GrandmasterP

Could be. Maybe she's using those sand mandalas to recruit new posters.

You do build up a tolerance to pain doing MA for sure and that's OK whilst one is young enough and fit enough to roll with it. I got to a stage where I stopped bouncing though and bruises don't heal so fast after 50 as they did before. QiGong all the way nowadays and a bit of TaiChi if I'm feeling energetic. We are lucky to have a super TaiChi class in the Village Hall once a week , it's only £3-00 a session and I can pop in whenever I like. You get a cuppa tea too and they are super friendly folks with an excellent and patient teacher. I spend time round zennists and have done a sesshin or two in the past. Sitting as I do there's no problems at all and no one has ever bigged up a 'must do' way to sit so that's not been an issue. Over on Brad Warner's Hardcore Zen forum whenever someone does big up full or half lotus then someone else generally pops in saying ' posing is for poseurs'. I reckon any zen teacher who wants to attract and keep students has to be pragmatic about how to sit because if only those who can sit full or half lotus feel welcome then very few will stick with the programme. The OBC at Throssel Hole Abbey are about the biggest Zen centre in England and there you can sit however it suits you for ease.

Here's an affordable gloss on that 'library- expensive' academic work. All the good stuff without any of the arcane academic point- scoring in the original volume which began life as a PhD Thesis and shows it... http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Shorter-Science-Civilisation-China/dp/052146773X/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1403004719&sr=8-6&keywords=Science+and+civilisation+in+china+volume+5 Feng Shui magazine Review here... ( Mods no copyright issues here as I co-wrote the review). "This is an abridged version of the first two volumes of Joseph Needham's masterwork "Science and Civilisation in China", an enormous work of scholarship intended to be the definitive history of the development of science and technology in China. This "Shorter" version is much more accessible to the general public, and in particular covers the topics which form the background to the development of Feng Shui. Few Westerners are aware of the high level of science and technology developed in China over the four thousand years, and how often the Chinese were ahead of the West in inventions such as gunpowder, cast iron, wheelbarrows, rudders, printing and water-power. This book details three main areas: firstly the history of Chinese Science and how it may have been transferred to the West via the Silk Routes. The second part looks at the Chinese Philosophies such as Confucianism and Taoism, and how they channeled the way that Chinese scientific thinking developed into a holistic approach in comparison to the reductionist Western method. The third part looks at the details of Chinese scientific theory including Chi energy, the five Elements, the trigrams and hexagrams of the I Ching. For the Feng Shui enthusiast, this book is a treasure trove of facts, explanations and esoteric detail, and includes sections on what Needham terms the "pseudo-sciences" of I Ching divination, Astrology and Geomancy (Feng Shui). A fascinating book which should bring an understanding of the amazing sophistication of Chinese scientific ideas and inventions to a wider audience." Hope that helps.

Peace is a tough call. Cultivation helps, Mindfulness ( see link in my sig) works for many, not for all. The sheer discipline of a regular daily cultivation of some sort goes a long way towards breaking old habits and formerly negative thought patterns.That doesn't need to be anything complicated either. Five minutes Mindfulness in a morning and/ or maybe begin to cultivate a simple ( but very powerful) QiGong form. Baduanjin 8 Pieces Brocade ( pics in that other link in my sig and more online on youtube) is super easy to learn and you'll begin to feel the good effects from Day 1. Just make time every day for some cultivation different to anything you have tried before and keep at it. I guarantee that if you do that within a week you'll begin to feel more positive and after a month you'll be becoming transformed. Warmest best regards to you for every success.

Our MA teacher had a saying... " Pain is just weakness leaving the body." The general response from us students to that being... " OUCH!".

+1 This guy for example ( Post 9)... http://thetaobums.com/topic/35211-mo-pai-puppets-and-sleepers-banned/

BKA takes time out and we get an influx of new members. Might there be some connection?

Horned rabbits here...... https://www.google.co.uk/search?tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ei=OR2gU9faOojoOvzUgLgD&ved=0CFwQ7Ak&biw=1024&bih=644&q=jackalope%20taxidermy%20image

Nomenclature.... "Mr. Brown is at the window." - Level 12. "Turtle shows his head." - Level 24. " Touching cloth." - Level 48. " MUMMY!" - Level 72. ( Brian's fault).

