Seeker of Wisdom

Dhammapada 3:10-11: Another person can only prompt something negative in you if that trait is in you to be prompted. Our enemies are really our greatest teachers! They reveal our strengths and flaws, and give us opportunities to develop virtues. Being practical, unless we are sages other people do affect us... But being fatalistic about it, as though only monks in perfect surroundings have a chance of real progress, seems like a really unhelpful and unfounded lack of self-respect to me.

Everyone's like that when they start - so much choice, not wanting to waste time or miss something good. Doing a practice every day for 40 days helps prevent constantly changing, and gives you a proper idea of what the practice is like. Don't be overambitious with the length of your routine, either, or you'll get frustrated with it. I would suggest, try the basic sitting for 40 days first, as it's simple and the first hurdle in cultivation is getting into the habit of daily practice. If you like that, keep it going as you try 40 days of Wallace's methods. Then if you like that, keep it up as you try 40 days of Spring Forest. This way, at the end of 120 days you will have a well-established daily routine of one, two or all three of these techniques, which you'll have built up steadily.

I really recommend The Attention Revolution by Alan Wallace. It tells you everything you need to get started with meditation - which will definitely bring the results you're aiming for, especially mental clarity. It's very clear about what you're doing and why, and starts at the level of a complete beginner. Increasingly subtle variations of three methods are presented as you make progress. Also, there's some interesting bits about developing qualities such as compassion.

The exact mantra doesn't matter, any rituals you do don't in themselves have any effect, what it's about is YOUR mindset. Do whatever will make you feel calm, compassionate, focused, respectful and wise; and associate those with the room. You know this better than any of us could.

Materialist and religious fundamentalism are both problematic, but the former is supported by the scientific community and the education system. Already, many spiritual experiences are considered schizophrenia symptoms regardless of context and the individual's ability to think logically and manage life. "You saw X? Delusional beliefs and hallucinations, here's some Clozapine!" All sides should try to question themselves, and note where emotion gets mixed with ideas. In Stilling the Mind, Alan Wallace suggests treating any beliefs we hold as working hypotheses. That's a model I've tried to follow. There is much to learn from the logic and empiricism of science. Something Richard Dawkins, of all people, has said which I strongly agree with - children are too young to critically come to a philosophical stance, so they shouldn't have one thrown at them. The idea of parents routinely 'raising our kids X' sickens me a little, whether it's atheism, or Christianity, or Taoism, or Buddhism, etc. Dawkins compares saying that a child is a Christian to saying that a child is a Marxist - how can a kid possibly consider something like that fully? This is at least partially intentional brainwashing going on, right now, in homes all over the world. There's a reason religion is still so strongly correlated with geographical location - the brainwashing of uncritical children which I just mentioned, combined with the human tendencies to follow the herd and to associate emotions with beliefs - and this same thing causes fundamentalism.

What is 'you'? In what sense is it immortal or not? Are 'mortal' and 'immortal' mutually exclusive, or is there a more nuanced middle way between eternalism and nihilism? What if the apparent 'self' is actually only an idea we impute on a set of interdependent processes, none of which is the chief of all the others, a central owner or doer which is meaningful on its own? What if all these processes are undergoing constant cycles of creation and destruction, such that we are neither mortal nor immortal, but like a flowing stream or a flame burning along a trail of oil?

I'd suggest to go seriously into cultivation for a period of time, with emphasis on compassion, humility, etc. If you are under psychic attack, this should really clear that up. If you aren't, it's good for sleep anyway. Here's some things you could do: *No internet or TV, few distractions, a simple routine in solitude. *Horse stance. Discipline, really gets your chi going. *Metta bhavana or tonglen, as much as you can without straining - excellent for sleep, purifying, restful. *Anapana sati, 30mins-1hr. Emphasise relaxation, but stay alert. *Prostrations with your favourite mantra, as much as you like. Mantras are kewl, and humility is a good thing for sleep and just because it is. *Read - some cultivationy texts, some for entertainment. *Jog. Finally, I'd say limit caffeine, if you have regular coffee or tea. I like the odd coffee, but having it every day to wake up gets you in a messed-up sleep cycle. I hope that helps.

