Search the Community

So. Once upon a time I believed in no-self. The center of my teachings led me to a paper called Malignant-Self Love by Sam Vaknin. I may have found the paper on this website. Either way the idea that culminated in my head was a polished mirror shield that protects esoteric buddhism from the exoteric lay people and all those who can not understand symbolism. Polishing the mirror was still the heart. Not killing it. By still the emotions one can see clearly with increasing levels of perception of awareness. The emotions create turbulence and literally causing a semi-hallucinogenic trip. It is far too subtle to be called hallucinatory but could be related to some sort of micro-dose of a drug. Polishing the mirror was seeing emptiness as a mirror which is difficult to describe because it actually reveals an individuals true self. That is if you can find emptiness, then still it, and then actually gaze into your own heart and see yourself for what you really are. If you could do these things there is a good chance that your reflection is most likely a beautiful thing because these three tasks require a massive amount of effort towards virtue in the first place. I saw myself as anger. It was my true self. My literal face could be seen in emptiness as an exact 3-D reflection only red/orange. I had been my true self for years but emptiness is dangerous because it breaks down all mental conceptions even the self, the longer you spend in it. It is too sultry of an emotion but is also actually measurable as space. As you spend time in it the idea of no-self easily can be taken as the truth because all things fall apart inside of emptiness even your self. It is a dangerous thing because of how warm and peaceful and comforting emptiness is until the size of the emotion becomes bigger than a presence of about 10 yards. Holding ones self together inside of emptiness is damn near impossible. But stilled this thing is actually a mirror. Pride comes from mastering a task. 10,000 hours is not a game. This is the general time-piece given to mastering a task with full focus in most eastern philosophy. Balancing straight up I had mastered the skill of skiing. I was a pro. I lost my pride of balance a few months after the entrance to a master realm of skiing when I decided to be proud for the first time. I was proud of mastering one thing, 10,000 hours skiing was literally my whole life. Mastering in my opinion also includes doing the activity or professional skill in your head as well. Exact visualization, like dreaming doing the thing. I lost my pride when I did a drug with "friends" on the day of pride and I can not explain how far I fell. I would like to start a thread discussing advanced buddhist meditation and the movement samadhi. Basically having single pointed attention while moving. Whether from the center of gravity or using hand-eye coordination.

Update 9/2023 Andrew Nugent-Head removed the playlists previously provided at no cost from his YouTube. Now the different playlists can be purchased from his Teachable. I hope this helps you with your practice as this is the foundation to start this style of baguazhang. One should ignore the other animals until one has put a good amount of time into Lion (two years at least). https://association-for-traditional-studies.teachable.com/p/ysb-lion Lion Opens Mouth - Representative Posture Bold & Powerful Qian trigram Lion system focuses on the top of the body and is particularly beneficial for the lungs. Interlocking Yang Palm keeps chaining direct attacks until one lands - the waist powers everything Firm, Strong, Tough, Hard, Long, Fast Lion’s Playful Side - Loves Balls Holding Rolling Playing Floating Pushing Drawing In Lion Attack Methods Sweeping/Slicing - Cuts like a paring knife below the surface Smashing/Cutting - Tight fist, hammers; Like cutting with a piece of glass, small circular motions Chopping - Cut like an ax Hooking - To hook or hang on a hook Shocking - Shake or shock/quick jolt Blocking - Keep or ward off Seizing - Capture and catch Grasping - Hold or take Attack Forms Moving with the Force - Snake Turning the Back - Bear Lifting and Holding - Dragon Windmill - Phoenix Lying Step - Rooster Reversing the Body - Unicorn Enfolding/Squatting - Monkey 56 practices at three Levels Middle Level - Lion Opens Mouth (opens/closes sides of ribs alternatingly) High Level - Holding the Urn (open/hang ribs from elbows) Low Level - Hate Heaven for Not Having a Bar, Hate Earth for Not Having a Ring (Inside Hates Earth, Outside Hates Heaven - unifies rib cage with cross body tension) Lion System Stepping Wheel Stepping - Like a big rolling wheel in movement, when taking an opponents’ legs it is like a scythe or scimitar, used to control both legs of the opponent. Kicks - Stomp Upon Meeting Three Stomps at each level, 9 kicks per system Upper Stomp - Head/Chest Middle Stomp - Heart/Abdomen Low Stomp - Crotch/Leg Video Order and Subject Matter Martial Arts Lion System 01 - History and Overview of Baguazhang Martial Arts Lion System 02 - Overview of the Lion System Martial Arts Lion System 03 - Lion Representative, Lion Opens Mouth Posture Martial Arts Lion System 04 - Sweeping Strike Posture Martial Arts Lion System 05 - Smashing Strike Posture Martial Arts Lion System 06 - Chopping Strike Posture Martial Arts Lion System 07 - Hooking Strike Posture Martial Arts Lion System 08 - Shocking Strike Posture Martial Arts Lion System 09 - Blocking Strike Posture Martial Arts Lion System 10 - Seizing Strike Posture Martial Arts Lion System 11 - Grasping Strike Posture Martial Arts Lion System 11.5 - Basic Lion Circle Walking Method Martial Arts Lion System 12 - Dr. Xie discussing Lion Basic Strikes Martial Arts Lion System 13 - Sweeping Strike Basic Methods Martial Arts Lions System 14 - Smashing Strike Basic Methods Martial