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Dear Dao Bums, Qigong and astral travel... Let me ask you some questions 1) Have you astral travelled? If yes, could you elaborate how you got to be able to do that, as well as share some experiences 2) Do you know any trustworthy stories (about friends, teachers etc) about astral travel? If so, please share 3) Do you know any qigong or meditation methods for astral travelling you could share? 4) Do you know any qigong or meditation teachers (trustworthy and authentic) who teach astral travel? Let me share some of my own answers to the above questions a) I'll start with SKY (simplified kundalini yoga). b ) After, I'll share about my sexual qigong and daoist lovemaking teacher. c) Then, I'll share from my indian-village-mountain-cave-yogi guru, who has a student who has shared stories about "sukshma sharir ki yatra" (subtle body travel or subtle body pilgrimage). d) Subsequently, I'll share the story of a white, atheist european boy, who accidentally got the power of astral travel through tibetan buddhist mandala visualisation meditation. e) finally, I'll share a short story from a qigong master from Australia SKY In SKY (Simplified Kundalini Yoga), Vethathiri Maharishi (the guru and founder) was taught astral travel by one of his own gurus. In the beginning of SKY, astral travel was taught as one of the meditations, freely available to everyone. Later, they changed it so only masters would learn it during the masters course. Latest... they completely stopped it. Therefore, alas, I have not been able to learn it yet.. However, I've heard face-to-face trustworthy accounts of high level teachers and masters in SKY, personally telling me about their experiences. The method used is meditating on the navel chakra. After that, I don't know what the next step is (yet.. I hope to learn someday, somehow). Other things they said: how they used to learn it. It would be on full moon morning. They would all have eaten a light dinner the night before, and meditated on the navel chakra before bed time. They would then meet at 4AM. They would all lie down with white sheets on top of them. Vethathiri would be seated, guiding it all. They would meditate on the navel chakra while lying down, and Vethathiri would use his yogic power to take them out of their body, one by one. Once all were out of the body, he would take them to the moon, all together. After returning to the meditation hall, he would stay there. He would then allow everyone to go and do what they want to try; e.g. visit their families, visit mountains or faraway lands, go on pilgrimages to temples etc. Lastly, he would put everyone back in their body. They could then practice this meditation on full moon mornings back home, whenever they wanted. They should just follow the same instructions; light dinner the night before with navel chakra meditation before bed etc. Sexual qigong and lovemaking teacher He told me that the end goal of all daoism and qigong is astral travel. "The One" spoken about in alchemy is actually our spiritual fetus, spiritual body, whatever you want to call it. "Return to the One", "Merge three into One", "From spirit to the One", "Merge with the Emptiness and attain the One" etc. He said the couple would do their qigong and meditation. They would then make sweet, sweet love. They would then leave their bodies. Once out of the body, they would use all the energy from the lovemaking to heal the physical bodies. They would then travel to another planet in our Galaxy, the one from where qigong originates. Here you can be taught higher teachings and achieve higher levels of mastery than using the qigong physically available on Planet Earth. Teachings which have slowly been lost over time, since given to the Planet Earth by "the Gods". Indian Village, another student of my guru He got the siddhi of sukshma sharir ki yatra through the following steps: 1) attain mantra siddhi of a kavach mantra (tantric protection mantra) 2) tratak on the sun and moon to build the energy sufficiently strong 3) meditating on the navel chakra with neck lock until prana and apana merge, after which they rush up through the sushumna, naturally break your neck lock, and go to the crown chakra 4) the prana will then pulse in your crown chakra. You meditate on this pulse of energy for 60 minutes with no other thoughts in your mind 5) then you will feel your sukshma sharir leave your physical body (don't become shocked, then you will have to restart the 60 minutes) 6) after the first succesfull leaving out the crown, you can do it very quickly (because the path has been opened) 7) then you can lie down on the back more comfortably and simply leave out the crown 8) then you will see your physical body sitting or lying there, and you will see spirits around you, trying to mess with you, trying to get you to freak out. Don't let them distract you