dawei

Interesting idea but I think such topics need to find their place within the existing areas... unfortunately off-topic in most cases.

I wonder if she would be open to some group presence?

That does seem to be my point; everything follows 'it-self-so-ing'. We are all in a state of Ziran; the ultimate imprint of Dao. I understand that line of thinking and point but I disagree with the associations being made. I think this is not so uncommon an explanation but is a central misunderstanding. Nothing can be out of sync with Dao; Dao allows any and all possible arisings or else it would not exist. Thus, by arising, it is following Dao... weeds or flowers. When Laozi talks of 'losing Dao', this is really the idea to lose focus on Dao and to follow human impulses rather than the source impulses. Thanks... I fixed my link

A belated welcome... I have enjoyed your posts

Yes... I later thought that I should of compared one as a response to external stimulus and the other to an internal stimulus... but they are really in fact one and the same if we get beyond the pendantic contrasts even I get caught up in

I disagree.... you have not felt the pain of another.. or the thought of another... been inside someone's head or body? Or been so united with another it simply transfers between you? If no, then you cannot say, 'cannot';. can only say, "I have not experienced it'.

I might say the latter about Sima Qian as he saw the Lao-Huang as embracing some values of the Taoist tradition. But, to me, Confusius saw value in Dao... in the way he interpreted its role on mankind

IMO, naturalness does not contrast with unnatural... if by naturalness we are referring to Ziran. DDJ25 tells us that Dao is modeled after Ziran and Dao being formless thus even Ziran is... which means that the manifest world experiences a manifest version and understanding of Ziran. So whatever we try to call it, contrast it with is usually a local understanding. If one can break outside of the local aspect, then Ziran is seen to not contrast with anything but be the very foundation of Dao, balanced by wu wei. Imbalances produce disharmony but I don't contrast that as unnatural. Weeds arise as naturally as flowers. One reference I agree with: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CB4QFjAAahUKEwjjytC1lsjIAhVKVj4KHTN5C_0&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.confuchina.com%2F05%2520zongjiao%2FLao%2520Zi%27s%2520Concept%2520of%2520Zi%2520Ran.htm&usg=AFQjCNHrSFoCVu3UTQ-NyoxBbeSOqHHmBg

IMO, this misunderstanding seems common. You don't study or practice to be natural but to 'know' how to act. This is an active side of responding to external stimulus.. called Ziran which is the foundation for the manifest world; the natural, active action of the [insert self or any species] based on external stimulus. Naturalness is not meant to be contrasted with unnatural but to be paired with its negative compliment, Wuwei. They are layers of the same issue; One positive and one negative. One reacts and responds to stimulus in the natural world and the other rests in, and nevertheless is acting based on, the source.

Yes, I agree and I think we could do another thread on 'De' which is misunderstood. Getting back to the original post. I know we've talked this in other posts but I'd like to deal with it here. From a cosmological point of view, is the arising of spirit first and results in all things or the arising of all things produces such a [singular] spirit ? Or is the singular arising = singular spirit ?

Breathing in is half the issue... also give some role to breathing out to expel stuff... and after a long, slow inhale, exhale hard and fast at times as a purge. Let the body sink with the exhale.

Thanks for sharing more of your position. I don't doubt your potential skills in tatooing... that may be your most immediate passion (?). I loved the cable show 'Ink Master' and was really amazed at the skill. And yes, there are many ways to gain structure and learning. It is sometimes hard to know if we're following a natural way or just a more comfortable way (our own comfort zone). Testing that zone often results in horizons opening up. You have many ideas which can all be reached and fulfilling and I wish you the best in your path

Any growth path towards life employment takes money... Acupuncture? Or what healing method? The former will require 4 years study... and your behind those who have studied it a long time. I get this but this is linear thinking... A leads to B leads to C.. If you want to pursue university study, jump in and find the financial obligations and means. The poorer you are the more they help.... in a sense. My 'feeling for you' is that you need structure of learning. This is a pathway you can embrace. Good... You've got so many stimulus and directions. Your juggling them all. I"m asking myself, "why does he want to learn Japanese"... from a destiny point of view... I do feel something strong for you in that direction. But I feel your not going to get there without a journey. and that may be your destiny in the end. But as Laozi said, a journey of a thousand miles beings with one step... you've got to take each step.

By any means possible... get to a university... start some study towards something... your world will turn around and heal you.

