Infolad1

Thanks Dawei! I appreciate It. Next part by this evening. Additional parts over the weekend. Cheers!

Hi Everyone! I apologize for the delay. This booklist has turned into a project, In, and of itself! LOL! So I'll be doing 5 books (also e-books) minimum at a time, providing both their descriptions, links, and commentary from me. I'll label each section of the booklist 7a, 7b, etc. They're easily over 30 books, so this may take me a month, or two. There'll be books on practice, and books on the history, lineages, etc. Always good to know both, from multiple sides, to help draw a balanced conclusion regarding which practices to pursue. I'll also provide Scribd links for material no longer in print, or available. My views are my own with all of this. As I always say, believe nothing. Read, research, apply. Keep the useful, discard the useless, once you have a relatively good idea which is which. It is my hope that this booklist will help save major time for people, as they progress. With that said: Part 7 of The Energy Cultivator's Handbook by Infolad1 The Energy Cultivator’s Ultimate Booklist - 7a Tao & Longevity: Mind-Body Transformation Paperback – June 1, 1984 by Huai-Chin Nan (Author), Wen Kuan-Chu (Translator) Comments: Excellent book for cultivators. Nan Huai-Chin discusses the various physical transformations that your vehicle will go through during the actual cultivation process. Invaluable. I refer to It time, and again. A little book, that packs a big punch. The Little Book of Hercules: The Physical Aspects of the Spiritual Path Paperback – July 18, 2011 by William Bodri (Author) Book Description: Using the Greek story of the Twelve Labors of Hercules, which outlines the progressive stages of spiritual development that spiritual practitioners in all spiritual traditions go through, this book presents full details on the step-by-step progression of the physical transformations that occur to practitioners. Whenever someone starts to consistently cultivate spiritual practice in a devoted way, there are physical changes that will occur to the human body. These physical transformations, called "gong-fu" in the eastern spiritual schools, are non-denominational signposts of spiritual progress. If you cultivate spiritual practice sufficiently then these phenomena will arise. If you don't practice correctly, they simply won't appear. Their appearance is a matter of proper devoted effort. These phenomena include such things as the awakening of kundalini (yang chi) within the body, the opening of the chakras and purification of the body's energy channels, hormonal transformations, the calming of consciousness, the experience of refined mental states described as "emptiness," and various other mental and physical phenomena. Comments: Another keeper. Bodri discusses a number of phenomena not dealt with In cultivation books, and does so In a clear, though intentionally repetitive manner. He repeats things constantly, because it’s been his experience that people don’t remember important points in this process, so reinforcement of practice points is essential. From my experiences teaching, I agree with him. When I first started experiencing various physical transformations, I didn’t know the details of what was going on. Not only did this book explain what had already happen to me, verifying Bodri’s knowledge base on these matters, it let me know what would happen next. Highly recommended. Internal Martial Arts Nei-gong: Cultivating Your Inner Energy to Raise Your Martial Arts to the Next Level Paperback – December 5, 2011 by Bill Bodri (Author), John Newtson (Author) Book Description: In many old martial arts films you often see a master capable of extraordinary supernormal feats such as being able to move with the speed of wind, throw incredibly heavy objects, destroy them with a strike, stride over water, or even fly through the air. Are such things possible? The Chinese Taoists say "yes" if the master practiced special exercises to cultivate their inner energy, or yang chi (qi). These practices to cultivate inner power are called nei-gong, or the internal martial arts, and are related to the mastery of the kundalini energies cited in Indian yogic and Buddhist literature, which also explains the various superpowers that become possible with its cultivation. Many people today want to be able to attain such supernormal skills, or they simply want to understand why and how these skills were cultivated so they might be duplicated as best possible. Some practitioners of Tai Chi Chuan, Hsing-Yi, Ba Gua Zhang, Five Animals, Aikido, Karate, Judo, Northern Shaolin, and other Kung Fu Wushu traditions have alternatively damaged their bodies from their practice, or have reached a training plateau, and want some sure methods to break their current limits and bring their martial arts skills to the next level. This book explains the major practices on how to properly cultivate nei-gong safely to achieve all these objectives. The information provided, because of its advance nature, was usually considered the high "secrets" of martial arts lineages made available only to the top students who also practiced breathing methods and meditation. It explains how to cultivate the mythical martial arts through the initial practice of qi-gong, and then inner nei-gong exercises involving anapana, pranayama, one-pointed visualization, kasina meditations, and sexual cultivation. It provides training information applicable to Iron Palm, Iron Shirt or Dim Mak techniques, which though incredible in themselves still fall far short of the special supernormal achievements possible after a martial arts student successfully opens up their chakras and chi channels, in particular their sushumna central channel and the macrocosmic chi circulation within the body. Comments: Another great Bodri book. Again, intentionally repetitive, but with great insights. A number of the practice books at the beginning of this booklist, will be by William (Bill) Bodri, and his teacher Nan Haui-Chin. From my personal experience, their knowledge is both clear, and able to be immediately applied. I don’t agree with a few things they say, but it’s nothing major. This book is important, in that he gives a very good outline for what cultivators need to do, to get to the supernormal abilities level. It’s always good to have a lay of the land, when pursuing learning something new, and Bodri consistently delivers on that front, In both this, and his various other books. The Little Book of Meditation: The Way to Lifelong Vibrant Health, Peace of Mind, Spiritual Growth and Wellbeing Paperback – December 22, 2011 by William Bodri (Author) Book Description: In this small book you will learn everything you need to know, including answers to the most often asked questions, to be able to master four of the most common meditation practices found across the world. You will learn how to recite mantras or prayers to quiet your mind. You will learn how to watch your thoughts and behavior with alert awareness, called vipassana mindfulness meditation practice, so that your wandering thoughts calm down. If you learn how to constantly watch your mind and your behavior with an inner mindfulness, you will be continually practicing self-improvement and purifying your consciousness. You will also learn visualization concentration practice, which has been used by many famous scientists, to cultivate the ability to hold visual images in your mind without wavering. Lastly, you will learn the methods of cultivating your breath, or respiration, through yoga pranayama practices and anapana practices that teach you to watch your breathing to calm your mind, and even attain high spiritual states called samadhi. While you will learn how to master the big four methods, other meditation techniques are also introduced that come from not one, but from a variety of spiritual traditions. These methods will not only teach you how to live better, but will also give you the tools for mastering this thing we all have called "consciousness" and learning about the true nature of your mind. The results of meditation practice not only lead to greater internal peace, but physical changes such as the rousing of internal energies that lay the foundation for higher spiritual growth and wellbeing. These physical changes include more energy, the healing of internal illnesses, muscle softening, greater flexibility and longevity. Book Description: A great breakdown, and distillation of the primary methods of meditation practice. Great for beginners. Helps avoid a lot of confusion, when attempting to learn from more advanced texts. Also helps elucidate things learned from your teacher. It’s 388 pages, so it’s not actually “little” Spiritual Paths and Their Meditation Techniques Paperback – November 13, 2010 by William Bodri (Author), Nan Huai-chin (Author) Book Description: The different spiritual schools and religions of the world promote a variety of final objectives in their teachings. These final objectives can be as diverse as training you to achieve worldly predominance, an immortal physical body, a heavenly rebirth, more perfect and compassionate human behavior, samadhi attainments, a "reunion with God" or what's called "perfect and complete spiritual enlightenment." There are many possible different final objectives for spiritual practitioners. Most religions in the world also have their own special spiritual cultivation techniques. To make spiritual progress, you should know about these spiritual practices and meditation techniques as well as how to practice them correctly. If you truly expect any progress on the road of spirituality it is essential that you engage in some form of meditation practice rather than depend on ceremonies, rituals and religious rules of discipline for achievement. However, you must be able to differentiate between all the various meditation practices you might choose from as to their effectiveness, you must know what to expect from their successful application, and you must know how to practice them according to commonly recognized, non-denominational principles. Basically, you need to know how to practice spiritual techniques correctly, and must do so. This book will deeply delve into these matters and also examine the common errors that have typically developed in spiritual traditions over time. With a review of both Eastern and Western traditions along with their most powerful cultivation techniques, you will become equipped to avoid the same mistakes in your own spiritual practice and become able to resist through wisdom the most common falsities that tend to creep into these paths as they mature. The ultimate objective of this book is to enable you to engage in spiritual practice correctly and ultimately achieve some genuine stage of high spiritual attainment. Comments: This is the updated print version of Bodri’s “The Insider's Guide to The World's Best and Worst Spiritual Paths and Practices” e-book. It’s a combination book of both practices, and history (when it comes to cultivation practices, sometimes they’re one, and the same ), which new practitioners need to know. Bodri can be brutal In his assessment of various practices. I would advise reading both this book, and the other books I recommend, In addition to doing your own research, In order to come to your own conclusions, regarding the effectiveness of these various traditions. More to come Friday. Cheers!

Thanks Soaring Crane! Appreciate It. There'll be a number of parts added to the handbook during this week. Cheers!

Thanks Soaring Crane, and JohnC. That'd be great. I found out that I have to hit 200 posts, and had to have been here for 6 months, to do that (I won't be at 6 months, until January). I'll put the booklist up Monday then. Thanks Soaring Crane. Would It be possible to call the thread "The Energy Cultivator's Handbook"? Cheers!