from your goal, remember that you have put the kavach and trust in it 9) go to your destination, do what you need to do, come back (just by thinking about your body, you automatically return instantly, no matter where you are or the distance) He himself personally went to "Vaikunth", the planet or place where Lord Rama resides. He then did puja to Rama and Sita. Then he returned. After this first journey, he would venture out and journey, doing pilgrimages or simply visiting interesting places, every night during his sleeping time. White atheist boy At one point in my life, I stayed 6 months in a Hindu Ashram in Europe. The resident indian swami told me the following story about this swiss boy, who came to ask for advice. He was a white, swiss, atheist boy, who had never been interested in religion nor spirituality. In his 20s during his university education, a girlfriend of his convinced him to try to meditate, as a way to cope with stress. He agreed (I think he liked the girl ) He was taught a tibetan buddhist mandala visualisation. He would visualise the mandala in 4 steps: lower part of the mandala, middle part of the mandala, upper part of the mandala, the whole mandala together. If you lose the visualisation, you start over. He actually felt some stress relief from this method, so he continued it all throughout university, and also after starting work. After 7 years, one day while meditating, he heard a huge pop. He opened his eyes and saw the wall moving towards him. He was very surprised. As he tried to move, he noticed it was actually him, flying towards the wall. He turned around, and shockingly saw his body sitting in the chair. He was out of his body! He didn't know what to do, so he decided to go visit his dad back home in the countryside of Switzerland. He flew slowly all the way, following the roads and signs. He found his dad out in the garden, working. He tried to talk to him, but his dad didn't react. After some time, he flew all the way back, and went into his body again. He called his dad and asked "dad, did you work on the kale in the garden around 3 o'clock this afternoon?", "Why, yes son, I did". The swiss boy was shocked. The leaving of the body would then happen every single time he meditated. As an atheist, he was so confused by this experience, that he stopped his meditation, and went on google to try and find some hindu or buddhist centers in his city. He found the ashram I would later live in for 6 months, and asked the resident swami to explain what was happening to him, how it was possible, and what he should do. Qigong Master from Australia He was born into a chinese qigong family. At 4 he was forced to do long standing. As a teenager, his teacher took him astral travelling. He took him all the way down to the "realms of hell", and all the way up to the highest levels of "divine realms" they could go to. Conclusion I have heard many bogus and untrustworthy accounts of astral travel in my life. However, the ones above, I can all vouch for. They were told to me by trustworthy friends, in a natural and unforced manner. There were no reason or anything to gain for them, cooking up these stories. It was simply a natural part of the conversations I shared with them during my time with them. I consider them quite "juicy" and interesting I hope to also learn astral travel someday Now please, what do you have to say about my 4 initial questions: 1) Have you astral travelled? If yes, could you elaborate how you got to be able to do that, as well as share some experiences 2) Do you know any trustworthy stories (about friends, teachers etc) about astral travel? If so, please share 3) Do you know any qigong or meditation methods for astral travelling you could share? 4) Do you know any qigong or meditation teachers (trustworthy and authentic) who teach astral travel?

This was shared by my friend who is a disciple of Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche. The similarity to Advaita Vedanta is so clear.

Hi Everyone, I would like to learn Tibetan buddhism teachings on online. I know 2 sites and fabecook by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche and Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. Do you know other Rinpoches providing online teachings? Can you share the links? I don't mind real-time teachings, recorded teachings, or any kinds. Thanks in advance.

I met a serious internal arts guy many years ago who was studying with Ron Lew, and had great things to say about him. When I was in the Bay Area for an internal arts camp, some locals at the camp had heard of Ron Lew and his Tibetan qigong/neigong. He had a reputation as quite the wizard. A search on TDB turns up nothing. I see he has four DVDs here: http://www.chi-energy.com/ Doesn't say anything there about classes or seminars. Anyone have any first hand experience with him or his system and wish to comment? Thanks!