Yeah, I always emphasise samadhi, virtue and wisdom; and see direct chi stuff as a catalyst to that. So in answer to the OP, I would say the highest energetic practice is actually working on the three trainings, which dissolve problems with your energy from their roots. Aside from that, I find horse stance, nadi shodana pranayama and the Zhunti mantra very helpful.

I don't see the need to argue too much about lofty subtleties that are beyond novices like (unless there are sages here not revealing themselves) all of us.

I've tried this method of shamatha practice using instructions from The Attention Revolution by Alan Wallace a little here and there. I just finished my first proper session of it - my main meditation practice is still anapana sati, but now I've replaced my metta bhavana session with resting the mind. I have ordered Alan's Vajra Essence book for more detail on this and look forward to digging into that. Initial thoughts - this is an awesome practice. The space of the mind and what happens in there is very interesting, and I can definitely see the segue into vipasanna this practice has. I could sort of vaguely perceive that there were subconscious mechanisms operating determining what would happen next and accessing memories, extremely brief and small mental events, etc, and I look forward to uncovering these. Keeping the eyes open meditating was easier than expected. The interesting object of this practice and the subtle challenges of it meant I wasn't drawn off into external distraction much. I think having eyes open did help increase my vividness and reduce the delusional impression of the mind being 'inside the skull'. This meditation is definitely a step up in subtlety. Watching the space of the mind and mental events without controlling, judging or identifying is breaking the habits of years... well, actually eons I guess. I'm keeping anapana my main practice, and this my minor, until I reach around stage 4 shamatha, because anapana is especially good for reducing coarse excitation, then I will swap them round. Does anyone else do resting the mind - any tips or insights?

It doesn't mean that everything is horrible and nobody is ever happy. What it means is that no amount of input from life can make you truly happy, the nature of samsara is dissatisfaction. If all your desires are met, eventually you will return to your normal level of happiness and have new desires. But consider all 4 noble truths together: 1)Samsara is dissatisfying. 2)The cause of this is craving. 3)This can be transcended through the noble 8fold path. 4)Through the 8fold path you attain nirvana - which as I've explained is not separate from samsara, was always there and doesn't imply ceasing to have an experience in samsara! So if we look at the 1st noble truth in its wider context, this apparently grim and pessimistic statement is transformed into meaning this:

Constantly probe into your experience, looking at the sense of 'I am experiencing this'. What is experiencing it? Is there an experiencer, or does experience just happen? The thing is, any 'meditative state' is useful for a purpose but is still just a creation of the mind (though you still need to develop clarity and focus with shamatha!). This vipashyana exercise will develop your meditative quality and your insight... regardless of how calm and focused you are. The very mental agitation that would be a disruption in shamatha, is in vipashyana just more grist for the mill. So it's easier to do while you're walking around living life. Excuse the Buddhist terms. I'm sure there's no contradiction to the great wisdom of Taoism in what I've said.

Ending rebirth isn't ceasing to exist as an individual, although that is how it's presented at shallower levels of understanding. You still go places and experience, but voluntarily, and experiencing nirvana as absolutely non-dual from samsara. Do you want to be forced to forget all your experiences and be born again infinite times - as insects, fish, and humans in poverty? Seriously, imagine learning the same lessons in school an infinite number of times! If you want to have lots of experience, end your rebirth so you can actually remember it all, and choose where you go.

Dissatisfaction isn't good, but renunciation from realising you aren't satisfied is. A lot of people seem to think Buddhism is nihilist and depressing because of misunderstanding this and some of the hyperbolic language around it. Actually, Buddhism says that you can be content if you stop mistakenly looking for something you don't have to make you happy - hardly a moping viewpoint! But you have to notice that you aren't really content, before you can allow yourself to stop seeking stuff to make you happy.

