KuroShiro

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Posts posted by KuroShiro

  1. Posted

    5 hours ago, SirPalomides said:

    Also, posting propaganda from the Epoch Times/ NTD is forbidden per the anti-right wing garbage guidelines promulgated by  @sean and enforced by @Trunk. For those needing further information on Epoch Times,  see this report here: https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/trump-qanon-impending-judgment-day-behind-facebook-fueled-rise-epoch-n1044121

     

    LOL

     

    Don't tell me you're a ccp troll ! :lol:

     

     

     

  2. Posted

    1 hour ago, ralis said:

    The origin of the Coronavirus is in nature. When a virus meets the specific conditions to spread this is what happens!

     

     

     

    1 hour ago, ralis said:

    The origin of the Coronavirus is in nature. When a virus meets the specific conditions to spread this is what happens!

     

    lol

     

    I'm sorry but I really don't understand what you mean with your statement in the context of this thread.

    Notice I've been very polite, I asked "You're not very bright, are you?" and did not state it as a matter of fact.

     

    I'll wait for you to explain and maybe you can surprise me but I'm not holding my breath. ;)

    • Like 1

  3. Posted

    1 hour ago, dawei said:

     

    I agree.   An interesting issue is to look at Taiwan's timelines:

    Dec:  Taiwan sends experts to Wuhan.  They find data lacking and decide it is worse than being shared.  They start planning actions.

    Dec 31:  The CDC director saw online chats among doctors in china of an outbreak.  Li Wengliang (whistleblower arrested and eventually died of the virus) was among those.   That night began a campaign to alert health community and implement inspection of flights from Wuhan.   Also began development of testing.

    Dec. 31: Taiwan notifies WHO and Chinese authorities about the online chatter of an outbreak.  The WHO refuses to listen.  China decides to report to WHO that patients in Wuhan are being treated for a new virus. 

    Jan. 5:  Flights from Wuhan are inspected for contagions with folks quarantined as needed.

    Jan. 12: Testing improves from 24 hours to 4 hours. 

    Jan. 21: First confirmed case, person came from Wuhan flight on Jan. 20.   (US announces first case, person came from Wuhan).

    Jan. 21: WHO reports worldwide cases as 282, only in Asia.   In their section on "Country Responses", Taiwan is not mentioned. 

    Jan. 24: Mask exports banned with beginning of rationing within the country.

    Jan. 24: Flights from China, Hong Kong, Macau require health and travel declaration.

    Jan. 25: Suspend all tours to China

    Jan. 30: WHO announces public health emergency of international concern.  Reports cases close to 8,000.

    Feb. 2: Stop opening of schools.   Mask and alcohol (cleaning) production increases

    Feb. 6: Ban all flights from China

    Feb. 15: First confirmed death from the virus (China first death was Jan. 11 and the person infected dozens of others).

    Feb. 18: WHO reports more than 75,000 cases. 

    Apr. 23: Taiwan has reported 427 cases and 6 deaths. 

     

    p03-200414-999.jpg

     

      Taiwan has been exemplary during this ccp virus tragedy.

    • Thanks 1
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  10. Posted

    3 hours ago, thelerner said:

    @KuroShiro or anybody, I've gotten mixed messages on Elderberry*.  Early on I acquired some tincture with it.  Some info was not to take it because of receptor problems.  Anything definitive?       Thanks

     

    Elderberry is antiviral and great for the cold & flu but I think I remember @Taomeow saying it might not be recommended against this virus. Chris Kresser is recommending it.

    I have Sambucol and Elderberry juice. I've been drinking the juice although not everyday, I open a bottle drink it in a few days and after a while open another one. I do this to strengthen the immune system, I think it helps. I'm saving the Sambucol for symptoms, it can also be used as prevention but it has sugar and the bottle doesn't last long...

     

     

    3 hours ago, thelerner said:

    In my home we have 1 mask, 5 people, so.. no one wears it.  It just sits there, in its packaging, taunting us, waiting for the first person to grab it. 

     

    See if you can get some. If not it's probably best to make your own, it's not the same but better than nothing...

