Confused

[Gerard]

What do you mean metal-type?

 

What year were you born?

 

Read this info aside from the one I have already provided you on 5 elements theory and diet:

 

http://goto.bilkent.edu.tr/gunes/yinyangdiet.htm

 

Wow, so much information! Thank you all and I hope I can get some more answers. I will be getting some of the books you all have mentioned them and begin my reading soon. I will definetly look through previous threads and look around to find some more answers. I hope I can collect so much more information. The more you all tell me the more interested I become...

 

One word of caution:

 

Don't get overloaded with too much information because that will confuse you and create more anxiety. Spiritual materialism is one of the dangers modern seekers face when they get embarked in this path.

 

The golden rule is: simplicity. Stick to a method you enjoy and do it over and over again.

Edited February 20, 2010 by durkhrod chogori

[NeiChuan]

One word of caution:

 

Don't get overloaded with too much information because that will confuse you and create more anxiety. Spiritual materialism is one of the dangers modern seekers face when they get embarked in this path.

 

The golden rule is: simplicity. Stick to a method you enjoy and do it over and over again.

 

Yeah find a little group of things you like and stick to it. Great advice, some people are all over the place and make no progress.

[Makyea]

What year were you born?

 

Read this info aside from the one I have already provided you on 5 elements theory and diet:

 

http://goto.bilkent.edu.tr/gunes/yinyangdiet.htm

 

 

 

One word of caution:

 

Don't get overloaded with too much information because that will confuse you and create more anxiety. Spiritual materialism is one of the dangers modern seekers face when they get embarked in this path.

 

The golden rule is: simplicity. Stick to a method you enjoy and do it over and over again.

I was born in 1991, two of my friend were also interested in this they were born in 1994 and 1992.

 

I was starting to think that maybe I should choose an area to focus on because of all the information it is just hard when there are so many choices. I wish there was a full list and a summary of everything. That would help so much.

[3bob]

I was born in 1991, two of my friend were also interested in this they were born in 1994 and 1992.

 

I was starting to think that maybe I should choose an area to focus on because of all the information it is just hard when there are so many choices. I wish there was a full list and a summary of everything. That would help so much.

 

Yes, and there can also be much to unlearn. More importantly though - no one can give to us or take away from us what we already truly are!

 

Om

[Makyea]

Yes, and there can also be much to unlearn. More importantly though - no one can give to us or take away from us what we already truly are!

 

Om

Although I agree that no one can change who you truly are, others can help you find out who you truly are. I think that is my greatest problem. I do not know who I am and what I truly desire other than to end the war between my mind, body, and the world. I wonder in the end if that is all that anyone wants internal and external peace. The freedom to rest. I read in a book that Chuang Tzu (I believe it was him but I can not remember completly) lost his wife. He said that his wife had just lain down to rest and that to mourn his wife as she rested would be wrong and contesting nature. I personally thought this signified more than just that Chuang Tzu did not fear death as the book I was reading stated but that death was the ultimate peace. I view sleep as a peaceful and rewarding and the fact that to go to sleep your body puts your mind in a peaceful state, or sort of neutral state. This gave me another idea that maybe that as we strive to reach higher planes of thought and spirituality we are only reaching for a simple peace. Like, if you spend all day in a calm mood and doing things that feel good and that are good for you you sleep and dream much better than if you were having a horrible day doing things you do not enjoy. I just want to be able to sleep peacefully when my time to rest comes. Oh, sorry for that I got a bit carried away with my thoughts.

[Gerard]

I was born in 1991, two of my friend were also interested in this they were born in 1994 and 1992...

 

You: Metal Rooster. Double metal. You need to focus your diet on foods rich in water and earth energies. Check the sites I have already provided to search for those foods. Avoid foods rich in fire and wood energies.

 

Friends: Wood Dog (1994) requires fire and water energies but needs to be shy of metal and earth; Water Monkey (1992) requires metal and wood energies as primary areas and keep off fire and earth elements.

[bindo]

You're definitely on the right track. But, how will you cultivate peace? A Hindu may ask the Divine directly for peace, and a Taoist may cultivate silence, stillness, and equanimity/equality to help them achieve peace.

