Leaderboard

Returning to the OP:

One challenge for me was hearing the silence in my tinnitus.

Hello BigSkyDiamond, That statement applies only to the first level of Flying Phoenix, which consists of the12 standing meditations taught on Volumes 1 through 5, and 7 of my Chi Kung For Health DVD series, plus 12 more "Monk Serves Wine" seated mediations that have not been published. The second level of Flying Phoenix qigong, which consists of 9 standing meditations that has some postures and body mechanics most similar to Tai Chi Chuan, "crosses over" the border from purely healing energy cultivation to cultivation of a versatile energy applicable to martial arts and any type of work or "kung." I hope this clarifies a bit. Sifu Terry https://www.taichimania.com/chikung_catalog.html terencedunn.substack.com

That is a huge achievement. I know, because same here.

I made a recording of myself and some friends back in 1969, doing some traditional songs, some originals, and some covers (the covers are me covering John Fahey tunes). Dug it out for a friend a couple months back, and this week decided to make a YouTube video out of it. Have to turn it down right away, maybe I could have done better on the volume...

i remember attending a writing retreat that was on a peninsula so there were tides and much opportunity to sit on the high bluffs and listen to the water and the waves. Talking to one of the guys from class on break he mentioned that he had lived for a time in Hawaii and so there was the constant sound of the ocean waves. I commented how wonderful that must have been to always have that sound present. He shrugged and said, "Not really. It actually sounds like traffic." He wrote wonderful poetry. His poems are still among my favorites.

I also feel empathy for what people are going through right now and think it would be great if we could support each other without arguing about the merits of any given view. My mom marched in a recent "No Kings" event, her first political protest in her more than eighty years. She sent me a picture of herself out in the sunshine, smiling and waving a tiny American flag. She said it felt good to be there, in the world amongst so many other people who felt as she did. I was happy for her. Although I´m wary of much that is going on in the US politically these days, my own politics has slid somewhat rightward since Covid and I wouldn´t of wanted to march in No Kings myself. But that doesn´t mean I don´t care about the thoughts and feelings of those who disagree with me. Those who disagree with me are not "idiots." In fact, many of them are smart and well-informed, kind and thoughtful -- some of the best people I know. I gather from another thread that the mods are currently debating Old3bobs status in the forum. He consistently brings up political topics, even though it´s the current policy of the board not to do so. It´s not my place to comment on his future here, but one thing´s clear: he´s a person that cares about the state of the world and he´s hurting. I think so many of us are hurting. I´m not much of a Buddhist but sometimes a Buddhist saying fits the moment. May all beings be free from suffering.

I understand your concern, I share it too. But I've never once found that arguing with people who have different political views than me has convinced them they are wrong. There's a thing called cognitive dissonance - people find ways to accommodate facts that sit contrary to their own views, to the point it resembles mental gymnastics. That's because there's a whole lot of ego and self validation bound up in being right, or winning an argument. Go vote or protest. Speak out and campaign for what you believe in. But - in my experience at least - it doesn't do anyone any good arguing online.

dead men lie, don't sit have a cup of tea; living... have a cup of tea

This is one of the more common questions that comes up in my groups.

Thanks, BigSkyDiamond! I'll hope that when you get to it, you like the rest of songs as well.

Only surface churns appearing as though layers meld into more shapes

Good question; I like it. I guess I’m interested in what other Daobums have mixed in. last year I had access to weights and a big place to train. I was also doing iron shirt chi kung and I found it very compatible . This year I haven’t got the space, I’ve not got my weights and so I’ve asked myself inside what kind of practice I should do. I had a kick from within to go back to Bruce’s practices. This also switched on the inner dissolving method that I find myself naturally revisiting each night I go to bed. right now I’m looking for micro exercise sessions I can do throughout the day. I do some excellent stretches that really address the muscle tightness and imbalances I’m noticed re emerging after I stopped weight training. I could do more standing you are quite right. I also lost a good buddy just recently, he introduced me to kungfu nearly 20 years ago and he sadly passed away from cancer. So I’ve started doing first form each day in remembrance of him. The main reason for the thread is I’m always looking for adjunct practices to slot into my day, especially now that I’m not weight training. That’s the short and skinny of it.

Your answer implies success. I'm sure you found it. The "nada" sound is very similar to tinnitus too - I find them complementary.

