Harmonious Emptiness

D.E.N.I.A.L Don't Even No I Am Lying Somebody who went through some type of rehab told me that one.. Another person, who was studying advertising in college, told me that they learned about how the lights and edits and flashing in television commercials are made to program kids so that they react to the urging of them when they grow up. Pretty sick. I've found that TV not only tells us to desire, but it also tells us to DESIRE TO DESIRE, it tries to make us feel stupid for not desiring whatever they throw in our faces. Thus, people learn to WANT to desire things, especially without the proper education from their parents who also mostly grew up with television wisdom.

It's true eh? I guess I'm a bit of a sucker for the "never available before" thing especially when it comes to texts, call me a spiritual materialist.. But we are in like a vortex of available opportunity which is pretty tasty and hard to pass up on... don't want to have to wait like another 10 kalpas or nothin'. What I find about Tai Chi is that it is a more complex routine of qi gong, with many more movements and so it takes a while to get them all smoothly, unlike most qi gong exercises which is usually a repetition of about 10 movements or less. So I guess the thing with Tai Chi is that you can never really go it alone?

Okay, thanks for the warning, and the answers too. I guess I'll just keep working on myself as usual then, for now.

What I would like to know as well, is how do you know, at an entry level, if your Tai Chi instructor has "the goods" to teach you? Do you have to be really really good before they will even take you on, or are there many teachers that will teach anyone the cosmological side of it from day one?

Well, you can say it was "Chinese" because Taoism didn't exist as a formalized religion, but, if it's about yin and yang then it's about Tao, so that to me, semantically, is Tao-ist. The Nei Jia falls under this as well, though Taoism may not have been formally named yet at the time, it was about Yin-Yang principles. I think we ought to bring the party over to the new thread about this subject as I think your other points should be compared with it's OP. Good luck on your path as well Monki

aahhahahahhaaa aaaaahhhahahhahaahhah I'm just laughing because it's not me this time. I lived with an animal ADDICT once, for 2 years. Thankfully she wasn't a total slob, and we had a big place so she had her own disaster area. If you want to be more tolerant, perhaps try to remember a teaching from The Buddha, essentially to cultivate meditation to be like the Earth, which does not worry about what falls on it pure or impure, the water, likewise, fire, likewise, the air, likewise.. However, if you're not at a good level and commitment in doing this, you may just be suppressing your feelings which you probably shouldn't have to do. I find humour is a good way to speak your mind without being combative. Call me passive aggressive, but so is leaving your shit on my floor and expecting me to clean it up. You might also offer to actively help, rather than reactively. Just don't start too high or you might set high expectations. Do it out of love. Then if she keeps on like that, you can confront her. Don't be passive aggressive and clean up expecting her to "get it." Of course, your personality will determine what is the best approach. What works for Mother Theresa might not work for everyone, though I heard she was known to yell at people too. You obviously have different standards of clean too, so maybe let it get as bad as possible to see where her line really is at, even if you have to leave the apartment for a while. Once again, don't be passive aggressive about it.. Fight and have make-up sex.. then she'll clean the floor the next morning... if this was a tv show...lol.

Okay, so as an exercise, there was a type of tai chi before being used for Taoist purposes, maybe, but we still don't know where it came from, so it could have just as well been developed by Taoists wishing for a movement that stretches and strengthens the organs, teaching this version to laymen and keeping the secrets secret. I read somewhere that tai chi was taught first to mongol rulers as a harmless and slow exercise, keeping the fast movements secret, but I don't know that validity of this. Either way, Tai Chi, as it is, even if there was a similar exercise regimen previously, is entirely Taoist. I don't know why people regard the I Ching as having non-Taoist roots either. How could it be anything other than Taoist, working with Heaven and Earth, Yin and Yang, Positive and Negative, Solid and Broken. The DDJ may have popularized the philosophical roots of it, but that doesn't mean everything before it was not Taoism. Those Jedi mind tricks ain't wukin' on ME. And what about the Yellow Emperor and the Nei Jia? Was that not about Yin and Yang + Five Elements? Didn't it come before the Dao De Jing? nuh uh...

