Taiji Bum

I'm a little late, but.... Welcome to Taobums! Anyone familiar with the Daoist book "The Secret of the Golden Flower" will see similarities with this mystical experience from Thomas Traherne. ‘Centuries of Meditation’ by the English poet and mystic Thomas Traherne (1637-1674) ‘The corn was orient and immortal wheat, which never should be reaped, nor was ever sown. I thought it had stood from everlasting to everlasting. The dust and stones of the street were as precious as gold: the gates were at first the end of the world. The green trees when I saw them first through one of the gates transported and ravished me, their sweetness and unusual beauty made my heart to leap, and almost mad with ecstasy, they were such strange and wonderful things: The Men! O what venerable and reverend creatures did the aged seem! Immortal Cherubims! And young men glittering and sparkling Angels, and maids strange seraphic pieces of life and beauty! Boys and girls tumbling in the street, and playing, were moving jewels. I knew not that they were born or should die; But all things abided eternally as they were in their proper places. Eternity was manifest in the Light of the Day, and something infinite behind everything appeared which talked with my expectation and moved my desire. The city seemed to stand in Eden, or to be built in Heaven. The streets were mine, the temple was mine, the people were mine, their clothes and gold and silver were mine, as much as their sparkling eyes, fair skins and ruddy faces. The skies were mine, and so were the sun and moon and stars, and all the World was mine; and I the only spectator and enjoyer of it. I knew no churlish proprieties, nor bounds, nor divisions: but all proprieties* and divisions were mine: all treasures and the possessors of them. So that with much ado I was corrupted, and made to learn the dirty devices of this world. Which now I unlearn, and become, as it were, a little child again that I may enter into the Kingdom of God’. And All appeared new, and strange at first, inexpressibly rare and delightful and beautiful. I was a little stranger, which at my entrance into the world was saluted and surrounded with innumerable joys. My knowledge was Divine. I knew by intuition those things which since my Apostasy, I collected again by the highest reason. My very ignorance was advantageous. I seemed as one brought into the Estate of Innocence. All things were spotless and pure and glorious: yea, and infinitely mine, and joyful and precious, I knew not that there were any sins, or complaints or laws. I dreamed not of poverties, contentions or vices. All tears and quarrels were hidden from mine eyes. Everything was at rest, free and immortal. I knew nothing of sickness or death or rents or exaction, either for tribute or bread. In the absence of these I was entertained like an Angel with the works of God in their splendour and glory, I saw all in the peace of Eden; Heaven and Earth did sing my Creator's praises, and could not make more melody to Adam, than to me: All Time was Eternity, and a perpetual Sabbath. Is it not strange, that an infant should be heir of the whole World, and see those mysteries which the books of the learned never unfold?

I think the most important thing was the meditation practice, and second after that was the bone condensing breathing. I'm a huge fan of Waysun Liao.

