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That is a good question. There are many theories abound about it. Karma, etc etc. I think the dualistic world is like a video game. Whatever that is, assumes all these various characters and does plays this MMPORPG . The "awakening" is a very simple and ordinary event, that happens to all of us many times in the game. However, we are so engrossed in the role-playing that we fail to see this event when it happens. And even if we do see this event, we look it over because we are so engrossed in the game. This happens often in dreams when we become aware that we are dreaming but the dream continues as we don't exercise the freedom that arose from that awareness. I too have a friend who was "awake" from childhood. He is often mistaken as being "naive" or "foolish". But he has no guiles whatsoever, innocent like a child. He "knows" a lot of stuff but doesn't know what they mean or even that they are supposed to be these mega-super-powerful-nuggets of "enlightenment". So when I tell him stuff he'll go "Wow...you are teaching me a lot!". Haha...no I'm not teaching him squat...he already knows. He even had a dream that I am his spiritual "confirmer" My Master is like that too...innocent like a child. But with him, there is also a confidence that arises from total faith in the Dao. Each of his acts are acts of pure compassion and detachment. Yet he is actively involved in helping people all the time, pretty much throughout the day. When i look back at myself, I know the point when I lost this "innocent connectedness". So there is something to the "losing innocence" bit. But the fact is, that the true nature is always there, just masked by the contrivances and modifications of the mind and body. I think each of us can identify this sort of thing at a certain point in the journey.

Another factor at play in the arising of duality is having the capacity for language. It seems to me that humans distinguish the "self" from "other" as a function of language, at least in part. All living creatures need to be able to distinguish threat from asset but I wonder to what degree the distinction between self and other arises in living creatures other than humans. Do lions eat water buffalo because there is the sense that "I" must survive? Or is it simply a natural consequence of experiencing hunger and having the appropriate physical characteristics to hunt and eat along with learning from their parents and pride... Perhaps our primary distinction between self and other resides in our capacity for abstract thought. Abstract thought is predicated upon the capacity for language. For me, a practical and effective way to define duality is the conceptual discrimination between self and other. Non-duality is simply non-discrimination between self and other. This is not conceptual, however, it is experiential. Understanding what non-duality is has nothing to do with resting in non-dual experience. In fact, I suspect it may be an obstacle for many people. All speculation on my part. I'm not as interested in understanding as I once was although that curiosity and tendency to think and analyze is still there. I've found that, for me, my "understanding" of non-duality has little to do with questions and answers and far more to do with having adopted what seems to be an effective practice that encourages, cultivates, and reinforces a deeper level of non-dual experience. Over time there is more familiarity with that absence of self - other distinction. It gradually comes off the cushion and into action and interaction. I feel that it can be cultivated into a very high level of application and consistency. I also agree with those who emphasize the importance of things like devotion, surrender, trust, gratitude, and so forth. Those are the fuel and the context within which blessings tend to manifest. I've never seen this play out more clearly than in my practices of dream and sleep yoga. It's quite astonishing at times.

Meditate, meditate, meditate, meditate, meditate, meditate, meditate, meditate, meditate, meditate, meditate, meditate, meditate, meditate, meditate, meditate... And: This is what you should do: do not get angry, do not lay down during the day, and always retire your body but not your shen. The essence of sleep, after all, is the soul of the body. If you can manage to sleep little, then the master mind will be bright and alert. Not only will your shen qi be flowing freely and purely, but you will also not be disturbed by dreams. Every time you are overcome by a craving for sleep, blood rushes to the heart and the original shen is forced to leave its abode. The clouds then cast a gloomy shadow over the heavenly realm of spirit, and the shen itself will grow dim and unconscious just like its domicile. The Daoist master Zhang Sanfeng once said: 'Grasp the dream in the dream; behold the darkness within the darkness. Since I saw the face of the girl, I can happily view the paradise, Penglai, right in front of my eyes. This is precisely what I mean! The Neijing , furthermore, states: 'The three months of spring are the period of commencement; heaven and earth are born, and all living things are flourishing. Get up early in the morning, walk around in the courtyard, loosen your hair and relax your body. By doing so you will generate mental strength and act in harmony with the qi of spring, thus following the way of nourishing life. If you live contrary to this principle, you will harm your liver.' Everybody should be aware of this basic principle. http://www.itmonline.org/5organs/liver.htm

Hm, I am not the right person to answer probably, but I hope my two cents can help a bit. I am not sure if the becoming the observer is the right thing to do, but I don't know. I have noticed what helps me a lot is to try to relax in the feeling and realize how everything is impermanent and just like a dream (meaning in is gone quickly and we have only fading memories). The fact that everything is impermanent is not sad fact, it is just a fact, no reason to be depressed from it, it actually makes one feel more free and happier a bit. From my experience death is a horrible thing to deal with and it takes years to really process it. This year it will be 5 years since my father's passing and I still sometimes catch myself missing him and hoping he could see how far I've got. What I would suggest is laughter. I remember I was soo frustrated with everything for few weeks after his passing until I made a very dark joke about my mother talking to his ashes, that made me laugh for solid several minutes. And it was one of the most relieving experiences in my life. Humor is a process of healing, unless of course it is hurting someone. Also I think you could try reading Pema Chödron's books she writes a lot about dealing with sadness anger and other emotions. Also Tibetan book of living and dying by Sogyal Rinpoche is a good piece of writing (despite the horrible things he has apparently done). Anyway. Don't expect to things go back the way they were. Don't expect yourself ot be the same. Things change. Be kind to yourself, loving to yourself and give yoruself time and space to heal. Do your best to be happy. Also, contact Garchen Institute, I think they do rituals for deceased people so you can give them info about him and also maybe photos. Garchen Rinpoche is called a mahasiddha and he really is. Greately compassionate teacher. https://garchen.net/ So if you want you can also try to benefit your spouse this way. Or, if you have different religion try rituals in that. Rituals are here to help us and the ones we do them for, so do not underestimate them. Best wishes, hope my ramblings helped