Great stuff MooNiNite! Passio does great presentations. I agree with about 90% of what he says. And he's a fellow Philadelphian. (Yo!) The first movie had It, allegorically speaking. The second, and third had some of it, wrapped up with the very cool live action anime. Cheers!

Fantastic example! Kudos! Cheers!

Hi Soaring Crane, Question. So does this mean that this thread is closed? Should I establish a thread myself, with the research I've posted? This is the first time on here that I've been involved in a thread split. Please advise on appropriate protocols. I'm working on the booklist, with commentaries. 1st part will be up by tonight, once I know where to put It. Also have some VERY Interesting additions to add to the handbook. My current research is leading in some amazing directions. Thanks In advance. Cheers!

True. I've been blessed with a number of both. Much success on your journey! Cheers!

Part 6 of The Energy Cultivators Handbook by Infolad1 Hi everyone! I've seen from previous posts, that there are questions, and rightly so, about the afterlife. Also questions about reincarnation. Makes sense. The goal of some folks doing these practices is to not have to ever come back to this plane of reality. So how do you know If you've successfully achieved this ability to "graduate out of the school of life early?" Why, you go there early, to check it all out of course! The following is to be both viewed, and read with my primary rule in mind: If You Haven't Directly Experienced It Yourself, It's Hearsay, and Speculation, Until Proven Otherwise. In other words, BELIEVE NOTHING. Not from a book. Not from a video. And especially not from me. Your direct experience, and confirmation trumps everything. With the above caveat In place, If you're not aware of him already, I'm going to Introduce you to Tom Campbell. "Who Is he?", you may ask. The following is from his site: http://www.my-big-toe.com/about/ Tom Campbell began researching altered states of consciousness with Bob Monroe (Journeys Out Of The Body, Far Journeys, and The Ultimate Journey) at Monroe Laboratories in the early 1970s where he and a few others were instrumental in getting Monroe’s laboratory for the study of consciousness up and running. These early drug-free consciousness pioneers helped design experiments, developed the technology for creating specific altered states, and were the main subjects of study (guinea pigs) all at the same time. Campbell has been experimenting with, and exploring the subjective and objective mind ever since. For the past thirty years, Campbell has been focused on scientifically exploring the properties, boundaries, and abilities of consciousness. During that same time period, he has excelled as a working scientist, a professional physicist dedicated to pushing back the frontiers of cutting edge technology, large-system simulation, technology development and integration, and complex system vulnerability and risk analysis. Presently, and for the past 20 years, he has been at the heart of developing US missile defense systems. Tom is the “TC (physicist)” described in Bob Monroe’s second book Far Journeys and has been a serious explorer of the frontiers of reality, mind, consciousness, and psychic phenomena since the early 1970s. My Big TOE is a model of existence and reality that is based directly on Campbell’s scientific research and first hand experience. It represents the results and conclusions of thirty years of careful scientific exploration of the boundaries and contents of reality from both the physical and metaphysical viewpoints. The author has made every effort to approach his explorations without bias or preconceived notions. There is no belief system, dogma, creed, or unusual assumptions at the root of My Big TOE. By demanding high quality repeatable, empirical, evidential data to separate what’s real (exists independently and externally) from what’s imaginary or illusory; Campbell has scientifically derived this general model of reality. Here's a multi part lecture he did In London, on the nature of reality. It's 18 parts, so just put them into a playlist: Slides: http://www.my-big-toe.com/uploads/LondonIIWorkshopSlides.pdf Here's the first 7: Physics, Metaphysics & the Consciousness Connection 1 of 18 Physics, Metaphysics & the Consciousness Connection 2 of 18 Physics, Metaphysics & the Consciousness Connection 3 of 18 Physics, Metaphysics & the Consciousness Connection 4 of 18 Physics, Metaphysics & the Consciousness Connection 5 of 18 Physics, Metaphysics & the Consciousness Connection 6 of 18 Physics, Metaphysics & the Consciousness Connection 7 of 18 You can look at the rest on YouTube. His YouTube channel has hours of talks that he's given on all aspects of his theory. This is his "My Big TOE (Theory Of Everything)" book trilogy: My Big TOE - The Complete Trilogy -Paperback http://www.amazon.com/My-Big-TOE-Complete-Trilogy/dp/0972509461 My Big Toe (3 Book Series) - Kindle Edition http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XIZWAMU/ref=series_rw_dp_sw Here's links to his mentor Robert Monroe's classic books on the matter, which I read 20 years ago: Journeys Out of the Body - Kindle Edition http://www.amazon.com/Journeys-Out-Body-Robert-Monroe-ebook/dp/B00OWWOM2O/ref=pd_sim_351_6?ie=UTF8&dpID=51FHrrbhigL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR104%2C160_&refRID=0885CKJED85QE1CF4D4Y Far Journeys - Kindle Edition http://www.amazon.com/Far-Journeys-Robert-Monroe-ebook/dp/B00OWWOMAG/ref=pd_sim_351_1?ie=UTF8&dpID=51dUYmKomiL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR101%2C160_&refRID=1EGGMDR6P1SG2S707T5N The Ultimate Journey - Kindle Edition http://www.amazon.com/The-Ultimate-Journey-Robert-Monroe-ebook/dp/B00OWWOLZM/ref=pd_sim_351_1?ie=UTF8&dpID=51nXkIBt8UL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR110%2C160_&refRID=07THNEYMWER0EQ88816N So In a nutshell, this is all a virtual reality simulation, created by consciousness, which is Immaterial (no things/nirvana ). Consciousness views it's creation through beings it populates infinite levels of this simulation with. We are some of these beings. We are mental constructs that It can potentially function through. We are characters, In a game of "Warcraft". Liberation, Enlightenment, "Waking Up", is realizing the reality of the above. Then we reverse the process, unplugging from the sensory inputs of the body, and the thoughts, and images of the false persona, In order to realize our true nature as consciousness. That which sees all, yet is unseen. Once we wake up to all of this, we can access the equivalent of "cheat codes", enabling us to do things the average person(character) can't do. We begin this process through the harmonics of breathing, putting us into the meditative state. From Metu Neter Volume1: If we average 1 breath/min. (breathing according to the techniques of meditation, pranayama and kumbhaka), we will make contact with our divine nature. At such a slow rate we would succumb to the grand slumber that Vishnu is said to enjoy in Maha Yoga. At 3 breaths per minute all thought processes stop, and we attain to Satya. That is, the ability to intuit all knowledge. Constant meditation at this pace will heal the body, and prolong life. In addition, we will also activate the Kriya power that will enable us to attain whatever we desire in the world. 4.5 breaths per minute will place us in the Treta Yuga state. Although intuition does not function perfectly at this pace, as thoughts can still intrude, understanding of spiritual truths is very high when we are in waking trance at this rate of breathing. This is the characteristic of the men of the silver age. 6 breaths/min. will place us in the Dwapara yuga stage, which is excellent for learning material facts. 7.5 breaths per minute is the rate for performing japa (protracted repetition of mantras). In this practice a rosary of 108 beads is used to keep track of the count, which is invariably placed at 108, 1080, 10800, etc. This practice is caused by the unfortunate failure to understand the connection of the number 10800 (108, 1080, etc.) with japa. It is the key to the rate of breathing at which japa is effective. Once you are in trance, it matters not if you repeated the mantra once, or 10,000 times. Once trance is achieved, the power of the mantra is awakened. 9 breaths/min. corresponds to the rate at which we must breathe when performing Hatha Yoga asanas. It is excellent for strengthening the body, and correcting certain infirmities. Bala Rama, to which this rate corresponds, is the Hindu Hercules. 18breaths/min. is the rate at which we are very externalized, and fully subject to the domination of thoughts and emotions. It is therefore the number (rate) at which the Beast (animal soul) within us lives, and does its thing. 18 = 666 (6+6+6). To control it, and transcend it, all that we have to do is to deny it of its breath. It is as simple as that. The above harmonics occur once you get to Tai Hsi, known In yoga as kevale khumbaka aka spontaneous breath suspension. This process is what begins the movement of the real Yang Qi We access the deeper, true reality at the theta brainwave state. This is the location of the Bardo, of the Duat of Ancient Egypt, and of the "Heavens", and "Hells" of Buddhism, Taoism, and Judeo-Christianity. As a matter of fact, Professor Michael Persinger has discovered all of this (although he doesn't realize It ) He's also created Cerebro...For real. His presentation below lays It out: Michael Persinger on No More Secrets It's funny. Although he's coming from the usual "The brain creates consciousness" meme of most materialists, his conclusions match up with a number of statements In cultivation literature. So his data can be utilized, just not In the way that he planned. So we already have access to all of our past personas. They're just deep In our mind's sub folders..and can be accessed through meditation. We don't go "Out of Body". We've never been In the body. Tom Campbell says it should be called "Going Out of Your Mind" but can't, due to obvious reasons. Consciousness, which is immaterial, no thing, is the determinate of this process. Consciousness is the determinate of reality. Consciousness goes from a state of undifferentiation (no thing) to differentiation (things). Understanding this, helps us with what we're attempting to achieve. Or persona (a thing through which sound comes through) is an amalgamation of different things. A reptilian brain complex (R-Complex=The Serpent Power, which controls breathing), a mammalian brain complex (the Beast), the neo cortex (left, and right hemispheres, which create the mental construct known as the human being), and the prefrontal cortex (newest section, location of "Man"). That which witnesses the functioning, and experiences of the above complexes, is consciousness. The persona is just a filter, that allows consciouness the ability to experience an infinite number of facets of this simulation. It's like you deciding which character you're going to play as In "Marvel vs. Capcom". So when we say "I want to get the method of becoming ___Level Superman", who is this "I' that we're talking about? Consciousness created everything, Including itself, so It, the "True I", is already Superman. Actually, being beyond structure, It is the average person on the street's definition of "God". It can already do, or be, any thing. When most people say "I", "Me", or "My", they're talking about the mental construct, the human (Earth based man), called "the false self" in a number of ancient texts. So, to wrap this up, what we're looking to do is to detach from identifying with "the game character" that we believe we are, and function as the consciousness that we are, while maintaining access to all of the files of the different characters that we've "played" as throughout the eons, including this one. How do we do this? We currently function in a space/time construct. The left brain hemisphere is temporal (time/serial based port), the right brain hemisphere is spacial (space/parallel based port). So we work In the middle of both (middle=meditation), to achieve our goals. We do this two ways. We have to detach from identifying with the mental construct, so we utilize the harmonics of breathing to access different brainwave states, in order to reprogram the "software" of the mind, removing conditioned thought patterns ("The False Self") to eventually be able to function as our true Self, Consciousness (mental techniques). We also utilize body oriented exercises (things like Tai Chi Quan, standing, and sitting gongs, etc.) to reprogram the cellular structure, in order for it to handle the forces that will function through it, without being destroyed (physical techniques). (Although you may reach a point at which you choose to "leave" this level of existence, and the vehicle you use in it. Ways, and means of doing this, are described In various traditions). So the mental tech is the foundation from which to do the physical tech. It's never one, or the other. Polarization on the consciousness side means no things (memories, experiences, sensations, etc.) Polarization on the physical side means no access to our true Self as a God-Man (stuck identifying our self as a limited, screw up = "of course they screwed up. After all, we're only human." ) So Buddhism, and Taoism are both "right". We use both stillness techniques, and physical force techniques, doing the physical techniques as the seer, the witness (vipassana), using breathing tech (anapana) to get there. Now having said that, we can access minor abilities, the so-called "powers", or "Siddhis", and still be "human". But as the various ancient texts say, this is where the problems start. If you haven't transcended the conditioned mental construct, then the physical, and mental structures eventually degrade, and break down (the wiring hasn't been upgraded to handle the influx of more powerful energy. Higher level mental functions pushing on a rigid mental image, causes it to break = Insanity). So we make sure we upgrade both. So what are the techniques? In my next chapter, I'll provide an "Ultimate Booklist" of texts that show how to do the above. Cheers!

