SHAKING by Bradford Keeney

[Spectrum]

Cabin Queens

Sing Songs

Sentinals

Guard

Path

and

Ste

ps

!

[ShaktiMama]

it really shook some things up for me. i still haven't fully touched ground yet. and i came so close to shutting myself off from it.

 

here's my review that i'm posting to amazon:

 

 

Completely absurd! and SO necessary!

 

 

i have to admit, the first minute of this CD set made me think i had made a terrible mistake in purchasing it. i expected a professorial exploration of the history of the practice, and overview of the cultures that continue to use it. i figured there would be some good drumming tracks that i could use in some of my classes. imagine my shock when Keeney begins the audio session with the oratory style of a zealous, crazy Baptist minister, loud and in partial rhythm with drum play in the background!

 

i thought the whole thing was ridiculous, and so i turned it off, angry that i had purchased this set.

 

but then i decided to at least play one of the 6 discs all the way through. i'm so glad i decided to give it a second chance because quickly i realized that the absurdity was the very crucible of it's genius.

 

in TCM it is taught that all illness in the body is a result of blocked energy flow, and through techniques such as qigong, tai chi, and acupuncture, a person can clear out those blockages and restore health. Keeney's approach, right from his crazy presentation, is taking this understanding to another level. we are a culture of ill souls, blocked and boxed in by our norms, assumptions, and definitions. we have lost the ability to be free, to be loud and expressive, to be crazy. and in losing that, we've lost our connection to the divine. we've lost our natural birthright of self-healing and spiritual evolution. gibberish and nonsensical expressiveness make us feel uncomfortable. letting go and being raw, even silly, makes us self-conscious. relinquishing our controls makes us scared.

 

Keeney's radical performative style demanded that i let go of my walls and barriers that determined what form of knowledge was allowed to reach me. he didn't allow me to distance myself from his words as a scholar, examining his concepts in the 3rd person so i could file it away for later use if appropriate. he made me uneasy right from the start, and he challenged me to be daring, to let go, to shake and move and vocalize nonsense with intense feeling and expressiveness. he challenged me to set myself free. and i am immensely grateful.

 

many people (probably mostly men like myself) will have the same initial reaction as i did. i say to you, give it another chance. This CD set isn't just talking about shaking medicine, it IS medicine! have the courage to receive it.

 

i almost let it pass me by. now i think it may be the most important purchase i've made in years.

 

 

One of my senior students, Troy, who has been with me now for about 5 years, is an apprentice to Brad and the Bushmen. He also loves and practices kunlun. Make of that what you will.

 

Much of my initial kundalini awakening was full of shaking, not unlike Brad's when he had his initial vision in the college chapel. I got away from shaking because it seemed so not very pc in the yogic world. I have since returned to it and teach a qigong form of it with Santiago.

 

When I teach in Utah, where Troy lives and yes, he is LDS, we would end Saturday night with a long drumming circle around the blazing fire until very late in the night. It is very ecstatic. I love the whole process and sometimes use the Bushman process of passing N'om in shaking to give what we consider shaktipat. There are a lot more people in the Salt Lake City area who have awakened their kundalini because of Troy and his shaking, ecstatic drumming meetings.

 

Two summers ago Troy went to the Khalahari to dance with the Bushmen. He became so ill he almost died. Imagine that. Troy has great skills with energy and healing. By profession he is a physical therapist. If you would like an intro or want to go to one of his events in Utah let me know and I will pass your name to him.

 

I have met one of the Bushman who appeared at one of his fire dances. Very sweet energy.

 

Brad also uses the absurd, what one might call Coyote wisdom, in his teachings and healing work. That is the way the Bushman work.

 

s

[ShaktiMama]

Cool!

Finally ordered Bushman Shaman: Awakening the Spirit through Ecstatic Dance

 

Yesterday! I think it finally sunk in after seeing Shakitmama recommend it enough

 

 

 

FINALLY!