It may be time to balance the thread with what GreytoWhite mentions of QI deviation... and Taomeow says of letting it awaken on its own. There are two basic methods: 1. Stillness methods - Some here can talk about and closer to what Taomeow suggests; let the practice awaken it (I don't follow this method and if I am mis-representing it, then I would hope others will write more). 2. Movement methods - This is the more active approach which I think most response are about and comes with serious responsibility in proper practice... and if Qi deviation occurs, who are you going to get to fix it? I can tell you I also had Qi deviation and without a QIgong Sifu to fix it, I would of been in bad situation... I later learned how to fix it myself but under some guidance. I can do the movement method while driving a car and get it going... In looking back at it all, I would like to have learned the stillness method to be able to see how I could balance all of it and employ either method. I would ask for some stillness method folks to chime and explain how that works.

So they aren't worth your time? That's what you seemed to object to DustyBeijing about... It seems the biblical injunction of seeing the speck in your brothers eye but not log in your own may apply? And to be fair to such ideas... I'd never be in a relationship with a women who likes high heels... if they love being low to the ground and wearing flats, then I feel that would be a better fit. And IMO, that is what this is all about... what fits better; what works better because we know ourselves and we know that certain social queues indicate someone who might not fit well with us. There is no problem with tattoos but to be proud of visible tattoos is saying something unique to your personality... maybe because you made that decision you want to honor it. I've always wanted a certain tattoo... and when I told my chinese wife about that I almost became the main course at dinner There will always be certain prejudices about such things Very true... social conditioning is like gravity as it pulls in anyone which might apply in this custom. The genuinely free thinking persons should be more realized to accept everyone has their own path and destiny and are where they are... if other's want to restrict, that is their restriction, opinion, etc. It is a part of the ten thousand arising. yes... the later generations want some western insight of stuff and it is not necessarily good although it might open their thinking... but that might not be in a way the CCP likes.

I realized that after I ran out of the house last night... changed now

You are both correct in your own way. As I am sure you know, chinese can follow tradition mindlessly (or out of guilt), and the main idea is to not do anything which would do 'harm to the body'... they take it to an extreme 'practice'; eat varied foods, drink hot beverages, take everything slowly, rest at every moment (if possible), take no concerns, get a massage, etc. The western body and constitution is stronger and can accept a slightly harder way than the softer eastern way... Do we owe it to anything? Is the argument about owing it to our parents really any different than an argument to owe it to naturalness (ziran)? There really is no line till we draw it.

No problem... Done

I originally read it here, which I think is one of his smallest and best book: Chi Kung: Health and Martial Arts by Yang Jwing Ming I then searched online to find something which supported the method and found a rather detailed write-up which I printed out. I pieced together all of what seemed to make the most sense and then I decided to simply try it... and the rest is history. I then went on to look at some of Yang's other books and doing some of the meridian tests he mentions and I was able to re-produce those as well. I think there are lots of variations on the MCO and have enjoyed reading how others have slight differences but all I know is what worked for me.

Spirits comes to most everyone all the time... folks just don't realize or feel it. I don't sense that spirits intellectualize time as fun or vacation or boring... I do sense curiosity and they'll rub up on you more like a cat...

I was an athlete all my life and a problem developed in my back which now can only be corrected by surgery... I can only delay further onset. Over the years, I have found one really major impact to keeping it at bay: Keep my weight down. There seems a threshold within my body that if I cross a certain weight, I immediately feel it. With any body issue, I think there are protective mechanisms at work and what happens to me is that although my body fat is reasonably low, any weight gain tends to accumulate some around my weakened back area.... and that seems to put the pressure on my lower back. So, IMO, while it is good to know some general tips for exercise, stretching (and they should be employed as applicable), it is key to understand your own body and it's response to what is going on in your life. Once I figured out how to combat my individual bodily responses to my back issue, I at least had an understanding of how to more directly help it.

here is how I see it... in this thread. Seth started this by lashing out at folks over something which was a misunderstanding in those gender sub-areas... but he raised a concern he felt which might be protectionism at its core. Jesus cleared the temple but it had nothing to do with being a white knight. Gendao's post is less a personal insult to Seth and more degrading of how women are viewed and interpreted when someone stands up for some issue which involves women. Replace with with an issue of men and I doubt the same sexual inferences would occur. So this is likewise a counter-lashing based on a misunderstanding. I think in the end, some threads will feel controversial but necessary to let play out at times. Many folks were honestly showing what cards they were holding... just that there was not money pot to be won here.