BananaMonkey

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Posts posted by BananaMonkey

  1. Posted

    Hey folks!

     

    I figured there have to be many people with an interesting taste in music here and since I'm always looking for new sounds, I'm starting this thread.

     

    My own tastes are very diverse, my first passion was rock and metal (thrash, death and progressive). Then I started listening to jazz (mostly modern), jazz fusion, electronic music (especially DnB and progressve psytrance), classical and folk/world music.

     

    So I'm pretty much open to any suggestions of what you guys enjoy. Since I have a lot more fast-paced and intense music than slower stuff in my collection, I'm mostly looking for relaxing sounds, though. And I listen to a lot of instrumental music because I find it stimulates my mind differently from the verbal input that's everywhere nowadays.

     

    Looking forward to your input!

  2. Posted

    Hey folks,

     

    I enjoy dancing to Drum'n'Bass which obviously is very fast-paced and intense. At a party a few weeks ago I had a feeling of energy concentrating in my upper dantian/centre of my head while I was dancing ecstatically. This was accompanied by an intense feeling of joy. I was completely sober at the time.

     

    My question is, what sort of energy do you guys think this would be within the Daoist system? Is it Qi or maybe Qi being refined into Shen energy?

     

    Looking forward to your input!

    • Like 1

  4. Posted

    I think this is the very essence of nourishing life traditions and daoist cultivation: keep the spirit within you - by keeping the spirit within one's form, the form will live long and one will attain the Dao.

     

    I'm currently writings my BA thesis on a 13th century Zhuangzi commentary written by someone who seems strongly influenced by Buddhism to me. Since I also practice Zen and study Buddhism in general, some parallels between Buddhist and Taoist philosophy caught my eye recently.

     

    I also heard a Zen master say something like "keeping one's mind focused on one's body helps with enlightenment as opposed to letting one's thoughts wander about elsewhere".

    • Like 1

  7. Posted

    I'd like to send my best wishes as well. Never give up on yourself!

     

    Is going to some kind of a retreat where you don't have access to the substances an option? Can't speak from experience, but I hear cold turkey works best for most people. It surely is hard, but it's effective, too.

     

    Do you have something else to do instead of giving in to the urge?

    As Socrates said: "The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new."

     

    Peace!

  12. Posted

    So you both think that ultimately, it doesn't really matter. That's interesting because when I started practising consistently a few months ago, at first I closed my eyes completely because it felt easier. Then, maybe two weeks ago, I started keeping them half-open and I felt like I had to start almost from zero again. I guess I'll just return to eyes closed, then.

     

    Another question: I also started practising Qi Gong breathing exercises a few weeks ago. So as first thing in the morning, I do some breathing exercises. Because it's great to get me going and because traditionally, deep breathing is said to be more beneficial energetically when done before noon. I'm in the process of learning the Microcosmic Orbit and will do this after the breathing.

    So far I always did Zazen in the evening, when things are quieter and I feel like calming my mind is in order. Occasionally, if time permits and I feel like it, I'll also do additional Zazen during the day. So when do you think is the best time to sit?

  13. Posted

    Hey fellow disciples of sitting and staring at the floor :D

     

    Now, this semi-serious line already brings me to the point of this thread: Do you all practice with you eyes half-lidded or does anybody close them completely during zazen? My teacher and pretty much everything I've read about it advocates keeping the eyes open. While I understand that the practice is designed this way for a reason, I'd like to hear if anybody here did zazen with eyes closed long-term and what their experiences are with it.

     

    Peace!

  18. Posted

    scrotum compression

     

    This sounds a lot worse than not allowing oneself to blow one's load :)

     

    Anyway, when I read "The Tao of Sexology" last year the importance of keeping the juices inside immediately clicked for me. I don't really find orgasms less intense without ejaculation, actually...

  22. Posted

    Hey folks,

     

    you're probably familiar with the idea of the things most irritating to someone being reflections of their own (unconscious) view of themselves. I'd like you to share some insights you had about yourself pertaining to this concept.

     

    I myself for example used to have a deprecating image of people who obviously are wealthy, i.e. drive an expensive car, live in a big house and so on. After a while I realised that I had beliefs about money and wealth as being incompatible with goodness, spirituality etc.. Then, after reading something about and intellectually understanding the aforementioned concept, I started consciously challenging my view of this and met some really nice, wealthy people. For example, I used to work as a bike messenger and delivered urgent letters and packages to sometimes pretty rich people while I myself was wearing shabby clothes, being sweaty and often had mud on my face. When some of them gave me generous tips and made a kind impression, my view changed considerably.

     

    In addition to this, I read about many wealthy people doing altruistic things and spiritual leaders often being quite well-off. Now, I'm not talking about the self-indulgent Guru types here, but of those who for example wrote books and earned a lot which they channelled into their charitable work. Now I no longer think of money as something inherently evil or egoistic but a neutral kind of tool that can be used for good as well as for immoral purposes.

     

    Looking forward to your input :)