Aetherous

cool some random person agreeing with another psychic saying another psychic is full of crap. Wow that's really helpful!

 

It actually is helpful to be told not to listen to psychics. But sorry my comment pissed you off.

Oh, and your psychic friend is full of shit

 

Repeated for truth.

Thanks for sharing!

Go to sleep at 10 pm (reading a book first helps you to become sleepy, as opposed to looking at screens). Getting appropriate rest (which requires timing like this) does a lot.

Walk for an hour in the morning, in natural surroundings. Breathe the fresh air. If you miss doing it in the morning (which is the preferable time), do it in the evening. Walking is one thing that helps with qi problems.

 

Pick a leaf or flower that you like, which has a fair amount of detail to it...look at it for 15 minutes a day, as an object of meditation. When thoughts come, notice how they cloud your perception, as if the light leaves your eyes and goes inward to light up the thought you're experiencing...but then look at the leaf again and feel how it clarifies your perception of the real world...as if you break through the cloudiness. Use the leaf as your object of meditation, so just gently bring attention back to how it looks, if the attention drifts away. And instead of forcing the eyes upon the leaf, instead cultivate a way of looking at it that's as if you're "taking in" the leaf with your vision, effortlessly, rather than exerting your vision outward toward it (hopefully that makes sense after trying the method for a while). This method will calm and release the mind, which will strongly influence the body and qi for the better.

 

Give your body a break by not practicing what you were until you're back to normal...and then consider practicing slower next time...general rule of thumb. The body heals itself slowly if you practice nothing...quicker if you (the sense of self, and mind) get out of the way while practicing nothing.

 

I've heard that foods with lecithin can help with the "wiring", the nervous system...such as egg yolks.

Maybe it can help to think of things in this way...

 

In terms of physical attraction and lust, it's basically a brief and meaningless thing that is totally not about the people involved (which is why anyone can learn about seduction and pull it off).

And it can happen both ways...there's the idea that men will want to conquest a woman. You see an attractive looking one out there and you wouldn't mind seeing her naked, having sex with her, just to know what it's like...but then who knows how you'll feel after. Maybe the sex was unenjoyable, maybe her breath smelled bad, etc. So then, what was once a strong drive, turns into a repulsion...and in her eyes you'd be going from truly desiring her, to desiring to be away from her for some unknown reason. Same thing when a woman does it to a man. And it truly is disgusting.

 

(It can be overcome, though...people can still make decisions in the heat of the moment. Both men and woman can deny being seduced.)

 

So that's all in the realm of physical attraction and lust...which have nothing to do with relationships. If you're compatible with the person, if you care about them and who they are (which requires knowing them first), if you communicate and work together...then perhaps the whole thing is more fulfilling. Then you can tell her that her breath smells, and encourage her to do oil pulling and tongue scraping...problem solved.

 

And people who call sexuality, "tantra", are missing the entire point and have fallen for newage marketing. Best to not think of sex as something spiritual, unless you're taught that by a legitimate teacher of it. Better to aim at making it more of a committed relationship thing where you truly love the other person, and just leave it at that...anything more can cause problems that aren't apparent at first.

Whose down with FUA!?

 

This guy is...

 

Thanks for taking the time to write such a great reply! Yes that does answer my question very well.

This thread is dedicated to any discussions of the group.

 

...

 

In another thread, FraterUFA said:

 

For something a bit more guided and experiential, the first five years of the BOTA courses are well regarded (up to, but not including, the "Great Work").

I asked (to be clear, I haven't been a member of BOTA prior to this):

 

The course isn't well regarded after 5 years? Why is that?

 

For something a bit more guided and experiential, the first five years of the BOTA courses are well regarded (up to, but not including, the "Great Work").

 

The course isn't well regarded after 5 years? Why is that?

Ok, if you don't like Paul, which gospels do you accept...

 

Luke 22:19-20

19 And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.

20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

 

Luke 5:34-39

34 And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?

35 But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.

36 And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old.

37 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish.

38 But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved.

39 No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.

 

Or does one just prefer the old wine...?

 

These deal with symbolism and parable, so do we really understand them? In the context of modern Christianity (with salvation happening because Jesus died on the cross) they do make sense, though.

In all fairness to Paul, Jesus as an Adept, and dare I say a Deity, purposely contradicted himself often, the key is noticing who he is addressing - you mentioned the well known verse 'not one iota (yod)' and the 'righteousness of the pharisees' - yet in the very same gospel, he calls the Pharisees hypocrites and a broods of vipers, and again tells them God can raise a new 'chosen' people from 'stones' - so which is it? Both most likely, the teaching seem to be adapted to circumstance. Either way, from the sanctioned Christians point of view, all things were accomplished, the heaven and earth passed away but not in a litetal sesne with the crucifxion and resurection of Christ, so the Law of Moses is nullified post Ascencion. New wineskins.

 

Nice post. I've heard some say that Paul was an Adept as well...I think he was one of the Sons of Mithras? That could just be a false rumor.

