If You Have a Question (Supplement to The Energy Cultivator's Handbook)

[Infolad1]

Hi, Everyone,

 

This thread has come about because I get asked a lot of questions on various threads.

 

In an effort not to hijack people's threads, I'm just going to ask folks to put any questions

you may have here.

 

For those of you who may not have read any of my stuff on here, and for those who have, here's a VERY brief bio.

(Dear GOD I hate talking about myself in the third person! But here we are!):

 

Infolad1 is a professional Illustrator, writer, and designer, with 39 years of experience on that end of things.

 

On the esoteric end of life, for the past 27 years, Infolad1 has practiced Theurgy, Neidan, Meditation, Waigong, Qigong,

Neigong, Neidan, Shen Gong, Tao Gong (and has been a fan of the original Gong Show for years ), Ancient Egyptian Cultivation,

Taoist Cultivation, a dash of Mahayana Buddhism Kabbalah, Yoga, Pranayama, Laya Yoga, Yang Style Tai Chi Quan, Chen Style Tai Chi Quan, Baguazhang aka Bagua Quan, Bagua Zhang, Pakua Chang, Pa-Kua Chang, Pa Kua Chang, Iron Body Nei-Gong, Iron Crotch Nei-Gong, and...Okay, that's enough now. Jeez!

 

I also do extensive research and comment on Information Theory, Simulation Theory, History, Pop Culture, Comics, TV, Film, Anime, Animation, EDM, Science and Technology in general, AI, Health and Wellness, Life Extension, Longevity,  Bootstrapping/Startup Culture, The so-called "Paranormal", and other "Weird S#@%".

 

So this thread will be the question depot for all of these things. If it's anything personal, just message me.

 

I'll answer them as soon as I can. My life, like everyone on here, is super busy these days, and getting busier.

 

I'm here to help If I can. Cheers!

[Gerard]

.

Edited April 6, 2023 by Gerard

[anshino23]

Since you know of and have previously recommended Bodri's work, I'd be very curious to hear your take on his latest: 

 

 

Thanks in advance  

 

[Infolad1]

8 hours ago, anshino23 said:

Since you know of and have previously recommended Bodri's work, I'd be very curious to hear your take on his latest: 

 

 

Thanks in advance  

 

 

Hi, anshino23,

 

Well, he seems to have taken a bit of a turn. 

 

As I've said before, I still recommend his books for data mining. The man is very prolific and I've benefited from a number of his suggestions.

 

But as I've also said before, some of his stuff is just off.

 

I'm going to need more time to parse what he said, and I prefer to read a book If I'm going to comment on It versus just giving a brief description.

 

With that said, let me comment on a few things from the excerpt that you posted:

• "But in his latest books, Bodri claims that much of what he previously espoused was actually wrong and that the true key to enlightenment is access to the illusory body or deva body. He believes that achieving this attainment makes you enlightened and known as a Buddhist Srotapanna Arhat, Hindu jnani, Taoist Immortal, Homo Deus, or 'twice born'."
  Me: WOW. He seems to have REALLY lost the theme of the story. This is simply not true. Full stop. 
  
  THIS is the truth: All of us are ALREADY enlightened. The Persona/Ego/False Self/Adversary intentionally blinds us to this fundamental truth. It's constantly throwing thoughts up to distract us from this truth. Did you know, according to research, that most of us have at least 40,000 thoughts a day? A day! 
  
  Check THIS out. We're looking at the thoughts that constantly pop up. We're looking at the Images that constantly flash before us. We're looking at the body experience sensations, and impulses. We're obviously looking at all of this, because if we were the thoughts, then we'd be the thoughts and wouldn't be able to observe them...
  
  ...Have you ever noticed that without a mirror we can't actually see our heads? That we can barely see our bodies? Like we're in a first-person shooter (FPS), playing a game? We're controlling the body (joystick), and moving around, but we understand that we're not the character in the game. Most of us have forgotten this. Most of us are sleepwalking through life, totally unaware of who we are. It's part of the game/school. A VERY elaborate game of hide and seek. 
  
