Harmonious Emptiness

Would you like yours crushed? Crushed, or whole, still makes one sick Toxic treats. Too bad.

It's now, now, and now Welcome to the shared present H'ordeurve? Wait right here...

Yes. Desire would be the other thing here. I think the other fasts are essentially a means to get one to a state of desirelessness which is fundamental for Daoist Nei Gong. See my signature for some more on that, or lines 7 and 8 from Chapter One of the Dao De Jing: 07 故常無欲, The sages of the past always maintained absence of desire 08 以觀其妙。 And so were able to observe 妙The Beauty(miào) [my translation]

Hello Li Jiong, I assure you that most TTB members do not view jing, chi, and shen within the limits of western scientific paradigms. Thank you for writing here and helping us in trying to understand these practices. Would you perhaps share your thoughts on cultivating in a reverse order? for example: Clearing the mind and purifying the emotions illuminates the spirit/shen, this has a healthy effect on one's energy which radiates chi, and the stronger presence of chi in the body increases one's power of jing. The body already being well kept as an environment for chi to circulate freely, this increased jing is then refined to chi rather than lost, then to spirit, and with proper training in meditation, to emptiness. Thank you for any response...

I'm pretty sure the translation in the OP was referring to the latin name "Living God" but considering that Jews also didn't name God directly as Mr. God or whatever, nor do they write G-d's name, so the translation made the interpretation as "which can't be named."

^^^ yes, I got the same email. The table of contents looks VERY comprehensive, with a lot info not covered in other books on the subject, which is great as it seems to be more accessible, practically and theoretically, and likely a safer independent-study text. Seems like a book that needed to be writtten, and a good time to do so, judging by some of the new-member FAQs on this website. He also mentioned that he is offering an hour of video responses regarding the book to those who purchase in the next week, and those who already purchased it, so some of y'all with the book might want to get in touch with his website for that too.

As for meditation, it's very simple. Sit. Collect awareness to present moment. Allow energy to rise and fall. Maintain the fasts mentioned above. For a bit more of an explanation, a PM would be best, as too much of a finite description to undefined numbers of people may be somewhat misleading. As Joe Blast maybe said, this puts one in a different position in which the default of energy goes to jing/chi/shen, focus on energy centers, or other places, things, or uses, rather than automatically processed to inner dialogue (sound in mind 意).

I might need to see the original sinograms and context to be sure what these phrases are saying. Below is my translation of the first three lines of Hsuan Hua's "Song of Enlightenment." It's been a fun exercise and study of the language and phrases. I've left it pretty raw so the language can be viewed more through the original characters. note that "fasting" comes at the end of the phrase, so it's not so much about "do this and blammo, your body's purified" but "this is how to purify the body, by fasting or limiting the activity of the senses." ... 一．四大不着而身斋。 [The first fast. The four elements do not grasp - then the body is purified. ------(alternative translation is...the four extremes(of the body) do not move.] One. Four elements not 着put into action/moved, therefore body is 斋fasted from. 二．诸虑具息而意斋。 [The second fast. All thought devices rest(stop) - then the intellect is purified.] Two. Various worries are skillfully ceased; therefore, inner dialogue (sound in mind 意) is fasted from. 三．回光反照而眼斋。 The third fast. The light is turned back - then the eyes are purified. Three. Walled enclosure/turn around light rays (光 fire over child/man, think Lao Tzu=old child), (反hand/cliff, turn around) return back to the 照shining illumination; therefore, 眼looking and watching is fasted from. Note: Character for turn-around (回)used to have “walk 辶” attached to” 回”which is mouth/gate, surrounding - proud/walled enclosure. So had the sort of pun like proud mouth walks/turn around. My interpretation, based on other Taoist writing: It’s common Chinese wisdom to say that over using the senses weakens them, and that too much of this activity can weaken the spirits/elements/organs/spiritual functional emotions such as determination, wisdom, harmony, that reside in the body. The eyes are connected to the liver, which is the connected to wood element and much to do with physical desires, greed, ego. If you have desires, your light moves out. When you focus on the outer, the inner moves out. This is the way of most people/beings. Turn the light around. Reverse the flow. What will ensue is where internal Dao cultivation is takes place. ed. note: first line fits to what poster said from Buddhist forum.

