Chang

Everything in moderation,nothing in excess.

Here is the Website for those who wish to investigate:- Pan Gu Shengong

History appears to teach us that it is the doom of organised religion to move from the spiritual towards the secular. Unfortunately it also tends towards the Fascist model with "Thou Shalt" and "Thou Shalt Not" being the whole of the law.

I don't know which is the most ridiculous in the North Korean Military Parade. The prancing version of the goosestep thay march or the huge caps they wear.

How did you decide to add the Horsetail to the Schizandra. Did you already have a good idea that it would improve the tonic effect of the other herb? Horsetail is very deep rooting and is classed as a pernicious weed. It is doubtless the deep roots that give it such a high mineral content. It also looks extremely prehistoric which it is. Amongst its listed benefits I see hair loss and piles included. Looks like it can cure your problems from both ends! Hair Growth Research shows that silica in Horsetail may help promote hair growth and strength and may also be beneficial for hair loss, dandruff, and split ends. Therefore, drinking Horsetail tea and massaging its herbal tincture and washing the hair with Horsetail extract mixed shampoo may be effective to achieve dandruff free nourished, strong, lustrous, and rejuvenated hair. Herbalist believe that massaging 3-4 drops of Horsetail extract or tincture mixed in 2 tbsp of extra virgin coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil may help stimulate the hair growth and decrease dandruff by improving the circulation in the scalp and strengthening hair follicles. Simply massage the Horsetail oil mix into the scalp for at least 10 minutes 3-4 times weekly. For hair wash, add 3-4 drops of Horsetail tincture into your regular shampoo and wash as normal. Also after shampooing, pour half a cup of cold Horsetail tea into the hair and wash it out after 4-5 minutes just like conditioner. Taking Horsetail extract capsule or drinking one cup of Horsetail tea for two months may add to the effectiveness. Hemorrhoids The anti-inflammatory and hemostatic activity of Horsetail may alleviate the pain and help decrease or stop the bleeding caused by hemorrhoids. Simply drink one cup of tea before every fiber rich meal. Fiber rich meal minimizes the risk of constipation which is considered one of the causes of pain associated with hemorrhoids and hemorrhoids itself.

Dumplings will be of greater benefit than your reading the Kybalion. Just go easy on the lard.

This must be akin to a deeply religious experience as I for one would feel that I was getting much nearer to meeting my maker!

Whilst an interesting read I found it rather dry, though it has undoubtably influenced later works and New Age thought in general. The link below may throw some light on its origins for those who wish to research further. The Kybalion

This fellow is a Church of England clergyman who has produced a couple of very interesting documentaries on both Christianity and world religion in general. A very interesting bloke. rev. Peter Owen Jones

The website concerned has been set up by Evangelical Christians and they tend to have grave concerns regarding activities such as Qigong and Yoga. They believe that it can lead to Demon Possession and is a practice of religions other than Christianity.

Some good no bull advice. Well worth watching.

You may well be aware of this fellow already but if not I would recommend taking a look. Mike Mahler He has a ton of stuff on You Tube demonstrating exercises and technique for kettlebell training. I like his style.

Clubbells certainly improve grip strength and are excellent for shoulder mobility. But for functional strength and explosive power I would always rank the kettlebell in first place.

May you prove an example to us all.

Any traveller who knows his destination can choose many different methods of transport and still arrive safely. The same could be said of Taoist cultivation. Once you have a sound knowledge of the principles involved then it is possible to use different methods to achieve the desired results. The danger lies when you become a dabbler, chopping and changing with the wind and never developing a solid foundation. The perfect example of the problem is that of the constant dieter. A different diet every month and yet the weight coninues to rise. Yet we all know the basis of losing weight. Eat less, exercise more. I am a firm believer in stability and consistancy in practice. Don't expect miracles.

Part of the problem is the choice we have in the modern world. We begin training in one system, see something else and change to that, are told of a new Master with a different teaching and feel that we must drop what we were doing and try this. "With a destination in mind better to take a thousand steps in one direction than one step in a thousand different directions."

Kettlebells are indeed are great way to build functional strength and power but they will not necessarily improve your practise of Zhan zhuang. The problem with the shaking weak leg could be something as simple as the depth of your stance. As a beginner you would be unwise to sink into a deep riding horse stance and attempt to hold it for any great length of time. Far better to start in a more upright posture and develope depth gradually, strengthening your leg as you go along. Unless you have a teacher I would recommend taking a look at Master Lam Kam Chuen and his book "The Way of Energy" The Way of Energy You can also check out on You Tube a series he did called "Stand Stll Be Fit". Both the book and series were very well done and will give you a sound basis on which to build your practice. I hope that this helps.

Yes.

I hope that the hair restoration spray was not too expensive as I can tell you now that it will not work. An old remedy for those suffering hair loss was to encourage a cat to lick your head.Another was to massage cow dung onto your bald patch. Both of these paths are a lot cheaper than expensive herbal sprays and will work just as well. Why are some men so afraid of hair loss? Do you think a bald head will make you less attractive to women. I can tell you now that it will make no difference in that respect. If it bothers you that much then invest in a hat.Fedora's are back in fashion and can give you that dashing look. But please do not under any circumstances go down the route of the wig!

"That which does not kill us makes us stronger." Friedrich Nietzsche.

A very interesting post and reading through it I can see only too plainly how raw nerves are easily touched when discussing this subject. What is plain to see is that from the word go vested interests, the pursuit of power, hatred of those whose views differed from your own and plain old fashioned stupidity were as usual driving things along. The real tragedy is that things have changed so little. My own opinion for what its worth is that the Sermon on the Mount in Matthews Gospel would on its own set the rules for a good Christian life. It matters not who wrote it. Just try to live by it. Perhaps this is too simple for mankind who tries to complicate everything. I will stick with Taoism and its uncarved block.

There are numerous apocryphal accounts of hair regeneration through Taoist practises. Some of them may be true if the hair loss is due to something other than male pattern baldness. The question to ask yourself is did my father and Grandfather go bald? If the answer is yes then you can well expect to go the same way. You can have some fun experimenting with all manner of herbal remedies and Qigong exercises but the problem is programmed into your genes. At the end of the day if a bald head is all that you have to worry about then your life is probably not that bad.

Hello from another Englander. There is a lot of interesting stuff to be found here.