     

     

    • Like 1

  11. Posted

    3 hours ago, thelerner said:

    Thanks for the info.  With 5 people in my household and a big extended family I'm looking for ways to protect them.  Not as good as getting it from a China town herbal expert, but the above influenced me to get the Shuanghuanglian pills from Amazon.  For $22 why not try something that can help.  Along w/ zinc&C lozenges. 

     

     

    You're welcome.

    Don't forget to wear a mask.

     

     

    An update:

    RHR: Updates on COVID-19 and Answers to Your Questions

     

    I have since come across research suggesting that propolis and mega doses of A and D may not be a good idea, because at least in theory, they could increase the expression of ACE-2 [angiotensin converting enzyme 2] receptors.

     

    Propolis is my go to :(

     

    Spoiler

    Boosting Your Immune System

    (5:35) Okay, the first question is from Chris. “Hey, Chris. I’m curious if you have preventative recommendations via nutrition for immune boosting for these types of viruses. figured zinc, vitamin C, [and] selenium couldn’t hurt. Also, I read that there’s some research about these types of coronaviruses being susceptible to heat and that a sauna can kill a virus if it hasn’t reached the lungs in 130 degree plus temps for more than 25 minutes. Any thoughts on that?”

    Great question, Chris. And actually, I want to take this opportunity to revise a couple of the recommendations that I made on the COVID webinar that I did recently. On that webinar, I offered several ideas for boosting immune function, which I’ll cover here as well. But among them were propolis and high dose vitamin A and D. I have since come across research suggesting that propolis and mega doses of A and D may not be a good idea, because at least in theory, they could increase the expression of ACE-2 [angiotensin converting enzyme 2] receptors. Now in many cases, botanicals, plant medicines, and nutrients like propolis and vitamins A and D have a modulatory effect, which means they upregulate or downregulate a function like a receptor on the outside of a cell based on what’s needed.

    An example of this would be elderberry. Early on in the COVID outbreak, some people expressed concern about elderberry because it can potentially upregulate inflammatory cytokine production, which could contribute to the cytokine storm that makes people really sick with COVID. However, as Stephen [Harrod] Buhner, a renowned herbalist that I really love and follow pointed out, elderberry is a modulator of the cytokine response, which means it can upregulate it or downregulate it as necessary. I think this may be also true of propolis and vitamins A and D. But since coronavirus can get into our cells by hijacking ACE-2 receptors, I think it’s probably cautious to avoid anything that might upregulate those receptors, including propolis and high doses of vitamins A and D.

    So, for this reason, I would suggest not taking propolis and not taking very high doses of vitamin A and D during the COVID pandemic. You can and should still eat adequate amounts of A and D in food, and you can supplement with lower doses of vitamin D like 1,000 IU or maybe 400 or 500 IU per day if you live in a place where you’re getting minimal sun exposure, and/or your 25 D levels are below let’s say 35 or 40 milligrams per deciliter on a lab test.

    Now as far as the other steps that you can take to boost your immune system, certainly the four pillars that we often talk about, [a] nutrient-dense diet, sleep, stress management and physical activity, become even more critical in this situation. And in the context of a nutrient-dense diet, certain foods can have an antiviral immune-boosting effect, like garlic, ginger, citrus fruits, and red bell peppers, for example, are rich in vitamin C. Fermented foods can support gut health, which is also important because a lot of the immune system resides in the gut. And then foods like, spices like turmeric are rich in curcumin, which has a number of immune benefits.

    Bone broth, I think, is also really helpful because of its impact on gut health. And as I mentioned, gut health is critical for immune function. Zinc appears to be very helpful for all viruses and for coronavirus in particular. Zinc supports immune function, but it’s been shown to be effective in blocking coronavirus from multiplying in the throat and the nasopharynx. So if you can get your hands on some zinc lozenges, you can use these several times a day as you begin to feel symptoms, and it’s best to lie down and let the lozenge dissolve in the back of your throat, and nasopharynx. You can try higher doses of vitamin C. I think the data on this are mixed, but it certainly can’t hurt. So at least 150 milligrams per day. Food is the best source as usual. But if you’re not able to get enough from food, you can also supplement.

    N-acetylcysteine is not really so much of a preventative, but it could have a role if you have COVID. It can help protect the lungs. Elderberry, despite some of the claims that have been made in the media, can be very helpful. It’s a cytokine modulator, as I mentioned. So 700 to 1,000 milligrams per day of elderberry extract from syrup or lozenges, or you can also even get it in capsules, is a good idea.

