Tired of talking/accumulating techniques, now it's about the being/doing

[Nilo]

I have accumulated many books/DVDs/techniques and I am doing my practice but not as diligently and often as I know I could be doing it. When I have done my practice to the best of my ability, I feel absolutely radiant and I shine that towards people all around me and I know the world is a better place because I am being my best and encouraging others to be their best also.

 

I just wanted to start this thread as a turnaround marker point for myself and others. I won't do all hardcore and practice like crazy because that really does no good. I will keep the balance and do my best and know when to stop.

 

For motivation purposes, if anyone would like to post the routine they did that day and the way they felt then by all means keep the inspiration coming.

[Nilo]

Just did a warmup to shake cobwebs and get energy flowing and I'm ready to start the day.

 

Warm up routine:

 

- circulate rubber balls under feet to activate pressure points.

 

- rotate joints then plant feet and just shake

 

- do soft bounces on rebounder

 

- pat entire body and some accupressure

 

- subtle body movements to become more acutely aware (similar to Feldenkrais method but my own thing)

 

- soft breathing (like inhaling fragrance)

 

- Myofascial Calf release with stick. If you haven't done it then I assure you this will better your entire practice whatever it maybe:

 

- Hang upside down on my machine thingy.

 

* I was quite tense when I started but now I feel that a kind smile has returned to my face

 

Warmup routine took me about an hour and half to complete today but well worth it because I don't feel the energies nearly as much if I skip this routine. Now I can move onto Yoga and then some Qigong.

Edited May 12, 2010 by Nilo

[gendao]

I'm practicing static stillness meditation just a tad over 3 hrs/day right now. I'd do more if I wasn't working a full-time job too.

 

Am I crazy?

 

F*** YEAH I'm crazy!!!

(At least by American laymen's standards...)

 

I too just eventually got sick of all the idle talk & dabbling...but lack of any real sustained results. So, I'm now busting my ass relatively hardcore until I can finally get some concrete ones.

 

Seems like that's what anyone here who has actually attained tangible milestones did - like drewhempel, Blasto & Vajrasattva. These were some of my inspirations on here.

 

Main thing I need to catch up more on now is early sleep.

Edited May 12, 2010 by vortex

[Nilo]

Vortex,

 

that's the good crazy, not so good crazy would be doing something to mess up your knees real bad. Let's keep the mojo going. Practice, practice and then some more practice until it becomes natural and then the cycle continues

[thelerner]

Vortex, what do you consider to be static stillness? How do you practice it?

 

 

Michael

[gendao]

Hi vortex, congrats to you. If it wouldn't take away from your practice, would you consider a TTB practice journal on your stillness meditation? I'd be curious to hear of your progress, esp. any breakthroughs.

 

Edit: vortex, how do you fit it in? How have you had to adjust your schedule to accomodate your intense practice?

I'm keeping my own private journal, but if I make any major breakthroughs, I can let you guys know!

 

So far though, I've only made incremental improvements in opening & realigning my kua, finding the proper wuji-style posture experientially, feeling qi more, maybe opening a few major acupoints & possibly sinking/rooting lattely. Again, like building a skyscraper by stacking paper here..

 

Overall, It's so far been very rewarding just because at the very least, I'm depending on me and "nobody" else for this.

 

2 years ago, I never thought I could fit in even 20 min everyday, much less 3 hours. So I've pleasantly surprised myself now that I have. Basically, if I'm at work for about 9 hours and sleep about 8, that still leaves 7 hours/day. If I use about 4 of those for practice, I have just enough time left for all my other daily activities...and not minutes to spare.

 

Think about THIS though!

The average (American) person watches four hours, 35 minutes of television each day, Nielsen said.

Yet, nobody asks, "How can people find time to watch 4.5 hours of TV per day??" I would definitely recommend getting rid of your TV as one great way to save time & reduce mental pollution..

 

This commitment required at least a year or 2 first to stabilize myself & modify my lifestyle to open up this space. I've had to cut out a lot of "nonessentials." The DDJ talks about the usefulness of a wheel's hole & Zen about emptying your cup. So, I'm continually trying to pare down & simplify my life. If you want something bad enough, you'll do some crazy sh*t to get it. If not, you won't. Most won't because it requires "crazy" amounts of desire, discipline & effort.