Thanks Ken! Energy cultivation is a science. Precision, correct nomenclature, and a thorough breakdown of all variables is essential. We're talking about systems that effect people's lives powerfully, and directly, which I can personally attest to. So I strive to be as thorough, and complete as possible when discussing these practices with others. Your average Pubmed study is four pages, not including charts, photos, and illustrations. With matters such as these, short posts don't always suffice, unfortunately. Cheers!

Hi JinlianPai, Thanks for looking out for me. I always walk the middle road. I'm a science nerd from since I could read. But In addition to cultivation work, I do Tai Chi Quan (Yang, and Chen), Baguazhang, and Bagua Astrology, Bazi Astrology, Feng Shui (both my Sifu, and Grandmaster Tu do it ), Divination (I Ching, and Metu Neter oracles for the past 20 years), Theurgy (by way of Ancient Egypt), Vedic Astrology (Krishnamurti Padhati), and various forms of meditation. Real science works, regardless of paradigm. Science is from the latin scire "To Know". That's my goal, utilizing anything within arm's reach (Although these days, more things are coming from Inside, than out, with the outside just providing details, putting the knowledge in-form-ation. I'm waking up. ) Balance In everything is the rule my friend. Thanks again. Cheers!

Sorry. Toes are CREEPY. LOL! Who comes up with the etiquette for THAT!? ROFLMAO!! Cheers!

LOL! Yeah, I KNOW! He's probably hopping mad about It... ...I'm sorry, it's late. (Bad. Puns. Getting...Weaker!) Cheers!

Part 5 of The Energy Cultivators Handbook by Infolad1 From my experience: We are already the seer, already The Witness. So there actually Is no stage. There are no "Bodies" to transform. "There IS no spoon." All of these processes are just getting the false self out of the way, to see this reality. To BE this reality. But since most of us can't directly see this: There's the mental stages (popularized by Ch'an/Zen), and the physical stages (popularized by Taoism) And these stages are not always as linear, as some people want to make them out to be. From the physical viewpoint: Ling Bao Tong Zhineng Neigong Shu can be divided into 5 different stages: Refine the body to accumulate qi (entering the door) Conversion of essence to qi (foundation) Conversion of qi to shen (condensation of the cinnabar (dan)) Refinement of shen to void (completion of cinnabar) (The Beginning of dissolving the false self, to reveal the True Self) Refinement of void to Dao (application of the cinnabar) (The Self experiences it's true nature) From the mental viewpoint: "Taoism describes the four dhyana primarily on the basis of physical characteristics. If you talk about the process of refining the jing, chi and shen, you must refine your jing into chi, “without letting the elixir leak,” in order to arrive at the first dhyana. You must then refine your chi into shen to reach the second dhyana. In the third dhyana you must succeed in refining shen into emptiness And in the fourth dhyana, you have to abandon thoughts and let everything be empty, which is to become totally pure and clear. Thus the Taoist synopsis is as follows: The first level of dhyana is cessation of thought. Concentrate the mind to one [point]; there is nothing that cannot be done. The second dhyana is the cessation of chi (Breath). In the third stage, the pulse [mai] is at rest. Jing, chi and shen all return to the origin. The fourth dhyana is dropping thought [altogether] to reach purity. “The two forms, movement and stillness, spontaneously do not arise.” What is spontaneously not arising? It is I. Spontaneity is selfless.335 Don’t think that only the Tao school recognizes this categorization scheme, for even the Zen school recognizes these phenomena! This is something that modern scholars all tend to ignore, but as Zen master Yun-men said for us: In the first stage of meditation, thoughts stop. In the second stage of meditation, breathing stops. In the third stage of meditation, the pulses stop. In the fourth stage of meditation, extinction culminates in great stability.336 335- Grass Mountain: A Seven Day Intensive in Ch’an Training, trans. by Margaret Yuan and Janis Walker (Samuel Weiser, York Beach: Maine, 1986), p. 100. 336- Taoist Meditation: Method for Cultivating a Healthy Mind and Body, trans. By Thomas Cleary (Shambhala Publications, Boston, 2000), p. 69." The above is from William Bodri's, "THE VARIOUS STAGES OF THE SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE". The third stage is "The little deaths", with the fourth stage being "The Major Death", described In various texts, the "Ordeal, Death, & Re-Birth", and "Resurrection" stages of The Hero's Journey: 8. THE ORDEAL. Near the middle of the story, the hero enters a central space in the Special World and confronts death or faces his or her greatest fear. Out of the moment of death comes a new life. 11. THE RESURRECTION. At the climax, the hero is severely tested once more on the threshold of home. He or she is purified by a last sacrifice, another moment of death and rebirth, but on a higher and more complete level. By the hero’s action, the polarities that were in conflict at the beginning are finally resolved. In other words, Yin and Yang "Fuse", creating "The One". Like Neo, "You Now See With New Eyes". Other examples of "Death, and Resurrection", In cultivation practices: One from yoga. Here's an excerpt from Arthur Avalon's "The Serpent Power": "As KundalinI ascends, the lower limbs become as inert and cold as a corpse; so also does every part of the body when She has passed through , and leaves it. This is due to the fact that She as the Power which supports the body as an organic whole is leaving Her centre. On the contrary, the upper part of the head becomes "lustrous," by which is not meant any external lustre (Prabha), but brightness, warmth, and animation. When the Yoga is complete, the Yogi sits rigid in the posture selected, and the only trace of warmth to be found in the whole body is at the crown of the head, where the Shakti is united with Shiva. Those, therefore, who are skeptical, can easily verify some of the facts should they be fortunate enough to find a successful Yogi who will let them see him at work. They may observe his ecstasies, and the coldness of the body, which is not present in the case of what is called the Dhyana YogI, or a Yogi operating by meditation only, and not rousing Kundalini. This cold is an external and easily perceptible sign. Its progression may be seen, obviously denoting the passing away of something which supplied the previous heat. The body seems lifeless, indicating that it's supporting power has (though not entirely) left it. The downward return of the Shakti thus moved is, on the other band, indicated by the reappearance of warmth, vitality, and the normal consciousness. The return process is one of evolution from the highest state of attainment, to the point of departure." And one from modern times. an excerpt from Robert Monroe's "Ultimate Journey", where he went to the farthest reaches of time space consciousness: "page 218 Ram, is that you? It is. Your scout is back. Control your radiation! You're burning us out! (Note: Monroe's radiation (Shen?) was too strong for his companions). page 219 Robert A. Monroe Oh, sorry. Is that better? When you broke the uplink, we did not know if you would come back. But you have! Now we can act. But first you had better . . . I have it! I have what you need! Stop and listen, will you? What is it? You must move back into your physical body. Now. Why? Is something wrong? We have been trying to send a thought to you. When your uplink broke, it also cut you off from your physical body. If you do not move back quickly, you may lose it. It is not yet the right time. ... If they were concerned, so was I! They gave me a surge of energy as I began a rapid shift back to the physical phase. The body was shocked, and I was shocked — it was so cold, the blood pressure very low, the pulse rate slow, the heart near fibrillation. As I started the breathing again, deeply, the body began slowly to warm up, to move back to normal, but the muscles were stiff ... it would take several days to get them back into reasonable operation . . . " As seen from these excerpts, we are dealing with the forces of life, and death with these practices. They should be approached with respect, and a thorough understanding of the risk/reward Involved. Not doing so could be the literal death of you. Yet another very good reason why an experienced Instructor is advised. More to come on Tuesday. Cheers!

