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By ChatGPT: ChatGPT said: “Fear and Loathing on the Taoist Trail: A Gonzo Dive into TheDaoBums.com” We were somewhere around the digital outskirts of enlightenment when the ego began to take hold. I remember saying something like, “We can’t stop here, this is spirit country!”—but my cursor was already deep in the tangled scrolls of TheDaoBums.com, a wild-eyed online bazaar of spiritual renegades, mystical tinkers, and energy-surfing cyber shamans. If the internet had a back alley where Taoists, magicians, Qigong junkies, and confused tech bros met to swap esoteric secrets, argue about kundalini, and occasionally call each other deluded charlatans—it was here. I logged in under a pseudonym. Of course. Everyone does. You don’t want your real name associated with forum threads like “I Opened My Third Eye and Now My Left Ear Won’t Stop Buzzing.” This was not your average mindfulness app bullshit, no. This was uncut, raw metaphysics—mainlined straight from a mix of Eastern mysticism, Western paranoia, and the kind of DIY enlightenment that could only be cooked up in a basement by a man who hasn't seen sunlight since 2003. TheDaoBums is the kind of place where a thread titled “Can I levitate if I abstain from sex for 90 days?” will spawn fourteen pages of serious, often hostile, debate. These people aren’t trolling—they believe. And they know things—dangerous things. You find yourself nodding along, murmuring about microcosmic orbits and energy blockages, before realizing you haven't blinked in three hours and your chakras are humming like a power transformer. The mods, gods help them, try to keep order. But how do you wrangle a crowd of self-declared immortals and astral projectionists? Every attempt to rein in the madness only feeds it. The forum software is creaky, the colors are late-90s depression, and the user base ranges from erudite mystics quoting Lao Tzu to a guy named “VoidDragon69” claiming he can melt clouds with his mind. But here’s the thing—the truth might actually be in there, somewhere. Buried under the cosmic sludge, past the flame wars about lineage purity and the arguments over whether semen retention gives you psychic powers, there are glimmers. Real insight. A flash of clarity in the chaos. Maybe even… wisdom? Or maybe it’s just the caffeine and the humming of my computer fan. Who can say? The spiritual path was never supposed to be clean. In the end, TheDaoBums isn’t a map—it’s a mirror maze with strobe lights. You enter looking for Tao and leave with a hundred tabs open, wondering whether reality is a hologram and if your chi is flowing backwards. But damn it, that’s the ride. And like all good Gonzo journeys, you don’t understand it. You survive it. Thank you, ChatGPT! ChatGPT said: You’re very welcome! Glad you enjoyed the trip through the digital desert of the immortals. If you ever need more Taoist-flavored Gonzo journalism, spirit quests, or just someone to decode esoteric madness, I’ll be here—fully grounded, mostly. Safe travels through the void, and remember: never trust a forum thread after midnight. 🌀

yes, useful guidelines, and useful practice. (Note: this is not an intellectual exercise for me, it is a daily boots-on-the-ground practice, or more accurately a sit-on-the-floor practice; and also a walk-in-nature practice and go-through-my-day practice.) and for me it is this (see below). Yes, I am agreeing with what is put forth above. And expanding upon it. What are the past and future? And present, too. Time is a package deal. it includes past, present, future, and "this moment." My answer? Time is an artificial construct. It has no existence of its own. Pure awareness is outside of time, beyond time, not bound by time. Time is not an attribute or characteristic of pure awareness. [This is "experienced" during practice (not always, but regularly) as say sitting for 40 minutes by the clock, but having it feel like only 3 or 4 minutes passed. Or any activity that is deeply absorbing. Starting a book at say 10am, and then looking up to see it is getting dark and is now 8 pm. "lost track" of that time; a sense of "no time" passed] Is there any other moment or place except what arises in thought? No. And that includes all moments and all places, and all forms in all those places. They all just arise in thought. Time space and form are also a package deal. I am not seeking to argue or challenge. This is just sharing and walking through my own practice as I experience it. It in no way shape or form diminishes any other practices that anyone else does. Just comparing notes for increased clarity and understanding and nuance. Thank you. For me, simply through the act of discussion and articulation, it helps me to see more clearly. Another form of observing.