 

I have no real "street cred" yet though, since I haven't made any big breakthroughs. So, I can't credibly advise anyone to do, or not do, this. At worst, it could be inefficient or largely a waste of time. Only time will tell.. This is an ongoing experiment for me and if all else fails - at least I can say to myself that I really tried. (Although failure is not really an option for me.)

 

Michael - I simply say "static stillness" meditation to distinguish it from moving forms of qigong. I pick a stance or pose & just freeze in it for an hour. Theoretically, I try to combine Zen meditation with Taoist energy cultivation. Basically, I try to get my mind out of the way while sinking energy down to my dantian. Again, not saying this is the best method - just the one I happen to be doing right now.

Edited May 12, 2010 by vortex

[Baguakid]

yep, I'm with Vortex here. I recently lost my job (12 + hours a day) so I have more time to practice. Two to four hours a day practicing Wuji qigong and just last week a very large skin nodule (size of a shirt button) dissolved (basically dried up and fell off) off my head. My wife was really suprised, shocked even. I am trying to keep up that schedule (at least two hours a day) and am feeling much better than I did while carrying that grueling work schedule.

[Nilo]

Right on baguakid, keep it up!

 

 

I just wanted to post a link to some fantastic podcasts that continue to inspire me to do my practices:

 

http://www.radicalchangegroup.com/podcasts/categories/soma/martial-arts/

[Aetherous]

This is a good thread...thanks for the motivaSHEN!

[EagleShen]

It's interesting how the practice flows, i struggled for years to do a regular practice, then started tai chi everyday and eventually ended up doing about 2 hours everyday of tai chi, kung fu and meditation.

 

However, I'm very busy at the moment and only get to do about half an hour concentrated practice, it feels so rushed! And yet most people i engage with think that's a lot/enough etc.

 

What i am doing is about 1/4 an hour of Dao Yin and 1/4 of LDT or microcosmic meditation plus a little Kriya yoga. Sometimes i do some tai chi, standing or Nei Gung (tendon wrapping mostly) other times in the day.

 

The gift of this busyness tho is becoming more aware of my breathing and body and energy during the day while doing everyday things, if I added up the amount of time i spend 'in awareness' it's probably not so different to before i got so busy!

[Mal]

I just wanted to start this thread as a turnaround marker point for myself and others. I won't do all hardcore and practice like crazy because that really does no good. I will keep the balance and do my best and know when to stop.

 

My friends like to say we are dedicated but not fanatical with regards to practice. I only do stuff that's fun and enjoyable While certain elements of practice may not be easy or fun the entire activity certainly is. So it's not even a question of motivating myself to "practice" I just feel better for doing what I do.

 

I think it's important to gather many techniques, learn whatever you can and integrate what you can. I.e. make it a part of YOU. Once YOU have form and technique then pare back those forms, keeping only the essence. Seems like an evolutionary process or cycle, Gather~Reduce.

 

While I could fit a lot more into my life I currently enjoy practicing Chi Gongs/KAP stuff in the morning TaiChi /KungFu at lunchtime, KungFu in the evening. For me KAP was a bit of an eye opener with methods to integrate everything "into life" rather than "practice time | everyday life" but almost all other methods point that out too, that was just one way that worked for me.

[~jK~]

I have accumulated many books/DVDs/techniques and I am doing my practice but not as diligently and often as I know I could be doing it. When I have done my practice to the best of my ability, I feel absolutely radiant and I shine that towards people all around me and I know the world is a better place because I am being my best and encouraging others to be their best also.For motivation purposes, if anyone would like to post the routine they did that day and the way they felt then by all means keep the inspiration coming.

Nilo, In my opinion, you are at the first few steps into self-realization which is quite a bit further than most - but you are trying.

I'll try to give a few pointers from well over 20 years of practice. It's not aimed at you but rather the group.

 

This is the method I had to use on myself to begin what I see as a still developing, but so far successful, practice of Taoist/India yoga.