While we live and function in the world, all things happen in duality or multiple mode only. Even after non-dual or any realization for that matter, one functions in the world outside in duality. This, I call the 'practical'. But, the real answer to your question is in the Abhivanagupta's quote above. I think those words of Abhinvagupta comes from such wisdom that transcends realization. If everyone is realized, already in non-dual state, there is also no need for compassion as I stated before. If we hold the manifest world or maya to be equal to a dream, then this would be valid. I personally feel some people like Abhinavagupta and Buddha went far beyond this state of realization in their wisdom, to be able to reintegrate the world and help others with compassion.

I freaking love sleep! My wife ribs me routinely and giggles often at my rather involved relationship with pillows and posture while sleeping, (I have up to eight pillows that I use in various combinations). You know how a dog circles around before she sleeps... it's very similar to watch me set up and place my pillows as I nestle down. Last ten years or so, I always sleep on my sides during the night and on my back during the day. No idea why my body prefers this, but I long since stopped questioning and ignoring the very clear signals and now recognize and follow the wisdom of my body and simply comply to its cues with gratitude and benefit. I adore sleep these days and am gladly reclaiming all the sleep I fended off when I was 3-37. When I sleep in the day, I drop deeply into sleep in moments on my back in free fall gravity position and it is glorious. Knees are supported by three pillows two under my knees and one under the feet, that lift my legs up in a gentle arc above the heart level. My head rests on a small, very firm pillow that follows the contour of the back of my neck/head so the head peers every so gently upward. My arms 9/10 times are up over the head in victory pose, but arching out wide to the sides, cradled in two soft pillows... once in a while the arms will tell me they want to be by my sides... in this case the upper arms rest on the bed and the two pillows move down to the waist area, and my hands rest on those creating a gentle arch. side note: whenever I have straight arms or tightly bent arms my body will wake me quickly saying, 'curve that shit up mate... yer stifling flow'. At night, I sleep on my sides. I always start on my right side and then rotate back and forth. I have two pillows under my head to straighten the spine... the firm contour pillow I mentioned earlier is not tall enought to keep my head/neck straight, so I top it with a softer down pillow that yields at first, then when compressed holds my head in a cup that supports it and gently cups the limbs, helping to hold them in place. I roll and shape the soft pillow until my face is free and my neck straight. Next I have two large down pillows that I hug along my chest to rest my upper arm on and to spread and keep the chest wide open. This is absolutely paramount. If I do not support the upside arm, my chest compresses and stifles breathing, waking me soon. Two more pillows between the legs, again paramount for me. One between the thighs and one between the feet in a T shape, so my upper foot can slide forward or back as it wants while supported keeping the leg bones in line with the hips. This opens the hips wonderfully and my body gently hums with soft gratitude when I get it right. When I wake. I simply roll over, carrying my chest pillows with me, reset and clear my face and I'm back to sleep in moments. We long ago got rid of spring mattresses. Metal spring mattresses are abhorrent to me by nature. I prefer the floor to those things. And my wife broke several vertabrae in her spine some twenty years ago and spring mattresses are akin to a torture chamber for her. We use an air chamber/sleep number bed, so she can adjust it as her needs shift. My side of the bed is always pumped up a good 30 seconds after it reaches its maximum 100 setting for firmness. I highly recommend the book Tibetan Yogas of Dream and Sleep by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche. Sleep used to be something I avoided and tried to do without all too often in my fiery youth. Now, it is an integral and foundational part of my process and an active part of my energy work, in dreams.

And god said "oh my god!" What's happened to the human being What's happened to my lovely creature They all become a cold machine No more love no more power Machine without gasoline Wake up wake up crowd Wake up from your boring dream

Anyway, about JC.. He's not the 'lovey-dovey, angelic' type that many people might make him out to be. His vibe comes across pretty good in this GoT. Very hardcore type of love - Very, 'This is a very narrow path and you really have to get your shit together to be on it. No F-ing around!'. So that's why it's a little intimidating for me to try and reconnect with him yet again. After my first session with that lady I mentioned a couple of months ago, I had a dream with JC in it - and this was before I knew she was into Jesus and that she felt he was the main dude/spirit/being working through her. Don't get me wrong, I realize Jesus is a very great spirit/being who is here to help people and to show us that's it's possible to do what he did - because we are exactly like him - We are made of the same exact stuff and are the same exact being - it's just that he's way further evolved. I don't know what's going to happen from here regarding JC and all that. I am just an average guy with no special gifts but, for whatever reason, I've attracted people into my life over the years who have absolutely tremendous mystical gifts and who I've had a lot of mystical experiences with. So it's anyone's guess what's going to happen next. In Jesus's last lifetime (as a healer in Germany in the 1940's/50's) he recommended people read a book called 'The Life and Teachings of the Masters of the Far East' which I believe is a 5 volume set that was published in the 1920's by Baird Spaulding. It's a work of didactic fiction that continually points out that all the power we seek is right within us and that all the 'spiritual masters' in those books, including JC, are just people like us and they are continually emphasizing that we can do what they do - and to never elevate them, put them up on a pedestal, or anything like that. They are just normal dudes that have evolved further and it's where we're all going.

