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This sums up my couple months long experience on DaoBums 😂

I’m sure TT is one of those particularly gifted, 1-in-a-billion persons

well now i need a crown of femurs made from my vanquished enemies...

now were's my crown, I did put it somewhere, it must be here, am so forgetful.. well at last I have the age and the befuddled memory of a crone now

No growth of moor or coppice, No heather-flower or vine, But bloomless buds of poppies, Green grapes of Proserpine, Pale beds of blowing rushes Where no leaf blooms or blushes Save this whereout she crushes For dead men deadly wine.

Hello all! I'm Abby, 5o y/o female. I'm a long-time lurker here, but only decided to post now. While I mostly consider myself a Sri Vidya/Non-dual tantrik Shaivism practitioner, I have had empowerments for and performed Vajrayana sadhanas. That said, my interest in Daoism is what originally led me here. I've had a meditation practice for 9 years now, and have been an MA practitioner for almost 40 years. I consider myself a Devi-Bhakta, a practical mystic, and an all-around witchy-woman

My gal just shared this with me. I'm pretty firmly in the camp of you do you, be it gal, guy, both or other... Now... where did I put my femurs?

I have no idea what we're even talking about anymore and I still love it 😊🥴🩷

Isn't suggesting to see a psychotherapist a way of saying that he needs help? Help can come in the form of a kind word of understanding. I do not see it as an issue that requires help from a psychotherapist if there is no violent actions that follows those violent daydreams. He is reaching out to forum members for information. Yes, he is asking why ... which shows concern which I believe it means he is not a psychopath or sociopath. It is part of his practice or a result of his practice which makes it a religious discussion. If it were just random daydreams then it would not be religious. Do the daydreams need to be of priest and nuns in order to be religious? But since it comes as a result of his practice of meditation which is part of Buddhism, ...., it becomes a religious discussion. It should not be dismissed. He is asking for compassion and wisdom. Yeah, I know this forum can not handle certain situations and sometimes suggesting professional help is the better alternative to advice given on a forum. What to do? IDK. May be I should stop watching boxing because whatever one feeds the mind is what grows much like Karma. Plant a seed and it will grow. Never knowing for sure when and how it will come back to bite us in the a...

can only give my personal experience, Kundalini came totally unexpected and it cut away ego in one fell swoop. for many weeks I walked around dazed. That one fell swoop had made me realize that those stories that I had always shrugged away as woowoo were true, that ego was made out of nothing, that the phrase "were all one" has substance. but I could not live like that and a new storyline, a new ego built up. again reactive et cetera Now with the underlying knowledge that it is just a story

well yes when the neidan appears you are indeed without self/awareness. But here being is the neidan if by form you will mean the literal form of a literal thing then yes well it sounds outlandish but it is a literal new thing in your body: varying between a luminous golden pearl (or a millet grain) to a bright red shiny tangerine-sized ball.

To satisfy my own curiosity, and not specifically a question for YOU, Forest: IS it "about saving all sentient beings"? If not, then what? What might a short description of the desired end result of these practices include? Is there only ONE set of practices that might bring about this result? Why would these teachings be secret? What does "immortal" (if that is part of the desired result) mean in plain language? What is the day to day experience of an "immortal" like? Who or what chooses or determines a "chosen one"? These are NOT trick questions or the set-ups for a "gotcha". Surprised, but delighted to see something so common and available on the end of your link. Just in perusing the linked book: You could tell me that this is Tibetan Buddhism and I would buy it. These messages, while couched differently, are entirely familiar. It implies that this is all that needs to be done. What does the "next step" of your neidan work add to "true being"?

One might argue: Isn't it about saving all sentient beings, not a personal, transactional relationship? How could someone who possess such art have any need for goodwill? And imagine how one could destroy all the fake, seminar-selling pseudo-Daoists by exposing the actual information? And if it's truly self-secret, then what harm can come? Although, most people probably won't go for it if they have to give up wine, sex, and meat.

well we could also say that even though ego holds on it has in certain cases been indelibly impacted and seen as a passing construct, thus it can never regain the power it had once commandeered...

If you made that up, can you tell me what sherry you are drinking these days, please (I quite like it)?

On the bright side, Maddie started a thread about transgender issues and the most controversial subject to come up today is Lord Byron.

