Master Logray

A member posted Damo's course details, there was no Neidan then. But Neidan theory and history are also Neidan, right? Neidan practical can be very elementary like staring at something.

Why there is a serious controversy in the USA? Segregation of players according to physical sizes and capabilities are common. MMA and boxing are in weight classes. Football has age classes. Disable players have their own games. The male and female segregation was based on same principles.

That post was in 2022. All these teachers are not immortals of any degree but we cannot discount their value. We don't need Einstein to teach kindergarten or primary school. There are always teachers to teach the basics. And the basics attract most students. I am not sure they never teach Neidan, but perhaps an elementary level? Purely teaching Neidan is not working as progress takes ages. How do you charge for that in the modern context - a student paying for 5 years and nothing has ever happened ?

For Kung fu, cultivation, Chinese medicine, Chi is perceived and treated like blood, i.e. the usual term of "blood and Chi". There will be imbalances and it would not correct itself. e.g. The usual symptom of runaway Yang Chi is very common. When a person is over active (include QiGong too), without sufficient sleep, eating too much fried, spicy food, cannot "sink" the Chi in Taichi, concentrate in the third eye during meditation.... The Chi will rise up and creates red eyes, gum swollen, sores on the skin, dry eyes, constipation, high blood pressure, diabetes in the long term and so on. Some cultivator would term it as "Evil Chi". It normally won't correct itself unless certain actions are taken, or you wait real long. e.g. sleep more, eat less, more vegetables, more liquids, control emotions, slow down the life, special breathing, taking herbal tea, see Chinese doctor, focus attention on foot meridian point. Actions are dependent on the possible causes. It can be short term and long term. Modern speculation says it is the over run autonomic nervous system syndrome. This is not related to the Celestial Chi or Real Chi which is a higher phenomenon.

Current events in other forums normally means news like gathering of members, talks, retreats, new lessons... If the forum is back to normal, I think this "normal" version of current event is going to be useful.

This structure of things is very good.

Actually the term highest spiritual teachings is not defined, which makes it somewhat meaningless. The highest teaching like love, faith, emptiness are totally open. Most of the Taoist secret teaching in cultivation and some magical secrets are not the highest teaching at all.

Yesterday the site had been quite smooth. Incidentally there were hours without a single post. Now it is slightly worse. Is it possible that the problems are to a certain extent hardware or internet bandwidth?

We can divide the "endeavors" in spirituality/energy into 2 broad categories. The first type is intellectual, theoretical, spiritual, intuition, perception amongst others. This type can be worked quite alone, by reading books traditionally. Spontaneous and intuition can occur naturally. Divine transmission can happen too. The 2nd type is cultivation type - mostly Taoism, Tibetan and Hatha Yoga. They are practical, technical and physical systems, built up completely by human. In a sense they are no different from financial system, operation system and other human systems. The participants must learn the bell and whistles, tricks, know the players and components of the system and working inside. For these, solo and remote - like books, doesn't help too much. If there is no one to tell you to cut the red wire or the green wire, no "natural" solution can arise on its own. I think you are generally referring to the 1st type, a more intellectual approach.

Are you referring to one of the members, the Solo Cultivator ? Generally I agree with what you said. Solo cultivation, for most people, is out of necessity. They simply cannot find the suitable peers and teachers or elders. The term Saint person does exist in Chinese and is widely used. And it sounds same as Saint in English. Confucius is considered a Saint. Perhaps it is coincidence. BTW do you know who is mentioning the name of Tao in Chinese communities most - it is the Christians. Tao usually means Gospel or God's teaching in Chinese Christian religions. e.g. Tao Cultivation Institute is the proper Chinese name for Seminary. Churches adopt name like XYX Tao something. 循道 , 播道，遵道，聖道，樂道，基道 and numerous others. In their sermons, books, the term Tao is extremely widely used. This is something you cannot find in Taoism itself. I wonder if this paragraph should be in the Stranger Things page.

Agree. Normally QG/NG/MA are equal rotation both ways. Neidan can have some difference, the Yan Mau Orbiting is vertical and uneven 36/24.

The circular directional turns pre-dates the clock face was invented (said to be 11th century).

You change your question. Back to the old question, I think most of the knowledge in this world is hidden, not only spiritual teachings. Only when the Internet becomes popular, there is a substantial sharing of information - free.

