BigSkyDiamond

if someone puts forth destruction ("kill" "blast") through actions, intention, thoughts, words then that is what returns upon them this sounds like a recipe for putting self in harm's way

a related question, for anyone: how do you discern if someone is enlightened

my rule of thumb is that if someone claims to be enlightened, then they are not

i avoid using "spirit" altogether because it has too many secular meanings, and it is redolent of "ghosts" and the astral plane. i avoid using "soul" because it is for me too imprecise. so i tend to be wordier and more specific along the lines of "the part of the human that is infinte and non-physical" (in contrast to the human body which is physical and finite. "the part of you that existed before the body was born, and exists after the body dies" "spark of the Divine" "not bound by space or time or form" "immortal" and "eternal" are sometimes used, but at the level of the Divine spark, and at the level of the Divine, there is no time, so "living forever" does not really apply. good thread topic, you are asking good questions. looking forward to reading more.

Spirit and soul, what is it and what differentiates them? it depends on the tradition.

different traditions define "soul" in various ways.

unborn, unformed, uncreated, unchanging, no beginning, no end, no time, no space, no form always was and always will be the part of you that existed before the body was born, and continues to exist after the body dies. the part of you that existed before the universes appeared, and continues to exst after the universes are gone spark of the Divine

This bears repeating.

"The outer conditions of a persons life will always be found to reflect their inner beliefs.” ---James Allen (1864-1912)

"knowledge" is intellectual "inner knowing" is NOT intellectual

no, no symbols either. symbols are limited in the same way and for the same reason that words and language are limited. the descriptors used in the list are "un" and "not" so not defining; but indicating what is not . . . . . . . . . . . . . unborn, unformed, uncreated, unchanging, no beginning and no end, no time, no space, no form. Always was and always will be.

inner knowing IS direct experience. not talking about "knowledge" there is a difference

inner knowing. i don't have a guru

whole world just one place plum cuckoo sees, sings, and soars, chasing cosmic dust

OK, I found it. Instructor has now moved to a yearly subscription plan, it also includes access to the book, and monthly classes.

Are the two DVDs still available to purchase? For Gift of Tao I and II. I am not finding them online. Thank you.

If teacher and country where "long term retreat" is held, can not be stated on forum, then that is a flag for me. otherwise it feels a bit dicey.

Who is the teacher and what is the organization? Where will it be held? So there is a cost involved. I guess i'm curious too why "US citizens" are being targeted. Surely a "meditation retreat" would welcome participants from anywhere? the other question i have is why the secrecy or need for "message directly." People share resources and teachers freely on this site. it raises a few flags for me, along the lines of:

you tube indicates the video is: altered or synthetic conent

Amen.

for peace of mind, do whatever medical steps are indicated as advised by medical doctor, for instance to bring the diabetes under control and to bring the lab resutls into a normal range. AND also get accupuncture from a Doctor of Oriental Medicine who also dispenses Chinese herbs. This will help balance whatever is going on. As an earlier post said, STOP doing the energetic practices for now to give your system time to settle down. It sounds like there is anxiety and fear that may also be throwing you off balance, so talk to a counselor and follow through on any tools they give you. And spend time in nature walking, gardening, sitting on the grass, leaning against trees. For the physical issues and the emotional issues, go to professionals in those areas to address. If you get too far out there with the energetic stuff, and ONLY try to deal with it from the energetic level, it will just keep spinning out and will not be brought into balance.

"third eye making death threats" doesn't sound like it's the third eye

There is this reddit thread discussing further the Sleeping Qigong by John Dolic. The level one is nine lessons x $200 each = $1,800 for 9 hours training The level two advanced is eight more lessons x $200 each = another $1,600 for 8 more hours training. pricey

However, the Dalai Lama defies China to say successor will be chosen by Tibetan tradition. " "The Dalai Lama has declared in a direct challenge to China that the centuries-old spiritual institution bearing his name will continue after his death and that only his inner circle, not Beijing, will have the authority to identify his successor. ...ahead of his 90th birthday, the 14th Dalai Lama said the Gaden Phodrang Trust, which manages his affairs, would oversee the search for his reincarnation. “No one else has any such authority to interfere in this matter,” he said in Dharamshala, the northern Indian hill town that serves as the seat of the Tibetan government in exile. “In accordance with past tradition, the search for my reincarnation and the naming of a 15th Dalai Lama will be carried out.” Also: "The new Dalai Lama will be born in the free world.” source

This thread topic is because of me wanting further input and discussion on two different posts (one from Mark Foote, and one from stirling). So I will put their posts here and please anyone add to the conversation with your own views, insight, thoughts, ideas, and personal practice. Note: when I talk about moving my point of consciousness either to different places within the body, or outside the body, it is NOT talking about "leaving the body" and it is NOT "astral projection." It is expanding the awareness to be bigger and to contain more. It is not "traveling outside the body" and going somewhere else. Those are temporary. Rather, the body is always there contained within the field of awareness. It is a permanent shift in perception. so the opening post and topic for this thread contains three parts, shown in the 3 posts below. Feel free to comment on any part of any of these. Thank you. 1. Post from Mark Foote with my comments 2. Post from me with my questions 3. Post from stirling with my comments