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Very much a beginner here. I've read the Tao multiple times, across three different versions. I am having trouble applying some of the teachings in everyday life right now, especially as a parent (Dad). Background (will try to keep short): Family of 5 with 3 kids (daughters). Recently moved from Europe to Latin America. Kids speak English and a second language but not Spanish. Now in LatAm kids need to gradually pick-up Spanish. Kids are in a school here which is not international or really bi-lingual (every school claims to be bi-lingual but it's not usually the case in reality). They are 4, 7 and turning 10. When I was 7 my parents moved from one country where I had to learn a second language, and then after 18 months they moved again, so that I had to learn another language again. So, went to two different schools, with two different languages within the space of 24 months and I think I coped reasonably OK. So, my kids are now in a similar situation to what I was once in. They have been in school her now for 2 months. The youngest are basically in K and Pre-School so there is not that much pressure there and it's mostly play-learning. The oldest is in Grade 3. This is a private school which we pay for and which we discussed their circumstances before enrolling them and all (us, teachers, principals) seemed to agree that the process would take some time but it won't be a problem and the school will work with them. The issue I have with my oldest is that she is very much a person who lives in her head. She's always day-dreaming, not really that aware of what is happening, she doesn't worry about anything (maybe she has the Tao?). The problem I now have is finding the right balance of pushing her to work harder on picking up Spanish versus letting the natural process take place. I learned 2 languages in 24 months (truth be told, the second pushed out the first when I had to learn the second quickly), and I cannot really remember following a process to make it happen. Going to school, watching TMNT on TV (no streaming back then), playing outside, I picked up the language over a space of 4-5 months to the point that I had no problems in school at all. One of the points of stress we have is that the teachers are putting pressure on us that our eldest is not learning the language fast enough. After 3 weeks we already had a meeting where we were being pushed to sign her up for Spanish lessons. We did not do this, but I simply thought that the time-frame for learning a language for a child will be 4-5 months (from experience) and also she is in school from 7:45 to 3pm every day, I can't really imagine sending her for more lessons after school. Sport, sure, formal academic instruction, not really. Additionally, before they started school, we tried a traditional language course, and the rigid form of language instruction just went right over their heads with almost no benefit. The issue we now have is that the school has basically side-lined her to the point of her just sitting at the back of the class and being given no work to do, not participating in anything, almost being ignored. I have to stress: she doesn't take it hard. But she also needs to gently encouraged to do work as otherwise she just day-dreams all day or draws pictures. We have ended up buying a Spanish work-book for her for grade 3 and 4 with different exercises and things which we asked her to work through if she is not doing anything in class (which is at least 3-4 hours per day; the only time she participates is if it's english or maths (which she loves) in english). We emailed the school psychologist with concerns about this and asked whether the teacher could please set her some work and try to gently encourage her to participate. We hi-lighted that we understood that the teacher cannot teach a separate class for her, and asked that the teacher at least sets her tasks in the work-book we gave her and simply checks that she is doing it and encourage her to stay with it. The response we got was that she would talk to the teacher but we need to send our kids to spanish classes. We have decided to go with what the school wants and send her to additional spanish classes, however the issue of her not participating in anything in class for 3-4 hours per day remains and will not be resolved through this alone. I feel like the school is basically saying that they will not teach her until she is fluent in the language, which goes against the agreement we had with them when we enrolled her. We have also asked the school if there are issues with her behavior, that, perhaps she had done or said something which had put the teacher off, but from what we hear is that she gets along with everyone, all the kids are her friends. Truth be told the people here are extremely friendly and it's not hard to make friends. My daughter loves the kids in her class and she says that everyone is her friend, including girls, something that she didn't have before in her previous school where she was only able to build friendships with boys and the girls kept her outside of their group. How much pushing should I do with this? On the one hand, I feel like I should be pushing much more, both the school and my daughter, but this feels like I'm just forcing things and trying to control things which will lead to even worse circumstances. I wanted her to have the benefit of 4-5 months and then be able to see that she had learned the language herself and have more confidence and contentment. Signing her up for additional Spanish lessons seems wrong and I worry will lead her to feel like she is being forced, but I cannot balance the two out. We are at the point of considering changing schools from the new school year. I don't want her sitting for 3-4 hours per day and being ignored by a teacher. But again this seems wrong, especially making her have to change schools again, change friends again. It absolutely seems like forcing, but on the other hand, we have to take into account that perhaps she may not be picking up the language fast-enough and so needs to be in a different school with more understanding and flexibility. I suppose, my entire (ranting - my apologies) post could be summarized as a question: How do you as a parent find the balance between not forcing and controlling on the one hand, and properly discharging your obligations as a parent on the other? I seriously struggle with this. I have been trying to find this balance for 3 years now, and have failed more times than I can count, but hind-sight is perfect vision. Thanks for reading and any advice - sorry if this was too long.