I have had two Skype sessions with Sifu Max, and my friend had one as well. We both tried to record the Skype sessions, not in order to distribute it, just so we could revisit the conversation and learn from it... it's hard to remember that much information, the hour goes by so quickly. Anyways, the recordings failed every time for both of us. My friends computer completely fried, it was unusable after. When I tried it the first time I tested it out before and everything was working, but when I later opened the video it was simply missing. Only the audio was there. I tried it again with different software recently and again tested it right before. Well I had this strange dream the night before the Skype that the recording wouldn't work and I turned my webcam off in my dream. When I started the Skype with Max my webcam just wouldn't turn on, which has never happened before, and again the software I had just tested failed after 5 minutes of recording right before he showed me a bunch of amazing pictures that are not online. Interesting stuff. Obviously could be coincidence, but I've experienced weirder things in my life. Anyways, the point is it is helpful to be able to entertain two sides of an argument, even if you are absolutely sure of the truth. So, you've all had plenty of practice with the argument that he is a fake, but why not try the opposite perspective just for fun. Imagine he actually was a master, and that all of these things were possible. Imagine he has experienced his own body as well as Dianas and Kans bodies disappearing. So he knows it is real. Now, what if they don't know much about cameras... and they take a photo with long exposure and their body looks transparent. It wouldn't be difficult for them to think the photos are just capturing what they have seen before. Not saying this is the case, but it is a middle ground between the photos being real or the photos being purposely faked in order to deceive. Also, I am a graphic designer and use Photoshop all the time. The photos were not edited in any major way, except perhaps some increased contrast and brightness adjustments. But again, these photos are nothing compared to more recent ones. Just go pay a small amount, meet him and his wife in person, and do the practices. What's the worst that could happen? They are incredibly kind and fun people. I have been practicing Kunlun and Red Phoenix for almost two years now. They are wonderful practices. One of you mentioned that they gave you nightmares... well a laxative makes you poop, but would you rather it inside or outside you XD . Meditation heals in many different ways, unfortunately some of them are not pleasant. In the beginning of my training I also got very sick, and it was a result of me holding on too much to what the meditation was trying to release from my body and mind. Panic attacks, fever, chronic type ailments... went to the doctor a few times and they said there was nothing wrong. Also had the nightmares, sleepless nights etc. It can be scary, which is why it's good to have good friends and teachers on the path. That being said, some problems that can occur from meditation is from the energy getting stuck in parts of your body, especially the head and brain. This can be serious. Make sure you are bringing the energy back down after every practice and spend at least five minutes with your hands over your navel with a light relaxed awareness on that area of your lower dan tien. Allow the energy to flow back down from your head and other parts of your body into this center. Many problems can be avoided by remembering this. If your practice is giving you panic, ringing in the ears, heat in the head or insomnia make sure you do this. If focusing on the navel doesn't help try first focusing on the ming men point on the lower back. It is the point directly opposite of the navel. This point regulates the energy going up and down the spine and is like a release valve that will make sure you dont have too much energetic pressure in any part of your body. Focus here, then focus on the navel or lower dan tien. Just some thoughts. Make sure you keep up with your own studies, practice and explore. Questioning is good, but don't let yourself get sucked down into cynicism and over critical states of mind. Open up, have fun, and whatever you are practicing.. give it your all while you are doing it. 99% of your success depends on your mental state and has nothing to do with your lineage or practice anyways. Hope this helps, Phosphorose

Well hopefully my joints and flexibility will continue (or progress) to become stronger, regardless of age - as I train internal work. It's a wild dream, but looking at certain old and experienced masters moving with impeccable agility and grace (that I can only dream of) really motivates me. And definitely agree with the second paragraph. I did hear that "leg deflections" - blocking and deflecting attacks with leg work - was an integral art in Northern long arm styles, which has almost died out today. But more the reason to acquire and train that valuable skill. And "sticky feet" sounds very interesting. I also think the emphasis on skills such as "leg deflections" or "sticky feet" is the reason why Northern long arm styles stress certain elements so much, such as crane stance variations and crescent kicks. (these movements were definitely used with such skills in mind).

