ChiDragon

I believe when the word "spiritual" was mentioned is always have something to do with the mind. You should be aware of that I had done a translation in the Dual Cultivation of Xing(mind) and Ming(body). I was advised not to put a label on oneself because it is meaningless. Well, how can a Taoist without a label and try to talk like one....??? In order to keep my spiritual mind in tact, I had labeled myself as a "Wu Wei Taoist". Now, I got this out of the way; I can speak freely. To a Chinese Taoist, cultivation of the mind is basically to have the mind in a nonchalant state. It doesn't mean that a Taoist is carefree about anything. Actually, a Taoist is always care about everything and assure that Nature is never go off course. Having a peaceful mind will keep one's mind in a high state of alert. The calmness of the mind will able one to see things clearly for making a better judgement. It will prevent one from taken an action irrationally. One will have full mental control of anger by keeping one's poise. All arguments are handled in a friendly and peaceful manner. Finally, the best policy is to beware of the unexpected silently; and handle adversity with calmness. Tai Ji will keep the practitioner in a state of serenity at all times. The slowness of the movement will keep the body in a state of easy and soft flow while the mind is indulged in an irenic mood.

I'll not go into the matter who is right or wrong. I am only interested what the words say. First, I thought walker did all the translation; but now I've realized that his translations are only in the brackets. I will do my own translation below: Breathing: In most Chi Kung, when they were talking about the practicing method is mainly about the breathing methods: such as natural breathing(自然呼吸), 潜呼吸(?), regulating the breath(调息), larynx breathing (喉头呼吸), internal breathing(内呼吸)、physiological breathing(生理呼吸)、tu-na(吐纳法), etc.. These methods, they are mostly advocated(提倡) using the combination of the mouth and nose to breathe in coordinate with a specific requirement. It was done intentionally and artificially. We called these postnatal breathing. If they were practiced all the time, of course, they may have the efficacy of medical healing and maintain one's heath. The breathing method of this Chi Kung(Wu's method) and the most Chi Kung methods are different. It is the prenatal breathing. It does not depend on the intentional method to regulate the nasal-oral breathing nor the abdominal breathing. Rather, it was done during the entry at a static state of complete quietness(or stillness). Close the mouth lightly, then the tongue will spread even spontaneously. Mentally, stop the nasal breathing. The location of breathing is focused on the passages of the nostrils. The characteristic of this kind of prenatal breathing is called orifice breathing. The so called "mentally, stop the nasal breathing". As what it says, stop it mentally rather than physically. Literally means, forget about the breathing itself. Originally, don't even think about it. Hence, let it truly be the natural breathing. It may prevent any illnesses due to the unnatural breathing which might occur. Notes: 1. 潜呼吸 It is more appropriate to translate it as submerge breathing(breathing under water). Based on Master Wu's writing, the definition of 靜動氣功(Stillness-Movement QiGong), what he meant by: 1. 靜(Static or Stillness) is the entry at the static state of complete quietness(or stillness). 2. 動(Dynamic or Movement) is the movement of natural breathing.

I know we don't "need someone to pick my brain"; but please don't forget every response that you'd made is the revelation of what is in your mind or being picked on. If one follows your tracks, then, one will find out your personality, unless, you don't respond at all.

Well, it is not that I was not interested. If not, then I wouldn't be here. I just want good explanations instead of hey it works. The reason I jumped into every thread was because most people assumed what I don't really know but I want to pick their brains of what they know by their responses. To be honest, some of the responses weren't really very tasteful. Besides, some of the responses were so irrelevant and out of line. Most of the time, I don't get a direct answer but an evasive one.

Tai Ji start with slow movement then fast. I was told by the Bagua people that they do the movements faster than Tai Ji even at the beginning. However, Tai Ji may always be practiced in slow form. IMO The slowness in the form gives me more spiritual value. Spiritual value means more toward the cultivation of the mind.

This is very evasive.

Yes, I agree that walker has shown me the my UMB is not the "ultimate method of QiGong". Rather QiGong uses the UMB. Master Wu's writing of interest talked about nothing but breathing. Perhaps he has his own definition of UMB. He had not mention "energy" at all in his writing. I don't think people are interested what I have to say about his writing since he is a master in the subject. Everything he says would be law of QiGong. So to speak.

Sorry, I did not make myself clear. By "accomplished", I meant what have you gain to your body physically from your self-cultivation. What I am getting at was I can claim one hundred things to accomplish something in one's practice. Perhaps there is one thing that did the trick but which one. Therefore, I cannot come to a conclusion by saying hey, one of the things that did the job without knowing which one. I am only interested in the effect of a certain method with a good explanation. My concern here is more about learning some basic method to lead to a better health. I am not claiming that I am a master of some kind. I just want some good logical scientific reasoning if I can which make sense to a simple mind like me. When people suggested a method, I would to like discuss in more detail. Instead I get lots of feedback by citing different sites without their understanding in their own words and personal attacks. Or saying hey it work. So, shut up, CD. Finally, perhaps due to my ignorance, I am able to hear some people talking sense now.

