Liufeng Sibi

Here's a re-post from a conversation with NeiChuan: i like tai chi classics by Waysun Liao there are other books as well, but nothing like studying with a good teacher! you didn't mention that you have one? also, if you feel that your path has a devotional base to it; i recommend the Aghora books by Robert Svoboda. for tao philosophy i like the I Ching translted by Wilhelm/Baynes for chi/nei kung (any system really) there are various systems out there and many individual practices. this can get either confusing, or potentially 'water-down' your practice so that one has a lot of material with little depth. at this point if i just wanted to 'go through' all of my material; it would take me about 6-8 hours! so, it is good to have some type of 'set' with a decent number of repetitions for a select number of key exercizes. for me these days, i like to do my chan si jing routine (1 hour), i chuan standing meditation (40 min), chen lao jia yi lu 2-3 times (20-30 min), chen ball exercizes (strength training; 30 min). also i have some hsing i elements that i need to improve on, then theres i chuan walking, my guan ping form, peng lu ji an (chen), etc. i also have more material and as you can see this is a tall order.... are we aupposed to have a social life? what about eating? we're advised not to eat 30 minutes before or after practice. in reality i attend a 2 to 2 1/2 hour chen class 2x weekly, a 1 hour guan ping/hsing i class 2x weekly, and workout with a fellow student 2 hours 1x weekly. that's about 8 hours a week, and i don't get to all of that material even on a single day. another pitfall i found was that with my sights set on the transcendent, i would get frustrated easily if i wasn't essentially a monk. i think it is good to have reasonable goals, pick the most important exercizes/meditations, and if i feel inspired, do a bit more. that way, i feel a sense of accomplishment if i have met my goal, and am further inspired instead of disappointed with myself. i dont know if you have those issues, but its something i wish i knew a long time ago. from your emails it sounds like you are doing well. -i hope this was relevant!

thanks marblehead! liu = 6 feng = sealing si = 4 bi = closing it's one of the steps that is done again and again in the chen taiji form. i've also seen it written as : 60% open and 40% closed anyhoo, best wishes on your journey as well!

truly in doing this in doing nothing we are great and we are nothing i just signed up but i've been with you keep on my brothers and sisters feel free to contact me if you feel inspired to do so

Heya, i like the Tao, been 'on the path' for over a decade Funny that i could say so much, yet there's not much to say at the same time. So here we are - I'll keep on checking out these pages and we'll see what discussions we get into. A bit about my current study - Guan Ping Yang Taiji, Kuo/Guo lineage, 3rd generation Chen lao jia with a student of Chen Xiao Wang In Illinois i studied with 2nd and a 1st generation Temple style Yang teachers This stuff takes a lifetime, seems like we might as well enjoy the ride i've heard, read a lot about 'real' chi power and have yet to see anything truly extraordinary, though i have felt and witnessed some intriguing moments One thing i have read and since apply is to do these practices with no attachment to result i hold the Wilhelm/Baynes translation of the I Ching in high regard as a constant source of wisdom i look forward to broadening my connection to true humanity and vitality here and on my other travels, and wish you all the same! -Liufeng Sibi