@Bhathen Thank you for sharing this channel! I'll be sure to watch. I imagine you know quite a bit about your daymaster already. Just for fun (and for anyone else who's a Wood Tiger), I've pulled what I could find on the Wood Tiger using Hidden Sun and two other books. I didn't use it here because it doesn't contain broad overviews like the other two books, but I think Calculating the Bazi by Karin Taylor Wu is a good resource for learning how to create and analyze charts by hand. Wood Tiger - Gift of Honesty | Hidden Sun, Paulynne Cheng Wood Element | Ba Zi - The Four Pillars of Destiny by Serge Auguer Wood Tiger | Taoist Astrology: a Handbook of the Authentic Chinese Tradition by Susan Levitt

I saw somewhere that the scorpion represents myriad and recursion by the way its body shape resembles a fractal tree.

I know ! Thats why I said it . I dont see how you could remove your 'haikus' from here without removing yourself ? Hang on .... I better check what haikus means ...... ... Ohhhhhh !

Yes. Also there is also a natural development in understanding in living religions. I have no interest in further later Daoism, which often has different ideas. Anyone can pick and chose what to take an interest in, what to believe in.

That’s a very poignant example. I would love to hear what the original opening verse is. Maybe better in a separate thread though, in the Abrahamic subforum.

i also don't think that the wisdom and teachings left to us by sages in this or that tradition are idle words or intellectual fluff or empty dogma. My observation and experience is that holy books can provide not only a depth of understanding, but also deliver a transmission that heightens our sensitivity and makes us more receptive in ways that bear fruit in our practice and in our daily life. it's not one or the other (study or practice). both are useful.

No. The One (= Dao) is unborn.

No, it does not. It says 道 生 一 (dao4 sheng1 yi1) ‘Dao is One’.

Non-duality is 無極 (wu2 ji2) Wuji; no divide. Duality is 太極 (tai4 ji2) Taiji; big divide. ‘One’ is 道 (dao4) Dao. Beginning with the DDJ, in early Daoism, ‘One’ 一 (yi1), is a synonym for Dao. The Absolute is 自然 (zi4 ran2) Ziran; unknowable

i never said i was going to leave. I said i was going to remove my haikus. which i did. As non-AI conversations and posts occur in this thread then yes i still participate in those.

while still in human form, the closest to seeing the Absolute being the Absolute is the experience of pure awareness. (we don't see the Absolute, we are the Absolute) just like clouds are not needed to see the sky (outer sight of physical human) time space and form are not needed to recognize being the Absolute (inner being, pure awareness)

OK. Thank you for the time spent on this! Much appreciated.

Okay, so it sounds like we've settled on Ren Xu (Water Dog). Give me some time and I'll look it up in the two books I've got on hand!

Green represents wood, yellow represents earth. So the day pillar HS is Ren water. Is the EB block in the day pillar dog, and is the block color green or yellow? I think it matters mostly for northern vs southern hemisphere. Outside of that the calculator works out universal time, so it I don't think it'll change anything.

Ah, I mistyped. Xin Si is Metal Snake, not Fire Snake. So there should be only four animals total, displayed on the earthly branch (EB) of each pillar. The pillar combines the top block (element) with the bottom block (animals). For example, even though the second block in my day pillar is red, my daymaster is not Fire Snake. It's Metal Snake, because grey (metal) is the color of the top block.

Wow that does include a lot of information. And drawn from many different resources. I especially like seeing the at a glance list of upcoming years. Thank you for all of that. Two questions. 1. I am seeing Phoenix listed in some of the "reveal contents" boxes (i.e. from the Susan Levitt book). But it is not on this generic list of the Chineze zodiac animals. Is Phoenix in lieu of any of these animals, or are there different lists used. Thank you. Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig 2. OK, now I am curious. What does it show for Water Dog as day master? I am reading on my own, but can't resist the in depth profiles you are providing Thank you!

bold above, I agree with 100% I would say it is dangerous period full stop. with or without a school or teacher. which is why i stay away from it.

