Daeluin

Is adjusting the strike to avoid the shield provisionalist?

Understanding the nature of how the optic nerves cross in the optic chiasm, and how the visual cortex is in the back of the brain, helps me to appreciate the connection between the eyes and the left-brain right-brain division. In addition there seems to be something special related to the meridians around the eyes and nose, and how they cross from left to right as well. I'm told in vipassana there is focus on the cleft in the middle of the upper lip, or the area underneath the nostrils. Interestingly, the acupuncture point here is called "man's middle", a point where the energies of the governing and conception vessel's meet, affecting a union and harmonization of yin and yang with the breath. The Large Intestine channel crosses itself at this point. The Large Intestine channel also meets at the spine between the shoulders. The higher up the nostrils, the closer to the eyes, which have their own relationship to breath. Remember to the ears are connected to the nasal passages. Putting all of it together in practice helps me balance awareness of the criss-crossing, left-right nature of the energy flow. Often focusing on breathing inward from my ears helps me more correctly align my neck, pulling my chin in and up. Affecting a slight smile also helps an uplifting of qi to the place where the spine meets the back of the skull, and helps stimulate the flow of chi between the teeth, which in turn seem to interact with the channels around the eyes/nose. The SotGF refers to the eyes as the sun and the ears as the moon, if I recall correctly. I find it interesting that focusing on breathing from the ears helps me to relax deeper into my spine, even as the Large Intestine channel meets underneath the nose and also at the spine between the shoulders. The Large Intestine channel is the counterpart of the Lung channel, both part of the metal channel and related to the breath. So I think the half-open, cross-eyed eye position is to assist in attuning to the natural criss-crossing of energies... as well as helping to stay alert by allowing some light to enter the eyes. While in this state, perhaps get deeper while maintaining stability by bringing awareness to the ears / visual cortex area, and allowing the unification of the whole head area to rest upon the breath deeper and deeper into the body. Please take all this with a grain of salt... just remember that focus on a specific part of the whole is only a temporary tool to assist in slipping into awareness of the whole.

Can the true function of God remain true when described with words? The key seems to be in understanding how to demonstrate what is hidden, using hidden methods. The operation of God is beyond the scope of discussion - if you want to understand God, become God. Book Ziporyn, Zhuangzi, Ch 2, on the subtlety of God and creation, and how the Sage operates within:

Zhuangzi and Laozi do make some pretty good points about avoiding placing value where others might attempt to control it for their own use, or cut it down to size. Zhuangzi and Laozi also advise hiding the inner and expressing naturally - but naturally doesn't mean hacking and slashing indiscriminately, it means so as to adapt to the situation harmoniously, only stirring things up that will affect beneficial change. db isn't the first I've seen to slice and slash about without discrimination or worry, coming from an "enlightened" perspective. Trouble is, even though such methods are great at breaking apart stagnation and challenging the fixed status quo of the ego, it tends cause all manner of reaction, and the focus of the conversation keeps revolving around the reaction and not the subtlety. Further, even when a master is selective about what they stir up in this manner, they can easily fall into the trap of presuming they know the lesson the other needs to hear. I've had strings which needed tugging, tugged, but in the wrong direction for my path. It resulted in confusion and took some struggling to get through it. Hey, maybe it's the way I needed to go through that particular awakening, but it also caused other types of attachments and fears to be created. Remaining unselective and creating friction without minding, is merely choosing to not walk two roads: Parallels from martial arts seem to resonate. Hard external fighting is inherently brutal, forceful, but when applied softly and with skill, the master is able to slip past all attacks and end up inside whichever blind spot - it would be easy for them to issue a killing blow, but rather they give a light tap, and the dance continues thusly until the attacker is exhausted. Such training is internally developmental, and also cultivates trust and intuition. From what I can tell, the low, hidden road is more effective - when used with skill, one hits the mark and causes specific change. Even when it misses the mark, it is oft ignored without causing ripples. Both Zhuanzi and Laozi advise changing others with sly subtlety, so that their will is imposed without notice, so that others change on their own. This is a transmission of change without any external expression, without force, without loss of efficiency from friction of confusion causing internal or external ripples. The mere evidence that others consistently react to threads like this is invitation for change, so that more efficient transmission may be affected. But more likely those who create threads like this are satisfied with the resulting friction. Those who are unsatisfied with the friction may as well learn to not fall into the trap others remain content to create.

