multiarms

busted! Good discussion. Sometimes I try to practice contemplation or cultivation "off the cushion" as it were, by calling attention to the Now as much as possible during work, routine daily life, etc. I usually have to try to force it with a simple mantra or reminder, unless I'm doing something that forces me into the flow (like really grooving at work, sex, intense video game, exercise, etc). I typically try the "self-remembering" method described by Ouspensky and which is explained (a bit too elaborately) by Gurdjieff in his books. Just trying to stop the internal narrative and remember myself, notice that "I Am", etc. Another method that I've screwed around with is the non-stop mantra/inquiry of HAIETMOBA ("how am I experiencing this moment of being alive?"), as described by Richard, the progenitor of Actual Freedom. This seems to be a super powerful technique, and I'm actually quite afraid of it. Stop over to the Dharma Overground forum and read some posts about AF, but prepare to be sucked down the rabbit-hole for at least hours if not days...

I've been following this story with some interest for awhile now, since Anusara is a huge national Yoga "brand" in the USA. There's been almost daily coverage on the Yoga Dork blog (good website), but here's a great summary article and interview from New York Times - http://nymag.com/news/features/john-friend-yoga-2012-4/ Always sobering to see someone, who was respected as an enlightened or spiritual person, revealed to be all too human. Reminds me of Chogyam Trungpa and his whole successor-ship disaster, Zen Master Seung Sahn, Muktunanda, sex abuse by Catholic priests, recent revelations of the new Kalu Rinpoche, etc etc etc.... Makes you wonder - who's next?

Here's a funny article on this phenomenon - 7 'Ancient' Forms of Mysticism That Are Recent Inventions http://www.cracked.com/article_19283_7-ancient-forms-mysticism-that-are-recent-inventions.html

Unfortunately, I think you hit the nail on the head... Similar to Wicca, Neo-Paganism/Asatru, Hatha Yoga, Ninjitsu, this list goes on and on. These things popped up in the late 19th and 20th centuries as attempts to "revive" ancient traditions, without a direct lineage so its all kind of "made up"... Our friends in Rome made sure that no real Gnostics survived the dark ages. People forget that several Crusades were fought against Christian heretics, mostly in Southern France. All the believers were killed or forced to convert, books destroyed, etc. So all we really know about the Gnostics comes from the propaganda of the orthodox Catholic Church and is unreliable, or it comes from the Nag Hammadi tablets which are much much older and don't tell us a ton about actual "practices".

People who try to control the way others look is CRAZY. It's blaming someone else for the sexual thoughts that are IN YOUR OWN HEAD This is like radical Muslims who want to punish women because they (the Imams and other men) are horny. Sexual thoughts and feelings happen naturally and we have to deal with them (act on them, ignore them, laugh at them, whatever). Also, for regular US Americans, remember what the PUA gurus teach us -- "Don't put the pussy on a pedestal". Just ignore that shit, cuz they're only doing it to get a rise out of you. People act all crazy, like hot girls got gold down there or something. Everybody needs to chill.

I agree that there is no point in trying to change the world with meditation. The world has been fucked up forever and will be so until we're all gone. Even if we could achieve peace and prosperity for all, end hunger, disease, etc... people would still be unhappy, because happiness does not come from an external source. So don't try. Paradise is right here every moment, or so I'm told But, if you're really interested in trying to meditate to create a better world or something, maybe try "Transcendental Meditation" http://www.tm.org/ ... world peace is the stated goal of that method. I don't know anything about it really, other than its expensive and that it involves reciting mantras. edited for spelling

Just to clarify, after a successful vasectomy, semen is still emitted with ejaculation, although there will be no sperm in it. The procedure is to sever the vas deferens (which carries the sperm from their home in the testicles to merge with the seminal fluid in the seminal vesicles prior to ejaculation).

