Lataif

(1) Well . . . this is where the conversation gets tricky, and why there's no general agreement. (2) I'm not arguing that EVERY person reacts the SAME way to a piece of Music ALL of the time. (3) I don't think it's necessary for that to be the case for Music to have objective qualities. (4) Instead, the fact that a LOT of people react the SAME way to a piece of Music SOME of the time . . . seems to me like a compelling enough argument. (5) But is it (?) (6) I'm more interested here in the QUALITY of the argument . . . than I am in the actual facts. Thanks . . .

(1) But what does that mean (?) (2) This is where I'm going around and around with it. (3) Please explain, step by step, the sequence of events that leads to a song being popular . . . as you understand it. (4) My proposed sequence is something like this: -- the song contains a certain quality that can be experienced by human beings -- people's capacity, interest, conditioning, etc affects whether they do or do not experience it and to what extent -- but when lots of people do, the song is popular (5) Analogously: -- food contains a certain quality that can be experienced by human beings (sweet, sour, bitter, etc) -- people's capacity, interest, conditioning, etc affects whether they do or do not experience it and to what extent -- but when lots of people do, the taste is popular

(1) Well . . . Sufism understands Music to have an objective quality that can be experienced. (2) And I'm confident that's true. (3) But I've been looking at possible ways to demonstrate it . . . and it's problematical, as one would expect.

Cannabis seems to be the most versatile such substance: -- dozens of different cannabinoids in each plant -- hundreds of different strains and hybrids of the plant -- billions of different personalities with which to interact -- gazillions of different applications, effects, possibilities Any disagreement on that (?) Is there any other substance that even comes close (?)

Sort of related: A society needs prosperity . . . before it can generate enough people with enough leisure time . . . to make advances in spirituality. America after WW2 . . . is the example most of us are living through. Awfully fortunate, in historic terms . . .

Ah. Thanks. I'd have been surprised if there was in fact no such interpretation . . . but I didn't have an example to confirm the fact. So this is a helpful cross-reference . . .

Voidisyinyang: (1) These links were useful to me -- thanks for sharing them. *** (2) First, the Kingsley. I'll provisionally accept his scholarship, since he has a good reputation. (3) I'm particularly interested in his claims about recent manuscript discoveries and translations. (4) But the only specific thing I gained was some idea of ancient Egyptian influence on Sufism. I've heard that before . . . but in an unverified context. (5) So that was very good to have. (6) But the article really gives no details whatsoever of any specific alchemical practice in the writings of Suhrawardi. (7) Suhrawardi is important because he's the first known Sufi author to discuss the Lataif -- which are the core of the Iranian Sufi lineage with which I'm familiar. (8) But his discussion of the Lataif is so intertwined with conventional Islamic language (relating the Lataif to the prophets, etc) . . . and so unlike the experiential qualities transmitted in my Sufi lineage . . . that I find Suhrawardi not to be very useful. *** (9) The "Red Sulphur" . . . I have downloaded for future reading. (10) On cursory glance, however, it seems to emphasize the writings of Ibn Arabi. (11) I have respect for Arabi, but he doesn't anywhere (that I know of) speak about the Lataif -- which has surprised me . (12) So again . . . he's not useful to the Sufi practice tradition with which I'm familiar. (13) But I'll look at the PDF in greater depth to see if I'm wrong . . . *** (14) Finally, the article "The Art of Transformations". (15) This, too, has nothing specific -- about the nature, for example, of the "leaven" of transformation. (16) And nothing about the role of the Lataif . . . *** (17) All these were useful for me in general. (18) But I don't see any specific discussion of alchemical practice and no direct link between them . . . and Daoism. (19) In all of them . . . the "east" is not China . . . but Egypt. (20) What did I miss . . . from your perspective (?) (21) And none of them address my OP -- the nature of Masculinity and Femininity. (22) Do you maybe have resources to offer for that . . . specifically (?) Thanks again . . .

Maybe you should just be silent then . . . and not post comments (?)

