Fascinated by Taoism, slowly building discipline

[samuel.savage]

Hey there! 

Really glad to find such a vital community for Daoism. I'm a practicing Yogi / Hindu, have been for many years. I discovered daoist concepts when I studied Ayurveda; I constantly heard people comparing and contrasting it with Traditional Chinese Medicine. Also, when I was learning Yoga, I heard people bring up 'dantiens' a lot. 

Personally, I like to keep the theory and jargon of the two systems separate. There are very notable differences between the two methodologies of internal cultivation, and I am utterly intrigued and fascinated by this 'new' system that I do not have much experience in. 

 

 

 

Right now I am practicing intermittent fasting (20:4), ketogenic diet (have been on it for 3 months), retrograde ejaculation (by pressing my hand on my perineum, have not mastered it yet), and Transcendental Meditation. 

 

 

I'm meditating 30 minutes a day, and bumping my practice up by a few minutes every week (I have mediocre discipline). My goal is multiple hours of daily practice. Transcendental Meditation can and should only take a certain portion of my morning and evening disciplines. I want to begin incorporating daoist methods of cultivation as soon as I can muster a few more minutes into my routine. 

 

 

What practice would you guys recommend for a newcomer to daojiao? Perhaps something to do with cleansing meridians? Or would it wise to begin by 'building up the Jing in the lower dantien'? I know what a dantien is, and I know the difference between Jing, Qi, Shen. But I do not know what do develop first, or how that development takes place.

 

I am vaguely familiar with ideas such as micro / macro cosmic orbit, Tao te', original jing, etc. I have spent about five years already immersed in the Hindu system of esotericism, so it shouldn't be extroardinarily difficult for me to intellectually understand these new Daoist concepts. 

 

Humbly, I look for assistance! 

 

[Marblehead]

Hello samuel.savage, and welcome.

 

Your membership is approved and we're happy you found your way to us. We look forward to accompanying you on some of the way that you still have to go.

 

Please take the time to read the two posts pinned at the top of this Welcome page and take a look at the forum terms and rules. This covers all you need to know when getting started.

 

For the first week you will be restricted to ten posts per day but after that you can post as much as you like. Also, until you’ve posted fifteen times in the forums, you’ll be a “Junior Bum” with somewhat restricted access and will be allowed only two private messages per day.

 

Good luck in your pursuits and best wishes to you,

 

Marblehead and the TDB team

 

 

Hi samuel,

 

You will find many discussions of your interest here as well as many members to speak with.

 

You are welcome to jump right in ongoing discussions, revive an older thread, start a new thread of your own, or start a discussion in the "Newcomer Corner" sub-forms to expand on your introduction or ask general questions to help you get started.

 

May you enjoy your time here.

 

Marblehead

[RiverSnake]

I would stay away from pressing your hand against the perineum, it is a potentially harmful technique. In terms of techniques i'd recommend you practice some kind of Chi Kung. If you want to intensify and deepen your practice you may consider proportioning your sexual energy for this goal. A basic technique you may enjoy: 

 

Edited April 10, 2017 by OldAngel

[cold]

Welcome and best wishes.

[samuel.savage]

Why is this a potentially harmful technique? I read that it is on the internet, but I find no solid evidence that it can be harmful. Would appreciate reasoning. 

 

And thank you for your advice on what to practice. This technique looks dead simple though lol, not really exciting for me as someone who already practices fairly complex sets of pranayams and asanas, as per the traditions of Hinduism. 

[RiverSnake]

Why is this a potentially harmful technique? I read that it is on the internet, but I find no solid evidence that it can be harmful. Would appreciate reasoning. 

 

And thank you for your advice on what to practice. This technique looks dead simple though lol, not really exciting for me as someone who already practices fairly complex sets of pranayams and asanas, as per the traditions of Hinduism. 

 

 

Squeezing the pc muscle is fine...but using it to forcefully stop the flow of ejaculate can cause injury to the tissue. Whenever you see a technique that forces things it's extremely important to make sure it's being used in a balanced way....the way this is often used is not balanced. 

 

Don't underestimate that technique...simple is powerful....source is simple. 

[vonkrankenhaus]

More could be achieved by avoiding things that diminish human development than by seeking compensatory techniques.

 

Bad food is more harmful/diminishing of jing than any normal ejaculation.

 

Add birth management that mentally retards people.

 

Add chemicals and neurotoxic metals in vaccines, food, consumer products.

