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[Flolfolil]

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Edited March 6, 2015 by Flolfolil

[Apech]

I find blockages usually have emotional content so clearing them changes you and in changing you begin to see things differently and get more skills and ability. I would say moral or ethical practice goes hand in hand ... though I suppose you could ignore that and just do the energy work ... but you might get confused at certain stages.

 

We're unique individuals but of the same mould I guess.

[skydog]

Yes I notice that in my body single beliefs or emotional weaknesses can really shift my energy.

 

In conversation, one may constantly reaffirm things about their beliefs regarding abundance, spirituality, love, virtue, sexuality etc.

 

and this I feel can shift energy.

Edited July 12, 2013 by skydog

[Jetsun]

Depends what you mean by insight, in the usual spiritual connotation it won't necessarily lead to insight, but within your own psychology it might lead to psychological insight.

 

For example I heard about someone who went on a Goenka Vipassana retreat and they had many important personal psychological insights and hundreds of sensations and releases of blockages in their body, but the master of the retreat wasn't the slightest bit interested in any of this, what he said was that it is far more important to notice that it is all of the same nature in that it rises and it passes without you doing anything, it is impermanent and whether it is some incredible bliss or depressing horror it is of the same taste and nature. That is the spiritual insight, in that context anyway.

 

Although the clearer the mind and body the easier it is to inquire into the nature of things and perceive things clearly so any opening of channels can only help make it more likely that insight will arise later on.

[Chang]

This is a very good question as I feel that there is an intrinsic link between the physical and energetic bodies.

 

As to whether making energetic progress leads to improved ethics? It takes us to that grey and shady area of whether it is possible to be enlightened and evil! I have often pondered this question and have yet to reach a conclusion.

[Seeker of Wisdom]

Chi and mind are linked, so opening channels would help the mind... but remember ultimately mind controls chi, so if you open something but a blocking mental factor is still there, it will close again eventually.

 

Different people have different blocks relating to different places, though I'd expect all people to have the same key themes causing blocks in the same general areas.

 

On the 'would we be similar or still very different' thing, I think there are many ways to express compassion, wisdom and so on. One may be very gentle, or a gruff 'tough-love' type, in either case equally saintly. A wise person could ask a lot of open rhetorical questions and give no answers, or make eloquent sarcastic speeches, or seem to be freaking crazy.

[RiverSnake]

IME, I would say yes.

 

My 2 cents, Peace

Edited July 12, 2013 by OldChi

[Songtsan]

I think yes, because clearing the channels frees trapped energy, which would mean that you have more energy for concentration - more power equals the ability to break through misconceptions and achieve gnosis.

[BaguaKicksAss]

More can come in once those are cleared .

[BaguaKicksAss]

This is a very good question as I feel that there is an intrinsic link between the physical and energetic bodies.

 

As to whether making energetic progress leads to improved ethics? It takes us to that grey and shady area of whether it is possible to be enlightened and evil! I have often pondered this question and have yet to reach a conclusion.

 

Hmmm, if so, the evil person would have to have no guilt about such acts, yet at the same time have an open heart center, IMO anyways. I have met some really nasty folks who use their abilities to do some pretty horrid stuff, yet who spend much of their time doing asana, meditating, connecting with the ALL, and so forth. Their energy feels horrid though!

[doc benway]

I'll be the thorn and say - not necessarily.

 

I know plenty of folks who have put a lot of time and "energy" into 'clearing blockages' and 'opening channels' and claim success yet, to me, have very little insight into the nature of themselves and things around them. While such energy work certainly may be associated with insight, it is not automatic. The energy work, after all, is simply a method of practice and, like any other, requires proper guidance and demeanor in order to reap benefits.

 

One could counter that if the insight is not there, the channels are not open... I wouldn't argue against that point. On the other hand, many of the folks I know that are practicing these methods get themselves wrapped up in the energy paradigm and create a belief system out of that which is every bit as rigid and misguided as any other belief system.

[Songtsan]

Hmmm, if so, the evil person would have to have no guilt about such acts, yet at the same time have an open heart center, IMO anyways. I have met some really nasty folks who use their abilities to do some pretty horrid stuff, yet who spend much of their time doing asana, meditating, connecting with the ALL, and so forth. Their energy feels horrid though!

