 5. a good or admirable quality or property: the virtue of knowing one's weaknesses. As near as I can tell, the unifying thread between the various religions and mystery schools throughout the world is an emphasis on the heart and on love (present in ascetic practices as well...), with an ultimate goal of ascension/enlightenment/realization (which is, at its most basic, an experience of oneness.) .... So, why even set out upon the path to begin with if upon full-realization you simply numb yourself and your heart to suffering-at-large and put the blinders back on? Just seems like a huge waste of time to me. What you've said flies in the face of everything I've ever felt and read and seen.. and to me, it seems like you're expounding a massively narrow/selfish/divisive/contradictory view of the spiritual endgame.. But I only know that I don't know anything, while you on the other hand seem to relish in giving every outward indication of infallibility.. So perhaps you are indeed privy to some secret knowledge that enables you to accurately comment on the proper character and intent of ascended beings.. and the dis-ease I feel when slogging through your posts are but the cries of my ego being exposed to brilliant truth. holler back. This is a good point, lerner, but just because the aggressive asceticism didn't work for Buddha, doesn't mean that path is invalid-- just wasn't his cup of tea. The more extreme ascetic paths have produced some famous names (Lady Tsoygel comes to mind). Seems to me that the efficacy of a particular path is dependent upon the temperament of the practitioner. balance.