Caption.... " I just did a Level 72."

How long does this world cup go on for?

Hello DreamBliss. India is a nice place to live and work if you don't mind really hot weather. There are gurus to suit all tastes over there, it's big business but whoever arrives in India is still the same person who left wherever they came from. Cultivation can be as easily if not more easily done 'at home' given the right teacher. That said I really enjoyed the five years that I worked in India and met some super people. Indians are genuinely friendly and interested in anyone from the west even in touristic hot spots factoring out the guys selling stuff you'll be invited by ordinary locals to 'join' with their company and take tea. Having been on one or two ashrams over there amongst folks who came out to India to 'find themselves' or some such I often wondered if whatever benefits they did get would transfer easily back 'home'. It's one thing to be cocooned on an Ashram concentrating on cultivation every day with no other pressures and quite another to keep up that lifestyle back in the west with maybe a job to hold down and bills to pay plus all the other everyday stressors.

That term Necromancy tends bring negative connotations with it. The MoPai aren't much different to Spiritualists in that respect and Spiritualists are sometimes accused of 'necromancy' too. It can't be 'necro' anything when the folks you're chatting to aint actually 'dead' . Poor old Jim was none too keen on the Spiritualist aspect of MoPai practice as it didn't resonate at all well with his Christian beliefs.

Well it certainly looks to be an interesting book and nice to see that Drhda Shivanath is still getting a living. He surfaces every now and again and every time, as for this docu; whoever promotes his gigs mentions that 'it has taken years' to persuade Drhda ( elsewhere Drida or Dridha it's the same dude) to emerge from his hermitage and share his insights. This from 2006....,., "Internal Alchemy, energy work and meditation for the Warrior a unique series of teachings with the modern day sage Drdha Shivanath (featured in 'Esoteric Warriors' and 'Beyond the Mysterious Gate'), with Alex Kozma. with thirty years of practice in the meditative and mystical arts Drdha has deep understanding of various methods including internal alchemy, runic lore and use of mantra and mudra for increasing personal power and one's link with the Divine. this is the first time he has taught publicly (it has taken ten years of persuasion to do it!) , and being of a very reclusive and solitary nature these may well be one off courses with a view to finding a few people who are truly committed to taking the practices to a deeper level. Saturday 15th July, Wales. Introductory course. £50 12/13th August , Wales. retreat in nature. £100 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ----------

Is that a koan? A request? Or an instruction?

Living with a Wild God. By Barbara Ehrenreich. Utter tosh. Avoid.

Happy trails and fine camping BKA. A change is as good as a rest. You'll be missed.

One of the TV stations here is running a competition for people to send in selfie pics of their 'goal face' and already they are showing some examples. The expression on someone's face when, presumably; their team scores a goal. Scariest ad I have seen on TV for many a year that is.

He hath left us a sign!

I've read every book there is on MoPai and had correspondence with " John Chang's" ( not his real name) oldest son. Whatever is passed off as ' MoPai' west of Java; either for free or for a fee has nothing whatsoever to do with the Javanese MoPai who, in their turn; wish to have nothing whatsoever to do with anyone west of Java. We should respect their wishes.

Happy Fathers' Day to all Dads. I raise my new ' Daddy Deer' ( with a deer image) rather fine porcelain tea mug to one and all.

43rd Fathers' Day. 21st Grandfathers' Day. And 1st Great-Grandfathers' Day this time next year.

There can't be all that many Western MoPai devotees out there. That Space-Cadet Panda forum seems to be all but dead hence , perhaps; the enthusiasm shown by those who seek to get back on here. Whilst we tend not to take them seriously at least we notice their existence which is more than the rest of the world seems to do.

Hi Mark,Here's something from Hardcore zen by Brad and I seem to remember ( but it has been a while) reading similar in one of his books... http://hardcorezen.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/zazen-is-balance-pose.html Is the link... "I worked at the posture. It hurt. But it was worthwhile. I'm glad I put in the effort and I'm glad I had a teacher who pushed me to do so, who saw that I could do the posture if I tried." ..... Hope that helps.

Buddhas we are. Apparently. Or is it ' potentially'?