I want to learn Tao sexual practices such as non ejaculatory orgasms. I have been looking for some teachers here and there, but there is so much of conflicting information on the internet. I am going to mention few names here : https://www.johnathanwhitelifestyle.com/multi-orgasmic-man - johnathan white https://www.nakuladas.com/. - Nakula das https://www.awakenedintent.com/blog/sexual-energy-and-semen-retention-for-men - Chris Bale https://www.tantradharmacenter.com/ejaculation-mastery - Devi Ward https://healingtaousa.com/sexual-qigong-jade-eggs/ - Micheal Winn https://www.taylorjohnson.life/semen-retention-mastery/ - Taylor Johnson There are some teachers like Lujan Matus who teach sexual tao practices only to the initiated. Can anybody help me to select the best or the most accurate teachers who has least flaws in their teaching. I do know that this area of tao has no one guru who is 100% accurate. But any ideas would be appreciated. If you have some list of best content please share. It will help the new ones entering this area.

How do I start sensing energy? and how do I begin on my path of tao

"Tao is not the essence, Tao is the way we go" Zhuangzi says something like this. Every thing has it's own Tao, but this Tao forces inanimate things to do something? Or the opposite, Tao is nature of all things? Like nature of Big Bang was creation of Universe? Then, can I say, if I consider that some Supreme God exists, that His own Tao is the creation and management of the world?

Hello, I have several questions about the essence of Tao. So, let's go. I am former Muslim, so my thoughts about the Tao might be not correct 1. Our universe emerged from Tao? Or it's emerged from Wu Ji as the Creation of the world, this is its Path? 2. Is Tao forcing to do something? Like "Even leaves fall with his knowledge"? Or Tao (named Tao I mean, because true eternal Tao of course cannot be expressed by words) is basically the nature of all things? 3. And please say, if we consider, that some Supreme God exists, Is it correct to say that the creation of the world and the management of the world is the God's Tao? Sorry for this questions, they might be strange, but do you think about same things? What are your thoughts on this?

Hello, Here in Colorado Springs we have rooms available for people that want to be in a positive environment and learn Longmen Taiji, Bagua, Qi Gong, and meditation. We go mountain biking and gardening as our activities if interested. The home is a recovery home for men and spiritually based not religious. We have normal kitchen, bathrooms and shared rooms. Stay for a week a month or several months call or message for prices and more information. Leave a message and we will get back to you asap. - Elder Randy (Tian Men Pai Head Instructor) 719-287-8825

Hello All! By way of introduction, l will introduce myself by saying that I am a student of vital force energy, a long time practitioner of a Japanese healing art called Jin Shin Jyutsu, a practitioner of meditation through practice of Tibetan Bon and Chinese Qi Gong. For the past 21 years, I shared my life with my partner who was an accomplished martial artist and someone who had a thirst for knowledge. My partner recently passed away leaving behind a vast library of materials. I have gone through these materials and kept what was relevant to me, but now am tasked with finding new homes for the rest of his collection of books, training DVDs and VHS tapes. He was for a brief time, a distance student of Christopher Lee Matsuo, and I am selling his collection of Dragon Gate training videos at half price or less, depending on how many DVDs you wish to purchase. These DVDs were originally bought for $108 USD each, I am offering them for sale at $54 USD each. I also have PDF lists of books for sale arranged by broad categories of books on: Qi Gong, Chinese Martial Arts (Tai Chi, Chin Na, Bacqua, Kung Fu) and Japanese Martial Arts (Nimpo, Ninjitsu, Karate, Japanese Swordmanship, etc.) and also books on Taoism, Zen and other martial philosophies. There are also training DVDs and VHS tapes on Grappling, Dim Mak, Kuji Kiri and more. There is also an extensive list of Training DVDs featuring various Chinese masters. Suggested prices for books are $10 for 1, $19 for 2, $24 for 3, plus actual postage. I am also open to reasonable offers. Payment can be made via Paypal, or in Canada via E-Transfer or Square. If you are interested in viewing any of these lists, please contact me via email at [email protected] and I will send you a copy of whichever list(s) you wish to see. The information contained in these materials needs to be shared with those who will value the information, not stored in a box in someone's basement! Thank you!