Star Trek, "Strange New Worlds" is taking for ever for a new season to be released! Btw a past episode had the whole crew come under a singing spell for communication, it was quite unique and entertaining.

yes i agree, that makes a good point. and the structure of a defined path (such as religion) offers a built in safety net in terms of ethical behavior (the do's and the don'ts, the commandments, the precepts). These (when they are used, when they are implemented) help identify and avoid the pitfalls which may not be apparent to someone just "on their own doing whatever."

intermediary processes and teachings have a place and order, (granted such can become corrupted and go awry) but the deeper meaning is they help and have the keys to unlock that which is inside a student for the student, since a true helper has unlocked the same within themselves....without that they too would be bound up somewhere within mind stuff.

Thanks for the recommendations! We really enjoyed Death's Game

Squid Game season 3 is out now That is all

i've only listened to the first song so far, it is beautiful. i look forward to hearing the rest. Volume is fine when i play it, no adjustment needed. i like the different art for each song also. very nice. Adding it to my play list. Now I've listened to the first four songs. So far my favorite tracks are #1 and #4. What a great collection this is. I upvoted on you tube.

Korean: Misaeng Incomplete Life; My Mister; Misty; The Match not Korean: Dept. Q, Queen's Gambit Japanese: Quartet (one of my all time favorite ever shows across the board) (made in 2017)

deleted

Well, I like 'Marv ' ....

imo most evil comes from ‘righteous’ indignation.

It depends on the reference point. If the reference point is suffering, and the end of suffering, there are universal laws that function in specific ways due to the nature of the mind and existence. Specific kind of morality is to be embodied and perfected to achieve that goal. If the reference point is NOT the end of suffering, but various worldly goals. Then morality is subjective to the the various worldly goal. Worldly goals meaning goals that has attachment towards existence and craving towards sense desire as its basis. Nobody has some authority over morality. Everyone is free to choose what they want to do to achieve their goals. But cause and effect always applies, and nobody has authority and control over the nature of mind and existence either. Choose the morals that serves your goals. And be heedful what goals you pick in life.

" "I said I wouldn't be morally troubled by it, but yes, I do think that there are points in which the morally 'right' thing to do is to cause suffering..." Paradoxal The "Right" thing to do is not to swallow such dark crap!!

I might write more later, but I think conceptually there can be no universal system of truth--and I think that applies to ethics too. I can establish this through the statement: "This sentence is false" It seems silly, but this statement (and ones like it) get at incompleteness, which I think applies to morality as well. That there can be no universal system of ethics, only individual preferences weighing things as net good and less net good, on the balance. For example, there is the argument that 1) crime is evil and eliminating crime is good 2) Giving anyone who commits crime the death penalty will eliminate crime -> therefore, it would be good to give anyone who commits a crime the death penalty. This is valid logic and will virtually eliminate all crime, but on the balance will kill a whole bunch of petty thieves an shop lifters. It would also make me really nervous to j-walk across the street. so I think any sort of ethical or moral decision, like this, is going to involve tradeoffs and different people may come to different balances. What is good and what is evil though? I have no problem killing a fly, but I would feel bad killing a small bird. I indirectly kill chickens by eating them, but I dont really think about it. I have butchers in a factory do the dirty work for me. I feel there is something primordial to good an evil. I know at my core what is good and bad, and dont need a math formula to tell me that. Here is how I think of it: just as I know what is good art and what is bad art (like ethics, there can be no universal system to define what is good art and what is bad), I know what is good and what is evil, and when I act against that primordial understanding, its like hitting a flat note in a symphony.

Something called Hun Dun primordial chaos still exists but is hidden and not in use! The odd thing about DaoBums is that nothing ever actually ceases to exist but is simply hidden from view. I am sure there is something deeply symbolic about this.

I wouldn't voluntarily submit to an assisted process labelled "dying" without a clear idea of what that means in context. When you have more information about the process or intent, please share here what that might entail.

my brother and i are polar opposites in pretty much everything including this. He is the kid who growing up when we were in grade school so about age 9 to 11 or so, he would come home from school and sit down to (i kid you not) read the encyclopedia for fun. The hardcover World Book Encyclopedia (22 volumes), he started with the first volume "A" and read straight through start to finish. And then when we were in university, what did he do in the summer? He would read ALL the books that he did not get to or did not finish, from ALL the courses he took that year in college. Even though the courses were over and done. Even if the subject matter did not interest him. This always baffled me. If he started a book, then he finished it. According to him "that's what you do." Whereas if i start a book and don't like it i just toss it aside. He sees this as a moral failing (he sees my entire life as a moral failing but that's another story, like i said we disagree on basically everything). I'm not sure if reading for fun exists in his vocabulary or in his brain. It has served him well though in his profession, he is an attorney. It fits his aggressive argumentative caustic persona to a tee, as does his unbending conviction that he is always right. about everything. and he can prove it. As an adult i find him quite scary and keep my distance.

