松永道

Thanks for the article, I formally studied western medicine before switching focus to classical Chinese medicine. One of the major reasons was the placebo affect. There was an interesting course back in college called, "The History and Philosophy of Scientific Revolution." One of the highlights for me was going into depth on the patterns of paradigm shift. Universally, one though paradigm would explain everything it could, save a few nagging questions - and those pesky little problems would be the rabbit hole into a new paradigm. 19th century physicists believed they would soon close the book on physics, work out every rule, they just had to figure out two little things: the motion of light and the mechanism of radiation. Of course, light problem blew the doors open into the new paradigm of Eistein's relativity. The radiation problem was the wormhole to quantum mechanics. Amazing. I recognized the placebo effect is one of these problems in medicine. Scientists work away at the biochemical, material side of things - and I'm not saying it's time wasted - but the new paradigm resides in the immaterial. Classical Chinese medicine, like many other tradition medical systems, never made much distinction between the material and immaterial body - it was just the body, whole. So it seemed like a good place to start. What a shame, much of the western medical establishment spends so much effort trying to discredit these systems instead of investing money wisely.. into researching these systems. Not just the herbs, acupuncture, or other techniques, but the systems of thought and observation that underpin traditional medicine. The big thing in China now is "Zhong Xi Jiehe," basically TCM and Western Medicine merged. But to this point, the medicines are, at best, used side-by-side. I think a real merger will result in more than the sum of its parts. To truly realize the depth of tradition medical thought through modern technology and analysis - I believe it would be a landmark achievement for our species. A genuine spiritual science. And the ramifications would spread well beyond medical application. It could be a very interesting time to be alive, assuming the human spirit doesn't get crushed by dollar signs. SYD

Osteopaths, especially the European variety are all pretty involved with fascia and anatomical connections. Rolfers, too, from what I know, base their system on myofascial bands and how they influence posture. There's an interesting book called "Anatomy Trains" that appears to go into quite a bit of depth on the issue. I haven't devoted study to any of this yet, but it's on my long term agenda. If you end up doing some research on the subject, please don't hesitate to post any impressions.

That Guy will be cultivating someday, in one form or another. He wouldn't be here otherwise. The seed is already in the soil. But skepticism is an important thing, not to be given up on. Belief is a quality, perhaps the only one, that should be utterly selfish. Believe in yourself. Not what you wish could be or what some group has agreed on. Every one of us is a scientist of our own life experience. "The world is flat," said the most learned man of his day. I wish THAT guy could have circumnavigated the globe. The way strong skepticism cedes to personal experience is beautiful. I like people with different views.

Cool. I look forward to reading about your impressions of the seminar. Your Kunlun writeup was epic.

Most larger cities in mainland China have at least one full-on herb market. I imagine most any TCM Herbalist should be able to tell you where to go. At the market here in Xi'an you can find a bunch of specialty herbs that clinics don't usually keep in their active inventory. Plus you can find higher quality herbs - I've found some enormous goji berries (over 2cm long) for instance.

Just to get this strait. Yogi Tchouzar Pa, a French guy, is the one-and-only lineage holder of a 500 year old secret Lama-warrior tradition. Not saying it's impossible, but I would read this one with a critical eye.

In what context?

Agreed. Like an ill behaved child, your mind is acting out when told to sit quietly. These are desperate attempts to divert your consciousness back to ego. Beautiful, scary, bizarre, the scenes will keep changing, keep trying to grab your attention. Don't be fooled. Stillness is around the corner.

I think a good kettlebell workout can be great. I'll admit I haven't gotten much bigger since I started using it, but I've certainly gotten stronger. The movements require your body works in a coordinated chain, centered and the lower Dantian and waist (Dai Mai). I am not able to maintain the same degree of energetic sensitivity as Taiji practice, but mind, balance, and physical sensitivity definitely come into play. I'll note, my Taiji system has a similar practice involving sand bags, although to really get the most out of it, you need two people. With the kettlebell I can get much of the benefit alone.

The three worms of Daoism do not eat rice, wheat, and soy. They are parasites associated with the 3 Dantian and all feed on a form of excess. The worm of the upper Dantian feeds on excessive thinking. The worm of the middle Dantian feeds on excessive food. The worm of the lower Dantian feeds on sexual indulgence. Additionally, they all support one another. For example, excessive worry may lead to binge snacking. Personally, I think the concept could be extended to three categories of addiction - ego/thought addiction, consumption addiction, and pleasure addiction. Bigu breaks kills the worms not only by reducing or completely eliminating food, but also by eliminating sex. By eliminating the two more external causes, it's supposed to be easier to eliminate the upper Dantian parasite through meditation. ... Anyway.. Drew, keep rocking and flowing.

