How to become less blind

[J Warg]

On 18/4/2019 at 9:02 AM, freeform said:

You see the internal arts work very differently. It’s a little complicated. The idea is to set up certain conditions in your body and mind, so that the Qi flows of its own accord in the necessary ways.

 

This takes a lot of practice time and effort, but once it’s done you will sense the energy moving - it’s very physical and obvious - not subtle and semi imagined.

 

Hi Freeform,

 

But if visualization is not the right way, and if "trying to get the feeling" through a certain energy passage / channel / meridian is not right either, what is correct the procedure to follow if one is looking for health, for improving the function in chakras, tan tiens, etc? 

 

 

[J Warg]

On 18/4/2019 at 12:51 PM, freeform said:

The ones who I do find deplorable are the teachers who know these things, but decide to water them down and to change the teachings to reflect their own (or ‘the market’s’) preferences just to make more money.

 

Yes, I'm thinking of Yogananda right now... but yet...

 

On 18/4/2019 at 12:51 PM, freeform said:

Yes its true that these practices are extremely difficult and not possible for most people. The answer to that is not to make it ‘simpler’ so that it’s accessible to more people - just as it’s not a good idea to make a medical degree simpler and easily accomplished in a couple of weekend seminars.

 

Should a master / teacher leave the great blind mass in the darkness?

[J Warg]

On 20/4/2019 at 3:15 PM, Starjumper said:

You think you're thick?  I'm so thick let me tell you, If I can learn this stuff anyone can.

 

Haha, if you guys say this about yourselves you make me hopeful about my case 

[J Warg]

On 20/4/2019 at 4:16 PM, Starjumper said:

In fact, the yoga that Babaji used to become an immortal (which is NOT Kriya Yoga) is almost identical to my chi kung, and we may be brothers in a way, because he is said to be king of the Serpents - and serpents are brothers of dragons ... and both paths are in the small group called 'path of the immortal'

 

But does Yogananda's Babaji really exists?

[lifeforce]

.

Edited April 25, 2019 by lifeforce

[J Warg]

On 20/4/2019 at 7:04 PM, Pilgrim said:

Lahiri Mahasaya a student of Babaji Naga Raj asked for permission to teach common folks some practice they could do as otherwise they had no hope for advancement.

 

Lahiri coined the phrase Kriya Yoga. And they are a few very simple practices for every day people to get a leg up.

 

later it got commercialized and all kinds of wild bullshit promises and statements were bolted into it.

 

Again, do you guys really think that this inmortal being really exists?

 

There are many 'masters' out there teaching different kriyas and they all say they are in contact with Babaji.

 

The last one is Sri M... And they teach visualization through certain nadis channels... Don't know what to think 

[Starjumper]

2 hours ago, J Warg said:

But does Yogananda's Babaji really exists?

 

I think yes.  After my experiences I will not say that any particular thing can not exist in the spirit realm, in fact it looks like every damn thing you can imagine exists in the spirit realm.  So the question becomes: is it really there if it isn't physical?  Which brings up the next question: if some of these avatars and saints can incarnate then they can chose to be physical or not, are they then more real?

 

Concerning Babaji Nagaraj, there appears to be more solid support for his existence than any other.  In addition I feel that those who reported stories of Babaji were being sincere and were not being tricked.   I spoke to him once and got an answer right back, but I realize that one can't be sure who answered back.  I mean, it could have been my teacher who couldn't help butting in, or it could have been any other trickster spirit.  For example Sai Baba would some times appear to people as Jesus, because they believed in Jesus

 

BUT, the spirit world works with a high appreciation of ethics and so I don't think some smart ass would butt in and speak for one of the big guys because they could get into trouble.

[Pilgrim]

6 hours ago, J Warg said:

There are many 'masters' out there teaching different kriyas and they all say they are in contact with Babaji.

From what I have seen the ones claiming direct contact with Babaji are often like in SriM’s case not referencing the one in Autobiography of a Yogi.

 

Those that claim to be reincarnations of Yuktesar are clearly frauds anyone with 1/4 of a brain can sniff that out.

 

I seriously doubt the Babaji from the book which is not entirely a work of fiction has any need or desire to go around churning out more would be teachers.

 

I have known monks former SRF Monks and those that have edited the book and the lessons.  

 

The majority of the story is factual but professional editors were hired to 

take the supernormal events and write them in such a way that they were better received.

