Gerard

Thank you for the explanation brother!

 

Namo Amitabha

Hi Oolong Rabbit,

I forgot one thing. You should do fasting to accelerate the healing process. That will release heaps of Yang toxins stuck deep in your system.

Do you practice any of the Neijia arts?

Namo Amitabha.

Yuen Fen. Destiny, it is written. Yes, 110% believer.

Yes it is, chi brings up everything, in a deep cleansing fashion. Mental, physical (as a expression of mind, yin yang and karma), and at the karma-samsara level.

Eventually, that blockage will clear up. Others resemble rocks in the river, which flows around them adapting to their shape. They generally belong to the mental realm.

Good luck!

Namo Amitabha.

I live in Serbia. In a town of around 100 000 people which is pretty disconnected from any bigger city. There could be someone in Belgrade but currently I'm unable to travel there (my financial situation is not very good).

I need something that is easily learned and really requires only effort, not traveling too far. I realise that this is asking much, but I hope there's something at least a little effective that I could do in my current situation.

I have seen only one post on the 5 Tibetans saying it's good, but do you know anything about this? Is it good for grounding which you mentioned is very important? I feel like I am realitively well grounded, but that's just a feeling not based on anything solid enough. Like, if you can do 100 push-ups you know you have a strong upper body.

Sorry for going off-topic here, but my situation is not the best one when it comes to instruction, so I need all the help I can get. I need to be very careful with experimenting, because if I harm myself I don't have very many options for help.

Thanks

Sorry to hear you live in an inconvenient location.

That 5 Tibetans exercise is just moving Yoga. Internal Martial Arts are different and more effective, work energetically connecting you to the ground and then your entire self getting rid of all blockages you may have, mental, physical and karmic.

Have you considered moving to another country in the future? It would be something to look at.

Good luck.

Edit: Another option would be visiting China every year during your holidays. There is good Bagua & Xingyi in Beijing.

No, unfortunately you can't, sorry, don't even try.

May I ask in which country do you live? There must be someone who practices Bagua/Xingyi in there. If you aren't sure, register in this forum and request a teacher:

http://www.emptyflower.net/forums/index.php?showforum=5

...A little meditation helps greatly. I take it slow with meditation because sometimes it opens me to some problems I'm not ready to face...

We all have problems.

You will have to face your own demons face to face or you won't progress.

Very important that you do grounding work to balance energy accumulated in the upper tantien.

Top grounding exercises are Baguazhang and Xingyi. Also the Taiwanese Bagua system (Gong Baotian style) which has Shaolin, Taichi and Yin Fu Bagua influence is excellent but physically quite demanding.

Here's a video of what it looks like:

The best of luck,

Namo Amitabha.

Bagua will give you both the strength of a snake and a crow.

Very strong.

Xingyi as well.

One day, James, one day maybe.

Spiritual_Aspirant,

One day you'll encounter the first of the hardest obstacles one can encounter: the dark night of the soul. It can last for years, then it will be the time for you to seek refuge in the Sangha.

The other is Mara...only someone ready to become a Buddha will overcome it.

Not an easy task to attain enlightenment.

Good luck anyway and ask for as much help as you can that we surely will have an answer to it.

Namo Amitabha.

Why spend any money?? If you have the chance of living near the country side, this stuff really works:

1. Lift heavy objects like rocks, logs, heavy sandbags...

2. Farmer walks. Make you strong all over. http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/strongman13.htm

When I was into weightlifting I used to train number 2 a lot and it really made me what I am today: big.

Gautama Buddha was also a warrior and before he went into asceticism he was a well-built man.

Build a strong external foundation and then develop your internal strength. The Chinese have a name for this but can't remember.

Today, for me is just Bagua and Vipassana.

Good luck!!

Hi BJM,

Thanks for sharing this story here in the www.

I would suggest you to not cling on to your developed siddhis or you'd deviate from the real goal, break the cycle of karma and rebirth. There is more pleasure in helping others in their suffering than focusing on power.

You developed them from strong grounding which triggered the navel chakra (lower tantien in Taoism).

The following book clearly teaches the reader how the process is done:

The Bliss of Inner Fire: Heart Practice of the Six Yogas of Naropa

Lama Yeshe

Good luck.

Bit of music to cheer up this thread.