    Getting adequate copper. Chris Masterjohn has pointed this out, the importance of this, 4 to 8 milligrams of copper per day. That has an immune boosting impact and some people don’t get enough copper from the diet. So taking copper supplementally can be helpful. Like a zinc supplement where zinc is in a 15-to-1 ratio with copper can be helpful too. So you want to always have that right balance between zinc and copper. And since zinc is important, and copper is important, taking a supplement that has both zinc and copper can be a good idea here.

    So, those are some basic ideas. We’ve also talked about botanicals like cordyceps, Angelica sinensis, rhodiola, and astragalus. That can be very helpful. Stephen Buhner recommends a formula with three parts cordyceps, two parts Angelica, [and] one part rhodiola and astragalus. As for your question, Chris, about sauna, I haven’t seen those data. But I do think that sauna is right up there with exercise and [a] good diet in terms of just a basic hormetics benefit that we can get. The expression of heat shock proteins and the photobiomodulation if you’re doing infrared saunas, all can support a healthy immune function. And if you have access to a sauna, I think using it regularly during this period makes sense.

    (12:05) Okay, next question from Phoebe. “On my last podcast I mentioned the Buhner botanical formula of cordyceps, Angelica, rhodiola and astragalus,” which I just mentioned again, “that was for liquid tincture. Do the same ratios apply to a powder formulation? If so, advise on teaspoon dosage.”

    The same ratios would probably apply for powder. It doesn’t have to be exact. I can’t really advise on dosing because I don’t know how this particular powder that you’re referring to was prepared and what the concentration is. But generally, you can just follow the dosing on the bottles, because most botanical producers will put a suggested dosage there.

     

     

     

     

    • Like 1

  13. Posted

    RHR: Everything You Need to Know about Coronavirus, with Dr. Ramzi Asfour

     

    HERBAL TREATMENT FOR CORONAVIRUS INFECTIONS Stephen Harrod Buhner

     

     

    Spoiler

    Supporting Your Immune System to Prevent Infection

    Chris Kresser:  And I want to start with just the basics, because I think we forget, we tend to forget the basics in situations like this. Really freak out or hoard the hand sanitizer and the gloves and all that stuff, and forget to just do the basic things. And, actually, one of those basics is stress management. We know that stress weakens the immune system as much [as] or more than just about anything. And there’s a little bit of a catch 22 here or a self-fulfilling prophecy. If people are totally freaked out and panicked about coronavirus, that’s actually going to impact their immune system in such a way that it would make them more susceptible to acquiring coronavirus.

    Ramzi Asfour:  Absolutely.

    Chris Kresser:  I really encourage people to do some things to try to, if you are feeling really worried and concerned, which is natural, it’s even more important to do things like a meditation practice, mindfulness-based stress reduction, spending time in nature, preferably not in large groups, but, you know, outside. Taking hot baths, whatever it is that helps you to manage your stress, that’s even more critical in this situation. So that’s one of the four pillars of immune boosting.

    Another one is getting enough sleep. I’ve done so many podcasts on this [that], hopefully, I don’t need to go [into] any detail about why that’s important, or how to do it here. But seven to eight hours a night. And following all the good sleep hygiene practices. It’s critical for immune function. Physical activity is also really critical for immune function. So making sure to reduce your time spent sitting and then getting enough exercise throughout the week. And then the fourth pillar, of course, is a nutrient-dense, whole-foods, anti-inflammatory diet. But specifically within that context, really a focus on foods like liver, which is very high in vitamin A, which has many different immune-boosting benefits we’ll talk about shortly. Zinc, same thing for zinc, and many other nutrients that are a little harder to obtain, even in the context of a healthy diet.