The majority of acne problems, especially minor acne, are rooted in digestion (there are other origins, but they are more rare and the acne tends to be severe). They are all manifestations of Damp-Heat (if red with white heads) or deficient cold (if blackheads or darker zits). Damp-heat often develops from Deficient-cold (also usually combined with dampness) because foods, especially harder to digest foods like cheese, red meats, excessive carbohydrates, all pile up in the intestines due to lack of digestive heat (heat in this case relates to absorption and movement). The stagnated foods the begin burning or fermenting thereby creating a situation of Damp-heat. The causes of Deficient cold are varied (inherited, erratic eating habits, aftermath of illness, etc). This situation, in western medical terms, may be explained as a buildup of plague/mucus or an overgrowth of fungus/bacteria/parasites in the intestines. Spicy foods will aggravate the appearance of acne by driving Qi out to the skin. Fatty, oily, super-sweet, and hard-to-digest foods will all contribute to this damp, dirty intestinal environment. Any adequate TCM doctor should have no problem helping you. Or just clean up your diet.

I voted for unqualified teachers, however I would like to extend that to unqualified writers too. But, in fact, this isn't a problem for Daoism in the West alone, Daoism in China faces, and has always faced the same problem. Good teachers are hard to come by. Perhaps good students are hard to come by too. In either case, many teachers fall anywhere on the spectrum from being well-meaning but unskilled to flat-out charlatans. Teaching for one's livelihood is a decidedly difficult because teachings are at best a blueprint. To understand a blueprint, to imagine what it represents, takes all of a lecture or two. But to build it takes months if not years, and it's the student's sole responsibility. Teachers at best provide a good blueprint and motivation. Unfortunately, most teachers instead give students what they ask for.. a pile of blueprints. One after another, to study, imagine, and discard. Worst of all, these students begin believing the blueprint IS the thing. And, what irony, in studying "Dao" they move further into illusion. ... Upon reflection, I believe the biggest challenge for a modern western cultivator is the same as it has always been. A dash of ignorance, a hardly helping of distractions, and inadequate self-control.

This stuff was all the rage in communist bloc countries 30 years or so ago. Just check craig's list, you could probably get a starter mushroom for free. Then it's just a matter of adding tea and sugar (in fact, you can even skimp on the tea if you're real cheap). Pretty minimal maintenance, needs slightly more attention than a house plant once you get the operation humming. The best part is the culture will grow babies, so you can brew more batches and/or give babies away to friends so they can brew their own.

You do alter blood circulation. Full lotus in combination with proper neck posture causes the majority of blood in the system to circulate through the trunk and internal organs. Additionally lotus will build the small capillaries in the legs due to obstruction of the femoral artery. As for the Kuo/Hips, I had terrible flexibility when I began, I could barely sit in regular cross-legged position. For the majority of people, westerners included, opening the Kuo is a matter of patience and equanimity to pain sensation. Though I think for fat people with legs like tree trunks, it might be prohibitively difficult.

That statement is no more true than saying Baguazhang is for Asians, Wrestling is for Westerners. That said, I find lotus to be a very tonifying position and plain old cross-legged sitting to be more reducing. Westerners, mainly due to diet and lifestyle, need more reducing on average than say Chinese or Indian. Of course, the Asians have other good habits going for them like squat-pooping from a young age (much more reducing than sit-pooping). The real myth is the notion of an ideal position for everyone. Different people, different karma, different stages of practice - different rules.

Try Eight Brocades, Eight Section Brocade, Eight Sections of the Silken Brocade, Ba Duan Jin or Baduanjin. That should get you started.

I have a serious yogi friend who could sit in this position for more than a half-hour.. and he messed his legs up after doing this position for a number of months. He studies Yoga in the tradition of Yogi Bhajan and had a teacher's supervision. Not to knock the practice, I'm a big advocate of full-lotus meditation. Just a word of caution.

Good post, Knowledge of classical Chinese medicine greatly benefits any cultivation practice. Heiner Fruehauf, the translator, is a genuine scholar and serious cultivator.