Part 4 of The Energy Cultivators Handbook by Infolad1 From page 112 of William Bodri's "Gongfu Transformations of the Physical Body" PDF: "TIMELINES FOR THE VARIOUS SEQUENCES OF TRANSFORMATION Taoism is a most useful cultivation school—perhaps the most useful--for explaining spiritual evolution according to the various physical transformations that can occur along the cultivation path. Furthermore, it is especially useful for having identified the general time sequences of these processes, and for having linked itself with the Chinese medical field as one of its outer garments. In review, we must remember that the various time sequences of cultivation transformation run generally as follows: Time Required Name of Cultivation Stage Biophysical Transformations Involved 100 days “Building the Foundation” Initial transformation of jing to chi 10 months “Pregnancy” Completing the transformation of jing to chi, Starting the transformation of chi to shen 3 years “Suckling the Baby” Completing the chi to shen transformation, Starting the transformation of shen to emptiness 9 year “Facing the Wall” Completing the shen to emptiness transformation, and starting to abandon emptiness for the Tao Indeterminate “Breaking Emptiness and Achieving a state of neither existence nor Returning to Tao” non-existence (emptiness) We can also summarize this set of sequences by saying: It is said that “Building up the foundation in one hundred days” is the preliminary stage required for transmutation of ching into ch’i, and that “pregnancy for ten months” is the preliminary stage necessary for the transmutation of ch’i into shen. “To suckle for three years” is the beginning of the transmutation of shen into void or emptiness. Finally, “facing the wall for nine years” is the last step required for breaking up the empty space.58 Tao and Longevity: Mind-Body Transformation, Nan Huai-Chin, trans. by Wen Kuan Chu (Samuel Weiser, York Beach: Maine, 1991), p. 85. As Taoism always emphasizes, if you cultivate correctly, not only will your internal esoteric substances of jing, chi and shen transform according to a well established, sequential process of alchemical reactions, but your corporeal, physical body will transform along with these spiritual changes as well. In general, the physical body will transform according to the following general scheme we previously mentioned which correlates to the transformations expected between jing, chi, and shen: After one year of practice, your chi will be transformed. After two years of practice, your blood will be transformed. After three years, your mai (blood vessels, nerves and energy channels) will be transformed. After four years, your muscles (flesh) will be transformed. After five years, your bone marrow will be transformed. After six years, your sinews and tendons will be transformed. After seven years, your bones will be transformed. After eight years, your hair will be transformed. After nine years of cultivation, your entire bodily form (shape) will be transformed. No matter how smart you are, no matter how wise you are, no matter what substances you might wish to ingest to speed up this process, no matter how high your stage of spiritual attainment, there is a limit to how much you can rush this process of physical transformation. Because these transformations involve the physical body, there is a natural limit as to how much faster you can make them transpire. The reason you can’t rush this process is because it invariably requires a specific amount of time—given our human bodies--in order to change the physical structures of this human body. Even a fully enlightened Buddha has to wait roughly this same amount of time for these transformations to become complete, just as a child cannot speed up the time required to pass through puberty. Of course with prajna wisdom these physical changes might happen a little bit more quickly and they will certainly occur with less side troubles, but all true cultivators have to pass through them nonetheless." Bodri always describes it as an 18 year sequence, but as you can see, the last stage is an indeterminate length of time. You're transforming a body that operates within the constraints of space and time, into something that can operate beyond them, so it's going to take a minute for the transformation to occur. No getting around that. And never forget: WE are NOT the body! We aren't even IN the body. We function In this virtual reality simulation THROUGH the body, like your avatar In a game of "Halo". More on this In the next part. It's a doozy. Look at the transformation stages as a guideline. your mileage may vary. The above, and more, are available on his Meditation Expert site, at the bottom of the page as a free download: http://www.meditationexpert.com/stages.html Last time I talked to him, he was no longer offering the Stages class, unfortunately. Maybe that's changed, I don't know. Bodri has LOTS of great data. Read everything on his site. Invaluable. And buy his books! I did. Cheers!

