Michael Sternbach

An interesting perspective - but limited in some important respects. For it's pretty much our believes and subsequent thoughts which make us feel a certain way. Also, thoughts are much more differentiated than feelings.

What's the matter? Nobody wants to tell me how old I am?

Well, I take "killer instinct" to mean a sense to instantaneously and decisively fight back to a physical attack - the reptile brain response that is required for realistic self-defence. Moreover, the OP may be feeling that his kid lacks a sense of self protection in which case some adequate martial arts training could be advisable even if "only" for building up confidence.

There is a big difference between a little bully and a kid who is constantly living in fear because they feel they are not able to protect themselves. This tends to leave them scarred for life (and I don't mean physically). Responsible martial arts training is not about making somebody a bully. It teaches you to fight only if there is no other way out - this is not at odds with Daoism. Learning about de-escalation should be part of the curriculum in self-defence oriented training. Knowing how to fight goes a long way in avoiding that you would actually have to resort to it. Bullies are always looking for easy victims, they generally leave people alone who are radiating confidence. Personally, I was able to avoid a physical altercation several times by radiating a mix of peacefulness and preparedness.

Joseph Simonet: Silat Concepts (dvd). Teaches the first six jurus of Serak and practical applications. Joseph Simonet: Advanced Silat Concepts (dvd). Teaches the remaining twelve jurus. Joseph Simonet: Silat Concepts Form to Function (book). Bob Orlando: Indonesian Fighting Fundamentals (book; Kuntao-Silat). And all of Orlando's dvds. Richard E Clear jr: Kuntao Silat (dvd). Practical application for self-defence.

Brian, Early 50s?

Hi z00se, Here are a few ideas: Have your son enlighten those obnoxious kids on the relation of equalized perception to existential resistance. Enrol him in a local Wun Bong Drop Dead Kuen school. What, can't find any???!!! Then consider Judo. Not my no. 1 for live-and-death situations, generally speaking, but probably pretty good for gaining respect in daycare, on school yards, etc. Talking about activating the 'killer instinct', there is a method from internal martial arts: Rounding the back while keeping the spine straight - just hollowing the chest (as they say) and gently pushing the hips forward (more like letting them roll forward naturally as opposed to letting the butts stick out) - plus bending the fingers backwards activates the reptile brain. Not kidding. Careful with this one... For information purposes only. (Don't send me any dentist's bill.) If your kid is the type who has trouble fighting back, letting him learn some martial art in a kid-friendly school early on might be a good idea. I was like that myself, and the inevitable school yard bullies made me hate going to school (even though I was a good student). Some teachers tend to underestimate this problem ("oh, it's just kids having a little fun"). Eventually, I learned to show them the line. I wish somebody could have taught me some easy self-defence much earlier.

Double post. Hey, ever tried posting from your XYZ cell-phone with an unstable internet connection? It's so much fun!

Right. It's about transforming dualist thinking - not simply abandoning it as if it were something useless to begin with. Out of two make a third which equals zero. Any alchemist worth his gold would do this.

Enlightenment is an umbrella term. There are many ways to an enlightened state. Some methods indeed seek to take the thinking to a new perception of reality; in the East, i.e. jnana-yoga; in the West, i,e. anthroposophy. Probably you will regard all this as deception. But maybe my enlightenment is not the same like yours. I was once seeking the state of 'no thought' by practising Zazen. It's a powerful practice if undertaken in a non-dogmatic framework. I believe that temporarily suspending thought is worth while. Even though it's probably more accurate to define it as: Having thoughts without clinging to them. However, according to Daisetz Suzuki, the ideal state in Zen is to be "a living dead" - just sitting there, taking interest in nothing whatsoever (and he should know). Sounds like autism or catatonic schizophrenia. No thanks. No, the personality is more than that. It's (for one thing) a highly individual pattern that determines how you think, feel, act. You have it for good reasons. It can be developed and sophisticated, but it can't be renounced. People who believe this are fooling themselves, imo. Even the Buddha had/was quite a personality. There is lower thinking and there is higher thinking. Whatever helps you to elevate your thinking is never a waste of time. This is true. However, doubt and fear are rooted in the subconscious mind and can only be done away with as result of an internal transformation. You can't simply drop your conscious thoughts - and gone they are. (At least I can't.) Your thinking can lead you deeper into negativity, or it can serve to liberate you from it. Seeing beyond your biases and reworking your beliefs accordingly are important stages on the way of the spiritual seeker. But you can't live without beliefs - perhaps you can believe that you can. In Zen, it's the lower dantien (Japanese tanden, also called hara) where the consciousness is supposed to settle. What you seem to be describing is the opening of the heart chakra. This is a certain stage. Eventually, all the chakras should open. The heart has been considered to be the Sun in the human microcosm. So there may be some truth to what you are saying here. If it works for you this way, great! Are advocating the 'no more desires' thing? Maybe desirable if you are a monk living in a monastery. Again, sounds like you are experiencing an opening of the heart chakra. An oversimplification, in my mind. But depending on how your mind is oriented, yes, the mind can create a lot of difficulty. What would you need siddhis, magick or 'psychic tricks' for without having any problems to solve or (supposedly) things to achieve? I don't really like the concept of perfection as it implies a state beyond which nothing further can be attained. But I don't think it can ever be reached anyway, once and for all. Maybe you are trying to say that perfection is already there and only needs to be seen? Good luck! (Seriously.) Why would you wish to increase your consciousness by taking Reishi mushroom in your perfect state?

