Gerard

Didn't see this thread. Even penis shrinks. You are reusing Jing for non-procreation or sexual enjoyment reasons. Jing makes Qi stronger which in turn opens blocks and multitude of subchannels of the main meridians. One meal a day helps the process but to get there one must clear the organs and channels to a great extent of you'll feel very hungry every day. Spleen becomes very efficient at food digestion and transportation hence more energy and the need for less food. There is no surplus of Jing as it gets recycled. Bear in mind full moon period an its huge effect on the system (kidneys are stronger, more Jing is produced). Much less food is needed or sexual lust will be triggered if one eats too much. Mini-fasts are recommended during this period.

Books? Please refer to my answer in the Recommend Taoist Alchemy books (Daoist subforum). Or as Thoreau put it into words: I took a walk in the woods and came out taller than the trees. Impossible. Quantum Mechanics is a good framework BUT it misses the whole of the Taoist scientific method. This can only be proven by inner work and TCM medical diagnosis in relation to understand un the causes of disease (yin-yang imbalance): pulse reading, tongue examination and see your overall physical complexion which is related to the birth date. Also how can you prove using rationalist science: Spirit gives rise to Form/Mind creates Reality In other words between the ultimate You and this physical you there is an entire reality governed by unseen/subtle forces. We all are the entire Reality.

It's entirely up to anyone. But helping others in this environment (internet forum) is good because it's a sangha. In real life you talk about this TOPIC to others even your lovely neighbour and let me assure you two things may happen: 1. You'll come across as a loonie, or 2. This is voodoo talk with no scientific basis It does. You want to pass on your knowledge to others BUT it's entirely up to the student to enter the door as the teacher can only show it to you. Most are ego-driven, the quiet ones are generally not but they are very difficult to locate; usually it stems from a past life relationship. In the end you need to realise that the best teacher is YOU but as a beginning student, or someone who has been following the wrong practice for too long with negative effects, it's imperative to find the method that works for you best and for that a real life teacher is required. And there are also clueless teachers or those who want to make a quick earning by passing on rubbish/useless teachings or the cult type to feed their egos. So buyer beware.

Try here too: https://rumsoakedfist.org/viewforum.php?f=4&sid=7b1bae6d1d269229103d538bab201a1a Let's not forget that IMA are complex Qigong forms.

-A balanced lifestyle -Eat really well, chew slowly and focused on your meal and avoid any distractions -Grounding work. Lots of it -Purify Heart & Liver

Compare driving a Ferrari with a Hyundai. Obviously the driver matters too because if you are a poor one and crash your 800hp vehicle... Lay practitioners rely too much on external sources of information; eg. books and other practitioners' experiences. This is a big problem. About the enlightenment thing: There are so many other factors so much more important to tackle and which require decades of practice to address that honestly focusing on chasing dragons will only lead to another massive block. Calming the cravings of the mind is the major root of disease. Good luck with this one before you can even think of 'enlightenment.' Bringing internal chatter to an end is a huge obstacle. Good luck too. I was particularly checked in this one during the 3 week retreat I attended. Obviously it takes a lot more than 3 weeks and a single retreat. Clearing Qi blockages Removing Heat & Dampness even if you aren't aware of them Connecting to the internal organs (physical aspect of the five forces) Living according to your animal Living according to the seasons Living according to the yin & yang charges of the day/night Living according to each animal year (current is Water Rabbit) Eating one meal a day No sexual activity Little to no sleep depending on how much you practice and how far down the track you are Enlightenment? All of the above under one package.

I used the special character ' '. It is not but from the very moment someone states: 1. This particular form will move the Blood, disperse Heat & Stagnation and clear Dampness. But bear in mind that the process may take a long time depending on how long you had them for taking into account your age and lifestyle factors. 2. Practising between midnight and past sunrise will be greatly beneficial to the Wood meridian network. You are teaching already!

To avoid like the plague. Not even monastics dare to touch this highly personal and complex subject, what would you expect from a lay practitioner who spends more time in front of his keyboard than practicing for real.

The 'worst' are the ones that disappear after posting here for years. If you are really accomplished you never give up on guiding others and caring about them unless of course their motivations are purely to satisfy their egos; so I personally ignore them. Even after 60+ years of practice a famous Theravada monastic in northern Thailand never failed to say hello, ask about their backgrounds, countries of origin and show genuine care for the spiritual path they chose to follow. I was told that the Ajahn did this short ceremony of welcome at each Vipassana retreat in his temple. I was part of a group of Westerners who attended in Dec. 2008. He could easily delegate that job to a senior monk but as someone with a good heart and in his late 80s he preferred to to that himself.

Recommended readings: Practicing in the Five Forces: Water/winter. Planet Earth is a huge library and your best teacher. Taoism was born and developed in the mountains, the sea, the desert, the trees, the lakes and the rivers. No books will ever replace that.

Likewise, spring and summer being the best seasons to clear anger from the Liver & Heart organs and associated meridians since both organ networks are dominant in both seasons (Yang).

No difference or whatsoever with any other hours except the specific organs being dominant at that time. I'd personally combine walking + seated meditation; let's say a 1/2 hour walk + 1/2 hour sitting format.

Are you Horse of a Dog? Move and stay away from ZZ. Are you an Ox or a Rooster? ZZ will be of great benefit. Look at practices like walking meditation or Ba Gua Quan as their main idea is constant non-interrupted movement.

With all your dedication to this path and after so many years doing it, surely many here are very aware of their past lives and their connection to significant others which occurred in previous incarnations and you'll end up catching up again now or in a future one. One of those topics that sees little discussion on this forum. We indeed live many, many, many lives. Really the process never ends but the main focus now is 'enjoying/putting up' with the burden of a physical form. It is quite a subtle and complex process.

Work specifically when Wood & Fire are activated (11am-2pm) and in the wee hours (from midnight to sunrise). Good luck!