Good xref . . .

Please: (1) I was following a certain line of inquiry this morning . . . and stumbled into something "obvious" that I just didn't know. (2) Let me describe it in a simplified way. (3) According to Mantak Chia (for example) Men and Women spend a certain high percentage of Chi each day (I forget the exact percentages -- let's just say 30% to 40% for each) . . . to produce Jing Chi -- in sperm and related hormones for Men . . . and in ovaries and related hormones for Women. (4) And that's then the source of sexual energy for all Men and pre-menopausal Women. (5) But what, then, is the source of sexual energy for post-menopausal Women (?) (6) It appears to me that a 60 year old Man has access to the same amount of sexual energy as a 30 year old Man (as long as he doesn't use it for ejaculation). (7) Does a 60 year old Woman have access to the same amount of sexual energy as a 30 year old Woman (?) (8) If not . . . what percentage does she have . . . and where is it stored (?) Thanks . . .

Feldenkrais is a very good system of body movement awareness education and therapy. But it deals strictly with neurological patterns related to movement and most Feldenkrais practitioners refuse to discuss any type of "energy" modalities. I know some world-class Feldenkrais teachers that I would trust with my life if it came to healing physiological problems having to do with body movement. But I have ZERO sense that they have any spiritual understanding, self-realization, or development . . .

Not a helpful answer.

No help with this (?)

In the teaching that I follow . . . "emptiness" is understood to be an absence of limitations. What's "absent" in "emptiness" . . . is any constraint (mental, emotional, physical) to the unfolding of Reality.

Any suggestions for understanding/treating ringing in the ears . . . if there is no obvious organic cause (ear/sinus infections, nerve damage, etc) (?) Thanks . . .

thank you -- I'll follow up on these . . .

I'll look at those -- thanks (!)

makes sense. thanks.

The best understanding of Nothingness that I've come to . . . is that it's a kind of underlying characteristic of reality that has to do with it having no limit or constraint of any kind whatsoever. "No thing" describes reality because reality has no ultimate bounds and no absolute form. That's how/why anything and everything can arise from it. Interestingly (for us humans), Nothingness can also limit itself . . . while still being unlimited. If it couldn't limit itself, it would be limited. That's where we fit in, it appears . . .

Could someone offer any insight, please (?) I'm looking at various techniques for addressing PTSD. I came across an energy method called "homolateral crossover", promoted by someone named Donna Eden. It references meridians, but is apparently not directly influenced by TCM or Qigong. I've tried some of the exercises and they seem to have a pretty distinct effect considering how really simple they are. I'm not sure I understand why they are thought to be effective. They are supposed to encourage the "crossing of energies from one side of the body to the other", but I don't recognize any equivalent idea in Qigong (if there is one). If someone knows about this technique, could you maybe suggest an equivalent Qigong movement that does the same kind of thing . . . and explain how/why it's effective (?) Thanks (!)

Yes, that's doubtless a happy movement. I can tell (to some non-trivial extent) . . . because I get a response in my own body from just watching it. Not sure what it would take to get up to speed on it. May I ask you to comment on the brief video that first got me interested in this (?) It's a very simple movement to learn (like 5 seconds) and seems to me to be disproportionately effective: What do you think (?)

Thanks. I looked at some teacup movements on YouTube. It's not clear to me how they promote crossover between left and right hemispheres. Is it a specific teacup movement that would do that (?)

Yes, EMDR is another technique I'm exploring. Thanks for confirming its prevalent use for PTSD and the possible similarity in its underlying theory. Good.

I put my QiGong teacher on the spot and asked her specifically whether, in general, practices that lead to immortality do so at the cost of a shorter physical life span. She admitted that they do. I'd read as much in certain literature . . . and my own personal experience seemed to tend that way. But it's the first time I could get it confirmed so explicitly. What do other people hear from their teachers/traditions (?)

Your manners are not very good. You should maybe talk to your teacher about that, because it doesn't reflect well on him/her having you as a student . . .