Majority of the taoists and Indian tantra gurus advice against coitus reservatus, however there are some who do not vehemently disagree with its efficacy. For instance, mantak chia in his book says that it does help to save the male seed but leads to congestion and can ultimately lead to the failure of prostate. Another tao master Lujan Matus(ParallelPerception.com) in one discussion advices " Just remember you can make love to your partner and withhold your semen and when it becomes unbearable let it go outside of your partner's body". I asked question in the same discussion regarging it but could not get a reply. I also tried asking the same question from Dr. Lin (ActionLove.com) and got a somewhat confusing answer. He says that when we do coitus reservatus the semen may go back to the bladder which is ultimately wasted. He did not tell me about why and how? I want to know who is correct? Where does the semen go If we reach on the verge of orgasm but decline its outlet? Is it reabsorbed or goes to the bladder? If it goes to the bladder then why some masters say that it saves male seed? I urge all of you to not misinterpret it as a sexual topic. There is so much confusion regarding it on the internet and a good discussion can be of great service to the husbands who are practising this half baked information.

Hello everyone, First, I want to say thank you. I have been reading through many forums trying to deepen my understanding and have benefited greatly from the conversations many of you have had within the different topics of the forum. Even though I have benefitted greatly I still have a lot to learn which is why I am now writing this post in order to ask for advice. As a background, I am a 26-year-old male from Ontario, Canada. My lifestyle hasn't always been the healthiest, but of late it has become healthier, though since getting a puppy it does make it difficult for me to leave the home outside of work for prolonged periods of time. At least that is the case for now. This makes it hard for me to pursue the idea of finding a master/teacher to study under. I am not even sure if there is a master from a good lineage near me and honestly I am not exactly sure how to go about finding that out. That being said I don't wish to just be waiting around. I want to start building a foundation now so that, karma willing, when I do find a teacher I will be in a place where they can begin to teach me. Thanks to Earl Grey I was pointed in the direction of Flying Phoenix, which seems like a perfect fit at least for now of a complete chi kung practice to follow in order to start building a foundation. I do have a couple of concerns though. Does it matter that I currently can't feel qi (chi)? Will practicing the methods from percentage breathing to forms allow me, over time, to start to feel qi and cultivate it to the basic level of mastery for Flying Phoenix? My next concern is about flexibility. Honestly, other than my spine, the rest of my body is quite inflexible. What should I do to increase my flexibility? I know that some of the poses in the FP (Flying Phoenix) meditations insist on them being done in half-lotus, however currently as I said my body is quite inflexible. What kind of recommendations would you give in order to increase one's flexibility? Are there certain poses that you have found which really help to release the body? I have a few books on increasing one's flexibility I have been starting to follow. I just wanted to know if any of you had insights gained through experience that you would be willing to share. Thirdly, foundation building is an important aspect of martial arts. So much so that I am told that the internal arts usually aren't given to the students for years until they have built the proper foundations within their bodies for their bodies to be able to endure those arts. My third question is what kind of exercises, forms, weight training should I do in order to get my body into a healthier and more optimal state? Are there certain exercises/forms/poses that I should be practicing? Finally, I have a question about the mind. Only building a foundation within my body will create an imbalance between my body and mind. I also wish to strengthen my mind. As such, I plan on reading 'Secret of the Golden Flower', the first five books by Carlos Castaneda and 'Tibetan Yoga and Secret Doctrines' by W.Y. Evans-Wentz. I am wondering if there are any other resources that you would recommend I read as well. I understand that everyone leads busy lives and perhaps doesn't have much time to sit down and respond to each of my questions, or any of my questions for that matter. However, I would be grateful for any wisdom and insight which you would be willing to impart. Thank you for taking the time to read this and I hope to hear back from you soon.

Sorry if I hurt some sensibility if this is not the right place for my inquiry. I have been all my life seduced and spiritually fulfilled by the taoist understanding of phenomena related to Life and the Universe without really penetrating into any particular practice. Now I am approaching my 80th anniversary while in need to retrieve my physical and mental fitness. Right nowI am doing a basic Qigong routine but my goal is to develop a consistent Inner Orbit practice. I have found profuse instruction from Mantak Chia and others with many steps in the circulation of Qi, to other teachers indicating a very simple guidance with two steps breathing stages. I will appreciate your advise for an effective, not so intricate and meticulous Inner Orbit practice pointing the Qi or energy centers I have necessarily to deal with in order to activate the energy I need to be still healthy and aware. Thank you very much for your advise. Fer

Peace, relaxation, joy! My New Year wish that yang and yin become more balanced and the TDB experiences 24 hours without squabbling (like that is ever going to happen).