Sometimes words of truth are simple, flowing like water to the lowest paths, to mingle among the masses, even as the subtlety of simplicity flows unperceived by the masses. Perhaps deci belle's words stand out more like a towering spire of rock, a pillar of brightness that must be climbed up, words whose subtlety may not be easily slipped past unknowing, but must be held to by choice and effort expended to understand. The top is an eyrie, a bastion not easily reached, and many will fall in their attempts to climb up. Thus it seems to be in db's threads frequently heard are the shouts of those who fall. Myself I've merely been looking with my spyglass, not daring to take the climb just yet, aware of the dangers and sensing the rewards. Not a necessary climb - after all the same truths may be found in the lowlands hiding in plain sight - but I like adventure too!

Studying the flow of life through the lens of taoist perspective, has shown me the importance of dissolving polarity. The "Best" is simply one side of a polarity including the "Worst", and to look at anything as one side of a polarity is to leave the center of the whole and invite division, separation. When the whole is divided, parts need names. The tao is the root of the whole, between all division. The ways to find the whole are many and describe the operation of harmonizing polarity between various parts using various techniques, approaching from various angles. What helps me the most is to maintain sincerity and aim at the whole, then study the ebb and flow, wax and wane of all the cycles of polarity in the changing circumstances in my life. The more I simplify my life, the simpler to discern the warp and weft, and the easier it becomes to maintain equanimity even when in extreme circumstances, though awareness of the balancing factor. Feeling the ice of winter in the midst of summer; willing emptiness and lowness even after the most powerful cultivation sessions; holding awareness of highest refinement even when completely unrefined; maintaining soberness when surrounded by drunken delirium; remaining desire-less when surrounded by expression of unrestrained desire; exhibiting spontaneity when surrounded by over strong righteousness and sobriety, ever balancing yin and yang, ever harmonizing the wuxing, ever completing the circle, one may naturally stumble upon the tao in their own way. The I Ching remains an unparalleled teacher in navigating balance within infinite layers of change. And finally... to truly affect the above requires surrendering of control to allow the deeper polarities to merge and allow the more natural operations to emerge.

This reminds me of "not daring to be ahead of anything else" and "what is cast down must first be raised up", two of my favorite concepts of the tao te ching, which are applied in behaving like water, voluntarily flowing to the lowest places. "When the whole is divided, parts need names." When labels are bestowed, polarity is branded. Pretty and plain. What identifies as pretty has something to defend and maintain. What identifies as plain needs defend no title. The Saint who identifies as a Saint is not a Saint. The main message I see in all this, is that when one cultivates, one changes and refines. As one's virtue, beauty, skill, power, etc, become greater, to acknowledge this change is to raise something up and to have something to defend. When something must be defended, it is difficult for it to continue to grow. "Where sincerity is, the way is open." Thus the Sage places sincerity on being humble, compassionate, frugal, and not daring to be ahead. Thus the Sage dissolves any hint of identified value - the fire always being brought down to merge with the water - and thus sincerity forever placed low, growth is without limit. Indeed, why should suffering not be embraced as part of the whole? What part of the whole is not beautiful? What is ugly that is not also beautiful? They have the same root. What point in labeling pieces of the whole?

Lifting a leg in the air is a good way to discern if you are top heavy. If your energy is too high you'll likely wobble until you fully relax the leg holding the weight, filling it with qi. Being able to relax in horse stance is another sign your qi has sunk low enough to then turn around and support you from below. This is where the power comes from - but it starts from the LDT first, is sent down to the legs and feet before rebounding off the earth as grounded power. So one first needs to dissolve blocked energy in the legs. The movement of the arms is just a reflection of the movement in the legs. The knee spirals one way and the chi is channeled upwards and the shoulder spirals the opposite direction. The blocked chi in the lower body is a reflection of the blocked chi in the upper body/head. In my experience, getting energy to my feet with any power coincided with full mental emptiness, and I could feel the connection between them. Just as our physical body walks around by pressing off from the earth, our mental body can do the same. Recommended reading.

In my personal experience, when I have a lot of power and go on with my day after training is over, I need to be very careful about maintaining awareness on cycling energy through my whole body, centered on my LDT. When I do this, I am able to remain empty and humble. Otherwise, the energy naturally rises to the chest and head and wants to radiate outward. There is a recognition of my power and the feeling of being able to do anything.... alas in this state it is too easy to dominate others and fail to listen fully to the present situation. I've seen this a lot, especially in those who do a lot of energy work consistently. This is basically allowing the cultivated energy to overflow, rather than taking it to deeper levels of refinement within and ultimately sealing it within the marrow, bones, etc, storing it without expression until it refined and balanced enough to be applied in True Unity/Golden Elixir/Mysterious Pass, etc. The more refined, the more refined the expression of overflowing. Yet it is still overflowing. This principle is related to hexagram 28. I believe the Tao Te Ching advises one to not dare to be ahead of anything else as related to this concept. When one never acknowledges one's power or puts it to use, the waxing virtue never culminates and so never changes polarity.

