Gerard

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Posts posted by Gerard


  1. Ideally if the forum were full of qualified teachers there wouldn't be many arguements, but its mostly beginners looking for more information on taoism and taoist practice, so i guess thats where much of the hostility can come from. Its natural, you only need to put a person behind an internet connection or the wheel of a car to see raw human compulsion.

     

    I would suggest looking at sources that we know to be genuine, for example the Tao Te Ching, compare sources like this and others which you know to be accurate and see which ones are most likely to be true. If you have access to a qualified teacher all the better.

     

    You don't need to be a teacher to be qualified. I am not what you'd say a beginner but if I showed some interest in Kunlun in another thread is because I was curious about this method. Plain and simple curiosity and perhaps to bring something different into my repertoire of exercises.

     

    There is no better system. I think you need to re-read my previous post. If you rush in this path you'll hit a wall.

     

    How long have you been practicing for?

     

    According to this list:

     

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetter_(Buddhism)

     

     

    Where are you at?

     

    Sorry if I sound rude but far from that if I ask you something so personal is because I am trying to figure out whether you are experiencing the dark night of the soul or not:

     

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

     

    In addition this page gives valuable insight (nothing new btw :) ) about our positioning as humans whithin Samsara:

     

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

     

     

    Regards.


  2. A Taoist I once met told me:

     

    You know what is the problem with people who get engaged in the spiritual path?

     

    They want results quickly and if they approach this path that way they never achieve anything. When they ask me: Master, how long will it take me to read people's minds? I tell them 20 years. They say: Wow! But master I can't wait that long. They ask me again: What if instead of practicing two hours per day I practice four. I tell them: You'll achieve that power after 30 years.

     

    When he gave me this example I understood really well the wisdom contained within these words.

     

    Guess what?

     

    I was one of those guys ;)

     

     

    All methods are good, some take longer than others but it's not the method and goal what you should focus upon, it's the path.

     

    In this business patience and persistence lead toward enlightenment. Remember that Siddharta Buddha almost DIED because of it.

     

    Just enjoy what you are doing.


  3. Awesome war cries! :lol: Who won?

     

    LOL! I am trying to figure it out as well.

     

     

    Addressing Buddy's anger towards my statement,

     

    You said:

     

    "ZZ is too static "

     

    Yes it is, you are not moving physically; hence it's static.

     

    TOO static? It's a static exercise.

     

    "It would be the best Qigong because you are not moving externally, hence qi flow is faster."

     

    Yes, I agree. Best Qigong of the whole lot but ineffective as a martial art.

     

     

    Anyway, I get very tired and hungry like an elephant when I practice ZZ but not right afterwards, which happens that I don't feel like to eat for at least 4 hours (good sign as it shows that internal alchemy is speeding up and therefore less need to take care of the physical body). Eventually I need to eat a lot after a mere 10 min ZZ session in order to replenish the work exerted by the whole body against gravity.

     

    So how can I fit Mabu in my routine and let alone IMA after ZZ practice? Impossible? Maybe I need to work more on achieving a 110% relaxed state during ZZ practice? It could be a dauting task for someone living in busy society.


  4. Since ancient times China has promoted music to nourish the spirit, free the mind from worldly trouble and so forth. I am not hundred per cent sure if that still happens today but I regularly visit YouTube and see many videos on traditional Chinese instruments and compositions. For instance:

     

     

     

    In fact according to Chinese traditional culture, the legendary founder of music in Chinese mythology was Ling Lun, who made bamboo pipes tuned to the sounds of birds. However, we should not ignore West's rich musical heritage. For instance, it is said that Mozart's music has positive effects over the cognitive development of fetuses as well as increasing the intelligence level of adult humans. Reason being is the high threshold employed in his compositions.

     

    Anyway, I didn't open this thread to discuss the history of music let alone which style is the best. What I am trying to discern is where does music come from. Are the vibrations that make music a result of the yin and yang interaction according to an specific heavenly arrangement? Or is it simply a product of our emotions?

     

    Any thoughts?


  5. I don't know why you get angry for??

     

    What I said is what I feel, maybe you feel differently, then go ahead take ZZ as martial arts conditioning. I see and approach ZZ differently. This is the way I see it:

     

    ZZ is too static and works directly (without using physical movement) with the internal aspect of your body and you are detaching from the external environment as you are slowing down your breathing while your eyes are shut. It would be the best Qigong because you are not moving externally, hence qi flow is faster. However, in this approach to Qigong the more doesn't mean the better.

     

    Neijia work in a similar way but not so aggressively and are a good way to break from a constant ZZ routine.

