ChiDragon

Universal..... In regarding to your severe tension in the upper back, it seems to be an occupational hazard which causing the tension from your sitting in a fixed position reading your ipad. I believe that the tension and healing are two separate issues. I believe that the tension was mainly from your constant sitting position rather than from your injury. Furthermore, typing make it worse. The reason I said that is because my wife was a data entry operator. She had the same problems as you had described. As a matter of fact, it happened to her last night after reading her email from the computer. She had tension and pain in her upper back and shoulder occasionally. Every time when that happens, what I did was massaged her on some acupuncture points on her upper back and shoulder blades to release her tension. The effect to release her tension takes about 10 to 15 minutes of massaging. Then, she feels like a different person afterward.

Universal... I would like to address your problems one at a time. 1. Based on your input, it seems that your injury had been recovered. Regarding to your nocturnal emissions, every two weeks seems normal. If that happens every other two days, that it would be a problem. You have indicated that you have been taken zinc supplements, is that an indication that you are having sexual malfunction problems....??? 2. The stress from your promotion might have caused your sexual performance with a woman.

Here is a more sanitized example..... The rotations of the planets are constantly changing in their positions, but their orbits around the sun are almost ever change.

OK, I understand that you have been a Philosophical Taoist, for about 10 years, but you are not into the Taoist Religion. The Taoist Religion is completely different than the Taoist philosophy. Why do you think that the religious Taoist altar will help you to understand more on the philosophical side.....??? As I'd said before, "Second thought, if you are not a real Taoist in the religion, it was not recommended to have an altar in your home." There are too many Fengshui restrictions in setting up the altar in a house that you must be aware of. It will be too costly for you to hire a Fengshui master for the set up of the altar.

Second thought, if you are not a real Taoist in the religion, it was not recommended to have an altar in your home.

Why don't you do a google search on "Taoist Altar"....???

Experience is not the teacher. It depends on the ability of the student; how much can one be absorbed and digested by intuition.

No, no, no. It was pertaining to the post of your counterpart regarding to metaphor. I thought you can read metaphors....lol....!!! I believe sub-subject means that subjects are outside of this thread.

As far as I know, there is no drawbacks other than discomfort.

silas.... This is your thread, you may ask anyone anything. Please do not get intimidated....

No problem....!!! Nothing can bother a Taoist.... "I worked in the garden" 1. 我在花園工作。 1. I am working in the garden. 2. 我在花園工作過。 2. I worked in the garden. 3. 我會在花園工作。 3. I will work in the garden. Please note that the characters in bold which will change the tense of the sentence....

IMMHO Its purpose is to keep the mouth from drying. It makes no difference as long as the tongue is up there somewhere.

"Why is there only present tense in chinese language does this not seem odd?" It is Not odd, only, and only if someone knows the language. Of course, there is past tense in the Chinese language. You give me an example in English and I will give it to you in Chinese....!!!

MWD-B 天地而弗能久 有兄於人乎 lienshan: Heaven and earth as likely as being made earlier than one's big brother? Is the about statement logical.....??? WB: 天地尚不能久， 而況於人乎﹖ Heaven and Earth cannot be long lasting, Thus how can even human?

IMMHO Rene did the form gracefully. I thought he was doing the random sequence method of Tai Ji Chuan but I guess not. However, I didn't recognize his form but saw couple of Tai Ji moves. I would say he was only performing Dynamic Chi Kung.

The legend said that Zhang San Feng is the one who invented the Tai Ji Chuan. He may be the first Taoist from Wudong Shan(武當山). He is the founder of the Taoist sect called 武當派(WuDong Pai). FYI The Tai Ji Chuan was not existed in Li Er's time. The primitive form of breathing method was called 吐吶(Tu Na) at the time. In the past history, the ancients were practicing Tu Na with slow movements. In the modern time, the term become 動氣功(Dynamic Chi Kung). If just breathing without the movements, it is called 靜氣功(Static Chi Kung).

Yes, it is confusing with the phonetics. Qin Shi Huang Di: 秦始皇帝; since his existence, all the emperors after his period were addressed as 皇帝(Huang Di). In the Chinese legend, Yellow Emperor (Huangdi) is 黃帝. 黃帝(Huangdi), here, is actually a proper name which is the name was given to the Chief of a Tribe at the time. 黃帝(Huangdi) was interested in medicine by collecting herbs to cure some diseases which his people were having at the time. He was the one who had written the 黃帝內經(Huang Di Nei Ching), a history of his medical record. Btw there was no emperor at that time.

It was understood Tai Ji is a Taoist style, there is no need to specify it is "Taoist Tai Ji". With or without "Taoist" in the title, it is just a plain style of Tai Ji Chuan. Any non -Taoist can practice the art. I do practice Tai Ji, but I follow the principles in the Tao Te Ching without being religious in the Taoist Religion. I do consider myself as Taoist because I follow the philosophy of Lao Tze. The way the Tao Te Ching was written is not religious. It is religious because people want to interpret it in such a way to create the Taoist religion.

希言自然: It is being natural with less words. 希: (adj)scarce 言: (noun) words; speech, decree(metaphor in the TTC classic only) 自然: natural Edited to add: BTW The line does not belong to Chapter 23. It was copied from another chapter by mistake.

Yes, the Tai Ji Chuan was created by a Taoist priest, but the Tai Ji Chuan itself is just a style of martial arts. It is not necessary to be religious.

Perhaps, we should look at it this way. Tai Ji Chuan to begin with was not religious. Traditionally, the art was pledged to be kept as a family secret by not teaching to other families other than the Chen family. Since, someone had broken the family pledge by teaching the art to other families and foreigners, IMO, it is definitely was for business to make a living and other purposes. As you can see, Tai Ji Chuan is a hot potato in making money, in the world, because of the health benefit claims. The students who learned the art and open schools are after making money also. I am not saying that Chen Xiaowang was doing it for the business, but most of his students are foreigners.

May we consider that "Emptiness" was being in the "State of Serenity" which is the ultimate realm of a Taoist......???

Hmmmmm..... Is this a metaphor implicating that the sub-subject should be taken place elsewhere.....???

The thing that is most Taoists do practice Tai Ji Chuan and it was considered Tai Ji is part of their daily life. BTW they do shared and respect the Yin-yang and the Ba Gua symbols which are the universal symbolic signs of Taoism. However, one may exclude Tai Ji Chuan from Taoism; but a Taoist may not be excluded from the practice of Tai Ji Chuan.

Based on what I'd found and viewed from the internet, the former is more appropriate which is so characteristic to your remark.