My sincere apologies that I did not see your reply earlier. Lol, I am beginning to wish you were closer to me too Such guidance would be immeasurable. I do have glimpses of previous existences.. particle, tree, and what even appears to be the birth of the universe (is it cyclical??).

Native American Indian I feel... recently.

Honestly, I can not tell you how long I have been meditating for... Contemplation seems to come to me naturally, I have practiced this since the youngest of ages. I am still young in body, but - boy, oh, boy - I do feel so very old. To give the answer that I believe you are seeking:

 

I have made a conscious effort to meditate for the last 4, or so, years. Alas, I cannot even claim to have stuck to one particular practoce as I find is regularly encouraged.

 

Yours,

James

Just don't get too attached to siting meditation. Make sure you do heaps of grounding work so you develop power in your lower tantien. Neijia arts are the best practices you can get involved in.

Yes I know old "souls" feel that way. And this Earth is full of young ones, blind to the Dharma. A real pity!!

Keep going and never give up.

Namo Amitabha.

Immortals aside, long fasting cannot be good for you physically right? Spiritually I can see how you can gain insight from long fasting but I mean it's not something your average joe should do. I'd think that it would take a real, REAL undestanding of the body and qi for you not to degrade physically

Why not? If I was less active I would probably stop eating. No need for it, is chi what nourishes us and the one you absorb from the food is very raw, hard to process.

Read this info about that Indian sadhu I mentioned in my first post:

http://www.amazingabilities.com/amaze5a.html

For instance, after practicing Bagua this morning I had no need to it. I just had a bit of yoghurt with peanut butter for dinner. That's it. Bagua is physical and you probably need to it more than a monk that is sitting on the floor non-stop.

Anyway I am not forcing myself into non-eating, I just eat when I am hungry and my meals are 1-2.

It's not food what we need but chi.

Of course this is old news! Oh my God I get so perplexed at some scientists. Why did they think people meditated if it doesn't do anything?!?! I heard that 'they' recently did a study that showed that regular excercise is good for you! ...and they have developed a drug for 'road rage' (which now has a scientific diagnostic name!)!

LOL! This is old news since the time Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment 2,500 yrs ago.

http://video.yahoo.com/watch/1745053/5809864

Hahaha.

Namo Amitabha.

Cause: an action be either created by speech, mind or body

Effect: the resulting consequence.

Practicing Buddhists often engage in Vipassana retreats and follow vows of silence to purify the mind and overcome karma and of course help other sentient beings without expecting anything in return.

Namo Amitabha.

YOU ARE THE GREATEST TEACHER OF ALL!

Don't rely on others, conquer your mind and you will win the greatest war of all time.

Do what Gautama Buddha did: sit, breathe in, breathe out and let go. Do it consistently, day in and day out and you will go far.

Here's a good intro to Gautama Buddha:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2NLQGrbf5U

If you have the chance practice Ba Gua. Find a teacher in your area, if you have the chance.This martial art system will develop your internal power, Nei Gong at the highest level.

And finally, read Buddhist sutras to let go of your ego and purify your mind. Here's a good source, the original teachings of the earthly Buddha:

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/

Another great site:

http://www.buddhanet.net/

As simple as that.

Namo Amitabha Buddha.

May all sentient beings be free from suffering and its causes.

Thanks for bringing this up. Perfect time to recite the Great Compassion Mantra, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. This page offers concise instructions which I felt would be good to reflect in TaoBums:

1. Light incense and place beside shrine;

2. Prostrate 3 times to Kwan Yin;

3. Offer one (or more) glass (es) of water which Kwan Yin will bless;

4. Invite Kwan Yin to come to you and appear;

5. Bring the palms of your hands together in the prayer-mudra;

6. Invite all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to come and be present.

7. Recite the following chant:

Lu Shian dza zo,

Fa Je Mung Shin,

Dzu Fo Haj Whey Shi Yao Wen,

Swey Tsu Dje Shang Yun,

Tsong Yi Fong Yin,

Dzu Fo Shien Chuan Song.

Na Mo Shian Yun Gai Pu Sa Mo Ko Sa. (3 times)

8. Recite the following lines to purify your speech and apologize for the pronunciation errors made by you during this practice:

An Sho Li Sho Lie, Mo Ho Sho Li, Sho Sho Li, Sa Po Ho (So Ha).

