balance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y68F8YwLWdg Though Disney doesn't come right out and say it directly, the subtle allusions are clear enough... Only a bite between the eyes from a mosquito carrying malaria will be able to open your third eye.

Yum... laughter in the library... Thank you, Tao.

I don't seem to be the only one here who isn't sure whether to laugh or kneel... Though in my experience, laughing is seldom the improper course of action.... ...I'll be sure to let loose some righteous and deep-rooted peals for you.

Have you been using organic ACV? With "Mother"?

The capacity to hurt in some people really blows my mind... I too am curious how I'd react if I witnessed this first hand.... On a slightly tangential note, I was sitting by a lake close to home the other day watching the horizon swallow up the sun when some young men (a questionable classification) came whipping past on skidoos.... They took note of some canadian geese (who are all over the place this time of the year) and attempted to run a crowd of them over in the water... Two or three attempts punctuated by loud about-faces in the water were made... Couldn't believe it.. ....But, what started off in shock and horror ended in laughter as the geese always removed themselves from the danger zone just in time... Those guys probably ended their day launching bricks through car windows.

I was never digitally-acquainted with the personality.. But I thoroughly enjoy rifling back through the archives to find the venom-soaked,caps-locked brilliance of Ron Jeremy. Can't say I agree with everything he had to say... but wow.

Interesting to hear, Pietro. .. and I would be curious to learn about any specific reasons for the phenomena as well... Also, it seems to me that this article sums things up pretty well in terms of emphasizing the importance of activating the huiyin and breathing up from your feet while engaged in some loving encounter... though of course the practice needn't be relegated only to the sexual forum.. I find five gate breathing to be something that I can practice most anywhere, and I appreciate the lightening/clarifying sensations that it brings forth. ..and I agree with Vaj as well.. being able to breathe into specific parts of the body is valuable, but it's important that perspective and balance be maintained in practice so that you don't become too fixated on one exercise and neglect the whole.. like marathon runs of testicle/genital breathing.... integration vs. separation.

So overlooked. I feel like this is reflected in the egoic-driven gym attitude that would have you focus solely on the attainment of that cut six-pack, that laughable pair of over-sized man-mammaries and those steroid-inspired arms... A superficial, disjointed and imbalanced approach to cultivation that results only in cumbersome and rigid additions to the body that do nothing to create function, flow and unity... but boy, they sure do look great. *sorry about the creepy picture.

Taking direction from Drew Hempels generous offering of Taoist Yoga: Alchemy and Immortality, I've decided to upload and share Huai-Chin Nan and William Bodri's Measuring Meditation: How to Measure and Deepen Your Spiritual Realization ... I was rather skeptical at first, given that these two are also selling a manual teaching you how to meditate for clear skin... but I must say I've come away really impressed with the 705 pg epic they've constructed. Anyway, without further ado.. http://www.megaupload.com/?d=HNJ0M4OF balance. *In deference to de_paradise and any other members here that find my providing of this material questionable, I'll only be keeping the link active until the 18th.

Yikes. I hadn't at all thought that my pebble of a post would've caused such ripples. I am sorry to those that found this effort of mine to be appalling, but I maintain that I had the best of intentions (those famous last words), and thought that releasing this fish into the taobum pool would help out a great many here. I hardly liken what I've done to uploading it as torrent or onto some other anonymous, mass download site. Sure. Everything is connected.. but it was my feeling that a seven day revolution within the relatively isolated waters of this forum would hardly ensure its invasive spread across the web.. And hopefully, those as grateful for the book as I would've felt the mounting of compassion necessary to offer up at least a minor modicum of fiscal gratitude to the authors. Again, I apologize to those whose moral toes I may have stepped on. balance. *and yes, the file has been taken down, though not by me. edit for grammatical confundus.

Yes. I debated about whether or not I should make this available to other taobums... it's a phenomenal resource and the result of an obvious labor of love on behalf of the two authors, which makes slighting them a difficult prospect for me.. but it's also for those same reasons that I feel it's so important to share.. The information contained within has struck me as invaluable and I felt that many of the good people on this forum could derive great benefit from it.. Also, at 97.00, I felt that many might second guess taking the plunge themselves.. I suppose the middle ground within this scenario would be to deactivate the link (as I have an account with megaupload) after seven days. I'm sorry if you disagree with the decision, but my aim here is only to add some more water to the taobum communal information trough.. At least briefly. balance.

