Hello, I'm starting my journey and need assistance.

[taoistYawa]

I just wanted to say hello to everyone. I recently started my journey to becoming a realized being through Taoist practices. I bought a few books, "secrets of the dragons gate", "opening the dragons gate", "secrets of the golden flower" and of course "magus from java".

 

at the moment I can sit and meditate for a half hour. I use the eyes half open method. which means eyes locked on the tip of my nose and my mind concentrating on my minds eye, with my will fixed on my abdominal.

 

Im trying to cultivate stillness or get to the point I can see my thoughts through my minds eye visually, but my only success in that area happened while I was sleeping. I can't imitate it through my meditations while I am awake.

 

I'm not certain what my first steps should be, so I decided to join a community. I currently reside in Thailand, but I am an american. I'm a retired muay thai fighter, that came to the realization that my need to fight other men was a personality flaw.

 

Now I spend my time with my wife (she came with me from america) and attempt to understand the "tao". I'm looking for answers that I can directly experience, not a belief system and it's important whoever decides to help me understands that. I'm not looking for a god, however I am searching for a way to save my wife and I from the afflictions of not pursuing the "tao".

 

Here I am and that's my story

Sincerely, Taoist Yawa.

[Basher]

Welcome to the Tao Bums my friend.

As you're already aware, we are all on our own journeys.

Perhaps on different paths, or maybe just a little further along on the same path.

 

Me ?

 

I'm still looking for sign stating "the Path starts here !"

 

Lots of information on here about various Chi Kung / Qi Gong exercises and techniques to help improve your Health / Energies.

[Harmonious Emptiness]

Hi Yawa

 

I was about to respond here, but decided to add to a topic I started a while back. Post #21 in the Calm Spaciousness thread was what I was going to say here.

 

best in your journey

 

咊

[taoistYawa]

Thank you both for the response. Here is my dilemma "Harmonious Emptiness". I get to a point where I feel pretty silent mentally, but there is something else there. Like a mind beyond my mind that I do not understand. I don't know what to do at this point so I would just wait hoping I would actually see my thoughts, like Liping did in "Opening the Dragon's Gate".

 

I feel like I'm in a black space, but even there I am able to acknowledge that I'm there, so it's either my mind doesn't shut off, or there is something beyond the mind that is there. And if there is something beyond the mind, what is it? can it be explained in words? I don't have the the ability to direct this blackness towards anything, it's just blackness with the ability to acknowledge I'm in blackness.

 

I do feel pressure in my mind's eye for hours and hours after practice, the sensation never really leaves, but that's all. Just a sensation, no visuals or "eye opening" experiences.

[ShenLung]

Focus too much on the effect that you seek creates resistance ... You must let go, and allow it to happen.

 

Will --> struggle. When training Muay Thai, progress is made through will/struggle/push. This is a form of qi training, and you have experience with it, but it does not help with developing the skill set that you are working on now. Using, yes .. but not developing. Somehow, you must find a way to place your former experience on a shelf. You will not loose it, don't worry

 

Desire --> permission. Internal development is going to be working the other side of qi. Push, and the gate stays closed. Move yourself out of the way; be not in the darkness, but truely merge yourself with the nature of emptiness, then permit the energy to flow through you. As emptiness itself, you will naturally be filled. This requires developing an entirely different mindset.

 

Focusing on the object works with will/push. You push through to your target. In Desire/permit, the object must be drawn to you, which means that your capacity must be greater than the object .. you must go deeper and farther. Seeing through the mind's eye is an experience within that sea of conciousness that will come to you as you open up to the whole. Effortlessly

[Zeeshan Mahmud]

Hi Yawa!

 

I am on a similar path. To whet your appetite, I recommend a Raymond Smullyan's Tao is Silent as a supplement to Tao Te Ching and any book by Alan Watts.

[Harmonious Emptiness]

Thank you both for the response. Here is my dilemma "Harmonious Emptiness". I get to a point where I feel pretty silent mentally, but there is something else there. Like a mind beyond my mind that I do not understand. I don't know what to do at this point so I would just wait hoping I would actually see my thoughts, like Liping did in "Opening the Dragon's Gate".

 

I feel like I'm in a black space, but even there I am able to acknowledge that I'm there, so it's either my mind doesn't shut off, or there is something beyond the mind that is there. And if there is something beyond the mind, what is it? can it be explained in words? I don't have the the ability to direct this blackness towards anything, it's just blackness with the ability to acknowledge I'm in blackness.

 

I do feel pressure in my mind's eye for hours and hours after practice, the sensation never really leaves, but that's all. Just a sensation, no visuals or "eye opening" experiences.

 

Well, I think even if I was qualified to get you beyond that point, I'm not sure I could do so via this medium. If you can find an abbot or experienced monk to help, that would be the best move at this point, I think, beyond just keep practicing. Sometimes meditating with someone who has gone there can help you move further.

[taoistYawa]

Focus too much on the effect that you seek creates resistance ... You must let go, and allow it to happen.

 

Will --> struggle. When training Muay Thai, progress is made through will/struggle/push. This is a form of qi training, and you have experience with it, but it does not help with developing the skill set that you are working on now. Using, yes .. but not developing. Somehow, you must find a way to place your former experience on a shelf. You will not loose it, don't worry

 

Desire --> permission. Internal development is going to be working the other side of qi. Push, and the gate stays closed. Move yourself out of the way; be not in the darkness, but truely merge yourself with the nature of emptiness, then permit the energy to flow through you. As emptiness itself, you will naturally be filled. This requires developing an entirely different mindset.

 

Focusing on the object works with will/push. You push through to your target. In Desire/permit, the object must be drawn to you, which means that your capacity must be greater than the object .. you must go deeper and farther. Seeing through the mind's eye is an experience within that sea of conciousness that will come to you as you open up to the whole. Effortlessly

 

 

 

I read it and knew. Now it's back to practice.

 

 

sincerely, taoist yawa

[CloudHands]

May you be wit the Tao friend.

[GrandmasterP]

Plenty to choose from in Thailand.

Good luck to you buddy.