So much of what you said was so relatable. I constantly battled mysterious anxiety and depression my whole life but could not find any obvious source much of the time. When I first became aware of what trans people were I also had a mixture of fascination, and revulsion. I grew up in Texas. A very conservative and religious place. I didn't even know trans people existed and if I had I would have thought to do something like that would be one of the most disgraceful things one could possibly do to themselves. Fast forwarding a lot, one of the main reasons that I became interested in internal cultivation was because of the constant anxiety and depression that I was constantly feeling all of the time. So very early on, on the path I began meditation. At first I was horrified and thought meditation either didn't work or was harmful to my mental health because almost as soon as I began meditation feelings of being a girl came to the surface very quickly. This naturally horrified me and as I fought it my anxiety and depression became worse. I spent several more years meditating, thinking that if I could just meditate enough I could "meditate the trans away". This obviously didn't work and the anxiety and depression only became worse as I continued to meditate. Fast forwarding a little more the fact that I was a girl was becoming this constant internal screaming that I could no longer ignore. Therefore I decided to to an "experiment" and dress like a girl and "indulge" my mind. I fully expected to "get it out of my system" and then that would be the end of my "shameful" cross dressing experiment. So on my day off I went to the thrift store got a girl outfit (my face was red from embarrassment) and took it home. I put it on and instead of feeling ridiculous like I thought I was going to, I felt so comfortable. I realized right then and there that I was trans. I just remember staring at the floor all day in disbelief. The other thing I noticed was once I acknowledged it the constant anxiety and depression that I dealt with constantly just disappeared over night. I could not believe it.

As much as we don't like what Frantzis became only hypocrites will deny the debt they have towards him. Just my assertive humble opinion.

Sometimes you don’t need to pay a therapist to understand something. If it was the case of repeated horrific violent scenes appearing unprompted then by all means, go see a therapist. But if it’s “I was daydreaming and one time it was violent” then I don’t think it’s so urgent as to waste your time and money going to a therapist.

Thanks and sorry. This is something lost in translation. This passage should be read not with 'being' as in 'human being' in mind, but 'being' as 'a thing' Like below whereas the thing in question is the internal elixir, the neidan

If you write "via TCM", the likelyhood of that is really small.

You don't even know what I do yet? lol

Side doors and crooked paths resonate more with desire.

It’s full of something alright.

I think what Sam is suggesting is that the idea of distinct ‘things’ called dzogchen or Chan may be confusing. I think it’s not about one thing dominating another thing but more something happened from which what we know as Dzogchen and Chan emerged.

This forum is full of self taught masters

I don't think there is anything in our universe that doesn't co-create and intermingle. Having investigated a couple of these traditions as a non-scholar on this topic, I think it is obvious that Buddhism/Ch'an, Taoism, and other traditions definitely co-mingled in China and influenced each other. Rather than thinking about these "movements" as separate, I tend to think of them in terms of the teachers. Enlightened teachers (in my experience) have ZERO qualms about quoting some Rumi, Ramana Maharshi, or whatever valid dharma they have met with and recognized in order to wake up their students. This story of intermingling isn't so much about traditions as it is about well-known, recognized and well-traveled teachers picking up teachings as they move through the world and using them as skillful means.

Impressive resume you got there, welcome

I think @Taoist Texts means to say it doesn't need a teacher because it can not be taught unless you are the chosen one?? Who knows? You could be that chosen one? That is what I think when I play the lottery. But, I never win anything.

Of course you are

Neidan is a made-up western word which means 1) the teaching of alchemy, 2) the practice of alchemy 3) the product of alchemy (the elixir). These are 3 different things yet the westerners lump all 3 of them into one fake term The westerners made up this fake term in order to delude themselves that they can A) understand the alchemy, B ) practice the alchemy C) teach the alchemy - without ever D) producing the elixir. To answer your question: NO. For normal people, with or without a teacher, it is not possible. YES . For a particularly gifted, 1-in-a-billion person, it is possible . This exceptional book explains " LDT meditation technique" for virtue, health, power and wisdom in complete detail. Who could get these results from this book will be able to advance to neidan.

