"Minor Death" in Longmen Pai

[Marblehead]

electrochemical potential is derived via a few means,

I always just blame it on women who happen to be in the area at the time.

[Marks of Glory]

because the latter comes before the former

 

 

Can you explain better my brother?

 

 

-------

 

 

I was thinking in opening a new thread based only on the deep dissection and interpretation of "Taoist Yoga" book of Charles Luk. Chapter by chapter. Anyone interested in starting this Thread?

 

 

------

 

 

Since we are talking about death, maybe it's worth while mentioning that Nature ("True Nature") practices of cultivation oftranscendental Spirit actually resonates with Death. It is a practice of dissolving, of dissolution. That is why Shiva is the God worshipped by most Yogins, and Brahman the creator, the least, having only one temple in the whole of India!

 

That's why Taoists in generally also cultivate "Life"

 

 

It's a Xing Ming thing...

 

Maybe it also relates to why the Romantics write so much about death in their pursue of the Ideal world (Ideal = the Tao, and the portal to the Tao is Death). Of course they do so intuitively.

[Marblehead]

That's why Taoists in generally also cultivate "Life"

Jackpot!

[MooNiNite]

edited

Edited January 16, 2018 by MooNiNite

[SonOfTheGods]

the 'mysterious female aperture' is mentioned in the tao teh ching. On Long Men Pai it is said that this "aperture" is found half way between the Heart (representing Heaven here) and the Navel / Kidneys (Representing Earth).

 

i.e. the mysterious female aperture is localized on the solar plexus, on the stomach area. If I'm not mistaken there a stage on the practice in which the adept must hold his intent and qi higher than the navel but lower than the heart, until the qi will spontaneosly enter into this cavity.

 

All very real, and not allegory.

 

Mine protrudes about 1.5 inches, and is round.

I can make it pop in and out, very easily, over and over.

 

 

When I put focus on my lower Tan Tien, immediately the flow surges into it, Shanzhong heats, Vagus nerve on right side of neck pulsates, my lower lip goes numb/tingles and my false and true (and middle) 3rd eye/Niwan starts to swell.

 

Lingtai, BaiHui pulses and Laogong, Daling Points heat and ignite all the way to Yong quan/Bubbling Springs.

 

Huiyin, Qihai, Wei lu, Mingmen throbs and Tan Tien MCO reverses.

 

Few minutes later the energy sublimates and little death visits.

 

 

 

 

 

[Captain Mar-Vell]

...

What?!

 

You do this s**t regularly?

 

Don't try this at home, kids!

 

I did it once, I think.

 

And when I came back I fell to earth like a wounded angel.

 

Still get aches in my shoulders...

 

I need new ones made of Steel...

 

I had flown too high.

 

The air is very thin on the topmost peaks, and there the heat of the sun doth burn.

 

My breath has now naturally sunk very very low, and is soft and supple.

 

Ya know, to be honest, I think I just held my breath too long/just long enough.

 

Breath retention.

 

Pranayama of every kind.

 

I did various forms of meditation, qi gong, yoga, tai chi, dervish whirlin' too... worked pretty well...

 

Er, where was I?

 

I don't tink I got nuffin' visible.

 

But then I ain't supercharged like sotg.

 

Diagram? Pics? Where should I be looking?

 

Black hole/void/golden disk.

 

Hmm.

 

Here are my notes verbatim from earlier, before I read this thread:

 

There are no survivors.

 

Even the Stargate is no escape.

 

No-one's gettin' outta here alive.

 

Dry County.

 

I wanna drink, to wash out the filth that is deep in my guts.

 

Stagnation.

 

Can you tell the difference between the cup that poisons and the draught that heals?

 

Let us show not tell.

 

Look! Before you a tableau.

 

Can't you see?

 

Parker lying there, dead in a pool of his own blood!

 

Yes, that's right Mr Sonofthegods.

 

Blood.

 

Poor Parker!

 

I weep for Parker.

 

But hang on a minute!

 

What the hell's going on?

 

He's gettin' up!

 

He's startin' ta dance!

 

Go, Parker, go!

 

Praise Lord Shiva!

...

