Trunk

My personal preference is Sifu Matsuo's variation, Kwan Yin Magnetic Qigong. Ordering information in the youtube description.

Available through Three Pines Press, $59. https://uhpress.hawaii.edu/product/daoist-internal-mastery/

Interesting that a senior brother strongly recommended Damo Mitchell's free online course on the microcosmic orbit and that this technique was one in a series of his presentation. https://damomitchell.com/2020/03/23/microcosmic-orbit/ I look fwd to watching the series when I have the focus available for a serious pass through.

Thought I'd start a thread to bat around ideas this super-concise generic outline of the internal path (slightly longer version here): - opening the tissues and channels - centering (personal basis: deep-centers / bindus along the central channel, bigger basis: luminous emptiness) - vertical integration (personal basis: continuum of connective tissue, bigger basis: heaven ~ human ~ earth interplay) It's so short that it might not look like much, but there is a lot in there to be unpacked, has broad application. ~ later edit ~ See thread Deep-Centers for more extensive discussion of that topic.

Thanks for the welcome. I'm pretty busy and this won't get much focused attention until weekend. - Trunk

I've recently 've been tinkering with lower dan tien breathing in plank position, at various angles: horizontal (as pictured below), or not as rigorous such as putting my elbows on the end of my bed (toes on floor), or on a window sill, etc. I like it because it engages musculature in a way I miss from weight-lifting, but I am still careful to keep some soft aspect when I LDT breathe (balancing softness, tension, circulation within the LDT breathing). Curious what positions y'all have explored in conjunction with LDT breathing? - Trunk p.s. ... and anything that you feel moved to share in the general topic-area, please do.

Alright, here's a summary/outline of lower dan tien breathing, from my pt of view.

I recently contacted my local dr of Chinese medicine, and her reply included this link. Really interesting and makes sense: this started in China, so they’ve been aggressively researching and treating with Chinese herbs. I seriously encourage people to establish communication with your local (and hopefully competent; it’s a varied field) doctor of Chinese medicine. During normal times, *If* you are healthy, experimenting with Chinese herbs can be fun/helpful, maybe only mildly dangerous. When you get sick, it becomes a VERY different situation and getting the RIGHT formula (NOT the wrong one) becomes critical. This link is especially interesting: https://www.activeherb.com/blog/the-official-tcm-formula-thats-successfully-treating-covid-19-patients-in-china.html Her reply in full:

Wanna help me build an American Indian (influenced or authentic) playlist for bagua practice? I don’t know of many, but am inspired to circle dance when I hear that kind of music. Any good recordings posted, that’d be coool. @zerostao , @spiraltao

Just psychologically, lol, not physically... that some writing might relieve.

I get that, from a western medical perspective, it’s just getting oxygen / CO2 past the lung/blood barrier. In qigong (and other forms of internal arts) it varies a *lot* more, descriptions based on how it feels (that might not line up with western physiology hardly at all). Experiment, if you have the opportunity & interest: several hatha yoga classes.

@dawei Good questions. I’ve recently felt a bit ‘pregnant’ with re-capping (concisely outline) my whole learning curve re: LDT breathing, including major mistakes. Journaling therapy, perhaps therapeutic for me only, lol. When I have time/energy for this, I will... maybe with some squiggly quick drawings, lol. I can’t tell from this thread so far whether we’re referring to the same/very similar breathing method/s or not.

I continue to get surprisingly effective results from LDT breathing while in plank, and basic plank variations (fwd, reverse, each side, lifting one arm/leg up, slowly rotating that arm/leg - all while LDT breathing). It's super fast efficient, no equipment. Really pleased with this line of exploration. Journaling notes on process, results. I find that DGS teacups complements LDT-breathing-in-plank (how about, "PlankLDT") really well. Loosens around the spine. Also a super concise fast efficient exercise. These two work wonderfully, individually and especially together, and take almost no time to do, no equipment. Really pleased with current ventures.