Greetings to you and thank you for this moment. I am real glad to have found this well of knowledge. My name is Lydia Rosa and I am interested in knowledge. I found this forum as I googled yin and yang as I am inclined to gather more data on the subject for practical purposes. I am astonished by the words I found and truly yearning to take part in the very stimulating discussions I found. With respect and love Lydia Rosa

Hello Friends, This is my first post. I wanted to join thedaobums in the hope of possibly making some new friends and contacts, as well as engage in some good discussions about the site's many interesting topics. I've been a "lurker" for a while, and I have found this forum to be the most dynamic, eclectic and diverse of the several that I have belonged to which deal with related topics (dharmawheel and some esoteric forums). Anyway, my background is itself eclectic, and I'm increasingly having a difficult time fitting myself into a label, without, at the same time, being able or desirous of "rejecting" anything that I may have identified with in the past. On the whole, I think this is a good thing, as I see a major goal of the spiritual path as being able to transcend labels and "identities." At the same time, I'm finding it quite uncomfortable. It's like a man having 3 or 4 families which don't know or acknowledge each other, each of whom he loves deeply as "part of himself"; he is unable to live with any of them all the time, but unable to part with any of them in an absolute sense; at the same time, he has a sense that what he is truly seeking lies outside the very category of "family" (if this metaphor makes sense). With this in mind, I'm reluctant to call myself a "Buddhist," or "not a Buddhist," a "Christian," or "not a Christian," a "Taoist," or "not a Taoist," etc. Over the past five years, I've been deeply immersed in the Western Esoteric Tradition, particularly centred around the ideas of Renaissance magi such as Agrippa, Dee, Bruno, the Rosicrucians, as well as Swedenborg, Boehme and the (non-Blavatskian) Western Theosophical tradition, while also finding many limitations in their points of view and needing to supplement this with study of the more metaphysical traditions of the East--Buddhism, Taoism and Trika Shaivism. But then increasingly I can't find what I'm seeking in any one of these traditions to the exclusion of others. I see them all, perhaps, as "upayas": skillful means to lead deluded beings to liberation. Despite all the arguments I have read and participated in over the philosophical subtleties of what precisely this "liberation" entails, I still naturally incline to this general universalistic view. I'm fond of Crowley (again while acknowledging his limitations), and I think that he was on to something (inspired) by his realization that one needed to break through externally imposed labels, restrictions, and identities and discover one's own "Holy Guardian Angel" in order to truly move forward. I think he was mistaken on many levels, but this idea that one needs to, as it were, make one's own tradition (in his case, Thelema) rings true for me, personally. If one doesn't, one is more or less the victim of centuries/millennia of historical and scholastic traditions which may have nothing to do with one's real quest. I know how much he suffered (and made others to suffer) in pursuing this ideal, however. Still, in a sense I consider myself a "independent Thelemite"--"independent" because I do not consider AC's personal revelations, mythos or ideas regarding the different Aeons (interesting as they may be) as binding on anyone other than himself. I think it could be argued that there is a "thelema," properly understood, hidden within each if the world's great religious/spiritual traditions, including Christianity and Islam (vide Corbin). I also disagree with Crowley regarding the importance of compassion and even pity; the Bodhisattva ideal is one of the most noble and glorious conceptions that I am aware of. Practically, I have more and more withdrawn from outward religious rites and turned towards silent, objectless meditation. The other, more active side of my spiritual practice involves Bardonian Hermetics, and a sort of streamlined angelic theurgy. Still, I feel like I've been stagnating for some time and I feel a strong need to break new ground. This is why I have increasingly turned towards the possibilities of astral projection (or "journeying") as a means of contacting higher Wisdom beings to help me move forward. My abilities are still weak at best. In this connection, the recent discovery of Qigong and energy work in general has been a great help. I never talk about this stuff to anyone. The anonymity of this site encourages me to share in the hope of finding like minded fellow-travelers. This is the reason I have written this long and regrettably egotistical post. I am what we might call "esoterically isolated," outwardly living a workaday life with a family, and without any associates beyond two or three distant contacts. I got "burned out" long ago on spiritual organazations and groups, and prefer the way of the hermit, at least until circumstances shift and other possibilities arise (I can't rule it out). Still, I am looking forward to hopefully learning and sharing whatever I can with friends here. Thanks :-)

