Gerard

What kind of boxing do you do? Because Chinese boxing is by far THE BEST! Love it! Vipassana + Bagua is my personal recipe. It really paves the way towards enlightenment. Metta.

OK to keep everyone happy: eat them all. All berries.

Dependent arising. It happens all the time to us who are awakened and working towards the final goal.

Vipassana is one of the foundations of Buddhist practice in the Theravada tradition but the underlying system of all Buddhist schools. Well, let me disagree. For example: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robina_Courtin She is a well-known counselor of prisoners on the death row. Nightmare? Well, it contains most of the required sutras to understand Buddha's teachings. I don't understand. Are you after bells and whistles? Community to learn this stuff? Try here: http://www.buddhachat.org/forum/index.php or here: http://www.lioncity.net/buddhism/index.php Good luck.

Yes following yin and yang is a must, but practicing high level Neigong is better than diet. About goji berries: Since the early 21st century, the dried fruit has been marketed in the West as a health food (typically under the name "Tibetan goji berry"), often accompanied by scientifically-unsupported claims regarding its purported health benefits. By unconfirmed reports, its most recognized nutritional attribute is an exceptional level of vitamin C, reputed to be among the highest in natural plants.[citation needed] However, demonstrated by independent assays on dried berries to actually be in a range of 29-148 mg per 100 grams of fruit, the level is actually comparable to many citrus fruits and strawberries. Although considered nutritionally "excellent", wolfberry's vitamin C content is considerably lower than for numerous other fruits and berries, such as the Australian Kakadu "billy goat" plum (Terminalia ferdinandiana), blackcurrant, and sea-buckthorn. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfberry) Blueberries are far more powerful and cheaper than the former: Beginning in 2005, blueberries have been discussed among a category of functional foods called superfruits having the favorable combination of nutrient richness, antioxidant strength, emerging research evidence for health benefits and versatility for manufacturing popular consumer products.... ....Researchers have shown that blueberry anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, resveratrol, flavonols, and tannins inhibit mechanisms of cancer cell development and inflammation in vitro. Similar to red grape, some blueberry species contain in their skins significant levels of resveratrol, a phytochemical with increasing evidence as an anti-cancer compound. Although most studies below were conducted using the highbush cultivar of blueberries (V. corymbosum), content of polyphenol antioxidants and anthocyanins in lowbush (wild) blueberries (V. angustifolium) exceeds values found in highbush species. At a 2007 symposium on berry health benefits were reports showing consumption of blueberries (and similar berry fruits including cranberries) may alleviate the cognitive decline occurring in Alzheimer's disease and other conditions of aging. Feeding blueberries to animals lowers brain damage in experimental stroke. Research at Rutgers has also shown that blueberries may help prevent urinary tract infections. Other animal studies found that blueberry consumption lowered cholesterol and total blood lipid levels, possibly affecting symptoms of heart disease. Additional research showed that blueberry consumption in rats altered glycosaminoglycans which are vascular cell components affecting control of blood pressure. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blueberry)

The world is run by Corporations and not individuals. Things will slightly change though; however, Obama is just another puppet of the system we all created. Watch this: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=19...2&q=chomsky The Corporation

Hi guys, I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice of a good place to go to in Thailand for a 3 weeks retreat. I came across a couple of years ago with a guy who recommended me a place that was ideal for long term retreats. You were basically on your own. Problem is that I didn't get those details. Maybe someone in this forum knows either that place or somewhere similar. Thanks in advance. With Metta.

Another great article, this time on Franklin Merrell-Wolff: http://www.om-guru.com/html/saints/wolff.html

Thanks a bunch! PM sent. With Metta.

Patrick you need to control that excess Yang you have. I feel you are a fire horse. Hmm...in Feng Shui this year is either a very auspicious one or a very negative one due to that Yang excess. Of all the fire horses I came across in my life they all were just trouble: alcoholics, egotistic and loud. Another poor lady underwent brain surgery to remove an aneurysm of the size of a golf ball. Just keep working on it. Remember that kindness to all sentient beings is something we all should strive on. Read this please: http://dharma.ncf.ca/introduction/sutras/metta-sutra.html If someone you believe is unethical let them be that way, they also suffer and have their own karmic issues. Send them positive energy so they can awaken one day to the teachings of the Buddha. Negativity should be counterbalanced with loving kindness energy. I hope I haven't offended you with my post. It is not my intention. PD: I am also a fire horse.

Best advice someone gave me once: DON'T LIVE LIKE A MONK IF YOU ARE NOT ONE. Very true. Just regulate your sexual emissions. With Metta.

Are you sure? Gautama Buddha didn't spend his life laughing after he attained nirvana. Metta.

Neither Taoism nor Buddhism are religions, they are simply methods that describe the underlying mechanism of Samsara. One analyses the fluctuations of the universe according to the law of yin and yang; the other how to end suffering, liberate oneself from the eternal cycle of karma and rebirth, and reach nirvana.

To the OP, Your answer is related to these two concepts: 1. Five aggregates (khandhas) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandha 2. Dependent arising (paticcasamuppada) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da Metta.

Wearing robes is not the real issue, purifying your karma is. If you are happy wearing a robe so be it, but something different is making a big issue out of it (the attachment thing comes into play to my mind).

Be careful with getting into abstract thinking because Buddhism is a very practical method. Ending suffering is the main goal not trying to understand why reality works in a certain way or if there is an ultimate creator. Impermanence (anicca) is part of the so-called Dharma seals, being the other two: anatta (selflessness) and dukkha (suffering). So what's your point? This is what caused Siddharta to take up ascetism: + + + + + + http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=GBv2jMcAf70&...feature=related + Going to the trenches as he did and not getting involved in petty discussions like we do sitting on our comfy seats in front of a Mac. Outside samsara there is nirvana, a mind-state where one is free of karma and rebirth. Only a Buddha can experience nirvana. What is the purpose of asking these strange questions?

Let me disagree, please. The Four Noble Truths 1. Life means suffering. 2. The origin of suffering is attachment. 3. The cessation of suffering is attainable. 4. The path to the cessation of suffering. This is the essence of Buddhism. SUFFERING is what started the whole thing. Namo Aryavalokitesvaraya Bodhisattva Mahasattva Mahakarunakaya.

Traditionally in China, ZZ was the only method practiced before advancing to moving forms like Bagua and Xingyi (in this last case the santi posture instead of wuji/pole standing) I trained that way and let me tell you something: You can tell the difference. I no longer need ZZ due to that development reached with the initial stage (in my case I trained ZZ purely for 5 years). I find Bagua like moving ZZ in turbo mode. I love it, very powerful and releases all blockages existing in our body/mind/energetic structure plus a new arrangement of joints, muscles and tendons.

Read my signature. Meditation is a must. But IMA will help most of us creatures living in the urban environment with developed blockages as a result. To attain a Buddha state requires an enormous amount of energy directed to the mind plus removal of all blockages at all levels. Not an easy task. Energy work alone won't help you achieve Nirvana.

MENTAL.

This is natural process of Jhana. Just make this (if you can) a new object of your meditative practice; something new you could focus on. Namo Aryavalokitesvaraya Bodhisattva Mahasattva Mahakarunakaya

Tao Teh Ching 19: Embrace simplicity. Put others first. Desire little. Regarding compassion: 1. A human being is a part of the whole called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feeling as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. 2. A compassionate person develops an eye for spotting the qualities that make each person special. Even when others are at their lowest ebb, it is possible to help them restore their self-belief by keeping a firm, clear vision of their goodness and specialties. Taking a gently encouraging approach, I must never give up on anyone. Remember, Dharma is a 24/7 thing.