Edited March 29, 2014 by Captain Mar-Vell

[Captain Mar-Vell]

...

But then sometimes I think it was simply a moment of sincerity.

 

And other times I think it was a thousand other things besides.

 

Who knows why a Thing like this happens?

...

Edited March 29, 2014 by Captain Mar-Vell

[SonOfTheGods]

 

All very real, and not allegory.

 

Mine protrudes about 1.5 inches, and is round.

I can make it pop in and out, very easily, over and over.

 

 

When I put focus on my lower Tan Tien, immediately the flow surges into it, Shanzhong heats, Vagus nerve on right side of neck pulsates, my lower lip goes numb/tingles and my false and true (and middle) 3rd eye/Niwan starts to swell.

 

Lingtai, BaiHui pulses and Laogong, Daling Points heat and ignite all the way to Yong quan/Bubbling Springs.

 

Huiyin, Qihai, Wei lu, Mingmen throbs and Tan Tien MCO reverses.

 

Few minutes later the energy sublimates and little death visits.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another thread wih great potential- in the TTB graveyard

 

 

"Minor Death" in Longmen Pai

 

R.I.P.

[SaiyaMan]

 

Another thread wih great potential- in the TTB graveyard

 

 

"Minor Death" in Longmen Pai

 

R.I.P.

 

I was expecting some great info to come out of this thread. Unfortunate

[Rocky Lionmouth]

Bit off topic but i've heard orgasm referred to as the little or minor death, although that might have been in some yogic or tantric tradition, i really cant remember the context, sorry.

[Captain Mar-Vell]

...

Heheh.

 

Le petit mort (sp?) is french for a swooning orgasm.

 

That is all.

 

I don't think there is a connection to yoga or tantra per se.

...

[Rocky Lionmouth]

...

Heheh.

 

Le petit mort (sp?) is french for a swooning orgasm.

 

That is all.

 

I don't think there is a connection to yoga or tantra per se.

...

 

Ah, very good. Tantraux then.

[joeblast]

 

I don't think there is a connection to yoga or tantra per se.

if you say so

[Captain Mar-Vell]

...

if you say so

 

Well, mr joeblast.

 

There are still some areas of life in which I am relatively ignorant, sir.

 

There is a cost, to being a hermit, you know?

 

Although I very much look forward to learning many new lessons.

 

Yes.

 

I enjoy anticipation.

 

I enjoy fulfillment.

 

 

ps I always speak true. I most ignorant of Tantra.

...

Edited April 12, 2014 by Captain Mar-Vell

[Infolad1]

In archetypal mythology, the "hero" must finally prove himself and lose his fear of death en route to conquer (transcend) the duality of life/death in this world (aka "immortality").

Even Christianity for instance, revolves around the belief that Jesus the Annointed resurrected from death by crucifixion.

In the Eastern "religions" though, the adepts are taught that they can actually possibly attain this themselves.

I know this is an old thread, but I had to complement you gendao.

 

You TOTALLY nailed It.  

 

Remember, Neo became "The ONE", after he "died". Then he could "see with new eyes" The Matrix.

 

Some people who've had near death experiences, come back with abilities.

 

It's part of a number of shamanistic cultures.

 

This isn't just a metaphor folks.

 

Real power always comes with sacrifice.

 

As Zen master Yun-men said for us:

 

• In the first stage of meditation, thoughts stop. 

   

• In the second stage of meditation, breathing stops. 

   

• In the third stage of meditation, the pulses stop. 

   

• In the fourth stage of meditation, extinction culminates in great stability.

 

It's Interesting. I literally just taught The Hero's Journey to my after school art students on Thursday,

diagram, and all.

 

And here It is.

 

Gotta love those synchronicities! 

 

Cheers!

Edited October 18, 2015 by Infolad1

[cobrien]

During my "pranayama" exercise I believe I experienced minor death a few times. This is supposition. I have not heard of minor death before coming across this forum.

 

Basically I think when shifting energy states you may also shift in consciousness or jhanas. If you greatly shift you consciousness by entering a high energy state the return may be an alignment of you chakras so different then before that you die in a sense.

 

My experience is feeling my consciousness leaving my body retaining just enough awareness to come back after falling to the ground.

