Kunlun Enthusiast

Hello Tao Bums, Are there practices that you do through the day - while shopping, travelling, sitting at your desk etc.? I sometimes recite a mantra, watch breath at times and try to be mindful. What are some simple Taoist practices one can keep practicing all the time? Sifu Max says talking less is a big practice and conserves energy. What else? Belly breathing? Inner Smile?

The website doesn't talk about its use during retreats and the person who sells it told me it was meant for day to day use to enhance energy, concentration, strength etc.

Ya Mu ...

Is April the same as JJ Semple? Sometimes April talks as though she is JJ Semple and sometimes speaks on his behalf. JJ S feels good talking through another personality unlike his blog which he writes himself? Nothing wrong with that just that my curiosity got better of me as April gets in and out of JJ Semple's role

Well said. Here is what Ramana Maharshi says. He was someone who is credited to have actually had some such powers. I have heard that as a side-effect of a deep level of realization, sometimes these powers manifest. But at that stage, he/she has no doubts, questions on should or should not use the powers etc. But where are those who truly accept all they want are some powers or the ability to do parlor tricks? Healing is also one such parlor trick though more beneficial if one sees with a bare eye! Every one likes to believe their goal is enlightenment, awakening etc. If someone is ready to declare he is after such move-paper tricks or even an ability to heal and that's pretty much their goal, then why not? It's his responsibility to suffer the consequences, if any. The issue really is with hypocrisy when you want powers but don't want to acknowledge you are simply after them and need to explain yourself with hundred reasons - heal the world, help the poor, lamposts on the way to realization blah blah.

I have been taking it for two months now, no visible effect And real difficult to eat as well. Very hard in texture and soaking it for long doesn't seem to be helping either.

What is useful? Moving paper inside a glass? I just did that lol And he heals only Hollywood personalities?

What a coincidence! I planned a trip to India and Nepal later this year and visiting the Fire Yogi is on my cards. SV helped me get his details, he lives way down south but if things work well, I want to study with him. He speaks a little English is what I am told. So if things work as planned, I will report my experiences with the man.

Below is an offline conversation I had with a friend who has studied Hindu and Tibetan tantras thoroughly and practiced under several masters. I guess it could be useful. If not please ignore.

Findley, I agree, about 80% are in it for money but there are some who genuinely want to share what they think benefitted them. Don't you agree? Care to elaborate how?

Exactly, no one knows what Buddha taught as Suttas were compiled ages after he was gone. Even with those suttas, no one Buddhist agrees on one interpretation with the other. Lucky and Xabir were jumping at each other on the other thread for like double dozen pages lol! Some of you guys have been at e-sangha so you know what I mean right? So, its essentially Buddhism vs others at first and then My Buddhism vs Your Buddhism next. I like what Creation said on the other thread - 'Lighten up'! You TTB Gals rock! Taomeow, SFJane ... amazing stuff. You write what you have experienced and not what you read or heard or what someone else said. You gals make TTB worth visiting day after day. A humble thank you I think this was the same guy who tried to pull Yogani into a debate or something on Buddhism as the only answer to everything. And if I remember right, no one paid much attention. The problem with most Buddhists is that they want to correct everyone else and show them wrong and right. Taoists seem to have no deadly itch to do that and offer no unsolicited advice or correction of concepts. Call them less compassionate if you like, sure! But seems way less irritating at times. With E-sangha gone, there needs to be some outlet for them to correct and disprove the rest. Man! did I just say that and still didn't get banned? lol

I admit I don't know much about Shaktipat, but here is what someone very experienced (I know this person rather well) wrote on a different forum. So is shaktipata here beaming of chi and will awaken kundalini if the "recipient is ready"? Or this is different?