I think this discussion on going solo and alone needs to consider the element of time and stages. Take Taoist cultivators as an example, they need to go through stages. In some stages, they have to mingle with the crowd (not only fellow cultivators). It is to ensure their training and discipline would always be observed, but not only during meditation time. Otherwise any mishap will derail the whole process and they never can do it again. In the final stage being alone most of the time is necessary to go and maintain deep levels. In the interim they jump in and out according to their teachings and current necessities. Anyway I think those read a few books, listen to some podcasts and go some retreats then go directly into hiding and fasting mode is problem prone. It is always better to be in a team or a community during the early and mid stages except those 1 teacher 1 student scenario.

I think this discussion on going solo and alone needs to consider the element of time and stages. Take Taoist cultivators as an example, they need to go through stages. In some stages, they have to mingle with the crowd (not only fellow cultivators). It is to ensure their training and discipline would always be observed, but not only during meditation time. Otherwise any mishap will derail the whole process and they never can do it again. In the final stage being alone most of the time is necessary to go and maintain deep levels. In the interim they jump in and out according to their teachings and current necessities. Anyway I think those read a few books, listen to some podcasts and go some retreats then go directly into hiding and fasting mode is problem prone. It is always better to be in a team or a community during the early and mid stages except those 1 teacher 1 student scenario.

Clockwise or not is the more modern description. In the old days they described the movement as left, up, right, down, left and so on.

I just feel 72 times is a bit long, unless you have a quite long time practice and are full of Chi to return to Dantien. Otherwise 72 rotations plus other cooling off exercises would take too much time, or becomes a second set of Gong.

I don't know what he said. But Buddhist monks customarily live in congregations/monasteries.

Your view can be proved by other disciplines from science, arts, business, sports. You get into the right crowd everything is 10 times easier. A solo cultivator is hard, not only in terms of discipine as you stated, very often they are stuck in some minor matters. With company it can be easily resolved.

It is better but glitchy. It doesn't affect old and active members too much. But may deter new members. This is the long term worry.

You can look into actual examples. Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines and Taiwan; all of them are much more conservative than USA, especially some of them. They all had or having female prime ministers and presidents with real power. This list doesn't include ceremonial president like Singapore. These happened in the last 50 years. Their culture remain as they are in spite of the female heads of states. Politics is far more complicated than gender. Forgot Korea and even Hong Kong has a female Chief Executive.

When you say 36 rotations, what do you mean, the Chi or your visualization or coupled with body movements? If the system you are following says 36 turns both sides clockwise then better to follow it fully. I think it is to avoid determining which way is clockwise or anti-clockwise. If you look at your navel, or looking outside, or looking from another person's view, the term clockwise is uncertain. So both directions turns are safe. While Neidan has a 36/24 turns, or other vertical turns and so on. If you go to a temple, turning wheels or cleansing, anti-clockwise is for removing bad energies and clockwise strengthen positive energies.

Cantonese Pronunciation https://www.cantonesetools.org/en/cantonese-text-to-sound

They usually lived in caves. But there were a lot of ground work before doing that, not in terms of cultivation. Taoist usually needed to master Kung Fu, with weaponry, medicine, knowledge on the herb, bones setting, fortune telling to select the location with Chi, weather and safety, some magicks/techniques to ward off ghost, spirits, insects and animals. And they didn't really always stay in deep mountains, but a very seclude spot of sacred mountains like the back of Wudang or HuaShan. They could have visitors or trade with villagers. It is not entirely same as the notion of a Yogi or Tibetan monk living in a case with a cloth and only meditate 7x24. And when they are successful in the end, they could leave and return to the world, or migrate to another realm, not stuck there forever. BTW, the term should be Taoist Masters, Neidan Master or other names. Neigong master is a kind of Kung Fu masters you find in cities.

It says the 3 gates are opened, the real Chi will arise automatically. The 3 gate normally refers to the back body 3 gates/passes, the perineum, the back, the back of the head. But the order of the 2 phrases is not clear. Usually when the Chi collects up to a certain level, it will rise to go through the 3 gates. While this sentence says, the gates are opened, then the real Chi will rise. The exact meaning will depend on the texts and circumstances.