Greetings everyone, In honor of Chogyal Namkhai Norbu's upcoming retreat on the pranayamas of Yantra Yoga, I want to say something about this marvelous system, which has benefited me a great deal. In contrast to Indian Yoga, where there is an abundance of information on postures and pranayama exercises available, Tibetan pranayama exercises are not given out to the general public, and to a large extent even the systems of systems of yoga postures are secret. One of the exceptions to this secrecy is Yantra Yoga taught by Chogyal Namkhai Norbu. Yantra Yoga is a Sanskritization of Trul Khor, a "yantra" being a series of movements linked with breathing. In the practice, movement is done on inhales and exhales, and breath retention is done holding a posture. Those who have researched Tibetan breathing practices such as tummo have probably seen that they use a type of breath retention called vase breath. But what exactly is vase breath - how does one do it? Getting clarity on this is not easy. This is where Yantra Yoga comes in: in Yantra a proper vase breath is divided into four steps: open hold, directed hold, closed hold, and contracted hold, which in turn are done on the basis of correct inhalation and exhalation. The mechanics of the movements and poses make your body do these elements correctly (provided you are doing practice with awareness). So you get a very precise felt sensation of what a proper quick inhale, slow inhale, quick exhale, slow exhale, open hold, directed hold, closed hold, contracted hold, and empty hold feel like. You then take this knowledge and apply it to your pranayama practice, so there is no doubt that you are doing it correctly. Brilliant! Different holds are trained by different yoga postures. Backbends such as cobra, locust and bow train open hold; twists train directed hold; inversions such as sholderstand and headstand are poses that train closed hold; and downward dog, fish, and frog are poses that train contracted hold (I am using the standard Hatha Yoga names for the poses here, although they are often similar or the same in the Tibetan system). There is more to the system than that such as various preliminary and closing exercises, but training the different holds using postures is the gist of it. There are many books and DVDs available to learn the system. In my case, I went to yoga classes in my area with good lineage (Iyengar and Ashtanga) in order to learn the poses correctly, and then learned the Yantra Yoga way of linking the poses together with breath from the books and DVDs. So that is the physical aspect of the system. It is very good even if you are just interested in Hatha Yoga because you understand what correct breathing is like, rather than just correct physical alignment, and this plus the dynamics of the different holds opens up a deeper understanding of subtle inner alignments. A lot of things about yoga postures make a lot more sense to me having studied this. Now, about pranayama. There are two preliminary pranayamas which are forms of alternate nostril breathing, and then five main pranayamas of which use vase breath in a major way. The first two of these are more physical and the last three incorporate visualizations of channels and chakras. Chogyal Namkhai Norbu is going to be teaching these pranayamas in his next retreat which will be webcasted (!) for free (!!). He typically spends one or two session of every retreat teaching about Dzogchen generally, and then teaches the practices specific to that retreat, with one session at some point explaining and then giving direct introduction (!!!). These pranayamas are not associated with the cycle of a deity like other Tibetan tsa lung systems, but are directly related with Dzogchen. So if you get the direct introduction and oral explanation, you have permission to practice. And he doesn't teach these particular practices very often. What's more, the books that serve as references for the practices he teaches are only available to members of his organization, the one exception being the book on the complete system of Yantra Yoga, which is publicly available. http://www.amazon.com/Yantra-Yoga-Tibetan-Movement/dp/1559393084/ In other words, this retreat, in addition to the publicly available book, is giving unprecedented access to authentic Tibetan pranayamas connected with Dzogchen. The retreat will be June 3-7, from Tenerife, Spain. The official schedule is not up yet, but typically the session are two hours each, with a 10 am morning session and an afternoon session starting a 3 or 4 pm. http://melong.com/events_listing/spain-tenerife-dzamling-gar-june-3-7-2016/ http://webcast.dzogchen.net/

I started Nei Gong pratice (Sung Breathing and Ji Ben Qi Gong) and I felt great. Yesterday before Nei Gong practice I tried the 5 tibetan rites and felt very dizzy, tired and felt a kind of pressure on the crown chakra (feel like something is open above the top of the head, perhaps the crown chakra itself). My first reaction was to stop the 5 tibetan rites because I think it didn't match with Nei Gong. Furthermore I would like to understand: what might have gone wrong with the 5 tibetan rites? And how can I neutralize the effect on my crown chakra?