    Immune-Boosting Foods

    Chris Kresser:  Foods like garlic and ginger, which have antimicrobial, antiviral effects and also immune-boosting benefits. You might want to increase your consumption of those. Citrus fruits and red peppers for vitamin C. Fermented foods, because we know that somewhere between 30 and 60 percent of the immune system, it really exists in the gut, so those can be helpful. And then a little bit of extra turmeric, if you like that as a spice, can be antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and can be helpful. You might want to consider some extra vitamin A, especially if you feel like you’re fighting something, [and] you come down with some symptoms. [Vitamin] A improves immune function by several mechanisms. It also increases lactobacilli in the gut, which, in the presence of infection, will produce interferons and other immune chemicals that fight infection. If you’re eating liver once or twice a week, you’re probably getting enough for maintenance. If you’re not, you might want to take cod liver oil, which is a great source of [vitamin] A as well as D, which is another important vitamin for immune function.

    If you feel like you’re catching something, you can take very high doses of vitamin A for a short period. You don’t want to do that long-term, because vitamin A can be toxic at high doses. But 50,000 IU, for example, twice a day for up to five to seven days. You don’t want to take more than 100,000 IU at one time because it can cause headaches, and it’s a good idea to get enough vitamin D with your A because it can, it greatly protects against the toxicity, potential toxicity of vitamin A. Zinc lozenges support immune function and have also been proven to be effective in blocking coronavirus and other viruses from multiplying in the throat and nasopharynx. And you can use these several times a day as soon as you begin to feel symptoms. It’s best to lie down and let the lozenge dissolve in the back of your throat and the nasopharynx, so it really penetrates to those areas.

    Honey and Other Bee Products

    Chris Kresser:  So another preventative remedy, and something I will use for treatment, as well, that I like is propolis. Propolis is from the beehive, of course, and it increases cellular immune response and acts as an antiviral. My favorite way to take propolis is the Beekeeper’s Naturals propolis spray. It’s very convenient. You can spray it in the back of your throat several times a day at the first sign of symptoms. I will also use it prophylactically when I travel, even when I am not experiencing symptoms. And then another product from Beekeeper’s Naturals that I love for its immune-boosting and protective effects is called B.Powered, which is a honey, raw honey.

    Honey is antimicrobial and antiviral, and it also has royal jelly, bee pollen, and propolis in it. So I will often take that if I feel like I’m coming down with something. You can just eat it right off the spoon. Kids love it. It’s probably the cold and flu medicine you’ll have the least trouble getting your kids to eat and that you might take yourself. And I have a relationship with the Beekeeper’s Naturals folks, so you can actually get 15 percent off if you go to Kresser.co/beekeepers of the propolis spray and the B.Powered.

    Botanicals

    Chris Kresser:  In addition to that, there are some botanicals that really help to support immune function. Cordyceps is one. It boosts immune function, protects cilia of the lung, modulates cytokine response, and increases T-cell count. Cordyceps is actually technically not a botanical; it’s a parasitic fungus that lives on insect larvae. So now, you’ll probably never take it after hearing that. It’s a pretty vivid description, but it’s a remarkably effective medicinal. Angelica sinensis, which is known as dong quai in Chinese medicine, aka female ginseng, modulates the cytokine response and lowers TGF-beta [transforming growth factor-beta] levels, which can be high in a viral infection.

    Rhodiola improves immune function and protects the lung cells from hypoxia, which is one of the major impacts that a coronavirus can have. Astragalus boosts immune function and lowers TGF-beta levels. These recommendations all come from Stephen Harrod Buhner who’s one of, I think, the most foremost herbalists in the world. And his recommendation is to create a formula with three parts Cordyceps to two parts Angelica, one part Rhodiola, and one part Astragalus. And then take one teaspoon of that three times a day for protection and one teaspoon six times a day if you’re feeling symptomatic. If you do feel like you have come down with something, whether it’s coronavirus or just a seasonal flu, I posted some articles a while back. We’ll put the links in the show notes, to some other recommendations. One is a fresh ginger tea.

    Ginger is a potent antiviral that prevents adhesion of viruses to the upper respiratory mucosa. But you have to take a lot of it for it to be effective. So, in these articles, I have a recipe for making a very potent fresh ginger juice or tea. Use one to two pounds of ginger, which is a lot, and the easiest way to do it is to use a juicer. So you juice it. If you don’t have a juicer, you can grate it, but it will take a while. And then you put two to four ounces of that ginger juice in a mug with the juice of one half lemon, a large tablespoon of honey, which is also antiviral, and then one eighth of a teaspoon [of] cayenne pepper, and six ounces of hot water. And then you drink two to six cups of that a day, sipping slowly throughout the day. It does not taste good. I’m going to tell you right now. It’s pretty intense, but it can be remarkably effective.