Please post people that are great examples of health and long life. let me start it off with this: The Healthiest Old Person on the Planet Explains How to Stay in Shape Charles Eugster, 96, is a runner, body-builder, public speaker, writer, rower, and wakeboarder. He also claims to be so healthy that his formerly grey pubes have turned brown again. By Matt Blake Apr 11 2016, 7:40am ShareTweet CHARLES EUGSTER POSING WITH HIS WORLD ROWING MASTERS TROPHY. ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF CHARLES EUGSTER Charles Eugster is the greatest British sprinter you've probably never heard of. He currently holds world records in the 200m (indoor) and 400m (outdoor) sprints, as well as British records in the 60m (indoor), 100m (outdoor), and 200m (outdoor). A couple of weeks ago, he narrowly missed out on the world record for the 60m sprint after pulling his hamstring halfway through. He still won the race to become European Champion. It's an impressive record, given that the man—by pretty well established standards—shouldn't be able to cross a road without help, let alone run. He is 96 years old. The London-born ex-dentist, who now lives in Switzerland, is arguably the fittest senior citizen on the planet. He's also a body-builder, a public speaker, a writer, a rower, a wakeboarder, an entrepreneur, and a budding fashion designer, planning his own line in elderly couture. But more than anything, he is a professional death defier who hasn't just slowed the ravages of aging, but reversed them all together: where once white pubic hairs grew, he says, brown ones now flourish. This was, of course, quite tricky to independently verify when I rang him up recently. CHARLES WAKEBOARDING VICE: Hi Charles. Congratulations on the over-nineties 60m European title. Were you disappointed not to get the world record? Charles Eugster: Oh, very. The thing was, I felt absolutely great before the race and was in my youthful dreams with hopes of attacking the world record of 14.28 seconds. I flew out of the blocks and, after the first 30m, I was out in front of the pack. That's when my hamstring tore. You see, I was against the most extraordinary people: a 90-year-old German and a 99-year-old Italian. I knew they were quick, but I'd left them miles behind. Then, as the leg pain set in, they started to catch me. I was scared stiff that they would beat me, but of course they didn't. I staggered over the line within over 18 seconds. Nowhere near the record. Now I must stop training for a month. Sprinting—or body-building, for that matter—are not things one normally associates with old people. Why? I was 87 and realized my body was deteriorating. I had a muffin-top waist and my muscles were getting weaker and weaker. I felt so old. But because I was so vain, I didn't like the idea of it at all. So I joined a body-building gym and employed a personal trainer who was a Mr. Universe to rebuild my body from scratch. Nine years on, at 96, do you feel old now? Not at all. I feel like a youngster of 60, tops. Being fit is a wonderful thing. Before I turned 90, I got severe colds every November, but now they've completely stopped—I've had two in six years. I'll tell you something else: strength training increases your libido. And you know this from experience? Well, you know the story about my pubic hair, don't you? I feel like I'm about to. When I was still training with Mr. Universe, he took me aside one day and asked, "Have you noticed an increase in your libido?" I was embarrassed. I said, "Look, this is not something I'd like to discuss. It's private." But he was very persistent, and in the end I relented. I said, "Look now, you mustn't tell anybody else, but what I'm about to tell you is very dramatic. Incredible. Since I started on this program, my pubic hairs, which were white, have turned brown." I mean, wow! So you've literally reversed the process of aging. Yes! You see, the stupid thing is that people don't realize that you can have a beach body at 90 and turn the heads of the sexy 70-year-old girls on the beach. I am living proof that, if you eat right and exercise properly, you can be that guy at any age. What do you eat to stay in shape? Variety is key. I start every day with a protein shake because, as you get older, your protein synthesis no longer functions as well. I avoid sugar and eat lots of meat, especially fat. I've been on a fat trip lately. Fat! Piles of fat. Yet, I was in a supermarket the other day and was perplexed to find yogurt with zero fat. What on earth is that? The idea of the nutrition pyramid where, at the top, is a little fat and meat, and at the bottom a lot of carbohydrates, is, excuse me, bullshit. Humans are so unbelievably stupid that we have begun to tinker with food. Our theories of nutrition have resulted in a pandemic of obesity. Can you imagine a hunter-gatherer enjoying a low-fat yogurt? Let me tell you this, too: I read a report recently which said that a fatty diet also increases your libido. I know you sadly lost your second wife, Elsie, 15 years ago. But with all this talk of libido, are you looking for love? Yes. But the only problem is that I seem to be so busy with so many other things I don't have an enormous amount of time. I'm registered with a dating agency, but all they can produce are young things of about 70! Above 70 there's nothing. Why is that, do you think? Because people of 70 to 100 years old are absolutely the lost population. We are ignored by society, by medicine, by research. And we can't get a job. Nobody cares about us. I'll give you one silly example: there are no training plans, or gyms, for anybody over 70, as there are in Japan. The way we treat the elderly today is disgraceful. And don't even get me onto retirement. What about retirement? Retirement is the biggest killer of old people, full stop. I prefer to call it involuntary unemployment. What I'm nearly bursting a blood vessel about is the fact that humans are blissfully ignoring the aging process. We recycle everything nowadays, except human beings. Our expiry date is 65, after which we're thrown on the rubbish heap and chemically treated. We are pouring the experience, creativity, and talent of people over 65 down the toilet. They should be able to found companies, be creative. They have nothing to do except sit about and get sick. This is a world problem and it needs to change. What's your answer? PUT. OLD. PEOPLE. TO. WORK! One of the things I want to do is set up a retraining program for older people. I'd like to see companies set up in old people's homes that offer, say, computer services. For example, if I want to find out something, the computer is a wonderful thing, but sometimes it takes a while to find [what you're looking for]. Now, if I could call up an old people's home and say, "I want this information by that time," if they have 50 old people working on computers, one of them is bound to come up with something. Like a sort of elderly IT sweatshop? [Laughs] Well, we'd pay them properly, obviously. It could be transcriptions, or research, anything. Hidekichi Miyazaki, the 105-year-old runner Charles wants to challenge You've seen a world war, a Cold War, the Great Depression, and god knows how many financial crises, not to mention all the good things that have happened since you were born in 1919. What's the one piece of advice you'd give to young people today? Explore your talents and never stop learning. In your lifetime you will not have one job, but you will have a huge number of different jobs in different areas. We are at the very beginning of the digital age, of which nobody really knows the consequences. Oh, and don't get too wrapped up in the culture of youth. Youth is so fantastic, but we should be impressing on people how wonderful, stupendous, exciting, and amazing old age can be, too. Oh, exercise and eat lots of fat. You know why! What else is on your bucket list? I want to change the world. I'm writing a book called 97 and Loving It, which I hope to publish this year. Then I want to establish fitness centers for those over 70 and start a job creation company to retrain older people. Then, of course, I want to have some connection with nutrition for the old. And the other thing in the back of my mind is that I would like to create a fashion label for older people. Because the way that older people dress is absolutely disgusting. I don't just want a label, I want a whole conglomerate. And what about your sprinting? Well, once this hamstring heals, I think we'll see what can be done about the 100m outdoors. There's a 105-year-old Japanese sprinter called Hidekichi Miyazaki who I would like to run against over 100m. They call him "The Golden Bolt," and with our combined ages of over 200 years, I think that would be some spectacle!