Well then, Here's a little extra hot sauce Dr. Lonnie Smith (organ and vocals)

Well, I'm with you in spirit, and there's no question that hemp will be a huge crop in a post-industrial society, but there are enormous forces, political and economic, aligned against the utilization of hemp, some of them in unison with an anti-marijuana agenda. People, 21st century competition for the remaining resources is going to be a game of "The Lst Man Standing" and will make all previous resource wars look like minor skirmishes. There has been talk for decades about simply bribing the energy and chemical companies with monopolies in solar power, sustainable agriculture, water desalinization and the like in the hopes that they don't take down the rest of the planet with them. They ain't interested. I'm sure those in power have little to zero intention to let go of their stranglehold, but the world is really just going to have to say "TOO eFF'n BAD." There is no room for those diseases on the human race. They screw everything up and then blame it on those who suffer their consequences. The Tao will spit them out like the dead mucus they are..

Some crate diggers' special I'll have the chili fries wid dat.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXWXZ6zh8H8&feature=BFa&list=PL0B8547AA255FBC94&lf=mh_lolz

So you were working on energy practices. As you now know, they can be too powerful on the mind, especially without the proper foundation. Zen or Taoist Heart-Mind meditation, essentially what I described above, should precede these practices by even a few years or more, especially if you hope to do them safely and with great success. Though maybe I'm jumping to conclusions about your practice regimens. It seems like your efforts and determination bore fruit, but they were not ripened properly. Personally, I don't think hard energy practices should be done without Taoist or Shaolin martial arts regimens to offset the energy build up. Some gentle Qi Gong or Tai Chi is something else, but the Chia style of building up huge amounts of internal energy -- there needs to be a huge use of it or it will just drive most people out of their minds. Having a good flow of energy -- which makes you feel good, energized but relaxed, healthy, and positive, this is the way to get started for the first 5 years at least, I'd say.. edit: On the other hand, yes, if you want to work with Kundalini, be sure to work with a proper instructor. Susan, username: Shakti Mama, does a skype class, and she is very experienced. She may suggest some preparatory things first though, if you're coming down from K syndrome..

Vlasic makes them crunch Sounds of harvest, leaves all fell Bundle up. She's here...

Hua Ching Ni was the translator recommended by Mantak Chia, citing Ni's breadth of knowledge of various aspects of Daoism and the Chinese language.

Yes, thank you for answering those questions. Another question, if I may? How does one prepare to become a traditionally recognized Taoist Shaman? Did you have a mentor, or other skills or experience that enabled an invitation by the resident Shaman in Malaysia? Maybe they recognized your incarnation from an early age? Also, may I ask, in which city or cities are you presently residing and practicing? Thank you very much for your consideration, time, and patience, Shaman Flowing Hands.

My presumtion as to why there's no Buddhist 12 steps yet is that the AA thing apparently started with a psychologist's (maybe Jung, not sure) finding that people gave up addictions most reliably when they had a spiritual awakening. I'm guessing this is why some enthogens have shown great effectiveness treating various addictions. Some might say "well, Buddhism doensn't believe in God so it won't work like the other faith based steps" but I think the key is just to have a newly spiritual outlook on one's life that makes them drop the substance crutch and be happy(er) without it. just my 2 cents

@ Todd Thanks for writing that all out. Could you recommend any books that discuss more about shen(s) and how they interact? Also, if I may, where did you learn them? Thanks..

Nice. Thanks for the info. Can you say a bit about how the Tamil Siddhar's explain the process, if possible in one post? Also, by "powerful," what do you mean, please? Thanks...

I was thinking that a Traditional Chinese doctor might do something about kidney health too, which is related to salty taste and water element coincidentally or not, since kidneys are related to fear and courage. My unresearched theory, as stated before, is that this is related to water being adaptable, whereas fear is generally about resistance and inability to adapt to change. Either way, a TCM doctor might be able to help, but I wouldn't recommend just assuming it's kidneys and taking herbs for them since there are a number of relational things that need to be considered as well, fyi..