Well you certainly are an entertaining read.. I look forward to seeing the further adventures. balance.

I'd be interested to hear what he has to say about the necessity of internal visualization during energy work... as opposed to cultivating a state of emptiness that will/might naturally spurn all the various energetic cycles into motion... Are visualizations just training wheels...? something to help you out in the beginning but eventually to be left by the way side? or are there practices that require visualization? My feeling is that these are natural processes and will happen naturally if we find stillness and master breath and body mechanics so that we can bring ourselves technically to a point of "regulating without regulating"..I feel that once we truly find stillness/emptiness, everything will fall into place.. but again, these are just my own feelings on the subject and I would greatly appreciate hearing what someone of his depth has to say. balance.

Not at all an attempt to derail this thread, just thought I'd offer up the story of Lu Tung-Pin, one of the Eight Immortals, who cultivated to a very deep level but never realized his own Emptiness. balance.

Not that I'm any sort of authority on early taoist history... but I feel like everything starts with the breath.

+ Diapers.

I find imagining pulling up from the crown and down from the root helps to align my spine properly without resorting to anything too exotic to attain and maintain the proper position... But I've recently began reversing the internal,visual dynamic so that the crown is extending down(not passive, but driving down) through the body and through the root, deep into the earth.. and the root is spiraling up through my body and crown and into the heavens.. You become a "balanced" column of heaven and earth, as it were... I've found that maintaining this visual in the back of my mind has done wonders in terms of keeping me mindful, present, and in the noble posture, both in and out of meditation... ..If I visualize these two polarities intermingling and exchanging in a passive manner, then my body/spine begins to close in on itself.. so I think it's important to imagine a certain degree of power while this is happening so that the body extends through itself and doesn't cave in. edit for re-emphasis on passive/active

I occasionally notice during extended sitting sessions that I begin to tighten up around my neck and shoulders in strange ways... in my own experience, such pain is just an indication that I need to relax those muscles and return to the proper, noble posture.

I've really enjoyed Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco and Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy. Hard to go wrong with either of those authors. Oh, and what of Kundalini: The Evolutionary Energy in Man by Gopi Krishna? edit for addition.

My feeling is that faith and confidence in the efficacy of the techniques being used is necessary for thorough and complete healing.... I wish you all the best. balance.

Interesting. Happy to see this rise to the surface.