I include the following excerpt from a book I have. I do so because this excerpt deals directly with the Amrita (Amrto, Amrta - aka Nectar of Immortality, aka Sweet Dew) the Rebirth in Pureland mantra invokes. The following comes from Kundalini: Aghora II by Robert Svoboda [ISBN: 978-0914732-31-0] pp. 88-89 Svoboda 's Guru: "Ordinary Kundalini Yoga is difficult enough, but an Aghori makes it even more intense. Do you know how you feel when you are full of lust? You can't wait to enjoy sex; you will rip off your own clothes, and then rip the clothes off your partner. Likewise an Aghori, filled with the desire to experience Reality, rips the coverings, the clothes, off the Universe when he wishes to love it. If you really want to progress at Kundalini Yoga you must forget your body, that thing which is clothing your consciousness, and to do that you must first forget food and water. After 3 days without water you begin to feel dizzy, your blood thickens, and so on. After 5 days you begin to gasp, and unless you are really dedicated you will decide you don't want to die and you'll drink. Aghora is the fast, direct way, but it is too difficult for most people. "If you don't want to force yourself to quit eating, and want to progress by stratagem instead, which is the way of the clever sadhaka, you must first understand the nature of food. To do this you must first thoroughly understand the nature of the 3 Coverings of the universe, which are----" Svoboda: "The 3 Gunas, the 6 Tastes, and the 5 Great Elements." Svoboda's Guru: "The 6 Tastes are within the body, not outside. Have they taught you this yet in the Ayurvedic college?" Svoboda: "They have alluded to it." Svoboda's Guru: "oh, they have alluded to it, have they? Anyway, if you want to do without food and drink entirely and live only on air you must manufacture all the tastes within the body; then there is no need to take them from outside. Amrita, the 'nectar of immortality,' is a glandular sustance created within the body which is necessary for this purpose." Svoboda: "That too had been alluded to in Ayurveda, with little explanation." Svoboda's Guru: "We exist only because of the 3 Gunas: Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas. Most people do not know that Sattva and Tamas are two sides of the same coin. Sattva is Amrita, which is of the essence of the Fire Element. The Amrita in your head, this glandular substance, is the physical manifestation of pure Sattva. Tamas is Visha, deadly poison, which is of the essence of the Water Element. The metabolic toxins in your body poison both it and your mind. When you remove the bad qualities from poison it becomes nectar, and if you add bad qualities to nectar it will become poison. Ayurveda is full of examples of how poisonous plants and minerals can be used for medicine, and how improperly used medicines become poisons. I believe I am correct?" Svoboda: "Yes, You are." Svoboda's Guru: "Rajas is the bridge between the two. Rajas can transmute Tamas into Sattva, and it can degrade Sattva into Tamas. Rajas is pure shakti, energy, the very incarnation of illusion, of Maha Maya. Rajas does not know what it is doing; it just does it, so it must be well controlled. When Rajas is properly controlled almost anything can be achieved. And the only being Who knows how to control Shakti is Shaktiman: Lord Shiva. [my note: my own preference here would be to say the One Who Knows and Properly Controls, With Pervasive, Perfected Wisdom is a Samyak-Sambuddha / Tatagatha but since this book is from a Hindu perspective I want to keep the words exactly as published.] Svoboda's Guru: "The name Rudra, which is another name for Lord Shiva, indicates the shedding of tears. Rudra brings you nothing but tears. Before the Rudra Granthi is pierced the sadhaka sheds tears of misery, of Maya, because he cannot be sure of himself, or of the existence of God. This doubt continues until that Knot is pierced, when all doubt is removed. The glands of the body then begin to secrete Amrita: they 'shed tears'. This Amrita causes the devotee to shed tears of joy. Shiva drinks poison but he converts it into Amrita. In order to do this you must know the relation between Visha, which is poison, and Vishaya, which means sense object. The world of sense objects is the true poison because it is impermanent. People fleetingly regard it as permanent, and this leads to delusion. During sex, for instance, a man feels, "Oh! What bliss I am enjoying!' But suddenly, pfssst! - emission. Then he realizes, "No, it is no longer there.". His dream construction of heaven has evaporated. "Everything Shiva takes in is converted into Amrita, which is called Amrita because it is permanent, not transitory. And that is why it is connected only with Lord Shiva, Who is your real Self, your soul. As long as you are in the world your consciousness is connected with sense objects; it is the state of transience, of ignorance. Only when you come to Shiva can you find Amrita. "To obtain Amrita the grace of your guru is also necessary, at the very end when you are just on the threshold of progress. It is like a Rishi's goat sacrifice. The Rishi who kills the goat will send it into a higher womb, but the goat doesn't know that and feels great pain at first. The sadhaka who wants to do without food also suffers, but a good guru is relentless, and finally the Amrita is obtained. The disciple goes beyond food and becomes a Siddha, an immortal." ***** edits: assorted typos

Is it not better, to have lived a rich life, pusuing some crazy irrational but beautiful dream ?