Walker..... Thank you for your time and effort for going over Master's Wu writings. I do not wish to waste anymore of your valuable time for arguments. I will reserve my comments and let the readers to decide either to believe all of that or just take it for granted. However, I will respond to those who have questions for me. Then, I will speak with an open mind. If you think my posts are misleading is only your honest opinion; and I thank you for that. I would like you to answer the following question. Can you just tell me what have you been accomplished, so far, from your school....??? BTW You did an excellent job on your translation......

Perhaps......!!! May the members have a little personal data exchange with their experiences, if no one minds....??? PS...... You don't need to hear the truth but I do.

The is one way to choose a teacher. Here are some of the things that is dead give away not to learn from this individual. If someone claim that he teachs 1. Chi Kung and Kung Fu. 2. Karate and Kung Fu. 3. Tai Ji and Kung Fu. Of course, this is only my opinion but I would use it as a guideline to choose my teacher.

What did you think I have been doing....??? I had been reading his writing here: All documentations about 胡耀貞(Hu Yaozhen) Can you identify any area which he does not mention breathing....??? Most of his writings about breathing seem very obscure to me. Sometimes it is clear, then most of the time is very vague. Edited to add... This is your post #6 quoted from: Bagua practice dangers, safety tips Do you have many illnesses in the past few year....??? Do you practice the "tu-na" method often...??? FYI.... I do practice the 吐吶(tu-na) by the minute which keeps my immune system very high. As the result of that, I am very energetic, healthy and hardly get sick.

It sounds like you are doing Zuan Zhuang(站摏) other than QiGong. Is that what your were doing....??? If you don't want to be standing still with the knees bent for a long time, perhaps you would like to try something more dynamic like the Yang style Tai Ji. This style allows you to move around bending one knee, alternately, at a time.

This is only the Wu(無) side of Tao. Are you ignoring the You(有) side of Tao....???

My compliment to you too.

Okay....MH If there was no Tao(道), then, there is no Te(德) to be talked about. If the Te of Tao is the Virtue of Tao, then, where is the Te(virtue) came from with the absence of Tao....??? When Tao is always invisible(常無), one grok its quale.

松永道..... I like your post is not because of your agreement with me. Rather it is my agreement with many of your thoughts which gives me an opportunity to extent our discussion further into a broader view.

Aren't all discussing Tao, here, in TTB......??? I would say that..... Tao which cannot be discussed is not Tao; Tao can be spoken with one word is not Tao; but Tao is just one word. However, if one understands this one word, then it is all Tao.

chicken

The problem is not your knees. It is normal because you have not been exercising for awhile. Another words, your knees are out of practice. So to speak. You will have the pain for few weeks to months. Eventually, the pain will go away after you practice for a while. Please try not to believe that you can relax your knees while bending. It is physically impossible not to have tension on your knees during muscle contraction. Your knees are bend inward, so let it be and don't try to fight it. If you do try to bend them forward, then you will put more tension on them. Just continue with your practice. It will be alright soon or later......!!! Have fun.

I know what you are saying but..... By the logic theory or boolean algebra: 1. "-" = "-" 2. "-" x "-" = "+" 3. "-" or "+" = don't care

That sounds funny... It seems to me this is following the leader. I am no master. Last Tuesday, I had the students doing Zazen at the last fifteen minutes after a 45 minutes of continuous Tai Ji. I opened my eyes and took a peek, it seems I was following their vibes to do the meditation. Unconsciously and naturally, I had to close my eyes immediately.

"What is the opposite of Dao?" Confucian.

Since you are more interested in Taoist, then let's concentrate on Taoism. There are two sides to Taoism. One can either study the philosophy aspect or practice the religious aspect of Taoism. If one related to either aspect may be considered as a Taoist, I guess! I am practicing the philosophical aspect of Toaism which makes me a Taoist. So to speak. In regarding to immortality, it was legendary for those who wanted to become one by practicing some types of Chi Kung exercises to prolong life. The aiming goal was to be an immortal which was only a myth in the Taoist mind. There are many attempts by trying to be immortal but just ended up prolonged one's life. That's all. In some people's opinion, anyone who can live over one hundred years old may be considered to be an immortal. As you said, a most logical person would think to become an immortal is unnatural. Besides unnatural, it is impractical. Hence, in the modern time if one says to be an immortal which really means to prolong one's life. IMHO. Now, then, it comes to the question is prolong one's life is natural....??? My thought is, since Nature provides us life with a choice of living habits. One can either live short, long or longer and we have a choice, don't we? What would you choose? I would like to live longer. Therefore, I will seek ways to prolong my life. The ancient Taoists had tried the external alchemy to prolong life. Instead of living longer but they died from poisoning of lead and mercury. With the external alchemy failed, so, they tried internal alchemy by emulating the external alchemy inside the body. The internal alchemy is mainly involves in breathing. It was know as Chi Kung. Unfortunately, the term Chi was introduced and most people get so confused about its definition. Furthermore, no one is able to give Chi Kung a good definition for a good explanation. Finally, you are not making a mistake, my friend! Instead try to attain immortality by harmonizing with Dao, how about by harmonizing with Tao in prolong one's life....???

Yes!. Literally, Wu Wei is do nothing which is negative. But, the philosophical thought behind it is "do nothing to interfere" which makes it positive. No.......???