This expresses some of the background ethics, world view and attitudes which orientate practice in a particular tradition. A long read and perhaps only for the dedicated but worth it anyway. Advice from previous great masters Root guru, precious and most kind, Lord of the mandala, sole unfailing lasting refuge, With your compassion, take hold of me! I work only for this life, not keeping death in mind, Wasting this free, well-favored human birth. Human life, lasting an instant, like a dream - It might be happy, it might be sad. Not wishing for joy, not avoiding sadness, May I truly practice the sublime teachings. This human life, like a butterlamp set out in the wind - It might last a long time or it might not. Not letting ego's hold tighten further, May I truly practice the sublime teachings. A life of luxury, like a bewitching apparition - It might come to pass or it might not. With the ways of the eight worldly dharmas cast away like chaff, May I truly practice the sublime teachings. All these underlings, like a bunch of birds in a tree - They might surround me, they might not. Not letting others lead me around by the nose, May I truly practice the sublime teachings. This illusory body, like a rotting 100-year-old house - It might last, it might fall into dust. Not caught up in efforts to get food, clothes, or medicines, May I truly practice the sublime teachings. This dharma behavior, like a child's game - It might go on, it might stop. Undeceived by things that don't really matter, May I truly practice the sublime teachings. All these gods and spirits, like a mirror's reflections - They might give help, they might do harm. Not seeing my own deluded visions to be enemies, May I truly practice the sublime teachings. All this confused chatter, traceless as an echo - It might be interesting, it might not. With the Three Jewels and my own mind bearing witness, May I truly practice the sublime teachings. Things that may prove useless in time of real need, like a deer's antlers, - I might know them, I might not. Not placing my confidence merely in the arts and sciences, May I truly practice the sublime teachings. These gifts and money given by the faithful, like deadly poison - I might receive them, I might not. Not spending my life trying to accumulate evil earnings, May I truly practice the sublime teachings. This lofty station, like dogshit wrapped in satin - I might have it, I might not. Knowing my own rottenness at first hand, May I truly practice the sublime teachings. Friends and family, like travelers who come together for a fair - They might be vicious, they might be loving. Cutting attachment's tough cord from the heart, May I truly practice the sublime teachings. All these possessions, like the wealth found in a dream - I might own them, I might not. Not using tact and flattery to turn others' heads, May I truly practice the sublime teachings. This rank in the hierarchy, Like a tiny bird perched on a branch - It might be high, it might be low. Without making myself miserable wishing for a better position, May I truly practice the sublime teachings. Practicing the spells of black magic, like deadly weapons - I might be able to cast them, I might not. Not buying the knife that cuts my own throat, May I truly practice the sublime teachings. Doing prayers, like a parrot saying 'om mani padme hum' - I might do them, I might not. Without boasting about whatever I do, May I truly practice the sublime teachings. The way one teaches the dharma, like flowing water - I might be expert, I might not. Without thinking that mere eloquence is dharma, May I truly practice the sublime teachings. Intellect that makes quick discriminations, like a rooting pig - It might be sharp, it might be dull. Not allowing the barbs of pointless anger and attachment to arise, May I truly practice the sublime teachings. Meditation experiences, like well-water in summer - They may increase, they may lessen. Without chasing after rainbows as children do, May I truly practice the sublime teachings. This pure perception, like rain on a mountaintop - It might arise, it might not. Without taking deluded experience to be real, May I truly practice the sublime teachings. These freedoms and favourable conditions, like a wish-fullfilling gem - If they are lacking, there is no way to accomplish the holy dharma. Not throwing away what is already in my own hand, May I truly practice the sublime teachings. The glorious guru, like a lamp that lights the way to liberation - If I cannot meet him, there is no way to realize the true nature. Not jumping off a cliff when I know the path to go on, May I truly practice the sublime teachings. The holy dharma, like a medicine to cure disease - If I don't hear it, there is no way to know what should be done and not done. Not swallowing poison when I can tell benefit from harm, May I truly practice the sublime teachings. The changing cycle of joy and sorrow, like the changing seasons - If this isn't seen, there is no way to achieve renunciation. As a time of suffering will surely come around to me, May I truly practice the sublime teachings. Samsara, like a stone fallen deep into water - If I don't get out now, I won't get out later. Pulling myself out by the rope of the compassionate Three Jewels, May I truly practice the sublime teachings. Liberation's good qualities, like an island of jewels - If they aren't known, there is no way to begin to make efforts. Having seen the advantage of permanent victory, May I truly practice the sublime