Hello bums! I've de-lurked and started a personal practice journal here: http://www.thetaobums.com/index.php?/topic/23211-multiarms-personal-journal-jump-in-and-comment/ Began Kunlun practices 1 week ago. Will aim for regular updates. I welcome any friendly comments and constructive criticisms. Specifically, I would love to hear comments from any of the long-term Kunlun Tao Bums such as Mantra, Cam, Scotty, Lucky7, etc. (not sure who everyone is yet ) Any K-bashing, please post it elsewhere on TTB or in this thread here if you feel the need. Later

No way, I'm "stealing" it!

Awesome. Thank you.

I think it works both ways. You put off a vibe that like-minded people can sense, just like you can sense it in them. Here's an experiment I thought of, I may try it. Try walking down a busy city street with everyone bustling around on their business, but do it in a more contemplative state, not so distracted or "on a mission" like normal people. Then try to make eye contact with people and see who engages you back...

http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/unexplainable-photos-of-cats

OK, seriously dude, every single post is your "last post", and not just on this thread...

Thanks, Friend, for the breakdown! I actually also do joint mobility prior to any type of qigong, meditation or exercise. I find it helps alot and if I am short on time and can do only ONE practice for a few minutes, I will do joint mobility exercises. I use a modified version of Pavel Tsatsouline's Russian methods. Highly recommended -- http://www.amazon.com/Super-Joints-Longevity-Pain-Free-Movement/dp/0938045369/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334263719&sr=8-1 I'm interested to learn about the "strike wall with back" thing, sounds cool

Interesting. John, did you learn the Yi Gong practice from the DVD, from Sifu Jenny, or from another teacher? How long have you been doing it? Is it your main practice?

OK, an astronomer, not a physicist, but here it is -- http://quanta-gaia.org/dobson/origins.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Dobson_%28amateur_astronomer%29 http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Space-Time-Lowry-Dobson/dp/0972805192/ref=cm_lmf_tit_4

The most radical answer, and in some ways a most convincing one, to the question of "why does anything exist?" is that it doesn't. The Vedanta sub-school of Ajativada posits that "nothing ever happened"... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajativada I remember reading that there was a physicist who came to similar conclusions, that the world doesn't actually exist and never has (I'm looking around for the citation now). I find it hilarious that this argument is quite logical and maybe irrefutable, depending on whether or not you accept the premises. Meanwhile, CLEARLY SOMETHING EXISTS (kicks rock) Craziness...

For a modern Western take on non-duality (Advaita Vedanta), check out Leo Hartong - "Awakening to the Dream". You could read it in one day, but its quite nice -- http://www.amazon.com/Awakening-Dream-Leo-Hartong/dp/0954779215/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334258087&sr=8-1 For more traditional take on Advaita, check out Dennis Waite. This book took a while for me to digest, lots of sanskrit involved and large passages from scripture or quoted from Indian sages, but very thorough -- http://www.amazon.com/Back-Truth-5000-years-Advaita/dp/1905047614/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1334258141&sr=1-2 He also has a website with free stuff and excellent "links" section -- http://www.advaita.org.uk/ Hope that helps. I don't know much of anything about the other schools of Vedanta, sorry.

The DVD does include what she calls "spontaneous adjustment qigong" (Yigong Level 1), which from what I've heard is the same posture as Kunlun 1. I'd be interested to hear more from her students and to see a review of the DVD, too.

To clarify, you started jerking it during the yi gong practice? Now that's what I call spontaneous adjustment!

It was not hard to set up a Skype session at all. Don't be shy. The great thing about our current state of "spiritual counterculture" is that advanced practitioners and teachers are more accessible than ever, if you introduce yourself. I just contacted the teacher via email and expressed interest in some one-on-one time to help me prepare for the seminar. I sent some PayPal and had the whole thing set up in a few days. There's a link to all the official apprentices and facilitators somewhere on Max's website - http://www.primordialalchemist.com Sifu Jenny Lamb who teaches practices similar to Max's Kunlun also does "online consultation" - http://www.easterninternalarts.org/

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What is that?

Thanks for the link OG, looks interesting and I may try these techniques this weekend. I've also been thumbing thru the Robert Bruce stuff recently. Will post back if I have success.