    And then, for antivirals, herbs if you already have become infected, there’s a formula in Chinese medicine called Shuang-Huang-Lian, which was found to help a lot in China with the previous SARS outbreak and it’s now being tested in clinical trials there for COVID-19. And it consists of Forsythia suspensa, which is lian qiao in Chinese medicine, [the] weeping forsythia plant. So you use two parts of that. It’s antiviral for the SARS group, including COVID-19. It blocks viral attachment, modulates cytokine response. Then Lonicera japonica, which is jin yin hua in Chinese medicine, Japanese honeysuckle. Use one part of that. It’s also a strong antiviral for COVID-19. And then Scutellaria baicalensis, which [is] huang qin or Chinese skullcap. You use one part of that. And that’s antiviral for COVID-19. It blocks viral attachment, it modulates cytokine response, and it protects the spleen and the lymph nodes. And the dosage for that is one teaspoon, three times a day. And it’s best to take that in combination with some of the immune-boosting herbs that I mentioned previously.

    So I know that was a lot. If you’re struggling to write all this down, we have a transcript of the podcast. So you can go to ChrisKresser.com and click on that, and you’ll see the transcript, and we’ll actually write out the recipes, so that you don’t have to dig through the transcript. So that you can just scroll down and get those recipes. And Ramzi, anything else you want to add in terms of treatment? I think in terms of antiviral drugs, we don’t have anything that we really know about, know that will work for coronavirus at this point. And what about a vaccine for coronavirus?

    Ramzi Asfour:  Companies are already on the way. I mean, just really quickly, Remdesivir is a drug produced by Gilead. They’re already starting a phase three clinical trial. They’re targeting 1,000 patients to be enrolled. There are smaller trials taking place in China and the [United States], as well. And the first patient in Seattle actually received that medication. There are, Regeneron, they’re the company that made the antibodies or some of the antibody treatments for Ebola, and they are already hard at work making them for COVID-19. And then there are lots of companies working on vaccines.

    Vaccines are going to take a while, but, hopefully, we’ll have some treatments. And one of the ideas is that we want to contain the infection as much as possible. So that once it becomes even more widespread, we’ll have some treatments. So the reason to be super aggressive, one of the many reasons to be super aggressive in containment, is waiting for treatments to become available for those [who] need it.

    Chris Kresser:  So for those of you who want to learn more about the science behind some of the botanical recommendations that I shared from Stephen Harrod Buhner, you can go to his website. It’s a wealth of information. It’s StephenHarrodBuhner, S-t-e-p-h-e-n-h-a-r-r-o-d-b-u-h-n-e-r.com. Click on [“Writings,” and then] “Articles,” and then click on, under the [“Medicine/Herbs/Healing”] section, there’s a link. Click on “coronavirus.” It was written on March 1st. It’s a 19-page monograph [that] goes into great detail on:

    • The characteristics of coronavirus
    • What’s needed
    • What kind of pathological effects it causes
    • What specific medicinal botanicals address those particular effects of coronavirus

    And so, [it gives] you a little bit more of the understanding behind how some of these formulas are created and also additional recommendations for medicinals that I didn’t cover in this podcast just due to time constraints. So that, hopefully, will be a good resource for you. Okay, everybody. Thanks for listening; stay safe and healthy. Ramzi, thank you so much for sharing your wisdom and experience with us.

    Ramzi Asfour:  You’re welcome.

    Chris Kresser:  Where can people learn more about your work? And if they’re interested in seeing you as a patient, how do they do that?

    Ramzi Asfour:  For patients, go to CCFmed.com. And they can learn more about becoming a patient of mine through California Center for Functional Medicine. And I also do some infection control and work for especially nursing facilities. That’s CapsidConsulting.com.

    Chris Kresser:  And although we spent today talking about an infectious disease, coronavirus, and Ramzi has deep experience in treating infectious diseases, that’s not all that he does. He’s also a phenomenal Functional Medicine practitioner, and that is what he is primarily doing, of course, at CCFM. Although, of course, treating infections is one of the things that we do as Functional Medicine practitioners.

