Harmonious Emptiness

"Thinking" in English rarely means anything but "inner dialogue/意/sound in the mind." For zazen, this is obviously not the focus. Focus or contemplation might be better words, though most any culture nowadays associates any mind activity with inner dialogue, which most any meditation masters of past and present would first seek to clear from the mind, generally by re-aligning the focus. I wouldn't rule out that there are useful meditations, such as vipissanna, where one should not move and maybe just focus on why one wants to move if they feel the need to. Same for meditations that let the body move if the energy is trying to get through somewhere and the body feels it needs to shift a bit to let energy go where it's trying to going. Really depends on contexts... imo.

It's been a little while since I got deeper into this book (Cleary translation), and even though there is an obvious component of simplicity to it, there is also an obvious component of sitting and focusing non-focus or whatever paradoxical wei wu wei description we can call it. I find a lot of descriptions of internal alchemy seem to simply describe what happens to energies internally during focused sitting meditation, rather than a desciption of what you should try to do with your will to make these things happen. I think this is one way in which Northern and Southern influences can be pointed to, and imo, Secret of the Golden Flower is more of a Northern method, however, there are certainly energetic components spoken of, no doubt. See Chapter VIII for example. I don't think "turning the light around" is a method of "oh, I've got to find this light and then somehow turn it around" but more simply just putting attention into internal focus rather than the senses, and thus the mind, being focused outward as they are normally adjusted to. So, personally, I would say that it's not so much to one extreme or the other, being neither a conscious manipulation of energy nor an entirely non-energetic practice. I took a bit of a look at the Wilhelm version with the Cleary version, and the original sinograms, and I think that they are both quite close to each other and the original. A quick example, the first line: 自然曰道。道無名相. 性命不可見。 Self/real/called/Dao. Dao/without/name/appearance. Xing/Ming/not/able/see. 一性而已。一元神而已 One/Xing(nature, heart)/is the end, one's self. One/primal-first/spirit/is the end, one's self. Then this is put in a readable sentence for English. So "Essence and Life" as usual in translations refer to Xing and Ming. For a bit more understanding of what "Life/Ming/Destiny" refers to, I recommend reading again Chapter 16 of the DDJ: My translation, mix of Wang Bi and MWD 1&2 versions You can see my Personal Practice Discussion for a bit more on Chapter 16 and Ming, if interested. (edited to clean up Golden Flower translation)

First thing that comes to mind is focus on love and forgiveness.

I could can share a meditation that will help you open the heart center and reconnect to your feeling toward the outside world, but you would have to have some patience and interest in meditation

Thank a lot tccii. The first link has about 7 chapters before the main chapters start. Is the 360doc.com link the "trucated version" which Cleary says Wilhelm translated? Do you know of any historical reasons why the first link has these 7 additional chapters? thanks again. Happy Christmas all

Smudging with sage, above head to below feet, hands, face, back, etc. Did that today before going into the storm of Christmas shoppers. Thank the four directions, the Heavens, the Earth, and the Creator, for the good in life at the end. This can also help to protect you from negative energies, and thus even bring a little light to those who can't see it in the midst of darkness.

Well, I think even if I was qualified to get you beyond that point, I'm not sure I could do so via this medium. If you can find an abbot or experienced monk to help, that would be the best move at this point, I think, beyond just keep practicing. Sometimes meditating with someone who has gone there can help you move further.

This sort of sums it up for me, though I'm going solely by personal impression/experience. Seems to me like the solar plexus connects the LDT to the MDT, but more likely is the lower regions of the MDT which includes both heart, the solar plexus, and maybe the thymus area above. In Chi Gong, the dan tien can be expanded like a radiating energy body, so to try and pinpoint "this is where it is, meridian point such and such" is probably not so necessary. If I remember correctly (don't have it with me right now) in Michael Lomax's book, he mentions that his teacher says the lower dantien is "the entire space between the pubic area and the navel, within the body." This is somewhat different from the precision that many describe its location with, but given the expanding potential of the lower dantien, and Master Lomax's teachers' practical healing abilities, I see no reason to search further for an answer on that one. I suspect that the middle dantien is also a larger area, likely including the adrenals, liver, spleen, heart, and thymus, ie. upper part of the triple burner, but again, that's just how it seems to me... edit: ah, just saw ZYD's response.. probably wise to go with Jerry Allan Johnson's instructions.