 

Now is Babaji of that book real? Does he exist?

 

I would say yes but not based on that book.

 

Shibendu Lahiri whom I learned from in person not in a crowd, the great grandson of Lahiri Mahasaya confirmed his existence.

 

To know why what he says is important you really have to spend time with him in private like I did. He is heavily influenced by Krishnamurti and is not a teller of grand stories.

 

He is rough, rude and over the top no punches held.  He is irreverent to the extreme.

 

When it came to discussing Babaji he becomes very careful and very quiet and very, very serious the look in his eyes changes becomes reverential.

 

When he describes the meeting with his great grandfather it is vague he does not go into all the fluff and pageantry that is the norm every since the ABOY book.

 

When addressing crowds he likes to stay on the surface with this stuff saying this meeting happened and inexplicable this and that and some thing occurred and he gives a vague outline so as not to misrepresent anything.

 

In private he is even more cautious and serious and reverential. Those things told in private I will not share. 

 

Let it rest with Babaji is real. Real and what works have been done through the Family lineage of Lahiri and Yogananda and his student Hariharananda are more than sufficient and there is no need to mint crusaders to set anything right or create more organizations and churches or cults.

Edited April 22, 2019 by Pilgrim

[Pilgrim]

3 hours ago, J Warg said:

There are many 'masters' out there teaching different kriyas and they all say they are in contact with Babaji.

 

The last one is Sri M... And they teach visualization through certain nadis channels... Don't know what to think 

That is the problem. there are many but they are not masters.

 

You absolutely will not, PAY ATTENTION PLEASE, will not meet a master of the caliber of either Yogananda or Paramahamsa Hariharananda today.

 

Why? Because their mission is fulfilled and learning can be received by those they left behind. I do not mean SRF Just to be clear that is now a church.

 

You most certainly will not purchase a guru.

 

I and others became entrapped in the snare of seeking original Kriya Yoga have been used and were lied to.

 

Do not trust the spiritual marketplace.

 

One way you can be sure is those who denounce the spiritual marketplace do so with hand out and are collecting money saying I am not part of the market place.  

 

If a teacher says these are my fees up front and you can vet his lineage like Don Abrams then you can trust them. You can decide in a reasonable manner what the exchange is worth it  to you or not.

 

 

 

 

[Pilgrim]

4 hours ago, J Warg said:

The last one is Sri M... And they teach visualization through certain nadis channels... Don't know what to think 

With true Kriya there is no chance of harm.

 

Why?

 

The reasons are several.

 

#1.You are not pulling prana in from external sources, nor attempting to build it up.

 

#2. You do not compress or purposely build Prana in any one point where it becomes like a soda pop can shaken ready to blow.

 

#3. You only work within the central channel which is not the same as in other systems it is deep inside the core of the spine if one were to give it a location and it is very fine and small in diameter.

 

#4. The chakras are energized and by the energization are purified.

 

There is no circulating Prana any where else not the side channels nor the limbs nor the countless Nadis elsewhere.

 

If energy flows elsewhere accept it enjoy it and watch it and it will go where needed then dissipate. 

 

There is more but I am out of time. Feel free to ask I can recommend only 1 teacher though. His Name is Donald Abrams.

Edited April 22, 2019 by Pilgrim

[Starjumper]

5 hours ago, J Warg said:

On 4/20/2019 at 8:15 AM, Starjumper said:

You think you're thick?  I'm so thick let me tell you, If I can learn this stuff anyone can.

 

Haha, if you guys say this about yourselves you make me hopeful about my case 

 

I want to assure you that all it takes is certain* movements and postures and anyone who is physically able can do it.  ANYONE.

 

(* certain does not mean few.. it means many, but arranged in a certain way.)

 

Taoist Texts wrote a post saying something like: if even the most common person is given the elixir? that they will become like a sage but I guess it isn't in this thread.

 

The main way that meditation enters the picture is the requirement to focus on the movement or posture rather than thinking about something else.

Edited April 22, 2019 by Starjumper

[dwai]

Since y'all *are* discussing astral visions and beyond, let me share an experience I had doing some meditation with another member of this board. This has to do with the Kriya Yoga lineage and Babaji (Lahiri Mahasaya's Guru). FWIW, I have not an iota of doubt that what Yogananda wrote in his autobiography is not only absolutely true, but that the book is actually a "trigger" that sets off a spiritual process in the readers who are ready. What "ready" means is that the individual should have sufficient past life actions coming to fruition (meditation and spiritual work in previous lifetimes), or has been a member of this particular lineage in previous lifetimes. 