teachings. The life stories of the great masters, like the essence of amrita - If they aren't known, there is no way for confidence to arise. Not choosing self-destruction when I can tell victory from defeat, May I truly practice the sublime teachings. Bodhicitta, like a fertile field - Unless it is cultivated, there is no way to achieve enlightenment. Not staying idle when there is a great aim to be accomplished, May I truly practice the sublime teachings. My own mind, like a monkey's nonsense - Without keeping guard, there is no way to avoid conflicting emotions. Not acting without restraint, like a lunatic, May I truly practice the sublime teachings. Ego, like a shadow one is born with - Until it's abandoned, there is no way to reach a place of real joy. When the enemy is in my clutches, why treat him as friend? May I truly practice the sublime teachings. The five poisons, like hot embers among ashes - Until they're destroyed, one can't remain at rest in the natural state. Not raising baby vipers in my pockets, May I truly practice the sublime teachings. This mindstream, like the tough hide of a butter-bag - If it's not tamed and softened, one can't mix mind with dharma. Without spoiling the child that is born of itself, May I truly practice the sublime teachings. These ingrained bad habits, karmic patterns, like the strong currents of a river - If they aren't cut, one can't avoid acting contrary to the dharma. Without selling weapons to my enemies, May I truly practice the sublime teachings. These distractions, like never-ending waves - If they aren't given up, there is no way to become stable. When I can do as I like, why practice samsara? May I truly practice the sublime teachings. The lama's blessings, like spring warming up soil and water - If they don't enter into me, there is no way to be introduced to the nature of mind. When there is a short-cut, why take the long way around? May I truly practice the sublime teachings. This retreat in the wilderness, like summer in a lush place where herbs grow - If I don't remain here, there is no way for good qualities to be born. When high up in the mountains, don't wander back into black towns. May I truly practice the sublime teachings. Desire for pleasure, like a bad-luck spirit entering the house - If I'm not free of it, I'll never stop working toward suffering. Not making offerings to voracious ghosts as my personal gods, May I truly practice the sublime teachings. Mindfulness, like the lock on a castle gate - If it is lacking, one can't stop the movements of illusion. When the thief is surely coming, why forget to bar the door? May I truly practice the sublime teachings. The true nature, unchanging, like the sky - Until it's realized, one can't completely resolve doubts as to the view. Not letting myself be chained by theories, May I truly practice the sublime teachings. Awareness, like a flawless piece of crystal - Until it's seen, intentional meditation cannot dissolve. When there's an inseparable companion, why go off looking for another? May I truly practice the sublime teachings. The face of ordinary mind, like an old friend - If it's not seen, all that one does is misleading. Without groping in the darkness of my own closed eyes, May I truly practice the sublime teachings. In short, without giving up This life's preoccupations, there's no way to accomplish the sacred teachings after death. Having decided to show myself great kindness, May all that I do be toward the dharma. May I not have wrong views toward the guru who has given instruction in accord with the dharma. May I not lose faith in the yidam when misfortunes occur. May I not put off practice when circumstances are hard. May there be no obstacles to attaining siddhi. All these activities are pointless, like making a grand tour of a wasteland. All this trying just makes my mindstream more rigid. All this thinking only adds confusion onto confusion. All that passes for dharma to ordinary people only makes for further binding. So much activity - nothing comes of it. So much thinking - no point to it. So much wanting - no time for it. Having given this up, May I be able to practice according to instructions. If I must do something, may Buddha's teaching bear it witness. If I must do something, mix mindstream and dharma. If I must accomplish something, read the life stories of past masters. What's the use of other things? Spoiled brat! Take a low seat and become rich with contentment. Try hard to get free of the eight worldly concerns. May the guru's blessings enter into me, May my realization become equal to the sky. Grant your blessings so that I may reach Kuntuzangpo's throne. Written by Jigdral Yeshe Dorje for his own prayers, Condensing the essential meaning from the vajra words of advice from previous great masters. This was offered with prayers for the continued blessing of H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche, Jigdral Yeshe Dorje, and for the long life of his emanation, for the sake of all beings.Translated by Bhakha Tulku Rinpoche and Constance Wilkinson. Sarva Mangalam

For those who don't necessarily want to be a card carrying buddhist but would like to know about the practice of Tibetan yoga, this practical introductory book looks interesting: http://www.shambhala.com/the-tibetan-yoga-of-breath.html The introduction states that only the most basic wind energy teachings are given that are appropriate for anyone to start applying - perhaps it's a good idea to underpromise and overdeliver? : )