Hehe. I'm glad there's another fan of the story. You could read these three, Sun Wukong, Zhubajie, and Sha Heshang as three stages of cultivating the Shi Shen (识神 the egoic mind). Sha Heshang is a beginner. In the story he's rather boring. He has begun cultivation, but he hasn't manifested much, thought much, and as such hasn't much to say. Zhu Bajie has reached an intermediate level. He has really cultivated, but he still gets distracted. At the intermediate level, one's vices make a vigorous last stand. Zhu Bajie is sincere, no doubt, but still lives at the mercy of a desirous mind. Sun Wukong represents high level of egoic cultivation. He is completely sincere, "with one heart faces Dao (一心向道)". But he is still a manifestation of a Po, Shi Shen. And as such, rather unscrupulous and unquestionably arrogant. Nevertheless, he is the hero par excellence at task with protecting Tangsung's heavenly duty. The ego is at task with protecting and acting on behalf of the spirit.

Ok, I haven't read this entire thread, it looks like it falls off into all sorts of tangents, so I'm just going to address the original post. Findley, you strike an interesting balance of belligerence and sincerity. Do you know "The Journey West (西游记)"? In certain ways, your character resembles Sun Wukong the Monkey King. He is a metaphor for Po, a cultivated Po at that. Unscrupulous, but sincere. He is the protector of the tale's Hun counterpart Tangsung. It's a good story, and knowing it will surely endear you to the Chinese. That said, quoting scripture, will also endear you a bit. A bit. As in, "hey this foreigner knows a little about our culture". But, if you want to impress, what you want to say, you need to be. What you embody, you don't need to say. Anyone who really cultivates will see you for who you are anyway. Leave to world of words to academics and cheats. After all, quoting Daodejing is itself a contradiction - the Dao that can be spoken... well you know the rest. Knowledge is gauged in three degrees of depth. One, that which you've heard, and repeat. Like parrots or the Christian right. Two, that which you've heard or read, analyzed, and integrated. Intelligent people do this. Three, that which you've experienced and embody. Wise people do this. Be wise and you'll earn big respect. No need to tell people what you are if you already exude it. Good luck, banana head.

And now I'm giggling in some Chinese cafe. Hunter S Thompson of the Dao. Good God man keep writing.

Here's to using the right practice at the right time. It's hard to stop using what worked, even if it stopped working.

First I haven't read this thread, I don't have time (no internet at home anymore! talk about a cultivation aid). I simply want to comment on Bodri's approach to meditation. We see a good deal of Buddhist monks and nuns in my Doctor's office. Invariably, most come in with the same core issues. Poor circulation, qi stagnation, blood stagnation, dampness and mucus accumulation. In western terms, diabetes and prediabetic conditions, cancer, fatigue, etc. These people are cultivators mind you. They are serious mediators with many achievements. So why do they have these problems? Because they don't move! They don't exercise - the simplest form of circulating Qi! They neglect the body for spiritual cultivation, get a certain ways in, then hit a brick wall. They become limited by their vehicle. Sure you don't need an Prius to drive across North America, but you need a car that won't break down! This applies especially to women as, on average, their circulation tends not to be as good as men's to begin with. Everyone needs to exercise. Qigong exercises are even better for circulation. Especially genuine microcosmic and macrocosmic orbit (the kind that arises naturally out of lower dantian cultivation, not the mental orbit that is forced or visualized). That Bodri heavily endorses nattokinase among the many other supplements he advocates attests to my experience. Nattokinase in a blood thinner. In TCM terms it circulates blood and removes stagnation. In essence he's still indulging in a circulation practice, only his is wai dan fa (external elixer method) as opposed to nei dan fa (internal elixer method). Qigong practice is about as tangent to meditation practice as strength training is to football. You don't have to, but it sure helps. (now if someone has already said all this stuff, my bad)

I actually came to my teacher with this problem some time ago. At the time, I was delving deeper and deeper into stillness, but found studies - Chinese language, Taijiquan, Chinese Medicine - they all stimulated my mind, incited my competitive desires, and certainly disturbed the empty mind I was clinging to. The answer he gave was simple and concise, though I'll convey it in form of metaphor. The mind is like a muscle. All muscles need to flex and relax. Effective muscles move between great flexion and great relaxation and they do so quickly. The mind needs to concentrate and relax, to act and not act. The more thoroughly and quickly the mind can embrace and move between these states is its measure of effectiveness. Zen blockheads, the "wooaaah totally zen" dudes have relaxed their minds. Relaxed like the atrophied muscles of a couch potato. Cultivation is Taiji, an art of moving between great extremes gracefully. Concentrated like a laser or diffuse like a soft light, sages suit the situation.