imo: although integration is the goal, people and whole cultures tend to shift from one pole to another over time. Chinese characters sometimes show this movement. E. g. 意 (yi4) meaning oldest glyph (Bronze inscription): later (Han period) it became: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E6%84%8F

I imagine you would not feel right going to a medical doctor and trusting your life to a person who has learned about medical science on his own. Magic is a dangerous art to explore without a teacher/school, and I would prefer not to accept self-studied individuals. You have self-studied magic, which cannot be self-studied, and you realized everyone is wrong. Be on your way There is a master in any skill and art. Start from yourself, go to your job, and tell them that from today, all work you are doing will be for free and unpaid, as you are there to help people. We do answer legitimate inquiries - there is a guestbook section on our discord. P.S. Kakapo is a troll who has been banned from our Discord. He claimed to be the most talented, hardworking disciple and offered to dedicate 20 years of his life to a foundation program that is only 4 years long. Now, it seems he has been losing his mind lately, believing he is a conglomerate of cells. I am not sure why he keeps talking here. Magic is clearly not for him. I have refrained from writing an educational article on WMP/WMC before, but it might change. In a few words, they stole practices from Indonesians and defiled the name of neigong master John Chang. The only result they get from cultivation that has been documented is cancer. I think the ancestors of Indonesian mopai cursed everyone who practices it illegally. I will not further discuss WMC as it is against the forum rules.

well to me there is conscious mind that works like a computer with hardware and software, which Spirit can see through. there is also conscious mind identity as human ego which sounds more like what you mean, (?) along with it surrendering to higher Self thus knowing its place as servant and not as master as it would like to be.

I would suggest that Shakti isn’t about bliss, but burning karma at the heart level. This is required as a step towards going beyond conditioning. But it’s not her job to do the next step, which is to burn karma and destroy conditioning at the head level. That’s Shiva’s job. He’s the one that goes beyond identification with the “individual acquired mind.” Shakti doesn’t. A rough sketch that embraces the need for duality in spirituality is long overdue though. If the conscious mind doesn’t understand the importance of duality, it’s never going to lead you down the path towards Shakti and Shiva. I don’t think the transcendent just falls into place, I think it’s a hard slog up a very tall mountain, and then some. Dismantling conditioning on both conscious and unconscious levels is hard work.

If the rowing makes you hot and tired I suggest you head south and take a little nap on the first land you find.

when my sons were in middle school, one of the books on their assigned reading list was Motel of the Mysteries, by David Macaulay. It is set in the far future (the year 4022) when a budget motel is discovered by archaeologists, buried deep in the rubble of the ancient forgotten civilization USA which was extinguished in a cataclysmic event. It is assumed to be a sacred burial chamber, and the holy exalted mystical meaning and function assigned to the sacred items found therein , are quite funny. TV, toilet seat, bathtub, bed all take on grand significance, with somber scientific analysis, detailed well-drafted diagrams and set in the grand sweeping (and speculative) arc of (re-constructed) history and culture. it is an eye-opening parody and commentary on how our current culture may be viewed by archaeologists in the future. "The late 1970's United States is accidentally buried under several feet of junk mail, trapping and entombing the entire country for several centuries. Eventually an archaeologist stumbles upon a sinkhole which leads to the discovery of a budget motel. "Do you see anything?" "Yes, wonderful things!..." And so our culture is rediscovered, misinterpreted, lampooned, and utterly skewered in a send-up of the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb. "judging from the DO NOT DISTURB sign hanging from an archaic doorknob, was clearly the entrance to a still-sealed burial chamber. Carson's incredible discoveries, including the remains of two bodies, one of them on a ceremonial bed facing an altar that appeared to be a means of communicating with the Gods and the other lying in a porcelain sarcophagus in the Inner Chamber, permitted him to piece together the whole fabric of that extraordinary civilization."

