Greetings

[cloud recluse]

Hi there. Let me start by saying how much Ive enjoyed looking at this site. For quite a few months now Ive been checking out the discussion and attitudes here and Ive gotta say its really,REALLY cool. Sorry to gush,but the info Ive found here has been fascinating,and the tone of its members very gratifying . Overall,everyone seems to be fairly relaxed and pleasant,and more or less free of both piety and malice. As to myself,Im just a lone Daoist wandering up and down the east Coast of Australia (a blatantly contrived self-image that I really get off on) and this is the first actual time Ive decided to associate with other Daoists.I think whats really sparked my interest has been the discussions on Internal Alchemy.This is not something I am personally familiar with myself.My own (admittedly erratic) practice of Hatha Yoga and Just Sitting doesnt really address that directly,but theres definetely been times when it was needed. Anyhow,the main reason Ive registered is really just to show my appreciation for this intruiging site.Full of information and debate,while distinctly lacking in pomposity.Really,Really,REALLY Cool!

[cloud recluse]

Welcome, Cloud! It's always great to see the mysterious lurkers identify themselves!

Well you already sound like a true Tao Bum! so I'm sure you'll have no problems fitting in.

 

Thanks for the greetings freeform.I did feel that I had spent too long as a mysterious lurker,to the point where any further lurking seemed downright rude.Dont really know what I can contribute to the discussions here,as a lot of it seems to revolve around alchemical practice and,as I said, I only do Sitting with the odd bit of Hatha Yoga,though Ive recently added the Royal Court ( with a VERY forgiving approach to Backbridge) every second day or so.

Still,when I am feeling like exposing my many intellectual opinions on Daoism to some critical feedback ,this is definetely the place Ill do it.

[Cameron]

Welcome! My mother is from Sydney. Definetly one of my goals to visit again in the next couple years.

 

I am planning on bringing the royal court back into my routine soon. I love those excercises.

 

Cameron

[cloud recluse]

 

 

I am planning on bringing the royal court back into my routine soon. I love those excercises.

 

Cameron

Yeah,they are pretty cool.As Ive been a bit of a nomad over the past few years,the idea of bodyweight execises are really starting to appeal to me(Its actually on The Tao Bums that I first heard of them).My understanding is the Royal Court itself consists of the Squats,Pushups & Bridge,& those three alone keep me plenty occupied.Ive not seen Fureys actual book,so I dont know what else is involved,but that can wait for now.The Court alone leaves me nice & sore the next day.Whats this about supposedly doing the Court daily though,wouldnt that deprive your muscles of the chance to recuperate & adapt properly?

[freeform]

.

Edited January 7, 2020 by freeform

[cloud recluse]

you could also try pavel tsatsouline's body weight excersises... there's only two really (both rediculously difficult) they're the one armed pushups and one legged squats (pistol squats).

Not familiar with those,plus Im finding the Royal Court plenty challenging.I try going to failure on 3 sets of each xrcz,as I cant manage a lot of reps in each set yet,and with crunches some times thrown in at the end,Ive gasped my way through20-30 minutes minimum.As Im also trying to get in two 40 minute sessions of Sitting a day,as well as have time for a slow paced Yoga routine, I want to keep any other practice reasonably short.If I add anything now,it will something specifically cardio. Thanks for the info though,as Tsatsouline's name is another one Im sure Ive seen here too,but the ridicoulously difficult will have to wait till Ive mastered the embarrisingly challenging.

[Cameron]

Just listen to your body. You can do something every day but 1000 squats a day is probably out of the question.

 

Some basic reccomendations like..

 

Mon 30 minute walk, deep breathing.

 

Tue 100 squats, 50 pushups

 

Wed Wall Walking

 

Thu 500 squats, 100 pushups

 

Fri Jump Rope 30 min

 

Sat 100 squats, 50 pushups, Bridge 3 min

 

Sun 30 min walk, deep breathing

 

You can change as you see fit. Supposedly Karl Gotch did 500 squats every day but that is a higher level of fitness. He was a professional athlete. Though working up to those mega numbers may or may not appeal to you anyway.

 

Good luck.

Edited April 1, 2006 by Cameron

[sean]

Welcome cloud recluse, you sound like an interesting fellow. Glad to have you here.

 

I love bodyweight exercises. I love handstands, headstands, bridges, squats, yoga scorpions, bridges ... My jiu-jitsu academy has been getting me into Ginastica Natural which is also really cool stuff based on animal forms.

 

Sean

[cloud recluse]

I love bodyweight exercises. I love handstands, headstands, bridges, squats, yoga scorpions, bridges ... My jiu-jitsu academy has been getting me into Ginastica Natural which is also really cool stuff based on animal forms.

 

Sean

Ginastica definetely looks intruiging.This is a direction I really do need .While Sitting I feel fairly centered & smooth,but as soon as I get on my feet,I seem to move with all the lithe,fluid grace of a hydraulic duck !! javascript:emoticon('', 'smid_2')

smilie There really is a sense of awareness contracting dramatically from a spacious feild in Sitting to wrap around a nagging clumsiness in the body.Movement seems contrived & awkward,even though the urge to move is usually arising quite consistently in the lower abdomen in the last 10 minutes or so of any given period of Sitting. Anyhow ,being a cheap bastard,I found the Royal Court by scrounging around on the net.Does anyone know of other sites that deal with embodying awareness in movement,with moving from a deeper impulse as distinct from conditioned habits?