 

It is also my supposition that after you experience enough alignment consistently it is no longer necessary to experience a "minor death"

[ilumairen]

During my "pranayama" exercise I believe I experienced minor death a few times. This is supposition. I have not heard of minor death before coming across this forum.

 

Basically I think when shifting energy states you may also shift in consciousness or jhanas. If you greatly shift you consciousness by entering a high energy state the return may be an alignment of you chakras so different then before that you die in a sense.

 

My experience is feeling my consciousness leaving my body retaining just enough awareness to come back after falling to the ground.

 

It is also my supposition that after you experience enough alignment consistently it is no longer necessary to experience a "minor death"

 

Please find a teacher.

[Daeluin]

I believe the answer may be found here.

 

Please remember the advice of the ancients - use the appropriate tools for the appropriate times, without attachment. When presented with land, use a vehicle to traverse that type of land. When presented with an ocean, use a vehicle to traverse the ocean.

 

If one attempts to drive a car up a mountain, or across an ocean, or to swim across an ocean as though it is a river, and so on, one's lofty dreams may quickly lead one to a very real death.

 

If one attempts to equanimously unwind their past lives through the seven suns... even assuming their energy allows this stage to initiate.... if they have not been able to meet the challenges of their own life with full acceptance and equanimity, through many complete cyclings of the sun and moon.... well my guess is that one could be very unprepared to equanimously witness some of their own past actions, thus upsetting the merging of these primordial energies, and thus interfering with the process and ending their life.

 

We can do much work on our own. But please remember that it often helps to get an outside perspective from one that is more highly achieved than we are, to show us if we have any blind spots. One who has already mastered themselves is very helpful in this, as they are able to see from all perspectives. Not all will be able to reach you though - be careful to find one who resonates with you. All that you need to do is focus sincerely within, and open to finding a teacher. Over time one's life will change, and with those changes, if one is patient long enough, one will suddenly find a teacher, without looking externally. If one looks externally, one is likely to find a teacher who has proclamations, but not necessarily truth, or one who is unobtainable. Trust yourself, sincerely, and your way will be true. Be humble, without attaching to lofty goals, and you will walk in the current of your own divine way.

[gendao]

I know this is an old thread, but I had to complement you gendao.

 

You TOTALLY nailed It.  

 

Remember, Neo became "The ONE", after he "died". Then he could "see with new eyes" The Matrix.

 

Some people who've had near death experiences, come back with abilities.

 

It's part of a number of shamanistic cultures.

 

This isn't just a metaphor folks.

 

Real power always comes with sacrifice.

 

As Zen master Yun-men said for us:

 

• In the first stage of meditation, thoughts stop. 

   

• In the second stage of meditation, breathing stops. 

   

• In the third stage of meditation, the pulses stop. 

   

• In the fourth stage of meditation, extinction culminates in great stability.

 

It's Interesting. I literally just taught The Hero's Journey to my after school art students on Thursday,

diagram, and all.

 

And here It is.

 

Gotta love those synchronicities! 

 

Cheers!

Thank you!!!  And glad to meet another one on the same wavelength, too!

 

So conversely, the Monomyth could also be used to help gauge the authenticity or utility of a method.  A "genuine" one would contain all the key elements of this journey, and a useful one would best help concretely guide one along this path.

[Daeluin]

Doe anyone know what is meant by "minor death" ?

 

My sense is that the next two chapters go on to explain this in detail. It is lesser/minor death because he doesn't stay dead, but comes back. At the beginning of chapter 6 it is mentioned he has since done this several times, similar to the last line in chapter 4.  I believe the last line in chapter for lingers on without explanation to carry weight to the next two chapters, which end this section of the book.

[mindtooloud]

ive heard it used as a synonym of sleeping.

[RookieIAm]

On 3/22/2014 at 2:50 AM, Marks of Glory said:

 

 

The book I read is "Opening the dragon gate" as mentioned in my post.

 

the 'mysterious female aperture' is mentioned in the tao teh ching. On Long Men Pai it is said that this "aperture" is found half way between the Heart (representing Heaven here) and the Navel / Kidneys (Representing Earth).