Part 3 of The Energy Cultivators Handbook by Infolad1 "Appropriate Training Time: Training in Accordance with the Seasons (Month): “Spring and summer nourish yang, fall and winter nourish yin.” –Su Wen Training in Accordance with the Hour: Training hours correspond to the superficial circulation of energy meridians which is expressed in two hour increments for each meridian. Yang Hours: · Range: 11pm-11am (Tzu, Chou, Yin, Mao, Chen, Ssu) · Energetics: Yang expands, yin contracts · Preferred Practice: Wai Gong · Preferred Therapy: Strengthen yang Yin Hours: · Range: 11am-11pm (Wu, Wei, Shen, Yu, Shu, Hai) · Energetics: Yin expands, yang contracts · Preferred Practice: Nei Gong · Preferred Therapy: strengthen yin Ancient Ideal Hours for Cultivation of Elixir Pellet (Zhen Qi): · Tzu (11pm-1am): one yang, five yins · Wu (11am-1pm): one yin, five yangs · Mao (5am-7am): four yangs, two yins · Yu (5pm-7pm): four yins, two yangs Nexus Points. Plexuses. Nerve Centers: The illustrations and charts above are for primarily visualization purposes. They may or may not be accurate. The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is a division of the peripheral nervous system that influences the function of internal organs. The autonomic nervous system is a control system that acts largely unconsciously and regulates bodily functions such as the heart rate, digestion, respiratory rate, pupillary response, urination, and sexual arousal. This system is the primary mechanism in control of the fight-or-flight response. Within the brain, the autonomic nervous system is regulated by the hypothalamus. Autonomic functions include control of respiration, cardiac regulation (the cardiac control center), vasomotor activity (the vasomotor center), and certain reflex actions such as coughing, sneezing, swallowing and vomiting. Those are then subdivided into other areas and are also linked to ANS subsystems and nervous systems external to the brain. The hypothalamus, just above the brain stem, acts as an integrator for autonomic functions, receiving ANS regulatory input from the limbic system to do so. The autonomic nervous system has two branches: the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system is often considered the "fight or flight" system, while the parasympathetic nervous system is often considered the "rest and digest" or "feed and breed" system. In many cases, both of these systems have "opposite" actions where one system activates a physiological response and the other inhibits it. An older simplification of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems as "excitory" and "inhibitory" was overturned due to the many exceptions found. A more modern characterization is that the sympathetic nervous system is a "quick response mobilizing system" and the parasympathetic is a "more slowly activated dampening system", but even this has exceptions, such as in sexual arousal and orgasm, wherein both play a role. In general, the autonomic nervous system functions can be divided into sensory (afferent) and motor (efferent) subsystems. Within both, there are inhibitory and excitatory synapses between neurons. Relatively recently, a third subsystem of neurons that have been named 'non-adrenergic and non-cholinergic' neurons (because they use nitric oxide as a neurotransmitter) have been described and found to be integral in autonomic function, in particular in the gut and the lungs. Although the ANS is also known as the visceral nervous system the ANS is only connected with the motor side. Most autonomous functions are involuntary but they can often work in conjunction with the somatic nervous system which provides voluntary control. Structure The autonomic nervous system is divided into the sympathetic nervous system and parasympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic division emerges from the spinal cord in the thoracic and lumbar areas, terminating around L2-3. The parasympathetic division has craniosacral “outflow”, meaning that the neurons begin at the cranial nerves (specifically the oculomotor nerve, facial nerve, glossopharyngeal nerve and vagus nerve) and sacral (S2-S4) spinal cord. The autonomic nervous system is unique in that it requires a sequential two-neuron efferent pathway; the preganglionic neuron must first synapse onto a postganglionic neuron before innervating the target organ. The preganglionic, or first, neuron will begin at the “outflow” and will synapse at the postganglionic, or second, neuron’s cell body. The postganglionic neuron will then synapse at the target organ. Sympathetic division The sympathetic nervous system consists of cells with bodies in the lateral grey column from T1 to L2/3. These cell bodies are "GVE" (general visceral efferent) neurons and are the preganglionic neurons. There are several locations upon which preganglionic neurons can synapse for their postganglionic neurons: Paravertebral ganglia (3) of the sympathetic chain (these run on either side of the vertebral bodies) cervical ganglia (3) thoracic ganglia (12) and rostral lumbar ganglia (2 or 3) caudal lumbar ganglia and sacral ganglia Prevertebral ganglia (celiac ganglion, aorticorenal ganglion, superior mesenteric ganglion, inferior mesenteric ganglion) Chromaffin cells of the adrenal medulla (this is the one exception to the two-neuron pathway rule: the synapse is directly efferent onto the target cell bodies) These ganglia provide the postganglionic neurons from which innervation of target organs follows. Examples of splanchnic (visceral) nerves are: Cervical cardiac nerves & thoracic visceral nerves, which synapse in the sympathetic chain Thoracic splanchnic nerves (greater, lesser, least), which synapse in the prevertebral ganglia Lumbar splanchnic nerves, which synapse in the prevertebral ganglia Sacral splanchnic nerves, which synapse in the inferior hypogastric plexus These all contain afferent (sensory) nerves as well, known as GVA (general visceral afferent) neurons. Parasympathetic division The parasympathetic nervous system consists of cells with bodies in one of two locations: the brainstem (Cranial Nerves III, VII, IX, X) or the sacral spinal cord (S2, S3, S4). These are the preganglionic neurons, which synapse with postganglionic neurons in these locations: Parasympathetic ganglia of the head: Ciliary (Cranial nerve III), Submandibular (Cranial nerve VII), Pterygopalatine (Cranial nerve VII), and Otic (Cranial nerve IX) In or near the wall of an organ innervated by the Vagus (Cranial nerve X) or Sacral nerves (S2, S3, S4) These ganglia provide the postganglionic neurons from which innervations of target organs follows. Examples are: The postganglionic parasympathetic splanchnic (visceral) nerves The vagus nerve, which passes through the thorax and abdominal regions innervating, among other organs, the heart, lungs, liver and stomach Sensory neurons The sensory arm is composed of primary visceral sensory neurons found in the peripheral nervous system (PNS), in cranial sensory ganglia: the geniculate, petrosal and nodose ganglia, appended respectively to cranial nerves VII, IX and X. These sensory neurons monitor the levels of carbon dioxide, oxygen and sugar in the blood, arterial pressure and the chemical composition of the stomach and gut content. They also convey the sense of taste and smell, which, unlike most functions of the ANS, is a conscious perception. Blood oxygen and carbon dioxide are in fact directly sensed by the carotid body, a small collection of chemosensors at the bifurcation of the carotid artery, innervated by the petrosal (IXth) ganglion. Primary sensory neurons project (synapse) onto “second order” or relay visceral sensory neurons located in the medulla oblongata, forming the nucleus of the solitary tract (nTS), that integrates all visceral information. The nTS also receives input from a nearby chemosensory center, the area postrema, that detects toxins in the blood and the cerebrospinal fluid and is essential for chemically induced vomiting or conditional taste aversion (the memory that ensures that an animal that has been poisoned by a food never touches it again). All this visceral sensory information constantly and unconsciously modulates the activity of the motor neurons of the ANS. Innervation Autonomic nerves travel to organs throughout the body. Most organs receive parasympathetic supply by the vagus nerve and sympathetic supply by splanchnic nerves. The sensory part of the latter reaches the spinal column at certain spinal segments. Pain in any internal organ is perceived as referred pain, more specifically as pain from the dermatome corresponding to the spinal segment. Motor Neurons Motor neurons of the autonomic nervous system are found in ‘’autonomic ganglia’’. Those of the parasympathetic branch are located close to the target organ whilst the ganglia of the sympathetic branch are located close to the spinal cord. The sympathetic ganglia here, are found in two chains: the pre-vertebral and pre-aortic chains. The activity of autonomic ganglionic neurons is modulated by “preganglionic neurons” located in the central nervous system. Preganglionic sympathetic neurons are located in the spinal cord, at the thorax and upper lumbar levels. Preganglionic parasympathetic neurons are found in the medulla oblongata where they form visceral motor nuclei; the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus nerve; the nucleus ambiguus, the salivatory nuclei, and in the sacral region of the spinal cord. Function Sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions typically function in opposition to each other. But this opposition is better termed complementary in nature rather than antagonistic. For an analogy, one may think of the sympathetic division as the accelerator and the parasympathetic division as the brake. The sympathetic division typically functions in actions requiring quick responses. The parasympathetic division functions with actions that do not require immediate reaction. The sympathetic system is often considered the "fight or flight" system, while the parasympathetic system is often considered the "rest and digest" or "feed and breed" system. However, many instances of sympathetic and parasympathetic activity cannot be ascribed to "fight" or "rest" situations. For example, standing up from a reclining or sitting position would entail an unsustainable drop in blood pressure if not for a compensatory increase in the arterial sympathetic tonus. Another example is the constant, second-to-second, modulation of heart rate by sympathetic and parasympathetic influences, as a function of the respiratory cycles. In general, these two systems should be seen as permanently modulating vital functions, in usually antagonistic fashion, to achieve homeostasis. Some typical actions of the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems are listed below. Sympathetic nervous system Promotes a "fight or flight" response, corresponds with arousal and energy generation, and inhibits digestion Diverts blood flow away from the gastro-intestinal (GI) tract and skin via vasoconstriction Blood flow to skeletal muscles and the lungs is enhanced (by as much as 1200% in the case of skeletal muscles) Dilates bronchioles of the lung through circulating epinephrine, which allows for greater alveolar oxygen exchange Increases heart rate and the contractility of cardiac cells (myocytes), thereby providing a mechanism for enhanced blood flow to skeletal muscles Dilates pupils and relaxes the ciliary muscle to the lens, allowing more light to enter the eye and far vision Provides vasodilation for the coronary vessels of the heart Constricts all the intestinal sphincters and the urinary sphincter Inhibits peristalsis Stimulates orgasm Parasympathetic Nervous System The parasympathetic nervous system has been said to promote a "rest and digest" response, promotes calming of the nerves return to regular function, and enhancing digestion. Functions of nerves within the parasympathetic nervous system include: Dilating blood vessels leading to the GI tract, increasing blood flow (this is important following the consumption of food, due to the greater metabolic demands placed on the body by the gut) Constricting the bronchiolar diameter when the need for oxygen has diminished Dedicated cardiac branches of the vagus and thoracic spinal accessory nerves impart parasympathetic control of the heart (myocardium) Constriction of the pupil and contraction of the ciliary muscles, facilitating accommodation and allowing for closer vision Simulating salivary gland secretion, and accelerates peristalsis, mediating digestion of food and, indirectly, the absorption of nutrients Sexual. Nerves of the peripheral nervous system are involved in the erection of genital tissues via the pelvic splanchnic nerves 2–4. They are also responsible for stimulating sexual arousal Neurotransmitters At the effector organs, sympathetic ganglionic neurons release noradrenaline (norepinephrine), along with other cotransmitters such as ATP, to act on adrenergic receptors, with the exception of the sweat glands and the adrenal medulla: Acetylcholine is the preganglionic neurotransmitter for both divisions of the ANS, as well as the postganglionic neurotransmitter of parasympathetic neurons. Nerves that release acetylcholine are said to be cholinergic. In the parasympathetic system, ganglionic neurons use acetylcholine as a neurotransmitter to stimulate muscarinic receptors. At the adrenal medulla, there is no postsynaptic neuron. Instead the presynaptic neuron releases acetylcholine to act on nicotinic receptors. Stimulation of the adrenal medulla releases adrenaline (epinephrine) into the bloodstream, which acts on adrenoceptors, producing a widespread increase in sympathetic activity. Enteric nervous system The enteric nervous system is embedded in the lining of the gastrointestinal system. The enteric nervous system (ENS) or intrinsic nervous system is one of the main divisions of the nervous system and consists of a mesh-like system of neurons that governs the function of the gastrointestinal system.It is now usually referred to as separate from the autonomic nervous system since it has its own independent reflex activity. It is derived from neural crest cells. Structure The enteric nervous system consists of some 500 million neurons, (including the various types of Dogiel cells), one two-hundredth of the number of neurons in the brain, and 5 times as many as the one hundred million neurons in the spinal cord. The enteric nervous system is embedded in the lining of the gastrointestinal system, beginning in the esophagus and extending down to the anus. The neurons of the ENS are collected into two types of ganglia: myenteric (Auerbach's) and submucosal (Meissner's) plexuses. Myenteric plexuses are located between the inner and outer layers of the muscularis externa, while submucosal plexuses are located in the submucosa. Function The ENS is capable of autonomous functions such as the coordination of reflexes; although it receives considerable innervation from the autonomic nervous system, it can and does operate independently of the brain and the spinal cord. Its study is the focus of neurogastroenterology. ENS function can be damaged by ischemia. Transplantation, previously described as a theoretical possibility, has been a clinical reality in the United States since 2011 and is currently performed at a number of approved centers. Complexity The enteric nervous system has been described as a "second brain" for several reasons. The enteric nervous system can operate autonomously. It normally communicates with the central nervous system (CNS) through the parasympathetic (e.g., via the vagus nerve) and sympathetic (e.g., via the prevertebral ganglia) nervous systems. However, vertebrate studies show that when the vagus nerve is severed, the enteric nervous system continues to function. In vertebrates, the enteric nervous system includes efferent neurons, afferent neurons, and interneurons, all of which make the enteric nervous system capable of carrying reflexes and acting as an integrating center in the absence of CNS input. The sensory neurons report on mechanical and chemical conditions. Through intestinal muscles, the motor neurons control peristalsis and churning of intestinal contents. Other neurons control the secretion of enzymes. The enteric nervous system also makes use of more than 30 neurotransmitters, most of which are identical to the ones found in CNS, such as acetylcholine, dopamine, and serotonin. More than 90% of the body's serotonin lies in the gut, as well as about 50% of the body's dopamine, which is currently being studied to further our understanding of its utility in the brain. The enteric nervous system has the capacity to alter its response depending on such factors as bulk and nutrient composition. In addition, ENS contains support cells which are similar to astroglia of the brain and a diffusion barrier around the capillaries surrounding ganglia which is similar to the blood–brain barrier of cerebral blood vessels." So this is some important info about the makeup of the body that we use to move around In, and it's energy centers. If I missed anything, let me know. Cheers!

