Trunk

Two new essays, that both still need some polish and maybe a bit added - but far enough along that I'm posting them - and taking a few days rest. 1. Concise Overview of Cultivation 2. Jing-to-Light Transformation (bindu teachings) from AlchemicalTaoism.com Any comments, ?'s, etc. - helps me improve the essays so that they're more easily understood by everyone (even sometimes applied). Trunk

I've been experimenting with doing very mild versions of Lin's Sexual Chi Gong for Men while in Supta Baddha Konasana.

Correct. Its holding the feet and pelvis near eachother, with no effort on your part, such that you can just relax into it. The pose can be done without the strap, but its not quite as effective. If there's effort to hold the feet close in.. that creates tension in the pelvis and inner thighs - the very places that you need to relax into to get the goodies of this pose.

Had a little earthquake here in L.A. a few minutes ago (~1:55pm). The little ones are fun!

Nice. Another good description. The Tibetans describe cultivation similarly, using "the vase" metaphor; it fills from the bottom up.

Good description. imo, as I've said before, the centers provide a better map of this issue than the organs. http://www.precisiondocs.com/~altaoism/ShenTheory26252.htm The issue for resolution then becomes activating each center as a tan tien, a "medicine field", through its relationship with the deep-center, as well as the centers sharing medicine through the central channel.

If you search Amazon.com for "mudra", there are several good resources that result. I have at times been fascinated with hand postures (my hands liked to, wanted to, posture), but too lazy to really research much at the time. Think I'll read a bit now.

This (mixed) stuff has been working for me http://www.nonijuice.us/index.htm - and, per VCraigP's comment in this thread, its the brand to get. Trunk

Since orig post, I've been exploring more lower tan tien breathing while in various positions (some yogic, splits, some just minor position changes while standing). I've found that the work in supta baddha konasana has assisted my forward bending side splits work. ..an edit, later in the day.. I find that if I keep my feet flat on the ground, while working on psuedo-splits, and alternate lower tan tien breathing with Kidney-1 breathing, that works really well to help stabalize my ltt with the level of stretch that I'm working on. Keeps more connected to earth, rather than just solely stretching.

My computer is outta commission, sitting here at local coffee shop. Whole site interesting though... and I gotta log off cause i just ran out of time.

All cool links. While I think that all & any hip openers are helpful for jing cultivation, the few that combine groin-leg opening with the reclined position - in a way that you can relax into - are especially effective. One of my TCM friends says that there are liver channels (think "circulation" and "emotions") that run up through the inside of the groin, up into the lower belly. Many stretches for leg opening are combined with leaning forward. So, while you are opening your legs, you are closing the angle to your lower belly. Then, with most things that open the belly (like bridges), your legs stay together. Supta Baddha Konasana does both: opens the legs and opens the lower belly. Its a very powerful combination. Adding Lin's breathing (or experimenting with adding a variety of ltt breathing), and I think we've got a real can opener. I'm keen to hear you guys' experience with this sort of experimentation. Trunk

I've thought that lychi berries (aka: Lycium, gojizi) make a good complement to the noni juice. The noni seems to be.. well, does a lot of things.. but I do feel that its cleansing effect does take some work - can be somewhat wearing, and that being careful to nourish with time off from noni, or nourishing foods etc, is a good thing. Lychii berries came to mind (and were suggested by a friend who 's a dr of tcm) as a good and tastey complement. In fact, I'd love to have a juice of blended noni and lychi juice! The lychi berries are so sweet and tastey and nourishing; I bet it'd taste good and be very balanced, super healthy.

Fun monicker.

WOW! DOUBLED!

I tried noni with no specific target in mind... Per the testimonials, it cures everything , which makes it suspect for curing anything specifically, imo. This is worse because I don't really know what its exact mechanism is.. Also, in TCM the same western disease can have differing etiologies (pattern of causes) in different people. By that, one person's cure for acid-reflux might make another person's acid-reflux worse. For us uneducated heathens (non-expert-doctors) the best defense is be sensitive to what's going on in our own bodies, plus some good luck. Still,.. if you're gonna target & experiment for the acid reflux, you might consider varying dosage. From the testimonials, people take a wide range of dosages. Sensitivities to supplements vary quite a bit amongst people (and for conditions, i suspect). Could also be that low dosage over a longer period of time... How's that for no help? Trunk

See my reply to Michael re: taste. Good rule of thumb regardless.

I'm not familiar with Sonnon's "Be Breathed" program, nor "the Butterfly" in particular. But, in qigong in general, the movement of the body is in sync, in tempo, with the breath. Its a foundation principle. Could be that Sonnon is doing something very specific & other than that.

Saw it - a lotta fun. It had a similar look & feel as "Shaolin Soccer".. maybe an earlier effort by the same folks?, and very funny also. also: ninjai.com online animated film series

There are a number of structures (including chakras, centers) above the head. They don't "light up" much until the centers below them are relatively full, refined, balanced. (Good going. ) (Also, there are others in the hands, feet, and so on.)

I just bought a rice cooker with a steamer rack, similar to this one: Amazingly easy to cook with. Rice below, vegies up top, press a button and forget about it. It cooks to the right time, automatically, and then keeps the meal warm for hours. The flavors of the steamed vegies drip back down into the rice, yummmmy. (You can even put sausages, shrimp, or other meats in there with it, of course.) It just struck me that this is the perfect set-up to cook with chinese herbs. Some Ch. herbs are very tasty, just cook 'em in with the rice, and - again - yummmmy, eat 'em up with the meal.

I sit on the corner, or edge, of the bed for yab yum. Feet on the floor. The dream high school girlfriend!

Cool. I looked, and it seems that "the wedge" would be the most useful for accessing her g-spot during intercourse, and that a pillow could be used to elevate her hips in a similar way. Which one did you get?

Jing, pulsing, the spine, pulsable-tailbone-tissues. .. making connections... Pulsing the joints, bones.