dwai

I think there is value in the spurious. Practiced consciensciously the spurious can lead to the real. We all have to start off somewhere. A first book, a teacher. They're doors that lead to new places of knowledge, whether they're ultimate or not, they get you moving, thinking, doing.

 

Take Americanized Hatha Yoga. An Indian Ascetic might consider it minimalist crap, but its a doorway into the larger world of Yoga. And if it isn't, if you just stay w/ the poses you still become healthier and more flexible then 98% of the public. Spurious compared to the real thing? Sure, but its value can be immeasurable.

Michael

The key I believe is in whether a proper base has been created or not. ie, whether there has been sufficient introspection/study/research done by the seeker before embarking upon such an arduous journey. While Pop-practice is well and good, a sincere seeker will get sincere results and a casual seeker will get only superficial results.

Hi Dwai,

 

Welcome!

As part of your interest in the phenomenon of Chi, have you read Master Liao's books (Nine Nights and Chi: How to Feel Your Life Energy), and also have you checked out the free feel-your-energy tutorial at astraldynamics.com? These resources have been tremendously helpful to me both in chi practice and in understanding WHY I'm practicing (besides the fact that I just love it!)

 

I'm interested in how your understanding of the Vedic tradition is helping you to understand the Taoist traditon and the phenomenon of chi. Care to expand a bit?

 

All the best,

Cheya

Hi Cheya,

I have indeed read Master Liao's books (Tai Chi classics, Nine Nights and How to feel your life energy). I have to check the tutorial you mentioned though -- thanks.

The biggest drawback in studying the Vedic traditions is that there are miles of debris of unqualified people (non-practitioners such as the "famous Indologists") dumping silly literal translations from an ancient language (Rig Vedic samskrit) and leading to misunderstandings.

A very good place to learn something about what the Vedic traditions mean is here --

http://medhajournal.com/columns/indic-clas...lf-brahman.html

My own experience (relatively new at both rediscovering my Indic roots, as well as learning Taoist concepts) leads me to believe that the Chinese "Tao" is also the Vedic "Brahman", the huge body of overlaps in the esoteric details of the pranic system and the Chinese meridian system, practices of Kriya and similarities in the Microcosmic orbit practices, etc are phenomenal.

Unfortunately, the understanding of most things Indic is tinted with an outsider's (mis)understanding of these (thereof and/or literal translations). My Tai Chi practice has helped me bridge that knowledge gap (from an Insider's perspective -- since both types of practices are in essence similar).

Warm Regards,

Dwai

Nice article, although I'm not a big fan of weightlifting and I do think there are benefites that you can get from Yoga, espicially astanga. Like Mado said in his response "When properly taught, yoga teaches integration and strengthening equally to flexibility" the key being "taught properly"

 

My bigest problem with yoga was trying to contain my ego. I just couldn't go at my own pace and kept trying to copy poses that my clasmates had take years to learn. I liked the moving astanga postures, but just didn't enjoy the static ones.

I believe one of the aims of both Tai Chi and Yoga is to overcome Ego. I had written a small piece on the similarities between Tai Chi and Yoga (http://medhajournal.com/columns/articles/tai-chi----a-path-to-samadhi.html). I currently practice both Tai Chi and Yoga. Each of these practices are helping me with the other (Tai Chi increases Chi awareness, Yoga enhances and vice versa).

I find Tai Chi much more enjoyable. And importantly less likley to cause injury for beginers. I tend to teach elderly/less mobile/injured students and you still have to be very carefull. Even Tai Chi is more strenious than it looks.

I think it's very important to understand one's limitations (physically at least) before embarking on any practice (of course I don't know much about anything, so perhaps it doesn't matter what I think). Yoga books and teachers (see BKS Iyengar's Light on Yoga) will tell you to always "Listen to your body" and "don't over-exert". Similarly, my Tai Chi master tells me to always follow the Tai Chi Classics rule - "Not too much, not too little". I guess that's the most important thing.

Both these practices should be done for personal improvements, not to compete. So if I see someone do a intense backbend in a yoga studio, it shouldn't mean I should try and emulate the same -- instead, wisdom prevails when we work within our limitations and try to grow our horizons slowly.

Regards,

Dwai

Dear Friends,

Firstly, my warm greetings to you all. Hope you are all doing well.

I've been drawn to this website in course of some searches on some specific topics. Needless to say I found the answers I had been looking for and that's why will refrain from what these searches were (for).

I've been practicing Tai Chi (sans it's Taoist underpinnings) since the past 5 odd years (with earlier background in Hard Martial Arts) -- first via (Dr. Paul Lam's) videos on the 24-forms and then later from my present teacher George Bolger (who is a student of Master Liao, Oak Park, IL).

I've been following the learned conversations here on this forum with great interest and am learning a lot.

My special subject of interest is in the phenomenon of Chi (and the various camps about what it is) from an academic perspective. I also study the similarities between Taoism and India's (my country of origin) Vedic traditional philosophies (needless to say, I see a huge volume of overlap). This comparative study helps me understand each of the two systems better (complementary) and hopefully helps me navigate the often confusing waters of the Spiritual aspirant a little better.

Regards,

Dwai