    So, Ramzi, thank you again. And we’ll definitely have you back to do the part two of the gluten and Lyme disease connection show because I know we got a lot of feedback that that was particularly interesting to people and we still [have] some material to cover there.

    Ramzi Asfour:  Thanks, Chris. Appreciate it.

    Chris Kresser:  All right. Okay, everybody. Thanks again for listening. Send in your questions [about the] podcast [at] ChrisKresser.com/podcastquestion, and we’ll talk to you soon.

     

    • Like 2
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  14. Posted · Edited by KuroShiro

    On 2/24/2020 at 2:32 PM, freeform said:

    [in response to esoteric Buddhism having similar processes but different methodologies for building Qi]
     

    No - it’s just creating the same result (building Qi) through different means. If that makes sense?

     

    Thanks, you're talking about Yuan Qi, right?

     

    18 hours ago, freeform said:

    And completing the path, I’m told, is just the start of another one...

     

    Thank you very much for sharing this! This was my gut feeling :)

     

    On 2/25/2020 at 10:48 PM, Bindi said:

    When people negate emotions, this is the essence of negating the ‘earth’, negating yin, and spiritual bypassing. 
     

    A spiritual bypass or spiritual bypassing is a "tendency to use spiritual ideas and practices to sidestep or avoid facing unresolved emotional issues, psychological wounds, and unfinished developmental tasks". 

     

    Emotional issues are painful, opening up the emotional channel is hard work, easier to just see all emotions as unreal, and justify it as advanced spirituality. 

     

     

     

    On 2/25/2020 at 10:48 PM, liminal_luke said:

    Really?  Because this doesn´t sound remotely positive.  I know I don´t need to worry about this now -- and likely never -- but if this is where the bus is heading, let me off now. 

     

    I believe it's not about negating emotions and not about not feeling. My understanding is that it's part of the process: you have to deal not only with your emotions but also with the unresolved issues of your family ancestry and past lives.

     

    The emotions are in the 'realm' of Wu Xing and we live in duality, Yin Yang - this is the level of reincarnation. Once you 'reach' Tai Ji you transcend duality but that duality is within Tai Ji, your perspective is no longer the same, so why would one want to still be attached to duality/emotions?

     

    4 hours ago, liminal_luke said:

    If spiritual development leads to a place where all feeling is either non-existent or blunted to the point where it´s a "subtle state" what´s the point?  What is "spiritual" about such a state?  Why would someone want that?  Equanimity is great but when it slides into simply not caring, I´m not so sure.  I wouldn´t my loved ones to become enlightened if that would mean they´d lose the ability to take an interest in me and my activities. 

     

    You're not paying attention!

    There is no me :P

     

     

  15. Posted

    19 hours ago, liminal_luke said:

    I like what Freeform has to say about transforming the body.  Maybe transform is the wrong word as it implies a change that doesn´t necessarily occur.  Maybe it´s more accurate to say that the body is perceived through the lens of this non-dual awareness.  Is Dwai´s position really different from Freeform´s?  Or does it just seem different because the emphasis is different, the words are different?  

     

    There's definitely a change and there are changes along the path. I believe that True Yoga Teachings also have Ming Gong and Freeform has also shared here about his Buddhist Tradition.

     

     

    • Like 1

  17. Posted

    2 hours ago, alchemystical said:

    The discovery of these movements and energy itself its absolutely fascinating, thats why I wish there were a real detailed history, theory and practical book about qigong instead of information scattered everywhere because its all so interesting. Granted they had no TVs so they entertained themselves with their selves but it really gets me thinking because you can take someone who knows no gong, get them to hold a few poses and boom, they feel the chi but if you randomly just position your arms, nothing. Its the significance, order, underlying rhythm that intrigues. Same when it comes to forms that have different types of breath control, how the heck did they discover that? That alone is mind boggling because the permutations of doing it randomly are immense and the measurements quite precise so how?

     

    I believe there are at least two explanations: Revelations and practices created by Enlightened Masters.

