Taoist81

: ) No assumptions made about you, and no need to "chill", just a failure of clarity due to the limits of "text-talk". Thanks for your answer.

...? What is under discussion here is not "right" or "wrong" or even "spiritual cultivation". You made a claim about Stephen T Chang's exercises, which he presents in a physical/mental health perspective more than a spiritual perspective (the distinction or lack thereof between these two is a wholly different discussion). You gave a page number for a supposed external locking method advocated by him, akin to the "million dollar point" of Mantak Chia. Then you claimed that the Deer Exercise was "not an anal clinch". But when asked for your sourcese on this (ie what book the pg 64 was in or what book you were getting the claim about the Deer Exercise from) you simply dismiss the question? Perhaps you felt that this was a challenge of the silly sort that go on often on the internet. All it was is what was stated, a request for where you were getting the information from. It is entirely possible that Chang gave contradictory information in his different books, or that a translation error exists in one of the versions.

You must mean pg 64 of the ToS book, that one isn't on hand so we'll have to take your word. As for the Deer Exercise, while there are different "instructions" given by people all over the net (and maybe even in the Tao of Sexology), in the Internal Exercises book Chang specifically says contract the muscles around the anal sphincter. He even repeats it in step 3 by saying to "repeat the anal contraction". So, one version, at least, of the Deer Exercise is an "anal contraction".

Where did you see Chang advocating an external lock? His Internal Exercises and Tao of Sexology both (from memory) only suggest the Deer Exercise (anal clinch) as a method for retention.

Often times the treatment is cumulative. If you were getting treatment every few days (as you would in many places in China) then gradually the length of time the relief lasted (in most cases) would grow until it was either managed or cured. It is not uncommone for some conditions to see improvement for only a few days then return. Over time you space out your visits until you no longer have to come in at all.

That is the recommendation that this thread brought to mind here, barefoot running. The Vibram FiveFingers are also great (speaking from experience) both for general running and Parkour. They only take a few minutes to get used to (though your feet take a bit longer to adjust to "proper" running) then they feel great.

Thoth was the "pilot" of the solar barge that carried Ra (and therefore Hathor) across the sky in addition to being a god of the moon. God of magick and writing as well as everything covered by Mercury and Hermes. You may want to take a look at Liber Israfel, an invocation of Thoth that was passed through the Golden Dawn (there are versions included in Crowley's Liber ABA and Equinox as well as Regardie's Golden Dawn, though in the latter it may have a different title). In the end all the gods, be they Eastern or Western, are aspects of the One, whatever that means.

http://www.thetaobums.com/index.php?app=subscriptions : )

One of the (volunteer) instructors at a Parkour workshop here in Houston on Saturday told us about how he has instructed people from 2 to 50. The whole basis of Parkour is learning to move "efficiently" with YOUR body. And, safety is prime (landing safely without impact on the knees is one of the first things you learn). So, you end up doing less damage to your body than most other "sports".

All "skrying" is (did someone mention divination or Dee?) is staring into an object that "lacks any features that could distract your ming". Some people now confuse it with "remote viewing" or the like, and at times people will talk about "skrying" an object (meaning the unproven "art" of "tactil telekenesis"), but that is not the traditional use. Some would traditionally skry for divination, but that was not the only use for skrying. Either way the act of "skrying" is simply the staring at the object. Whether it results in an (so called) "astral vision" or a (supposed) vision of the "future" is a result of the skrying, not the skrying itself.

Without reference to Taoist Yoga, staring at a crystal ball, glass of ink or coffee, a black mirror, etc. is in the West commonly called "Skrying" and yes, you will tear, just by staring (you end up "distracting" your physical eyes basically and looking "without looking"). And, in most traditions, the different methods are closely equivalent in their effectiveness (though in some systems like the A.'.A.'. they are considered inferior in effectiveness to astral travel and "skrying" without any object to focus on, a la Liber O).

The book Tooth from the Tiger's Mouth is a useful one for both martial artists and TCM practitioners. It gives formulas and tips on making everything from pills to wines.

