Stigweard

Excuse asking this here but I can't get my head around this: x = y-(0.38196601*(y-(0.61803399*y))) If we know the value for x (say x = 3) what is the formula to calculate y ???? Thanks in advance.

LOL Not yet fellas I am creating a logarithmic sequence of which I knew the upper limit, i.e y = 39.900 Using the formula x = y-(0.38196601*(y-(0.61803399*y))) We get x = 34.079 At each subsequent step downt the scale the previous x becomes the new y (i.e. 34.079 becomes y and so on) this scale goes down as such: 39.900 34.079 29.107 24.860 21.233 18.135 15.489 13.229 11.299 9.651 8.243 7.040 6.013 5.136 4.386 3.746 3.200 Now what I want to be able to do is to allocate a lower parameter value (3.200 for example) and calculate the scale from the bottom up. Cheers YAYAYAYAYAYYAYAYA!!!!!!! That's it. ******* BIG HUGS FOR SMILE ********** Thanks champ I owe you one.

Henry Sue brother of Malcolm Sue yes? Good for you, my brother in-law trained under Malcolm in Brisbane. Hard, fast and effective. I've heard much development take place with their introduction of Tai Chi into their training.

A fair and valid point ... so any suggestions???

Did I read somewhere that you are of the Erle Montaigue lineage? If so we are brothers because Erle learnt from Master Chu King-hung who also taught my teacher.

LOL mate! I was not saying I have never felt chi and it was a similar process I had in mind. If we can wrap a scientific methodology around an exercise like this we can begin a body of tested procedures. For example we would be able to say, within the realms of statistical accuracy, that by undergoing such an exercise you have a 65% chance of experiencing chi for yourself. Cheers for the website.

Welcome ... is there a website for Tao Wu Shin?

In my course of study there are five initial goals or 'blessings': 1. Happiness 2. Longevity 3. Wealth 4. Health 5. Natural death I am also in accord with xuesheng and Pietro.

Great that's the ultimate goal then. What can we do now though? What small step can we take right now to head us toward this goal. Take my experiment idea for example. How would we go about organising a realistic and credible experiment to prove or disprove my hypothesis that, with simple online instructions and within only 10 minutes practice, at least 65% of participants would have their own tangible experience of Qi energy ? Science is about accumulating a body of research yes? Well let's start with what we have right now and work toward the big goal. Who's in?

I respect your right to have your point of view. Blessings

OK then so lets do it! We obviously have a couple of science heads on the forum who are adapt at using the scientific method. Lets not just talk about it bemoaning 'wouldn't it be good'. Lets just do it. So where do we start? I have a suggestion ... Hypothesis # 001: I have Qi perception exercise that can be conducted right here across this forum where I estimate over 65% of all participants will experience a tangible sensation of Qi energy. Ok then science heads ... where do we go from here?

Excuse me for being in any way disrespectful, but I humbly think you can improve your perception here. Firstly, being lazy creates its own 'karma' -- karma in Taoist terms is the law of energy response, i.e. the Universe will respond in perfect synergy to the energy you are emanating. It sounds like you are using your own perception of Karma to justify your laziness. And if you think Wu Wei means to sit on your arse and do nothing whilst slinging off at the good folk who are putting in the effort then I think you need to reexamine your understanding. "The original meaning of kung fu is quite different, and is hard to translate as there is no English equivalent. In short, 功夫 (gōngfu) means "achievement through great effort" or simply virtue. It combines 功 (gōng) meaning achievement or merit, and 夫 (fū) which translates into man." Wiki Qigong mastery, along with all the other 'gongs', can only be achieved through great effort and many hours of practice, patience, determination and yes work. Wu Wei is not about 'doing nothing', it is about working/achieving without applying artificial or unnatural force or contrivance. It is about acting and working in the world according to your own personal nature. If it is your natural destiny to be able to run 100m in under 10 seconds then that is your Tao and you should apply all your natural efforts and work to live this potential to the fullest. Same goes with being wealthy or famous or any other human potential. If it is within your personal nature and you can achieve it in balanced, harmonious manner then I believe it is your universal obligation to do so. Apologies in advance if I have offended you in any way.

...is a person who cultivates his personal spiritual awareness or who engages in observing God by linking the inner voice, internal subtle thought and the subtle reflection of the nervous system to directly engage in any moment of life as an extension of the universal spiritual nature. p 218, Ni Hua Ching, "The Gentle Path of Spiritual Progress", Shrine of the Eternal Breath of Tao, LA, 1990 --- Thought I'd share that with you all

Shon Gong Where do I sign up! ~.^ Then you have Shim shala bim gong Sorry I digress. Carry on.