Today I found myself contemplating Tao, neutrality and perspective. It seems our conditioned minds are constantly looking to establish a position to hold on too. For example - "I accept this, I reject this. I surrender myself to you, I close myself to you. I embrace life, I despise life. Things should be this way, things should be that way. This person is a Master, this person isn't..." In this thread, I just wanted to venture the thought that to embrace Tao, we don't need to establish anything. By not establishing anything, we are free to simply respond as natural beings. In other words, to embrace Tao, we simply learn to be neutral. By being neutral, we respond outside of conditioning, naturally and gracefully. We learn to move without the constant pressures and demands of our minds When we operate from a conditioned perspective, we inevitably draw conclusions. These conclusions greatly simplify things for us, but at the same time they take away from our curiosity. Neutrality usually gets a bad rap. It seems to be the weakest option out there. It can't satisfy the hunger of the mind in its quest for exactness. It is also the lowest number 0. It is also like admitting "I don't know". But I was thinking today, that neutral doesn't mean indifferent or inactive. Neutral doesn't mean passive or weak. Neutral simply means reacting naturally with intelligence. That's why I used the word "respond" instead of "react". To me, Tao is returning to the all-embracing innocent mind of a child. The original mind of a child is "0". Such a mind is curious, elastic and flexible. It doesn't try to elevate itself, it is content with being 0. It doesn't draw conclusions. A tree is not a noun to a child, it is a living thing, it can even change. Sometimes we even forget that people can change.