Part 2 of The Energy Cultivator's Handbook by Infolad1 So how would someone defy gravity through cultivation practices? "Magnetic levitation, maglev, or magnetic suspension is a method by which an object is suspended with no support other than magnetic fields. Magnetic force is used to counteract the effects of the gravitational and any other accelerations. The two primary issues involved in magnetic levitation are lifting force: providing an upward force sufficient to counteract gravity, and stability: ensuring that the system does not spontaneously slide or flip into a configuration where the lift is neutralized. Magnetic levitation is used for maglev trains, contactless melting, magnetic bearings and for product display purposes. Lift A superconductor levitating a permanent magnet Magnetic materials and systems are able to attract or press each other apart or together with a force dependent on the magnetic field and the area of the magnets, For example, the simplest example of lift would be a simple dipole magnet positioned in the magnetic field of another dipole magnet, oriented with like poles facing each other, so that the force between magnets repels the two magnets. Essentially all types of magnets have been used to generate lift for magnetic levitation; permanent magnets, electromagnets, ferromagnetism, diamagnetism, superconducting magnets and magnetism due to induced currents in conductors. To calculate the amount of lift, a magnetic pressure can be defined. For example, the magnetic pressure of a magnetic field on a superconductor can be calculated by: P_{mag} = \frac {B^2} {2 \mu_0} where P_{mag} is the force per unit area in pascals, B is the magnetic field just above the superconductor in teslas, and \mu_0 = 4π×10−7 N·A−2 is the permeability of the vacuum. Stability Earnshaw's theorem proves that using only paramagnetic materials (such as ferromagnetic iron) it is impossible for a static system to stably levitate against gravity. For example, the simplest example of lift with two simple dipole magnets repelling is highly unstable, since the top magnet can slide sideways, or flip over, and it turns out that no configuration of magnets can produce stability. However, servomechanisms, the use of diamagnetic materials, superconduction, or systems involving eddy currents allow stability to be achieved. In some cases the lifting force is provided by magnetic levitation, but stability is provided by a mechanical support bearing little load. This is termed pseudo-levitation. Static Static stability means that any small displacement away from a stable equilibrium causes a net force to push it back to the equilibrium point. Earnshaw's theorem proved conclusively that it is not possible to levitate stably using only static, macroscopic, paramagnetic fields. The forces acting on any paramagnetic object in any combinations of gravitational, electrostatic, and magnetostatic fields will make the object's position, at best, unstable along at least one axis, and it can be unstable equilibrium along all axes. However, several possibilities exist to make levitation viable, for example, the use of electronic stabilization or diamagnetic materials (since relative magnetic permeability is less than one ); it can be shown that diamagnetic materials are stable along at least one axis, and can be stable along all axes. Conductors can have a relative permeability to alternating magnetic fields of below one, so some configurations using simple AC driven electromagnets are self stable. Dynamic Stability Dynamic stability occurs when the levitation system is able to damp out any vibration-like motion that may occur. Magnetic fields are conservative forces and therefore in principle have no built-in damping, and in practice many of the levitation schemes are under-damped and in some cases negatively damped. This can permit vibration modes to exist that can cause the item to leave the stable region. Damping of motion is done in a number of ways: external mechanical damping (in the support), such as dashpots, air drag etc. eddy current damping (conductive metal influenced by field) tuned mass dampers in the levitated object electromagnets controlled by electronics Methods Mechanical constraint (in this case the lateral restrictions created by a box) can permit pseudo-levitation of permanent magnets For successful levitation and control of all 6 axes (degrees of freedom; 3 translational and 3 rotational) a combination of permanent magnets and electromagnets or diamagnets or superconductors as well as attractive and repulsive fields can be used. From Earnshaw's theorem at least one stable axis must be present for the system to levitate successfully, but the other axes can be stabilized using ferromagnetism. The primary ones used in maglev trains are servo-stabilized electromagnetic suspension (EMS), electrodynamic suspension (EDS). Mechanical constraint (pseudo-levitation) With a small amount of mechanical constraint for stability, achieving pseudo-levitation is a relatively straightforward process. If two magnets are mechanically constrained along a single vertical axis, for example, and arranged to repel each other strongly, this will act to levitate one of the magnets above the other. Another geometry is where the magnets are attracted, but constrained from touching by a tensile member, such as a string or cable. Another example is the Zippe-type centrifuge where a cylinder is suspended under an attractive magnet, and stabilized by a needle bearing from below. Servomechanisms The Transrapid system uses servomechanisms to pull the train up from underneath the track and maintains a constant gap while travelling at high speed The Transrapid system uses servomechanisms to pull the train up from underneath the track and maintains a constant gap while travelling at high speed The attraction from a fixed strength magnet decreases with increased distance, and increases at closer distances. This is unstable. For a stable system, the opposite is needed, variations from a stable position should push it back to the target position. Stable magnetic levitation can be achieved by measuring the position and speed of the object being levitated, and using a feedback loop which continuously adjusts one or more electromagnets to correct the object's motion, thus forming a servomechanism. Many systems use magnetic attraction pulling upwards against gravity for these kinds of systems as this gives some inherent lateral stability, but some use a combination of magnetic attraction and magnetic repulsion to push upwards. Either system represents examples of ElectroMagnetic Suspension (EMS). For a very simple example, some tabletop levitation demonstrations use this principle, and the object cuts a beam of light to measure the position of the object. The electromagnet is above the object being levitated; the electromagnet is turned off whenever the object gets too close, and turned back on when it falls further away. Such a simple system is not very robust; far more effective control systems exist, but this illustrates the basic idea. EMS magnetic levitation trains are based on this kind of levitation: The train wraps around the track, and is pulled upwards from below. The servo controls keep it safely at a constant distance from the track. Induced currents These schemes work due to repulsion due to Lenz's law. When a conductor is presented with a time-varying magnetic field electrical currents in the conductor are set up which create a magnetic field that causes a repulsive effect. These kinds of systems typically show an inherent stability, although extra damping is sometimes required. Relative motion between conductors and magnets If one moves a base made of a very good electrical conductor such as copper, aluminium or silver close to a magnet, an (eddy) current will be induced in the conductor that will oppose the changes in the field and create an opposite field that will repel the magnet (Lenz's law). At a sufficiently high rate of movement, a suspended magnet will levitate on the metal, or vice versa with suspended metal. Litz wire made of wire thinner than the skin depth for the frequencies seen by the metal works much more efficiently than solid conductors. An especially technologically interesting case of this comes when one uses a Halbach array instead of a single pole permanent magnet, as this almost doubles the field strength, which in turn almost doubles the strength of the eddy currents. The net effect is to more than triple the lift force. Using two opposed Halbach arrays increases the field even further. Halbach arrays are also well-suited to magnetic levitation and stabilisation of gyroscopes and electric motor and generator spindles. Oscillating electromagnetic fields A conductor can be levitated above an electromagnet (or vice versa) with an alternating current flowing through it. This causes any regular conductor to behave like a diamagnet, due to the eddy currents generated in the conductor. Since the eddy currents create their own fields which oppose the magnetic field, the conductive object is repelled from the electromagnet, and most of the field lines of the magnetic field will no longer penetrate the conductive object. This effect requires non-ferromagnetic but highly conductive materials like aluminium or copper, as the ferromagnetic ones are also strongly attracted to the electromagnet (although at high frequencies the field can still be expelled) and tend to have a higher resistivity giving lower eddy currents. Again, litz wire gives the best results. The effect can be used for stunts such as levitating a telephone book by concealing an aluminium plate within it. At high frequencies (a few tens of kilohertz or so) and kilowatt powers small quantities of metals can be levitated and melted using levitation melting without the risk of the metal being contaminated by the crucible. One source of oscillating magnetic field that is used is the linear induction motor. This can be used to levitate as well as provide propulsion. Diamagnetically Stabilized Levitation Earnshaw's theorem does not apply to diamagnets. These behave in the opposite manner to normal magnets owing to their relative permeability of μr < 1 (i.e. negative magnetic susceptibility). Diamagnetic levitation can be inherently stable. A permanent magnet can be stably suspended by various configurations of strong permanent magnets and strong diamagnets. When using superconducting magnets, the levitation of a permanent magnet can even be stabilized by the small diamagnetism of water in human fingers. Diamagnetic levitation Diamagnetism is the property of an object which causes it to create a magnetic field in opposition to an externally applied magnetic field, thus causing the material to be repelled by magnetic fields. Diamagnetic materials cause lines of magnetic flux to curve away from the material. Specifically, an external magnetic field alters the orbital velocity of electrons around their nuclei, thus changing the magnetic dipole moment. According to Lenz's law, this opposes the external field. Diamagnets are materials with a magnetic permeability less than μ0 (a relative permeability less than 1). Consequently, diamagnetism is a form of magnetism that is only exhibited by a substance in the presence of an externally applied magnetic field. It is generally quite a weak effect in most materials, although superconductors exhibit a strong effect. Direct diamagnetic levitation Diamagnetic levitation of pyrolytic carbon A live frog levitates inside a 32 mm diameter vertical bore of a Bitter solenoid in a magnetic field of about 16 teslas A substance that is diamagnetic repels a magnetic field. All materials have diamagnetic properties, but the effect is very weak, and is usually overcome by the object's paramagnetic or ferromagnetic properties, which act in the opposite manner. Any material in which the diamagnetic component is stronger will be repelled by a magnet. Diamagnetic levitation can be used to levitate very light pieces of pyrolytic graphite or bismuth above a moderately strong permanent magnet. As water is predominantly diamagnetic, this technique has been used to levitate water droplets and even live animals, such as a grasshopper, frog and a mouse. However, the magnetic fields required for this are very high, typically in the range of 16 teslas, and therefore create significant problems if ferromagnetic materials are nearby. The minimum criterion for diamagnetic levitation is B \frac{dB}{dz} = \mu_0 \, \rho \, \frac{g}{\chi} , where: \chi is the magnetic susceptibility \rho is the density of the material g is the local gravitational acceleration (−9.8 m/s2 on Earth) \mu_0 is the permeability of free space B is the magnetic field \frac{dB}{dz} is the rate of change of the magnetic field along the vertical axis. Assuming ideal conditions along the z-direction of solenoid magnet: Water levitates at B \frac{dB}{dz} \approx 1400\ \mathrm{T^2/m} Graphite levitates at B \frac{dB}{dz} \approx 375\ \mathrm{T^2/m}. Levitron is an example of spin-stabilized magnetic levitation Superconductors Superconductors may be considered perfect diamagnets, and completely expel magnetic fields due to the Meissner effect when the superconductivity initially forms; thus superconducting levitation can be considered a particular instance of diamagnetic levitation. In a type-II superconductor, the levitation of the magnet is further stabilized due to flux pinning within the superconductor; this tends to stop the superconductor from moving with respect to the magnetic field, even if the levitated system is inverted. These principles are exploited by EDS (Electrodynamic Suspension), superconducting bearings, flywheels, etc. A very strong magnetic field is required to levitate a train. The JR–Maglev trains have superconducting magnetic coils, but the JR–Maglev levitation is not due to the Meissner effect. Rotational stabilization A magnet with a toroidal field can be stably levitated against gravity when gyroscopically stabilized by spinning it in a second toroidal field created by a base ring of magnet(s). However, this only works while the rate of precession is between both upper and lower critical thresholds—the region of stability is quite narrow both spatially and in the required rate of precession. The first discovery of this phenomenon was by Roy M. Harrigan, a Vermont inventor who patented a levitation device in 1983 based upon it. Several devices using rotational stabilization (such as the popular Levitron branded levitating top toy) have been developed citing this patent. Non-commercial devices have been created for university research laboratories, generally using magnets too powerful for safe public interaction. Strong focusing Earnshaw's theory strictly only applies to static fields. Alternating magnetic fields, even purely alternating attractive fields, can induce stability and confine a trajectory through a magnetic field to give a levitation effect. This is used in particle accelerators to confine and lift charged particles, and has been proposed for maglev trains as well. Uses Maglev transportation Maglev, or magnetic levitation, is a system of transportation that suspends, guides and propels vehicles, predominantly trains, using magnetic levitation from a very large number of magnets for lift and propulsion. This method has the potential to be faster, quieter and smoother than wheeled mass transit systems. The technology has the potential to exceed 6,400 km/h (4,000 mi/h) if deployed in an evacuated tunnel. If not deployed in an evacuated tube the power needed for levitation is usually not a particularly large percentage and most of the power needed is used to overcome air drag, as with any other high speed train. The highest recorded speed of a maglev train is 603 kilometers per hour (374.69 mph), achieved in Japan on April 21, 2015, 28.2 km/h faster than the conventional TGV speed record. Magnetic bearings Magnetic bearings Flywheels Centrifuges Magnetic ring spinning Levitation melting Electromagnetic levitation (EML), patented by Muck in 1923, is one of the oldest levitation techniques used for containerless experiments. The technique enables the levitation of an object using electromagnets. A typical EML coil has reversed winding of upper and lower sections energized by a radio frequency power supply. History 1839 Earnshaw's theorem showed electrostatic levitation cannot be stable; later theorem was extended to magnetostatic levitation by others 1912 Emile Bachelet awarded a patent in March 1912 for his “levitating transmitting apparatus” (patent no. 1,020,942) for electromagnetic suspension system 1933 Superdiamagnetism Walther Meissner and Robert Ochsenfeld (the Meissner effect) 1934 Hermann Kemper “monorail vehicle with no wheels attached.” Reich Patent number 643316 1939 Braunbeck’s extension showed that magnetic levitation is possible with diamagnetic materials 1939 Bedford, Peer, and Tonks aluminum plate placed on two concentric cylindrical coils shows 6-axis stable levitation.[16] 1961 James R. Powell and BNL colleague Gordon Danby electrodynamic levitation using superconducting magnets 1970s Spin stabilized magnetic levitation Roy M. Harrigan 1974 Magnetic river Eric Laithwaite and others 1979 transrapid train carried passengers 1984 Low speed maglev shuttle in Birmingham Eric Laithwaite and others 1997 Diamagnetically levitated live frog Andre Geim[10] 1999 Inductrack permanent magnet electrodynamic levitation (General Atomics) 2000 The first man-loading HTS maglev test vehicle “Century” in the world was successfully developed in China.[17] 2005 homopolar electrodynamic bearing[18] Electrostatic levitation is the process of using an electric field to levitate a charged object and counteract the effects of gravity. Acoustic levitation (also: Acoustophoresis) is a method for suspending matter in a medium by using acoustic radiation pressure from intense sound waves in the medium. Sometimes ultrasonic frequencies can be used to levitate objects, thus creating no sound heard by the human ear, such as was demonstrated at Otsuka Lab, while others use audible frequencies. There are various ways of emitting the sound wave, from creating a wave underneath the object and reflecting it back to its source, to using a (transparent) tank to create a large acoustic field. Acoustic levitation is usually used for containerless processing which has become more important of late due to the small size and resistance of microchips and other such things in industry. Containerless processing may also be used for applications requiring very-high-purity materials or chemical reactions too rigorous to happen in a container. This method is harder to control than other methods of containerless processing such as electromagnetic levitation but has the advantage of being able to levitate nonconducting materials. By 2013, acoustic levitation had progressed from motionless levitation to controllably moving hovering objects, an ability useful in the pharmaceutical and electronics industries. A prototype device involved a chessboard-like array of square acoustic emitters that move an object from one square to another by slowly lowering the sound intensity emitted from one square while increasing the sound intensity from the other. Current systems have lifted at most a few kilograms. Acoustic levitators are used mostly in industry however some products are commercially available to the public." So. Convert body to true Yang. Earth is Yin. Yi (Intent/Imagination) moves you where you want to go. Boom! Levitation. Or. Fully activated LDT/MDT/UDT nexus points create levitation through electrostatics, or superconductivity. Or all of the above. Oh the possibilities! More to come. Cheers!