The Liu I Ming commentary, translated by Cleary, is maybe most geared towards personal cultivation. I also have the Cheng Yi commentary, translated by Cleary, which is also very good, and seems more geared towards how to approach different situations of power dynamics especially. There was one recommended by Mantak Chia but I don't have time to look for it, and I can't say I've read it either.. but it's probably also good.

Okay, so I may be way off here, but here's 3 things I think might help you to gain better command of your mind and your body: 1) sitting meditation start by just lying down with no tv, radio, book, or anything. start with 5 minutes, then try 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 minutes at whatever progression you can do. Doing nothing is actually very difficult in the beginning, which is why it is actually doing something. thinking and reflecting is okay. When you are able to do this for 20 minutes, try doing it sitting crosslegged (or on a chair if necessary) with a straight but relaxed back, relaxed shoulders, ears over your shoulders, and palms down on your lap. It's a very regal, dignified posture, which allows the body and the mind to work properly. Keeping this position may take a bit of strength of mind, but it does wonders (just ask Buddha). You want to be relaxed but not too relaxed, like a guitar string -- it has to be the right tension, not too much, not too little. This is how yogi's gain super-human control over their bodies and it can help to gain control over your thoughts, your fears, your anger, etc.. at least during that time period, and it will build that strength overall. Meditation is an art, and it takes time, so give it time everyday, and keep practicing. When you finish sitting, I suggest that you do some push ups to bring you back into the real world. The calm and peace that you will eventually gain is what you will bring with you into the world and be able to resort back to when things stress you out. There is a point in meditation when you become so comfortable and relaxed in the posture that you just sit, and don't even realize that you're not thinking, you're just enjoying that time of equanimity and your not anywhere else. This is like you learned how to play the solo in Stairway to Heaven on the guitar -- you're getting good, so keep at it because this comfortable presence can also come with you outside. Two other things I would highly recommend you do: 2) take boxing or exercise classes 3) take singing or dancing lessons This might not be easy for you to do right now, but work towards it. Psychiatrists charge $100 an hour to decide what pills to give you and rarely cure the clients to the point they no longer need the doctor. Doing these things is far cheaper and takes far less time, and will allow you to take control of your healing. So, start with getting good at doing nothing for 20 minutes.

Shaman Flowing Hands, Thank you very much for taking the time to come here and answer some questions of the uninitiated such as myself. As I understand, you have studied Taoism in Malaysia, where government of the temples has not become of keen interest to the country's ruling government. Is the Taoism in Malaysian temples similar to the "religious Taoism" in China? Do they teach and practice the Water method and or Fire methods of Alchemy, ie focusing first on the body and chi (Water) vs. focusing first on the mind and spirit (Fire)? Also, are there ancient Taoist text written by Malaysian Taoists? Could you please inform us, perhaps, which texts are studied by Malaysian Taoists aside from the Tao Te Ching? Thank you very much for any responses, and I will understand if this information is not publicly shared. Wishing you all the best.

Well, did you even watch the video? The Egyptians were black in the 18th dynasty as well, before Nubians took the throne. If you look at pretty much all the statues before then as well, they are very noticeably black. It wasn't until the later periods that other races started to take over. When I'm talking about Egypt here, I mean Khemet "the Black Land" where is now Egypt and no longer the same as Khemet. edit: also, don't miss the end of the video where he compares Khemetic-Egyptian and Nubian.

I was at a zoo once and the girl I was with did this sort of booty swagger dance and the lamma or yak in front of us fully imitated her dance .. we we're like wtf? did that just happen lol? Playful creatures it seems...

INFJ 33 50 12 22 Not surprisingly there are a lot of introverts in a chat forum I'm also a 7 by numerology which is generally for mystically oriented people. I've found numerology to be far more accurate for describing people I know than the zodiac.