 

There is room for mystical experiences and mystical practices in the spiritual realm. Mystical experiences are wonderful vistas and pointers, encouraging signposts in the spiritual journey.  Here's my "story" of Babaji. BTW, my Master, who is perhaps one of the most powerful mystics I have encountered, also had a very amazing encounter with Babaji.

 

Quote

During a one on one session with a member of this board a few years back, I found myself entering a luminous space that was shining electric blue. I was amazed to find that same blue egg floating in space, turning the space into that electric blue color I had seen many years back in my first truly mystical experience/vision. At the head of the egg (top) I saw Babaji (from the Kriya yoga lineage), and around him I saw an interesting group. I saw Ramana Maharshi, Sri Yukteshwar Giri, Paramhamsa Yogananda, Lahiri Mahashaya and Guru Nanak. 
I had a strong urge to approach Babaji and seek his blessings. As I touched him, he picked me up and swallowed me whole. And then I found myself become a particle of light, speeding through what seemed like a spiraling wormhole.
 It continued for a while and then I found myself in this brilliant giant golden sun. I literally felt like I fell into it, as a drop of water might fall into an ocean. I stayed there as part of the sun for a while, and then something happened and I fell through the sun into a completely blank space (total darkness). This was like the darkness of space I had seen in my previous vision when I was around 21 yrs old. As I looked around, I saw a blue cloud far away in the distance towards the left. As I saw it, i was drawn to it. There I found myself in Vaikuntha, with Lord Vishnu lying down on Anantha Nag, like it is shown in the potraits. Right after, I found myself sitting in padmasana, in a lotus rising out of the navel of Lord Vishnu.

 

[Pilgrim]

2 hours ago, dwai said:

Since y'all *are* discussing astral visions and beyond, let me share an experience I had doing some meditation with another member of this board. This has to do with the Kriya Yoga lineage and Babaji (Lahiri Mahasaya's Guru). FWIW, I have not an iota of doubt that what Yogananda wrote in his autobiography is not only absolutely true, but that the book is actually a "trigger" that sets off a spiritual process in the readers who are ready. What "ready" means is that the individual should have sufficient past life actions coming to fruition (meditation and spiritual work in previous lifetimes), or has been a member of this particular lineage in previous lifetimes. 

 

There is room for mystical experiences and mystical practices in the spiritual realm. Mystical experiences are wonderful vistas and pointers, encouraging signposts in the spiritual journey.  Here's my "story" of Babaji. BTW, my Master, who is perhaps one of the most powerful mystics I have encountered, also had a very amazing encounter with Babaji.

 

 

You have experienced true Yoni Mudra. Congratulations.

[Pilgrim]

2 hours ago, dwai said:

During a one on one session with a member of this board a few years back, I found myself entering a luminous space that was shining electric blue. I was amazed to find that same blue egg floating in space, turning the space into that electric blue color I had seen many years back in my first truly mystical experience/vision. At the head of the egg (top) I saw Babaji (from the Kriya yoga lineage), and around him I saw an interesting group. I saw Ramana Maharshi, Sri Yukteshwar Giri, Paramhamsa Yogananda, Lahiri Mahashaya and Guru Nanak. 
I had a strong urge to approach Babaji and seek his blessings. As I touched him, he picked me up and swallowed me whole. And then I found myself become a particle of light, speeding through what seemed like a spiraling wormhole.
 It continued for a while and then I found myself in this brilliant giant golden sun. I literally felt like I fell into it, as a drop of water might fall into an ocean. I stayed there as part of the sun for a while, and then something happened and I fell through the sun into a completely blank space (total darkness). This was like the darkness of space I had seen in my previous vision when I was around 21 yrs old. As I looked around, I saw a blue cloud far away in the distance towards the left. As I saw it, i was drawn to it. There I found myself in Vaikuntha, with Lord Vishnu lying down on Anantha Nag, like it is shown in the potraits. Right after, I found myself sitting in padmasana, in a lotus rising out of the navel of Lord Vishnu.

You have experienced true Yoni Mudra. Congratulations.

[Pilgrim]

In reading this I am becoming very soft heated towards seekers all over again. It seems to me people just need a few simple practices that are safe and effective and I have a great desire to share some. Perhaps I will rework my PPD and give some practices that I have found worthwhile minus the fluff.

