thelerner

In Mantak Chia and Michael Winn's work the inner smile is very important. Its considered a foundational practice. Glenn Morris was influenced by Chia and he modified Chia's work and created a great practice known as the secret smile. He considered it a way to feel..damn I forget the Japanese word, something like Fully Human, relaxed, confident, humorous, loving and sexy. I got Glenn Morris's book 'Pathnotes of a ..' about 15 years ago and I've practiced his inner smile off and on over the years. When I do it more I do feel more uplifted. Taking the KAP1 class w/ Santiago helped re-energize the smile for me. In the third part where you smile and laugh, it helped me bring about a whole body laugh which is closer to the spirit of the practice. Michael

A master sat stroking the cat at his side. A disciple came in and got the nerve to ask him "Master why do you have a cat?" The master continued petting the cat and considered. Finally he said, "We have the cat because we cannot keep the tiger." If I could have a tree growing through the center of my house, it would be fantastic. Because trees are magical, they're strong, they're our elders. We keep the bonsai, because we don't have room for the tree. Michael

I collect guided meditations. I recently purchased one from wudangtao.com. Cameron had a link to it, they're sponsoring his trip. For $25 I downloaded there meditation. It included evening and morning, both about 30 minutes. They're very good, I assume its done by Master Chen, but I could be wrong. I'l be playing the night time one shortly. Go to Live Chat to hear it, if you want. Short review, its good, the reader voice is very accented (Chinese) but is clear and comforting, there's good music in the background. The breathing method throughout is a gentle type of reverse breathing; they have you squeeze the anus as you breath in, this tends to make my breathing more reversed. Much imagery of the moon within the tantien. Its getting late, I'm putting it on. Join me if you want. I even know if it will work. But if it doesn't, so what, I'll be listening to it anyway. Michael Starting in 5 minutes. Thats 11:00 Central American time (I'm in Chicago)

Putting on the morning guided meditation by Wu Dang Tao group in 5 minutes. Thats 7:05 Central American time. Go to Live Chat audio to listen. Michael edit Monday night, few people on, I'll won't broadcast the night meditation, but I'll try again Tues morning.

I've been doing Kunlun for quite a while. Still no bliss though, but I still see it as beneficial, burning off layers of mind and anxiety. Why smile? To paraphrase Glenn Morris, 'Energy moves smoothest and best through a happy system'. The physical act of smiling tends to kick start the emotional smile, just like good posture can kick in full attention. Michael

Hey Rabbit, While you mention kindness 3 times in your opening, I don't see much of it in the questions. Like an evil Jeopardy game show it seems like insults in question form. Example:10. If you have been initiated into the mysteries, what is the Bodhisattva name of Yuan Tian Shang Ti? Do you have his seal in sanskrit? Which yaksha general is he? What is the Medicine Buddha Sutra called in Taoism? Do you know the name of the 28th constellation in Buddhism and the corresponding name in Taoism? If you want conversation and to find out about him you might want to edit your questions down to the most important and maybe phrase them w/ less hostility. Truthfully, I have some problems w/ MTS too, but I also have respect him. My two cents Michael

Happy birthday, breath in the Spring and dance dance dance. Michael

Let's see, I think I have the answer in a book. Here it is, its called 'The Tao that Can be Named'. On page 469, chapter 31, subchapter 7, article 4, rule 3 it states :No Bonsai.

"I had contact with my Alchemy Teacher, during this time in the hospital, and asked for a technique or methods of practice to aid me in my healing; as I was very afraid, and in a terrible emotional state of depression. He replied with a letter that contained one word: "Recover......" " Wow... now There is a teacher. And man of few words Michael

A fourth monk was there video taping. He rewound the tape, viewed it and said "Actually the flag is moving" At a taoist temple a young man plays the flute. Everyone cringes, but the head priest says 'You are a great flutest'. The young man leaves happy. A young monk asks him the master 'Why did you compliment the boy?' 'What' replied the old master. 'Why did you say he was a played well?' 'What?' the old master asked again holding a hand to his ear.

