Stigweard

LOL matey ... trust me there are plenty of unbalanced women out there Call it what you will. A healthy male yang energy will attract healthy female yin energy. My point in my previous comments is this: You need to become a self-sufficient entity that embodies healthy yang and yin within yourself. The problem with most relationships is that you have, in most cases, two incomplete people seeking completion through the other person. It becomes a classic case of enmeshed co-dependency where neither can feel they can live with out the other. And, be it magic or biology, invariably people will be attracted to other people who are lacking in the same composition of deficiencies. Likewise, wholesome people will consciously or unconsciously seek out a partner who can also "stand on their own two feet". So if you want a wholesome relationship here is my advise to you: Dissolve the anxiety that you have hooked to the outside world and put in the effort required to nurture the wholesome Yin and Yang within yourself. Craft yourself into an wondrous integral being and then, of it's own accord, a beautiful, wholesome and sexy partner will one day mysteriously enter your life.

Exactly Yes. Men tune more to the sun whilst the women tune more to the moon.

That's a cop out ... really. How on earth did you come to that conclusion? The trick is to marry your spiritual ethics with an effective line of business. For example I am a commissioned based sales person for a multi-million dollar company that markets a holistic sleep system. I love it! The corporate world of sales is exhilarating and sharpens your sword like nothing else. It forces you to shed all the superfluous aspects of yourself that interferes with your ability to relate to people properly. And that's the secret to sales ... the ability to sincerely relate with people on a heart level. If your product or service truly helps people (and if it doesn't then go find a product/service that does), then it's all about empowering your customer, helping them significantly improve their situation. How fulfilling it is in my line of business to have past customers stop me in the street, shake me by the hand and sincerely thank me for how I have helped them improve the quality of their life. I had one lady, who suffered from weekly migraines for 50 years, whose suffering stopped within a month with my products. She came back to one of my seminars and voluntarily stood up in front of everyone and tearfully told her story of how her life had turned around. One of the most spiritually blessed moments of my life I can tell you. So stop your sniveling about there being no "spiritual jobs in America", get off your backside and get creative and if you can't find one then make one ... seriously.