There is a game. There's a game being played. Players play it using pieces and boards. Everyone plays it. And even though not everyone actively plays... everyone is involved. Everything is involved. Everything is game. Even non things. Default. The game excluding none, is utterly and wholly, entirely all inclusive. All pieces, all Players, playing or not are part of the game... as is The Board. As to Players and Pieces, there seems some ambiguity. There seems no agreement on whether Pieces are just pieces, or if some pieces are Players, or if Players are Pieces, or if players use pieces to Play... the rules aren't cut in stone you see. But the game is very clear. everything is game. Even the box is part of the game, it's in the rules... i think. The Rules: There is no book of The Rules. Although there are many books about rules. The Rules are entirely implicit, revealed most clearly when broken. Never explicit. And prone to regular shift. It seems. Any rule broken is penalized, but there are other rules for how much penalty, how often and for how long. It also seems there is no agreement among Players as to The Rules about the penalizing of broken rules. One thing is certain though, every broken rule is penalized, (even if only through praise). The Rules are most vividly unveiled only when broken. There are layers of rules and there are even Rules for The Rules. Some of the rules, while seemingly discoverable and understandable to an extent, are rarely conveyable in a manner capable of insighting lasting agreement among all players. It also seems an axiom that whenever some aspect of the rules seems to be explicitized and concretized, explainable by a player, new aspects of the rule become unveiled, often revealing the former rule's irrelevance. All rules seem prone to shift, subtle and radical, without signal or forewarning. As do the pieces... and the players come to think of it. Indeed, a definitive knowable, concrete source for having them explained to one outright, in no uncertain terms, is perhaps the rarest thing imaginable. The one impossible thing? Many people claim to know the rules. Many people will tell you the rules. Some seek to enforce them. Some try to follow them. Some rules i break, others i seem to break upon. Some follow some of them... some of the time. Some by trying and some accidentally find they follow them. Though they are broken in precisely the same manner... Some rely on them, others revile them. Disagreement over them seems one of the few truly unifying principles among Players and Pieces alike. The Board: There is a board for the game. It's huge. vast. As unimaginable as it is palpable. Beautiful, and Terrible. It's beyond reckoning. Literally. And yet, much of the board seems concrete. Players move about the board. Players meet on the board. Pieces are moved by players and by... the board? Players who are pieces, interact with pieces and players and Pieces who are Players... players encountering the rules... playing the game. To some players, the board is also a player. To others, the board is a dull box of rocks... more rules it seems. Clever buggers... into everything. The board is so vast because it's comprised of... other boards. Each piece of the game brings its own board to the game. Each player has a board as well, or is a board... i forget... Bit of a grey area, if players are boards as well as players... Have to check the rules... All boards comprise 'The Board' and 'The Board' shifts with the rules players and pieces. Among all this inherent implicitness, there arises and abides a sense of pattern among the board and playerpieces... in the playing of the game. Players refer to the patterns arising... it seems central to the play. Patterns: comforting, familiar, terrifying, auspicious, awe=inspiring, and all encompassing. Though The Board embodies an ambiguity that abides, no matter how many patterns arise, and agreement flies whenever explicit descriptions of the board are claimed or championed. so... there's a game. are you playing?

Who else is just tired of the nonsense of the world? By non-sense, I mean the non sensical system that we are slaves to that feeds off of us... the entire global financial system. I'd like to find a way to live outside of it, maybe plant a seed to change it someday. Could it be possible if some of us started to exclusively live off the land? " When the tao is lost, there is goodness. When goodness is lost, there is morality. When morality is lost, there is ritual. Ritual is the husk of true faith, the beginning of chaos."