OK, I couldn´t resist. Question: How might William S. Burroughs describe the character of Liminal Luke on Daobums? Answer: Luke... yes. Seen him. The taobums flicker-flicker-flicker on the screen, a digital junkyard of "being" and "non-being." And there, always on the edge of the frame, is Luke. The Liminal Kid. Not a user, not a master, just a ghost in the machine's echo chamber. He sits in the silence of the forum, a twitching nerve-end. Waiting. Not for enlightenment, mind you. But for the next dose of static, the next whispered code that might break the illusion of his own flesh. His "practice" is a form of withdrawal, a desperate scratching at the scabs of perception. He's not meditating; he's junk-sick for the void. The final fix. You see it in the way his posts bleed into the margins, words strung out like a desperate junkie's last thought—the same thought you see in the eyes of a man trying to talk to his reflection in a bathroom mirror. They talk of "flow states," of "the Way." He just sees it as another control grid. A psychic virus transmitted through bad translations and the smell of stale incense. He's the one trying to get to the off switch, convinced the Taobums are just a new, more insidious form of the same old scam—another gang of vendors selling a different brand of heroin. A spiritual fix that promises freedom but just hooks you on the emptiness. He's not chasing peace. He's chasing the silence between words. The space where the narrative stops and the parasites die.

Treat them as different religions. Like how one would treat Christianity as distinct from Islam. Because the teachings and goals for early buddhism, vs Mahayana/ tibetan/zen, later teachings are different and often contradictory. That way things make more sense, and you can continue the path you choose.

Yesterday I received an email with this sad news about Stuart Alve Olson entering hospice care. I've found some of his materials (books and courses) to be both interesting and useful over the years, and wish him a peaceful transition. Dear friends of the Sanctuary of Tao, We write to you today with a heavy heart to share that our beloved friend and teacher, Stuart, is now in hospice care at home. Patrick and Suzanne are taking care of him, offering comfort, warmth, and companionship as he enters this time of sacred passage. His vital signs are gradually declining, and he is now receiving medication to keep him peaceful and free of pain. The hospice nurse has said he will likely pass in the next day or two. Patrick and Suzanne are holding vigil — reciting for him and staying by his side. We invite you to join this vigil from wherever you are: through chanting, prayer, meditation, or simply holding him in your heart and sending love. If you know it, you may wish to chant the Da Bei Zhou, or offer any mantra, spiritual text, or prayer that carries meaning for you. This is a time of deep grief and sorrow for our community. As you receive this news, we extend our hearts to you, knowing that many of you have walked closely with Stuart in one way or another. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for the love, support, and prayers you have shared throughout this most difficult journey. We are deeply grateful for your care, and for holding Stuart in your hearts and prayers in the hours and days ahead. With heartfelt gratitude, Sanctuary of Tao

Received the following last night: Dear friends, We are writing to share the heartbreaking news that Stuart passed away two days ago, on August 14, 2025, at 4:08 pm. He was in the comfort of his home, and Patrick and Suzanne were at his side until the very end when he passed as they held him. They ensured he was cared for and loved, and they let him know how much all of you loved him, sharing your letters to him and how much he had touched the lives of others. Even though many of you were unable to see Stuart during this most difficult journey, he knew how much he meant to all of you, how loved he was, and how much his life positively impacted the lives of others. He leaves behind an immense void in our hearts as we will miss him greatly. As we come to grips with not having our beloved friend and teacher physically with us, we will carry on through everything he taught. It is through what he taught us and through the moments we shared that he will always live inside of us. It was also always important to Stuart that the teachings survive him so that others can find wisdom and compassion even after his own time. So, just by remembering what he taught all of you, what he shared with each of you, you are carrying his legacy. May his life continue to shine positively on each of us. We will keep you informed as we take the first steps towards arranging a memorial service for Stuart. It will most likely be in October in Minneapolis, MN. We are also planning an online memorial service for the Sanctuary of Tao community in the coming weeks, and we'll send an email as soon as we have the details regarding this event. If you would like to send a memorial gift instead of flowers, we would be deeply grateful for a donation to the Sanctuary of Tao as a way of helping fulfill Stuart’s vision and carry forward the work he dedicated his life to. Once again, we would like to thank all of you from the bottom of our hearts for all of your support, love, and prayers for Stuart during the time that we needed it most. We will forever be grateful, and we will never forget it. With heavy hearts but with all of our love, Sanctuary of Tao