An excellent question idquest. There are a few points to consider here. At the root of your question is the quandary of whether, as Taoists, we should have a goal or an 'ideal state of beingness'. For myself personally that state is Teh, virtue, true nature. Virtue should not necessarilly be seen as an verb, i.e. something we do, but rather a noun, something we are. So if Tao is 'the way of nature', what is the way of our own personal nature? How would we be if we were expressing the fullness of our own true nature? My answer again is Teh, virtue. Virtue should not be considered as an artificial system of morals or ethics. It is the spontaneous expression of one's personality when one is living true to one's nature. It is the healthy emanation of a wholesome being. However, a symptomatic outcome of our society is that very few of us are living anywhere close to our own true nature ... we have become denatured by the contrivances of our culture. So what are we to do? It is to this last question that the Taoist teachings respond. Classics like the Tao Teh Ching and authenic cultivation practices like Taijiquan are the virtuous expression of the ancient sages. They serve both as a mirror, revealing to us the unnecessary artifices of our own minds, and as a guide, helping us make the necessary corrections, helping us reattune with our own true nature. My illumination of wholesome virtues in this thread is my own personal practice aspiring to the same purpose. Rediscovering virtue/true nature is, perhaps literally, like someone rediscovering Taiji movement. At first we are all tense and rigid with the artificialness of our conditioned state. Then under the guidance of a good teacher we learn the external forms and, after much practice, we work further and further into the core. After much more practice we may eventually rediscover Taiji ... virtue ... true nature. In answer directly to your question: "When we try to cultivate virtues, don't we break the balance, make things more polarized?" Individual virtues are like the individual movements in the Taijiquan form, these movements are the visible expression of Taiji, the essence. Instead of 'cultivating virtues' you should focus on cultivating or achieving your unified personal nature, your essence. Wholesome virtues will be the natural expression of this attainment. However, just like Taiji, sometimes we have to 'fake it until we make it'. What I mean by this is that through diligent study and practice of the individual movements we hope to gain insight into the essence of Taiji. Just so, by diligently and consciously practicing individual virtues we can gain insight into our true nature. Once Taiji is embodied individual movements become Wu Wei, 'doing without conscious effort'; once true nature is embodied individual virtues also become Wu Wei. It is polarised thinking to believe that we have to have 'equal share' of 'good' and 'bad' virtues. If this was the case then we should be also aspiring to cultivate self-denial, vengefulness, stupidity, intolerance, ignorance, jealousy, anger etc. etc. In my personal view positive, life-enhancing virtues are the natural expression of a balanced, harmonious, uplifted soul ... a soul attuned to Tao ... whilst destructive, life-destroying personality attributes are the symptoms of a discordant, suppressed, degraded soul. As a Taoist my study and efforts are focused toward enhancing the virtues of health, harmony, and happiness within myself and within my sphere of influence. Through tolerance and compassion I understand and accept that there are people in the world excelling themselves in the degradation of their own souls and of the world around them. My hope is that I can help one or two change the course of their lives to help create a little more harmony and wholesomeness in the world. My hope is that you can also do the same.

LOL -- I don't recall anyone mentioning "how to suck men's vital force".

I certainly did ... thank you for posting it.

LOL I'm working on that ... will keep you posted ~.^

Good for you

Blessings both ways my friend. Helping you take one step in truth helps me take one as well. Congratulations on your achievement. Now the fun part ... how are you going to form new better habits to maintain this 'new growth'? Having experiences and insights are easy, the challenge is to integrate them as enduring features of your life.

Step 1: Every morning at dawn get out into some fresh air and simply breathe. Breathe in the goodness of the sun rising, breathe it into every cell and fibre and when you breathe out let any staleness/tension/stress just drain away. Do this with the attitude of 'not doing' ... don't try to force anything, just follow the principle of being natural. Just breathe in goodness and let the staleness fade away naturally. Step 2: You like the woods, excellent! Spend more time there being amongst nature. Find yourself a favourite tree (just follow your instincts and intuition) and visit it regularly. If you can, in the morning light spend 20mins or so hugging the tree or sitting in its branches (please use caution ... falling can be unpleasant) and simply breathe deeply. Again follow the principle of being natural. --- So many of our mental and emotional disturbances arise from the denaturing influence of our modern culture. The remedy is to simply bathe ourselves regularly in the rhythms of nature. Even in the cities nature can still be found ... in the morning light, in the change of the seasons, in your favourite park. To have a natural mind is to have a mind of Tao.

If we were talking face to face I'd give ya a big ol' man hug and take you fishing. Then I'd bury you up to your neck and leave you there for a week and let the earth drain away some of the debris you've picked up Just remember that you can't live on the front line of life without coping a scar or two. Blessings

You should become proficient with quiet sitting following the breath first before trying to manipulate energy like this. If your mind is disturbed and overactive or if you are being too intellectual, artificial or forceful with your practice your energy will congest in your upper body and head. Remember the golden rule: Qi flows where Shen goes, Jing flows where Qi goes. Before and after any energy work engage in at least several minutes of quiet breathing. Start by really being aware of the air passing in and out of the nostrils. Then gently become aware of how your breath fills your body. Slowly and naturally (i.e. do without doing ... just let it happen) expand this awareness until you are 'full body breathing'. Don't force anything, don't imaging anything, don't visualise anything, don't try and send energy anywhere ... just follow the breath and be aware of your body. If you feel any tension or pain you can use these sensations as a focus ... just simply observe and breath into these areas, don't try to change anything ... allow and accept things as they are. Allow any changes to occur naturally, spontaneously, and without any effort on your behalf. The after a few minutes of quietude just simply allow your awareness to be more focused in the lower abdomen. Again don't try to achieve anything, don't force anything ... just be aware, be receptive. Anytime thoughts arise simply return to the breathing process. Blessings