Vajra Fist

And how about to half of the world's population, three billion people living in poverty. Or to the 1.3 billion living in the most extreme conditions of poverty? How would they view a pimple?

Genuinely see very little of that in Buddhist circles. In yoga groups, certainly In fact, there's a whole practice of vajrayana called chod, which is orientated around 'feeding' (and thereby pacifying) demons (internal or otherwise). Internal emotions are met head on, embraced and accepted. Not suppressed in any shape or form. It is a path of bravery. The op knows very little about Buddhism beyond what he may have read in a magazine sometime. https://www.lionsroar.com/how-to-practice-feeding-your-demons/

Working in the city, watching people not even spare a glance at homeless people living in puddles of their piss on the floor, let alone spare some change, or offer to buy them a hot meal, makes me angry. Child abuse, murder, gang violence, poverty, the lack of social welfare, the cultivation of hatred toward people fleeing war or famine, those also make me angry. Other things annoy me: the vanity of the selfie generation, the lack of self awareness inheritant in complaints over first world problems, shaming and publicly destroying people on social media without regard to the consequences, those also make me worried about our future. But a group of people trying to develop compassion for others, gratitute for their lives, and trying to live mindfully and peacefully in the precious few years we are given, that doesn't make me angry. Not one jot. For those people, I have the greatest respect and I hold them in the highest esteem.

Just wanted to say thanks all for the replies. I came with strong views, but I've listened to some compelling counter arguments, and tried some promising new exercises (thanks those who posted ping shaui gong vids). My views on the issue are now more ambivalent, and not as black and white. Grateful to this forum and you all.

Two very different videos

Yes well I never claimed to radiate good health and vitality myself. Although I would love to, don't get me wrong. But I believe when you look at a system, you should look at the teacher. And then ask yourself if you want to become them. JAJ is a teacher for instance that many people seek for high level teaching...

I'd rather not mention names, so as not to offend anyone. I know some people on here consider them their masters and have great respect for them. If you're curious who I had in mind please pm me. This is an excellent point, and it is true. My experience in person with qigong masters is indeed limited. But I do believe this can be transmitted through the screen. I've listened to dozens of dharma lectures in which I've felt the qi field of the teacher, the quiesence I can only liken to fresh snowfall. I've never felt the same way listening to one American daoist master give long lectures on the arts, for instance. Not for a second. And that is someone who has dedicated his life to internal arts. Maybe it's just as you say, that the changes are a lot deeper than surface level. Maybe something like yoga works from the outside in, rather than the inside out?

So it's a question of how diligently you practice? Most western teachers don't practice that well?

For all the promises of qigong and tai chi, I can't think of a single qigong master that radiates good health and vitality. They usually have sallow, pinched features, or have dark auras. Many of them are also overweight or look in poor health. There is a lot of yin chi, and the most powerful among them inspire fear rather than radiate the warmth of compassion. Indeed, I dare not even name examples, for fear they could seek retribution. By contrast, when I look at people who practice yoga regularly, they have abundant qi, a glowing complexion and open expressions. Similarly, when I am in the presence of a Buddhist master I feel so comfortable, like I am with a member of close family. I'm probably going to get roasted for this, but I am not just being a troll. I'm genuinely interested if others feel the same, and what the reason might be.

An old Chinese guy when he was a teenager living in Taiwan, as far as xingyi is concerned. His book 'radical xingyi energetics' has lots of interesting exercises to cultivate qi. I haven't tried them though as they seem fairly time consuming as an adjunct to other practices

Interestingly, those who have undergone phowa in Tibetan Buddhism are said to have an indent on the top of their skull. From my memory it is said to facilitate the transfer of consciousness at the time of death to rebirth in a pure land.

That's a sad story, of a life entangled with karmic debt. Hope he found a happier rebirth.

How does juicing work from a TCM perspective? Since it was a cold food, potentially damp forming, I stopped juicing. Would love to hear anyone's thoughts on it from that perspective.

Bumping again

Fascinating stuff, thanks for posting