How many people practice Taoism to gain supernatural powers?

[GrandmasterP]

Scientometrics.....

Lovely term. The guy deserves to sell lots of books.

[Birch]

Scientometrics.....

Lovely term. The guy deserves to sell lots of books.

 

Cute Mr Granp. Nicely done.

[GrandmasterP]

Seriously K I checked it out and it looks good but Mrs GrandmasterP is vetoing further book purchases at the moment.

What was hot as an idea a while ago is NOT as an idea today and stuff kinda comes round in cycles.

In my day job about every five years some whizz kid reinvents the wheel and comes up with some sooper dooper 'new' idea to revolutionise education that was tried, and found wanting; under a different name five or more years ago.

This whole end time narrative that's keeping t'internet buzzing right now as 21at December approaches has all been done several times before.

that super string stuff we were chatting about recently popped up as multiple universe yarns in science fiction as early as the 1930s last century.

Nothing new under the sun ideas wise. Inventions wise yeah for sure and thank goodness for non iron shirts and non stick pans, but ideas.... Nah.

Same old same old under a rebranded title.

Edited November 3, 2012 by GrandmasterP

[Vanir Thunder Dojo Tan]

Soup earn at'ch'yall? I dunn getit.

[idiot_stimpy]

The Sword of Emptiness cuts everything so there is nothing left to grab hold of and feel safe. Falling back gracefully into the void.

 

 

 

Edited November 14, 2012 by idiot_stimpy

[GrandmasterP]

Fractals are SOOOO last century.

[ShenLung]

I would not know about anything supernatrual ... if a thing can exist, it must, of its own nature, be natrual. There can be things natrual which one has no means of explaining by contemporary terminology ... is this what is meant by 'supernatrual'? I understand many things which I cannot explain; the words do not exist.

I seek in the tao a means to define these things which have no words to define them. My pursuit is not about achieving abilities that defy contemporary science, it is more about understanding my experiences that defy contemporary science.

[Vanir Thunder Dojo Tan]

if i shot fireballs from my fingertips and lightning would strike at my will... that would be called supernatural.

 

 

If i were at the level of being able to fire bolts of lightning and freeze matter at will.... I'd simply know a greater level of understanding

[andoymanal]

I wanna practice things to gain this supernatural powers

[Vanir Thunder Dojo Tan]

eh. just BE natural. if super is in it, you'll find it only by being natural.

[Spotless]

Imo 'powers' are best left to comic books. Until you seem people in robes flying around and having 200th birthdays its may be best to leave the idea of super powers by the way side.

Instead spend a few years building a solid discipline, consistent every day. Build up concentration and a clear mind, find a system you connect with, where you hopefully have access to a live experienced teacher roll up your sleeves and do it. After you have a solid platform by all means look for the great teachers and masters, there are some out there, but don't expect them to waste time on a starry eyed nube.

 

The masters got that way through decades of practice and probably have little patience for those who haven't put in the time and are looking for short cut secret formulas. Paths like Mo Pai seem to have pre requisites of 4 hours plus practice a day at the beginning, then get harder.

 

But I believe deep wisdom, certain siddhis and enlightenment are possible in this life time. But paradoxically you move in there direction but don't grasp for them, cause when you do they move away.

If you have begun the work in earnest - great teachers may come to you with little effort - and they may not - it may take years.

Today the world is enjoying a very real increase in awakening. Humans are waking in numbers - great teachers are bounding through our screens - they walk among us. (And great frauds but nothing new there).

 

Like an Indian chief who raises up a child to the sky and recognizes a great spirit - a great teacher sees spirit and they can look blindly past the outer layers.

Edited June 2, 2013 by Spotless

[Wu Ming Jen]

Intention is power, how your intentions manifest in life is the proof. If your intention is for super natural powers one has already left the path. If you crave or strive to accomplish something you have left the path.

 

If one acts natural with out preconceived ideas some thing great comes to you. This something is not supernatural, that is a preconceived idea about something.

[DeadDragon]

The voiceless voice of our soul actually suggests doing things like meditations specifically aimed at opening my third eye so...I don't know.

Best to follow it and not some book or the words of any human or divine being I think.

Edited August 27, 2013 by DeadDragon

[idiot_stimpy]

How can you trust an inner voice when there are many?

 

 

"My name is Legion: for we are many."

Edited August 27, 2013 by idiot_stimpy

[DeadDragon]

It doesn't speak in my thoughts, at least not usually. Only for complicated issues, only when requested to do so. It is much harder to discern within my mind. It typically speaks through movement of qi within me. It is the energy that is flowing through me and all things, and more than that as well. Basically it is communicating on the level of which I currently understand / am aware of.

 

It says it is "God", aka the nameless. It tells me to do things like quit smoking which I have yet to do, getting closer now, though I have abandoned all other addictions. To meditate several hours a day (when and where and which direction and what type of meditation). To take care of my family. To go to other wonderful places where I have the opportunity to love and be loved. To eat more vegetables. How much of a serving, and what foods in particular are best for my body at any particular moment.