[sean]

Does anyone know of other sites that deal with embodying awareness in movement,with moving from a deeper impulse as distinct from conditioned habits?

That is a rather interesting and curiously specific way of framing what you are looking for cloud recluse.

 

There are many many somatic therapies these days. If you are into doing intellectual research before deciding to more deeply explore a particular approach, a good place to start is the book Bone, Breath, & Gesture: Practices of Embodiment. It has articles and interviews with the most important superstars of somatic awareness. Although Alexander Lowen is not in there and I also like him a lot. And you can use that link as a starting point to explore many other great somatic and authentic movement books connected with it on Amazon. Another good one I enjoyed is Dynamic Alignment Through Imagery.

 

Sean

[cloud recluse]

working up to those mega numbers may or may not appeal to you anyway.

 

Good luck.

working up to anywhere near those numbers would freaking kill my flabby butt !!At the moment I struggle through 2-3 sets of 40-50 squats,8-15 pushups & about 30 seconds in bridge!!And that leaves me gasping,with numerous "beached whale" references from my new housemates.I really get off on the effort involved,but I have few illusions about my current capacity. Ive recently made the earthshaking,revolutionary discovery that eating crap & being a lazy fuck for 12 months is not actually good for your health! As it now looks like Im actually be going to stay in one place for a while,I figured its time to get a more physical routine going before my inner couch potato completely takes over.So Im starting relatively small,but your definetely providing me with food for thought.

[cloud recluse]

That is a rather interesting and curiously specific way of framing what you are looking for cloud recluse.

 

Sean

Im an interesting & curiously specific kind of guy,sean(or pretentious & pedantic,depending on the day).Got to say that your recommendation of Franklins Dynamic Alignment has an spooky timing,as Ive only just purchased his Pelvic Power & Liberate Your Shoulders.I just chanced across Pelvic power,thought it looked exactly the ticket,& grabbed Shoulders as well coz it was next to it on the shelf (lets hear it for the guiding wisdom of impulse buying).Not having had the chance to look at them yet,Ill stick em on the top of my Must Read list & keep an eye out for Dynamic Alignment if I like what I read.

[cloud recluse]

wow 80 minutes of meditation - sounds like you've got enough stuff to be getting on with already.

40 minutes in the morning,40 in the evening,not that big a commitment really.Currently working a casual-hours job,composed mostly of evening shifts,so it still leaves my days comparatively free.I just want to make sure I have the opportunity for a life outside of formal practices (apparently,having a life can be fun,or so Im told by their proud owners). I am fairly emphatic about Sitting at the moment.I feel before I try anything else,I really want to relax back into the Dao & know Spaciousness directly.Its from a foundation in that that I would then be more confident about approaching other practices.I discovered Yogani's ayp site through Tao Bums,& it clarified things a bit.Having had some unpleasant experiences with intense energy doing Iyengar yoga ( NOT a criticism of the style by the way),as well as having contracted into some fairly tight self-images recently,Emptiness is really my priority.To that end,Ive found Adyashanti's Sitting without Manipulation rewarding.I get the same feel as I did of Ken Cohens Sitting & Forgetting on his audio course,but Adya's presentation seems to work better for me (NOT a criticism of Cohen either,just seems to be a personal thing.I love what Ive read & heard of Cohen,so far just Way of Qigong,& his tapes).I was advised about 6 or 7 months ago to "Return to the Origin" & I only wish I had increased my meditation time sooner.40 minutes seems to be just right in bringing me to some kind of transformative edge. Or perhaps I just have no idea about what the fuck Im doing,but its fun sofar

[Cameron]

I know exactly what you are talking about. Adya's presentation of emptiness meditaton is really unparallelled.

 

But Ken is the man and emptiness meditation is only one(though very important) practice he teaches. Wheras the sitting and forgetting is really the cornerstone of all Adya's teaching.

[cloud recluse]

I know exactly what you are talking about. Adya's presentation of emptiness meditaton is really unparallelled.

 

But Ken is the man and emptiness meditation is only one(though very important) practice he teaches. Wheras the sitting and forgetting is really the cornerstone of all Adya's teaching.

I think Adya's presentation came at just the right time for me.His Spontaneous Awakening audio set of one of his retreats answered the right questions at the right time.I dont think I have the full blown passion for Awakening right now,but being a Daoist,that presents no problem.Ill be content to play more freely in the flow of the Dao,loosening up the framework of duality almost as a side effect of a deeper participation.Im sure the fully fledged urge to Wake Up will come in its own good time,not as a compulsory "salvation",but as a natural development.This is why I favour Daoism over other approaches,its motives seem to be based on the healthy growth of curiosity & passion,not some fear of damnation or an inability to accept physical life.Does anybody else feel that distinction? God I love being able to talk about this stuff.I havent been able to for a while & Im really getting into it.Cameron,Im assuming you have personal experince with Ken's approach.What distinguishes him from others in terms of results?Im all ears!