Empty Cloud

I've heard of this term in the forum. I often trigger a surge of energy that feels good, descends from my head and distributes into my body. I'm wondering if I'm "flexing, pumping or juicing" my pineal gland or doing something else entirely, like channeling energy from above into my body. How legitimate is this term, What does it stand for, what does it feel like and why is it or is it not recommended?

I have one apprehension about Grandmaster Wang Liping and the Dragon Gate sect training and perhaps some of the current practitioners can clarify this for me. What is the point of attracting snakes, rats and other rodents by one's meditation and further more to cultivate with them to acquire certin abilities? What are the chances and risks that this could lead to demonic possesion by an animal, feeding off of your vitality in exchange for abilities? . . . Bums.

What are the Minor and Great Deaths that one experiences in meditation? If there are risks of dying at the moment of enlightment, how can one avoid it?

The karmic implications of sexual contact with an individual or a series of individuals. Are destinies entwined or karma distributed between both bodies upon intercourse and is this why monogamy is recommended in some circles, to preserve constancy and mutual refinement and to reduce the amount of involvement with other individual's intricate karmic networks and their negative implications thereof? I've heard everything, from Osho's (and I'm paraphrasing) "The more people you're with the richer a human being you become." to abstinence for the sake of complete purity and cultivation to the as long as you don't feel guilty about it or don't attach to it it will not create any karma. The question being: Do you think one permanently links one's spirit to another through sexual intercourse? Will this bound one to Earth longer and is that -one- of the(not -the-)reasons why monks abstain? If so are these ties able to be eradicated even while not being at high levels of cultivation and how? I would appreciate if the discussion remains focused on the topic and not on individual cat fights for self-validation. I don't see the use of being redundant about disagreements for pages and pages. Thank you... Bums.

This is a marvelous discussion. Thank you all for your insightful responses... Bums.

To practice being rooted energetically, I've read and heard that one must practice visualizing one's energy spreading through ones feet like roots into the ground. But what if I'm on a second, third or 83rd floor? What would I be rooting or rooted into? Would you suggest I visualize my energy reaching all the way down into the earth or vice versa?

Thank you all for having me. It's great to have a space for discussions on the way.