  There is no body. There is no spoon. We're actually never in these vehicles. Our Awareness' point of focus at the moment is through these particular bodies. But we can shift our point of focus to anywhere in the multiverse. These personas we wear, and the bodies we utilize are all mental constructs. They're virtual. All traditions and systems tell you this. Even original Taoism, which is very body-centric on the surface, tells you this constantly if you're paying attention. All of this talk of bodies and embryos is both true and misdirection at the same time. The Taoists had a very in-depth knowledge of what we now call Epigenetics, and realized that you can alter the body over time through visualization and Intent. Current research has shown that meditation can cause epigenetic changes in the body. But these are all just aspects of the simulation that we're operating in.
  
  The morphology (form and structure of an organism) of these virtual bodies are controlled by a bioelectromagnetic matrix that Dr. Michael Levin and his team are learning how to re-program for limb regeneration, age reversal, and other things. So he's giving proof of the "reality" of the Qi body/Nephesh/Body of Ra.
   
   
  
  So TL;DR version: We're already enlightened, the false self/ego prevents us from "waking up" and knowing this, and we're already in an "Illusory body". They are ALL Illusory bodies. 
   
• Bodri also claims that nearly 100% of spiritual practitioners, even monks, and nuns, don't know how to cultivate correctly.
  Me: No one can make a statement like this. I always ignore folks with the "Our way is the only way" absolutism. Who died and made you boss?! He's made statements similar to this in the past, like saying that hardly anyone has achieved the Third Dhyana stage. Yeah, okay, sure.  
   
• "Acts of service performed for others must become part of your character along with the traits of kindness, caring, and acceptance of others including all their faults." Me: THIS is the key to progress in cultivation. 

Beyond the above, I can't comment on anything else about the new stuff, obviously, because I haven't read the book yet.

 

Actually, at this point, It looks like I'm just going to have to write my own book on this. People tend to overcomplicate things, the longer they're around.

 

I understand that people love the Romanticism of the Neidan practices and the culture. But does it work? That's what I want to know whenever someone makes various claims. People say a lot of stuff. The Taoists were cutting edge for their time. What would be a cutting-edge 21st-century version of that? I would say a combination of both Campbells's and Buteyko's systems together, with a decent nutritional and resistance/flexibility program, Do Not Age's supplements, and red light therapy for the gross physical body.

 

After all of these decades of cultivating, it's been my experience that if you can't explain what you're doing to a five-year-old, then it's too complicated.

 

Everyone has the same virtual brain, with the same rule set. You slow your breathing down, and you alter your state of consciousness. All of the things being discussed on this forum tend to happen either in theta and/or gamma brainwave states.

 

Tom Campbell teaches people how to do things that are in the various cultivation systems, but he's doing all of this from the paradigm of a retired applied physicist. You can learn his system for $99.

 

Exploring Consciousness and the Larger Reality with Thomas Campbell

https://mysoundwise.com/soundcasts/1639695455662s

 

If you want to stick with a Taoist paradigm, you can now learn the beginning parts of the Long Men Pai system online from a certified teacher:

 

Taoist Alchemy Online

https://online.nathanbrine.com/

 

The certified Buteyko Method is just the original teachings of Yoga seen through the eyes of a scientist. The effects at the more advanced breath hold levels should be familiar to people on this forum:

 

 Dr. Buteyko’s Breathing Evaluation Chart: Read Breathing Measurements

https://www.breathingcenter.com/buteyko-breathing-measurements/

 

The breath rate is one of the ways that you can tell who's walking the talk. There are other physiological, and mental changes that also occur to know who's doing the work.

 

I've always recommended that people read all of these books with filters on. It's ALL hearsay, even what I just wrote In this post. It's only real when you test It, prove that it works, and then are able to teach others how to do It. That's what I do.

 

Is Bodri an actual cultivator? I've only been on a phone conference with him. Very nice guy. But I've never met him in person, so I have no Idea.