 

It's one interpretation, and the one of the modern church, to say that everything was accomplished with the resurrection. However, I personally think it means literally what it says, that heaven and earth didn't pass away with the death of Jesus...heaven and earth are still here for us, and so is the reaction of the Law.

 

The wineskin concept might not relate so much to the new versus old law...it might be referring to something else entirely.

A few words for you consideration on the nature of the law and what Jesus brought...

 

Hebrews 8: 5-6, 12-13

5 Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.

6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.

...

12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.

 

The new covenant is the also known as the new wine that cannot be poured into an old wineskin without breaking the wineskin. The laws (or lower sutra like understanding) were refined.

 

That teaching is likely from Paul, who was highly influential of beliefs in the modern Christian church, but who wasn't one of the 12 Apostles who were taught by Jesus while he was alive. Personally, I find that a lot of what he wrote was nice to consider, but it's not infallible in terms of representing Jesus' ideas and teachings, especially when it contradicts them.

 

Basically, who are you going to believe? A guy who didn't meet the teacher, who contradicts the teachings at times...or the words attributed to the teacher himself, sometimes in multiple different books? The guy saying that the old law is "obsolete", or the teacher clearly stating that it's still in effect?

You then interpret doing the will of the father as not being a sinner...

 

It's not my interpretation...as he is calling those who don't do the will of the Father, "lawbreakers" or "evildoers" or possibly another translation would say "sinners". They all mean the same thing of course.

 

So what is sin? Well one thing that Jesus made very clear throughout his short ministry is that sin has nothing to do with breaking the Law of Moses.

 

False, as we can see very clearly here...

 

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

- Matthew 5:17-20 NIV

 

Pretty direct, eh?

 

He was quite prepared to break the law as he saw fit. Breaking the law,for example, by healing on the sabbath, is how everyone else around him thought of sin, but not him.  He had something else in mind.

 

Perhaps healing on the sabbath wasn't actually breaking the Law, but people only assumed it was.

 

He said to them, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”

 

Did he have a new different set of rules and commandments?

 

Well, he said he came to fulfill the old law, not to come with a different new version that negates the old. The new version (fulfilling the law) is actually more challenging than the old version, as we can see here...

 

Who can never be angry with others?

 

No, his only requirement is the rather vague suggestion that we 'love God with all our heart and all our soul and all our strength and all our mind.

 

That was one thing he said. It certainly wasn't the only requirement...

 

"Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."

- Matthew 5:48

 

So how do we 'do the will of our father?'

 

Doing the will of the father is putting yourself in such an attitude of surrender, that you are able, on a moment by moment basis, to know what is required.  When such surrender is possible for you, you no longer need any rigid guidance engraved on tablets of stone.  The law is engraved upon your heart and you are a law unto yourself, which is being a law unto God.

 

To do the will of the father is pure wu wei, and this is what Jesus taught to his uncomprehending followers.

 

It's kind of a good idea, that the law could be engraved on one's heart...following the spirit of the law rather than the letter. I think this idea is throughout the New Testament as well (vaguely recall seeing it). To follow the law too rigidly, at the expense of the good, is what the Pharisees did, as we know...and apparently they were not kosher to Jesus. So you're onto something here, perhaps.

 

But how could we discern whether our guidance is from the wisdom of God, or wisdom of the world or just from ourselves? What seems right or feels good in the moment isn't always right! Anyone who has tried their hand at celibacy knows this.

 

Specific ideas about sin, are the lot of the unregenerate.  Only those who do not love and trust God will preoccupy themselves with what is and isn't sin.

 

It certainly appears that way sometimes, for instance with the actions of the Westboro Baptist church (if you're aware of them). To be clear...accusing others of being sinners, judging them or treating them poorly, is not the path that Jesus taught. But that's not to say that sin is non-existent according to him! It just means that mercy and forgiveness are important.

 

...Another way to look at "loving and trusting" God, is to actually obey the laws...for instance, believing that God inspired or guided people to write those ideas down on how to properly live, trusting that they are accurate even if they don't make sense immediately (because we lack wisdom to grasp why they're necessary).

 

If a person doesn't do this, and just feels love for a nebulous concept of an all powerful all knowing creator being or something, which they have no personal experience with...well, perhaps there is some good to that. Maybe they get some comfort in believing in that kind of God. But my entire point is just to not associate it with being the same as Jesus' teaching. As we can see from his own words, it's far from it, to say that sin isn't a consideration in his path.

 

Anyway...the Christian way isn't for all. I can't even honestly call myself a Christian...only someone who has an interest in it and who wishes they were able to practice it. I don't expect anyone here to follow it...this is a Daoist forum for the most part. There are other spiritual paths. It's incredibly difficult, and almost no one likes to hear the truth of what it really involves. Because who can be "perfect"? None of us are.

 

All I ask is that you don't misquote or misrepresent various teachers who can't speak for themselves in response. When you put words in their mouth, which directly contradict words that already came out of their mouth, it's highly dishonest and slanders their teaching. That's my only point here!