It's always nice to hear from a great expert on these things. You're lucky, I did you a special favor and went and looked up jhanas. I see it's typical Buddhist stuff with some truth using lots of wordiness with some bullshit heaped on top to hide the truth. I read this about the four jhanas and I see it is a fairly good description of the enlightenment experience, and I like the way they use the word rapture So this is what the enlightenment experience is basically like. Except the Wikipedia article says this about it: Well maybe for some they can arrive at these feelings via meditation but in the enlightenment experience they happen all together, one followed immediately by the next, in a smooth progression, with the whole thing taking several days. Now it could be that some meditators can achieve these states by meditating on them but that seems dumb to me, the enlightenment experience can happen at any time, whether on is meditating at that moment or not; and in my meditations there were no such silly goals or objects of meditation, we simple meditated as no thinking, no mind, and simply focussed on the energy task at hand, if there was one, the 'energy task' being dictated by the particular posture being used at the moment. Only poor suffering Buddhists would actually focus on those states as a meditation, which is blatantly a type of desire. So why do I say it is an enlightenment experience? Well for one things others have described similar experiences and termed them to be enlightenment, and another is that it ends up making a person a Boddhisattva, which even the Buddhists recognize as an enlightened state, which it is, and it's a pretty stupid state too. What's even more stupid is Eeyore saying it's not enlightenment. They say Buddha was 'fully' enlightened, whatever that is supposed to mean. OK, fine, one can go further, and will, because the experience ignites certain unavoidable and powerful alchemical changes in a person which results in what are sometimes pathetically called 'realizations' All I know from experience is that my teacher was so psychic that he was omniscient, and he became a high level immortal when he died. The great expert, Eeyore, must know how immortals sometimes talk to bozos: "HAHAHAHA, FU, HAHAHAHA, I COULD SQUASH YOU LIKE A BUG, HAHAHAHA!" You may have seen a representation of this attitude in the cinema. I read about a Hindu yogi who seemed to be in a permanent state of rapture, with his beautific smile and non thoughts. You could take him to a street corner in the city and put his right arm up in the air and leave him there. An hour later you could come back and he would still be standing on the corner with his arm up in the air and an idiotic grin on his face. Personally I think it's better to get beyond that and be able to wipe your own butt. Next we have this gem: I suppose Eeyore is referring to me with this since he was quoting me, but here the great expert appears to be confused again. I didn't dream up or wish or even believe for a long time what I was, it took some convincing by my guardian, an ancient and very powerful dragon, who I call by the nickname Impending Death, who snuffed the most powerful Kahuna in the Pacific who was screwing with me and who challenged him. I also think people who read about and use the world 'self','true self', 'non self' in spiritual discussions are bozos. HAHAHAHA Thanks for the enterntainment. Eeyore, if you are looking for more to crap on please visit my dragon thread, thank you.

Great points! If I may, I'd like to offer a little Buddhist tantric perspective on the above, having been reminded of a text (common to both the Guhyasamaja and Kalachakra Tantras) that mentioned the importance of aligning one's practice with the seasons, as well as insights into the merging of the red and white drops. It is said that vital essences (the red and white drops in this case) are subject to daily, monthly, yearly, and life cycles. These cycles influence, sometimes positively and sometimes negatively, the physical functions and emotional reactivity of humans. The cycles that most clearly represent the patterns of vital essences are the daily, monthly, and yearly cycles since these correspond to the movements of the sun and moon. Corresponding to the cycle of a day, determined by the rising and setting of the sun, the red vital essence increases with the rising of the sun and decreases with its setting. The opposite is true for the white vital essence. Corresponding to the cycle of a month, determined by the waxing and waning phases of the moon, the white vital essence increases from the first to the fifteenth of the lunar month and then decreases from the sixteenth to the thirtieth, while the red vital essence decreases from the first to the 15th and increases during the waning phase of the moon. In this cycle, the past aspect, when the essence has fully completed its function and has become residual, is said to be the 'dissolved' vital essence. The present aspect, the refined essence (principally the white aspect) currently performing its function, is the 'engaged'. The future aspect, the cause or root of both the refined and the residual, is the 'dominant' vital essence. Corresponding to the cycle of a year, determined by what appears as the movement of the sun toward the north for 6 months and toward the south for 6 months, the white vital essence increases for 6 months beginning from the summer solstice and then decreases as the red vital essence increases for 6 months beginning from the winter solstice. Although both cycles are necessary and complementary, generally speaking the cycle of increase of the white vital essence is one of growth and therefore has a positive influence on the human body and mind complex, while the cycle of increase of the red vital essence is one of decline and has a detrimental influence,, with body and mind becoming susceptible to obstacles. Vital essences are also distinguished as the vital essences of body, speech, mind, and pristine awareness, each of which has its particular location in the body, principally the head, throat, heart, and navel. Imprints that are the source of emotional and cognitive obscurations, accumulated since beginningless time, are present within these essences as a subtle union of wind and mind. Thus, in the ordinary state of unawareness, these 4 types of vital essences give rise to the 4 states of an individual: the waking or ordinary state, deep sleep, dream, and sexual union respectively, together with the delusions and deceptions that are related to these states. In order to purify the 4 vital essences, the practitioner trains in 4 methods, involving the generation of various forms, the creation of sounds, nonconceptual contemplation, and use of sexual bliss. At the time of the path, the experiences from these methods arise as the vision of empty forms, invincible sound, nonceptual consciousness, and immutable bliss, respectively. As the ultimate effects of these methods, the waking state transforms into the various manifestations of awakening (Nirmanakaya), the dream state transforms into the enjoyment dimension (Sambhogakaya), inclusive of all awakened bodies and voices (me: think heavenly angels with trumpet sounds lol); sleep transforms into the nonconceptual dimension of reality (Dharmakaya), awakened mind, free from all limitations imposed by mental constructs, and sexual bliss transforms into the dimension of great immutable bliss (Mahasukhakaya). These vital essences are thus possessed of a double potency: unrefined and unpurified, they bind one to illusion; purified, they grant freedom from illusion. Central to all (Buddhist) tantric methods is the experience of the 'Four Joys'. In the course of practice, the white vital essence situated at the head is intentionally melted in order to experience bliss. This process involves activating the energy of the red vital essence at the navel and causing it to blaze using breath control techniques and other means. Given the light nature of the elemental property of which it is composed (ie fire), the heat energy of the red essence moves upward, warming the cold nature of the white essence, The white essence then melt and drips, a process in which the vital essence becomes increasingly fluid as it reaches the reproductive organs. Given the heavy nature of the elemental properties of which the white essence is composed (ie earth and water), this vital essence moves downward. Since the original vital essences remain at the head and below the navel until death, the blaze of the red essence and the dripping of the white must refer to an accelaration of the energetic process mentioned above, in which the sub-products of these ascend and descend in the body. The descent of the white vital essence is marked by 4 main stages of experience known as 'Joys'. Each of the Four Joys arises in turn as molten white vital essence reaches the channel wheels or centres of energy, along the central channel. According to the Kalachakra system, as the stream of white 'nectar' from the upper part of the head reaches the throat, there occurs the initial joy. As it reaches the heart, there arises the supreme joy. As it reaches the navel, there occurs the special joy, and as it reaches the tip of the sexual organ, there occurs the innate joy. In tantras such as the Hevajra that postulate four channel-wheels (Chakras), this last joy occurs at the navel. The initial joy is a slight experience of bliss. Supreme joy is that first joy increased so that it overcomes the coarse levels of the conceptual mind. The special joy is the experience of bliss and emptiness becoming inseparable. As a result of this, attachment to the joy ceases and the limitation of passion is overcome. The innate joy which follows is the nondeceptive, concept-free realisation of the indivisibility of bliss and emptiness. Innate bliss is the very nature of ordinary consciousness but remains hidden until discovered through the experiences that accrues from these practices. In order to recognise this nature and stabilise one's awareness of it, it is necessary for the tantrika to withhold semen, the base of bliss. For this reason, great emphasis is placed on relative bodhicitta in the tantric path of transformation, and several pledges (samayas) are concerned with not allowing it to be released. From the above, it is quite interesting to note some commonalities between the esoteric approaches of both the Taoist secret arts and Buddhist secret mantra paths.