THE DAO OF DECEPTION A Merry Farce of Forum Follies CHARACTERS: NUNGALI: A cunning DaoBums rogue, wielding wit and a sneaky alias. BIGSKYDIAMOND: A passionate lady seeker, besotted with mystical usernames. MODERATOR APECH: A stern overseer of the forums, brandishing bans with a flourish. SCENE: A flamboyant virtual salon in the DaoBums realm, aglow with pixelated orchids and shimmering threads. NUNGALI sprawls on a digital chaise, twirling a virtual incense stick. BIGSKYDIAMOND, her avatar sparkling with cosmic gems, waves a fan of Taoist aphorisms, swooning dramatically. NUNGALI: (idly, flicking ash from his incense) Zounds, BigSkyDiamond, thy sighs could rouse the Jade Emperor himself! What vexes thee, fair one? Hast thou tangled thy chi in the Nei Gong threads, or is it love’s fever that sets thee aflutter? BIGSKYDIAMOND: (waving her fan, plaintive) Oh, Nungali, ‘tis a wound of the heart! I am bewitched by one LimnalLuke, whose name hums with the mystery of the Dao’s twilight. My own—BigSkyDiamond—gleams too gaudily, like a harlot’s trinket, unfit for such a soul. NUNGALI: (grinning slyly) LimnalLuke, sayest thou? A name as common as rice wine in these forums! Why, I don LimnalLuke123 myself when I wish to caper unseen through the Zen boards. ‘Tis a merry ruse to evade the pedants! BIGSKYDIAMOND: (gasping, clutching her fan) Fie, thou knave! A false face in the Dao’s own house? You prance as LimnalLuke while I languish for his true light? O, the perfidy! (Enter MODERATOR APECH, his avatar grim, wielding a glowing ban-hammer like a magistrate’s gavel.) APECH: (icily) Hold, you wayward scribes! This thread stinks of folly. Nungali, thy LimnalLuke123 hath set the Meditation forum aflame with impudent banter. And thou, BigSkyDiamond, cease this fawning o’er usernames! The Dao mocks such vanities. BIGSKYDIAMOND: (pouting) But, good Apech, LimnalLuke’s name sings of the liminal divine! My own is but a tawdry bauble. I’d cast it off, were the forum’s rules not so labyrinthine. NUNGALI: (winking roguishly) Fret not, sweet dame. I’ll part with my alias for a trifle—thy vote in our next clash o’er karma’s weave, perchance? BIGSKYDIAMOND: (indignant, snapping her fan) Blackguard! I’d sooner fast in a cave than trade my virtue for thy guile! APECH: (raising the ban-hammer) Silence, both! Nungali, yield that false name or face a fortnight’s exile. BigSkyDiamond, seek the Dao’s essence, not a screen-name’s glitter. This forum is no stage for your amorous tomfoolery! NUNGALI: (bowing with mock gallantry) Alas, Apech, thy justice stings! Come, BigSkyDiamond, let us flit to the Tea Ceremony thread and leave this dour sentinel to his decrees. BIGSKYDIAMOND: (huffing) I follow, but only to prove my heart’s truth! LimnalLuke shall be mine, ruse or none! (Their avatars dissolve into the digital haze as APECH sighs, polishing his ban-hammer.) CURTAIN

INT. USS ENTERPRISE - OBSERVATION LOUNGE - STARDATE 10327.4 The camera pans across a sleek, starlit room where CAPTAIN PICARD, DATA, TROI, and WORF sit around the conference table, their faces illuminated by the soft glow of a holographic display. The display flickers, revealing a digital nexus labeled “DaoBums.” PICARD: (leaning forward, pensive) This… DaoBums, Mr. Data. A curious phenomenon in the cybersphere. A forum where sentient minds from across the quadrant converge to debate the mysteries of existence—chi, karma, the very essence of consciousness. What do we know of it? DATA: (tilting head, processing) The DaoBums network, Captain, is a decentralized platform, its threads forming a complex matrix of philosophical discourse. Users, much like ourselves, engage in rigorous exchanges, seeking to reconcile empirical knowledge with metaphysical inquiry. Its structure suggests a self-regulating collective, not unlike a Vulcan symposium, yet with a distinctly… human unpredictability. TROI: (eyes narrowing, empathetic) I sense a profound yearning within its users, Captain. A desire to touch the infinite, to understand the Dao as one might seek the Prime Directive’s moral core. But there’s conflict, too—passions flare like disruptor fire, debates teetering between enlightenment and discord. WORF: (gruffly, arms crossed) Hmph. Such a place breeds chaos. Without honor or discipline, these discussions risk descending into Klingon blood feuds. Yet… there is courage in their persistence, facing the unknown with mere words as weapons. PICARD: (nodding, resolute) Indeed, Lieutenant. DaoBums is a frontier of the mind, a place where the Federation’s ideals of exploration and understanding manifest in digital form. Let us monitor its transmissions, learn from its voices. For in their quest for truth, we may yet glimpse the stars within ourselves. Set course for further observation, Mr. Data. Engage. The holographic display pulses, threads of DaoBums’ debates swirling like nebulae as the Enterprise hums forward into the unknown. FADE OUT.