Towards a new interpretation of Taoist Alchemy By Bryn Orr Taoist alchemy is a meditational practice which aims at increasing the practitioners sensitivity and control over the subtle energy (chi) fields both within the body's internal environment and external surroundings. Classical descriptions of this type of practice state that when a high level of proficiency is gained (through long-term daily practice) the practitioner will begin to experience intense, ecstatic states and to awaken latent extrasensory perceptions and other 'psychic' phenomenon. There are a number of different approaches and beliefs regarding the practice of Taoist alchemy, just as there are a number of different schools of Taoism eg. Mao-shan p'ai, Complete Reality (Ch'uan-chen tao), Spiritual Treasure Sect (Ling-pao p'ai), etc. Despite using common nomenclature and core concepts, such as 'Fusion of fire & water' (Kan/Li), 'Awakening the primordial treasure' (Yuan chi) and 'Return to the source', the interpretation of these ideas vary considerably. For example the work of Master Mantak Chia treats these concepts as techniques of gathering and transforming energy into various states using the physical body as an energetic laboratory 1. This approach is a typical example of alchemy as practiced by the Southern School or 'School of energetics'. The Complete Reality school, however view these central tenets of alchemy as being merely stages in the contemplation of our own mind, which in turn leads to an understanding of the true nature of reality 2. To further complicate matters, some sects treat the core concepts as a series of techniques to be practiced in a precise order, whilst others view the core concepts as a process that naturally unfolds as a result of deep meditation, regardless of the particular meditative technique used to achieve this state. It is this last idea that the remainder of this article will concern itself with. The core concepts which I have referred to previously are outlined in one Taoist chi kung text 3 in the following order: 1. The yuan chi is awakened in the lower Tan tien using regulated breathing, mental concentration and by placing weight underside (bringing centre of gravity to correspond with lower Tan tien - hence the importance of standing postures and developing the 'root' in T'ai Chi). 2. This yuan chi begins to ascend & descend between the lower Tan tien and middle Tan tien or between the heart (fire - li) and the kidneys (water - kan). This is referred to as 'the fusion of fire & water'. 3. The yuan chi is then able to move above the heart & into the head. It then flows up & down between the lower Tan tien & the upper Tan tien. The upper Tan tien is known as the Ni-wan or 'mud pill' and is located in the centre of the brain. The Ni-wan is composed of the Hypothalamus, pineal & pituitary glands. This stage is referred to as 'the opening of the thrusting vessel' or the zhong-gong direct flowing method 4. This central path of the thrusting vessel flows from the perineum, through the centre of the body or the spinal canal, up to the crown of the head. It may correspond to the Shushumna meridian of Kriya yoga, an Indian system with many parallels to Taoist alchemy. 4. The yuan chi begins to circulate through the microcosmic orbit, which is an energy loop running up the posterior surface of the spine and down through the anterior midline of the body into the lower Tan tien. This can lead to spontaneous movements and the production of the jade elixir. The jade elixir is the production of saliva that tastes sweet or honey-like. 5. Next the green dragon and white tiger vessels are opened by the yuan chi. These correlate to the left & right paths of the thrusting vessel found in Mantak Chia's system 5 and also to the Ida & Pingalla meridians mentioned in Kriya Yoga. It may be these vessels that are accessed through deep needling of the front points of the thrusting vessel (Stomach 30 and kidney 11-21) in acupuncture. 6. After the chi moving in the left and right mai (green dragon/white tiger) are brought together this leads to sounds (different from normal digestive sounds) being heard. This is the 'hiss of the dragon and the roar of the tiger.' Then the chi will vibrate in an inner chamber of the lower Tan tien. This signifies the formation of the golden foetus, an immortal spirit body which is able to access energies & planes of existence other than that occupied by our physical body. In the book 'Taoist Yoga' , this stage is known as 'driving the primordial spirit into the lower Tan tien' 6. 7. The energy of heaven and earth move through the thrusting vessel and into the lower Tan tien, which provides energetic nourishment for the golden foetus. 8. A golden light then appears to shine behind the eyes and the practitioner has feelings of ecstasy, which is a confirmatory sign that the latent abilities are awakened, immortality is gained and the goal of alchemy has been reached. It is interesting to note that 'The secret of the golden flower' also speaks of the golden light behind the eyes as a sign of great progress in Taoist meditation 7. The work of researcher Itzhak Bentov, a long-term meditator and author, is relevant to this discussion because despite being primarily a study of the physiological effects of Kundalini yoga and transcendental meditation, his work shows a greater number of direct parallels to Taoist alchemy than it does to the aforementioned systems. Bentov's work on the effects of meditation, labelled the 'physio-kundalini' model, describes the activation and entrainment of a number of bio-oscillators that cause lasting changes to our physical, mental and energetic functioning 8. These changes occur through daily meditational practice, and from personal experience, regardless of the meditative technique used. As such, Bentov's work may go a long way towards helping modern practitioners to understand what the ancient masters were trying to explain when they wrote the often obscure manuals on Taoist alchemy. Bentov's physio-kundalini model outlines the following stages in the meditative process: 1. During meditation the breathing becomes regular. This regulated breathing controls the rhythm of the heart 9. It is interesting to note that 'The secret of the golden flower' says that the breath energy is the handle of the heart, thus inferring that the heart rate cannot be influenced directly, only by altering our breathing pattern 10. This stage correlates with the awakening of the yuan chi at the lower Tan tien. 2. When the heart pumps this causes a pressure wave to travel down the aorta. When this wave reaches the aortic bifurcation, the part where the aorta splits in two to supply blood to both legs, a portion of the pressure wave is reflected back towards the heart. When this wave reaches the aortic valve (at the heart) it causes the heart to beat again. This creates a standing wave between the heart and aortic bifurcation, which in turn causes a rhythmic up and down micro-motion throughout the body 11. This stage of Bentov's model correlates almost exactly to the Kan/Li cycle, if we consider that the aortic bifurcation is at approximately the same location as the lower Tan tien. Bentov's model has a wave travelling up and down between the heart and aortic bifurcation, the Taoist text states that in the Kan/Li stage energy flows between the seat of fire (the heart) and the seat of water (lower Tan tien). 3. The micromotion of the body causes an up & down motion within the cranial vault. This creates a gentle bumping of the brain against the cranial vault. This interaction of the brain and cranial vault creates acoustic (and possibly electrical) plane waves, which in turn set up a resonant wave in the hollow, fluid-filled ventricles inside the brain 12. This idea of an energy which firstly moves between the lower Tan tien & heart (or middle Tan tien) and then between the lower Tan tien and the brain (upper Tan tien) is paralleled in the Taoist practice of 'opening the thrusting vessel', mentioned above. 4. The movement of the fluid in the ventricles acts on the nerves of the middle ear, causing inner sounds to be heard 13. This offers a physiological explanation of the inner sounds referred to, by Taoist mystics, as 'the hiss of the dragon and the roar of the tiger'. (It is also worth noting that the lateral ventricles resemble the Indian description of the third eye chakra which is described as a flower with two petals, one to the left and the other to the right of the centre.) 5. The acoustic standing waves in the ventricles creates an up & down movement in the corpus callosum (the bundle of nerves connecting the two hemispheres of the brain). This is translated into electrical energy within the brain tissue. The electrical activity follows a circular path through the sensory cortex, which leads to corresponding sensations in various parts of the body 14. "It has been found by researchers that the 'energy sensation' travels up the legs to the spine to the top of the head, then down the face, through the throat, to a terminal point in the abdomen." 15 Whilst Bentov's research was primarily concerned with Kundalini yoga, it is interesting to note that he found that the energy sensations experienced by meditators follow a path that is very similar to the microcosmic orbit of Taoist alchemy 16. This is a stark contrast to the path of energy discussed in the classical texts of Kundalini yoga which describe a path of energy starting at the perineum, ascending the spine and ending at the crown of the head 17. 6. Through regular meditation, the circuit through the sensory cortex begins to polarise the grey matter in one specific direction. This creates a permanent circuit in the brain and helps to release stored stresses, which may account for the lasting changes in physical and psychological functioning caused by meditation. This circuit grows to include the pleasure centres in the limbic system, the motor cortex (which controls the voluntary muscle movement) and areas of the visual cortex. Effects of the stimulation of these areas include feelings of bliss, spontaneous bodily movements and sensations of being surrounded by a brilliant light 18. As we know from our earlier discussion of the stages of Taoist alchemical meditation, the sensation of bliss and golden light are both signs which confirm great progress towards the meditators 'return to the source' or union with the Tao. Our Taoist text also mentions that the establishment of the microcosmic orbit can lead to spontaneous movement, in full agreement with Bentov's research. The idea of meditation establishing an electrical circuit in the brain finds a number of parallels in the Taoist tradition. Mantak Chia has a number of advanced alchemical formulas that draw energy into the brain, these include the 'sealing of the five senses' and 'congress of heaven & earth', which fuses the energies of the pineal & pituitary gland in the cauldron of the hypothalamus 19. The Mao Shan Taoist tradition has a practice known as 'walking the nine chambers of the crystal palace [upper Tan tien]' which involves visualising various deities within different parts of the brain 20. These nine chambers are the highest field of the elixir, chamber of the mysterious elixir, chamber of the Jade Emperor, chamber of the moving pearls, chamber of splendour, purple chamber, chamber of the ultimate, cover of heaven and the chamber of government. The third eye is also mentioned but is considered as an opening rather than a chamber, as such it is called the 'Entrance of the spirit' 21. These chambers may be an analogy used by Taoist mystics to convey the formation of the aforementioned electrical circuit within the brain. The walking through the chambers would represent movement of electrical current or qi from one part of the brain to another. In conclusion it can be seen that there is some merit to the idea that Taoist alchemy may be a description of a natural process which occurs through the practice of meditation, regardless of the particular technique or tradition, and not merely a collection of ancient visualisation techniques. This is not to say that the ideas contained within this paper are the truth of the matter, but rather that they should encourage further investigation into these ancient arts, and comparison with contemporary research such as that done by Itzhak Bentov and others. I welcome feedback on this article and hope that it inspires the reader to re-examine the wisdom of the ancients. Bryn Orr lectures in Chinese Exercise Therapy at the Australian College of Natural Medicine. Bryn is a Chi Kung (qigong) practitioner and a Reiki/Seichim master who has published numerous articles on Taoist Alchemy and energetics for magazines such as Silvercord, Magick, Insight, Mystic Revelations and The Pacific Journal of Oriental Medicine.