9. Recite the Kwan Yin Great Compassion Mantra 3, 5, 7, 21, 49 or 108 times.

10. Recite the short mantra 10 times:

Na Mo Kwan Yin Boddhisattva.

11. Finally, drink the water blessed by Kwan Yin. This water now has healing powers.

12. Dedicate this practice of the Kwan Yin Great compassion Mantra to the benefit and enlightenment of all beings.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyIIObFyK4I...feature=related (in Sanskrit)

Namo Amitabha Buddha.

May all sentient beings be free from suffering and its causes.

Jade or plastic?

Not the one I bought in Taipei:

http://dragonartwork.net/2008/01/11/more-w...ragon-carvings/

About those links, were just ideas to that user not something I encouraged him to buy.

Good quality jade is hard to find.

Anyway the best jade is found in the spirit, priceless!

Outside Samsara there is no more Yin and Yang. There is cessation of suffering, one has attained Nirvana.

protection from what?

His own mind.

Buddhist philosophy aside, I would recommend a Ba Gua symbol of jade, which is very useful especially if you practice Taoist energetic practices. Visualizing the Ba Gua in your lower tantien and in your internal organs as well as ming men area, etc. is good stuff.

Here're some I found online:

https://id215.chi.us.securedata.net/yingyuj...;products_id=30

http://cgi.ebay.com/Burma-Chinese-Jade-Jad...915104001r11542

http://jadejewelrystore.com/store/chinese-...agua-p-230.html (very similar to the one I have from Taiwan).

Good luck!

Hundun,

My biggest point of contention is that if current methods and techniques taught by current widely known systems, (mainstream Buddhism for example Zen, Vipassana etc ), were so effective then they should be turning out at least some enlightened and liberated beings each year, right?

 

That isn't happening, and if it is they are hidden away from public view pretty quickly.

 

Some masters claim there are as little as 60-100 hisens (liberated beings) on earth.

Lets do some rough math here 66 people out of 6.6 billion thats like 1 in a billion..

 

Something isn't working, the mainstream methods are ineffective.

 

Not ignoring you but I will have to post more after work either 16 hours from now, or tomorrow morning, when I have time.

What are you talking about?

The method is not the problem but consistency and controlling the mind are.

Not many beat Mara and this is the biggest obstacle of all: overcoming the darkest corners of the mind. Practitioners who live fully immersed in society have little chance. About th monastic order...hmm most lost the track, they seem more engaged in anything else but enlightenment. About hermits...Honestly, I wouldn't have a clue.

Good luck to all!!

Eat natural food as much as you can following the seasons and Yin & Yang principles, i.e. more fresh fruit and veggies in summer and steamed/warm food more in winter.

No meat because of karma of the animal you are eating and because it is too Yang.

No alcohol for same reason and because if messes up with the entire internal organ system and ultimately the mind. Same with other drugs and all pharmaceutical products.

No junk and heavily processed foods.

Eat as much as you need because Bagua is very demanding on your musculoskeletal system. Eat like a horse and sleep like a dog to recover from it.

Drink plenty of fresh purified water.

Stay away from polluted air.

Regulate sex practices, the less the better.

I think that covers most of this topic.

Note: if you were a pure Yogi then no much food will be needed as most of your chi absorption would come from air chi.

It's strange how my research and practices seem to have come full circle. Back I am with Zen

You mean Theravada (please let's start a Buddhist school war in here, we need it! ):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theravada

In that page you'll find the essence of what this whole samsaric existence is about (philosophy section).

Btw, for those who send me PMs asking for how to attain siddhis, or testing me, or asking for "fake" help, please abstain from doing this because you are only bringing bad karma to yourselves. Just focus on your mind and practice Vipassana meditation twice a day, if you can:

http://www.buddhanet.net/meditation.htm

Just leave me alone, I will only give advice related to Buddhist teachings and meditation. Nothing else.

Good luck.

Namo Amitabha.

Edit: added new sentence at the beginning.

Good one. Wandering matures you very quickly and helps you understand that attachment is one of the biggest obstacles towards spiritual enlightenment. Herd mentality, or samsaric gravitation, is something one must continuously observe to avoid being trapped by it.

I am sort of wanderer as well but need to work because I have no family support. I have seen any of my family members in the last 10 years. Who cares anyway, we are all alone and in a different journey. I send them my blessings from here, Australia. Hello family Lol!

Thanks for sharing this story here in this forum.

Namaste.