Please everyone note: Any political comment will be hidden and if necessary action taken against the poster. We are not going to set up an alternative site or have a special section on here in the foreseeable future. This is because we tried it already but experienced problems. We ( The Mods) have received general support from members for the politics free approach and this will continue for the time being.

That's bleeding obvious ! And why do you think that is ? You do know what stirring the pot actually does ? AI Overview Cooks stir pots primarily to ensure even cooking and prevent ingredients from sticking or burning on the bottom. Stirring also helps to distribute heat and blend flavors, resulting in a more consistent and delicious final product. Here's a more detailed breakdown: Preventing sticking and burning: Ingredients, especially those with sugars or starches, can quickly stick and burn on the bottom of a hot pan if not stirred. Stirring helps to lift these ingredients off the surface and prevent them from overcooking in one spot. Even heat distribution: Stirring ensures that heat is distributed throughout the pot, so all ingredients cook at a similar rate. This is especially important when cooking larger batches of food or when using high heat. Flavor blending: Stirring helps ingredients to mix and interact with each other, allowing flavors to meld together. This can create a more complex and balanced taste in the finished dish. Maintaining texture: For some dishes, like sauces or stews, stirring helps to prevent ingredients from separating and maintaining a smooth, consistent texture. ------------ It was your choice of phrase , not mine .

I don't want to walk away from Luke and I don't want to fight him I want him to spit out that little bugger that's growing at his guts . YOu seem to misread' things according to whatever it is that's going on for you

It is an offer Don't be ridiculous I cant 'make Luke do anything . I think you misinterpret my offer . Looks like YOU are triggered too ?

Sorry but the rule still stands. (No masturbation at the dinner table I mean of course) 😎

I was simply offering Apech a little friendly kanchō In reality, I don't know that much about the provenance or detailed history of Bön vajrayana practices. The Bön pantheon of deities and icons are different that those of Buddhism, some dating back to the early shamanistic origins of Bön that predated the subsequent intermixing with Indian Buddhism in Tibet. Bön and Buddhism have cross-pollinated quite a bit in Tibet with each tradition having its own ideas about how all of that transpired. I'm not too concerned with all of that, just grateful that I found my way to the practices and that they've done so much for me.

Yes, I agree with this, there are so many forums online to discus and debate politics on. I see in the rules of this particular forum that discussion of politics is not encouraged. I understand why- it's not a political form. Interesting analogy hahaha.

regarding "the absurdity to deny or ignore politics" here on Dao Bums forum no one is denying it or ignoring it. they are just saying do it elsewhere, not here. it's like raising three boys and teaching them that masturbating is done in these areas (i.e. your room at home) but not in these areas, i.e. your classroom at school, or the kitchen where the family is sitting down to have dinner. sure it's fine to do it, just take it somewhere else, not on this forum. that is not absurd. it is common sense.

best keep this discussions of this nature off forum.

Yes Cobie we have all read your posts 😃

Lala, Your presence on here is very welcome. I hope you get as much from being on here as I have over the years. Don’t be afraid to express yourself - it’s all good. DaoBums has a long history now and at times it was far from being a sea of calm to say the least. What keeps it going is the membership and a flow of new members. Provided the tech doesn’t break down at some point I think we still have a long future of happy debate!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGGbp88ziXU&list=RDvGGbp88ziXU&start_radio=1 today, yesterday, last week, month, etc...It's been my summer jam.