 

Anyone think this is worthwhile or just a waste of time and effort?

 

 

[Fa Xin]

Just now, Pilgrim said:

In reading this I am becoming very soft heated towards seekers all over again. It seems to me people just need a few simple practices that are safe and effective and I have a great desire to share some. Perhaps I will rework my PPD and give some practices that I have found worthwhile minus the fluff.

 

Anyone think this is worthwhile or just a waste of time and effort?

 

 

 

I think you should

[Pilgrim]

Ok then if it only helps 1 person it will be worth while. I am going to start with techniques that are not Kriya because I want people to be able to do Kriya for themselves. To do so they are going to need a common starting point. 

 

I think the best way to approach Kriya is with some Bon techniques. Kriya without the ability to feel energy is like kicking a motorcycle down the road and then jumping on it until it runs out of momentum. Lets see if what is described can bring people to the point of feeling...

[Pilgrim]

PPD has just been updated, I am working my way forward the first section is complete. I am now going to start with some practices.

[Pilgrim]

Please wait need to add some stuff.

[Pilgrim]

PPD is updated tomorrow I will bring in some Kriya practices for now two powerful Bon Practices May be found next I will give basic ZaZen instruction.

 

@Starjumper please send me the links or post them here to your Aura picture and Any other post having to do with it. I believe I may have your answers and practices you want. 

[Nungali]

On 20/04/2019 at 11:22 PM, GSmaster said:

 

 

 

Wait insulting self, it is against the insult policy? Will, I get banned for that. 

 

< rushes in to help > 

 

NO !    Stop !   ....      you might get banned  ...

 

 

 

Let me do that for you  .

 

 

    

[Nungali]

On 20/04/2019 at 11:50 PM, Kar3n said:

You rang?

 

 

 

Mrs Banhammer       now is it ?

 

 

 

 

 

[Nungali]

I liked reading this post, could relate to a lot of it ... being 'retired'  and all that .

 

 

On 21/04/2019 at 3:27 AM, Starjumper said:

 

I get the feeling more and more that I should just give up on this 'teacher' farce I'm living.  Sometimes I think it would have been best if I had gone deeper into the wilderness, where people would have to take a two day canoe ride to get to me, and instead of spending all my money building a nice big place I should have just built a little shack.

 

My 'isolation' really isolated me  ....      , from development in martial arts.  But then after a while I found a teacher I needed, at that time, right here, sort of hidden . 

 

[ The curious thing is too, that when I was more heavily into Aikido ( Aki-kai), and moved here, I was the only one that seemed to know it . But later I found out that the 'head guy' for Oz  ( like a few different  'schools', they have HQ in China, Okinawa, Japan, USA and have 'regional masters' looking after different countries ), before I moved here, had married a local woman and had  bought land and started construction for house and 'Australian national dojo'  ...... in my valley !   When I first arrived, I used to pass the empty block with the strange looking very large spring floor ... and nothing else .  Dont know what happened there , I think he lives in NY now ?    Also his son went to local High School , he has returned a couple of times for visit , I  did a couple of sword sessions with him. ]

 

On the other hand, my lack of REAL isolation, was needed as the 'school' part relies on the 'student' .  Maybe thats why we find bigger schools in city , many more people to supply the 'rare breeds' out of ?

 

In any case, here, eventually, numbers dropped so the 'official school'  closed . the unofficial one is pretty interesting and a LOT more laid back .

 

I didnt spend all my money building a big place , it had a nice cabin and I started building a big house that would sleep visitors (as at that time it was a thriving retreat centre , sometimes every bit of floor space with a sleeping person and people camping in temple and in tents). But that 'died down' , I got rid of the then GF as she was hopeless  and I thought :Why bust my arse finishing the house when I have a fine 'bachelors pad (cabin)' ?  So I got this horrible mess half built house on the path in     . I will get to fixing that one day , there is a conversion plan.

 

But hey , things happen , and happen in a certain way for a reason.  I would not change a thing, considering how it all turned out and how I feel right now.  You might feel the  same way eventually.

 

Quote

 

 

 

 I don't think I can leave here now though because of the dragons that have congregated here.