    • Like 2
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  18. Posted

    On 2/20/2020 at 2:09 PM, dwai said:

    Yes we have. It works. Maybe next time my friends and I get together,  I’ll post a video on this. I find it a bit harder to do, in that it usually leaves me with a bit of a headache. My master says it’s because we’re using our own jin for it instead of using the energy that pervades everything. 

     

    Do you know how one makes that jump? Is it a question of more practice, reaching higher levels or is it related to Yi?

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  19. Posted

    On 2/21/2020 at 12:01 PM, freeform said:

    Dwai regularly mentions that all paths lead to the same thing.

     

    I'm not so sure...

     

    Maybe they did at some point?

     

    As highlighted in this discussion - there are clearly some major differences.

     

    I believe there are at least some convergances. Certainly with the Burmese Buddhist teacher I train with, they have a very similar process to the Daoist approach. For example 'emptiness' is considered a trap - and one must move past it. There is even a big Qi-building component (although quite different in nature to the Daoist approach). They have records of past masters disintegrating into bright light at death etc. But then his line is an old Esoteric/Tantric line.

     

    This seems to be a contradiction?

     

    Also may I ask you why are you mixing both traditions, if they both have complete teachings?

     

     

    On 2/21/2020 at 12:01 PM, freeform said:

    They have records of past masters disintegrating into bright light at death etc. But then his line is an old Esoteric/Tantric line.

     

    Anyone in the last century?

  20. Posted · Edited by KuroShiro

    This book has arrived a couple weeks ago but looking at the printing it seems to be a copy. Anyone here knows if this is possible? Do they sell copies of original books in China?

    Hope the text inside is the same as the original. :lol:

    Haven't searched yet for Ming Gong and Xing Gong.

     

     

    Spoiler

    https://i.imgur.com/113RsU0.jpg

     

  21. Posted

    On 2/13/2020 at 8:44 AM, anshino23 said:

    At least that was my understanding. I didn't think that an ill person could go directly to alchemical practice and transform and heal their chronic ailments. Never seen it at least. 

     

    Well, that settles it then. :)

     

    On 2/13/2020 at 9:15 AM, freeform said:

    These are not ‘healing arts’ in themselves - they are spiritual arts with a byproduct of healing (because a healthy body and mind are more efficient vehicles for spiritual practice!) 

     

    There are healing arts too... Like chinese medicine or Qi emission healing or herbs...

     

    Although I can't say there's anything wrong with what you are saying here, this is not my understanding at all. I'm quoting it here to see if I'll remember to check it further down the road to see if my perspective has changed.

    Thank you very much for your posts and for sharing the Teachings of Daoism.

     

     

    On 2/14/2020 at 9:09 AM, freeform said:

    Disappearing in a flash of pure white light is a sign of 'finally arriving' - meaning there is no need to return... but one can come and go as one pleases.

     

    Long?

     

    • Like 2

  22. Posted

    8 hours ago, anshino23 said:

    @freeform: Something I wondered the other day ... if Ming is required to get to Xing, does that mean that people that are born with defective health issues such as say, type I diabetes, panhypopituitarism, etc., cannot reach enlightenment in their lifetime? What can such people do? Are they just out of luck?

     

    Freeform has already responded but my understanding is that Daoist Alchemy heals health issues. Daoism says enlightenment is in this lifetime.

    • Thanks 1

  23. Posted

    5 hours ago, freeform said:

    Jing to Qi = Ming

    Qi to Shen = Xing 

     

    Qi is the important mediator to make anything actually happen. Most people are able to have Shen experiences, but few are able to make transformational change happen. Ming is the key to this.

     

    Practice at the level of Ming creates ‘enough’ Qi to be able to make a transformational jump.


    Qi is created in a number of ways... from the basic level of increasing the efficiency of the body (with Qigong, Yang Sheng Fa etc) to creating emotional and mental equanimity with sitting practices like Xin Zhai and Zuowang... To actually creating Qi in the body with Neigong processes or developing Jing and transforming into Qi with Nei Dan. This is all at the level of Ming (although arguably the sitting practices can take you to the level of Xing too).

     

    Thank you.

    Can you share what is the role of Xuan Guan Yi Qiao (when/where it 'fits' in relation to the stages: foundation, Jing to Qi, Qi to Shen, Shen to Void) in the system you practice ?

