Master Logray

Immortals are transformed humans. Normally the founders of a lineage has a high rate of success to become an Immortal.

Is it easier for Zen when attaining the Buddha Mind when it is the only or major milestone? While Taoist's Xing cultivation occupies at most 50% of the cultivation. Ming cultivation most often uses all sort of methods to concentrate, initialize Chi, empty the mind, directing the movement of Chi, infuse Chi with Shen, big and small orbiting, visualisation and many others. It is not possible start from no mind from no where. In contrary participation of the conscious mind is required though a very minor extent. As to Zen methods in general, I think over the ages, there are many masters familiar with both and adopting each other's method and theories easily.

I still think a certain level of contrivances or deliberate stuff are necessary in some stages. Let say I am having 20 breaths a minute. It is useful to simulate meditative breathing by manipulation to cut down to 15 per minute, in a few months. Further cuts, could be in a milder, less intervention gradual manner. On the other hand if I "follow the natural", wuwei, it really takes years to cut down to 15 which is too far off. These forceful manipulations possibly will create an imprint in the sub-conscious mind as you said, which may takes years to eradicate the breathing pattern and involvement of the conscious mind. But value the pros and cons, such interventions is still beneficial. This kind of situation is not unlike drastic actions on indulgences such as over-eating, drinking, taking substances. Sometimes even experienced meditators need some conscious corrections in their methods, or try out new ways. These considerations are similar to the concept of "Level of fire" 火候, when to actively engage and when to be passive, observant.

Me too. When people ask, I say I do Qigong which is more than sufficient, or merely "exercises, stretching...".

I think for laymen, mindfulness is meditation or something that is similar, which can be easily lumped together and be forgotten. While @freeform is speaking on a professional sense. For this forum, it would be useful to have a comparatively common understanding of the term meditation, and roughly acknowledge its approximate boundaries. My understanding, meditation is a set of mental techniques to reach desired mental states. While mental techniques to achieve physical, intellectual, emotional... states should not be included, otherwise it can encompass too many human activities.

But directly go to the no-mind first is very difficult. It is why there are so many deliberate stuff as stepping stones.

Indeed, it is not safe to use another system's principles and terms to explain another system, especially when it is not well documented and in secrecy and another language. But traditionally Taoist books did make use of many Buddhist terms. It is alright to do research and comparison, but I feel uneasy to mix practice when actually doing the work.

Tapping or any self massage is having a wide spectrum, from slight tapping to Yi Jin Jing's using small rocks to pounce your dantian. If only meridian tapping is concerned. It is no big deal because in old age association, tv, health classes... it can be freely taught for a few minutes without much background information. A teacher is useful but a master is unnecessary. Anyway I never read there is any harm, nor positive effect. Most people drop out after a while. To make this technique useful, which is highly praised in old books, some sort of Chinese medicine knowledge is necessary. Why a person is tapping this meridian instead of another? Why you need to tap your feet when your head is having problem? It is similar to using herbs, much intricacies inside. And a person's body changes every moment. Unless there is a chronic and persistent problem, it is not recommended to tap the same one for years. I think these Qigong massaging can be adapted to the modern context. It is better to avoid playing with phones. Watch tv instead. When watching tv, these messaging techniques can be practised. e.g. combing the hair backwards, rubbing tummies. After a while one can be doing such as a second nature, getting reasonably benefits without the stress or stamina or time to "exercise".

I read a fiction. It says a stupid girl did a weather spell to show off. Somehow it causes some abnormal weather which kills a lot of people, perhaps butterfly effect.

11pm is the golden time for sitting practice, not really for moving exercises, though some exercises are done prior to sleep, but not common.

I think there could be many scenarios. Let say, some hauntings are merely replay of the past events due to whatever reasons. But sometimes hauntings could involve entities with some form of intelligence. An advice on dealing with such thing is to talk to the being. If it keeps on saying the same things like a recording, then it might be a fragment. If this being can talk back, or even mentioning news like Ukraine, then it is a different story.

Some basic info is necessary before others can advise like your location. If you stay in Alaska or in Singapore, the answers would be very different. At least tell us about the temperature range of your location.

The simplest and most logical explanation is that, reincarnation is not an universal compulsory immediate after death system. Reincarnation may happen under some conditions. That is all. Many traditions simply don't believe in reincarnation, some others have quite different views on its workings. Take Taoism as an example, Taoists believe in reincarnation. But when a person dies, the spirit can simply wander around or stuck in the original place. This condition can last for decades or centuries (it is the reasons for the hauntings). Spirits would go to the Hell Court to be punished first before they have a chance to reincarnate. This invariably take very long time. And reincarnation, when it happens, is not a clean slate, but rather continuation of punishment. If you do bad things, you have a very hard life, like born deformed etc. Most Chinese worship ancestors, regularly pay respect to ancestor tombs, burning incenses, joss paper money, clothes, houses, cars, iphones, offer chickens, wines, snacks.... From these practices, I believe no one really believe in immediate reincarnation, or at all?