 

Eliminate these (and the rest of the diminishments) and "cultivation" is already happening.

 

 

 

 

-VonKrankenhaus

[thelerner]

One book I read (decades ago) said there is the million dollar point, and the 2 dollar point.  They are easy to confuse with each other or get the pressure wrong.  

[Limahong]

Hello s.s.,

 

As a yogi, can you align jing/chi/shen with the seven chakras?

 

I had tried the pc muscles, perineum ... all in the name of exploration; and I totally agree with OldSaint on this:

"Whenever you see a technique that forces things it's extremely important to make sure it's being used in a balanced way....the way this is often used is not balanced".

 

For me - one thing led to another as I do not like things done "forcefully" against nature. Can you imagine the consequences of pressing the perineum and linked them to a mighty river clogged for hydro-power?

 

No wonder OldSaint addresses himself thus, he is so wise - "simple is powerful". He must have reached this conclusion from various experiments and experiences.

 

And to top it all he says - "source is simple".

 

Don't know what he means actually. But I will try and second guess with this my 2 cents worth - maybe his source is referred to the mind.

 

Why mind? Mind over body. Mind over pc muscles. Mind over perineum. Mind over ...

 

Comments please, OldSaint.

 

- LimA

[RiverSnake]

Hey Lima, don't really want to elaborate on what "source" is because language always falls short when your trying to describe nondual "things". 

 

But suffice it to say that IME simple techniques have shown to bring amazing results. Awareness is simple. Hope that helps. 

[Limahong]

Hi OldSaint,

 

Visited your Path-Notes Blog. Many, many new concepts. I am humbled.

 

What is nondual? Examples of nondual things? What is IME?

 

Apology - one ? too many.

 

- LimA

[Limahong]

Hi OldSaint,

 

I am revisiting the old threads that I had joined in before.

It will be nice to take one or two steps forward with each of these threads.

But I do not wish to be drowned with too much inputs that I don't understand or find hard to digest.

 

I still hold on to this from you:

Language always falls short when your trying to describe nondual "things". But suffice it to say that IME simple techniques have shown to bring amazing results. Awareness is simple.

 

- LimA

[Marblehead]

IME = in my estimate

 

Good/bad is dualism

 

Acknowledging "what is" is non-dualism

 

It is the contrast between the objective (what is) and the subjective (my thoughts on what is).

 

[Limahong]

Hi Marblehead,

 

Thank you.

 

Mr Moonbow - you have just given me a Taoist 'welcome home' embrace. Why?

 

I have just claimed a very important part of my ethnic roots.

 

The label of me as a "banana" (yellow on the outside, white on the inside) is forever gone,

 

You like bananas? Fresh off the grocer shop? Or baked/fried?

 

I am REALLY happy - I am going to buy a papaya.

 

- LimA

 

[dawei]

Welcome

 

It is hard to find a write-up that describes Taoism in simple, straight and yet practical terms... this seems worth a read, 

 

Taoism 101: Introduction to the Tao

 

Excerpts:

 

The path of understanding Taoism is simply accepting yourself. Live life and discover who you are. Your nature is ever changing and is always the same. Don’t try to resolve the various contradictions in life, instead learn acceptance of your nature.

 

Taoism teaches a person to flow with life.

 

Discover a set of practices to aid keeping the mind, body and spirit engaged and strong. Remember practices should support your essence with the activities fitting the needs of the moment. Which means this is a shifting balance of activities relative to your needs.

 

Take time, relax and just explore and poke around. Taoism has no plans. Taoism is based upon following your gut feelings and trusting your instincts.

 

It’s within the pause of a breath… 

 

Taoism teaches a person to drop expectations. The more expectations you have for your life, the less you will become. A Taoist lives life without expectations, living in the here and now fully.

 

 

Oh, BTW: Welcome to being a Dao Bum

[Limahong]

Hi dawei (as in David?),

 

Thank you.

 

Your posting is what I believe any good philosophy should be - user friendly in the context of everyday living that any Average Josephines/Joes can understand fairly well.

 

You are my new Taoist Hero.

 

Marblehead - move over.

 

- LimA

[Limahong]

Gentlemen {Marblehead (MH) + dawei (DW)}:

 

Thank you for helping me to be where I am at this point in time and space – a non-dualistic person.

 

I had not really revealed before where I was coming from at TDB. Yet both of you brought me home to where I originally belonged.

