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A couple more suggestions: Awaken Healing Energy through the Tao by Mantak Chia Ken Cohen's Qigong video, in addition to his book, the Way of Qigong. Don't forget to search your library, it's the least expensive way to start out. It's likely that your local library is linked up into a wider network, so that if they don't have the book/video/CD/DVD you want, they can get it. A live teacher is by far the best, but a video, in combination with a book, can be a good way to get your feet wet. Best of Luck Michael

Hi All, I am currently studying Healing Tao and Pan Gu Shengong practices. I attended the HT Chi Kung fundamentals (1-4) retreat last summer, and am working my way through the HT Fusion 1 CDs now. I will be going to SanFran in December to study with Master Ou, Wen Wei. I have recently started the PGSG moving form, and am reading the Path of Life book. I have read the Pan Gu Mystical Qigong book, and will be re-reading it (thanks Michael Udel, your posts triggered something inside me). I am also starting to work my way through the scholarly books; I recently finished James Miller's Daoism, An Introduction, and am reading Livia Kohn's The Taoist Experience: An Anthology. I started studying martial arts in '73; Judo -> Shotokan Karate -> Taekwondo ->Wing Chun Kung fu, then in '78, Tai Chi. The Tai Chi form I learned was described as a blend of Yang and Wu. I learned it from Larry Anderson in Chicago. The lineage, which was not Larry's thing, was described as Da Liu (maybe) -> Robert Cheng -> Larry Anderson. The form is one of the classical versions: 108 move one person form, a short 2 person push hands form, a 48 move 2 person 'San so', and a Sword form. I studied these forms intensely for 8 years, devoting the majority of my time during that period to study, while working just enough to barely pay my bills. During my Tai Chi days, I thought I had all the answers, and was extremely dogmatic in my approach to Life. The birth of my daughter changed all that, and taught me far more about Life than I had learned in my ascetic days. I realized that I had been insisting on living Life on my terms, rather than on Its terms. This turned out to be a long and painful lesson. After my daughter was born I stopped studying Tai Chi with any teacher, and practiced and taught it on my own. Though I thought Tai Chi was the answer I had been seeking most of my life - I have been interested in the philosophical and spiritual aspects of the martial arts as far back as I can remember - as I continued my practice I still felt a certain emptiness. Larry's approach to Tai Chi was very stripped down. Discussion of chi, much less shen, jing, inner alchemy, never happened. The form was a tool used to find the most efficient way to move, and to find out if you were really 'going for it' and being totally 'honest' (see Carlos Casteneda). I use quotes, as in retrospect I realize that those terms did not mean what I thought they did. A couple of years ago I was laid off from a job I had. During my downtime, and the beginning of a complete re-examination of my life that is still on-going, I stumbled onto Ken Cohen's Qigong video in the library. My previous exposure to Chi Kung was watching 2 noted practitioners in the Chicago and Oak Park area. I did not like either one, as both of them were into hurting people, intentionally or otherwise, with their knowledge. In the late 80's I also read a cultivating sexual energy book from Mantak Chia, but ended up injuring myself via pressure on the Million Dollar point. Ken Cohen however touched off something inside me. I read his books, and started practicing the form on his video. From there I went to John DuCane's site, and picked up a couple of his DVDs, and then landed on Michael Winn's Healing Tao site. I read his Inner smile book, and something opened up inside me. That was over a year ago, and the unfolding continues. I am now trying to figure out what the next step in my life is. I know that what I have been doing professionally for the last 10 years is not working for me. Fortunately, my wife and daughter also know that this is true. I know that I am completely devoted to the Path, but I do not yet know how financial support will take place along the Way. I will be looking into teacher certification for the HTIA and Pan Gu systems, and am also actively looking around for other great teachers. Yours in Way-making, Michael

sorry, one other thought. If you're going to try a genuine cultivation approach. starting out with a 40'x40' plot is a HUGE endeavor, It will require a massive investment of time and energy. Biointensive suggests starting out small, like 10'x10'; to get an understanding of what is needed, and your level of interest/energy, and then growing from there. Good Luck!

We've been gardening for awhile, our biggest issue is sun, or the lack thereof due to the number of trees in our yard. Machaelle Small Wright has some very interesting viewpoints on gardening. She actively cultivates a connection with the various Nature spirits, Devas, etc. The method she uses is probably closest to the Findhorn approach. It involves setting up a connection with the nature spirits in your yard and asking them what the yard needs, and then be willing to do what is described. We are not using this approach entirely yet, but I think it's the closest spiritually to a true cultivation method. Check out: http://www.perelandra-ltd.com/ My heavily paraphrased summary - Nature is dying to teach us what it needs. In order to establish a relationship, humans need to approach Nature as a student, learn to ask questions and properly interpret the answers, and then be willing to do what is described. So far, monkey mind has been frequently confronted with answers received. Another fascinating gardening viewpoint is from A.F. Beddoe, who follows a Biological Ionization approach. One of his books - Nourishment Home Grown - thoroughly describes a method to improve the health of the soil. The lack of soil health is probably our biggest issue. Unfortunately, following a strict organic approach does not necessarily help soil health. And what will probably twist a few corks; inorganic methods can_sometimes_be quite effective. Rock phosphate is his basis, so it sounds like you're heading in a great direction. Check out: http://www.advancedideals.org/RBTI_Biologi...nization_2.html For a fun read on other alternative approaches, check out Secrets of the Soil, if you've not already. Lastly I've found that tending to the plants, and directly thanking them for the wonderful sustenance they provide is also quite effective. Approaching them with an open heart and an open mind goes a long way towards establishing a healthy relationship for both parties. -Michael

Scholarly: http://www.daoiststudies.org/index.php it has an excellent Daoist bibliography: http://www.daoiststudies.org/bibliography.php http://www.daoiststudies.org/biblios.php good book reviews: http://www.daoiststudies.org/reviews.php and an overview of the Daoist Canon: http://www.daoiststudies.org/gu.php it also has a listing of teachers Related site on Cultivation: http://cultivation.daoiststudies.org/ Dr. Russell Kirkland Associate Professor or Religion - Taoism, Asian Religions, Native American religions http://kirkland.myweb.uga.edu/ Good UK site on Academic Daoism: http://www.eng.taoism.org.hk/daoist-world-.../pg6-4-8-10.asp Livia Kohn's Three Pines Press site, great source for scholarly books: http://www.threepinespress.com/ James Miller, Assistant Professor of East Asian Religions at Queens University in Ontario Canada: http://rels.queensu.ca/jm/ Qigong: National (US) Qigong Association: http://www.nqa.org/index.html check out the online energy assessment (5 phase analysis): http://www.nqa.org/accessenergy.html Acupuncture: Great online interactive guide to acupuncture point location: http://www.acuxo.com/index.asp

I've got some experience in this area also, one knee meniscus trimmed, other knee has a spot that is tender during deep bends. Glucosamine does not help to grow new tissue. It does help lubricate the joint, and does seem to provide some extra cushion - maybe due to increasing the viscosity of sinovial fluid? - while you are taking it. When you stop taking it, the lubrication/cushion effect gradually wears off. Best brand (stateside) is GS500 by Enzymatic Therapy. It can take up to 6 weeks before you will notice a difference. I took it for a couple of years, and then got tired of taking 6 pills/day knowing that I would have to continue for the rest of my life. Good cod liver oil also seems to help. It also has to be taken regularly, but provides plenty of other benefits. I don't know cod liver's mechanism of action. -Michael