 

I am guessing they are like the energies here .    If they want you to stay, no way you will be leaving , and do NOT think of fighting it . This aspect is sooo well known here, people warn others about it. One woman was told, she had 2 attempts and things went wrong and stopped here.  But only when she was trying to actually move , trips to town and visiting out of the valley are ok.  She was told and rebelled and stated she wasnt going to be told what to do !  S o she packed and took off and  put her kombi in the river off the 2nd bridge - with baby in car !  No one was hurt or injured though.  A few  months later, she was offered a good place in nearby town to rent, everything seemed to be falling into place, she moved there with no problems . Seen it heaps of times !

 

Conversely, no matter how much you wanna stay, and they wanna spit you out ....  you gone .  

 

But there is another whole other side about our connection to land  , they energies that are there,  the energies we help develop there, how they move with us and/or stay behind. Its different if we are not 'born out of that land',  but that does not stop us making powerful connections, discoveries and developments (in self and land ). I use the term 'connection to land ' (here the term is connection to country'  and most may think they understand it, but it can be an immensely strong and powerful thing .

 

Its a very big part of my indigenous shamanic path .  Eventually one 'melts' into 'landscape'  , becomes part of it, even if we where not  born out of it.

 

"When I die, I go back to earth . "    - 'Big Bill ' Neidjie

 

But people not really interested any more  ...  its just   ....  'Old man's  story '

 

 

 

 

 

Quote

 

 

 

 Maybe if I moved they would move with me or there may be other ones in a new place,

 

I moved up on the mountain for 6 months, I loved it !  Yep ! New ones, amazing !  But I had already become 'sensitised' . But I had not given up my valley place . I would visit - cabin in valley by river and lodge on mountain up in clouds - yeah !  But it turned out I was not to leave  ....   'I '  ( and my 'dragons' ) even kicked the governments / Attorney General's arse  in the Supreme Court case and got the land and houses ( and temple and festival site back )  ... even tour  lawyer was weirder out by our 'fortuitous circumstances' and turns of event  and said ' Whats going on ? Why do these things keep happening ... are you guys 'doing things' ? '   

 

 

 

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but I don't feel like getting started again building a new place ... yet.  I can't leave here now because of all the beautiful babies.  Three Shepherds, three cuddly cats, two Muscovy ducks, four horses, and a Pygmy Owl.  No Partridges or Pear trees here.  Anyway, I suppose that Yangana is my forever home.

 

Well, sometimes we feel a bit hemmed in , especially in high mountains and deep valleys (mine looks like a moss filled crack in the earth from above  - its an old subduction fault . I like to get to the beach - 40 mins away and look out at the vast horizon of the Pacific.

 

But ,  you know what's it like , I (and  many others )   go on a trip away and then its very obvious, how bad it is 'out there' and how good we have it 'at home' .

 

Just do something different for a bit. If a big move is really going to happen ... it will all start 'happening' .

 

( this is probably gonna sound really obvious and dumb when I read it back later )

 

 

Quote

 

I had a student come here for ten days because he had to leave Peru for two weeks to renew his visa.  He was a shaman's apprentice and he had to take a two day canoe trip deep into the jungle to get to his teacher.  He was a notably mature person.  He said that they had a very strict diet where they would fast for as long as twenty days and when they ate it was only one meal a day, intermittent fasting. eating mainly bananas and rice and never any oil or salt.  He said that very few people came to his teacher for healing because the required stay was long, and instead everyone goes to see the fake Ayahuasca shamans to go to their big parties.

 

Peeps no longer interested in what we used to do .... they get attracted to 'hermetics' and  'shamanic stuff'  and 'Magick'  but its in the form of 'dance parties' / 'forest doofs' . I got fooled myself once, saw this poster for some hermetic ' type event, covered with 'very suggestive' glyphs and symbols .. WOW! people are into that ?

 

  Nah, it was a 'theme' for a dance party .  How was the theme played out ? I asked around of some people that went , apparently it was   just in the advertising poster ....   

 

 

 

 

Quote

 

Really the only thing good students do for me is get me to practice more ... whenever one wanders by, I get more practice with the occasional volunteer, but they really don't give much of a damn about it.

 

yeah .... they get me going .

 

A whike back, someone bought some wayward youth here on a camp. I was asked if I wanted to teach the boys any MA, they where so keen!  Okay.   ... 'boys'    ... more like big muscly youth at least my height .  I would keep going with them until they pleaded to stop. I would ask "Whats up ? " and they "We been at it 2 1/2 hours ! "    So I would 'let them off'  , then when they gone ..... " Urrrrgh ! "  -  stagger home ... ahhh me hip ..... oooo me back ... run a hot bath    oh shit , why did I do that   

 

 

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I would rather do what Keneau Reeves did, start a business fabricating some real fine special fast vehicles to sell to the super rich.  If the book sells enough I will build a metal fab shop here.