You ask a lot of questions. Answers only come from within.

Desire is only limited by one's imagination The absolute quantification of yin and yang is impossible as they are not mutually exclusive, and contextually bound only by the limits of imagination. They are both. Every cause has an effect. Every movement causes an outward ripple. When it catches upon the world it will ripple back and forth until it reaches us again. Nothing we do is without effect, and the Tao speaks to us without cessation. Some neglect to listen deeply enough. When the unfolding of dimensions created the duality of self vs other, inside vs outside. Before this there was no friction within transformation. The merging and unification of yin and yang is most mysterious, and one of the goals of Internal Alchemy. The splitting apart of yin and yang as creation unfolds implies prior contact. dragon and tiger wood and metal benevolence and righteousness left and right Those familiar with the USA coastlines may be able to see clearly how the West Coast expresses a strong wood energy while the East Coast is strongly metal. Remember, we live on a globe; East and West are ever relative, as is their scope. The seed of one is ever present within the other. To see clearly one simplifies the noise of life until the expressions of the fundamental come to the forefront. You seem very interested in studying Yang and Yin. I support Beyonder's suggestion for studying the Yi Jing - the book of changes between yin and yang.

Wen and Wu and the artful application of Words

opendao, would you be interested in starting a thread to discuss Wen and Wu?

I've found a certain exercise to be particularly helpful with balancing and refining. It is an eagle and bear exercise. In low horse stance, start with embracing lower dan tien, then come up out of horse stance with arms stretched out to the sides, parallel to the surface of the earth, fingers extended to the tips. Then come back down. At first expand when coming up, contract when coming down. Feel the spiraling, don't be linear. Allow the arms to come up a little more to the back, and down a little more to the front, like an eagle flapping wings. When coming down and near the lower dan tien again, embrace with bear claws, gathering. Allow energy to extend all the way out to finger tips when coming up, and practice turning the light around. This is where refining kicks in, as when you come back down for contraction, allow the energy to turn around from the finger tips as it contracts, like making a circuit in the body. At first the turning around will feel forced, but as it becomes more refined, it will be smooth, and when coming down the elbows can sink and just allow gravity to pull you down, soaring like an eagle on the wind, floating on the refined softness of the qi pressure as it contracts. Breathe in from 3rd eye, into upper, then middle, then lower dan tien, thus working and balancing all three. Explore holding low, embraced at ldt, or hold when arms are stretched out, sinking into low posture while holding. Be aware of the feel of energy in the arms when up or down and help use it to balance the heaviness or lightness in your energy. Most need extra work on legs, and is helpful to only focus on expanding into legs at first, and using the movement of the legs to be what moves the arms. Feel the connection between the legs and arms, as this too is part of the 5 element refinement. In advanced work explore other ways of breathing. Use this to augment other training... it helps to already have dissolved blockages and cultivated circular energy momentum. Very helpful for dissolving ego in long sets... aim for 360 repetitions, slowly. Repeat daily. Great way to deeply unify and refine energy. Otherwise I experience the issues you described. Spot on with your post, thanks! Edit: Found another source describing this exercise... I wonder if this is where my teacher found it. http://neigong.net/2006/06/05/the-mighty-warrior-exercise/

Well, I'm just quoting the Tao Te Ching. What is discussed may lead the Tao, but the nature of words is ever changing. There are no facts that can survive in the form of words. The OP lists "analytical mind" and "formal maintaining of the teaching lineage" as inconsistent methods. But I also see that from your perspective, Neidan methodology is a factual experience, expressed through precise words. I hope this continues to work for you and help you to evolve. I agree. One should study principle, and then go beyond the mind and study what is real. I wonder where the first master came from... I hear that you do not practice using words, but use words to help bring the teachings of Neidan to students. I suppose I have been confused by how you appear to do battle with words, often attaching to a fixed perspective and using force so that others will hear you. But you did tell me you do this intentionally, and like seeing how others react, so perhaps this is part of your practice too. I am taught that fighting enforces polarity, whether inside or outside, and to become whole one dissolves polarity. But clearly we have different schools and masters, and I do not wish to advocate any practice that would go counter to the way you are going, as that would also create polarity. Thus I would like to offer an apology for getting in your way in this thread. Even though I did not resonate with your methodology for teaching, in many instances I chose to battle with you. I feel I was reactive and judgmental, and regardless of whether or not I had good intentions, I largely was feeding polarity. I am sorry for this. I encourage you to follow the way that works for you.