Here's a fun musing that settles on my thought pond from time to time. It arose again rather insistently this morning and I felt like sharing the process with words. Nothing serious in it, though it is sincere. I'm endlessly curious... what makes me human? Where exactly 'in me' is the 'human bit'? This usually plays out about the same, and I've shared it before, but da Bums has shifted and so I feel like sharing again and seeing what comes of it. so: what is human? I'm re-minded that while seemingly being human, no where inside this body, do I encounter the human element. Not even in my very human DNA, not even in that which is unique only to humans do I find the human element, for even my DNA forms of the same elements as the rest of the manifest universe. I'm re-minded that what I used to think of as my solid human body. Seems a fluid, ever-shifting collection of several trillion independently identifiable small life forms, each themselves comprised of the same elements as the rest of the universe. These life forms arise naturally and self arrange without thought, or command, (indeed often in spite of thought and command), into various patterns that results in what I refer to as my human body. and yet... human is what? when does the human bit come into it? I'm re-minded that, that which seems to distinguish me from all else in the universe, my body, seems to be a pattern of elements. One pattern among myriad. A pattern comprised and arranged in the shape of what my mind refers to as human, comprised of many other patterns called organs, limbs, etc. The same elements arranged into another form, in varying amounts, is recognizable as not human. I'm re-minded that, that which comprises the body, which is similar to the rest of the universe, is all of it; while that in the body which is different from the rest of the universe, is none. That seems really significant. No where is body comprised of that which the rest of the universe is not. So when is a pattern of elements human? Human city, human art, human music, human politics, human clothing. I'm re-minded that the core of all manifest elements seemingly so solid and permanent... are temporary and comprised of vibration, resonance and emptiness. Thus it seems my human body, is an expression of the vibration of inherent emptiness, resonating as elements arranging in layers of patterns distinguishable as a human typing figures on a screen, with far more in common with distant black holes than is dissimilar. how bout that? whew. it's rather staggering at times... like now. funny too, how it's always been now, I've never been me in the past, or the future. i am only now. every human experience now. each human experience memory, re-membered now. each fantasy of the future, in mind now. and all the while, awareness underlying each individual cell, aware to sit as this, body in a chair and simply be... such a miracle is this?! how many miracles in a yard of common earth? in a 'human' eye? in a thought? What a miracle to just sit here and be, as this moist spec of dust I sit upon, simultaneously spins about itself, orbiting a rather common yellow ball of light, itself corkscrewing through the galaxy... one pattern amid myriad... ever unfolding... fluid, never static, inherently empty, yet expressing form so generously. I'm reminded of the arms of galaxies, in the spiral of my son's ear. and i'm re-minded of that in mind. where is this mind? what is mind? what is human?

Namaste friends, I have had this site bookmarked for a couple years and come here sometimes to read, tho recently had the urge to be more involved, so I made my account and am making this post now in the Newcomer section. What got me into Taoism was my instructor for Yellow Dragon Kung fu, he recommended some books on Taoist philosophy, and from there I had read more books and resonated with their content. Some of the books I like are the following: The Chronicles of Tao 365 Tao Fourth Uncle in the Mountain Bones of the Master Enter Mo Pai etc. Some of these books may not fall into the strict genre of Taoism (tho technically we can say everything falls into Taoism...) I got similar stories and vibes from all of these books, however. I look forward to discussing these subjects with all of you! Eternal Love & Light, Arya

Hi Dao Bums I practice meditation, energy work, healing sounds, have studied Tai Chi, QiGong, chanting, and have attended many and various workshops/conferences/retreats. I have been actively involved in spiritual seeking since the age of 13 . I like neuroscience principles (coming from books like "The Craving Mind," "Mindsight," and "Aware") to articulate Daoist principles/the Tao. In kindness, NeuroscienceAndDao

Hi my name is Joe I am a person who likes to meditate and come here to further my knowledge and help contribute where I can. Hope to see you around the forum. Talk to me...

voided- my apologies

I reading Mantak Chia book but after I will learn from book I want to read and be interested in his literature and taoism

A Shamatha Meditation Based on Symbolism, Visualization, Mnemonics and Classical Conditioning. This 3-level meditation method is based on pure psychology and a completely rational method to develop focus, objectivity, discipline, inner purification, a desire for liberation, inner stillness, understanding ‘destructive normality’, and a preparedness to walk on the path of spirituality. You can read the disclaimers given at the top to understand the objective of the meditation: https://nellaishanmugam.wordpress.com/a-shamatha-meditation-based-on-symbolism-visualization-mnemonics-and-classical-conditioning/

So I was thining about the type of faith it's required to have to literally be like Jesus.. Then I came across the idea that there are many types of faith, in multiple religions.. each type of faith is a bit different.. There is faith in your fellow man.. Faith in ideals, ideas and in goodness in general.. There of course is the opposite type of faith.. which is in Evil.. dictators, unholymen.. the idea of survival of the fittest.. For example that cute lamb dies to a Lion.. The laws of nature and the circle of life! I think Taoism is mostly about that circle of life.. Finding and sensing the way in everything.. and is a stable for good ethics.. But I've never heard of a Taoist that can perform miracles. But one would assume that miracles too have a root in the Tao.. or that the Tao is the miracle itself..!! So what do you guys think of faith in anywhere it can be applied.. and specfically being a Taoist and what role faith plays in your life..?