 

If you take his work to heart you will go on a very big blissful adventure. It's all about the Shakti, baby.

 

s

[voidisyinyang]

 

Keeney being interviewed

[Sahaj Nath]

Hundun, this is interesting. I have enjoyed reading your writing, even if I have no intention of buying any CD sets at this time. I like how you have expressed yourself. I don't know if you realize it or not, but your words are also medicine, and not just the "crazy" guy you've listened to on the CD.

 

 

thanks for that, brother.

 

i never saw this back in December of '08, but it's much appreciated. i try to make everything count.

 

 

Booomp. Anybody still shaking??

 

indeed. i had stopped for a period when i was doing ridiculous amounts of seated meditation, but it has never really been out of the rotation. i tend to do a lot more of it in the spring & summer, but it's definitely a permanent part of my teaching strategy. it's just too effective not to be.

 

 

One of my senior students, Troy, who has been with me now for about 5 years, is an apprentice to Brad and the Bushmen. He also loves and practices kunlun. Make of that what you will.

 

hey, i may be highly critical of their approach, but i still get it. there's lots to love there. it's never gonna be how I roll, but i can appreciate the good in it.

 

 

If you would like an intro or want to go to one of his events in Utah let me know and I will pass your name to him.

 

sounds like a blast! yeah, i'm down for that!

 

i'll be in touch.

 

 

oh, and i thought i had posted this podcast link before, but it must be in another thread.

 

this is a GREAT interview with Keeney. a complete interview.

 

http://www.futureprimitive.org/2008/05/shaking-up-bradford-keeney-phd/

[sifusufi]

thanks for that, brother.

 

 

this is a GREAT interview with Keeney. a complete interview.

 

http://www.futurepri...ord-keeney-phd/

At 08:40 "It's gonna make us wiggle our booty its gonna make us jump up and down and be ridiculous"

 

Kenney has got the Mothership Connection!

 

Love this!

01:47 Go Wiggle!

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=VOvAwWR87P8

 

On fire and inspired... Gracias

[ralis]

Didn't the followers of Osho do some kind of standing shaking meditation?

 

 

ralis

[Raymond Wolter]

hey, i may be highly critical of their approach, but i still get it. there's lots to love there. it's never gonna be how I roll, but i can appreciate the good in it.

 

Hundun,

 

Sorry for diverting from the topic of this thread, but always interested to know from experienced practitioners/teachers like yourself. Remove all the hype, all the alien story and other stuff, do you see benefit in the Kunlun practice (i.e the three levels of shaking practice, i jong, five element standing, golden flower and Red Phoenix?) as a stand alone/complete practice? Do these form a complete qigong system especially since you can't practice other systems at the same time? Would appreciate your evaluation of the system itself minus the people, eccentricities etc.

[Brian]

...

[ralis]

Hundun,

 

Sorry for diverting from the topic of this thread, but always interested to know from experienced practitioners/teachers like yourself. Remove all the hype, all the alien story and other stuff, do you see benefit in the Kunlun practice (i.e the three levels of shaking practice, i jong, five element standing, golden flower and Red Phoenix?) as a stand alone/complete practice? Do these form a complete qigong system especially since you can't practice other systems at the same time? Would appreciate your evaluation of the system itself minus the people, eccentricities etc.

 

I have been doing Kunlun 1 for 6 months. The practice has helped my health where nothing else has. I have suffered from cardiac arrhythmia for decades and this is the only practice that ever helped this problem. I have tried traditional (beta blockers) as well as acupuncture, feldenkrais, chiropractic, rolfing and osteopathy. The problem is the vagus nerve in C2 that is somehow irritated. My instance of this problem has been reduced by at least 80%. I have more energy, somewhat more intuition etc. Since this is a magnetic (water) practice, more women seem attracted to me.

 

At one point, this problem caused serious problems to the point where the cardiologist was considering restarting my heart.