The true Tao cannot be discussed with words, understood with concepts or practiced using methods. Neidan methods, principles, and the path they take one down are designed to lead truly, as much as possible. But only some people may be able to "hear" and "understand" this path as described by these words and applied by those teachers. Don't you see? It's all different, everywhere you go. The energy changes every day, every hour, every moment in subtle ways. The principles of the I Ching help one learn to listen to these changes, and the vision of a master helps to guide students to adjust their Neidan work according to these changes, but the Student needs to ultimately learn to adapt to their changing circumstances on their own. If someone only clings to written words, one does not learn to adapt to changing circumstances, and attempts to use HouTian Xing to cultivate Xian Tian Xing. Neidan gives a wonderful framework, but if one does not understand how to adapt flexibly to one's situation, one cannot "Walk two paths." Then Neidan just becomes yet another inconsistent method.

A path that leads to Tao is true. No paths lead to Tao. All paths lead to the Tao. Sticking with any single set of methods is temporary.

Do you want to kill chaos?

frameworks may be useful in helping us map our perspective in the whole. knowing our root, and sensing connection to the whole, we can get out of the way of everything in between. getting out of the way, one cultivates emptiness and is filled. remaining empty is the key to remaining full. remaining full, one finds one's center within. remaining empty, one finds one's center without. finding one's center within and without, one slips beyond what some call illusion into a deeper, mysterious layer. letting yin and yang unfold as they will, one merges with life and nature. not attaching to yang and yin, one is not trapped or encumbered by their workings. by actively living and embodying the realization that one yang and one yin equal tao, one maintains one's center in this deeper reality.

I agree it is important to avoid being waylaid by false paths. The point is to follow the true paths, the ones that lead to the Tao. I hope others realize that just because they may achieve results using a certain path, does not make all other paths bad. What is important is that one aims truly and gets somewhere. If they don't get somewhere following one path they need to recognize this and change. Limiting one's perspective is what causes one to become lost. While some preach on and on about false paths, others are getting closer to the way by following true paths. Some are limiting their perspective by studying what texts say about false paths, and attaching to this rather than being liberated by this. It all comes down to projecting change upon others. Force doesn't work it closes people off. People change when trust is built, when they are open and accepting, not defensive. More to the point, it is clear to me that my words haven't been listened to, thus posting this is a false method simply because it is energy applied where it will not have anything close to the desired effect.

Practicing the main principles is what lead me to results. The framework of a class and teacher mainly helped me to be consistent with my practice, and most of my development kicked in with regular practice at home. Turning the light of the mind around helps one develop awareness of one's edges and leaks. It trains one to listen instead of seeking. Breathing in from the upper dan tien through the middle to the lower dan tien trains full body energy awareness and development. Along with turning the light around and cultivating a fine, soft breath, one cultivates a deep and refined qi. In my experience sticking to these basic principles allowed things to develop naturally over time. The manual is similar to a map. It talks about landmarks one can't miss, and how to know if you're missing the mark. But to move across the map requires more doing than thinking.

