East vs West?

[Humble]

HI!

Silly question here im sure, but are there any contraindications between using an Eastern cultivation method such as any form of Qi gong or Kundalini meditation and beginning the practice of IIH? Im not sure if cross cultural stuff is "safe" but I see the similarities and am wondering if anyone has a large amount of experience.

Advice needed before wackiness ensues.

Edited December 26, 2012 by Humble

[MERCELESS ONE]

ive studied information and ways of being from all over the world. the wealth of knowledge, and experience you will gain is priceless. so my answer is yes. why not? ive heard ppl here tell people not to practice multiple systems. im against that. practice and learn as much as you can. doing so, you will see a picture bigger than what you may have ever known.

[Birch]

I don't reckon it's a bad idea but would suggest being careful with mixing conceptual understandings from different systems. Makes spam of it. But then I'm guilty of it to a huge extent. I should watch that:-)

[GrandmasterP]

Not exactly the same area but I did MA for many years and then cultivate QiGong and also practice as a medium in the western spiritualist tradition.

No problems so far.

Be careful not to spread yourself too thin though, better to do a couple of things safely and well rather than lots of things all at once and maybe not have the time to give one's best to everything.

[Sifu ReL]

I agree, mixing too much could potentially be harmfull but once u take a look at alot of systems u will noctice alot of things in common or similarity and when put together make since exspecialy when one system agrees with another...frm my own experience IIH actually filled in alot of holes i was missin. Exspecially since most ppl frown upon magic becuase of there ignorants. IIH aloud me to look at even the word magic in a different way. Do what is best for u.

peace.

[Birch]

Commonalities http://hermetic.com/stavish/essays/secret-fire.html

[Cheshire Cat]

There are fundamentally two distinct branches: spiritual cultivation and magic.

 

Spiritual cultivation is non-denominational... there's no problem of mixing.

Magic is deeply related to a particular cultural envirnment. If you choose to mix, you should find a way to create a balanced synchretism.

[Birch]

There are fundamentally two distinct branches: spiritual cultivation and magic.

 

Spiritual cultivation is non-denominational... there's no problem of mixing.

Magic is deeply related to a particular cultural envirnment. If you choose to mix, you should find a way to create a balanced synchretism.

 

Are they distinct? I'm having doubts and suspicions that they aren't. This is fueled by reading, personal cultivation but no 'magical' work beyond stuff I've already mentioned here and there on the TTB's. The 'culture' I'm in doesn't seem (at least superficially) to use 'traditional Western magic' which I'd be hard-pushed to recognize anyway.

[Cheshire Cat]

Are they distinct? I'm having doubts and suspicions that they aren't. This is fueled by reading, personal cultivation but no 'magical' work beyond stuff I've already mentioned here and there on the TTB's. The 'culture' I'm in doesn't seem (at least superficially) to use 'traditional Western magic' which I'd be hard-pushed to recognize anyway.

 

In my opinion, the distinction between spiritual cultivation and magic is... words.

 

With words, we shape our reality, we create our rituals, we materialize our desires.

Magic, in my experience is just that.

 

In our ordinary lives, we give meanings to the various circumstances. Thus creating a coherent world-view.

What you could hardly believe -without a practical experience- is that... it's the meaning that creates the circumstance.

Or maybe, they happen simultaneously...

What's important is that for practical application, we create new meanings to manifest specific results. This is Magic in a few words.

 

Meanings are expressed by words.

 

I strongly suggest the books of Erving Goffman (Behavior in Public Places: Notes on the Social Organization of Gatherings, Interaction Ritual: Essays on Face-to-Face Behavior, etc...).

 

He was a sociologist, not a magician... but he saw very very clearly how the words create the "magic" of our social world.

He saw our social rituals and how we are strongly rooted in "meanings". He saw what we unconsciously do to perfect the "big ritual" of our social lives. It's like a self-exploration.

 

As for Spiritual cultivation ... well, the first step is to forget words

[Birch]

In my opinion, the distinction between spiritual cultivation and magic is... words.

 

With words, we shape our reality, we create our rituals, we materialize our desires.

Magic, in my experience is just that.

 

In our ordinary lives, we give meanings to the various circumstances. Thus creating a coherent world-view.

What you could hardly believe -without a practical experience- is that... it's the meaning that creates the circumstance.

Or maybe, they happen simultaneously...

What's important is that for practical application, we create new meanings to manifest specific results. This is Magic in a few words.

 

Meanings are expressed by words.

 

I strongly suggest the books of Erving Goffman (Behavior in Public Places: Notes on the Social Organization of Gatherings, Interaction Ritual: Essays on Face-to-Face Behavior, etc...).

 

He was a sociologist, not a magician... but he saw very very clearly how the words create the "magic" of our social world.

He saw our social rituals and how we are strongly rooted in "meanings". He saw what we unconsciously do to perfect the "big ritual" of our social lives. It's like a self-exploration.

 

As for Spiritual cultivation ... well, the first step is to forget words

 

Interesting books. Thanks!