Greetings, I am a new member on this forum and I would like to greet you all and thank you for the opportunity to register and participate. I am 60 years old and live in Croatia. I am interested in spiritual and mystical topics. I have my own practice where I do research on human potential. Kind regards to the administrator. Berislav

Too much Qi lingering in the head Too much thinking Liver Yang rising Heat Dampness/imbalance If you have (like most people do) any of the above or all of them (very common) anything you mentioned is going to cause you what is called kundalini syndrome, seeing ghosts, communicating with spirits and bizarre stuff which fall under the umbrella of the "ungrounded syndrome." To prevent that, do the following: 1. Leg work. Foundation exercises like low basin walking, kung fu leg conditioning work (five stances), Asian squat, closed legs squat. 2. Walking meditation with bare feet for many hours a day when seated meditation practice is heavily emphasised. 3. Hiking for many hours in the natural environment. If the practitioner suffers from being very ungrounded stop any seated meditation and work heavily on the above until the problem is corrected. This could mean months or even years depending on the length of the ungrounded state; eg. University student, academic, white-collar professional, etc. People born in Fire years or under a Fire sign like the Horse are particularly most at risk.

dark waters below, the deep deep depths ever still, only surface churns

Sifu Terry has said FP is NOT a martial art energy. He said FP could not be used for martial arts. The Doo Wai forms that Garry Hearfield teaches in Australia are for kung fu. It's a different energy. FP is an energy for health.

He still visits the forum. You can read his old topics.

possibly @Nungali occult traditions; @-ꦥꦏ꧀ ꦱꦠꦿꦶꦪꦺꦴ- qigong; @Taoist Texts neidan, @wandelaar philosophical taoism

He’s on mod approval of posting - I think that was already made clear.

Easy with the half-cocked accusations @Nungali I'm not a mod, did nothing but post my reply here, and I certainly did not report any of his posts. I like old3bob, regardless of our differences, and posted what I did in support of him, and the rest of us.

This forum (and others online) sometimes makes me incredibly sad. This is a forum of dedicated spiritual practitioners and yet we cannot get along or act like adults in the most simplistic sense: i.e., refrain from insults, refrain from trolling others, try not to hurt people, or follow a few simple rules. Creating a post takes time and can be edited or removed. Everything here is entirely intentional. So if this is the best we can do, well, no wonder the world is in the shape it's in.

Mammalian Politics. Regardless of the claims of some here , humans are a political animal . Now if you try to get away from that ... say, by going to live in a temple as a monk ... will there be any politics there ? HOOOOO BOY ... you betcha ! Name any other group or collective of humans ... politics ? Same answer . Its an essential part of understanding our nature ... aside from those limited areas where people think they are studying our nature ( various forms of spirituality and religion - divorced from politics ) yet are still wholly ruled by it ! Any one that has studied , even a little bit , of any thing social anthropology or related subjects will have encountered this . A quick AI view on the topic AI Overview "Mammalian politics" refers to the study of social behavior and power dynamics within animal societies, particularly among mammals, drawing parallels to human political systems. It explores how animals form hierarchies, resolve conflicts, make decisions, and cooperate, often using concepts from political science and sociology to understand these animal behaviors. Key aspects of mammalian politics include: Leadership and Hierarchy: How animals establish and maintain power structures, whether through brute force, coalition building, or other strategies. Decision-Making: Examining how animals collectively decide on actions like foraging, migration, or conflict resolution, sometimes exhibiting forms of animal democracy. Cooperation and Conflict: Analyzing how animals cooperate within their groups, the types of conflicts they engage in, and how these conflicts are resolved. Social Structures: Understanding the complex social organizations of different mammalian species, including the roles and relationships within those structures. Evolution of Leadership: Investigating how leadership traits and behaviors evolve within mammalian societies over time. Biopolitics: Exploring the ways in which power and control are exerted over life and populations, often in the context of wildlife conservation and management. Examples of mammalian politics in action: Chimpanzees: Chimpanzees demonstrate various political strategies, including coalition building, alliances, and power struggles for dominance, according to National Geographic. Red Deer: Red deer herds may make collective decisions about movement based on the behavior of a significant portion of the group, effectively voting with their feet, according to the Center for Biological Diversity. African Buffalo: African buffalo females use a form of voting to indicate their preferred direction of travel, according to the Center for Biological Diversity. Ravens: Ravens exhibit behaviors related to equality and inequality, such as sharing food and reconciling after fights. Squirrels: Squirrel populations and their conservation efforts can be viewed through a lens of biopolitics, with strategies for managing native and invasive species, according to ScienceDirect.com. By studying these aspects of mammalian behavior, researchers gain insights into the origins and dynamics of social organization and power, potentially informing . I am not saying it should NOT be a 'taboo subject ' here though ... one of our most basic functions is to shit . Its perfectly reasonable to ask ; " Please don't drop your shit here . " And since politics originally started by 'higher' mammals throwing their shit at each other .... we know how its going to end up . I still think 'the pit' was a good idea . But I know some people thought that a secret 'fight club' in the basement was ..... 'not nice' .