ROFLMAO!! AND Bernadette Peters! (She's HAWT! ) Actually, you learn to pull your balls back up into your body at will. Still gotta get the "hang" of that skill though. Cheers!

LOL! "Yanking your rod". Lifting , and swinging weights from the root of the penis & testicles, balls only, and shaft only, does a number of different things. It produces more hormones (jing). Some of our folks had theirs tested. 5% increase, on average, after a couple of months of training. Some people with enlarged prostates had their enlargement shrink, or disappear completely after a month of training. Your genitalia are attached to your fascial system, with is like of mesh of fiber optic cables, surrounding all of the tissues of the body, like a net. So it activates increased functioning of this system. Please reference Dr. Oschman's work, and video, from my previous post, for more details. You're also utilizing diaphragmatic breathing In specific intervals. In direct answer to your question Gendao, you use the Yi, to condense, pack, and circulate the Qi, first through the muscles, then fascia, finally the marrow. The Yi is your Intent. But the Yi is also Imagination. In other word, creative visualization. In other words, the body doesn't distinguish between what you imagine, and what actually happens "In real life". There's tons of studies on the use of creative visualization to heal, lose weight, build muscle, change habits, etc. This is the Yi at work. It's why Liao's "Tai Chi Classics" book Is so major. He's showing you how to do this. The book is available on Scribd. Finally, the pulling causes an equal raising effect on the Yang Qi. I get a massive wave of Yang Qi after lifting. The more weight, the bigger the energy pulse. I can lift 100lbs at present, so I get a heck of a pulse. You use emptiness meditation, standing postures, and strike specific acupuncture points with a metal Qi broom/striker, to bring the Qi down out of the head, and balance It out. We also use an herbal formula with the training. The practice is the 12th Hexagram, Stagnation, made real. Yin moves downward (the weight towards gravity), Yang upward (jing from genitals converting/sublimating into Qi). When you bring the two together (through emptiness meditation), you have the 11th Hexagram Tai, or Peace/Hetep/Nirvana. In other words "Fusion". Any other questions, just let me know. I'm here to help. Gotta run, and teach. Later! Cheers!

