WHITEROOMENERGYMINE1

Excerpt from the Meditative Mind by Daniel Goleman: "Things first began to jell in my understanding, though, with a remark by Joseph Goldstein, a teacher of insight meditation, at Bodh Gaya. It's simple mathematics, he said: All meditation systems either aim for One or Zero - union with God or emptiness. The path to the One is through concentration on Him, to the Zero is insight into the voidness of one's mind." My question to all of you is do you think that they are both simultaneously possible in the same person, or is it one or the other? I ask because my insight meditation has gained significant momentum and there is certainly no stopping it now. At the same time I long for a connection with God. Can one attain nirvana and also attain union with God?

This is a fantastic thread so far, I have greatly enjoyed reading everyone's posts. I just was looking for a little input on bone realignment that seems relevant due to the nature of this thread. Yesterday during my Zhan Zhuang practice I felt tightness and increased blood flow in my right shoulder and so I pulled it back into line with the rest of my body with a nice *CRUNCH*. It feels so much better and loose than before, but with one problem: my left shoulder is clearly higher than the right!!! Physiological realignment is freaking dope, but the lack of symmetry is a niggle. hehe just learned that one I believe that with continued practice the other shoulder should fall into place, but is there anything I can do to increase the speed at which it happens? Thanks for the input theNERD

I will have to take the Buddhist's views on this one then. So if the two are different do you think that one is better than the other? Obviously they are not attained together so one path should be chosen, unless you can do both?

Thank you so much for your generous wisdom. I will continue to cultivate awareness and stillness and attempt to transcend this duality! Fantastic! I guess my ego is just getting scared that I am about to smother him into non-existence and is trying to find some way of slowing my progress Thanks for the answers they're awesome!

I know that the male deer exercise I have begun doing recommends rubbing your dan tien 81 times with each hand while cupping the testicles. CW and CCW. I have been doing it every morning and it supposedly increases vitality.

Sick of it? Not yet The TV remains turned on precious moments gone

Hello Tao Bums, I awoke this morning at 430 am with pain in the center of my chest right over my middle center. It is very painful and I am not sure what to do, does this mean it is opening? are there any practices I can do to help alleviate it? I am 99.9% sure it is from my practices and not a random physical mishap. Thanks in advance theNERD

He did tell me it may be acid reflux so I just have to keep watching. I am terribly sorry for your loss Seeker. And thank you for your advice if it gets worse I will get it examined again.

I have only had minor pain since that early morning, it has not been nearly as intense.

Fantastic! thanks for posting!

I finally went to the doctor and told him about my chest pain. I got the all clear and he says that I am perfectly healthy and I should not be having chest pains! Im going to assume at this point that the pains are related to energy moving matter. Either way I don't intend on pushing it.

Hi Bums, I am fairly new to cultivating and I was wondering if someone could point me to the best practices for building up your Lower Dan Tien. I am struggling a little to navigate the forum and was just hoping to get some direction. My goal is to just increase my overall energy and start a very strong base for building upon. Thanks a ton, theNERD

"You might also consider simply starting off with a form of zhan zhuang, and perhaps then a shaking practice, to help clear your channels and meridians first - before specifically focusing on storing qi into your dantian." Thanks vortex I have been doing Zhan Zhuang for about a week and a half and am loving it. every morning I get up and do them and I can most definitely feel my chi much easier now. theNERD

I am doing Soul Mind and Body Medicine by Dr. Sha and just started doing Zhan Zhuang. It SMB medicine the middle dan tien is called the Message Center. Im not sure if it is opening or what. theNERD

Ok. I just did Zhan Zhuang, my practices, and went for a long walk and I feel much better. Either way I am still looking for help as to what is happening? / any thing extra I should be doing. Thanks again, theNERD

Awesome! Gotta love some Watts

If everyone could see the world like that you can only imagine the changes that would occur. The more you see the world as the way it truly is, the more beautiful it becomes.

Thank you so much for all of the replies, I am truly grateful. This is clearly a wonderful forum and am excited to become an active member of it. I think I am going to go with the embryonic breathing because I have been spending most of my time during the day practicing abdominal breathing and this seems to be a good start for embryonic breathing. But my decision is not set in stone.. If you have any other recommendations let me know. Thanks a ton! theNERD

I for one am still a huge noob when it comes to the Tao but I have to say, when I smoke marijuana it feels like my Lower Dan Tien is far more energized. After one of my stronger sessions of smoking and cultivating my stomach became significantly larger in size. I literally had a pot belly and I am a skinny dude normally. Sometimes I feel energy pouring from my hands and my third eye has opened (once) while under the influence. THC significantly increases blood flow and dilates your blood vessels which I believe may help increase your internal energy, if only for the duration of the THC's affects. I can not be sure but I think periodic moderate usage has sped up my initial progress by allowing me to be aware of energies that may have only been a belief at one point, and which I can now discern as real forces. I know it is important not to become reliant on any drug or external help in your growth and that is why I am going to be taking a large break from marijuana for the summer. But nonetheless to me it appears as though THC temporarily raises your energy level. But that's just my opinion man. Peace and Love theNERD

Hey everyone, I was wondering if anyone lives around Albany New York and knows of any good teachers. I am looking for guidance along the way and need help. Please let me know if anyone can help, Thanks! Peace and Love

Hey everyone, Im new here and just wanted to say hello. Im very interested in the Way and have been meditating for a year and a bit now. I took a class at school that I learned Soul Mind and Body medicine and it is very close to Taoism (I have been building my LDT for about 5 months now). I am very interested in inner alchemy and was hoping someone could point me in the right direction. Thanks a ton!