Your speculation does make sense. I wonder if it is similar to some people intently gazing at candle flames and doing special breathing, and/or not blinking until the eyes water. Tensing the muscles may have created a link neurologically or subconsciously. Taking substances again may have a role here. These doings are usually more related to martial arts or doing magic, not Chi related. A specific mental state like a trance with body anchors (gestures, muscle memories, special breathing) could lead to many things. May be you ask your doctor on the opinion to see if psychotherapies/hypnotherapist can help.

A lot of temples are run/staff by professionals who are paid salary, for both Taoist and Buddhist.

If the purpose is for lucid dreaming, it is better to avoid Taoist Qigong. It is a method in the Neidan development. The purpose is either to substitute sitting as some people can't sit well, or to fully utilize every hour in Neidan. When a person is more advanced, he would not dream at all. I can sometimes alter the content of my dream while I am dreaming, not really lucid, but seems more useful.

There is thunder magic, but no thunder method of internal martial arts. Thunder magic is mainly used for magical purposes, not immortalship nor fighting.

I have not read about this. But logically it doesn't make sense. Why a person needs to train something for his afterlife's use? How does he know which one will be useful and in what ways? A spirit immortal is merely a ghost with some intelligence and some power. The systems for developing alchemical use and for combat is very similar and very often use the exactly same trainings. But they are different in many ways. Combat needs a lot of energies, gathered in split second, and can be used to attack or defend from/to specific locations. For Neidan, it is simple not advisable to direct so much energies around. A fighting person may be able to fall into mindfulness or trance state and be more powerful. Yet it is only useful for training or for show. In real life, the combatant must be actively engage the conscious mind, taking into account the situation e.g. what is the objective behind the opponent's back, looking for any helper, planning way to escape, yelling etc. While Neidan needs to tranquil the mind as much as possible.

If Einstein or Stephen Hawking go to teach in kindergarten, would they be good teachers?

The normal steps in martial arts training could start with different kinds of stances, fundamental long style, progress to more styles, more Chi trainings, simulated exchanges, or mock fights. Only then students were exposed to weapons. Teachers generally don't expect students to learn new things unless they master the current trainings (for martial and nedian and almost everything) The weapons trained are normally restricted to swords or poles, sometimes long knives. So you see the problem is most people don't go that far, not to mention mastering more than a few weapons. In fact I wonder many masters don't know how to use these weapons themselves in spite of learning them in their younger days. They don't train anymore, never use them and seldom teaches. Another factor is these weapons are military grade in the eyes of authorities. It is not unlike having an AR-15 nowadays. Governments over the centuries always dislike closely knitted loyal and secretive organizations with fighting training. Many factions simply trained in farm tools instead, to avoid suspicions or being drafted to fight bandits or a war. The styles were modified and tuned down, quite different from their military cousins.

There were 2 main considerations on the battlefield in the old days - effectiveness and efficiency. For effectiveness, battles were usually fought not bare hand. It was mostly bow and arrow, then long spear or similar in the direct combat. Some may be armed with long knives. Weapons are usually the longer the better. Soldiers were somewhat armoured or with shields and required to fight in closely packed formations. Personal excellence in hand to hand combat did not offer too much advantages. While most Kung Fu were aimed to train people with high skills with bare hand or small weaponry, against very limited opponents without armour. Organization, tactics and morale were more important than personal skill. Another problem is efficiency. The empires didn't spend money or effort in training and maintaining highly skilled soldiers, taking them away from intensive farming popular in China. It is because Kung Fu training is long term and expensive. It was popular to say, poor scholars and rich fighters. Scholars can be trained or self developed with little resources. But only the rich could afford tutors or master in Kung Fu. The China empires mostly depended on conscripts with minimal training, winning by numbers from their great population. It was why China often did not do well against surrounding horse riding countries with better skill soldiers in open grasslands. I would say the different applications of Kung Fu in military and civil areas give rise to 2 different systems.

The Chinese Kung Fu is mainly a personal defense system for civilians. It was not useful in the old days on the battlefields, and not useful nowadays with modern weaponry. Even the China army don't really train Chinese martial arts but absorb some elements only. Whether it is effective and longer lifespan is two different issues, though related. @Earl Grey In the broader sense, all activities use up Yuan Chi. Martial arts could have some strenuous trainings or simulated combat that simply decrease lifespan. Persons trained in the art is more prone to involve in actual fighting, which needless to say, can cause injuries that could never recover.

Yes, it is said all the longevity skills are based on mimicking turtles, snakes, slowing down the life process, better still reverse it.

Meditation itself will prolong lifespan if the person happens to be needing that, let say very stressful life. But pure meditation on emptiness has very little effect on lifespan as warned by many Taoist teachings. Only the very well endowed and talented can use pure meditation to achieve alchemical purposes. Taichi masters also don't live particularly long. They probably over trained in their younger years and sustained injuries and wearing down over the years. It is a bit irony. A person hiding at home possibly avoid traffic accident, viruses, breathing in polluted air, robberies, over eating after exercises, and many other direct and indirect life shortening situations. Animals breed and kept indoor always outlive their wild and free counterparts by 30% at least.

I think so. You cannot carry usual Chinese long weapons around. e.g. The long pole is very long. Philippine stick can be substituted by umbrella or walking staff.