 

Chuang Tzu did not fear death because he was already "dead" to the world. Free of outer appearances and external stimuli.

 

The state between sleeping and being awake can be a powerful place of expanded awareness where any number of experiences can occur. Yoga Nidra can help you enter that state.

 

I would recommend Chronicles of Tao, by Deng Ming-Dao as a good starting point. It's a fictional work, but a very entertaining read that covers all the basics. I read the first book, "The Wandering Taoist", 25 years ago and still enjoy picking it up from time to time.

[markern]

Longevity breathing by Bruce Frantzis for how ever long you feel like, then sit and watch the breath move as it wants to without you directing it (shamata) for some time, then do the inner smile. Superb way to start building a meditative practice.

[3bob]

"...I wonder in the end if that is all that anyone wants internal and external peace. The freedom to rest..."

 

Hello Makyea,

That is a wise overview of the issue! And I agree, a freedom and restful peace that we can not be robbed of is definitely along the lines of what I feel all of us Beings hunger for. Going further if you will, there is a deeper freedom and lasting peace that even death (cycles) can not rob us of, or that sleeps in unconsciousness - for in coming to that truth there is a boundless JOY and happiness that is not limited by or that falls back on what could be called its regular counter-part of sorrow, for then we see death die, - losing its hold or its veil over our realization and awakening to the undying truth and freedom within all of us, that is all of us!

 

where dancing, singing, and working are easy,

 

Om ...

[Aetherous]

"...I wonder in the end if that is all that anyone wants internal and external peace. The freedom to rest..."

 

I think we all want adventure and challenge...which is why we're here, participating in life.

[jinjujitsu]

I think we all want adventure and challenge...which is why we're here, participating in life.

 

Scotty, I really like the way you put it - "participating" in life. It speaks of a certain willingness as opposed to being "forced" to live. It also suggests of life as something not so wretched, not as mere samsara which needs to be "escaped" or as "suffering" that is to be ended or transcended. At the same time, "participate" would mean going with the flow without a viscous attachment or holding on to life as a limited concept or possession. I am a newcomer here but for a Taoist forum, this forum is more Buddhist than anything else. But some statements like the one above make me remember and reflect on the great Way now and then. I have been working on a book about how Buddhist influence instilled the concept of mortal life as suffering into Hinduism, Taoism and various other cultures and your post just clicked in my head. Thanks!

[Makyea]

I think we all want adventure and challenge...which is why we're here, participating in life.

True, but doesn't a challenge or adventure need a time to rest, whether it is in the beginning or middle or end you still savor that rest. I am not saying that we struggle through life to reach the end. I am just saying I want to have my adventure but the reason for it is to reach my peace. I will enjoy the challenges but at the end I will also enjoy my peace. They go hand in hand really. You can't have up without down or day without night. Just cause all day you look forward to a great night and do things to get ready for night doesn't mean you can't enjoy the day and the preparations either. Someone else posted earlier for me to make sure I live and have fun with life, but I believe that finding something I believe in and that will make my rest (or "night") betteris enjoyable. I think that seeing my body and mind become one is an adventure and challenge. Many things you do or think are preparing you for your rest if you think about it.

[Makyea]

You're definitely on the right track. But, how will you cultivate peace? A Hindu may ask the Divine directly for peace, and a Taoist may cultivate silence, stillness, and equanimity/equality to help them achieve peace.

 

Chuang Tzu did not fear death because he was already "dead" to the world. Free of outer appearances and external stimuli.

 

The state between sleeping and being awake can be a powerful place of expanded awareness where any number of experiences can occur. Yoga Nidra can help you enter that state.

 

I would recommend Chronicles of Tao, by Deng Ming-Dao as a good starting point. It's a fictional work, but a very entertaining read that covers all the basics. I read the first book, "The Wandering Taoist", 25 years ago and still enjoy picking it up from time to time.

Are you Hindu? I would love to hear more about that. I have a book that has some information about Hinduism I might take a look at that. To reach balance must you recieve that from the Divine? What is the Divine or is it undescribable?

 

What is the goal of yoga nidra?Is it just to enter that state?

 

Okay, I will check those out.

[tyler zambori]

Are you Hindu? I would love to hear more about that. I have a book that has some information about Hinduism I might take a look at that. To reach balance must you recieve that from the Divine? What is the Divine or is it undescribable?