 

Ironically enough, he actually gave one of the simplest versions of the heart of the process in one of his e-books. it's a quote from page 69 of Thomas Cleary's "Taoist Meditation: Methods for Cultivating a Healthy Mind and Body"

https://www.amazon.com/Taoist-Meditation-Methods-Cultivating-Healthy-ebook/dp/B00AKH3KM8/ref=sr_1_1?crid=301NSBM2UKVM&keywords=taoist+meditation+thomas+cleary&qid=1680842470&s=books&sprefix=taoist+medi%2Cstripbooks%2C112&sr=1-1

 

"As Zen master Yun-men said to 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."

THIS. Easiest explanation you're going to see. 
 

Extinction is to be looked at from a psychological perspective. Ego death to reveal the True Self. The actual Hero's Journey fulfilled.

 

extinction
[ ik-stingk-shuhn ]

noun

1. the act of extinguishing.
2. the fact or condition of being extinguished or extinct.
3. suppression; abolition; annihilation:
   the extinction of an army.
4. Biology. the act or process of becoming extinct; a coming to an end or dying out:
   the extinction of a species.
5. Psychology. the reduction or loss of a conditioned response as a result of the absence or withdrawal of reinforcement.
6. Astronomy. the diminution in the intensity of starlight caused by absorption as it passes through the earth's atmosphere or through interstellar dust.

So that's my take from the excerpt that you put up. I hope that this was helpful. Cheers!

[anshino23]

Thanks for your reply. Having spoken with what I consider high level practictioners and met a few, they seem to be of a similar view to Bodri in that only very very very few people have reached authentic dhyana/jhana.

 

Do you think the jhanas are easily attainable, and if so, why / how?

 

Please also see these posts by freeform: 

 

 

Quote

When you start working on aspects of consciousness with advanced teachers (that expect results from you - or you're out), you begin to realise just how much internal strength, stamina, effort and energy is required to achieve something like Jhanna. I know a lot of people think they've achieved Jhanna... but let's just say that maybe they've been misled on what Jhanna really is... For example as you enter and stabilise the 1st Jhanna, you can discern the full cause and effect chain on any body or mind you choose to focus on... that sounds abstract... as an example the whole of Chinese Medicine and it's understandings of cause and effect came from insight at the level of 1st Jhanna... If you enter 1st Jhanna at the moments before death your body will not rot. After death in 1st Jhanna, you're able to choose when and as whom you are reborn...

 

To even get a chance at entering 1st Jhanna you first must be able to enter and stay in samadhi for several days straight... That in itself is a superhuman ability... Imagine the most intense mental focus - like attempting to solve the hardest puzzle you've ever solved - and keeping that level of focus completely steady and unwavering for 72hrs - and not straining, pushing or using any effort to do so.

 

To be able to do that you need to have a lot of energy. Your channels must be clear. Your Shen must be bright as the sun. Your body must be strong and resilient. and that's all achieved by the bottom-up method.

 

I realise I've been using buddhist terminology - because actually at the higher stages it's easier to communicate, but this is certainly the case with the Daoist approach too - just substitute Jhanna with Shen Ming, and samadhi with Xin Zhai etc. In fact I believe that the Daoist approach overall in the preparatory stage is very much superior to the Buddhist appraoch. Once you get to the higher stages though, things are less differentiated.

 

The Daoist understanding is that the body is the mind. So when you're working with the body, you're also working with the mind - it's just approaching change from the direction of the body is far less prone to delusion and error. Your Ren Mai is either open or not (there are specific physiological signs for it) - an open Ren Mai also has specific qualities of mind - but knowing whether you've achieved them is almost impossible (unless youre teacher is able and willing to enter into Jhanna to check  )

 

Would be interesting to hear your view  

Edited April 7, 2023 by anshino23

[Miffymog]

1 hour ago, anshino23 said:

Thanks for your reply. Having spoken with what I consider high level practictioners and met a few, they seem to be of a similar view to Bodri in that only very very very few people have reached authentic dhyana/jhana.