 

It doesn't actually tell me to do anything, I simply ask for it's suggestion. It doesn't seek to control me, I am the one asking for it's help and guidance. I also don't seek to control, or should I say I am working on surrendering completely. Whatever happens that is OK, it will take me where ever. I really honestly don't care if my third eye is open or not, but I know how it being open could help me to serve the world better.

 

My mind is just too small and flawed and limited, filled with contradictory information accumulated from having a bit too open of a mind. I can't trust my small self to always make the best decisions.

 

Master Lin actually makes a suggestion in his teaching to have our soul point you in the direction for your meditation. Instead of making it so complicated like other Taoist meditations "Point northwest at 10 pm" type of information. I just took his recommendation a few steps further. It is also possible to find lost objects in this manner. Say you or a friend lost your phone or your frisbee or something like that. After all, our soul knows everything.

 

The more you listen, the more you trust, the more you surrender, the stronger it becomes. So if you can feel qi then you can do it too. If not practice qigong and you will eventually feel it. Who knows, everyone is different. But God is within you and I'm sure you can listen too in some way or another. There is also the I Ching which I feel is a wonderful book for many reasons and I always use it to make big decisions.

 

It doesn't suggest me to write each of these words, my connection is not strong enough yet for me to always be an embodiment of God. I still perceive myself as separate, as an individual.

Edited August 29, 2013 by DeadDragon

[idiot_stimpy]

Why have you separated yourself from this thing, as viewing it as something other from yourself?

[DeadDragon]

The mind makes distinctions between this and that. It's not a thing, it is all things and nothing.

 

Unless you literally perceive yourself as the entire universe, as in your sense of reality is literally not one of being just an individual...then one has no choice but to perceive God as something greater. I am you are me. Everything is one. Intellectually understanding those statements is one thing. Being all things, and yet nothing...that is something else.

 

The only way to do that and to achieve other God-like powers is to let go of our individual nature. Only way to do that is to manifest within ourselves the qualities of our creator. Free from desire, unconditionally loving of all things, acceptance of everything, giving without expecting to receive, no shame or pride, yada yada yada.

Edited August 29, 2013 by DeadDragon

[Rocky Lionmouth]

I never even heard of people aquiring magical powers from taoist practices before i came on here, i found taoism as an attractive vision of humanity and the world when i was in my teens and grew up in a catholic context that never ever suited me.

 

Now, about fifteen years later, i claim no supernatural powers and however cool it would be, it sounds like a nuisance and a further complication of life. I do practice qigong and taiji and kung fu because its a fun way to know myself and invest in the future of my body and mind.

 

I consider qi not a supernatural thing but rather a refined skill. Same with sensing it, improving it and using it in a more focused way. I always thought immortality and magic and such were metaphorical and allegorical in the texts, even humoristic at times, ways to describe something by not pointing at it directly.

 

I have had some weird and epic visions and experiences during meditation and in the land between sleeping and waking, but a zen-man once andvised me to not listen more to the flashy stuff screaming once in a while than heeding to the grey everyday whispers, it kinda stuck.

Edited April 28, 2014 by Rocky Lionmouth

[Marblehead]

I'm still working on levitating. So far I am able to lift both feet off the ground. (Only one at a time though.)

[idiot_stimpy]

I'm still working on levitating. So far I am able to lift both feet off the ground. (Only one at a time though.)

 

Just fart a little harder, both will lift.

[Captain Mar-Vell]

...

I never even heard of people aquiring magical powers from taoist practices before i came on here, i found taoism as an attractive vision of humanity and the world when i was in my teens and grew up in a catholic context that never ever suited me.

Now, about fifteen years later, i claim no supernatural powers and however cool it would be, it sounds like a nuisance and a further complication of life. I do practice qigong and taiji and kung fu because its a fun way to know myself and invest in the future of my body and mind.

I consider qi not a supernatural thing but rather a refined skill. Same with sensing it, improving it and using it in a more focused way. I always thought immortality and magic and such were metaphorical and allegorical in the texts, even humoristic at times, ways to describe something by not pointing at it directly.

I have had some weird and epic visions and experiences during meditation and in the land between sleeping and waking, but a zen-man once andvised me to not listen more to the flashy stuff screaming once in a while than heeding to the grey everyday whispers, it kinda stuck

 

That is close to my own experience.

 

Although I do hav zum xperience ov siddhi's.

 

Coz.

 

My name iZ LEGION!

 

a SUPERHEROES!!!

 

ha ha ha!

 

xxx.

 

ps ride like the wind!

...

Edited April 28, 2014 by Captain Mar-Vell

[idiot_stimpy]

ps ride like the wind!

...

 

 

Ride on the wind

[Rocky Lionmouth]

Marble, im not even done with standing around comfortably, you're mad lucky!

 

 

 

Cap'n, i dont wanna be a taoist anymore, i wanna be a superhero.

[KenBrace]

Have I mentioned that I do not believe in supernatural anything?

Agreed. Anything that is reality and exists is obviously natural. If it wasn't natural then it wouldn't exist.

Edited April 28, 2014 by KenBrace

[BaguaKicksAss]

Supernatural just means the closed minded folks don't want to acknowledge it exists, is all .