Here's another use for the iPad:

Way cool ... my wife is gunna love this ... not too much tho otherwise she is going to want one

Does it all add up? Life, universe, everything. Pass the peanuts Ford.

Thank you very much for posting that

Don't be sorry matey, none of us are perfect around here (hahaha ... least of all me). I think you should print off shaolin's post above, stick to your bedroom wall and read it every day

I understand People can be hard and confusing to deal with sometimes. Which is why alot of Taoist practitioners choose to spend their time with the natural forces of the Sun, Moon, trees, mountains, etc. Perhaps you could find a natural setting somewhere away from people completely where you can spend time just with nature. Works for me

To throw things in a totally different direction ... how do Taoists handle not being able to find a true and nurturing feminine companion? Firstly they find solace in the Law of Universal Energy Response: External experience is a perfect match to one's own internal energy vibration. So discordant female interactions in the external world is a mirror of one's own internal energy. Either your wholesome yang or your wholesome yin (or both) is somehow out of whack. So what to do about it? Our most potent external sources of Yin and Yang are respectively the Moon and the Sun. Taoists have developed simple but potent practices to absorb the energy of these celestial beings to harmonize internal energies. Perhaps we are not "man enough" to attract a good woman. So by drawing in Solar Yang energy we can empower our masculinity to become more "alpha-like". Perhaps we can't relate to women properly. So by drawing in the Lunar Yin energy we can enter a divine engagement with the sacred feminine. If anyone would like to learn these simple methods you are welcome to PM me.

Nice! I probably wouldn't use a gift voucher ... but congrats all the same.

Be free of all thoughts Of the correct haiku form Natures' algebra

Not catching any fish? Be patient and cultivate your virtue so that you can attract better fish

Graci

Nice !! It can be pretty heart wrenching to watch a tree suffer, and it's a nervous process to move one like you did ... great result well done

This pretty much sums it up:

More Aussies ... awesome ... welcome

And we have to be careful what we 'wish' for ... like the Aussie bloke who wished for a bird with long legs and a big ass ... he ended up with an emu

Interesting

Hahahah !!! Nice Pictures ... I want pictures