wanderingontheway

Thank you all for you feed back. I really do appreciate it. I have very little money, and live in a smaller lumber town. There is no one I can find that is of like mind. In the summer, I would go to a quiet corner of a local park, and do my Tai Chi, as well as sitting and standing meditations. I was pretty much able to get there five days out of a week on average. But then the rains came. It has rained just about every day for..... I really have no idea how long it has been. TOO LONG! My apartment is small and doesn't exactly lend itself to Tai Chi or meditation, as I am the manager of an apartment complex. My place seems to be the hub of “hey, come plunge my toilet!”. Ever since the rains came this year, I have been in pain. The soles of my feet feel like someone has beaten them with a pipe. That makes it very hard for me to sink and root as I am going about my day. It makes everything rise up and tighten. I have other pain, like my knees and shoulders and elbows too. I guess I just need to toughen up and try harder. If I had known I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself.....

I was wondering what people thought about the importance of posture during meditation. Unfortunately, I am at a time in my life where pain is stopping me from practicing. I have not been able to do a Tai Chi form for some time (months), and even sitting cross legged (on a meditation pillow that I made specifically for my needs) has become too painful to tolerate for long. Standing meditation is also a problem, the pain last for hours after I am done. So, today I simply tried sitting erect in a regular chair. I know the mind and body are inextricably interwoven, but I hope that my mind can continue to progress on my path even if my body has other ideas. So, like I said, I was wondering what you all thought..... Thanks

I have been and done a lot of things in my short 47 years here. I have had the pleasure of keeping company with many, many different kinds of people, each with their own unique world view. I have (and still do) study the bible, I Ching, physics, tai chi, and meditation, just to name a few. I in NO WAY believe myself to be expert, or anything special in any field. All that being said, I have started to come to some conclusions.... When erecting a building, often the construction workers will put up a scaffolding, and temporary supports, until all four walls can be hooked together. The scaffolding gives the wall stability until there is enough solid foundation to give the structural support. Once the building is complete, there is no need for the scaffolding and temporary supports. I am beginning to think that all those things you mentioned, spirits, science, not to mention things like denomination, religion, chi, etc., are all just different colors of scaffolding My conception of God has more to do with the scaffolding I am standing on, then it does with what God actually may be. Take for example the following scenario... A Christian, Wiccan, and Tai Chi practitioner are all gathered around a sick friend. One prays, one casts spells, and one sends chi. Is it not possible that they are all doing the exact same thing, they only appear different because each philosophy is just the scaffolding. Just a tool we use to wrap our heads around our reality? Well, anyway, that is what I have been pondering lately....

I was wondering if I could get some feed back on translations of the I Ching. I have always used the Wilhelm / Baynes. I was wondering what some other people were using, and how were they using it??

I am sorry, but a lot of what is written on this sight confuses the heck out of me. The names that are used are unfamiliar, the abbreviation even more so! What exactly do you mean by the deep still onebreath? Much of what I have learned has come from my own practicing since I have been kind of on my own for some time now.

Yes, actually I was taught. However it was a long time ago, and for a particular application. My wife has very bad knees. I was taught to breath from my LDT out the palms of my hands into her knees. Since that time I took a break from practicing due to very personal reasons. I know that I can move the energy, because I have done it a number of times to a number of people. I have been in hospitals and hospice to see people. I have even been able to feel chi naturally be sucked out of me to them (presumable because I was open to it). And it doesn't have to be heat. I have had one person describe what I was doing as a vibrating electrical shock.

ChIDragon... One of the things I wonder about, is why sometimes I can manifest and move Chi from me to someone else, and yet other times I can't? Even after all these years, I still am something of a skeptic, and like to have verifiable proof. It seems to me that if I am capable one day, I should be capable the next. I know it is an “organic” thing, not some mechanical switch, but still.....

I have not devoted much time to standing meditation. When I do, I usually fell the energy in my arms and chest. When I went to a massage therapist for my back some time ago. (I was in a LOT of pain, so I didn't pick up on what she said till later). She was working on me and said “Oh, wow, you must have a lot of trouble grounding!” I guess she was right..... but I am not sure why.

I mean to say that the teacher is a hard style martial artist who also teaches Tai Chi. You can see why I might be a little skeptical as to his ability to help me with chi. And yes, I do feel, produce, and move my chi. Yes I know Tai Chi is a form of Chi Kung. It is not that I am clueless about these things, I just could us some help in “untying some of my knots” as it were.

[ Thanks joeblast! That was very informative!! CODE] [/code]

I'm sorry, I thought learning was an ongoing process...... silly me!

As far as chi goes.. I have been reading about “rooting”. My understanding of rooting has to do with sinking the center of gravity in order to spar. The specific thing that got my attention recently was a discussion of using sinking force to basically bounce off the ground to return it to an opponent. The writer focuses heavily on the ability to root the feet and legs. I was wondering what some people's take on that might be. As far as the Mindfulness meditation, I seem to experiencing it backwards. Most of what I am reading talked about people not noticing when an input (sight, sound, thought) ends. They seem to just notice after some time it is no longer there. For me it is the other way around. I will be sitting there with my breath, and then I notice I no longer am there, I'm having a conversation, or reading something. The words will get blurry, and difficult to read. At that point I remember, “Hey, I'm not reading, I'm sitting in meditation!” Am I dreaming? Am I just lost in thought? Once I realize what is happening, I return to my breath... but man it's a bite not noticing when it starts! I am breathing, and then I am off doing something else, and I have no idea that it happened, until it has happened. I hope that makes some sense....

As far as chi goes.. I have been reading about “rooting”. My understanding of rooting has to do with sinking the center of gravity in order to spar. The specific thing that got my attention recently was a discussion of using sinking force to basically bounce off the ground to return it to an opponent. The writer focuses heavily on the ability to root the feet and legs. I was wondering what some people's take on that might be. As far as the Mindfulness meditation, I seem to experiencing it backwards. Most of what I am reading talked about people not noticing when an input (sight, sound, thought) ends. They seem to just notice after some time it is no longer there. For me it is the other way around. I will be sitting there with my breath, and then I notice I no longer am there, I'm having a conversation, or reading something. The words will get blurry, and difficult to read. At that point I remember, “Hey, I'm not reading, I'm sitting in meditation!” Am I dreaming? Am I just lost in thought? Once I realize what is happening, I return to my breath... but man it's a bite not noticing when it starts! I am breathing, and then I am off doing something else, and I have no idea that it happened, until it has happened. I hope that makes some sense....

I hope this is the right place to post this... I'm new here (a Taoist/Christian wandering along), and need a little help. I have trained Tai Chi (Wu style) for around 20 years. I had a great teacher, who poured as much as he could into me with the time we had. After training under him for around 8 years, I had to move away. By that time I was teaching my own classes for beginners. But since that time I have been on my own. Now I find myself in a small town with no resources for me. The local tai chi classes are taught by a Hard Stylist (which is going to be zero help for internal energy work), and he doesn't even do Qigong. I am looking for some help on working with my Chi, as well as some question as to Mindfulness Meditation. There are so many people in the Personal Practice area, I am guessing someone could be of help, but how do you know? So I guess this is me casting my net to see what swims in. Any help anyone could offer would be greatly appreciated!!!

This painting may have made more sense, (or at least seemed more hopeful) if there was some image of light emerging from the dark human form. Sort of like a new birth where you realize heart and mind are not in opposing directions, just two sides of the same coin. Just sayin....