Same thing in Aikido... I met black belts who were not even aware that there are a number of different styles. In many fields, there are plenty of people who like to believe that their way of doing things is the one and only. Or at least the 'original' one.

Thanks BKA, I see what you mean. I'll then better get my good old zazen cushion and the mat out again and knock the dust of two decades off. Zazen should be a good practice, too, in line with what you're suggesting. I also want to look into Bardon's book.

I'm not sure if I'm getting you right about mediating, BKA. You said that mediating would greatly amplify one's magic. Okay, I set out to do a magic(k)al operation; a couple of possibilities, here. But where would the mediating part come in? Yes, it's quite effective to do your thing and then to let it go and not to think about it any more for the time being. But I doubt that this is what you are referring to. Perhaps you simply meant that people who are good at mediating are more powerful magicians... The book looks interesting - thanks. Good that there is a paperback edition available, too, as I haven't manifested a kindle yet.

I agree with you, all in all. Personally, I like simple and practical, but let's not neglect that a lot of magic works via the unconscious - and the latter likes a little "show" in the way of rites and tangible symbols. The extra time and effort required may well be worth while.

Ack.

Thanks. Something for me to ponder.

There is indeed sometimes a trade off going on between different areas of life as can be seen in so many geniuses. Genetics doesn't contradict this because it's always in tune with somebody's soul intentions which determines the personality toward a certain kind of activity. For somebody physically incapacitated but of extraordinary mental prowess, it becomes natural to fully focus on the latter which may be their part to play in the grand scheme. Moreover, in many cases, whether such genetically based illnesses get actualized has got to do with their mental/emotional attitudes as Bruce Lipton demonstrated. I agree with others here that remote viewing (especially once it has become a quite natural thing to do) is rather effortless. What can indeed be an energy drain, however, is to tune into physically and/or mentally afflicted individuals to often as one may temporarily take over some of their symptoms.

Marblehead, Regarding the concepts of wu wei and wei wu wei (for which you have given some interesting definitions above), where would you put the state of effortless action as sometimes experienced by writers, martial artists etc. into this context?

Hi BaguaKicksAss, That's interesting what you said about mediating being a particularly powerful technique. I know your opinion on personal instruction, the best stuff not being in books etc. But nevertheless, what book or website etc. would be most worth wile for getting familiar with mediating, in your opinion?

Interesting... thanks.

There's a thread on Skyscript some of you might find interesting where I have been speaking about Chinese in contrast with Western astrology with a Chinese astrologer earlier this year. http://skyscript.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=8289 I will also look into Zhongyongdaoist's and Daeluin's links, when I find the time.

Yes, more or less.

The Wanderer is an interesting archetype which plays a role not only in Eastern (especially Daoist) but also in Western philosophical traditions. For example in the Tarot, The Fool could be said to be the "Tarot Bum." In this regard, I just found this interesting website... to my surprise, it actually links The Fool to hexagram 56!!! http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/ciencia/occultgeneticcode/tarot00.HTM

Hi Iain I assume that voters generally refer to their Tropical Sun sign so you may want to do that too, even if only for reasons of "scientific" consistency. The question which zodiac is the "right" one involves an ongoing debate in the astrological community and we will hardly resolve it here - even though we did try in the course of this thread! Personally, I think that both perspectives might be valid - what matters is what you are "tuning into." Nice to meet you, too. Cheers, Michael

I would say, go easy on yourself and don't worry. It's best that you trust your body and psyche and give them time to adjust to the altered situation. Things will eventually find their proper new balance all by themselves.