 

i.e. the mysterious female aperture is localized on the solar plexus, on the stomach area. If I'm not mistaken there a stage on the practice in which the adept must hold his intent and qi higher than the navel but lower than the heart, until the qi will spontaneosly enter into this cavity. But I never understood When this should be done. Because the same source that I studyes mentioned earlier that the adept must hold his intent on the lower dantien until the Heat manifests and circulates the MCO.

 

Anyway, coming back to the topic...

 

 

My experience with what I think is most close to "minor death":

 

There are two occasions in which I feel my breath completely ceasing.

 

One of them I consider as being a pathological manifestation, maybe of exhausion of Yin, I'm still not sure. But my breathing gets very subtle and wants to cease. When laid down it tends to completely stop, accompanied by a sense of suffocation. This sense of suffocation indicates that this process is not a healthy outcome of the practice. I notice this happening when the air is very hot and stale and dry. If happening during the sleep it is accompanied by very vivid dreams with highly simbolic contents.

 

 

The second experience there i spontaneous stopping of the breathing, but interestingly there is no feeling of suffocation, which is kind of awkward and strange in the moment. I Laying down while having this experience, it is accompanied by a sense o levitating out of my body, of feeling the presence of entities roaming in the room, and a extremely fearful mystery on the air. On these instances I feel afraid of not coming back.

 

If, during this experience I neglect to lay down (due to the intensity of leaving the body), and stand up and walk around, my whole vision of the world and society crumbles down and I feel like I lost it. So I lay down for a while, walk for a while, laydown for a while, till it passes.

 

This second experience first happened in a Ayahuasca Ritual, and then after intense meditation on a Vipassana 10 day retreat, after focusing on the crown baihui intensely there was a feeling of dissolving of the body into pixels like a waterfall from head to toe, accompanied by a spontaneous exhalation and suspension of breath, some hallucinations and the feeling of the HuiYin dissolving and getting soft.

Interesting, thanks for the share!

[Small Fur]

On December 6, 2015 at 7:15 PM, cobrien said:

During my "pranayama" exercise I believe I experienced minor death a few times. This is supposition. I have not heard of minor death before coming across this forum.

 

Basically I think when shifting energy states you may also shift in consciousness or jhanas. If you greatly shift you consciousness by entering a high energy state the return may be an alignment of you chakras so different then before that you die in a sense.

 

My experience is feeling my consciousness leaving my body retaining just enough awareness to come back after falling to the ground.

 

It is also my supposition that after you experience enough alignment consistently it is no longer necessary to experience a "minor death"

 

 

Cobrien,

 

Just to note, what is often referred to as the “little death” or a “minor death” in esoteric texts is the state of passage through the self in which what is commonly and mundanely known is no longer applicable or valid, and yet one’s essential and fundamental understanding is greater.

 

This passage is both physical and psychic in manifestation.

Generally it occurs through the body and there is a distinct sense of physical obliteration, and stemming forth the consciousness is existentially transformed. 

 

To note, drug induced experiences can actually lead the system to travel through a similar passage, but the difference is that this method is usually ephermal and while the consciousness is effected it is usually not deeply enough to gain enduring wisdom, just a limited (though sometimes impactful) transformative understanding. In addition, there are inherent risks to this and it is easier to become turbid from the passage (and thus becoming convoluted or ill following) than in learning how to access this passage through a purified consciousness.

 

As for your experience of elevated but not entirely uprooted consciousness, this is a potentially a powerful gift that if properly cultivated could be further developed to enhance your personal practices and understandings.

[Slim]

Wang Liping mentioned to a group of us in Austria several years ago that going through the minor and major deaths was the hardest part of his training. My sense from what he said was that the practitioner actually experiences the death process, and that it's not allegory. When Wang Liping brought it up you could tell from his manner that the experiences had had a profound impact on him. He also said he wouldn't take any of his students through the process because it was just too hard integrating back. 

[MooNiNite]

There is a point in meditation where reality floods in. This complete observance is the dissolution of self. What happens to "you" at that point, well it isn't surprising if the body stops breathing. Thought is what perpetuates breath; the autonomic systems of the body can actually be controlled.