     

    Remember that DaMo taught moving energetic arts to the Shaolin monks because they were rotting their health after so much static work (maybe this is a legend but it makes sense to me).

     

    Btw, I see Mabu a way of strengthening exercise for the lower part of your body.


  6. IMO more important than the neck is the abdominal region. Tension in there and it affects the entire body, and not only that the energy balance of the internal organs.

     

    That makes Chi Nei Tsang the most important Taoist health maintenance practice.

     

    Good luck.


  7. Today on the teleovision the Dali Lama was speaking at a press club luncheon. While studying the Dali Lama and his aide (also a monk) who helps him with English, I couldn't help but notice how shiny both their heads were.I'am not talking just a bit of gleam from the lights but full on crystal ball shiny.

    This got me thinking about hair or the lack of it.Why is it Buddahist monks shave their heads and daoist monks are often pictured with long hair?

     

     

    I think the underlying reason has got to do with Sheng Xiao (Chinese astrology based on yin & yang movement).

     

    Buddhist (south) practice is more fire, hence less hair/bald heads.

     

    Taoist (north) practice is more water or wood, hence long hair.

     

    That's the way I understand it.


  8. Seminal retention.

     

    First:

     

    1. If you live in isolation. Very easy because qi is moving freely around the body and constantly absorbing jing's energy;hence the seminal fluid is being utilised non-stop.

     

    2. If you don't. You'll have to discharge it at some stage because sooner or later it will become stagnant. Kind of like a full battery, eventually you'll need to empty it (use it) in order to become full again. So, in this case dual cultivation is the best method to balance the discharge process as you'll absorb the energy of your female partner. Masturbation is a bad method because you will gain zero.

     

    3. There are ways to delay the seminal discharge stage:

     

    1. Diet. Avoid or limit Yang foods especially red meats, dairy and dairy products and processed food.

     

    2. Meditation and Qigong.

     

    3. Quality of sleep.

     

    4. Sheng Xiao/Astrology. Your astrological and inner yin & yang configuration will determine your sexuality. Example: A fire snake born in the Aries month with rising Leo will need a lot more sex than a water pig born as Pisces rising Cancer.


  9. Personally I would practice any Qigong near anything that is unnatural. However as this is unpractical for most (including myself) try to minimize the harm; that is practice in an environment as quiet and as far as possible from any electromagnetic source.

     

    If you guys have the chance to practice Qigong in the wilderness you will understand what I mean. For instance:

     

    http://www.summitpost.org/images/original/74431.jpg

     

    :)


  10. Rain,

     

    I don't live in the US. Thanks anyway.

     

    Currently Brisbane, Australia. But always moving ;)

     

     

    Unwinding the Belly (link) gets mentioned occasionally here in the community, always very positively.

     

    Thanks for the link. I needed a reference that would show me how to do this for myself.

     

    :)


  11. I was wondering if purchasing a book on this subject will do. I heard the book written by Mantak Chia is not that good, so I am considering others or whatever.

     

    I know I got deep blockages in the abdominal area and my internal organs, and I need to release them because my spiritual progress is stale right now.

     

    Thanks in advance.


  12.  

    But many traditions describe the process differently. Develop Jing transform it into Qi and then the Qi into Shen. (White tigress/Universal tao (I think).

     

    The real process is that one. It happens naturally that way. For the same reason we have our heads up (Yang, close to Heaven) and feet down (Yin, close to Earth) and not vice versa.

     

    Trying to reverse the order from qi to jing is plain nonsense.

     

    Hope this was helpful.


  13. Thanks for your replies, guys.

     

    The problem I have is a tilted pelvis which makes things very difficult when it comes to maintaining an upright back.

     

    So what do I need to do in order to keep the right stance?

     

    In my case I guess I need to widen my leg posture otherwise I will be bending my back in excess due to my natural shortcoming.

     

    I don't want to exercise my muscles I am trying to target the tendons as explained in the link provided in my first post.

     

    Thanks.


  14. This Russian lady was capable of mystical feats without her being regarded as either a Taoist or a Buddhist. How did she inherit these powers? Probably her spirit was already very strong due to karmic evolution as a result of spiritual practices in previous lives.

     

    Here's a page about her:

     

    http://www.mysteriouspeople.com/Nina_Kulagina.htm

     

    And a video sample:

     

     

     

    The wikipedia says something very interesting:

     

    Nina said that in order to manifest the effect, she required a period of meditation to clear her mind of all thoughts. When she had obtained the focus required, she reported a sharp pain in her spine and the blurring of her eyesight.