To avoid confusion and user based interpretive error.. I'll quote directly from the text Embryonic Breathing by Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming. Recognizing the Yin Center of the Upper Dan Tian and the Yang Center of the Real Lower Dan Tian The first step of Embryonic Breathing is to recognize the Yin center of the Upper Dan Tian (Yin Shen) and the Yang center of the Real Lower Dan Tian (Yang Quan). As explained before, the upper Yin center is able to stabilize and control the status of Yang Shen's manifestation (Yang Shen) while the lower Yang center is the origin of the Yin water's production (Yin Shui). The recognition of these two cetners must be accomplished through the self-inner-feeling, which is the only way to lead your Shen and Qi to these centers are keep them there. The exact location of the Yin center in the Upper Dan Tian (Shang Dan Tian) is at the central bottom of the Spiritual Valley (Shen Gu) where the pineal gland the pituitary gland are located. This is the center of the Mud Pill Palace (Ni Wan Gong) and is the center of the spiritual residence (Shen Shi // Upper Dan Tian). IT is located at the central point of the line connecting the top part of the two ears and also the central point of the line connecting with the Yintang (M-HN-3) and Qiangjian (Gv-18). To recognize this point through feeling, you must rid yourself of all emotional disturbances and also the external attractions of the mind. In this case, your mind will be clear and easily search for the location. If you search for it sincerely, it will take only a few days for you to recognize the point. The exact location of the Yang center in the Real Lower Dan TIan (Zhen Xia Dan Tian) is where the center of the large and small intestines is located, namely a couple of inches above the physical center of gravity. In fact, the entire digestive system constitutes the "Real Lower Dan Tian." If you are able to find the center of this system, then you are able to keep the Qi there and store it to an abundant level. The Yang center is located behind the Yinjiao (Co-7) and in front of the cavity Shiqizhuixia (M-BW-25 // Below the 17th vertebrae). In fact, it is at the center of these two cavities. Again, if you search for this point when you meditate, you should be able to find it in a few days or weeks. " Many pictures are included that provide invaluable visual reference to help you zero in on these points, but as Dr. Yang points out, it's only after you locate them yourself in the truest sense that you're able to make use of them. I'll include also a passage on the mechanics of Embryonic Breathing. " Embryonic Breathing (Cavity Breathing) (Wuji Breathing) The above two breathing techniques [The good Doctor discussed taoist and buddhist breathing methods.. for those unfamiliar, I suggest you do some personal digging] enable you to produce more Qi in your body. However, if you do not know how to store the extra Qi in the Real Lower Dan Tian (Bio-Battery), this extra Qi will be led to the physical body and manifested (consumed). To store the Qi to an abudant level, you need the method of Embryonic Breathing. In order to store the Qi in the human bio-battery, you must first recognize the center of the Real Lower Dan TIan through feeling correctly and learning to keep your mind there. When your mind is in the Real Lower Dan Tian, the Qi will not be led away from its residence. To conserve Qi, by keeping the mind at the Real Lower Dan TIan (Yi Shou Dan Tian) is the crucial key to success. The way to keep the mind at the Real Lower Dan Tian so the Qi can be led there is through the movement of the front abdominal area and also the lower back area at the same time. The front abdominal area (Navel or Yinjiao cavity) is called "Sheng Men" and means "the door of life," while the rear lower back area is called "Bi Hu" and means "the closed door," which implies the Mingmen (GV-4) cavity between L2 and L3. Through this balanced front and back movement, you are able to locate the center (Yang Water) easily. Naturally, your mind will be at these two front and back places at the beginning. However, after you have practiced for a period of time and have reached the stage of "regulating without regulating," the mind will be at the center easily. That means when you practice Embryonic Breathing, the first step is to find the above two doors and move them up and down [contracting and expanding] at the same time. Naturally, extra Qi will be produced at both the front and the rear. While you are doing so, you must also coordinate with the up-down movements of the Huiyin (Co-1) or anus. Soon you will feel the Qi in the entire Girdle Vessel expanding and withdrawing at the same time. The most amazing part of the practice is that, through these movements, the production of insulin hormone from the Islets of Langerhans in the pancreas, DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) in the adrenal glands, and testosterone (male) and estrogen and progesterone (female) in the sex glands can be regulated and possible increased. This is due to the stimulation of the glands through the exercises. In addition, when you practice Embryonic Breathing, other than placing your mind at the Yang center of the Real Lower Dan Tian, you must also place your mind at the Yin center of the Upper Dan Tian. You should remember that the Uper Dan Tian and the Real Lower Dan Tian are the two Polarities of the central energy line. They correspond and synchronize with each other simultaneously. Though they are two places, they are the two faces of the same thing and cannot be separated. Remember, the Shen and the Qi are just like son and mother which cannot be separated when you practice Embryonic Breathing. When this happens, due to the mind concentrating at the Yin center of the Upper Dan Tian, the production of melatonin (pineal gland) and growth hormone (pituitary gland) will also be regulated and increased. With these hormones, all of the biochemical reactions will become smooth and the metabolism of the body can be regulated and improved. The final stage of Embryonic Breathing is to bring the Shen downward to the Real Lower Dan Tian, so the Shen and Qi can be united at the Real Lower Dan Tian. When this happens, the Qi can stay at its residence, and be stored to a very high level. This is called "mutual harmonization or unification of Shen and Qi" (Shen Qi Xiang He). In this case, the two polarities have unified and become a singularity. That means the Wuji state, the beginning of life. That is why I call this stage of Embryonic Breathing "Wuji Breathing" (Wuji Xi). Naturally, the way of leading the Shen down to the Real Lower Dan Tian is through the concentrated mind with the coordination of the breathing. " I apologize for any slight grammatical errors, and hope those interested will find this snippit helpful. balance.

Within this context, laying the foundation is 100 days of Embryonic Breathing... This practice helps to establish the real lower dan tien (as different from the false lower dan tien three finger lengths below the navel) as the real center of power in the body. Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming says that only at this center can qi be gathered and stored to "abundant" levels. The strong powering of this bio-electric battery provides the stable foundation that is required for higher level internal constructions. balance.

Ah, well fortunately I'm more interested in being free from the desire of power than actually attaining it... Cool as they may be, superpowers are just a distraction.