Perhaps it's time for a song from someone who was certain in a way that I was until a greater reality showed me otherwise. (But I still very much like the song.)....... God is a concept By which we measure Our pain I'll say it again God is a concept By which we measure Our pain I don't believe in magic I don't believe in I-Ching I don't believe in Bible I don't believe in tarot I don't believe in Hitler I don't believe in Jesus I don't believe in Kennedy I don't believe in Buddha I don't believe in mantra I don't believe in Gita I don't believe in yoga I don't believe in kings I don't believe in Elvis I don't believe in Zimmerman I don't believe in Beatles I just believe in me Yoko and me And that's reality The dream is over What can I say? The dream is over Yesterday I was the dream weaver But now I'm reborn I was the Walrus But now I'm John And so dear friends You just have to carry on The dream is over ~ John Lennon

I wouldn't dream of it, sir, but its good to be occasionally reminded of the obvious. wishing you a splendid time on TDB.

Hi Vajra Fist, I'm glad you were able to visit Stonehenge, discern the energy, its significance, and hopefully get some good FP Qigong practice in while you were there. Beautiful photo, by the way! I hope that the stones were not roped or chained off as it had been in the mid- and late 90's and that you were able to get down close "and personal" to the stone formations. I first visited Stonehenge in 1995 and unfortunately, the govt. had just cordoned off the stone formation because that summer some pathetic monkeys tried to haul down some of the raised horizontally placed stones with chains and tackle and pick up trucks. I could sense a unique 'turning qi' of the place. It was like the vibration you get from turning one of those large prayer wheels in Nepal. It was somewhat faint, but I imagine in the past the turning would have been a roar. The impression I got from it was that it is some sort of energy mechanism that still serves a purpose in the world even today. Perhaps when it one day fails, there will be changes to our society or even natural disasters. I understand what you call "turning qi" present at Stonehenge and would agree with thematic description. If you were able to get inside the circular formation and spend time at the center of the stone circle, you can feel the energy of the portal with more intensity. Outside and at a distance, the energy is indeed faint. However, even at a great distance, I found, so long as I was able to see the formation, I felt the wide, turning energy. "Portal" is the best word in English that I can find that closely describes the "geomantric" power and function of Stonehenge. Powerful portal. And I will say this: the design of the stone circle is congruent with Chinese 5 Element Theory. Hint: study the 5 of Disks in the Crowley Tarot deck...and see if it connects you to the Stonehenge energy. Many alchemic unions and operations were consummated at Stonehenge by the ancients there. btw, my deepest intuition, furthered and affirmed by oracular devices, is that women Druids also led and conducted divinations--and fertility rights-- by drawing down the energy of the heavens to the earth--to the literal ground at Stonehenge...conducted by massive wands as long as military spears. Thanks for inspiring me to look into ancient function of Stonehenge. And thanks very much for sharing with the thread the "Weightless" by Marconi Union--and the online article describing the intresting research conducted by the British Academy of Sound Therapy. I listened to the full 8 min. version several times, and practiced both Tai Chi form and FP Qigong to it. It is indeed very, very relaxing and conducive for meditation and FP Qigong--but I wouldn't go so far to say (and I don't know how the British Academy of Sound Therapy or any persons can definitively declare) that "Weightless" is the most relaxing in the world or the most relaxing song ever composed. I understand they have their "scientific" parameters and applied them to lots of songs. But I strongly disagree with their theory that not having a repeating melody relaxes the mind more because the mind isn't stressing itself out anticipating the repeated pattern of notes. I believe that there are melodies, with repeating combinations of musical notes that optimally relax the human organism. For example, one of the most relaxing songs that I fortuitously discovered at random in 1987 was an instrument by composed by Vangelis in 1977 called, "Reve" (means "dream" in French), which does have a beautiful melody with repeating "riffs". I instantly loved "Reve" and a couple of years later licensed and used as background music behind my final flow of the Yang Short Form and Yang Long Form on my two top-selling instructional Tai Chi DVD's. This is "Reve", although it has more treble and less bass than the original vinyl recording on the Vangelis 12' album "Opera Sauvage", and thus sounds "tinny" to me: And my Tai Chi For Health dvd's (all-time best-selling in the English