https://www.amazon.com/LET-GO-PRACTICES-SPIRITUAL-ASCENSION/dp/B09DMTQZVQ/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= Hey, all. I've been here a long time and this is the book I wish I would have had when I first started my Eastern spiritual journey. Book excerpt: THE TAOIST ALCHEMY OF 100 DAYS BUILDING THE FOUNDATION MY PREPARATION Diet – I ate no meat, but I ate eggs, fish, and dairy. Meditation – Emptiness four times a day for twenty minutes to an hour until July, then I was doing 8-12 hours of meditation a day, which included several hours of Taiji. The Firing Process – After having gathered enough qi in the lower dan tien through a good diet, Taiji practice, and meditation, you need to “fire” it so it moves upwards and transforms into shen. Normally, the firing process happens naturally if you have enough desire or if you’re young or going through puberty. If your older, you will need an outside agent, and this has been one of the greatest secrets of alchemy in the east and west. Three things fire the qi, and that is pain which means ascetic practices such as self-flagellation, sexual arousal without ejaculation such as is found in Tantra and fasting. Any will work, but use sexual stimulation only on days you do the breathwork. Fasting should be extreme, but don’t kill yourself, and if you’re going to use pain, then do it every day. Breathwork – Bone breathing with closed eyes lasting twenty minutes once a day, and I did this several times a week but not every day. This is done by inhaling ten times into your belly and focusing on pulling qi into your belly on each inhale and storing it on the exhale. Then with an inhale, draw the qi from your dan tien to the bones of your left hand. Exhale and visualized compacting the qi all the way into the marrow. Do this same routine in all your bones, starting next with your left forearm, upper arm, right hand, right forearm, right upper arm, left foot, left lower leg, left upper leg, right foot, left lower leg, left upper leg, pelvic bone, collar bone, spine, jawbone and lastly cranium. Then ten more deep breaths, drawing qi into your dan tien, and on both the inhale and exhale, draw the qi up your spine and into your head to lead it to the pineal gland at the center of the brain. After the last ten breaths, you should hold your focus on your pineal with your attention, and it should feel like you are “reverse gazing.” My 100 Days Start: April 24, 1994 (Full Moon) I practiced the firing, and then I practiced bone breathing with breathing energy up my spine and then in meditation and had a powerful vision of interior light. Every time my perineum would begin to pump furiously, the interior light would blaze forth before my inner vision. June 8, 1994 (New Moon) I did the firing process and then the bone breathing. While breathing energy up my spine, the perineum began pumping with pressure/pain was felt in the third eye area. My testicles were also in pain. I was using forced willpower to move the energy up the spine. I tried to relax but couldn’t. I tried to leave my body several times unsuccessfully. Then I seemed to come out of my forehead. It was like I was in a little body a couple of inches tall. I could only get out of my forehead up to my waist. 100 Days End: July 27, 1994 It was incredible. My normal vision was replaced with a new vision. Instead of seeing with my fleshly eyes, I became aware I was seeing from my spiritual center, my soul. This spiritual center within me was the same spiritual center within all things. This “Unity” filled me with awe and peace. I also seemed to be eternally caught up in the now. I wasn’t thinking or feeling anymore. I was just being. Looking at the trees did not reveal leaves and bark. I saw an explosion of light. It began where the seed sprouted originally. The explosions then flowed upwards and downwards. I saw into the earth. It was a golden-hued transparency. The trees were like flowing golden fountains of living light that were continually being born anew every moment. It seemed purely accidental that water and dirt were carried along with the exploding fiery light. It did not diminish the glory of it in any way, though. I thought modern science was absurd because it studies the accidental shadow and not the actual substance. I knew everything from the beginning of time. I saw it all. At the same time, I was so peace-filled that I did not desire to know anything. With this expanded perspective, human understanding of everything, including metaphysics, seemed worthless. All the books I had read paled miserably in comparison to this. All the spiritual anguish I had been experiencing for the past few weeks vanished. I felt desireless, completely free, and at peace with all. It was as if I woke up and was seeing reality for the first time. I was released from this universe of light after a few minutes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7a7z2HvvL0&ab_channel=DarinHamel

Anybody notice in their dreams the cycling of earth (caves, tombs), water (rivers, lakes), fire (war, fighting, traveling), and air (flying)?

Anybody ever practice Tibetan Dream Yoga? What was it like? How did you do it? With who? You know, tell us your story.

I just learned about Tibetan Dream Yoga. If you have more sources then please share them. I am a sponge for anything lucid dream, dream and sleep yoga related.

Good choice. I've got the "The Art of Dreaming" by Castaneda.

Yeah. I agree. People also like to point out that he died of liver cancer, like that is supposed to invalidate him. Buddha died of food poisoning and Jesus was executed for treason against Rome. I think Don Carlos Castaneda's real test will come a hundred years from now. Will he still have followers then?

I'm a big fan of Waysun Liao and very happy that we have a high level student of his here. Thanks for posting this, dwai.

Yang Taijiquan and I was taught the method of The Secret of the Golden Flower by my first Taijiquan teacher. I don't practice qigong outside of Taijiquan. You?

You're Yoda?????

I miss Yoda.

Back in the day there were no moderators. It was the Wild West here.

The sage acts by not doing. Tao Teh Ching #2

It's a name play on The Dharma Bums by Jack Kerouac.

I love Livia Kohn. I've read all her books and highly recommend "Sitting in Oblivion". It is not just about meditation, but has a lot of stories about Taoists ascending. As for Chinese religious frauds..... I've encountered a few. I heard once the reason there are so many fake teachers is because there are so many fake students.

The converted Qi travels up the central channel. The full circulation goes up back and down the front. What system do you practice?

I thought I would share my videos here since they are Daoist related. I can take criticism so if you have a problem with anything I say or do, please don't hesitate to mention it. I always strive to improve.

Tonight I'll be Live at 7PM Texas time, talking about Taoist Alchemy and the roles of Jing, Qi, and Shen. Come on and join me and please ask some questions. This is my first Live video. Whoot! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCo9pGGMMZRhAxWw3r9kF1JQ

Here is his other Youtube site. https://www.youtube.com/user/Chiinnature

I started out practicing Taijiquan and Qigong and ended up interested in Buddhism. I officially joined a Taego Buddhist Order based in Korea in 2015, but I still practice Taijiquan and Qigong. I think the integration point with me is the meditation. The practice is basically the same with emptiness meditation and the Taijiquan and Qigong are things I do on the side now. In the beginning back in the 1990s it was reversed.

OOooooooooo....... Waysun Liao is one of my favorites as is the Golden Dawn. Welcome, welcome, welcome!

Welcome, IntheDao. It's always good to have someone who practices a lineage here at the Dao Bums. I am looking forward to your imput.