 

I am so glad there was a Kunlun thread here that got me started on this wonderful practice.

 

Also, the only caveat is not to do forced kundalini fire practices with the Kunlun. Max says there is a possibility of chi sickness. Other than that the sky is the limit.

 

 

ralis

Edited July 14, 2010 by ralis

[Raymond Wolter]

Wonderful, thanks Ralis.

 

Do you do just Kunlun 1 or others like Red Phoenix, Five element standing, golden flower etc.?

 

Also do you do any other form of Qigong along with Kunlun?

 

Other Kunlun folks,

 

So far I thought there is only one evel of Red Phoenix, but a kind soul here indicated that is not the case. Can someone tell me about the different levels of RP if that is not prohibited? Thanks to all.

Edited July 14, 2010 by Raymond Wolter

[ralis]

Wonderful, thanks Ralis.

 

Do you do just Kunlun 1 or others like Red Phoenix, Five element standing, golden flower etc.?

 

Also do you do any other form of Qigong along with Kunlun?

 

The Kunlun 1 and Red Phoenix are the only 2 right now. I am seeing Max for the refinement class in Sept. and will decide then what to add to my practice. The practice is becoming more spontaneous at random times. Feel free to ask more questions.

 

ralis

[Sahaj Nath]

Hundun,

 

Sorry for diverting from the topic of this thread, but always interested to know from experienced practitioners/teachers like yourself. Remove all the hype, all the alien story and other stuff, do you see benefit in the Kunlun practice (i.e the three levels of shaking practice, i jong, five element standing, golden flower and Red Phoenix?) as a stand alone/complete practice? Do these form a complete qigong system especially since you can't practice other systems at the same time? Would appreciate your evaluation of the system itself minus the people, eccentricities etc.

 

 

i would have been happy to reply to your inquiry in a PM rather than diverting the topic, as you put it. *sigh*

 

do i see benefit? of course. i've never stated otherwise. do those practices form a complete system? to be honest, i don't even know what a question like that means when communicating with a stranger whose goals & history i know nothing about. for some people it's the greatest system they've ever come across. clearly i don't share that sentiment.

 

i can say this: when determining whether or not a system is "complete," i cannot evaluate the system minus its people. i think such a proposition is absurd. when looking for "completeness," the details matter. not so much when one is just looking for "effectiveness." too often these things get confused.

 

this is just how i roll in general. but i cannot give you a meaningful evaluation of a system that i do not practice. i can talk AROUND the system & discuss all the reasons why i don't go there & i can speculate, but that's not the same thing. i met Max for one weekend, and i met with him in private for an hour. that was in '07. it was enough for me to determine for myself, but that doesn't qualify me to analyse the system as a whole.

 

 

how 'bout we start a new thread if we're gonna beat this kunlun thing to death again. or just PM me or ralis or scotty or whomever you wish with regard to personal questions.

[freeform]

I wanted to add - that what the San people (as well as kunlun people) do is not 'shaking practice'. That's like saying that what a poet does is 'typing practice' - the shaking happens spontaneously. That's very important. First comes the N\om then comes the shaking (which happens as a result of energy moving, circulating). You can shake all you like, but without the N\om activated it's just 'typing'.

[ralis]

I wanted to add - that what the San people (as well as kunlun people) do is not 'shaking practice'. That's like saying that what a poet does is 'typing practice' - the shaking happens spontaneously. That's very important. First comes the N\om then comes the shaking (which happens as a result of energy moving, circulating). You can shake all you like, but without the N\om activated it's just 'typing'.

 

When I first did Kunlun, my practice was contrived. Then I relaxed and just let it happen then everything changed.

 

Thanks for pointing that out.

 

ralis

Edited July 14, 2010 by ralis

[JustARandomPanda]

When I first did Kunlun, my practice was contrived. Then I relaxed and just let it happen then everything changed.