 

 

IMO, it's not very practical to just ask for balance from the Divine. At the beginning levels,

we have to pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps, and the Hindus, again imo, aren't good

at practical and clear instruction at that level. I went through so many very badly

written yoga sutra commentaries just to find one or two done by people who think clear

writing might actually be useful, or who actually have the ability to do it. Their attitude

is that you must just study and suffer until you understand. Bah. Even Westerners who write

yoga sutra commentaries do this, for the most part.

 

In other words, you have to pull yourself up by your own bootstraps,

but at first you don't have any bootstraps, and they don't give you any,

nor do they tell you where to get some. Instead they worship an ancient book

written by ancient people who originally meant their instructions to be

clear.

 

PS: I'm not the only one who noticed this. A number people I know in *real life* share my opinion.

Edited February 21, 2010 by tyler zambori

[3bob]

Mind and body as servants of Spirit need a certain rest... but their master does not need rest in that sense for the Ocean already rests in herself as boundless freedom that is ever moving and ever still - singing her song that never ends yet is always new, always new...

 

Om

[3bob]

IMO, it's not very practical to just ask for balance from the Divine. At the beginning levels,

we have to pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps, and the Hindus, again imo, aren't good

at practical and clear instruction at that level. I went through so many very badly

written yoga sutra commentaries just to find one or two done by people who think clear

writing might actually be useful, or who actually have the ability to do it. Their attitude

is that you must just study and suffer until you understand. Bah. Even Westerners who write

yoga sutra commentaries do this, for the most part.

 

In other words, you have to pull yourself up by your own bootstraps,

but at first you don't have any bootstraps, and they don't give you any,

nor do they tell you where to get some. Instead they worship an ancient book

written by ancient people who originally meant their instructions to be

clear.

 

PS: I'm not the only one who noticed this. A number people I know in *real life* share my opinion.

 

and a number of people I know in real life do not share your opinion.

Om

[jinjujitsu]

and a number of people I know in real life do not share your opinion.

Om

 

 

I am certainly one who does not share Tyler's opinion.

[Makyea]

Mind and body as servants of Spirit need a certain rest... but their master does not need rest in that sense for the Ocean already rests in herself as boundless freedom that is ever moving and ever still - singing her song that never ends yet is always new, always new...

 

Om

This makes sense to me.

[markern]

http://www.swamij.com/index.htm

 

You can find detailed explanations of yoga nidra on this page. There are also lots of understandable explanations of what yoga and meditation is and how to build a practice and the final goals. It is about yoga so the wording is a bit different but in most aspects it is the same as taosim so it can be usefull for you as it is so clear. Swami Rama, the one that have written this, was studied extensively many years ago by scientists. He demonstrated an ability to stop his heart for long periods and various other feats of controling the body and mind previously thought impossible.

 

As so many other high level teachers he secretely slept with all his hot female students though. The more you read about this stuff the more you will find that the piritual scene, in the west and in the east, is full of abuse of all kinds. Many, many teachers fuck up the mental health of their students through various forms of mental abuse and male teachers are notorious for sleeping with their female students, often with the excuse of it being a tantric initiation or other such nonsense. I would say the proportion of spiritual teachers sleeping with their students is massively higher than conventional therapists doing the same. The position of teacher and especially guru can give immense power to those who seek to yield power over others. It is not so hard to set yourself up as some sort of all knowing guru and then you can easily control most aspects of the lives of your students. No wonder psychopats and narsisits flock to this scene. So beware and do your research about the teachers you get involved with.

 

This article by shinzen young about equanimity is superb:

 

http://www.shinzen.org/shinsub3/artEquanimity.pdf

 

Understanding what he says clears up perhaps THE most common misunderstanding amongst western people praciticing eastern spirituality.

