Stigweard

Welcome neighbour from another down under bum. I would totally recommend Taijiquan for what you seek. Have you explored any other of Ni Hua Ching's works? Oh and how do you like your tea?

Why not indeed ...

I like tea. I like sharing tea with friends. I like the conversations, the opening hearts and awakening of minds that come from sharing tea. The art of the tea master is to serve the right tea to suit the taste of one's guests. Else one's teahouse would be empty ... and unappreciated tea is just another weed.

City Model by Jacque Fresco Edit: Given credit to designer.

There you are

Nice intro Dean, welcome along, find yourself seat, the rest of the welcoming party will be along soon. How do you like your tea?

Nice find Mal ... LOL ... Gunna have to buy all the dvds. Only saw a couple of episodes here and there.

OMG ... the origins of Dan Bian!!!!!

Funnily enough I did just today ... even obsessed over who I should invite to my funeral but then realised that it kinda would be out of my hands

A tea thread ... how wonderful !!! Never tried the 'activation technique' personally but it sounds commendable for a tea lover. Lovely Rain, am making pot of Oolong using that method right now. And I agree with you Smile, non-metal containers are better (a trip to China Town is in order ). A recipe for Aussie Billy Tea: 1. Most important rule ... Just like your folks Shon, never, ever, wash the billy. You can rinse it but never wash it. You need to let the years of wood smoke seep into the brew 2. Get yourself a good campfire going (oh yes ... kids don't try this at home ) and let a good bed of coals develop. 3. Drag out a pile of coals (or just make a bed available in the fire) and place the billy full of water on the coals. 4. When it comes to the boil throw in a 'fistfull' of black tea for each person and one for the billy. You can also throw in some eucalyptus leaves for taste (make sure they are not Oleander leaves though ... silly tourists). 5. Leave on the heat for another minute and pull the billy away from the fire with a stick. Now the fun part. 6. With your hat, or a cloth for you softies, wrapped around the handle swing the billy verically in full circles three times to settle the leaves. 7. I have heard some heathens will drink with sugar or even ... milk ! Each to his or her own I guess. As a dinky di Aussie sweetener, and if you happen to be in the tropics you can raid a green ants nest and drop their nest, ants and all, in the billy. Probably not worth the pain though 8. Drink whilst hot and enjoy the sounds of the outback ... and of course smoke in your eyes 9. Best served with a slice of camp oven cooked damper .... YUM !!!! Y'all welcome by my fireside anytime

Sorry it just had to happen

Sky dancing tanta Enjoying afternoon delights Sky rockets in flight

madness by number sanity found through structure dissolve into void

Use the last line of the preceding haiku as the first line of yours. The structure is three lines: 5 syllables 7 syllables 5 syllables You should remind me About the finer methods Of Haiku prose

Ya ... I have just started training systema. Kinda humbling to have my arse handed to me in 6000 different ways. Systema Demo Systema Serbia - June 2007 seminar highlights

LOL In Oz Prime Minister Rudd has just given away fist loads of dollars to pensioners etc. and told them, "SPEND SPEND SPEND!!"

I would not know the golden mantra that you speak of. For many years I have practiced the Golden Light Invocation taught by Master Ni Hua Ching.

*sigh* Perhaps dogs are closer to buddha nature then the pedestrians of New York ??

Or is it the one that leads you to the "SOURCE"?

Thank you SYD, excellent suggestions. Indeed it is a challenge on a number of levels. Firstly because if the venture is too commercial then the integrity is compromised. So the core business, i.e. as spiritual learning centre, must in my mind be freely available to all (unconditional donations of course would be accepted). So the spiritual/educational side must be financially supplemented with the commercial/industrial components of the community. I personally envision land zoned for commercial, light industrial, and agriculture. A strict adherence to right livelihood and environmental sustainability is a must. The other options include donations from non-controlling benefactors and grants, though I would personally prefer a status of internal sufficiency. I would be most interested in learning of all your progress and innovations. Excellent suggestions. "to go to the mountain" ... I like it. You have my vote ... I agree. Precisely correct ... I envision vocational opportunities for many people. Thank you SYD ... exactly the imput to keep the cogs turning Cheers Ya Mu ... what lessons have you learned from your involvement with this organization? Thanks for the heads up on this Michael ... Trunk????? A great idea Micheal! I my mind was heading in that direction as well. Perhaps it would transpire that there is a central community with outlying cottages etc. for your idea. Good one! Learning from others experiences would be valuable indeed. I have had personal experience of communities that thrive and ones that are disfunctional at best. I have contaced Minke and am waiting a response. Cheers,

Nope ... but have developed the fine art of balancing on the rim