LBDaoist

I just posted on this earlier today.

Thanks for the replies. Unfortunately none of those vendors have a physical presence in Southern California. For those of you who train with a sword, how did you determine what length you needed? I only have access to two swords. One of them I know for certain is too long. I suppose if all else fails, I can just get one an inch or two shorter than that one.

Thank you all for raising and contributing to this discussion. I have been dabbling in this practice myself and have an insight to share, and some questions. "Focus on the nose" has been discussed in this topic. In my own practice, and based upon some more detailed readings, I interpret this mean that one should focus on the breathing. Specifically, turn the mind to the sensations in the nose while inhaling and exhaling. It has been mentioned in various sources that focusing on the nose is the first step in tuning the breathing, and I think that is what is being alluded to here. It is not a suggestion to go cross eyed and look at the nose. My question has to do with keeping the eyes half closed / half opened. Which do you all find is more effective? I do not feel like I have this figured out yet. What I have experienced is that closing the eyes all the way and then trying to open them just enough to allow some light in generates a lot of tension. Where as relaxing the eyelids to a "half closed" position or "not fully open" position is a lot easier and less distracting. For me, the practice of keeping the eyes somewhat open brings about a more focused, if slightly more "shallow" sense of focus and center. When I meditate with my eyes fully closed, I can "go deeper" into internal awareness, but doing so lacks stability. The sense of "falling into the void" is very real for me.

I want to obtain some of my own swords, both single and double, practice and legitimately sharp swords. Can anyone provide any leads? I need to go somewhere that I can test the various lengths, weights and balance on various blades. Thanks in advance.

You are either cultivating life, or hastening death. Everything else is a distraction to obscure the one true reality. Discuss as you see fit.

Everything we put into our bodies influences the quality of our qi. Those who smoke are going to have qi that is less clean than those who breath clean mountain air. Those who consume pre-processed and dead food are going to have less lively qi than those who eat fresh vegetables. Those who drink soda and alcohol will have less pure qi than those who drink clean water. Lao Tzu had something to say that is relevant here. "The fool hears it and falls apart laughing." The sages have passed down certain traditions through the ages for good reason, many of which do not even become evident until the disciplines have been followed for a long period of time. Anyone can walk the Path. There are many false paths and aberrant practices. A wise person once suggested to me that the higher levels of practice can only be built upon a table with four sturdy, equal length legs. Those legs are; health, finances, job/career/profession and relationships. Whenever you consider the validity of a person's teachings, take a look at their life and the stability of their table. It will be a very solid indicator of the depth of their practice. Having said all that, one of my favorite Taoist proverbs is, "If I only meet three people today, one of them can be my teacher." There are plenty of people out there with bad habits who can teach us things.

If you look at them as separate practices, you are already lost.

Is this something that manifests spontaneously during meditation? Is it an image that one consciously focuses upon?

Cool new advance in scientific bone healing. http://science.slashdot.org/story/12/02/07/215239/fracture-putty-can-heal-a-broken-bone-in-days

I am surprised that nobody has mentioned Riley Lee yet. That guy has a whole slew of great CDs. A particular favorite of mine is "Music for Zen Meditation".

The observation of your teacher's that you have shared seems very wise. Good luck in your practice.

Thanks for the replies. This concept of this being a common phenomenia (sp?) and global antennae leads me to wonder if a group of similarly sensitive people could get together, and attune to some of the meta messages that underly society. Perhaps some of the core beliefs that form the foundation of reality. Perhaps it might be possible to manifest positive messages. To offer focused healing energy, or positive affirmations. The combined focus of many acting like a radio transmitter of sorts. I would think it might be best to do it in the evenings, late at night... when most people are asleep and their conscious minds have drifted off.

I would challenge you to consider that comes down to purity of intent, and the ability to simplify. Simplicity is a virtue. The ability to prioritize, and to lose... to give up what we do not need and only hold onto and nurture what improves our lives can be done in any environment. There are some that are more difficult than others. A person tasked with a family and caring for others has less leeway to simply drop their responsibilities. Earning a living can put pressure on all of us. Staying fed and clothed, maintaining a residence to protect us from the element takes time and energy that must be spent earning money, to be traded for our needs. Yet at any time, we can take a moment to be in the moment. We can be with our breath, and allow it to be calm and settled. Once we become calm and tranquil, we can make that manifest in our world and for others. At any time we can accept life as it exists, and become okay with that acceptance. We do not need to retreat from society to accept it. Sooner or later, we all must return to it, even after the longest sabbatical.

Thank you. I always appreciate reading the older texts. Though the themes are repetitive, in that way they are like the path. A well worn groove fformed by repetition. The mind continually tamed and refined, thoughts allowed to leave and in their place, their absence appreciated. I swear that I read these things over and over again for the rest of my life, and never completely get it. Yet every time I read them, understand and internalize them even more.