Just a suggestion.. If you want to start a topic, for which you feel some responsibility to ensure the discussion does not become undignified, by those neglecting the path of appropriate speech; if you will, please post a link in THIS thread, to say that there is a topic in your PPD for a dignified discussion. It doesn't necessarily need to be about your own practice, but you will be the host/mod for that discussion and delete abusive or trolling, unnecessary posts as you see fit. As some old Daoists have said, "when justice is not regulated, people are less likely to commit crimes than when the punishments are arbitrated by judicial systems and not the common people," so don't be too surprised to hear this from a Chuang-Laoist . This is not to say that no-holds barred conversations are not also necessary, but I think this provides a useful option to mod as you see fit. Of course over-governing will just end up in trees fallin' with nobody to hear 'em. [edit: and hating on someone while deleting their responses would just be abusive and against TTB regulations on haterade.]

Allan, though I respect your will to keep things "unadulterated," you cannot completely separate Quan Zhen from some of it's Buddhist and Confucian roots in it's use of terms and concepts. Of course, these concepts were likely to have been influenced by Taoism as well; however, one cannot fault a translator for citing Buddhist origins of terms when they are in fact referred to in this text and others of this lineage.

The idea is generally connected to not loosing jing/essence through the sperm. Unless you are an older gentleman who is trying to revive the function of his sexual glands for the sake of harmony throughout the organ system, sexual yoga is not about increasing semen production, but keeping jing in the blood where it will not be released. If you do get to the point of nearing ejaculation, some practices (often very dangerously, I might add) try to send the jing back into the blood stream. You can increase vitality and blood flow without creating more semen. If you want to pursue this as a Taoist practice, you would be better to fast from sexual thoughts and save the blood from being converted into semen in the first place. Beyond those which merely create circulation in the sex organs, the practices like this are likely to have the opposite effect than they are intended for.

For people following the course of Secret of the Golden Flower, I strongly recommend Cleary's anthology Taoist Meditation. One chapter is entitled "saying of Master Danyang" referring to Ma Danyang, one of Wang Chonyang's students known as the "Seven Immortals." One of these sayings is as follows: People love to over complicate, and also to over-simplify. It's best to listen to the original masters first, imo, so that we do not get halted or mislead on the path. This is sort of like looking at the map first to find the best place to go, rather than just showing up downtown and asking everybody and anybody where to go.. imho.

The Mind vs The Heart written "to help us live in the light of the heart rather than in the confusion of the mind and to guide us in our journey towards pure love and total peace," by the late Alice Signeur, wife of Taoist healer/professor Joel Signeur. Seems like the something that will serve well here.

Hosted thread on Joel Signeur's lectures, the Five Elements, Chinese Shamanism http://thetaobums.com/topic/25770-chinese-shamanism/#entry381870

For the record, Xunzi was only one teacher in Confucianism. I'd vote that his say is over-ruled by Si Zi and Mencius in terms of the view on inherent virtue. I think Confucius would agree with the Daoist wisdom "attention without becoming obsessed, naturalness without becoming indulgent."

It's to my understanding that it is only because one knows Samsara that Nirvana also exists. "Form is emptiness and emptiness is form." For some more confirmation of this from the Daoist perspective, see Chapter Two of the Dao De Jing: 1. When everyone in the world knows the beautiful as beautiful, ugliness comes into being; 2. When everyone knows the good, then the not good comes to be. 3. The mutual production of being and nonbeing, 4. The mutual completion of difficult and easy, 5. The mutual formation of long and short, 6. The mutual filling of high and low, 7. The mutual harmony of tone and voice, 8. The mutual following of front and back— 9. These are all constants. 10. Therefore the Sage dwells in nonactive affairs and practices the wordless teaching. 11. The ten thousand things arise, but he doesn't begin them; 12. He acts on their behalf, but he doesn't make them dependent; 13. He accomplishes his tasks, but he doesn't dwell on them; 14. It is only because he doesn't dwell on them, that they therefore do not leave them. (Henricks' translation) ed. note: to add lines 10 to 14

matches, fire and food slow burn, low flame, every taste a moment's flavour

Looks good. I hope the Wudang movie can say "no sacred architecture or statues were harmed in the making of this movie."