 

This article is in no way essential but highly usefull:

 

http://www.shinzen.org/shinsub3/artExperAssoc.pdf

 

The escaping into life article on his page is also very usefull as is the meditation and the self article and so is this one:

 

http://www.shinzen.org/shinsub3/What%20is%20Mindfulness.pdf

 

Usefull discussion of what happens when you get enlightened:

 

http://www.dharmaoverground.org/web/guest/discussion/-/message_boards/message/374325?_19_redirect=%2Fweb%2Fguest%2Fdiscussion%2F-%2Fmessage_boards%2Fsearch%3F_19_redirect%3D%252Fweb%252Fguest%252Fdiscussion%26_19_breadcrumbsCategoryId%3D0%26_19_breadcrumbsMessageId%3D0%26_19_searchCategoryId%3D0%26_19_searchCategoryIds%3D0%26_19_threadId%3D0%26_19_tabs1TabsScroll%3D%26_19_keywords%3Denlightenment

[Makyea]

http://www.swamij.com/index.htm

 

You can find detailed explanations of yoga nidra on this page. There are also lots of understandable explanations of what yoga and meditation is and how to build a practice and the final goals. It is about yoga so the wording is a bit different but in most aspects it is the same as taosim so it can be usefull for you as it is so clear. Swami Rama, the one that have written this, was studied extensively many years ago by scientists. He demonstrated an ability to stop his heart for long periods and various other feats of controling the body and mind previously thought impossible.

 

As so many other high level teachers he secretely slept with all his hot female students though. The more you read about this stuff the more you will find that the piritual scene, in the west and in the east, is full of abuse of all kinds. Many, many teachers fuck up the mental health of their students through various forms of mental abuse and male teachers are notorious for sleeping with their female students, often with the excuse of it being a tantric initiation or other such nonsense. I would say the proportion of spiritual teachers sleeping with their students is massively higher than conventional therapists doing the same. The position of teacher and especially guru can give immense power to those who seek to yield power over others. It is not so hard to set yourself up as some sort of all knowing guru and then you can easily control most aspects of the lives of your students. No wonder psychopats and narsisits flock to this scene. So beware and do your research about the teachers you get involved with.

 

This article by shinzen young about equanimity is superb:

 

http://www.shinzen.org/shinsub3/artEquanimity.pdf

 

Understanding what he says clears up perhaps THE most common misunderstanding amongst western people praciticing eastern spirituality.

 

This article is in no way essential but highly usefull:

 

http://www.shinzen.org/shinsub3/artExperAssoc.pdf

 

The escaping into life article on his page is also very usefull as is the meditation and the self article and so is this one:

 

http://www.shinzen.org/shinsub3/What%20is%20Mindfulness.pdf

 

Usefull discussion of what happens when you get enlightened:

 

http://www.dharmaoverground.org/web/guest/discussion/-/message_boards/message/374325?_19_redirect=%2Fweb%2Fguest%2Fdiscussion%2F-%2Fmessage_boards%2Fsearch%3F_19_redirect%3D%252Fweb%252Fguest%252Fdiscussion%26_19_breadcrumbsCategoryId%3D0%26_19_breadcrumbsMessageId%3D0%26_19_searchCategoryId%3D0%26_19_searchCategoryIds%3D0%26_19_threadId%3D0%26_19_tabs1TabsScroll%3D%26_19_keywords%3Denlightenment

Do you think that having a teacher is better than attending classes? I read that Taoists think view travel as wasteful, so does that mean that if one were to go to another country(such as China) for spiritual guidance would they be looked down upon?

[tyler zambori]

and a number of people I know in real life do not share your opinion.

Om

 

It's OK that a number of people in real life do not share my opinion.

 

I will add that it was extremely interesting to read:

 

"The Origins of Yoga and Tantra: Indic Religions to the Thirteenth Century"

by Geoffrey Samuel, who is a professor at Cambridge who lectures at Oxford.

The only way that could get any more prestigious would be if he was a

professor at Oxford who lectures everywhere else.

 

It turns out that the Hindus are not in fact quite as ancient in their knowledge

as they would like to think, and as they would like to have others believe.

What really happened down there was, the Hindus only started to learn some

really useful spiritual techniques from the Buddhists when the Brahmin families

started to lose support / protein because of religious competition from the

Buddhists. Before that all they did, pretty much, was perform rituals often

involving killing horses, for money. At least they DID learn from the

Buddhists, but they are not quite the Spiritual Masters of the East that they

would like everyone to believe.