 

Do you think the jhanas are easily attainable, and if so, why / how?

 

Please also see these posts by freeform: 

 

 

 

Would be interesting to hear your view  

 

Not quite answering the question, but Master Sheng-Yen used to take his students out of samadhi by beating them with a stick if they were in it for longer than 2 hours, so different schools have different approaches and priorities.

[Infolad1]

8 hours ago, anshino23 said:

Thanks for your reply. Having spoken with what I consider high level practictioners and met a few, they seem to be of a similar view to Bodri in that only very very very few people have reached authentic dhyana/jhana.

 

Do you think the jhanas are easily attainable, and if so, why / how?

 

Please also see these posts by freeform: 

 

 

 

Would be interesting to hear your view  

Hi, anshino23,

 

There are many different models for doing the same thing.

 

To quote a description of Tom Campbell's work with Robert Monroe and Dennis Mennerich:

"A pioneer in audio-induced expanded states, Tom Campbell, Dennis Mennerich (an electrical engineer at UVA), and Bob patched together a lab at Bob’s residence, Whistlefield (1972), and began experimenting with sound signals. “I was spending hours every day in [the] nonphysical space. ... We tried everything, … to see if we could interact with this process, to see if we could teach other people how to do it.” They eventually engineered the first binaural beat tape (3.78 Hz), mixing different frequencies and amplitudes to facilitate an out-of-body experience and the sustained exploration of expanded states of consciousness."

 

According to Tom, some Buddhist meditators stopped by one day and tried the tapes. They told him that the state that the beats put them in usually takes 10 years of consistent meditation practice to achieve.

There are many ways of doing the same thing.

 

"Authentic dhyana/jhana" is part of a model, a way of looking at the world.

 

But it's just one model of many.

 

Everyone has the same brain, and are illusory units of the same mind.

 

We're all utilizing these vehicles to get around in 4Dimensional space/time, which science is now starting to realize

doesn't actually exist.

 

But it's all real enough. Especially when the rent's due.

 

freeform knows their stuff.

 

To answer the question you seem to be asking, It's all of the above.

 

I use them all top to bottom, bottom to top, all of them.

 

I teach a high-Intensity aerobic bodybuilding group exercise class, hatha yoga, Tai Chi Quan, and practical Self Defense, along with gentler group exercises for Seniors. I do this every week and have done so for over 10 years now.

 

I do Iron Crotch training, standing postures, meditation, theurgy, and a number of other things that work for me. These practices all together as a whole turbo boosted my cultivation work.

 

I also have businesses that I run.

 

Original Nature/God/Bob created all of this to have experience. You need space/time, differentiation, a physics engine, and an infinite number of rule sets for an infinite number of universes. 

 

The actual goal is to get out of the way so that the creator of all of this can experience its creation. Can actually enjoy life, while never forgetting who it is and what it can do. To be IN the world, but not OF the world.

 

A lot of cultivators just want to get the hell out of here. Want to get the hell out of this reality. I understand this. The world is crazy and getting crazier every day. Either they want to escape and/or the power to lord over people. But that doesn't work. there's always going to be something. There has to be. It's part of the game.

 

I agree with a lot of what was said in the thread that you're referencing. 

 

You have to have a balanced approach. You have to BE relatively balanced to even attempt this stuff.

 

The body is your vehicle here. You don't run your car into the ground if you want it to get you around. So why would you do the same thing to your body? Respect the body that you've been given.

 

DON'T go to extremes. Balance between the body and mind. Introversion and extroversion.

 

Take reality seriously, just not literally, is what I'm saying.

 

We're already Superman, but in the original stories Superman created the Clark Kent alter ego in order to stay rooted and be able to relate to regular human beings. That's the actual goal. To still play your role in life as Clark Kent, while knowing that you're Superman

and when needed, helping those that need help.

 

I'll put up some very good books on dhyana/jhana in a few days. Very clear and straightforward. Cheers!