Noticed there were 3 people in chat (by cool feature at bottom of Lobby page) but tried to enter and read: The IP.Chat room limit has been reached. You will not be able to join the chat room until some users first leave.

I noticed in one of his other youtube videos, that Sifu Matsuo mentioned he is ordained as a Taoist priest. If I'm not mistaken, all of the Taoist lineages with a priesthood trace back to Quan Zhen. I don't know for certain which lineage Master Matsuo has been ordained into. It is possible that Dragon Gate is not referring to the school however, as Gate or "men" is a very common and varied term in TCM and Taoist medicine and alchemy, as are the imageries and associations of the term "Dragon." I would be interested to hear which school his priest ordination is connected to. Matsuo has obviously studied with some very real and powerful Taoist masters.

I've been having the same problem for a while. I messaged Sean about it and he's been trying a few things for a week or so, but I guess no solutions yet. I downloaded the Firefox web developer extension so I can delete the domain cookies and log off, at least from my home computer.

Just make a request for one in the Tech Support forum link Don't forget to link your topic here

I think it really depends on the path your taking. At a certain level one is going to know what is hindering them and they have to choose. If your cultivating martial prowess and/or responsible for healing people with energetic medicine, then you will likely see rather quickly what is hindering your attention. Another problem though with these things is that they can reduce your will power, and people end up with great ideas and intentions, but no force to carry them through. In the right situations though people can still live an extraordinarily virtuous life while not giving up all of these things. The difference may lie in lifestyle though. If you are already living your purpose then it's easier to continue doing so, than going from an indulgent lifestyle full of vice to an indulgent lifestyle full of purpose. More often than not though, these things tend to keep people stuck where they are regardless of knowing what they ought to be doing, ie., their true path of spirit in this life. For some this is industry, for some it's healing, for some it's art, for some it might even be military. I think this is most important. Not everybody was born to be an ascetic, but everybody has a path that fills them with divine energy and guidance so long as they stay on it. This to me is more important than quitting indulgences. Give up not following your path. That is a much more dangerous thing to your spiritual life than material indulgences.

Don't get me wrong, the General Discussion is still great, but often times a topic is started and people who have zero respect for the subject end up doing all the posting, which ends up in a battle instead of a discussion. So this would allow for a discussion only between people who all share an interest and respect for the topic. In defining "dignified," this discussion is still dignified. No attempts have been made to insult any person, tradition, world view, etc., and we are still sharing our opinions with a certain standard of respect for each other, rather than (for example) making a rude or offensive remark in order to grab attention from the conversation. Our different viewpoints are still being expressed and noted without resorting to immaturity. For some topics, such as sacred texts or traditions, I feel this standard needs to be reliable, or they simply will not be discussed by certain people who hold a certain level of respect for them. It doesn't seem we have too many Stalinesque people here who will simply delete any counter viewpoints. More than likely these viewpoints are equally appreciated - so long as they are given with a certain degree of respect for the topic and do not attempt to insult the other people in the conversation. What you said is true too though, that people who start a topic can try to get people to stay on track, however this can be an impossible task at times. I'm thinking of it like, if somebody walks into a classroom or place of worship and acts like an A-hole, they will be removed in order to maintain the dignity of the space. We can't really do this sort of thing here, but I think there needs to be some reliable quality control for certain topics be discussable here.

fantastic website: http://www.itmonline.org/shen/index.htm