Arts Lions System 15 - Chopping Strike Basic Methods Martial Arts Lions System 16 - Hooking Strike Basic Methods Martial Arts Lions System 17 - Shocking Strike Basic Methods Martial Arts Lions System 18 - Blocking Strike Basic Methods Martial Arts Lions System 19 - Seizing Strike Basic Methods Martial Arts Lions System 20 - CHECK DVD! (XPQ demo Lion Plays with Ball?) Martial Arts Lions System 21 - Dr. Xie discussing Lion Sweeping Strike Martial Arts Lions System 22 - Sweeping Strike Moving With the Force Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 23 - Sweeping Strike Turning the Back Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 24 - CHECK DVD! Martial Arts Lions System 25 - Sweeping Strike Windmill Palm Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 26 - Sweeping Strike Lying Step Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 27 - Sweeping Strike Reversing the Body Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 28 - Sweeping Strike Enfolding Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 29 - Dr. Xie discussing Lion Smashing Strike Martial Arts Lions System 30 - Smashing Strike Moving With the Force Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 31 - Smashing Strike Turning the Back Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 32 - Smashing Strike Holding and Lifting Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 33 - Smashing Strike Windmill Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 34 - Smashing Strike Lying Step Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 35 - Smashing Strike Reversing the Body Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 36 - Smashing Strike Enfolding Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 37 - Dr. Xie discussing Lion Chopping Strike Martial Arts Lions System 38 - Chopping Strike Moving With the Force Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 39 - Chopping Strike Turning the Back Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 40 - Chopping Strike Holding and Lifting Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 41 - Chopping Strike Windmill Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 42 - Chopping Strike Lying Step Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 43 - Chopping Strike Reversing the Body Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 44 - Chopping Strike Enfolding Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 45 - Dr. Xie discussing Lion Hooking Strike Martial Arts Lions System 46 - Hooking Strike Moving With the Force Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 47 - Hooking Strike Turning the Back Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 48 - Hooking Strike Holding and Lifting Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 49 - Hooking Strike Windmill Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 50 - Hooking Strike Lying Step Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 51 - Hooking Strike Reversing the Body Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 52 - Hooking Strike Enfolding Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 53 - Dr. Xie discussing Lion Shocking Strike Martial Arts Lions System 54 - Shocking Strike Moving With the Force Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 55 - Shocking Strike Turning the Back Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 56 - Shocking Strike Holding and Lifting Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 57 - Shocking Strike Windmill Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 58 - Shocking Strike Lying Step Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 59 - Shocking Strike Reversing the Body Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 60 - Shocking Strike Enfolding Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 61 - Dr. Xie discussing Lion Blocking Strike Martial Arts Lions System 62 - Blocking Strike Moving With the Force Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 63 - Blocking Strike Turning the Back Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 64 - Blocking Strike Holding and Lifting Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 65 - Blocking Strike Windmill Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 66 - Blocking Strike Lying Step Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 67 - Blocking Strike Reversing the Body Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 68 - Blocking Strike Enfolding Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 69 - CHECK DVD! (Dr. Xie discussing Seizing?) Martial Arts Lions System 70 - Seizing Strike Moving with the Force Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 71 - Seizing Strike Turning the Back Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 72 - Seizing Strike Holding and Lifting Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 73 - Seizing Strike Windmill Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 74 - Seizing Strike Lying Step Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 75 - Seizing Strike Reversing the Body Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 76 - Seizing Strike Enfolding Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 77 - Dr. Xie discussing Lion Grasping Strike Martial Arts Lions System 78 - Grasping Strike Moving with the Force Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 79 - Grasping Strike Turning the Back Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 80 - Grasping Strike Holding and Lifting Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 81 - Grasping Strike Windmill Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 82 - Grasping Strike Lying Step Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 83 - Grasping Strike Reversing the Body Form and Applications Martial Arts Lions System 84 - Grasping Strike Enfolding Form and Applications