language from 1991 to this very day, btw) are available at my website: www.taichimania.com/taichi_catalog.html Another favorite collection of music that I find most relaxing and great to practice Qigong to the album "Transparent Music" by English pedal steel guitarist B.J. Cole. The album contains his interpretations of classical to contemporary music that have a strong Celtic flavor--and not just suggested by his artwork on his DVD case. His music is utterly transformative and super-relaxing because the brain is induced into relaxation/somnambulism because it recognizes the traditional renditions of these songs and the comfort of the familiar plus the expansive, extended duration of every note created by the pedal steel guitar--PLUS the unique and exclusive ability of that instrument to "bend a harmony like toffee" and to slide a chord enables him to make a beautiful song more beautiful, an eerie song more eerie and yet even more relaxing--e.g., Satie 's Gnossiene Nos. 3 and 5. I found on Youtube only 2 of the 10 or so tracks on the album: 01 Clair De Lune: 03 Pavane Pour Une Enfante Defunte : Try to find the rest, or purchase the album. It's worth it: 02 Window On The Deep 04 Slight Rhapsody 05 Gnossienne No.5 (Eric Satie like you've neve heard) 06 Ely Cathedral 08 Gnossienne No.3 (Eric Satie like you've neve heard) I had corresponded with B.J. Cole many years ago when I discovered Transparent Music and he said back then that he was up for composing new music as accompaniment for Tai Chi ad Qigong practice. I will soon revisit the idea of a collaboration with him. But thanks very much again for that article, for I am now exploring the "Top Ten" most relaxing songs listed in it--and I advise all FP pracittioners who liked to practice to music to check out this list of TOP 10 MOST RELAXING TRACKS: 1. Marconi Union - Weightless 2. Airstream - Electra 3. DJ Shah - Mellomaniac (Chill Out Mix) 4. Enya - Watermark 5. Coldplay - Strawberry Swing 6. Barcelona - Please Don't Go 7. All Saints - Pure Shores 8. AdelevSomeone Like You 9. Mozart - Canzonetta Sull'aria 10. Cafe Del Mar - We Can Fly Best Regards, Sifu Terry P.S. Note to all: FLYING PHOENIX QIGONG WORKSHOP 22+ hours of sublime, transformative instruction and practice will take place at Eastover Estate & Retreat in Lenox, MA on NOVEMBER 30 - DECEMBER 3 http://www.eastover.com/workshop/flying-phoenix-qigong-with-master-terence-dunn.html

Hi Hanuman, Dream on cyclically Monkey God. There is no end to knowledge. So forever so you will be learning - this life, next life... ? But of course. - LimA

In respect for Buddhist tradition of over clarifying in compassion, the 'dreams' don't stop, they just become fully lucid and fully in your control to manifest bounded only by the limits of your imagination. They feel drastically unlike the qualities of experience of traditional unmindful wild dreams of a wild range of enriching experiences, but this is only limited by one's own choice in creativity This is what Siddhartha experienced as being tempted by 'Mara' s daughters. My emperical experience is limited, enjoying only a single stretch of 3 nights of real time perfect and limitless manifesting in dreams that occurred after a few 14hr+ international flights of unbroken meditation while leveraging a carefully selected multi plant teacher dose combination. 4th night enjoyed the experience of almost immediate loss to 'Mara', and it's not been an interest to rush another choice to manifest the experience. Continuous mindful lucid clarity night to morning and morning to night in a realm of unbounded complete control as vivid and beautiful as the awake dreaming experience. What you pay your thought attention towards is what the universe manifests. If you pay your attention to wanting something, instantly you have successfully manifested experiencing wanting. To achieve a given outcome, one must manifest the outcome not the wanting of the outcome. When humans think they are not of the emptyness or place bounds on what the emptyness may or may not be, this is humans sharing their own choice in delusion and confusion while the emptyness remains the unbounded true nature of reality. Many folks here can relate to experiencing a dream sleeping at night and 'wake' to find themselves at home in bed, and at that moment they are easily able to see the whole of the dream world they had just been experiencing was emptyness in all aspects the whole time. 'Waking' mind is just dreaming mind in equal emptyness, but while in the dream it appears as concrete as anything. A being is free to write unlimited tomes about philosophy, reality, and whatever 'beliefs' they choose as a preference flavoring, but still lacks the sensory capacity to distinguish even sleeping dreams from 'wake' dreams. Sleeping dream they are happy to believe containing only aspects of emptyness, but until true awakening the 'wake' dreams remain optionally available to interpret as 'not-empty' to the limit of one's creativity in choosing to maintain delusion. Unlimited Love, -Bud