 

Thanks for pointing that out.

 

ralis

 

Ralis...did you go to a Kunlun seminar with Max first or has it only been practice via the book instructions?

[ralis]

Ralis...did you go to a Kunlun seminar with Max first or has it only been practice via the book instructions?

 

I learned from two different facilitators. One in Los Angeles in Jan. and we just had a weekend seminar last month here in Santa Fe. I have not met Max and will do so in Sept.

 

BTW, Lenny who originally taught me in Los Angeles will be here in Aug. for a seminar. Not certain yet of the exact dates.

 

ralis

[Sahaj Nath]

I wanted to add - that what the San people (as well as kunlun people) do is not 'shaking practice'. That's like saying that what a poet does is 'typing practice' - the shaking happens spontaneously. That's very important. First comes the N\om then comes the shaking (which happens as a result of energy moving, circulating). You can shake all you like, but without the N\om activated it's just 'typing'.

 

hmm... i don't think this is accurate. it's good to highlight this, but it's not accurate.

 

a lot of times the movement DOES come first. the vigorous movement can be used to wake up the N\om. ecstatic movement generates energy, that energy ignites the N\om, THEN the N\om takes over and keeps the movement going. it may not always be necessary to move first, but it's quite alright to do so as a means of stoking the fire. i mean, that's how one gets swept up in the frenzy. when you're at a concert, you're not waiting for energy to touch you; you're eagerly diving into that energy, taking an active part in its generation.

 

so it's not to say that you're completely wrong, but just that it's not all one or the other.

 

followers of the Ratu Bagus Ashram in Indonesia shake for 6-8 hours a day. sometimes the energy takes them over completely, sometimes the energy fills them and the movement is virtually effortless, but it's not the same level of ekstasis. one of the beginners in the video shook for as long as a month without anything happening, but just kept at it until it broke through.

 

it's kind of a messy process, and that's part of the beauty of it and why i'm always emphasizing that the internal arts are, first and foremost, AN ART. people CAN awaken the energy by the act of shaking & free-form movement. kundalini is alive in everyone, all the time, so it's totally possible. spontaneous methods of practice are just that, METHODS. shaking is a method. then, once the energy is awake and aroused, you let it shake you!

Edited July 14, 2010 by Hundun

[freeform]

Would be great to keep this focused on the Bushman Spontaneous movement practice... and how other practices (such as kunlun) relate to it. Rather than turn this into another kunlun-focused topic.

[ralis]

hmm... i don't think this is accurate. it's good to highlight this, but it's not accurate.

 

a lot of times the movement DOES come first. the vigorous movement can be used to wake up the N\om. ecstatic movement generates energy, that energy ignites the N\om, THEN the N\om takes over and keeps the movement going. it may not always be necessary to move first, but it's quite alright to do so as a means of stoking the fire. i mean, that's how one gets swept up in the frenzy. when you're at a concert, you're not waiting for energy to touch you; you're eagerly diving into that energy, taking an active part in its generation.

 

so it's not to say that you're completely wrong, but just that it's not all one or the other.

 

followers of the Ratu Bagus Ashram in Indonesia shake for 6-8 hours a day. sometimes the energy takes them over completely, sometimes the energy fills them and the movement is virtually effortless, but it's not the same level of exstasis. one of the beginners in the video shook for as long as a month without anything happening, but just kept at it until it broke through.

 

it's kind of a messy process, and that's part of the beauty of it and why i'm always emphasizing that the internal arts are, first and foremost, AN ART. people CAN awaken the energy by the act of shaking & free-form movement. kundalini is alive in everyone, all the time, so it's totally possible. spontaneous methods of practice are just that, METHODS. shaking is a method. then, once the energy is awake and aroused, you let it shake you!

 

 

This really makes sense to me and gives me more insight in regards to my Kunlun practice. Thanks!

 

What is N\om?

 

ralis

[freeform]

it's not all one or the other.