 

Such as Swami Muktananda, who when he was eighty years old, had a concubine from India who was only 16 years old, and who had drilled holes in certain walls so he could spy on the women changing in the shower. He also had some of his devotees give him oral sex as he was getting a massage. Also there is Adi Da - who's sexual misuse of power was legendary. Guru abuse is legendary, and is probably related to the fact that these gurus had achieved such high levels of dopamine, etc. in their brains from spiritual practice that they thought that whatever they did was divine because high dopamine levels can easily make one believe that whatever one does is right. Take it from one who knows from experience.

[Flolfolil]

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Edited March 6, 2015 by Flolfolil

[raimonio]

Hmmm, if so, the evil person would have to have no guilt about such acts, yet at the same time have an open heart center, IMO anyways. I have met some really nasty folks who use their abilities to do some pretty horrid stuff, yet who spend much of their time doing asana, meditating, connecting with the ALL, and so forth. Their energy feels horrid though!

 

 

I'll be the thorn and say - not necessarily.

 

I know plenty of folks who have put a lot of time and "energy" into 'clearing blockages' and 'opening channels' and claim success yet, to me, have very little insight into the nature of themselves and things around them. While such energy work certainly may be associated with insight, it is not automatic. The energy work, after all, is simply a method of practice and, like any other, requires proper guidance and demeanor in order to reap benefits.

 

One could counter that if the insight is not there, the channels are not open... I wouldn't argue against that point. On the other hand, many of the folks I know that are practicing these methods get themselves wrapped up in the energy paradigm and create a belief system out of that which is every bit as rigid and misguided as any other belief system.

 

 

Such as Swami Muktananda, who when he was eighty years old, had a concubine from India who was only 16 years old, and who had drilled holes in certain walls so he could spy on the women changing in the shower. He also had some of his devotees give him oral sex as he was getting a massage. Also there is Adi Da - who's sexual misuse of power was legendary. Guru abuse is legendary, and is probably related to the fact that these gurus had achieved such high levels of dopamine, etc. in their brains from spiritual practice that they thought that whatever they did was divine because high dopamine levels can easily make one believe that whatever one does is right. Take it from one who knows from experience.

 

 

This is a very interesting topic. I have been thinking about this for a few years now. Maybe the masters are not revealing everything to the general public, because they know, that with the right information wrong people could do incredibly bad things. Think about evil witches or Kung Fu masters gone rogue. Although it seems that some of these sociopaths still get trough. It also brings the question of personal practice. I have come to the conclusion that no matter how high the feeling of love or realization, you should make some clear rules and regulations that you will never cross, just in case you some day happen to become a teacher. Like not having sex with students etc.

 

The fact alone, that a sociopath can generate high levels of practice.

 

Talking about the negatives of spiritual liberation or trying to view it in a realistic way taking into account all the data that has been culminating is something that feels like a taboo in the spiritual circles. There have been several cases of sexual abuse in the tibetan Buddhist lineages, I've heard about tremendeous politic drama in the zen-circles, in india there are also many cases like this just like it was pointed out, there have been evil kung fu guys and there are still many twisted qi gong "masters" that might have great powers despite their alignment.

 

I think enlightenment, immortality and spiritual "realization" of all kinds should be put under hard scrutiny. Its not all what its made out to be

 

Maybe there is horizontal and vertical progress. Horizontal being that you become stronger, more powerful and get supernatural capabilities. Vertical being becoming a better person, realizing the true nature of your existence. I mean many of the enlightened people, who have only let go of their egos don't necessarily have any powers. Immortality seems to go both ways But with this, it would be possible to become massive horizontally and still be a weeniy vertically.

Edited July 13, 2013 by raimonio

[MooNiNite]

as u clear the channels. ur concentration goes up. concentration = ability to gain insight.

[Songtsan]

It also makes sense that concentration would increase as impurities were dealt with, not only because of increased energy, but because of increased purity. Impurities are notable distractions during meditation. When everything is flowing free and clear, you are less likely to get interfering negative emotions.