My first guess is that there was some pressure buildup from all the energy, the release is regulated by tension and release which might change the velocity of release and the harmony of pitch. Sometimes feel like it's possible to flex the energy in there. Focusing on the pitch probably helped maintain right balance of tension while possible finding a pitch that stimulates a part in the brain conducive to the energetic experience. Like a natural ultrasound therapy.

Is it possible for people to be dogmatically anti-dogmatic?

Another thing to be said about it is that MJ can release the essences from the organs, which may even be useful for someone at some times if the essence is not circulating, but just like release of jing, overuse will deplete the essences, especially of the liver/brain/wood as has been/is said to be strong wood.. so overuse weakens the liver/brain which imbalances the Five Part Harmony (... ah, finally a word for it!))

Here's my thoughts of the present moment on it.. the brain is connected to the liver/wood element. The water element/kidney essence nourishes Wood element. This is that feeling. Been there, I know what you're talking about. It's right nice, but it's powerful and can lead to kundalini syndrome... that said, it's the brain being nourished by the water essence, and is nice for the eyes to shine

Ha, you just reminded me of something I was going to write earlier, which I picked up from Master of Demon Valley. It was speaking about momentum or something like that, and how it can be interrupted. Knowing how easy it is to cause a musical trainwreck by interrupting rhythm, when the neighbour started getting all excited and stomping all over the floor, I waited to find the pulse and flow of his excitement and dropped a noise in between it. This usually threw him off his course and ended his bouncing about.. for the time being... Some might think that sinister, but it was a effective, quick, and nobody's nerves got too out of sorts. So you could try that temporarily. when he starts banging on the walls, make a noise against his beat and it might put his crazy train to a halt. I think street hypnotists do something like this as well. interrupting with something unexpected.

Hi Yawa I was about to respond here, but decided to add to a topic I started a while back. Post #21 in the Calm Spaciousness thread was what I was going to say here. best in your journey 咊

Thought this would be a good topic as quieting the mind is an important part of Taoist meditation, as well as other meditations, and is an often heard cause of frustration especially in earlier stages. Of course, not everyone here is a teacher, but we can still share what works for us, as it may work for others. For myself, I employ a method which I think I read about in "Opening the Dragon Gate," or else a book by the Dalai Lama, and that is: when a thought comes in, quickly judge it either "good" or "bad" and then let it go. for example, a thought comes in, "I wonder if I'll stop thinking soon" - bad. Let it go. another example, "focus on Emptiness" - good. Let it go. Of course, you might judge these in reverse depending.. It usually takes me a few minutes before thoughts start to disappear, and maybe 10-15 minutes before I enter a more transcendental state. Sometimes less, rarely more.. I've been meditating for about 5 years. [edit: on occassion I'll do percentage breathing to get started, as this slows everything down] I also think it's important to let the thoughts cease as much as possible rather than whipping them down, so I don't mind taking 5 minutes or so to get into the meditation and let whatever thought inertias I have work themselves out before I go to the "house of Calm Spaciousness" (quoting from a Taoist text: "Calm spaciousness is the house of Spiritual Light") where thoughts are naturally absent. When I am in that place, rather than being aware of thoughts, I become aware of my body, or at least the energy in my body and the way it moves, expands, settles, purges, draws, rises, nourishes, etc..... Perhaps I'm a bit rogue in my methods, but, for me this second stage is the most essential and beyond that is like "nice if you get it" but for purposes of holistic health, I'm content with it. A few thoughts might pop up once in a while once I'm there but they don't draw from my awareness of this state which is essentially a still form of Chi Gong by some descriptions. I feel that my musical training has also been useful to develop attention and intent(ion), so other things people do to develop concentration might also assist their endeavour. Getting beyond this stage to becoming one with Emptiness might happen eventually, but I'll leave that to those more qualified to speak about it.. hope this is helpful to someone..