 

In another thread I had indicated that I was born ‘oriental’ but grew up ‘occidental’ – not a conscious choice by any measure from my family. It was circumstantial.

 

All my life I had (till yesterday) this polarised contradiction within myself that I had to struggled with myself to stay balanced.

 

But when I first came across Taoism, something within me stirred (commencement of a new consciousness?).

 

One thing led to another and I thought the opportunity had come when I proposed to my professors that I wanted to do a Taoist dissertation within a business school in the West.

 

But I was shot down by the professors academically. I did not blame them as they ‘caught no ball’. Perhaps I got myself to blame as then I was at best a pseudo budding Taoist.

 

Yet again another thing led to another – an ethnic English research associate give me an article to read on wuwei and my struggle became more manageable henceforth.

 

Now MH and DW have descended beautifully upon my horizon and … rainbow => moonbow. Why?

 

MH + DW = my heroes on Daoist wisdom.

 

A great weekend.

 

- LimA

[dawei]

2 hours ago, Limahong said:

All my life I had (till yesterday) this polarised contradiction within myself that I had to struggled with myself to stay balanced.

 

But when I first came across Taoism, something within me stirred (commencement of a new consciousness?).

 

One thing led to another and I thought the opportunity had come when I proposed to my professors that I wanted to do a Taoist dissertation within a business school in the West.

 

But I was shot down by the professors academically. I did not blame them as they ‘caught no ball’. Perhaps I got myself to blame as then I was at best a pseudo budding Taoist.

 

Yet again another thing led to another – an ethnic English research associate give me an article to read on wuwei and my struggle became more manageable henceforth.

 

Thanks for sharing a part of your life

 

It is interesting that the word 'struggle' comes up in regards to trying to find balance and how that leads to Taoism.

 

Tao doesn't struggle... so where does the struggle come from

 

 

[Limahong]

Hi dawei,

 

My struggles are inversely proportionate to my understanding of Taoism.

Hope to have these struggles (e.g. financial) reduced as I move in the direction of the Void.

But manageable struggles are OK with me. They create the potentials to grow and be better

 

I am slowly moving from the word 'struggles' to 'challenges'; and from 'problems' to 'situations'..

I like to take on the 'process' perspectives of schemes of things.

Life is dynamic and not static.

Just love this:

 

- LimA

 

Edited June 2, 2017 by Limahong
Correct typo error.

[Marblehead]

1 hour ago, Limahong said:

 

I am slowly moving from the word 'struggles' to 'challenges'; and from 'problems' to 'situations'..

 

Just love this:

 

- LimA

 

I learned that a long time ago from a woman!  She was a dear friend and superior where I was working at the time.  She just happened to be the first woman in the US Army to be promoted to the rank of Command Sergeant Major.

 

[Limahong]

Hi Marblehead,

 

When "what is" equals "reality", then:

(i) reality is non-dualistic

(ii) but thoughts on reality are dualistic.

 

Why is (ii) so?

 

Because thoughts on reality are coloured by:

(*) different situations

(**) different experiences of a situation

 

Yes/no to the above?

 

The papaya I bought yesterday was very sweet, but a bit expensive though.

You like papaya?

 

- LimA

[Marblehead]

Yes to the above.

 

Yes I like papaya.  Haven't had any for a while.  (Haven't felt as if I have been missing anything in my life though.)

 

[Limahong]

Hi Marblehead,

 

Then why are you 'wondering'?

 

- LimA

[Marblehead]

1 hour ago, Limahong said:

Hi Marblehead,

 

Then why are you 'wondering'?

 

- LimA

I wonder because I don't want too many people thinking that I actually know what I am talking about.

 

You said it:

 

Because thoughts on reality are coloured by:

(*) different situations

(**) different experiences of a situation

 

I wonder if I am seeing reality or my altered version of it.

 

[Limahong]

Good morning Marblehead,

 

Don't quote me - I am just a wandering budding Taoist. No wonder you "wonder if I am seeing reality" because you misquoted.

 

Please just see whatever you are seeing.and keep it to yourself.

 

Pray don't  alter my current "version of it". I struggled very hard to be where I am now 'taoistically'. I don't want to be lost again.

 

So you wonder by yourself and I wander by myself.

 

At this moment there is no yin/yang marriage between wonder/wander, for me at least.

 

Goodbye ex-hero.

 

- LimA