Excess salt will be removed various ways from our body. Not a serious problem. I have reduced my salt intake because excessive salt causes me to dream. No, I can't explain that.

Very nice But after waking up from the dream, who are you? You are also emptiness.(awareness only) Peace

That just means you havent completed training your breath Times when I am in good training...do not move a muscle and have meditative breath all night (my ex told me that's how she knew if my training was in good shape or not.) Maybe average 40-60 second breaths for meditative session for a couple months, and that will be about where this sort of thing will happen. They key is not using anywhere that air actually touches when considering how the air should be moved through the system. its simply most efficient to use the diaphragm, and to make sure the tendon attachments are focused on when drawing air, attached to the front of the spine. The qihai and huiyin fulfill the compression of the gut which increases the energetic output of the practice, making greater gains to gung. After depth is developed, the duration of breath able to be comfortably achieved is partly a function of the gung built. Do something that hurts or detracts from gung at this point and you necessarily and directly affect the duration of breath able to be comfortably sustained. The olfactory nerve has a 40 cycles/sec resonance that is an energy-feedback wiggle-potential created by this action. The amount of this can be considered resistance in the context of the ohm's law equation. All sensate input can, to an extent, but the breath is the loudest signal that we have the most direct control over, barring actual normal daily movement. The energy potential generated utilized by this neural processing does not simply disappear when the cortex processes the current air-flow-state - it takes part in the dynamic dance of the neural pathways. Without getting too deeply into those weeds, a simplified observation of what happens is that the more sensate input is processed, the higher propensity for random thought to manifest when there is presently none - a sort of neural crosstalk takes place and the bubbles of thoughtform appear and percolate up to higher brain centers that trigger the random thought. (How much time spent daydreaming vs how much time spent focusing are also contributors here...) The only way to achieve this is through time and practice. When the sense nerve dynamic is sufficiently enough and regularly enough calmed, then there is some further refinement to disconnect any feelings of air; after that, a disconnect of the motions of breathing from any concept of moving air - this is a sort of breathless state, but in reality it is not, its just a very well harmonized set of motions becoming programmed into the medulla - this gets borne out by there being meditative breath, no movement or dreams, while sleeping. Time itself gets a little funny, sleep does not feel long, meditation does not feel long, cant tell the difference all that much between 20 minutes and 2 hours. Once all the aforementioned is completed, then here's where there is the concept of a thoughtform bubble. It forms as a soda bubble forms on the side of a glass, detaches and drifts upward and becomes a thought. With more training, then the bubble can be discerned from its energetic imprint, and the phenomena is now like squeezing a balloon in one's hand, until a pocket of air forms in some location and bulges out the side - pop! Then after a while, one can learn to reverse the energy-phase of the operation and re-absorb the forming and protruding thoughtform-bubble into the resonance of the niwan, as relaxing the fist with the balloon in it, the bubble does not pop. The mind and body are at a very stable, efficient, superlatively calm state. At this point, 3+ "sessions" a day, shorter during the day, exercise, long session at night. Attacking this problem at the neural level makes these things not just repeatable, but a daily phenomenon. Pedal bike, coast, pedal bike, coast Stop pedaling, you slow down. Road of life gets steep...pedal, pedal. A little roundabout, but I had to refute the dream/breathwork correlation

Dream on... (Good night)

I got bitten by a death adder on the leg in dreamland the other night. the day before, the new woman here shut me down when I tried to inform her about local snake pros and cons, re her patch she is moving into ( after asking me about the 'energy' of that place! ) .... not even allowed to mention the 's' word anymore.* I wasn't worried in dream though, I just thought; "Now, I just need to transform the venom into medicine. But then I realised I didn't know what death adder medicine is. * now she has gone and bought these to put around !

Yes, dreams do sometimes provide clues to the subconscious mind, the ones that are not lucid. Not all of my dreams are lucid, but as awareness and the calm increased in the waking state, I noticed some increase in the dream state also, though certainly not proportionally. I don't normally spend time reflecting on the details of dreams, but I do observe the emotions in the dreams and reflect from time to time. This is where they are valuable in my opinion. For instance a person might think they have overcome anger based on not becoming angry in the waking state. If anger still shows up on dreams, then that is a clear indicator to me that there is still more work to be done. It is natural to pray or seek help in the times of deep distress. Were you surprised you prayed or because of the choice of the prayer in the dream?