looking backward without bitterness

[sabin1star]

When I look back on the late 90s I'm grateful for some things.

 

I left Mantak Chia's system because I thought it was a poor fit for me (fire method vs. water method) and because I thought some of the information in his practices was either inaccurate or simply less than optimal in terms of how to do things. But I'm not bitter because he did a lot to publicize qigong and raise awareness.

 

I've done some other qigong practices that I think are far better, including those of my current teacher. If someone came to me and said where should I start I would probably recommend Daniel Reid's books which I think are absolutely fantastic and informative. I really think Daniel Reid Has set the bar for excellence in terms of general information on qigong.

 

Every person out there (everyone who is doing qigong or even yogic practices) is on a journey whether they are in Healing Tao or whatever. I respect them for getting into this stuff. I just hope that we can be positive and help each other on this board. I'm not a big fan of lineage battles in qigong and I'm well aware of some of the big names that don't have verifiable lineage. I judge people on what they can do and on the quality of their information. I think that's something we all have to do to stay honest and to keep our 'edge' so to speak.

 

Healing Tao didn't work out for me. I won't disparage it but I also won't recommend it. If you are doing kunlun bliss or qi dao or whatever that's fine with me. In fact I may even ask questions about some of those practices. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I don't want to become bitter and jaded to the point where I can't trust anything or anyone unless they are teaching 8 sections brocade with unquestionable lineage & background. And I would like to see others lighten up as well. There is a lot of incredible stuff out there with and without verifiable lineage. I don't assume that shaky lineage stories imply fraud. The truth is out there IMO.

 

I can say that I've benefited (in terms of my cultivation) from being less judgmental of others. As long as they're not doing western new age stuff or anything like that. If it's eastern and you say it's authentic I'll take you at your word. If I investigate further I'll judge a given practice on the merits: the quality of the information (specific breathing strategies used etc.) and what the practice does for me.

 

Let's help each other and not tear each other down.

[Tao99]

 

I left Mantak Chia's system because I thought it was a poor fit for me (fire method vs. water method)

 

and because I thought some of the information in his practices was either inaccurate

 

or simply less than optimal in terms of how to do things.

 

I've done some other qigong practices that I think are far better, including those of my current teacher.

 

Healing Tao didn't work out for me. I won't disparage it but I also won't recommend it.

 

Let's help each other and not tear each other down.

 

Sounds to me like you just broke your rule of "not disparaging" and "not tearing down". What if Healing Tao was my beloved practice? Would I not feel criticized by this?

 

Critical thinking - honest opinions and honest debates - is today considered a critical 21st century skill, and what a good forum is all about. The reader's role is to take it for what it's worth and test things for oneself. It's the ad hominem personal attacks of the "Youre an idiot" variety that is considered out of bounds on a good forum.