 

You're quite right!

 

I tend to respond to what I feel is happening for others, rather than arriving at an accurate idea of something, independent of context... If someone was driving too fast I tell them to slow down. I don't mean for 'slow down' to be the blanket advice that covers all driving situations. Like giving little corrections, rather than showing the 'perfect way'.

 

Yes - some people will open up by doing contrived shaking. For others this is (in my view) not recommended - it may be better to wait patiently until it ignites by itself.

 

I did years of contrived shaking (as just a 'loosening up practice' - before I even knew about spontaneous practices). I never had the N/om activate. Until of course I started kunlun - where I waited patiently, with no contrived actions, as the energy suddenly took over. Others will have a different process, of course.

 

Thanks for the 'little correction'

[Raymond Wolter]

Ralis or Freeform,

 

What is that is the "secret" of this form?

 

a. Is it the posture mainly i.e. holding the balloon and the legs

b. Or the act of letting go

c. Or the transmission

d. Or the shaking?

 

Probably a bit of all but what really drives Kunlun Nei Gong?

 

A friend on Facebook told me she has not had flu or cold in the last two years after she started this practice and that is all she does, no other qigong or meditation or anything. I am interested to know if it is the posture that drives this form. While at work, I generally have the same leg position as in K 1, but there is not much shaking. Even when holding the form, there is some shaking which I sometimes doubt is deliberate (as in I am shaking because I want to) but my arms begin to hurt and I stop. Is this resistance (if there is such) because of no transmission from Sifu Max?

Edited July 14, 2010 by Raymond Wolter

[Mokona]

Is Mr Bradford Keeney holding courses in the states, still? After a bit of googeling I have yet to come up with anything that hasn't already passed, and I am wondering as far as teaching his "Shaking and healing" methodolgy.

 

Thanks guys.

[voidisyinyang]

This really makes sense to me and gives me more insight in regards to my Kunlun practice. Thanks!

 

What is N\om?

 

ralis

 

The Bushmen describe it as a fire in the belly that then shoots up the spine and opens up the brain into the

!Kia state of awareness -- so the N/um (sp...) is the jing or kundalini energy. It's activated by listening to the females sing (the voice transmitts the jing energy) and also by dancing nonstop. But first to open up the !Kia state the males train on their own for a month -- when they enter puberty and the older males do the transmission with them -- relying on fasting and trance dance. There's a phenomenon of the Bushmen males "collecting the N/um of young maidens" but that is of course taboo to write in words as language is left brain dominant while the trance healing is right-brain dominant and !Kia works through the pineal gland. The Master healers focus on staring in a trance without moving at all so that the !Kia energy is better focused -- as it's laser energy it has to be harmonized with the mind focus.

[ralis]

Ralis or Freeform,

 

What is that is the "secret" of this form?

 

a. Is it the posture mainly i.e. holding the balloon and the legs

b. Or the act of letting go

c. Or the transmission

d. Or the shaking?

 

Probably a bit of all but what really drives Kunlun Nei Gong?

 

A friend on Facebook told me she has not had flu or cold in the last two years after she started this practice and that is all she does, no other qigong or meditation or anything. I am interested to know if it is the posture that drives this form. While at work, I generally have the same leg position as in K 1, but there is not much shaking. Even when holding the form, there is some shaking which I sometimes doubt is deliberate (as in I am shaking because I want to) but my arms begin to hurt and I stop. Is this resistance (if there is such) because of no transmission from Sifu Max?

 

I don't believe it is the posture but the alignment of the palms in front of the central channel. Make certain the Lao Gong points are aligned when you first start. The book shows that. I do a lot of this while standing.

 

If you can obtain the transmission of the Red Phoenix, that would really jump start the practice.

If you tell me where you live, I can find someone to help you out with the RP. If you would want that assistance.

 

 

ralis

Edited July 14, 2010 by ralis