Hello

[2netis]

Amitofo, I'm new to the energy arts and I am interested in learning here. Well, not entirely new to energy arts as I've been an active meditator for roughly 25 years in various methods including abstract painting - last 10 with a Chan/Zen group and have found discursive mind to be quite an energetic mercurial thing - and nothing else. Before that and concurrently as well, I studied the realization of Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj and his lineage. I find little difference between him and the Mahayana. Very curious to find how he might be like Daoism.

 

Specifically, I'm interested in Qigong for health reasons. I'll start out looking about for the connections to shamanic trance and practices - the relationship to hypnotism that is the default trance of everyday life.

 

Also looking to find where/how the clear undivided one mind is unobstructed by trance or dualistic striving in Qigong. I describe this as bare consciousness that is present as life itself but which is without an object...is not identified with anything. Chan elders call this, 'Mind that is not based on anything'. What schools of practice, if any, recognize this to the extent that it is the foundation?

 

There is a healer in my family - Southern US, Christian, Caucasian - who is quite the iconoclast and reminds me of Linji. Politics are a lot more like Confucius, but I won't go there. Enjoyed this person for so many years and now beginning to get a sense of what he is up to.....as much as is possible to do so. I have no personal interest in healing except perhaps myself. Not looking for magical thinking or new age dualistic narcissism. Just interested in the question, but not the quick answer to: "What is this?"

 

Well that's a lot, not too much I hope. Any leads to like-minded threads here would be appreciated.

 

Best to you all.

Edited February 15, 2011 by 2netis

[moonshadow]

Hello 2netis;

I am in southern apalachia, Tennessee. Interestingly I also joined this site yesterday. Such is the way of synchronicity, perhaps? As I came to this site

primarily to seek a shaman? One I have met in person in the Big South Fork

wilderness area along the Tennessee/Kentucky border last April. He never claimed

to be a shaman per se. He did say he was a Taoist and he practiced Tai Chi.

I do not know anything about Taoist or Tai Chi.

 

I was camping with my Rainbow friends, Family of Living light. This guy wandered into our camp. Everyone at these gatherings goes by a nickname, so I dont know his real

name or his username here. I think he frequents this website because I overheard him

discussing it with some other campers.

 

After joining this site and noticing that there are 27 some odd thousand users

I feel my chances are slim to locate him. Either way it is cool, as i will learn

from this site. I have only met one Taoist but he made a lasting impression.

 

I do know this about the guy, he called himself Ginkgo at our camp. He was a type of fortune teller. I didn't have my fortune told but the ones who did were very impressed. He was very cheerful and laidback.

I did watch him do his Tai Chi one morning around the dawn, there were also 8

deer standing there watching until he finished.

 

If Ginkgo happens to read this or if anyone knows Ginkgo? It would be cool if he

contacted a Sister of the Moon.