Davey Calico

In my experience, ayahuasca is a clear example of medicinal alchemy, a vine and leaves are cooked in a cauldron and administered to the people as an elixir.

If this Damo is an admitted narcissist (which I believe is contrary to the traditional definition of narcissist), then he probably would love being talked about on this forum. Maybe he's simply not very likeable. In which case, we have to ask ourselves, what is it about him that triggers us? Why do you feel that qigong based paths strengthen the ego?

I bought this book last week. It is slow reading with lots of exercises, although I feel really impressed. I particularly enjoy the way he layers his teaching into (my language because I forget the names he uses) Original Mind, Greater Duality Mind, Lesser Duality Mind, and Practical Mind. Does anyone have any thoughts or experiences?

Hi Dao Bums, I've studied the Dao pretty intensely for the past two years, with daily qigong work and meditation and a lot of reading. And it's become clear to me that a journey through the Dao causes actual changes in a person's lifestyle. So this thread is my remembrance of some of the shifts I've had, and how I've had them. I invite anybody to share or comment with respect to the fact that I'm making the best decisions I can with the information I have. My journey into the Dao began in August 2022 with Johnathan White, who ran a course about mastering sexual energy. Along with the course, he included some qigong exercises and some meditation exercises. As I worked on my energy, I had numerous (false) allegations made against me that were eventually discarded. A parent of a student reported me to DSS for touching her student. My ex (who turned out to be a very cruel woman who I didn't realize) posted a lot of viscious rumors online about me. About November I was cleared of all charges by the DSS and in February I had people coming out to support me after seeing the situations unfold. Sometime in February I became multi-orgasmic, and I began to access an incomplete experience of the microcosmic orbit. Around this time I started a mens' group, which was a great forum for me to practice personal growth. In August 2023, I encountered a lesser kan and li meditation. Although the effects were very mild, it was absolutely curious and I began practicing. I started read Damo Mitchell books and other books I could as well, because my previous experiences were of kundalini energy and I was forming a map of this energetic transmission. In Spring '24, I had a really powerful LSD experience which left me and my partner amazed. She knew I was into this energetic work, but I was at a loss. So I signed up for Lee Holden's 'Pearl of Consciousness' course. It was amazing and I felt so much more emotionally literate. I had light experiences of astral travel as well, and I learned to read the I Ching. That led me to his 'Kan and Li' and then his 'Dao Yin' courses. The effects on my health felt incredible. I quit weed. In winter '24, my dad passed, and I inherited money and a house. At that point, it was clear that teaching in public schools was not helping my health or my practice. I decided to step away from public teaching for a bit to find something more aligned with my health. I traveled to Asheville, NC to study with Michael Winn for a month, where I gained a much deeper and more nuanced view of Daoist alchemy, as well as what following the Dao means to me. When I returned to my home I began study as a qigong teacher under Lee Holden. Now I've been practicing at home for a month. I'd mostly cut out porn but when I got back I felt its effects so clearly I've had a month without porn of any kind. I do qigong everyday and I do some alchemical meditation most days. I have stopped drinking coffee, this is my third week. And I started running 3 times this week. I feel so full of vitality and I'm very grateful to the Dao. I wish you all good fortune through your way Thanks for reading, Davey

I feel like this should be written down somewhere other than a forum on the internet in the 21st century!!

In my experience of about a dozen years, the Daoist path has stuck with me as a method to transform/cultivate/raise the energy in the body. I find Daoism to be a more powerful path because it presents a very clear, scientific map of the inner landscape of the body. A map in which you are the scientist and the experiment and you observe the Placebo effect. In short, kundalini meditations and yoga (which I semi-regularly for about a decade) feel like shooting fire up my spine. It's powerful, although it feels undirected. I don't have any experience with TM, although I did a ten-day silent meditation retreat which was very powerful. However, it's difficult to cultivate the kind of energy at a vipassana retreat in a daily practice. Daoism led me to sexual cultivation, five-element theory, the three treasures, the microcosmic orbit, and the mixing of kan and li. Daoism feels like a path that builds a strong foundation for the energetic body to undergo the kind of energetic transformation that kundalini creates. As far as the difference between kundalini and the cultivation practice of the Dao, it seems like semantics between different cultures.

Long rambling response incoming: the short response is to follow the path that feels aligned with you. Your Dao is different from my Dao which is different from Damo's Dao. There's an old joke: how many Daoists does it take to change a light bulb? Thirteen. One to change the lightbulb and twelve to stand around and say that's not how my master taught me. The Dao that can be spoken is not the true Dao. Follow the path as it unfolds for you. Use your discretion to select people to learn from, although your relationship to doing the actual practices is the most important. For the record, my main teacher is Lee Holden. I chose Lee because he embodies the Dao in a way that I admire and feels right to me. Also for the record, there are some teachers whom I would not recommend. What I know about Damo Mitchell is that his books are very insightful, and have helped me greatly in my practice. He has a great (and free) youtube course for awakening the micro cosmic orbit, which I find very powerful. However, I often feel annoyed when I listen to his podcasts.

Yes we did it! Thanks guys

Hello, I'm trying to join thedaobums community, and learning how to post threads. I realize now I have to post in the welcome section first, but the site will only let me post here in Memorium. I have done qigong and neidan training with Lee Holden and Michael Winn, as well as studying Damo Mitchell's work. Please advise as to how I can become a contributing member of the community! Davey