In addition to the 4 shantung classic forms, my school also has a five "element" form, which combines the 4 majors + empty hand into a seamless dance of the phases. I haven't learned these yet, but I agree, it seems that dancing with the weapon of a certain phase in ways which express that phase would be a good way to explore that phase deeper. And I think also to explore how to transition through all the phases even though one might have stronger gravity to one in particular, due to the weapon one is holding. This is rather similar to Chinese Astrology, where the Heavenly Stem of the day we are born determines the phase we most identify with and see out from the perspective of. Thus to a metal phase person, or a person wielding a dao, the water phase is how that person expresses (metal creates water). Perhaps this explains why the dao's expression is so water-like and flowing, while the water phase jian is so piercing in its expression (water creates wood), even though the essence of the form is water-like. The same exploration can be made in terms of what the main phase controls, is controlled by, and is nourished by, and one can learn how the strengths and weaknesses of one weapon against another, and apply strategies depending on the situation. Again, not limiting to one phase alone, but understanding how to apply all the phases through mediums (the weapon and the person) biased to one. I too am curious about these 26 energies. When I think about it I come up with many more. For example, even on the layer of bagua, there are more than 8 if we take into account the interaction of the pre-celestial and post-celestial. To my sense these arrangements operate on different dimensions. Also they already incorporate the 5 elements (see ho and lo diagrams). Are we using the 12 branches? The 12 branches are the five phases mixed with yin and yang, but in the earthly perspective, which following principles of the earth generates 2 extra earths. These can be simplified to the 6 directions of energy (which I think coincide with the six qi's mentioned in Zhuangzi), up, down, forward, back, left, right, each with a yin and a yang, or an inside and outside, expansion and contraction. I can think of lots of ways to blend and balance the different arrangements (though to me they are somewhat infinite in expression), but I can't quite hone in on "26". Perhaps Taomeow is willing to share more about this framework.

I would surmise it depends on the moves you execute. Each weapon can represent each of the five phases, depending on what you're doing with it. The wuxing phases are primarily types and vectors of motion (and more, of course -- all phenomena ultimately arise from these, if you throw in the bagua directions and yin-yang, they pretty much describe everything that can happen to anything.) The taiji weapon in motion will manifest the interactions of the five phases, the eight directions, and the yin-yang dynamics. To a total of 26 types of taiji energies, times all their possible combinations. What I call a "taiji energy" is not li and not qi, it's a combination of a wuxing phase of qi with a direction of the bagua and the yin-yang dynamics manifesting at a particular moment. Our physics is not equipped to describe this kind of complexity. Biophysics might, someday... if it adopts the taoist approach. This. Where I train we learn tai ji, bagua, xing yi... but after that we learn some of our teacher's own forms, which are a blend of bagua footwork with tai ji principle. They are very circular, and designed for multi-opponent work like bagua. But it's all about learning to take the energy cultivation to a new level. The more I get deeper into these circular forms, the more I change. The coiling, spiraling power of tai ji principle is alive in the whole body, able to come from oneness into any expression of Taomeow's 26 types of energies. Tonight we were doing some staff drills and Sifu said the staff may be the wood phase, but you are all the phases, and invited us to be more dynamic in our expression of the different parts of the drill. He is always emphasizing that martial arts are to make people better people, and encouraging us to get over ourselves and develop our minds through change, discipline, and the internal. In my experience in this school, one of the most healing aspects has been this full spectrum of change. Whether it is holding postures that cycle through the eight bagua energies, doing a tai ji form or other forms, it is the cycling through of multiple changes of energy that come at whatever is stuck inside me from so many angles that it cannot remain stuck for long. I may not know exactly how to identify the placement and shape and expression of this stuck energy, as it is so frequently sitting in my blind spots, but a full spectrum of change is certain to do the trick.

Ah.... the ebay sword I found has these fittings: http://www.wle.com/products/NineDragonSword.html Though the blade is ~20 years old and folded steel. Probably about the same weight and length as the one listed there. But hilt and scabbard are copper, and the fittings are painted brass. The tang goes all the way through to the end of the pommel where it has been hot peened, snugly holding the handle assembly in place without screws. I also noticed there's some folded paper at the very bottom of the scabbard... can't get it out but it has chinese characters on it - can tell from the little bits sticking through the holes in the bottom fitting. Perhaps this contains info on the maker/family.... or maybe was just something at hand used to help the sword fit snuggly into the scabbard. I wonder if the fittings are held close and only used by one family... or if some of them are shared. If the former it is possible I have a Shen blade as well. I'm told it was picked up by the buyer in Shanxi... long way from Long Quan, but also home to Mt Hua. Looks like the other one is still up for sale on ebay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/S312-HANDMADE-CHINESE-WUSHU-SWORD-SAMURAI-KATANA-COPPER-DRAGON-SHEATH-DAMASCUS-B/131261425168

Lost my hair-ties.... my hair kinda has a mind of it's own, and at least in the month of Leo I figured I'd let it do it's thing without forcing it back. But it's nice to have it held out of the way for class. Sometimes I can braid it back and it'll just stay like that, being thick and wavey. Anyway... it occurred to me one might be able to use the above principle to make your hair do whatever you want. Crazy hair stylings without lots of artificial goups and sprays and ties. Sorry for the tangent.... though I suppose one could also form a Jian out of hair. Hey it could be like a flexy Jian OR a whip!