Thats all rather theological .....  

 

I was hoping it wouldn't come off that way, and would just come off as being about not misquoting teachers.

 

Look ... do me and Marbles get to watch the cheerleaders or not ?  ... that's what I want to know ! 

 

I hear they like to dance to this tune...

 

I'm sure most of the forum isn't interested in getting into a Christianity discussion, and your post was mostly playful rather than of a serious and direct nature...but here is a definite inconsistency...

 

2)     You are not in Sin, and you have never sinned.  Sin is a figment of your imagination.  Your inability to believe this is the only Sin that God would consent to call that name.  To refuse the gift of Love is sin.  To believe you need to earn Love, is sin. To believe you need to rid yourself of sin, is sin.

 

4)     Jesus was a human like you.  The only difference is that he understood points 1 and 2, whereas you do not.

 

Anyone who reads Jesus' words in the Bible knows that he didn't consider sin to be a figment of the imagination. It's also not one of his teachings in any way to say that "the only sin is believing there is sin", or that "believing you need to earn Love is a sin", or that "believing you need to rid yourself of sin, is a sin". None of these ideas have to do with Jesus.

For instance, here are some of his actual words...

 

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ - Matthew 7:21-23 NIV

 

So that is an example showing how Jesus spoke of obeying the Law (other translations say lawbreakers instead of evildoers), or the Will of the Father...which is to say, not sinning. And that if you do "sin", you won't achieve success in his teachings, even if you use his name (for instance if you call yourself a Christian but then rape and murder people or something...it's missing the point entirely).

 

If you have your own teaching to share based on your personal experience, then that can be a good thing. But here you were putting words in the mouth of someone who isn't going to correct you, unfortunately...and actually, words which contradict what that person said and the core of their teaching.

Just pointing this out in the spirit of adding to your knowledge...not trying to be argumentative or something. Maybe you won't want to associate yourself and your philosophy with a teaching that directly contradicts what you think.

Welcome!

I think cerebrospinal fluid is the amrita...don't know about yuan jing...there is a medical condition which causes overproduction of CSF, and it drains out near the soft palate. It is said to taste sweet, just like the amrita...

 

Perhaps it's not only CSF but other chemicals inside of the CSF too. Not like I know what I'm talking about, but just saying.

Interesting hey? Does anyone have any thoughts?

 

What strikes me about this reply is...put yourself in the shoes of someone who is attempting to preserve the true teachings of their church. Then you come along and says something incredibly common, which is that the true teachings can be questioned and that all religions are equally good etc...basically things opposed to that church. Is that person with the duty of preserving the particular religion going to be ecstatic in hearing something like that? Will they think you have achieved gnosis, or will they think you have the "wisdom" of the world instead?

 

Consider that pretty much every person you encounter will believe that most religions are talking about the same thing. They won't have much thought of being "saved", certainly not by some guy in a book who is long gone.

 

From a certain perspective, to question Jesus as the savior and to assert that you already have knowledge of the truth, is not humble...and that on the other hand, spiritual development or attaining grace would bring humility, instead. From a more extreme perspective, to deny Jesus is to be a walking anti-christ...it could be that this emailer had that in mind as well.

 

Anyway, just shifting how you can look at this. That person responding obviously doesn't have the authority of God in telling you that you "shall not" enter the priesthood or whatever...you can do it if you think it's good. They're just giving their view as a person with a limited view. But it is good to consider that perhaps you'd be better in a different faith...like Universalist or something that more matches your experience. Or perhaps you like the idea of being part of the Orthodox faith, yet on the inside being a bit more radically enlightened...it can add some spice to the church.

Don't think divination is my thing.. I just straight up don't believe in it.

 

That's refreshing to hear.

I thought it was bogus, although that channeler is perhaps an interesting person.

Thanks for sharing, will check it out soon!

Not totally on topic, but I just came upon this wiki which is pretty interesting for beginning to comprehend different economic opinions out there, which seem to not make any sense...such as why the dollar being worth more is apparently considered a bad thing to economists...

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deflation

It's very generous and hardworking of everyone involved to offer this seminar. I couldn't quite afford the plane ticket, but I'm sure it will be great for all who attend, and I also look forward to future seminars. Perhaps a USA one will one day occur, if there are enough students who could make it.

I've noticed the kidney yin pulse on the wrist tends to become stronger from doing it when it's weak. Not sure if it is 100% reliable, but just something I noticed.

not feeling like i have to worry about other people judging me would be nice

 

Well...literally everyone is judged, and it's a personal thing of whether we identify as victims, or not but simply dislike when it happens. Sometimes I have a hard time with it too. In the house I currently live, which is filled with gay women, I'm judged and was recently treated like less than shit for simply being a man. It's just the world we live in, where some people can't help but feel negative and cast it onto others from time to time. One can be judged for being too normal, as well. Think about that. Life ain't easy for most of us.