CloudHands

I agree with Spotless that if you don't have time to do what's essential then you should start asking yourself true questions. I'm very curious about gift(s) of tao and stillness movement, but that's definitely not for now. Something is holding me back more than the prices, the distance, mistrust ? I'm pretty ambivalent towards Ya Mu I can't explain why... but yes definitely curious bout what he does.

Honestly I think if there is no motivation it'll go nowhere. My suggestion was the horse stance (embrassing the tree) because doing it you must face it, I mean face yourself ^^. Doing it 10 mn makes you a lot more relax, gives you a better will. Perfect to start something else but that's an hard one. If I had only 10 mn a day I'll do 5 minutes HS and first part tai chi 108. Many people just do a solo tai chi form a day (18-25 mn). 20 mn meditation is already something. Everything is good, available, but if there is no motivation a person will not stand even 1 mn horse stance.

That's pretty cheap, nice

45e for a day or 200e a week but the annual course is very cheap I think (230e beginner/310 advanced) so if you want to go further... you'll have to pay more and generally when you are charged expensively you imply yourself more (I think).

Yup, I was about to start a thread about how far we go from lao tseu's and tchouang tseu's taoism when we try to make it intelligent by development, references; or look wise or even when we practice with the intent of being "better", more powerful, efficient, ... That's not the idea of dao I started with. For me this is time I can work more on my practice, Nonetheless Cheers To Summer !

So it's 2013 tracks http://www.allocine.fr/film/fichefilm_gen_cfilm=207993.html not 2005 ! I can recommand the Philip Glasses Quatsi Trilogy. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qatsi_trilogy It's no fiction. I saw the first one very nice piece.

Peter Wade's tracks ? Your suggestions are appreciated

Big One

Yup that's the best proof I know about shamanism. South americans shamans are fascinating. You red the cosmic serpent didn't you ?

I really have some inclination to live the way you do Daeluin. I understand and respect that a lot. Actually I think that all humanity is creating to make life look easier is weakening us. I'm very comfortable to see west going down, we'll have to rebuilt solidarity, living together and think about alternatives. With my wife we probably will build some minimalistic (but well thought/crafted) house it's a matter of money and time. Also it's very important to us to grow our own vegetables.

I think your guesses are correct. The more I spend time on this forum the more I think that the better way to answer this kind of questions is to let the time to your diligent practice show you how it's like. There is no shortcuts, so why bother ? I agree sometimes my own curiosity can be very strong Otherwise another interesting option with horse stance is to discover the part of your body you have to breath more.

I'm interested in your anarcho-vietveto-taoist opinion MH, even if we disagree !

Sadly https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqKu5rSTyP8

I love that part.

Compiling Datas !

Yep you talk about the theorical diference between qi gong and tai chi. What I ask why do some move gather more than others. I knew I was very clumsy on my formulation. To sum up : Ya Mu wrote "far superiority for me for energetics." So I want to know why. That's very simple in fact EDIT : I was answering HE when Ya Mu posted ^^ "In particular, the Gift of the Tao movements are neigong movements which raise the vibrational frequency of the energy body. The Gift of the Tao I movements are based on energy patterns as seen on higher vibratory worlds when doing Stillness-Movement neigong dreaming." That's my answer and I don't understand what it's about so I'll forget these questions for now. T h a n k s folks

LOL CD I think I can handle it, but thanks. The question goes to Ya Mu.

Hi Ya Mu, that's interesting. Could you explain why ? I know Tai Chi is not primarily design to cultivate energy but to destroy opponents (I get it). What I'm asking for is, is it possible for you to describe your practice comparatively to tai chi. More specifically : how do you consider the different kind of movement you make effect on the intent (which in your case seems to be agglomerating energy -if I'm right)? I'm not sure I made myself understand so I'll keep trying. When I practice, I'm not looking for gaining "energy" (which is a only a consequence of practicing). What I want is to feel my body (its parts, flux, rooting), relax and develop some "awareness" feeling in a way that's specific to Tai Chi. It's slightly different when it comes to horse stance or chi qong but it's even more turned to internal feelings and awareness. So could you explain in what your practice is different ? Is it because of the moves ? The intent ? If that's not clear I'll reformulate. PS : I ask Ya Mu but anyone is welcome to answer.

Duuude we euthanized our dog yesterday...

I think it is but I'm not good enough to assure anything. I'm only one (person) ^^

That may be

Ya Mu, I wasn't talking about you, nor I and certainly not about my school, I keep the story as an interesting anecdote but that doesn't mean a lot to me since I do know tai chi is a martial art, never questioned that. My teacher said me too that it will take 10 years to get some serious level What I reacted against was the idea that if you don't practice with the idea of fighting it's useless. I feel something like "if you do tai chi but you don't pretend to be a fighter then your school sucks" and I don't agree, I'm glad old people to have the possibility to do a kind of slow gymnastic while they try to be more conscious of their body. Most people will not go further anyway and to be honest, when I started, I wasn't expecting much more than to relax myself and have a better connection with my body. Now I know it's very potent and that I have a lot more to learn that I expected (which is an absolutely great new). So I agree that there is sub schools, bad schools, that many do a mix of dance and gymnastic but I'm will not spit on them. Everyone gets what he needs, what he can. That's always interesting to push people/be pushed (even in a kind way), that's something we work on

Let's do some stretching. 1) I asked some young chinese about tai chi, they told me that's for old people. (in parks) 2) If you search for tai chi martial application in youtube you'll find tons of demos done by westerners (very few chinese) 3) In my country the national federation puts the external side before the internal work. 4) I red an article (somewhere on TTB) from a chinese martial artist saying tai chi (in china) was done as a martial art. 5) When you practice tai chi you know there are benefits apart the martial side so big it makes the martial part blush, that's why it tends to be use the way it is and for sure it can be a kind of moving meditation, a great tool to do lot of stuff and I see nothing bad in it. 6) I'll not repeat what I think about fighters that don't fight. and of course I'm not sorry for bringing a peaceful contradiction

OK that said, what difference do you make between breath in and out in tai chi ? Wait a minute, maybe it's better for me to discover it while I practice..