Aaron

I mean there's always a cause for something happening, not necessarily that there is a meaning in a "god's will" sort of way. Aaron

The only thing you're succeeding in doing DTHE, or little Tulku, as I like to call you, is alienate everyone on this site from ever taking you seriously. Grow up, get a life, it's not all about you. Aaaron

Oh my, you're missing the point again. When was the last time you talked to God and he answered you? Or maybe you've been told God exists for so long that you simply believe without any proof? if you want to believe in God, that's fine, but I believe in the universe and that everything that happens, happens for a reason, and it's not because some old guy with a long beard decided it. Have you ever heard about the Tao? If not, I'd be happy to give you some suggested reading. Aaron edit- Your old nick didn't happen to start with a T and end with U did it?

Hey Matt, I'm happy to hear things are getting better. My advice, as someone who has recovered from alcoholism, go to AA (Alcoholics Anonymous), practice the twelve steps, get a sponsor, and make some friends in recovery. The Twelve Steps may seem a bit overwhelming, but without them I know I never would've been able to get sober. I hope things work out, if you decide not to go to AA, that's fine, but remember you can't drunk if you don't drink. If you want to talk, PM and I'll send you my phone number. Aaron

You're missing the point. It seems like you have the answer to your questions already, so why bother asking them? Aaron

For the insomnia, have her get into a routine before she goes to bed, read a book, meditate, brush her teeth, something that she can do every night before she lays down. Second make sure she doesn't force herself to sleep, but rather goes to bed when she's actually tired. The important thing is to deal with the issues that are causing her to stay up, which may require therapy, or maybe just talking with a friend. Some people feed on anxiety because it's the only thing they know, make sure that your friend knows how to relax and that it's okay to relax. Take her for a walk to the beach or in the woods, someplace quiet and just let the world happen. Don't talk if you don't need to talk, enjoy the silence. Again, therapy may be needed. Of course the easiest way to relax is to take a deep breath and realize you're not the center of the universe. Once you realize this a lot of the things you worry about simply fade away. Aaron

What happens when you realize God doesn't exist and that religion is just a tool to keep people in line? What happens when you realize that death can't exist without life, that it's not dark or evil, or even scary, but rather a natural occurrence within the circle of life? Well you don't worry about silly things like this and focus on important questions like, what am I going to have for dinner tonight? Aaron

Why would an enlightened person feel the need to take drugs or alcohol? The fact that he is enlightened alludes to the fact that he is beyond desires, that he values nothing more than anything else, that the state of drunkenness or intoxication, has no more value than the state he is in right now. This means that he would see through the illusion of drugs and alcohol, the transient nature of the experience both causes one, and instead be rooted in the constant and eternal, which has its root in this moment. Aaron

The Past Paradigms on the site weren't actual medieval paradigms, some were fairly modern paradigms that were proven to be wrong recently. The site on the whole seems wishy washy to me. I don't comment on these types of sites unless I feel they are grossly misleading people and I have to say I think this site is picking and choosing facts to come to their own conclusions. Aaron

Hey Kentucker4, If it's only occurring when you're listening to the track and are about to fall asleep, I would stop listening to the track. I can't tell you exactly what the cause is without knowing what the track actually is, in particular the induction and whether or not ther're using modality and harmonics to augment the induction. I would suggest that relying on the track for sleep for the long term may be detrimental, simply because it can form a dependence that will prevent you from going to sleep naturally. I would suggest the following in lieu of the track, first try sitting meditation prior to bedtime. About 20 minutes before you feel like going to bed, meditate for 15 minutes and then stop. During the five minutes prior to bedtime give yourself time to relax a bit. Also try and use the same routine (minus the hypnosis track) before you go to sleep, i.e. brush your teeth, listen to a little music, whatever you like to do. The process of using a routine will help your body get into the right mode for sleeping. The reason I discourage reliance on hypnosis, is because this is something that shouldn't be difficult for you to achieve without the use of hypnosis. Hypnosis is a tool, but shouldn't be used if you can achieve the same result without it. I recommend sleep tapes for short term use, for instance if you're suffering from a bout of insomnia, but not for long term use. If you have any questions about this, send me a message. I hope you find something that works for you. Aaron edit- Oh, and no you probably aren't experiencing too much chi in your head, but ideally you don't want to be laying down during meditation, unless the particular form or practice requires it.

