Master Logray

Time changes everything. It is not easy to be an earth immortal now or to be lower level ones. Everyone watches a lot of vampire movies, and become perfectly aware of the problems of living a few hundred years. Attending high school 20 times is not fun. Relocating and breaking all ties every 10 years hurts. Not to mention all sorts of electronic IDs, facial surveillance everywhere. How to explain your immortality to the authorities? Heavenly Immortal is not desirable traditionally. It is said to be allocated a position in the Heavenly Court. That means a job, obligations, schedules, responsibilities, results, superiors, colleagues.... Longevity and powers would become normal in the new environment. Superman would not be super in his own planet.

Refer to your earlier posts, I would say most people in the Chinese communities who take up Neidan are for health reasons rather than spirituality. If they are more ambitious, they would like to have longevity as well. Physically immortal is regarded as too far-fetched for them.

You raise a very good point that deserves some explanations. When a person from Chinese background (most Taoists) talks about Buddhism, they are in fact talking about Mahayana Buddhism, or Buddhism that can be found inside China, including some Tibetan Buddhism. The Chinese Buddhists have long history of close relationship with Taoists. Many of them are Neidanists. At some time, some Taoist lineages were passed to Buddhists. Today even some Taoist temples are run by monks. So it sounds normal if western Theravada monks have no idea of what you are talking about. I install motion detecting lights. They flare up in the dark when I walk past them.

The Buddhist immortality refers to the spirit. While Taoist refers to the body, if unable achieve , then the spirit.

If you restart from scratch again, would you pursue the same path or or pursue the same path in a different way? e.g. would it be better to sit more than to stand so much?

A columnist has written. The traditional China training system is for producing a few supermen, while wasting the majority. The western approach is for the masses like you say. @freeform's latest post say it excellently. I always wonder how to charge for teaching Neidan. It is more a coaching system than a classroom. I mean the core Neidan training, not the lower levels like movement sets. Just for an example, a teacher gives a one hour course, the student then is left to work on his own, sitting everyday, may be the teacher will review his situation periodically, and give further instructions. If the student encounters something interesting, he can always refer to the teacher. As you may expect, very soon, there would be no more new developments everyday. It is unlike other sport coaches. Only when the student progresses to another level, then another lesson will be given. So how does the teacher charge? A hefty lump sum fee for everything? Some periodic consultation fees? Monthly fee? No wonder there is so few avenues for Neidan training. Almost all teachers teach ChiKung, Taichi, Neigong.....and tell you they are part of Neidan. Not untrue, but not accurate either.

You have a point. But we are talking about Damo. If he depends solely on novices and beginners, he would have been teaching English or having other part time jobs to subsidize his living. The non-beginners is just a big market that cannot be ignored. Everyone stucks somewhere, and very much want to find out why they are stuck if not able to do from their existing channels, or out of curiosity or the urge to refine technique, an online teacher is invaluable. They don't have to abandon their existing teachers and may be able to show off among other students. It is like a school kid goes for private tuition. These people have different requirements from beginners. This is a business issue, not cultivation. Yes, revenue protection purpose.

This is probably a counter measure. Some people would pay for 1 month subscription and download the whole lot. Then sometime later he may pay for another month and download another course. But not everyone follow or want to follow this kind of time table. Some part of it may be not important or not achievable and people would like to skip those. Those with some experiences would be irritated.

I follow Damo's IG for quite some time. I compare his photos from 2016 to now. He does age and put on quite a bit of weight in the last 5 years. Reverse aging is quite a big subject. There are exercises to improve one's appearance. Generally the aim is to return to pre-puberty. Neidanists are more concerned in prolonging their lives than rejuvenation. Damo ages a bit and it is acceptable. If he ages a lot, then you are right to have questionmark. It is because Damo is too long-winded. I saw 2 of his video. He talks so much. It is good for someone who has no idea of the whole thing or from a very different background.

The term of Immortal is only a translation. The direct literal translation is Mountain Man, with extra long lifespan as one of the many abilities. It doesn't mean having life forever. It is generally agreed there are 5 levels of immortals. From the 3rd level, the earth immortals, only then gives a lifespan of a few hundred years. Even for the highest level, which is no longer a human, can live indefinitely, but still dies in the end. There are still sightings that Wudang mountain still has at least one, with the extraordinary feat of floating in air. It is reasonable to look for them in places of myth and folklore. Who would look for Loch Ness monster in the lake of the Central Park?