It is highly unlikely that the simple act of "retention" "caused" his "insanity". You specified that he hardly practiced the MO etc. so it sounds like he was doing little more than many, many men do who just have sex or masturbate and don't get off. Many, many people have done this (from the Oneida community to modern swinger types) without the internal exercises that are prescribed by Chia and the like with no "insanity" to show for it. It seems the only groups that do have problems are those that do internal work. Just refraining from ejaculation (aside from not being the full definition of "retention" as used in most cases here) is not likly the cause. More likly he was already started on the road toward bipolar and this influenced his sexual behavior. Not to mention if he was on medication, some medication can cause anorgasmia. So the the causes may be the exact opposite of what you suggest. Still, acupuncture and a good psychotherapist can probably do your friend a world of good.

The price listed above is also a California school. It seems that everything is overpriced there. Most schools (with an equivilant program) are closer to the $40-50,000 range. Like most post-graduate level schools now.

The signs and symptoms in TCM do relate to clinical diseases, but not in a one to one kind of way. For example, with alcoholism, you may see Liver/Gallbladder signs, or Heart or Spleen etc. depending on how the disease has affected that particular person with thier constitution, diet, etc. If you studied TCM (in a school) then, yes, your job would give you an excellent opportunity. Without that training, it is unlikely that you would be able to grasp all of the subtle differences, though, if you study enough on your own, who knows. Either way, watching and learning couldn't hurt. On the point of spirits etc. The fact that you care enough to think about these things probably helps the people in their "transition" more than you could ever know.

There are, of course, exceptions to every rule. Some people simply cannot run without pain/damage because of genetic problems (ex. a woman who has the same joint deformity as her father, neither of them can do certain exercises without problems). But, there again, as you point out, the problem is the other ailment. IN your case, osteoarthritis, which could be exacerbated by certain exercises, but is most likely genetic. Over the general population though, running with good form would solve many health problems. So, in a list that people are generalizing, the correction is still valid, even if your inherited "weak link" makes it possibly less applicable to you (and only "possibly" because it is possible that "bad form" in your running worsened the inflammation, not running itself).

Really it seemed like a tale of the need for balance. They had the spiritual side down, very well, but had not advanced in their abilities to protect themselves from outside threats. Spoilers*************************************************** Skip to the end and they were escorting the Humans off the planet, so they could continue with their nature based lives. BUT, they were well armed to defend against the non-natural threats the humans represented. The Na'vi, now can learn to balance their connection with nature with the real ability to protect it. As the latin phrase goes "Si vis pacem, para bellum". Also, he only nearly sacrificed himself, if you recall, he survived. It was the Na'vi that sacrificed themselves (and a couple of the other humans). He didn't die, nor was he wounded right before his transition to his avatar body.

"Welcome to Costco, I love you.... Welcome to Costco, I love you.....Welcome to Costco, I love you. ...."

Have any of you read/utilized anything from this system?

This depends greatly on what "tradition" you are speaking of. In the A.'.A.'., the first Grade of the Outer Order is mostly occupied with the "mastery" of the Astral Plane. The basic text for this is a book called Liber O that recommends using what basically amounts to visualization to induce Astral Projection. Mind you, this is not the OBE that many talk about, but it is a practice (necessary for progression) that allows the visiting of other "realms". In the A.'.A.'. one must learn to utilize this ability in order to visit specific "willed" "locations". It allows the immersion of oneself in various elements, signs, aspects of consciousness etc.. Not to say there is no danger, only that if one properly guards oneself, eg. a banishing ritual, it is relatively safe and important, at least in this tradition, to development.

Skimmed through it before. It has some interesting insights, though it is clearly done through the "lense" of Thelema. "Will" is emphasized there and some of his meanings may not be clear without a bit of understanding the system he established. Also, it is worth noting that it is not actually a "translation". He took what he learned in his own mystic and magickal experiences and blended it with what he learned reading some other translations (ex. the Legge translation is required reading when preparing to test for entry into the A.'.A.'.) and then wrote an "inspired" version. The same method could be said to be used for many "translations" out there, though. What format is the version you have in?

Serene, The above sounds like someone who doesn't care enough to "humor" you. If you don't mind the question, what do you get out of this relationship? Based on your posts here, you seem very interested in cultivation, yoga etc., by ridiculing these, he ridicules you, he should know this. If he doesn't, tell him. Open communication can work wonders for couples, and guys can, for some reason, be really dense when it comes to understanding what their partners want/need. DO NOT blame yourself for him "blacking out" while skyping with you. It is more likely that he was on something or just sick. There are things called coincidences. This sounds like a prime example of one.

Wasn't Australia founded as a prison colony?