     

     

    2 hours ago, Walker said:

    As I understand these terms, "congenital nature" probably refers to two words which are generally more or less synonymous in Daoist inner alchemy:

    • 本性/benxing (akin to "basic nature" or "fundamental nature")
    • 元神/yuanshen ("original spirit" or "primordial spirit")

    The above two terms refer something that all people have, always. However, in the vast, vast majority of us they are obscured and effectively lost.

     

    This is my understanding as well, Congenital Nature is Xing, Yuan Shen. The objective of Daoist Alchemy seems to be not only the transmutation of consciousness but also transmutation of matter, fusion of Xing and Ming.

    What is funny is that they are essentially One but seem to be 'separated'.

     

     

    2 hours ago, Walker said:

    Yangshen (陽神), on the other hand, is a result of successful inner alchemy cultivation up to a certain stage. It is a high stage, far beyond what most cultivators will ever achieve, but it is not the final stage, as the creation of the yangshen is only a start of a new process, which may be different in different schools. This is not something I have any personal experience in. The only thing I wish to say here is that you cannot fool yourself as to whether or not you have reached this stage. The yangshen is not merely a projection of mind or qi. Though it can, it is said, alternate between form and formlessness, when it takes form, it truly has form. In addition, in order for it to leave the body, significant, can't-be-faked changes in the body's structure must take place first. (These points differentiate yangshen from yinshen, which does not have form and does not need the physical body to change in order to leave it; in inner alchemy it is not considered a high accomplishment--or even a good idea, generally speaking--to project the yinshen out of the body). 

     

    3 hours ago, freeform said:

    There are several 'levels' to the Yangshen spirit... It must be developed to reach each one of the higher 'realms' or 'alchemical bodies'. For example, the realm 'above' our physical human realm is the Astral Realm - this can be accessed with your Energy Body (in Alchemical terms). Your Energy Body is at this stage a Yangshen spirit - but there are still 5 realms above it... so it must be developed and transformed completely to move further up the line.

     

    Is Yang Shen the Immortal Body of Light?

    Do you know if Yang Shen is before or after fusion of Xing and Ming?

    Thanks.

     

     

    2 hours ago, Walker said:

    Yangshen (陽神), on the other hand, is a result of successful inner alchemy cultivation up to a certain stage. It is a high stage, far beyond what most cultivators will ever achieve

    3 hours ago, freeform said:

    The reality is that almost none of us are even capable of reaching the highest levels (let alone able to put in the time, effort, no-effort or even have the conducive life-circumstances to realise our full capability).

     

    Why do you feel the need to say this? You are placing obstacles on your path. :)

     

    • Like 2

  25. Posted

    On 2/3/2020 at 8:19 AM, exorcist_1699 said:

    As a guy who has been experiencing  the disasters of  two  epidemics caused by first the SARS virus , then  currently the Coronavirus, I am confident to say that  qi is something that makes you virus-proof . I was  living just 20 meters  from the most infected Estate , the Amoy Garden  where in just one block of  it   40 persons were killed,  when  the SARS epidemic struck Hong Kong in 2003 . I never worried  wearing any medical mask although I always went to  the mentioned estate for visits, sometimes  deliberately to test the qi inside me. Nor do I get any  mask to wear in recent days when hundreds or thousand of people , fear of the new Coronavirus , are before dawn  queuing up in front of  dispensaries for  buying  some medical masks before they open . Epidemic ,the more serious it is,the better for qigong practitioners to test their competency.

     

     

    Qi definitely can kill  virus, whatever forms they are in , or whatever forms they are going to change into . It simply is   because qi is more " fundamental "  than DNA of living things , and represents the utmost life energy .  For example , when your  PC is attacked by computer virus  and stops working  , and after many efforts to cure it you fail,  then the final solution you think of is to format your hard disk and make it return to its  original status , that basic  series of  0011001110..( yin and yang in the case of Qi  )  appeared as some kind of software stationed in the MBR of the hard disk..

     

    Thank you, very inspiring!
     

    Do you know at which stage - foundation, Jing to Qi ... - one gains the immunity?

    Also I assume it's the same for pathogenic bacteria, fungi, mold, right?

     

     

    Are you still in HK? If you are in China you might get a drone asking you to wear a mask :lol: