Yoda

Deepbluesea, Way cool!!! And thanks for the book recommendation! Tao Toe, Yoda

Hardyg, Beat you to it! Tao Toe, Yoda

Wen, Welcome to Taobums! Tao Toe, Yoda

Sherab, I am very happy that I have found Mak Tin Si and Lau Tin Si after years of searching and am extremely proud to be their Taoism student. If they aren't your cup of tea maybe check out advancedyogapractices.com? Yogani gets the Yoda Silver Medal award and doesn't cost a penny. Good luck! Tao Toe, Yoda

Bum Grasshopper, Actually, I'm not even a newbie... we've done one batch of blackberry wine years ago and that's it. The wine was very yummy and was fun. Just been pondering it again... I noticed that Sake brewing looks super easy... easier than beer. Been thinking of another go at it but haven't decided in which direction. Tao Toe, Yoda

Non, Exercise outdoors is my vote! I hope you feel better soon! Tao Toe, Yoda

So search for "Creation of the Gods (Library of Chinese Classics: Chinese-English: 4 Volumes) (Library Binding)" on amazon to see the copy I settled on with its generally positive reviews. I'm sure there's a pdf out there, but thought this set looked good. Just started it. The Goddess just sent the demoness to be King Zhou's wife and make him so mean that the people will turn on him and end his rule... sort of the case of evil snowballing out of control and finally burning itself out. I'm mostly interested in the role of Geung Tai Gung as coordinator between the three realms to finally remove the dynasty from power. Tao Toe, Yoda

interesting article: http://www-tech.mit.edu/V127/N50/mice.html That small scale muscle tremors might build bone and reduce fat a possibility that might add to our knowledge of standing practice, kunlun, and the recent wall sitting suggestion, etc.

Zenshiite, Cool! I just read about the Chinese military officer who got framed so that his wife could go to the daughter of the prime minister... Very strange morality vibe... I can't quite follow it... maybe it's just fictional license... but there's so much honor and morality and strict codes of conduct but wild swings where people just walk away from their morality. That officer was so cooperative with his imprisonment... didn't try to run away or anything and is a super guy but then out of nowhere he just becomes a bandit and kills and robs... very strange! Very fun, though. I love learning about all these mindsets. Tao Toe, Yoda

Optical effects touted as miracles are corny. There are all sorts of seance special effects out there both legit and trick based but are all indicative of an inauspicious intent.

I just read an article in Sonnon's web magazine that it's best to do intuflow motions slowly with no distractions to bring more sensitivity and awareness into the area of the body being moved. Going fast in front of the TV will enhance flexibility, but will really reduce the overall benefits. That was a fresh perspective for me... I've just been toggling through my intuflow practice at a quick pace. Something to consider. My Intuflow dvd has been on tour forever, I should call it back to Degoda for a restudy. -Yoda Also read a story about coach's childhood... rough story. But out of that has come a lot of insight and benefit for sure. I think the website for his magazine is rmaxinternational.com

Great point JK... The characters are said to embody the very essence of the world. Like the raining digits in The Matrix only much cooler. Tao Toe, Yoda

I don't mind spending lots of time looking up a character... it has its virtues as you say... it's just when I can't find it... then the time spent becomes retroactively torturous.

wow... I have no interest in any smart phone gadgetry in general, but that is good to know, thanks!

It sounds like many Chinese extra practices on the lunar 1st and 15th of every month like making offerings, bathing, purifying the home, avoiding meat and eggs, etc. Cowtao mentioned using pomelo leaves as a bathing practice on the 1st and 15th and using a camphor lamp to purify the home. I'd love to hear of any more practices along those lines if anyone knows any. Tao Toe, Yoda

JK and Iskote, Thank you for the Di Zi Gui idea and links... that is absolutely perfect for me!!! Tao Toe, Yoda

Have finished! Sorry to see the pitiful collapse of the Western Kingdom. It was nice to see the victorious northern kingdom be pretty upset about the pitiful state of the Western and Southern Kingdoms in the course of just one generation, but spared the ruling family from execution for reasons of political expediency. The afterward was interesting to read... the romance of the 3 K makes the western kingdom the good guys but the historians immediately after the north kingdom's victory makes the north the good guys (an hence maintain their good health! ) The northern first king, Cao Cao, seemed actually to be a decent chap but did a few really outrageous things per the romance version. If those didn't happen then it really would be hard to say who the good guys really were. An interesting thing is the son of the evil Western King was a noble chap and seeing that his father simply surrendered without a fight, he killed his wife and two kids and killed himself rather than face the reality of the surrender. This is spoken of as a very virtuous action in the book... sort of to leave no hostages. A little bit depressing to see the Han and the aspirations of Master Sleeping Dragon, Lord Guan, etc come to very little that stands the test of time... gets thrown away to over drinking, channelers, and bad advisors. Interesting to read Mao's commentary: he believed in political karma... if a ruling class grossly misbehaves it'll have to pay later but he doesn't believe in personal afterlife type karma. Off to Outlaws in the Marsh! Tao Toe, Yoda

Thanks Sean for setting it up and thanks to taobums like Little1, Excorcist, etc for suggesting it, I'm very excited! Iskote, it's whatever people would like... I'm hoping that it can be an extension of threads like this: http://www.thetaobums.com/index.php?&a...;f=1&t=3075 . Also, I'm hoping that taobums use it to just chat about whatever using Chinese characters. Tao Toe, Yoda

Cowtao, Thanks for the info! I think that the camphor lamp was what I was wondering about... thanks! Sounds fun... what's HW? I've been told that pomelo fruit is sold at the Asian grocery stores but haven't found any yet. I could grow the leaves then and keep the plant inside in the winter. Also, pomelo is related to grapefruit... maybe one of those could do the trick? It sounds fun! Tao Toe, Yoda

Michael, I was referring to the Dorje Shugden controversy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorje_Shugden_controversy If you google around, allegedly a couple of lamas attest that the Dalai Lama's channeler was provided accurate maps and instructions for their famous escape by Dorje Shugden himself! Tao Toe, Kyle

Thanks Cowtao, I've not tried pomelo leaf bathing, have you? I wonder if they would grow in South Carolina? Do people cleanse their homes on the 1st and 15th too? Tao Toe, Yoda

JK, I would think that the makers of subliminals would be very embarrassed when some kid dissects the attempt on youtube, so nobody would dare go there... don't you think? your pal, Yoda

Some Chinese will refrain from eating any meat or eggs on the lunar 1st and 15th and other powerful days so as not to magnify the negative energies.

JK, You may well be right. It would be fun to actually dissect exactly what is downloaded frame by frame... some sort of anti-subliminal program could be a good seller. Although it's simpler and more common to just put black magic into the film, music, website, etc, yes? Tao Toe, Yoda

Adventure1, As I mentioned in the sex with entities thread, even the Dalai Lama has had great difficulties with them... they aren't to be messed with... especially if they leave you confused, 'bittersweet', or disjointed as 5ET aptly put it. They will good cop/bad cop you until the cows come home and you can't win. If you ignore my advice, then you must maintain pristine morals and ideals and demand the same of those whom you interact with as put forth in Aghora left hand of God. In that book, he suggests to go from crappy entity to less crappy gradually going from ghost to divine. Best not to monkey with it, though, as you are one impulse away from serious problems. Tao Toe, Yoda