You assume you can 100% prevent such things from happening to you in the world. You cannot. You assume there is "safety" in being involved in this world. Participating in the politics of it. You assume safety and comfort is a given in existence, that humans have some special "right" to safety. Nope. There never was such a thing. Work on the roots that lead to all these suffering in the world within yourself. Stop asking others to do it for you, change for you, be involved like you, wish the world becomes more agreeable to your comfort zone. The world cannot do such a thing. Nobody can, nobody will, not in the past, present, or future. That would be my recommendation. That way you live closer to reality, and be able to navigate life a little more skillfully, take more personal responsibility, instead of demanding others be responsible for your sake. It is quite a selfish thing to insist other people accommodate to your views. Let that go.

Honestly, it seems that everywhere you go, people are arguing bitterly against each other over politics. Sometimes I feel like social media algorithms have radicalised people on both ends of the political spectrum. Because social division drives 'engagement' - which is where the social media companies get revenue. Either way, it's nice to have a place where people aren't constantly kicking the shit out of each other. I was never part of current events section of the forum.

Here, as I see it, is the trouble with political talk on the board. Most of us come to this forum wanting and expecting a friendly and supportive atmosphere. We´d like to be able to learn from others and share what we know in an environment where we feel respected and valued. Mostly, political discussion isn´t like this. Many people feel contempt for those who disagree with them politically. This can lead to name calling (officially against the rules), but even when Bums manage to avoid bumping up against forum policy there´s considerable disharmony and bad vibes. The bad vibes tend to leach into the board in general and spoil the experience for many. As a recipient and occasional purveyor (apologies!) of bad political vibes, I know of what I speak.

just as divinity has no gender, so too divinity has no politics. same for enlightenment, awakening. They are not predicated upon politics. a person can live their life with no involvement (no interest in, no participation in) for instance professional sports, bonsai cultivation, or wine tasting. Those hobbies can and are totally off the radar for many many many people. Those specific hobbies are not a requirement for daily life, for contentment, for self development, or for walking a path of religion and spirituality. So too for the hobby of politics. A person can live their life with no involvement, interest, or participation in poltics. If it is however a prominent element in a person's life that causes disturbance, friction, contention, or upset for them, then what becomes relevant is how their chosen path of religious-spiritual practice has them deal with whatever it is they find upsetting in their daily life.

I also think no politics in this site is a reasonable approach. The only problem is the DDJ and Yellow Emperor teachings are directly concerning governance or politics; or using politics as metaphor.

Aigana Gali, Collected Works "Aigana Gali is a British-Kazakh multidisciplinary artist whose work spans canvas, paper, textiles, and bronze. Born in Almaty, Kazakhstan, along the ancient Silk Road, her Eurasian heritage deeply influences her art, with references to Tengriism—the ancient spiritual traditions of the steppe—woven into her work. Gali’s notable series—Creation Myth, Steppe, and Tengri—reflect her artistic evolution and explore themes of ancient wisdom, nature’s cycles, and cosmic order." Mediator II Mediator IV (Saule) (2022) ALGYZ (2023) Tolpan ALNUR (2023) Turquoise Mediator (2022) Unknown Mediator III (She) Oliara, The Dark Moon (2022) TURAN (2024)

Love is your natural relationship with existence when the limited self interest is put aside.

Until the long awaited seson 4 of Single's Infergno airs, i am biding my time with Ultimatum Queer Love, . I've just about given up on Married at First Sight, but still am riveted by Love is Blind, and wish they would do another Love is Blind Japan and add Korea. Season 2 Love is Blind UK will be a treat. And I liked Love Never Lies Poland and South Africa were a cut above Love never Lies Sardinia.