That's the funny thing. I don't know, from what I've seen so far, and what he has on the site. These masters, and Grandmasters tend to keep things close to the vest. If they don't want you to know something In the system, you don't find out, unless you figure It out yourself. They tend to respect this, and then will teach you more. At least that's been my experience. But from reading his "Tai Chi Classics" book, and doing some of the exercises, I know he's got the real deal. The other reason Is that his explanation of Jin, matched up with the explanation one of the top practitioners In our system, Adam Hsu, gave on jin, even down to some of the illustrations they both use being similar. Liao just took It to another level, halfway through the chapter. This was another Indicator to me. Also, he's teaching marrow washing In the book. Waysun Liao's"Tai Chi Classics" is a VERY interesting book, and will take you far, If you know how to extrapolate. The $4000+ was when I added up the cost of his many DVDs, factoring In being able to get access to the private material also. Cheers!

Sure flyinghigh. He's from an unbroken lineage of Taoist priests, what I call applied Taoism, not the ceremonial Taoism you see today. What the exact lineage is, I don't know. Here's what's on his site: "Jiu means nine. Nine is special number in Chinese numerology because it is the largest of the single digits and after counting to nine, one must return to one. It also refers to the nine major orifices of the body: eyes, ears, nose, mouth, anus, and genitals. Shen means spirit. Yang is the same Yang in Yin-Yang and Gong is the same Gong in Qigong. This method is based on Bodhidharma’s Shaolin Marrow Washing (xisuigong), and Taoist nine-circle alchemy (daojia jiu zhuan wandansu.) It combines Buddhist and Taoist, as well as internal and external methods. " He didn't apply the "Electric Qi" (what we called It, not him) to me. He applied It to a few members, as we watched. When I asked one later what he felt, he said it was this pulsed energy wave, that went up his arm, with a "tat-tat-tat-tat-tat", was how he described It. He didn't explain It, he just said, through my Sifu as translator, that he would show some of us Qi. They held their palm out, he put the tip of his index finger into their laogong point, and said "See, no Qi". Then he said "Now, Qi.", and put his index fingertip back on their laogong, directing his Qi into them. They all felt It. When he did the light body Qigong, and painted the Lao Tzu picture, and calligraphy, I stood next to him, holding the tray with the water, and Ink. I could feel waves of energy coming off of him. I never felt anything like It before. He teaches a number of things In the more advanced stages of training. He didn't say if this was one of them. But depending on your character, and knowledge base, he'll teach more. His protocols for what's learned are traditional, from what I've experienced. If he doesn't think you're ready, or of bad character, you won't learn It. I'm not familiar with his Brother's school In Taiwan. My Sifu Is Taiwanese. When I see him, I'll ask him. Cheers!

I'm going to give my list of three systems that could give Western Mopai followers what they seek, that are available In the US right now. First, a major caveat. The one thing I haven't seen discussed In any major depth, on any of the mopai threads I've seen here, Is what practitioners are going to do when things go South In their training. In other words, do you have access to a licensed acupuncturist that is adept at handling Qi deviations In these practices? Do you have access to a Chinese herbalist that can prescribe formulas you may need? Do you have access to a TuiNa (Chinese bodywork) practitioner, to work out potential blockages? If you don't, you are putting your health, and potentially your life, at risk. Everyone's different. Different people have different reactions to these practices. If you have pre-existing, or latent physiological, or psychological issues, they will show up In your training, and must be dealt with. I've been very fortunate, blessed actually, to have access to all of the above. And I did need to utilize them, at various stages. If you do these practices right, you will be dealing with massive amounts of energy, within your physical vehicles. These can manifest as illnesses, neuroses, and psychosis. Plan accordingly. I don't want to see anyone on here get hurt. I know doing this stuff is like living a Superhero comic/movie, or Dragonball Z/Avatar/ Naruto for real, but remember, even in all of those great stories, getting real power tends to involve pain, and sacrifice. Just be as sure as you can that you're ready to deal with all of the above. With that said: 1.System- LoneMan Pai Cost- Free Comments: I'm aware that some folks on here have Issues with Son Of The Gods (SOTG). But the man knows his stuff. Also, a number of people on here do not have the financial means, or are against spending the amount of money needed to access the next two systems I name. Finally, SOTG has experience In acupuncture, herbal formulas, & TuiNa, and can advise you when (not If) your training goes South 2.System- Jiu Jiu Yang Shen Cost- $2,000-$10,000+ Comments: I learned the Initial stage techniques from Grandmaster Tu Jin-Sheng, Gong back in 2009. They work, period. I witnessed Grandmaster Tu do light body (99 Power Practice) Qigong, standing on a dozen, & a half eggs, while painting a picture of Lao aka "Iron Crotch Tzu, chop a steel bar Into a "V" shape (we just bought It for him from Home Qigong" Depot), and direct "Electric Qi" into a number of our members, with his Index finger. Here's a Youtube video showing some of what he can do: The Iron Body/Iron Crotch training is his first stage training. He has training stages above that, that correspond to what the mopai folks want to learn. He chooses who learns those on an Individual basis. He only deals with people of good character. We had to throw one guy out of training, for bad behavior. If you want It, are sincere, and have the funds, he's based In LA, but has schools worldwide. His site, and Bio, are here: http://mastertu.com/about 3.System- Temple Style Tai Chi Cost- $4,000+ Comments: Waysun Liao knows things. He's teaching a complete Taoist cultivation system In plain sight, for those that know what they're looking at. Like Grandmaster Tu, he qualifies who he gives advanced level teachings to. Based In the US. His site: https://www.taichitaocenter.com/index.php There you have It. Please be mindful of the caveat at the beginning, and choose wisely. Cheers!

Good point JinlianPai. Great Image. Love Bagua, both the style, and the astrological system. Another point I was taught years ago, Is that it also depends on where the style was founded. Some folks fought on boats, so they favored a low stance. Some fought people on horseback, so high stance, and a style with lots of kicks. The origins of these various styles is a fascinating story In Itself. If you haven't looked at his site before, Sal Canzonieri has a great series of articles, and video, on the history of Chinese martial arts. Great stuff: Natural Traditional Chinese Martial Arts - articles by Sal Canzonieri http://www.bgtent.com/naturalcma/ NATURAL CHINESE MARTIAL ARTS PROGRAM -Youtube Videos of Various Forms http://www.bgtent.com/CMAQigongSchool/MartialArtProgram.htm Cheers!

Older my Friend, never old. I hit the 5-0 next year. From my view, you definitely get more Introspective about processes, and tend to cut away the excess fat of things. So you get the same effect, but from a more dynamic endurance standpoint. Got it. Just two sides of the same path. That's cool. As I said, we do our Tai Chi Quan forms as standing postures also. Standing postures, plural, are highly effective. I apologize If It came across as if I was just advocating one standing posture, that was not my Intent. These practices are a multi-faceted jewel, with various levels, Intents, & effects on our gross physical, mental, and spiritual faculties. It's never about being myopic about these things. I'm glad to see that you're not. Bench press analogy Is a good one. I primarily do bodyweight exercises at this point, to develop 360 degree strength, not just along one plane. Incorrect pressing is how a lot of lifters destroy their shoulders, in addition to not working the rotator cuff muscles, and lifting too heavy. I agree. You have to be ever mindful of people, and their differences. It's always about the people you help first, versus what you may, or may not want to do. I held off doing any standing movements with my senior group for over a year, until I could see that they made enough progress to do so. With all of that, I still only have them stand for a couple of minutes at a time. We've gotten great results. I have one member that now does standing postures out In her yard , when it's warm. She raves about the positive effects on her health to the other women, so some of them are beginning to practice more often. it's a wonderful thing to see. Cheers!

You obviously take a very cautious approach to these matters Flowing Hands, which I both agree with, and abide by. I teach classes In Tai Chi, Qigong, and basic self defense at both a senior center, and a local community center here In Philadelphia, and have done so for going on five years now. Before that, I also taught at my Sifu's studio. I always make a point of modifying the forms, depending on the Individual. You have to. Some of my elder students can't stand, some students are pigeon toed, one was bow-legged. One shattered a number of bones In a mountain climbing accident. You modify their practice accordingly for them, and make sure that they only do what they can do. It's why It's always best to get your foundational training In person, by a reputable teacher, which is what I did, and what I totally agree with you on. But I politely disagree with your statements regarding holding Ma Bu for seconds, and that it only builds strength one way. Standing practice not only builds muscular strength, but as I've cited from various studies, It generates a piezoeletric, pyroelectric, & thermoelectric charge over time. Our body is a storage battery for various forces, which can be Increased, refined, sublimated, and utilized with the correct practices, Ma Bu being one of them. Combined with breathing practices, and creative visualization, it's what enables you to manifest the various expressions of Jin. Ma Bu is for training purposes. Only In certain transitional movements during our form are you In actual Ma Bu. Bow stance is the primary martial stance, due to the wider base. The pyramidal structure is far more stable. Also enables you to absorb, neutralize, and repel incoming energy better. Advanced standing training is holding each stance In the form for multiples of nine breaths, combined with Yi training. If you've trained properly, shifting between stances shouldn't be an issue. Your speed, and cognitive processing Increases, the more you practice, especially If you train with "Hard" stylists. But as always, your mileage may vary. I'm just stating my own experience. Gotta run! Cheers!