Hey there

[witens]

I've been reading the forum for about three years now but only managed to write a post this evening. 

The reason of this is simple though. I always thought that i found the perfect practical book which i can learn a lot from.

I had lessons about taoism at the university  where we analysed the classical taoist literature from Tao The Ching to Zhuangzi and also some modern publications like the works of Fabrizio Pregadio.

So one day i asked the teacher about Mantak Chia's books (i was practising from the Healing light of the Tao).

Since he said taoists did not share their proper practises, nor with random people, nor with researchers (only if they've lived with them for about a decade) and advised against practising Chia's methods  i stopped practising them, believing that these things won't have the promised benefits and Chia is a fraud.

Then i just moved on from Chia stuff to Yang Jwing Ming then back to Chia-ish Judelove's 100 days book (i'm practising this one's course).

 

My questions are:

Is there anyone who knows the Chia system well and/or has reached the benefits the books state?

Do you guys recommend the books of Eric Judelove?

What alternatives do you recommend for practising inner alchemy?

 

Thank you in advence,

Witens

[Fa Xin]

Hello, Witens, 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 post 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,

 

Fa Xin and the TDB team

 

Hi Witens,

 

Don’t know much about those two writers, but I’ve always enjoyed Tai chi and Qigong path as an alternative to “inner alchemy”, though that term has a broad definition. Good luck on your search. 

 

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

 

May you enjoy your time here.

 

Fa Xin

[thelerner]

On 12/13/2018 at 3:00 PM, witens said:

My questions are:

Is there anyone who knows the Chia system well and/or has reached the benefits the books state?

Do you guys recommend the books of Eric Judelove?

What alternatives do you recommend for practising inner alchemy?

 

Thank you in advence,

Witens

A. not me.

B. I liked Yudelove's 100 days practice book, but the man himself is.. problematic.

[rideforever]

I've practiced the first part of the HT path with Michael Winn up to and including fusion and some alchemy.  It's a path that comes with problems, one problem is that Chia over the years has filled the books with huge numbers of additional material making it confusing also his English not so much.   There is a Fusion CD you can get from a Boston HT club which includes the older Fusion practices and they are far simpler.   So that's one thing to watch for.   Another is that the system tries to describe the inner energies too much and you lose the flavour of the beauty of qigong, because it's too much engineering.   Also the physical movements somehow are too much like surgery rather than movements that have meaning.   That all being said, it is a system that encourage comprehension of what is happening inside, other systems people don't know and don't care what's going on inside.   With the caveat that what chia thinks is going on inside is a little complex.  Also the HT teachers though they have powerful energies are to my mind somewhat flying too high, and they don't have the Eastern patriarchy feeling that some tai chi has which can be important.   So there's my thoughts.

 

Wuji standing is in my opinion after having experienced daily practice of quite a few systems is the only one you need and the most powerful.   Depending on your goals of course, but for energy cultivation / healthy / spirituality it's hard to beat.   2nd most beneficial is spontaneous qigong.   Again a difficult one, not difficult lots to remember, but difficult in the awareness inside and sensitivity to wield these practices.

 

Just looked through the index of Eric Judelove's 100 day book.  This is my very personal view of things : I don't think sexual kung fu is very good at all, in my experience doing the 5 elements well completely regulated my sexual energy and needs.  Anything else is just imagination and entertainment not sure what people want a 10ft boner and Ukrainian supermodels jumping on you ?!!!!  And I particularly don't like his set of breathing exercises.  These are traditionally done, but in my opinion there is only 1 breath you want to do which is surrender to natural breathing at the belly.   Because that is the only one that is natural and ever will be natural and it is in this way that we learn surrender.   And surrender is Taoism.   So basically just let go and follow the breath.   Any other breathing practices damages your natural breathing and that's the last thing you want.  

 

I think it's a good idea to chose practices on the basis of which ones look nice and fun to do, or which practitioners you would like to become like.   This is better than asking for the ones which give you max power.

 

Anyway it's all my opinion on the matter.

 

[Orion]

Some advanced Vedanta teachings I've heard come the closest to describing what I've realized in the past 4 years. Every other system I've looked at is incredibly heady (at least, in the way it's taught and discussed), and fails to address core reality consciousness in a personified being.  Most systems just address "oneness" or the Absolute, and the extraneous intellectualism is all about discussing variations of that. I have not come across a system yet that is prepared to discuss Brahman experiencing itself through an individual, and the technology to work with that - except Vadanta. The other issue is that most systems are steeped in human hierarchies wherein you're not permitted to receive certain teachings or have questions answered until you achieve a certain level or kiss enough asses; whereas Vedanta expects you to already have the basic work of sorting the ego done before you can do the real work. I don't want to worship gurus, or sort out my childhood trauma, masturbate about the nature of reality all day, or "feel better". I want THE TRUTH.

 

For this reason, I recommend Vedanta. You have to have some entry level realization before you can really get what they're talking about, which is another thing I like about it. They don't do hand-holding for people who want to debate about whether or not Samsara is a thing or not, or who can't differentiate their own minds from reality consciousness. It's for people who are already awake and now are going about the task of possibly enlightening.

