wandering the taoist catacombs...

[Sahaj Nath]

hello to all. thought i might introduce myself.

 

i'm a student of nature and the internal arts. been studying for over a decade. been serious for the past 4 years. been really serious for the past 3. i have a real passion for the beauty of qigong, and i enjoy teaching it more than just about anything. well, not as much as my lone retreats into the hills, but still.

 

i've had the pleasure of studying with a few masters here and there, but my training and development has, by and large, been solitary. i'm a quick study, an avid reader, and my ability to manifest qi exceeds many long-time disciples of various masters.

 

although i have a number of committed students, i always tell them that training with me (or anyone else for that matter) is not necessary for reaching their goals in the internal arts. i am not a master, i don't plan on becoming a master, and for that matter, i have found that most of the masters out there today are not masters, either! i am, however, very much a philosopher. and on my best days, you might take me for a madman.

 

and this sorta brings me to why i'm here. i guess it's pretty clear that i have somewhat "subversive" approach to spirituality and internal cultivation. i'm very committed, but i'm beholden to no particular discipline. i'm a wanderer, and that's my preferred way of being. i imagine that there could be many folks like me in this forum, so i thought i might lurk around from time to time and see who's who. i may even drop in on a discussion or two.

 

 

thanks.

[fatherpaul]

hello to all. thought i might introduce myself.

 

i'm a student of nature and the internal arts. been studying for over a decade. been serious for the past 4 years. been really serious for the past 3. i have a real passion for the beauty of qigong, and i enjoy teaching it more than just about anything. well, not as much as my lone retreats into the hills, but still.

 

i've had the pleasure of studying with a few masters here and there, but my training and development has, by and large, been solitary. i'm a quick study, an avid reader, and my ability to manifest qi exceeds many long-time disciples of various masters.

 

although i have a number of committed students, i always tell them that training with me (or anyone else for that matter) is not necessary for reaching their goals in the internal arts. i am not a master, i don't plan on becoming a master, and for that matter, i have found that most of the masters out there today are not masters, either! i am, however, very much a philosopher. and on my best days, you might take me for a madman.

 

and this sorta brings me to why i'm here. i guess it's pretty clear that i have somewhat "subversive" approach to spirituality and internal cultivation. i'm very committed, but i'm beholden to no particular discipline. i'm a wanderer, and that's my preferred way of being. i imagine that there could be many folks like me in this forum, so i thought i might lurk around from time to time and see who's who. i may even drop in on a discussion or two.

thanks.

 

hello,

my name is paul,

i am here for the pancakes.

 

peace

[beancurdturtle]

hello,

my name is daniel,

i am.

[三江源]

hello Hundun.

 

I wonder what is 'subversive' about your approach to spirituality and internal cultivation?

 

Would you tell us more about that?

 

 

welcome to the site.

[Sahaj Nath]

hello Hundun.

 

I wonder what is 'subversive' about your approach to spirituality and internal cultivation?

 

Would you tell us more about that?

welcome to the site.

 

 

hello, cat.

 

=)

 

the way that i see it, what's subversive about it is that i'm a bum, and so i'm hoping that i'm in good company!

 

but i'll get a little more specific:

 

 

my cultivation work is highly eclectic. taoist alchemy, tibetan shamanism, non-traditional yoga, spontaneous natural flow qigong, and a number of qigong forms that i practice more for the sheer joy and beauty of the art than anything else. i find that none of them are very different from each other, which makes sense to me considering that they all share a common origin.

 

i listen to my body, and i trust my intuition more than any warnings about the dangers of high-level practices when not supervised by a master. in the past i was not a good listener; just immature and lazy. and in that process i did hurt myself in my search for shortcuts, loopholes, and back doors. but i've come a long way since that time and i believe i understand the necessary core elements of solitary practice. this doesn't prevent me from enjoying the wisdom and company of a skilled master from time to time, but it DOES keep me from being dependent on another individual for my own personal development.

 

too often i find that people get caught up in the lineage game, which most often amounts to petty spiritual materialism. techniques ARE important, but most of the technical differences between schools and lineages are NOT as important as most think. and when there IS a significant difference, i often find that it tends to be the newer innovation (rather than the old original method) that generates the greater benefit. not always, but certainly more often than the herds of "lineage seekers" seem to realize.

 

again, techniques ARE important. but anyone with moderate intelligence can find effective techniques for whatever they may wish to accomplish. whats MOST important (or at least JUST AS important) is the quality that one brings to their practice. and if one's goal is to attain the highest levels, then it's far more important that the individual never ceases to practice than it is for them to find the "right" group.

 

 

i'll leave it at that for now.

Edited July 18, 2007 by Hundun

[sean]

Hello. Welcome. I like your introduction. And your name.

[zenbrook]

whats MOST important (or at least JUST AS important) is the quality that one brings to their practice.

No, you were right first time - it is what's MOST important.

 

Welcome and enjoy

ZenB