Some thoughts on calm-spaciousness: It takes time, but if you give it time you will start to realize in your meditation those thing you read about. I think the main idea is attention rather than thinking. Put your attention on all experiences during meditation and eventually the thought energy will be channeled to clear minded awareness. It might take 25 minutes or so before it starts and thoughts have finally drifted by and you are left with the clear blue sky. Eventually it won't take so long, maybe 10 or even 5 minutes. Then even less. Just follow the way of the heavens. Look at the clouds. They are like the true essence of mind. The wind-gusts are like thoughts that arise. Clouds allow these to push them up a bit, move, change shape a bit, but they continue on the path of the greater wind unimpeded, without being side tracked by these little wind gusts. It's the same with meditation. We have a course of the greater wind, and we let the smaller wind-gusts come through without their influence redirecting us. We don't seek them, nor do we resist them. In time, we know which is the real trajectory and which is just wind-gust. As the Yin Talisman Scripture begins: "Observe the Way of Heaven/Sky. Keep it with you in all activities. Persist in this to the very end." Next time you have a song stuck in your head, and you're moving to it's beat and tempo, try observing the clouds, and take their movement as the time-keeper in your pulse. See how they let the little things roll by without effort or disturbance. I tried this the other day, influenced by the opening line of the Yin Talisman Scripture, and so much started to come together in terms of seeing how Taoists learn wisdom from nature.

Seems I never linked an earlier discussion about the lines regarding straw dogs to this thread. Some analysis of the sinograms there which took sort of an indirect route to the original post that the lines meant that the Sage sees through hierarchical titles or lack thereof when considering appropriate action.

I've dealt with a similar issue quite a bit. First thing is that if you have to ask a neighbor to quiet down, introduce yourself first. Start with "Hi how's it going? I live next door." This is always an important starter, at least shows that you respect the person's time and if it's a good to talk for a minute. It also keeps you from starting off like "look A-hole, I'm gonna tell you how it's gonna be." Then, like thelerner said, your asking him a favour "I can't concentrate with this noise and need this banging on the walls to stop." If this doesn't work, you tried to give him a chance, so if the cops show up and bust him for possession, he had it coming it appears.

Thanks. Not sure if that was meant as a response to my request, but what I'm looking for is an online text of the Chinese sinograms, which can be copy+pasted.

edit... whoops, wrong chapter.

Thanks for your response Li Jiong!

Could anybody point me towards an online Chinese version of Secret of the Golden flower, please?

Does anyone know much about Siddha Boganathar, also known as Bogar? Some people say he travelled to China and was the real author of the Tao Te Ching. Some say he brought Indian Alchemy to China. Some say he had a flying machine. I don't know much about that, you can read a bit about him Here I think this is mythologizing based probably on some arbitrary evidence, personally, but it goes to show how highly esteemed he and his Alchemic writings are. I did read most of The Yoga of Siddha Boganathar (vol. 2) and highly recommend it to anyone who practices Alchemy, Kundalini, or any similar practices. Has anyone studied anything from or about this mystical character?

Haven't read it, but it doesn't quite fit that a culture from 5000 BC, who travelled for trade to the far East, and who had these maths and sciences already well developed maybe 3000 years before any irrefutably dated history can be ascribed to Chinese civilization, would have learned these things from China first who's irrefutable history gets foggy by about 1000 BC. Some of the earliest temples were built using the Fibonacci formula too. Doesn't quite make sense that they learned it from the Chinese by that time.

This is also very much the idea of the latter half of Chapter 16 I would say. Your post here also reminded me of a conversation I was having with a friend last night, about God and Taoism, trying to figure out what word might have been translated as "God" in a Taoist text. Then she said "so they don't believe in God?" so I explained. "The difference, I think, is that Judeo-Christians ascribe a personality to God, whereas Taoists see things operating the same way as if God was in charge, but they don't ascribe a personality, they just call it The Way. This could make sense too from a Christian perspective, because God is beyond personality. "The personality is like the mother's pant-leg that a child holds on to; the personality is the pant-leg that the intellect holds onto since it can't hold onto to anything else. So Taoists seek to see beyond this pant-leg of personality and clear the mind to be able to conceive of that which is beyond the comprehension one's intellect. A Sage, Buddha, or enlightened person is also beyond personality, as they are a reflection of The Way, much like Jesus was the reflection of God." Sorry if that was trite, just thinking someone might enjoy the read.