I believe the Buddha talks about immortality for the soul. Buddhists don't stress on the body which is merely a vehicle. And I don't think this Buddhist treatise mentioned wai dan? and swallowing saliva? These techniques most likely are later than the Sutra in the timeline. Taoist cultivation can be grouped under 2 categories, the gradual and the instant. The gradual methods are what you see currently, step by step, having levels, systematic, usually start with Ming training and gradually increase the Xing proportion. Sometimes it is call the Yin and Yang double restorations. The instant method, or the clear and quiet method, may be similar to what you want to know. It starts off from "emptiness" - conscious training, when there is a result, then turn to Ming approach. The instant part refers to the speed of the Ming sequence. The result is very fast, days for getting the small medicine, 10 years or so to finish the else. The advantages are safer and faster, the normal Ming MCO approach is rather perilous and need very good coaching. This instant method also need genuine teacher but the student can rely on himself to solve many of the hurdles. Some people may be able to tackle the Xing training easily, thereby a double speed up. The disadvantage is it requires someone very good endowed. The Xing training could take a very long time without seeing any tangible result or benefits, very demoralizing. It requires a natural or follow the flow approach which is extremely difficult. So this path is not taken even by Immortals. In short, there is no way for a pure Xing approach to transform into an immortal. The power of the mind is limited. Anyone accomplishes the Xing, still has to start with Ming again. It is just like a professor going back to study from primary school again. He would be different from his fellow classmates and should be able to jump grades quickly.

I cannot handle pinyin. See the table. 1, 2 - before BC 168 3 - BC 140 - 11- 4 AD 5-60 5 AD 200 approx. 6 AD 240-249

It mostly belongs to the 3 latter versions, from 5 BC to 290 AD. The earlier 3 versions have different wordings in Chapter 50.

On a very brief googling, which obviously is not accurate at all, I have a better impression on the Nine Dragon Bagua more https://jiulongbaguazhang.com/. They seem to have more depth, or at least depth in building website. But your profile picture (if it is your real one) shows that you may not be that young. While Nine Dragon seems to have some hectic movements which could hurt you. You mentioned dogs and cats. Unless you can lock them away and totally not disturbed by them, it is not wise to do sitting meditation. Movement is better, or at least standing. All of them have more than 1 system to teach. Lastly I don't believe in remote healing.

All Chinese websites say it is Japanese.

Reiki is Japanese, nothing to do with China. Its founder was a Christian priest.

The most likely reason for initial shaking is going too low and doing too long.

OK, theory and history for scholar. China martial arts, just like any others, train the muscle, bones, tendons, speed, strength, flexibility, skills... They are all externally visible - so the term Wai Gong (external gong). In the arm race, martial artists need to further their arsenals, like shields for weak spots in the body, ability to move the shields, how to jump/levitate a long or high distance, how to heal fast, how to use your force without being sensed, how to prevent the organs from concussions..... These are generally termed Nei Gong (the inner gong) because they are not really externally conspicuous, involve the inner body and often trained in secret. They come from a variety of techniques, medicines and secrets. To quote an example, hanging a rock under the testicles is a famous technique demonstrating the potency of Nei Gong. Nei Gong by definition doesn't necessary related to Chi. But somehow most of the techniques involves Chi to varying extents. This brings Neigong close to its Taoist brothers - the Neidan and even TCM. Some Neigong exercises can be used for Neidan, many masters know both and integrate them together. Neidanists also practise Waigong and Neigong as personal security system. For those like philosophical Taoism, WaiGong is more Yang and Neigong is more Yin, outer and inner. Since Neigong has it martial arts roots, it is not Neidan. e.g. by sending or activating Chi to the belly, the punch of the enemy can be stopped or even bounced back. It has to be done in an instant. While Neidan prefers slowness, and let the Chi flow naturally, non-intervention. Overall speaking, a Neidanist is not supposed to be involved in a fighting situation in the first place and habitually thinking of attack and defence in the deep meditation is to be avoided. Nowadays, both are lumped under Chi Kung from 1950s onward.

Just like someone selling investment proposal of using an unlimited supply of OPM (other people's money ), it sounds too good to be true.

The term Neidan has a long history and Taoists all know about it. But the term Neigong has only been popularly used during the pre-WWII period by a writer on Immortals, before that it was very obscure. The term Chi Kung or Qi Gong was created in 1950 only. As these are all internal trainings, they may look the same, but vastly different; or look very different and doing the same thing. And each traditions have their own definitions and flavours added. Damo is teaching Neigong, but it looks like Chi Kung very much. I think unless one is a scholar doing study, it is better for the usual people to concentrate on actual practice than spending time on which is which.

Stage magician too.

Avoid ice cold beer is a must.

Not longer than " start a few retreats, hiring teachers/healers i trust to work at them, and hire someone to manage them in terms of business. .....with a consistent cash flow supporting me".

This is very helpful. A bit of understanding can be quite dangerous.

Is it common in America to pay a bit to the supposedly assailant in such an event?