Thanks Rob! I know KAP is a paid thing and all that, so if it is not a problem, can you explain a bit more on these, especially the last two points? Seem very useful to me. Thanks again

Sorry, I am afraid I didn't get you

Some amazing responses so far. Appreciate it, keep it coming

Mahasamadhi I am confused

Scotty, is this on any of the DVDs from Winn or even better any book of Chia's? And, do you think this is all 'Fire' method? Currently I am doing Kunlun so keep getting confused if it is okay to run any MCO stuff - MCO Chi Kung (Winn's version), Chunyi/Robert Peng's MCO meditation etc. Sorry for the digression folks, had to ask this question that was bugging me.

One: Scotty quoted the group's banner, I agree with him and thank him for that. Two: As for you trying to moderate here and threatening to ban me - the real moderator has spoken. So you better take it cool there Mr. Wanna be moderator? Three: I apologized to you in my post for butting in and the response was geared towards Little1. I think you paid no attention to that and simply took off on me. Talking of keeping the ego in control, advice easier given than followed? lol I don't follow Ramakrishna, Buddha, Mantak Chia or Taomeow. I read them all, and absorb what I think is useful and makes sense. I only quoted Mantak Chia as Little1 seems to have regards for him, just as I do for Ramakrishna. Mr. Y, just as you think this Ramakrishna banter is unneeded here, I also think Little1's comment was totally unnecessary. I still find his comment offensive and attitude condescending, but now you have have hopped on to the same train. Just go back and check how many topics on Ramakrishna are really there on this forum. Seriously, now I have to agree with what someone said about you on the other thread. Don't spend your precious time in redefining the way things work on TTB please, there are actual moderators to do that Okay, I am out of here, please go ahead and share your valuable teachings without any more Ramakrishnabumm interruption from me. Power trips of your kind with no compassion or insight are as interesting to me as old, fake plastic flowers

Ramakrishna and hemorrhoids and pimples? Not a good comparison. You offended me here by comparing a well-accepted Master to jerking off and pimples. Note that Mantak Chia is way less interesting to me than Ramakrishna. You don't find him interesting, don't read about him, but quit making such stupid statements. Eric, I apologize but little1's attitude to belittle a teacher speaks of his littleness.

Lucky, got bored that the other thread didn't have enough debating that you're digging an old one? Seriously, what is the replacement for e-sangha these days? Or there is none? I read a few but none match upto the big guy, no in drama at least

Okay cool man. For some reason that doesn't come across and only the following does. May be I am just missing something. Sorry for interrupting your debate. Carry on. I'll come back and check after it grows to say 25 pages.

Cat's out of the bag! Is that the reason yo started this thread? Man, the big bad Buddhist forum crashed so we need some action, some place to continue talking for ever, first in active voice, then passive, then in symbols, then angrily, and then with smilie, then with sense, sometimes with sense .....so the idea is to keep talking no matter what, keep it coming or somethin like that? I saw the same thing in the old forum. A dude deliberately posts something when everyone's kinda quiet so stir up a conversation and then everyone starts arguing like on reincarnation or something. What was your screen name on that forum? I was the one who joked on Buddha and meth and got kicked

Seth Ananda wrote this on another thread and that introduced me to these wonderful books! I just finished reading the Fourth Agreement...thanks for introducing me to Ruiz Tao Bums, What are your other absolute favorite books? Power of Now? Autobiography of a Yogi? Glenn Morris? Share your favorite books.

I just implemented this at work today and it saved me lot of heartache. Thanks man! You always have something insightful to say.

Lol! Sometimes we have too many expectations from teachers don't we? We assume they don't get angry, have restraint over speech and emotion, they don't get frustrated. Lol, they are not Buddhas or Arhats, and with every passing day, I realize more and more the need for cultivating mind and virtue as against only energy, chi, kundalini etc. I am pretty amazed at how some monks at my local Buddhist center are. The other day we had a dhamma talk and one guy literally kept shouting at the teacher and hurled abuses. The restraint, compassion and genuine interest to guide shown by the monk blew me over. Key is probably that the venerable monk had no personal interest in defending himself or his own reputation, he had no business to protect, nothing to sell and not having these stakes makes a big difference in how people conduct themselves? For the short duration I spent with a non-duality teacher Gangaji, had similar experience. May be Bill Bodhri does make sense for the most part.