I posted this in another thread and I'll post it here too, don't try this type of practice without the assistance of a qualified teacher. This level of cultivation is intended for very high level practitioners and in most schools is only taught after the student has MASTERED all the other forms of practice. Pressing on the perineum or PC muscle group can lead to lasting physical damage. I mentioned I had a friend who damaged his urethra using the "million dollar point" method who has already had two surgeries and may require another, but the consensus is the damage has been done and there may be no way to successfully repair it. Currently his bladder is working too hard to expel fluids, which as a result prevents him from releasing all the fluids when he urinates. The worst case scenarios are, he ends up having to wear diapers later in life because he wont be able to stop his urination, or he may have to have a tube to drain the fluids, either way it's not pretty. Now if you still want to fool around with these types of practices, then go ahead, but my warning isn't meant as a reactionary attempt to get people to masturbate or give up on semen retention practices, but rather to understand the full implications of the physical damage that can be caused. With that said, you should also keep in mind that the damage to your jing production can also occur, which as other people have stated, can be irreversible. So even practicing retention through celibacy can cause lasting damage if you don't know what you're doing. If you're experiencing severe physical reactions during ejaculation after beginning semen retention practices, then something to keep in mind is that this type of damage may have occurred and you may need the assistance of a very high level practitioner to undo the blockages. I know this type of practice sounds flashy and fun and seems like a quick way to attain higher levels of cultivation without having to work as hard at it, but keep in mind nothing good comes easy, it requires work and dedication. This especially goes for sexual practices. They aren't intended for the new or even mid-level practitioners, but for those at the very highest level of training. If you're not at that level and you want to practice semen retention, then get to that level and then do it. On a side note, there's nothing wrong with limiting the amount of times you ejaculate, but keep in mind if it starts to cause you undue stress, through physical symptoms or psychological symptoms, then it's time to let it happen. I've added this as an individual thread as well, so that everyone has the opportunity to read it and hopefully learn something about semen retention and its dangers. Aaron

The earliest known sexual teaching in the Taoist tradition did not involve semen retention, but rather cultivating energy during the sexual process and orgasm. The practitioners seemed to enjoy varied forms of sex, the more erotic, the better (i.e. the intensity of the orgasm was directly related to the cultivation of the jing). Semen retention developed after 1000 AD when Confucian puritanism became popular in China and sex was pushed underground. It was a reaction to the taboo nature of sex during that time. It astounds me how many people jump on the retention bandwagon without trying the alternative methods of jing cultivation, that have nothing to do with retention, but release. Aaron

One problem with semen retention is that the misuse of the practice can cause actual physical harm. I have a friend who damaged his urethra using the "million dollar point" method. He had to have two surgeries and may need another. This stuff isn't something to fool around with if you don't know what you're doing or haven't got someone actually walking you through the practice. All the quick and dirty directions are nice, but they aren't going to pay your surgery bills if you screw something up. Get a teacher and stop being cheap trying to learn this stuff online or from a book. Also who the hell is teaching you guys this stuff so early in your practice? This is the final end stage, mastered everything, nowhere else to go level of practice. You can damage your jing production screwing with this stuff if you don't know what you're doing. If you're having nasty physical reactions after an ejaculation, it's not because of the semen retention itself, but because you're not doing the exercises that are meant to go along with it. Someone who knows what they're doing can be celibate with no ejaculation for years, have one, and experience no discomfort. My suggestion, seek a master, and not someone at the local YMCA, but someone who has actually had this training passed down through their lineage. Trust me, you don't want to screw this stuff up. As a side note, there is nothing immoral about masturbation or sex, so if that's the reason you're trying to be celibate, get over it, it's a stupid reason. Aaron