3bob: The union of wisdom and skilful means is represented in Buddhism by the earth-touching mudra, in which the hand on the earth is skilful means and the hand on the lap is wisdom. And the purpose of skilful means is acting on bodhichitta. The non-duality of samsara and nirvana from the ultimate perspective is a big deal, particularly in madhyamika; and in Zen and Dzogchen, samsara and nirvana are seen as displays of Suchness and rigpa. 'Tao' is just a word describing reality beyond all extremes and concepts. Swap 'Tao' for 'Suchness' or 'rigpa', and it's the same thing but with Zen or Dzogchen terminology.

I would say the 'as Earth is my witness' thing is symbolic firstly of wisdom being applied to compassion in the world via skilful means. Secondly, it's perhaps symbolic of the non-duality of nirvana and samsara - as nothing is other than Tao, Shakyamuni calls upon samsara to say that he has transcended even nirvana, and knows them both as displays of Tao.

The state of there being nothing would be a paradox, as there can't be a nothing which exists, as that would be a property. Therefore, things must exist. My opinion - reality has always been and always will be conducting cycles of creation (big bangs) and dissolution (?).

I don't think that is positive, personally. You are more in the present, but it would be better to be in the present while still having the tool of a good memory which allows you to get practical stuff done. Studies have found that meditation tends to improve memory and being in the present. And mindfulness, as originally defined in both the Pali Canon and in Mahayana texts, has connotations of remembering the instructions from the past, remembering to stay focused in the present, and remembering to prevent laxity and excitation in the next moment. If I were you, I'd double-check the instructions of the practices you do, and be especially careful to avoid dead-tree Zen.

I found this: https://sites.google.com/site/psychospiritualtools/Home/meditation-practices/sky-gazing

Personally, I find it helpful to set short-term, mid-term and long-term goals. It keeps the whole path in perspective without being too overwhelming - as short-term goals are achieved, you can feel satisfied ticking them off and aiming at another goal/s closer to your mid/long-term goals. So using my goals as an example, my short-term goals right now are to reach stage 4 shamatha and to realise no-self. My mid-term goal is achieving access concentration. Long-term, my goal is full enlightenment.

I'm not familiar with the practices you've listed, but it sounds like you're doing some good stuff for your chi. Doing something for your mind would definitely round out your approach. I would advise putting some sitting meditation in your routine. Ultimately the roots of the delusion, etc which obscures our realisation of Tao are mental. So unless you directly work on your mind at some point, you can only go so far. Chi stuff alone is incomplete, because the actual causes of kinks in both chi and mind are mental. If you add some sitting meditation, that will work at a deep level in your mind, with the side effect of your chi naturally healing. This will speed up your chi work, which will in turn produce well-being and alertness which will greatly benefit your mind work. Mindfulness of breathing is a sensible method to start with. The Attention Revolution by Alan Wallace is an excellent guide for this, and two more advanced practices. Try doing your more gentle exercises first, then mindfulness of breathing, then do more challenging exercises last. Hope that helps.

If there's really nothing to do, some extra cultivation... though I couldn't handle a full-on monk's lifestyle just yet. Any shamatha method is good. Compassion stuff, like tonglen. Mantra. Vipashyana - probe into the nature of boredom, and who is bored. Pranayama. Horse stance. I'm sure all of us have experienced contented peace and well-being from just sitting in meditation. Boredom is basically a withdrawal symptom from stimulation, and contentment is the nature of a truly healthy mind.

Go see a doctor.

Well, this is just common sense. Anything can be done to excess, and it's clearly stated by Patanjali that asana should be comfortable. Yoga can wreck your body... if you aren't sensible about it. That's without even acknowledging that asana, which is heavily overemphasised these days, is really just one part of yoga. Put in pranayama, meditation, etc, and there's a risk of really screwing up your mind... if you aren't sensible about it. Obviously anything designed to result in utter transformation of mind and body has the potential to harm you if it is misused. That doesn't make the thing itself something to be avoided.

I don't think hair has anything to do with chi, it's just non-living keratin. The not-shaving tradition in some groups is simply about not worrying about your appearance - dispassion and humility. This is the same reason that other groups go the opposite way and remove all their head hair. Both extremes are not caring. Aside from that, it's just a cultural thing.