Jox, Oh, hey, I was gonna answer later... here I am. Just an old lazy ass dilettante these days, never know when I'm gonna get to it... I think you asked about the vibrating/whipping palms video. The one that I'm familiar with - which I think is the foundational one in the DGS system(?, but I'm pretty sure) is this, video promo below: Description (copied from the youtube description): It is sold as one video, but has two distinct parts (1. vibrating, 2. whipping) within it. I've forgotten, what was your other question? - Keith

Adding basic variations of plank while LDT breathing: - side/s - reverse - lift one arm - lift one leg If any of you are inspired to blab about any related LDT breathing and/or position/s, please feel free.

I only viewed 1 DGS video on the kuji-in, and I think there's quite a few more... maybe @Jox would list/describe his favorite/s? So, I only got a small DGS sampling, and maybe I'm talking out of my ass, here... the description of what-finger-produced-what&why I found to be helpful, but a little basic, over-simplified for what I was hungry for. (Maybe the DGS videos I've not seen on the topic fill in considerably.) Yup. I've been there. I was looking for detailed technical clear descriptions of "why?" and internal mechanics. Clearly a detailed knowledge of Chinese medical channels would be very helpful... essential, even. ... but there are things that are produced by the finger-knitting mudras that that knowledge alone would not fully explain, I'm pretty sure. I finally came to the conclusion that: 1. this is a book that has yet to be written (at least in English) and would be a major scholarly task. If someone else does it, I will applaud. 2. the 3 or 4 books I've bought/read on it ... I wasn't happy with. Yeah, they contributed something, but weren't at the level of detail / clarity that I find really satisfying. 3. Though very often I chew on these esoteric topics for years & years until I understand, I let this one go and just concluded that I was happy with the results that the finger-knitting mudras produced and that I don't need to know the nitty gritty details on this one. I'm happy with just the doing&results of kuji-in, and a few other finger macrame patterns, lol. I've posted this before, but here's a pdf of a gazillion finger-knitting mudras with drawings and next-to-no explanation. Could be fun/helpful if you are inclined to progressively explore. https://johndaoproductions.files.wordpress.com/2019/08/finger-knittingmudras.pdf cheers, Keith p.s. And there is that introductory essay on finger-knitting mudras that I wrote (link below) that gives some clear and relevant Chinese medical theory, but only in a general sense. Basically, that 1. the qi is very dynamic as you get towards the ends (fingers and toes), and so it’s a very skillful area to change/refine qi 2. If you treat the end (ex. Acupuncture an acupoint on/near a finger-tip) it tends to activate the whole channel Those two theoretical points are very clear in Chinese medicine, and has big implications re: the effectiveness of both finger-knitting style mudras and utilization of the hands’ qi sphere. Short essays on both (mudras & sphere) at my little (free) wordpress site: JohnDaoProductions.wordpress.com and yet another p.p.s. Sifu Matsuo has quite a few finger-knitting mudras sprinkled through his system, with really astonishing appropriateness and results. For instance, in one video he teaches a couple of different kinds of squats, and he shows the mudras that go with the squats! That you do while in that position. And well, slap me stupid, if that specific mudra doesn’t make *that* squat easier! And he’s accurate with the placement of various mudras for various practices throughout his system. His ability to give the right practices, and the right tips, its just freaky. Especially if you’ve spent a few decades banging your head against the wall trying to work some stuff out, lol.

Pardon me for being redundant, but I also find that it is helpful for students to learn one finger-knitting mudra first. To someone who is just being exposed to them, doing the full kuji-in (nine mudras) is just overwhelming. Maybe not for all you guys, but certainly it was for me, at least. They were so strange ... I really had to work to figure out how to get into even one of the nine ... then, as soon as I was out of the mudra I was still almost entirely baffled how to get back into it again. Nine of them??? F###! I got through it, but jeez! If you are new to finger-knitting mudras, I suggest that you hang out with just one or two and enjoy them for a while. (For a week, anyhow.) Then, when you’re ready, take up the kuji-in. You’ll be better primed and it’ll be a funner ride. Sifu Matsuo has been generous enough to put a couple of mudras up on youtube for free. Here’s an excellent one. And here’s a little essay I wrote that has that one above, and another of his. Enjoy. https://johndaoproductions.wordpress.com/2018/03/22/finger-knitting-mudras-part-1-of-2/ - Trunk