The one question I've never been able to answer and I think can only be answered by a higher level being is why are there holes in donuts? if you ever get an answer can you let me know. I mean this is really driving me crazy. I know the meaning of life, but not why there are holes in donuts. *Sob* *Sob* *Sob* And why can't I wear white before memorial day? That too! Aaron

Well good luck then. I think you've got a good attitude about it. Celibacy isn't a bad thing, but I don't think it's meant to be a lifestyle. I was encouraged to be celibate when I was a teenager and it was a rough experience, even after a few days, now I can go weeks without even having a twitch. I'm sure maturity has something to do with it and maybe that's why most people that practiced sexual retention back in the old days tended to be middle aged, it wasn't as rough on their libido. Aaron

I would still recommend that you practice under a teacher that knows what they're doing. You can actually cause yourself more harm than good if you don't know what you're doing and a video or book aren't sufficient enough for this level of practice, in my opinion. Either way, good luck, but don't kick yourself if it doesn't work out. If you want some practical advice for avoiding porn, you might want to consider what I said earlier and also when you feel the urge to look at porn find something else to do that wont increase the urges. Normally there are periods of time when you experience those urges, but after a few days, sometimes a week or two, they go away and you're fine. It's really like riding out the storm, find someplace safe where you can wait it out. The important thing is to avoid things that will trigger it, like suggestive movies, the beach, etc. Hope that helps. Aaron

Heh... I was wondering if anyone else was going to figure this out. He even says the same things in almost the same exact words, "There are other races of beings much wiser and more compassionate and beautiful than humans on earth. and I would rather hang around evolved beings from other planets and universes than with human beings on earth." Whatever happened to you Tulku? Did you get banned while I was away? Aaron

Umm... if you're smoking a lot of pot of course you're going to be tired and foggy. You can try celibacy, but I would recommend that you start being active, playing sports, getting out and doing stuff, that's the best cure for your lethargy and fogginess. Qigong and Kundalini isn't physical exercise by the way, so you can do that, but don't supplement it for the real thing. In the meantime if you really feel that you need to be celibate, I would recommend just trying to maintain celibacy for a period of time, i.e. make realistic goals, prior to beginning any energy practices. If you are practicing qigong or kundalini, then make sure you're doing it under the guidance of an authentic teacher. The authentic teacher is probably going to look at you like you're a little crazy and ask you why you want to do that? If they don't ask you why, then they're most likely just interested in your money. I know it's hard for people to believe, but I'm not advocating masturbation because I can't maintain celibacy, I can actually go a very long time without having sexual urges of any type, rather I am trying to remind people that it's completely normal to have sexual urges. I think much of this self control comes with age and a decrease in testosterone and all the other chemicals that propel us to procreate. So again, If you decide to become celibate and begin these types of energy practices, make sure it's for the right reason and make sure you have a good teacher to instruct you. Aaron

I'm sorry resonant111 if my suggestion that it's all right to masturbate offended you. I would suggest that you have been brainwashed by the religious majority into believing that sex is bad and evil, that it depletes us of good energy, slowly withers us away, builds negative karma, and the list goes on. The fact is if you can control someone's sexual conduct, you can control how they think and behave. This is the essence of celibacy. In fact celibacy was intended to prevent a monk from having any outside attachments, other than the temple he was a part of, plain and simple. My last comment, there is nothing wrong with you as a person. If you are having negative physical responses then I would say it most likely is in response to the guilt you feel in regards to your actions. Especially if it's only when you look at porn. You can continue to believe that you're on a higher road, but in reality you're just going against the natural order, that's why it's so damn hard for you to stop doing it. Of course you can believe everything you're hearing about enlightenment and high level energy practice, but I know that any good and reliable teacher would never recommend these practices to you until you had reached the highest level of training and were able to understand the full implications of them. I'm sorry if I'm not stroking your ego or telling you that you're doing the right thing, I'm just telling you like it is. If you're still young, I will guarantee you two things, you'll either continue to slip up and masturbate now and again, feeling guilty and miserable in the process, or you will eventually just give up trying to be celibate all together because you just can't do it. Now there is also the chance that you'll make it, but that's very, very, slim. It would take a very strong mind to be able to overcome those urges as a young man and most young people just haven't attained that degree of strength yet. Good luck with whatever you choose. Aaron