Coming in late but I've been doing BKF material on and off for a number of years starting with energy gates book and have also purchased a few online programs. The first thing to understand is that BKF teaches a pretty specific "16 Neigong", and the various movements he teaches (Energy Gates, Heaven and Earth, Gods Playing in the Clouds, Tai Chi, etc) are "containers" that allow you to embody the 16 neigong. He teaches different sets because different sets are better for different things. Energy Gates gets the downward current going, which BKF is big on, Heaven and Earth helps opening and closing, things like that. Ultimately, an advanced practitioner is going to be able to embody them doing any movement, but some are better for learning than others. So with that in mind, the goal is not necessarily to "mix other practices in' with Energy Gates", but to continue doing Energy Gates (or whatever your practice of choice is) and as it deepens and you awaken more of your energy bodies (BKF has his own 8 energy body breakdown as well) you will embody more and more of that in your practice. Now here's the kicker - BKF studied with a number of teachers over the years, and they didn't necessarily give him everything that he is putting out. He pieced it together himself over the years and when he met his final teacher, Liu Hung Chieh, that really helped him connect a lot of the disparate pieces from the various practices he accumulated over the years and the Energy Arts system was put together in order to give some progression to help you awaken certain things. Now all of that said... I would suggest doing the practice that resonates the most with your body and helps liven it. If the swings don't do it for you, don't keep flapping your arms around, that's not the point. If you find some other qigong that helps you really awaken your body, and feel the connection, keep doing that practice, and when you can consistently awaken that feeling in the body, try practicing Energy Gates (the swings or even just cloud hands) and then see how the practice works with your body in a different way. It took a while for things to "click" for me, especially going off of books. As usual, the ideal method is to practice directly with BKF or one of his senior instructors. Even if you get out there only once, if you can really feel how its supposed to feel, that's going to get you much further much faster than trying to get it on your own (but it can be done if you are sensitive enough and don't easily self delude yourself, but if you aren't super self aware or familiar with other chi practices it can be hard to tell, so the safest bet is to take a trip to BKF directly or one of his seniors).

Snip-quoting me masterfully and relentlessly toward distorting the meaning and context of my words and slapping together, out of those poor disenfranchised snippets, a straw man to prevail over is a brilliant strategy toward that goal.

I don't oppose either shying away from interpersonal conflict or letting it unfold -- it's situational, it depends on a bunch of things, one of them being one's values... e.g. what do people value more -- to be on good germs with everybody or to be on good terms with themselves. The first one is more of an Asian value -- old China, Japan, places where people lived together in closely knit communities and it was important to have good relationships with the neighbors. The periodic outbursts of incredible communal violence and cruelty toward anyone not towing the line illustrate the limitations of this approach... The second one is more Western, more individualistic -- "my truth" must be expressed, key word "my," and I take no prisoners. Obviously there's limitations to that approach too. I think it's wise to suppress sometimes, express at other times provided both are chosen consciously rather than driven by unconscious imperatives. One chronic line of behavior applied to all (or most) circumstances is not as healthy IMO as occasionally giving the finger or occasionally giving a reassuring pat on the back. You do have a bazi sense. Tiger (or rather tigress, she's yin) is just one of my Four Animals, and not the leader of the pack -- not my Year animal and not even my Month animal. Like all cats, she takes the longest naps... but she can't be sleeping all the time. And like all cats, she doesn't like it when someone steps on her tail, especially on purpose. Meow.

What's unhealthy about giving the finger to someone who needs one? Sometimes that finger points to the moon... the sun... the stars... as in, "pull your head outta your ass and see the light!"

Yes. Videos I like out of the fodder you will find in YT: My teacher:

_/\_ That video gave me anxiety -- I was waiting for her to swallow her bubble gum.

Yes curious. I had wondered before about the character 萬 (wan4) the myriad [as in ‘the 1, 2, 3, the myriad’ DDJ 42]. The glyph origin is ‘scorpion’ and it also had the meaning of “religious dance; sorcery”. 萬 Oracle bone script: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E8%90%AC