 

And IMO and IME, everything to do with Hinduism has pretty much been ruined

by their caste system. At first I thought the enlightened ones would rise

above that, but it's not true, everyone even the enlightened people, are

bound by the culture. Even westerners who take it up buy into that culture.

Originally, (and I mean way before even the 20th century) it was the upper

class British who of course go for that class system thing, and Americans

who would have liked to see themselves as "upper class." So it's an interesting

subject - how and why are enlightened people still bound by their cultures?

I don't have an answer for that - I have just observed that unfortunately they

are. Just my two cents.

[3bob]

It's OK that a number of people in real life do not share my opinion.

 

I will add that it was extremely interesting to read:

 

"The Origins of Yoga and Tantra: Indic Religions to the Thirteenth Century"

by Geoffrey Samuel, who is a professor at Cambridge who lectures at Oxford.

The only way that could get any more prestigious would be if he was a

professor at Oxford who lectures everywhere else.

 

It turns out that the Hindus are not in fact quite as ancient in their knowledge

as they would like to think, and as they would like to have others believe.

What really happened down there was, the Hindus only started to learn some

really useful spiritual techniques from the Buddhists when the Brahmin families

started to lose support / protein because of religious competition from the

Buddhists. Before that all they did, pretty much, was perform rituals often

involving killing horses, for money. At least they DID learn from the

Buddhists, but they are not quite the Spiritual Masters of the East that they

would like everyone to believe.

 

And IMO and IME, everything to do with Hinduism has pretty much been ruined

by their caste system. At first I thought the enlightened ones would rise

above that, but it's not true, everyone even the enlightened people, are

bound by the culture. Even westerners who take it up buy into that culture.

Originally, (and I mean way before even the 20th century) it was the upper

class British who of course go for that class system thing, and Americans

who would have liked to see themselves as "upper class." So it's an interesting

subject - how and why are enlightened people still bound by their cultures?

I don't have an answer for that - I have just observed that unfortunately they

are. Just my two cents.

 

pros and cons related to this should probably be on another string/subject, my two cents.

[tyler zambori]

pros and cons related to this should probably be on another string/subject, my two cents.

 

The OP asked about Hinduism. If the OP asks about Hinduism, then the OP might

get answers / opinions about it.

[3bob]

The OP asked about Hinduism. If the OP asks about Hinduism, then the OP might

get answers / opinions about it.

 

.. diatribe to.

[markern]

Do you think that having a teacher is better than attending classes? I read that Taoists think view travel as wasteful, so does that mean that if one were to go to another country(such as China) for spiritual guidance would they be looked down upon?

 

To have one on one contact with a teacher is the best for sure IMO. You can get a whole different level of guidance. I have one that is perfect for me but he is the only one amongst quite a lot of people I have met that I would even consider having an intense student teacher relationship with. Still I will also learn from other people and reading and use my own judgment. For sure I will go on retreats around the world and for the duration of the retreat I will follow what the teachers say and possibly get guidance from them later on. That is quite normal. I would never under any circumstance have a "guru" in the traditional indian sense with almost complete obedience towards him or her and I view all this as MY process were I am the judge at all times. I am willing to put a lot of trust in what a teacher I deem trustworthy says, especially when it comes to the technical aspects of energetic stuff but beyond that they would ave to convince me and I will not do things I feel is not right for me to do. A lot of people leave their own judgment when they get a teacher.

 

I think you live quite close to Ya Mu (Michael Lomax) realtively speaking so doing a retreat with him seems like a good option. He teaches a traditional taoist system that has gotten very good reviews at this board. To me it seems very safe and balanced and effective from what I read. I have also gotten healings from him that were good. I also think his many posts here on this forum shows him to be very sensible in his opinions. He is also a teacher that does not require guru like obedience of any sort but more of a normal teacher/guide. His system can be learnt during a weekend workshop. THen you practice it for a long time and then you do another weekend workshop and learn a bit mroe advanced stuff. What you could do is read through his posts on this forum and see if he resonates with you. If you click on his user you can choose the view users posts option and see through as many as you like. You could also read his book which should teach you a lot about what you want to know about qigong and taoism. And you can try out his Gift of Tao DVD to test out some of his qigong before deceiding. If you look at one of his posts you will see a link to his book ad DVD.