Edited December 15, 2018 by Orion

[Jonesboy]

6 minutes ago, Orion said:

Some advanced Vedanta teachings I've heard come the closest to describing what I've realized in the past 4 years. Every other system I've looked at is incredibly heady (at least, in the way it's taught and discussed), and fails to address core reality consciousness in a personified being.  Most systems just address "oneness" or the Absolute, and the extraneous intellectualism is all about discussing variations of that. I have not come across a system yet that is prepared to discuss Brahman experiencing itself through an individual, and the technology to work with that - except Vadanta. The other issue is that most systems are steeped in human hierarchies wherein you're not permitted to receive certain teachings or have questions answered until you achieve a certain level or kiss enough asses; whereas Vedanta expects you to already have the basic work of sorting the ego done before you can do the real work. I don't want to worship gurus, or sort out my childhood trauma, masturbate about the nature of reality all day, or "feel better". I want THE TRUTH.

 

For this reason, I recommend Vedanta. You have to have some entry level realization before you can really get what they're talking about, which is another thing I like about it. They don't do hand-holding for people who want to debate about whether or not Samsara is a thing or not, or who can't differentiate their own minds from reality consciousness.

 

Are you familiar with Kashmir Shaivism at all? 

[Jonesboy]

On 12/13/2018 at 2:00 PM, witens said:

I've been reading the forum for about three years now but only managed to write a post this evening. 

The reason of this is simple though. I always thought that i found the perfect practical book which i can learn a lot from.

I had lessons about taoism at the university  where we analysed the classical taoist literature from Tao The Ching to Zhuangzi and also some modern publications like the works of Fabrizio Pregadio.

So one day i asked the teacher about Mantak Chia's books (i was practising from the Healing light of the Tao).

Since he said taoists did not share their proper practises, nor with random people, nor with researchers (only if they've lived with them for about a decade) and advised against practising Chia's methods  i stopped practising them, believing that these things won't have the promised benefits and Chia is a fraud.

Then i just moved on from Chia stuff to Yang Jwing Ming then back to Chia-ish Judelove's 100 days book (i'm practising this one's course).

 

My questions are:

Is there anyone who knows the Chia system well and/or has reached the benefits the books state?

Do you guys recommend the books of Eric Judelove?

What alternatives do you recommend for practising inner alchemy?

 

Thank you in advence,

Witens

 

Welcome to the bums.

 

I don’t practice qigong so would hate to disrupt your thread.

 

Again welcome and I hope you find the answers you seek.

[Orion]

1 hour ago, Jonesboy said:

 

Are you familiar with Kashmir Shaivism at all? 

 

I don't do isms

[rideforever]

10 hours ago, Orion said:

I want THE TRUTH.

 

What you say is true, most if not all are repeating the past one more generation, and hierarchies tend to attract political type of people rather than highest seeker in group.

 

Here is some higher truth : God did not put us in human form by mistake, or so we can disappear up backside talking about being nothing or being God.   In Christianity it says once you know the Father then you know the Son.   What this means is that when you realise the Source-God then you realise what you are, you are the Son, meaning you become the Divine Human.   That is the entire purpose.  Divine Human is part of the source that is individuated.  Ego self is embyronic material formation that may or may not be interested to take spiritual journey and transform.

 

Many humans however in one lifetime are content to just reach Source-God, which can be extremely difficult.   Afterwards tired, and sit quietly until death.   But real truth is return down the mountain and become what was originally planned, i.e. Divine Human.   Divine Human is like leaf on tree, it can feel itself as leaf also as branch also as roots also as Earth.   It feels the entire chain of its creation, as it continues realisation.   The brings the true power of the source through the tree and branch and becomes very bright leaf full of light, and is in very good state.   Well done.

 

God-source is not like background with few beings here and there .... the beings and the source need each other, they are a pair that is evolving together.

 

And now music:

 

 

Edited December 15, 2018 by rideforever

[thelerner]

Will I be the first person to say it?  yay

15 hours ago, Orion said:

 I don't want to worship gurus, or sort out my childhood trauma, masturbate about the nature of reality all day, or "feel better". I want THE TRUTH.

 

You Can't Handle The Truth. 

or maybe you can.  personally i find people who've found the truth have only found a truth.   one that's right for them.  later you find the newer truths make you discard earlier ones. 

i only have room for 2 truths and pocketful of lies that help me through the day. 

[Orion]

17 hours ago, thelerner said:

Will I be the first person to say it?  yay

You Can't Handle The Truth. 

or maybe you can.  personally i find people who've found the truth have only found a truth.   one that's right for them.  later you find the newer truths make you discard earlier ones. 

i only have room for 2 truths and pocketful of lies that help me through the day. 

 

Sounds a bit airy fairy, if you ask me

[thelerner]

14 hours ago, Orion said:

 

Sounds a bit airy fairy, if you ask me

true,  I wait around patiently for someone, somewhere to use the phrase 'I want the the Truth', so I can say the Tom Cruise quote back at them.  Sometimes it takes years, but its worth it when it happens.