 

Just turn the empty big house into one     My half built house started as a metal foundry !   That idea (last occupant ) never took off.

 

Anyway, it turns out my new shed, which I was told is overbuilt  and too big. now has space big enough for an  undercover  'dojo' . I never intended that .  Sometimes I wonder how much 'I ' run the show and how much the 'dragons' do .

 

When I started work on temple, it was never meant to be a temple , by stage 3 I realised it was going to be .  At one time GF came out into yard and yelled at me working up on the crazy structure  " What the hell do you think you are doing ? "

 

Me ;  " I dont know ! "

 

 

 

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In case anyone does come here from the book I think i'll just tell them to rent a house in Vilcabamba and commute here for classes.

 

 

 

Well, unless   she  I mean   they   are  'meant ' to be there     

 

That worked out its own way too, having people is fun, but  SOME people !  ...... Aye yi  yi ! 

 

Let's just say, I am finding great enjoyment and peace  without all that 'young fellah fast and crazy fun stuff ' .   But I can say I did that, I have the memories and it was fun .

 

As far as moving permanently or staying, I guess its about discerning little twists and turns, 'speed humps', needs for a break (.. how long since you had a 'holiday', ie, a change for a little while ? )  etc  with real life changing directions  .

Edited April 23, 2019 by Nungali

[Nungali]

13 hours ago, Starjumper said:

...

The main way that meditation enters the picture is the requirement to focus on the movement or posture rather than thinking about something else.

 

   3rd principle - element air - have  'no mind'  .

 

Once, when I was trying to show this guy a sword combo , that he just could not get, in the middle of it he said to me ;  " I wonder what's for dinner when I get home ? "

 

 

 

 Me ;  " If 'no mind' is too hard ,    just  think of   'clear blue sky '  . "

 

 

[Starjumper]

10 hours ago, Pilgrim said:

 

@Starjumper please send me the links or post them here to your Aura picture and Any other post having to do with it. I believe I may have your answers and practices you want. 

 

This is the picture I made to show the beam of energy

 

I didn't say that much about it.  This is something that a psychic person saw on me around 25 years ago, but that's when I was with Mr. Yueng, so I have no idea if it is stronger or weaker now.  Probably weaker due to some neglect, but I started working on it again.

 

This kind of energy signature is one of the main goals of our chi kung, and I personally like the idea of it because it should allow me to discern the path more easily.  I also simply like the feeling of a lot of energy in my head.  I also work on making the aura around my head bigger which is another part of the chi kung.  You know, all the paintings of saints and gods and avatars show a big ball of light around their head so it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what that's all about.

 

A note to beginners - first you must increase the aura around your body, get rid of blockages, and become well grounded.

 

I'm still looking at your first post in your personal section,  It looks like you have the beginning of a good book there.  I think it might do the world some good to hear some more about good old down to Earth reality from the far side.

 

I personally am interested in learning about Bon methods and I think it is a good experience for people to try to teach.  The problem is the competition and that beginners have difficulty knowing what is quality and what isn't.

 

Now there's a can of worm subject - competition among teachers of the internal arts.  Once my daddy, who was one of the top executives at Chrysler International, told me that there is less competition at the top, and I found this to be true.

 

When I made fireplace doors all the other ones were like floppy pieces of folded sheet metal with sharp edges that sounded like rattle traps when you close the door.  I made mine out of solid one half inch thick steel that was rounded off and polished so that it looked like jewelry, and it was, jewelry for rich people's living rooms.  Many of the doors were plated with brass, nickel, or 24K gold, so they really did look like jewelry, and when you closed the doors they didn't rattle, it sounded like closing a safe.  The glass I used was a product of rocket technology and cost around a hundred dollars a square foot ... back when a dollar was worth something.

 

...  and I got to see a lot of amazing houses and found that rich people are more than happy to pay whatever I asked, which wasn't enough.

 

While the dealers selling the cheap shit had to slug it out for ten cents.

 

The thing is, it is easy for a person to see top quality in a fireplace door, and it's easy to prove your martial art is tops by beating all comers, but there is no way to prove quality of a spiritual path to beginners.  That is the big catch 22 situation.