 

Before getting serious with training, you have got to give up eating desert after desert after desert.

All that mind candy is rotting the head.

Simply put, it is time for meat, potatoes, vegetables and fruit.

Drop the pink sugar candy.

Take a look at the posts and see what the content is about. I see only talk of trendy cute gurus, paying out the nose for teachers that use belief system logic and nonsense that is designed to confuse students into thinking the 'true guru' is something they ain't.

 

Enough said on the diet.

What I'm hoping for is that a few of you-all begin seeing Taoist Yoga as a practice - beginning with total mind meditation, working through to Kundalini, and then beyond.

It is a practice that -first- gives the practitioner control over their own mind whereas once that is achieved - it develops into exploring the many facets of meditation.

 

Until this control over your own mind is achieved, nothing else can progress.

 

To be a bit more real - a weaning off the mind candy will probably need to be done slowly - so here is a bit of 8 videos posted by Steam that will give you an idea of what is to come and the purpose of practice:

 

http://www.dailymotion.pl/video/x1d9qz_spi...-pt1_shortfilms

http://www.dailymotion.pl/video/x1da00_spi...lity-pt2_people

http://www.dailymotion.pl/video/x1da8v_spi...-pt3_shortfilms

http://www.dailymotion.pl/video/x1dae5_spi...ty-pt4_creation

http://www.dailymotion.pl/video/x1daj2_spi...eality-pt5_blog

http://www.dailymotion.pl/video/x1danq_spi...eality-pt6_news

http://www.dailymotion.pl/video/x1dapv_spi...lity-pt7_people

http://www.dailymotion.pl/video/x1dijt_spi...lity-pt8_school

 

Here is a web page where I have posted the method to begin.

 

Firstly - A note on myself - I am from the old Hippie school of meditation/yoga that believes such powerful knowledge should not be sold. It is an obligation that once learned, must be passed on to as many as possible. I began my practice in 1967, mastered my technique about 3 years later but remain practicing the same today with some new additions such as the Kundalini -5 years ago.

 

Here is a bit from the web page I have just finished on the subject:

http://www.thetaobums.com/index.php?/topic/11802-awakening-psychic-abilities/page__st__120'>http://www.thetaobums.com/index.php?/topic/11802-awakening-psychic-abilities/page__st__120

 

6 AM is for mild meditation, a mild way to begin the day - I do about 30 minuites that, I use it to work into Kundalini as described in T5T

 

To begin - this is a description of the beginning portions of the method:

 

You must see the nature of the exercises to know both their function and what the exercises needs from you to work.

 

Yoga is not a pill to pop and wait to get the results. Kundalini is a Yang (energetic) awakening largely of the body - but it will help in preparing you for The Savasana.

 

6PM is for the Savasana - I usually take a shower to get me into the proper mindset to begin and then work into the Savasana for about 2 hours. (After mastery, this 2 hours drops down to about 15 to 30 min.)

When completed your body should feel like a lump of clay. - It happens one part at a time - first the feet, then the lower legs, then the entire leg etc. After the body is relaxed, then begin the red dot for 15 min. - Once the 15 minutes is completed - with no thoughts or dreams coming into your mind - you can drop the red dot and become totally empty mind meditation.

 

Please understand - I cannot give suggestions --- what will happen as in the experiences must be your own experience - not my suggestions.

I can only try to help interpret what is happening.

Anyone needing to understand what is happening, e-mail me from my profile.

 

The Savasana as 100% Yin is the most important portion of Yoga as it ties all the body exercises into the mental - thus completing the circle. And eventually the awakening.

 

As for understanding the power of Yin - Think this: the Yang power of the sun's Trillions upon Trillions of nuclear reactions occurring within the sun, with each reaction being more than equal to all the nuclear bombs on earth exploding in a millisecond - is lessened to the point of giving the gentle energy required by all life on earth, through the Yin power of distance.

 

With The Savasana, you are taping into the power of Yin.

The above has largely been from the webpage's final post - here is the begining: http://www.thetaobums.com/index.php?/topic/11802-awakening-psychic-abilities/