Hello

[LaoTzu21]

Hi My Names Nick Weiland im 23 almost 24 now. altho this wont matter as when this gets older itll still say this age when in fact ill be older. I have been into spirituality and soul searching since i was 13 years old. Ive practiced meditation and shoalin kung fu (crane and tiger style) and been doping martial arts since i was six altho unfortunately i had to give up and all my flexibility is gone. but i practice chi kung and tai chi and go swimming and to the gym when i have time. My main profession in society is a musician as i find the tao and music work hand in hand. I feel a very close connection to the way of things. i always have since i was a little boy. but i still need to understand to become one with it. whilst living and after death. I have been keen on The Tao culture as my master says. since i was 15 im just learning the basics of it right now as expected. from my teacher whos a taoist monk from china.who i met by accident when i was talking to him in a chinese resteraunt about chi kung he asked me what do i know and i told him and then he expleined that chi kung isnt about movements and techniques and breathing its about your attitude towards life. if you practice a chi kung attitude naturally you will gain this energy. i really enjoy his words of wisdom. but sometimes find it hard to comprehend probably because of the translation from chinese to english and sometimes because its hard to comprehend anyway. maybe i can use this form to put his ideas into words and maybe someone with better english can help expolain what he means. also i will be using this forum for my own means to understand how to progress myself so i can win my inner struggle. so that one day i can do the same for many people through my music.

[Brian]

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[Suliman]

Thanks Seeker and welcome Nick!

[LaoTzu21]

thank you i hope to make some good aquaintences

[WallaMike]

Dear Laotzu21:

While I would agree that part of the understanding issue is probably related to translating from Chinese to English, part of the issue is translating from "spiritual" to English or Chinese or whatever. The Dao De Ching notes that the Dao that can be described is not the Dao. However, I don't think it as hopeless as it sounds, as words in many cases can point a person in the right direction. I think part of what they were saying is that words are objective objects and the Dao is not an objective object. However, while it is impossible to express the Dao in words, it is possible to experience it. Once you experience parts of the Dao, the words make a lot more sense, but you also will realize that the words did not mean what you originally thought they did.

I'm not making myself out as someone with great realizations or experiences, I've just been at this path for several decades and so have personally experienced a number of stages in my development where I can look back and have a much better idea of what an enlightened person was saying or writing about that was very differen than what I originally thought they were.

Interestingly enough, when I would have these realizations, I would immediately rush out and tell all my friends and explain in my words what I thought was a more accurate description of what the person was saying. Unfortunately what comes out of my mouth to me sounds logical, but to my friends, it sounds just as undeciperable as the original statement. Experience is thus the difference. So, keep practicing!

While part of the problem may be the Chinese to English translations, part is cultural in that this determines what meaning comes up when a particular word is used, and part is purely experiential and developmental. A good example is that of the question: What is qi? The books written by Chinese Masters read somewhat different than native English masters, but until I had my own person experience of qi, I was unable to discriminate truth from exaggeration from cultural interpretations from developmental issues from simple mis-understandings or mis-interpretations from deliberately being vague or secretive, etc. But with time and practice it becomes clearer.

I hope this is helpful.

WallaMike