Actually it would be quite simple, it just isn't going to happen, because government intrusion into people's lives means big corporate bucks. Also Lao Tzu didn't even say roll it back to feudal lords, he said that a wise ruler governs his land without the people knowing he was doing it. Lao Tzu also advocated ignorance of the populace. He essentially said, keep the population simple and they're less likely to understand that things could be better and hence they'll be less likely to want more or revolt. He also advocated not placing value on things, in order to reduce competition, but then what's the point in being rich. Of course too many people take the straw dogs passage out of context, sort of like taking one line that you like and leaving out all the others that say to do otherwise. a lot of people I might consider to be sociopaths tell me that "Tao treats all things like straw dogs" in order to counter his comments regarding compassion and tolerance. In the end I get the impression it's just to justify their notion that whatever they want to do is fine. Anyways, it doesn't matter, nothing is going to change as a result of this thread, so maybe we need to stop taking all of this stuff so seriously? Aaron

The answer is don't watch porn. Keep in mind men are much more visually aroused than women, hence the reason we tend to be more attracted to pornography. If you're having a problem and looking at porn is causing you to feel guilty, then try to find an alternative to watching porn, fantasy, sex with a partner, etc. In the end I see nothing inherently wrong with sex, but there is some question in my mind about the use of pornography, especially hardcore pornography that degrades women, as a tool for sexual release. In the end the decision is up to you, but I would recommend that while you're still a young teen up til your early-twenties, that it may be extremely hard to abstain from sex completely, so maybe you should set more realistic goals and be careful of setting up extremes in your life. If you're suffering because of your abstinence, then is it really helping you, unless you're intent on being a martyr? Aaron Edit- Above all, don't feel guilty because you have a desire to have sex, it's natural and normal. If what you're doing is not harming you or others, then there is no need to feel bad. By harm I mean causing you physical or emotional harm, I don't mean causing angels to cry or Buddha to 'tsk, tsk'. Much of the emotional baggage we carry regarding sex is a result of our childhood. My firm belief is that we are not born bad or sinful and nothing that arises from us naturally is bad or sinful, that includes lust, rather it is our actions towards others that cause harm. So be more intent on the harm and less on the sin.

I would say that there is absolutely no reason why the TTC couldn't be applied to modern state and world politics. The general consensus within the TTC is that the government should have as little impact and involvement in the citizen's life as possible. The TTC was written for the ruler, and only the most naive and stubborn reader will argue otherwise, but I think the application of the TTC to modern government just requires that one change their view of what government is supposed to do and be. I would assume that practicing Taoists would most likely avoid the republican and democratic parties because they tend to gravitate towards the extremes of right and left and instead consider themselves to be non-partisan moderates. Aaron

I would warn against the idea of unconditional love. I don't think it exists, since it's very much an emotional response to stimulus. Compassion exists and one can practice compassion, but even then it always has a condition. The easiest way to blind ourselves is to believe that we can overcome conditions within this existence, since even our ability to breathe is reliant upon a condition. The only way you could have unconditional love is if you existed in an unconditional world. Aaron

Are we talking about Buddhism or just him in general? I don't see how his message is much different from the numerous Rinpoches and such out there. Aaron

Although there is nothing wrong with masturbation (you really don't want to get me started on that topic) it's also important not to mistake lust for love. Yes sex can and often does have a love component, but it can also just be sex. You see a cute girl you don't know, you don't love them, but you are attracted to them. In this sense realize that you can enjoy sex and not have it be about love and nothing is wrong with that, but in the same way, having sex within someone you deeply care about can be one of the most satisfying experiences in your life. Also remember to give Mr. Jiggles a rest now and again. There's more to life than sex. Enjoy it, but don't let it cloud all the other beautiful things the universe has to offer. Aaron