I'd say that, for most people, they need 1 or 2 very simple practices that are effective and just go deeper and deeper over the years. ... even for spiritual-nerd-maniacs (which probably most of the people on this discussion board are), you need really simple things, basics, to come back to when you're not in gear for wildly aggressively exploring. A couple of suggestions along this line: 1. Following the breath. Uniting breath and attention is the foundation that everyone gets taught in every meditation hall everywhere. 2. Hands' Sphere Qigong (very simplified version of KYMQ). This is so amazingly effective and so very simple, the simplest version you could teach it to a friend (who has no prior experience) in 2 minutes - and they get *palpable* results in that two minutes!!! and that's why I wrote this: Qi Sphere Beginning. It is a free and functional small most basic piece of KYMQ. I would suggest it to anyone who is considering buying KYMQ, that they try this small piece and get comfortable with it before diving deeper into all of the details and variations that are in the KYMQ video. People often get overwhelmed by all of the material in the video and bail out completely. The most basic is functional in itself, is very small and easy to learn ... is *very* effective and goes endlessly deep. my two cents, Keith

As the new year starts, I'm moved to acknowledge those in my life ... and Sifu Matsuo is one of them. One of the ways I look at Sifu Matsuo's DGS system is a very practical, functional way to address this: During the last few decades, there have been quite a number of teachers in the west who gave *very* high level transmissions (shaktipad and other variations of vajrayana transmissions) to tens of thousands of people... opening up many, many people. And so, a barrier was crossed, a step was made: Those who were yearning for deep spiritual experience got it. And, yet, the teachings on how to functionally integrate higher levels of energy/consciousness have been mostly missing (or so confused, or full of half-truths, as to be actually dangerous, counter-productive). I see Sifu Matsuo's system as a huge remedy for the above. Either functionally integrating higher states, or integrating yourself properly in preparation for, and development of integrating such states. Amazingly well taught, with the right tips, deeply principled. And so, my hat's off to Sifu Matsuo ... and to all who make such quality contributions to culture. - Trunk p.s. getting started page with his system: http://alchemicaltaoism.com/DGSReviews.htm

https://johndaoproductions.wordpress.com/

I’ll write more later, but wanted to drop this link here now. https://appliedjung.com/finding-philemon/ A six month, inexpensive, online course around Jung’s “The Red Book”. That includes producing one’s own artwork. This would be especially interesting to those who are interested in using art to facilitate their inner work. Here’s a video introduction into The Red Book

Another Ida Maria tune. This whole album is full of only covers of 1959 recordings of negro spirituals. Her other stuff is indie rock.

Just barely getting oriented, myself, busy with other stuff. I guess that’s an advantage: participate as much/little as you like. I’ve read at least one of the assignments (there’s absolutely no obligation to do nor to share)... they are substantial if you take them all the way. And the exercises with the imagery that you produce... they have instructions that ... go deep - is my impression. List of steps, last step (if you dare), then, “That’s how Jung did it”. It’s fucking interesting and not fluff. There’s opportunity to download the documents, assignments, instructions ... So I’m gonna download them all (as they are posted) and I can review and dig as I like as long as I like. People are posting their stories along with their art. A lot of people, a lot of art. All of the art is deeply connected to their process. I’ve been hungry for some community along this line... I’ve joined some other art therapy groups on facebook, but this is 1. At a much more consistent serious level, partly due to method and understanding, I think. I don’t have my head around it yet. 2. The number of people posting. Good exposure: similar to here, it can be helpful to see others processing similar method etc. It’s not a “small group feel”, though. - Trunk