>My current view for what it is worth is that Dzogchen and Mahamudra derive from Zouwang. Meditation similar to Zouwang and others existed in India too even before Buddha. Jhanas were taught to Buddha by hinduists the VI century BC (in India-Nepal) So it's hard to tell. But meditation existed way before Buddhism and probably Daoism. And in Cnina and India. Both places. India for sure. On respect Dzogchen there's some debate, but Mahamudra origins are clearly from Indian Siddhas Tilopa and then Naropa. Marpa the translator came next and was the first tibetan to receive the teachings, then came the famous Milarepa. And his disciple, Gampopa build the foundations of what now we know as Mahamudra. The lineage here is quite clear and documented and comes from India. So for Mahamudra derivate from Zouwang it has to have come first to India and be adopted by the great siddhas of the time. Not impossible, but strange. Dzogchen origins are less clear. They revert to Padmasambhava, also indian (VIII century) that went to Tíbet but his life is quite a legendary one. And there's some suspicion that some Chan/Zen influences may be there from the time Moheyan (chinese Chan monk) went to Tíbet on the VIII century. From this time on, there's, no doubt some chinese influence in tibetan buddhism but the indian one is a lot more clear.

I did but it did take a fairly large amount of alentejo red wine.

Maybe we're well on our way to becoming boring 😌 I just stopped at whole foods on the way back from work. Didn't even get one funny look. Come on guys you got to give a girl a little bit of excitement lol

That would be acceptable.

I had to look up what that meant . So I dont really get it .... catch 'it' ? I think the concern was being abducted ' to up the back of the farm ' ???? or if I borrowed their car ... they might want a 'favor' in return - that one was actually suggested .... they didnt want , I did offer though , I took our tractor and pipe layer over there when they wanted to put a new water trough in at the front cow paddock . Actually one of them - Gordon , did try to embarrass me publicly once ; I was cooking for their choir at the community kitchen and had an apron on. He was with others including Marty who I knew (also gay ) . They where having a meeting , and as I passed 'Gordy' says " Nice dress ... do you have a song for us ?" The others smirked , not Marty , he knows me too well , he had an " Noooooo ! " look on his face . So I lifted up my apron and did a little dance and sang " Gordy strap[s his hands and knees into apparatus such as these ; whips, corsets and bows , little boys clothes , goodness knows ! " Marty stood up and "Okay, thats enough now. '' and directed me back to the kitchen .

« though the cook does not order the kitchen, the surrogate corpse does not leap goblet and tray to replace him » zhuangzi ch. 1

my job doesn't pay me enough for me to afford a malevolent hearse 😭

Or a Zhuangzi character. "Master Startled Submissive spoke to Master Long Girlcock, saying..."

I suppose it depends what exactly you are looking for. There is plenty of low-level discussion of various abstinences and purifications that go along with and are preconditions for mental cultivation. (My reading has been haphazard so I don't know sutta names offhand, sorry.) If you're looking for more intense methods—which I take it you are—you won't find it. (Indeed, the suttas tend to be skeptical of what can be achieved with just bodily cultivation.)

it means just what it says really, there's an innocence to it that's a bit sinister, like you're luring someone in only to steal their soul once they get close (cannot stress enough that this is a good thing. being vaguely malevolent spirits is our birthright)

Thany you but your bookcase is not in focus.

My current view for what it is worth is that Dzogchen and Mahamudra derive from Zouwang.

and which almost killed Gopi Krishna even though his intentions and practice were 100% devotional, hopeful and pure according to his recounting as I remember reading it... anyway a million volts, as an analogy, is still a million volts and preparation is wise but still one can only make so many preparations before getting shocked (figuratively) one way or another.

>when I do sitting and forgetting I have ‘memories’ which are not my own. Quite vivid and elaborate scenes and people which I realize I have never known or seen before. It’s quite weird. Me too, which is fun because I also "I am" a white cat with blue collar... Recalling other-life memories is an experience described in buddhism, it fits.

Another one, self-taught. Daydreaming is not a practice. From your description you lack mental control and uncontrolled thoughts can come from mental parasites. Visualization training can be approached after pre-requisites are met, you did not clear those first.

I've been doing some review of du & ren in Deadman's Manual of Acupuncture. If you're really into this stuff, consider buying that - or some other hard core - book on acupuncture. Of the caliber that they use in schools. I find it to be a valuable reference. Anyway, the trajectories of ren (and du) are significantly different than is presented in pop-Taoism. A couple of other references.

The person whose thoughts bubbled up and wondered, "This is why I ask why am I not enlightened?". There is no mystery here. And nothing so enticing as to draw my mind to one focus. I am like everyone else, sleep walking thru life and having a good time. At one time, I asked a person if they would like to escape birth, death and being reborn again into suffering. He said, "He wants to do it all over again. Why stop?". Then, I thought that everyone thinks they want one thing. But is that just is what the propaganda wants us to believe? Does one just eat one meal for the rest of their lives? We dance this dance and we dance again.