Heck, while we're at it; I apologize to Gold is Heavy. In an earlier post I called him a troll. That was wrong. At worst I should have said I found some of his actions trollish, but even thats not accurate. He never insulted me, my poor reaction was due to 1> a bias toward Santiago and 2>while I understand GIH's arguments, they came off as condescending (which I don't think he meant them to be). I think part of the conflict he has w/ Santiago, is that Santi, being a teacher, has a responsibility beyond the average poster here. Whereas we can debate things somewhat carelessly (as in- try a little cyanide, it can't hurt), a teacher has a responsibility to speak up. So when faced w/ GIH's philosophy of we are amnesic gods and the real work is to reclaim our godhood(I think thats behind his thinking). Whether you adhere to it or not it agrees w/ many aspects of Eastern philosophy and thats what we're here to discuss. But Santi, being a teacher sees the philosophy as dangerous, kinda like the tag on a super man outfit, 'Wearing costume will not allow flight'. In expressing his view that its dangerous, they started off badly, and it got worse. Yet between insults you could see both people trying to apply the brakes to the argument. My two cents Michael

I noticed they have some guided meditations available on there website. Its been a while since I've added to my collection. So I just downloaded there morning and evening guided meditation ($25). Both about 30 minutes long, speaker has heavy chinese accent. I'll listen to evening tonight. Ultimately I'd like to set up audio bull sessions where people can listen live to various guided meditations and podcasts from master teachers.

I bought the black and white, if I want color I'll look out the window Its very hard for small publishers right now, any publisher, any business really. Michael

There's a long list of virtue a man should attain..kindness, humility, reason, empathy..what everyone else has said. But in conflict..if you're not being physically threatened..I think the wise man states his truth and walks away. That is a hard virtue cause we want to be right, and clever, and macho and meet all blows (real or imagined) tit for tat. I'm working on it, slowly, just a few more years to go. Michael

Interesting. I've always thought the water thats accidentally frozen in my car, that I've sipped when its thawed a little has been remarkably refreshing. I've always thought it due to the extreme cold or my thirst. Cool that there may be more to it then that. Michael

My conception is that we are of God, but we are not God. He's bigger and better looking. Much much bigger. The drop is made of the same stuff as ocean, but it is not the same thing. Monotheism can give us the wrong image. IMO its not one god out there, its one God Everywhere, within and without. Again, we're not God, but his being suffuses us (& confuses us:) ) Michael

I don't mind the .99 or .95's. Matter of fact in some business's like Best Buy there's a code to it showing when a product has been maxed to the lowest, ie most prices ending w/ .99, but the rock bottom at .90. What bothers me is my local chain super market. I dislike there 10 for $10 deals, when no one is going buy 10 of the item, worse are prices like 4 for $3. I'm not mathematically slow, but they're pushing me, they really are. In my perfect world of love and peace, every item would end with .00 when tax is added. Change would never be needed. Mark that well, when I rule the world and you are all under my command. Somethings will change for the better.

If punching is causing health issues, stop, or experiment with softer techniques. Also, check your blood pressure. Your grip and muscle tension might be spiking it. A doctor is best, but many large chain drug stores have blood pressure machines (walgreens I know does). check it, then punch and check again, see if its spiked much higher. I'm just guessing at a possible cause, but what you describe could be serious. Take time to find the cause. Yours Michael

What has helped me is doing a Vispassana dissolution saying then a bit of seated meditation. Its a mental giving away. I am not my body(I merely inhabit it), not my thoughts (they are like clouds moving through the sky),I am not my emotions(they settle like ripples in a pond), I am not my past(they are old memories and patterns I can choose not to repeat), I am not my future(it is guesses and projections), I am not my name, I am not my family, I am breath and awarness, I wish to go home. then I'll meditate. I'm sure everyone puts there own spin on it. Michael

Why didn't the zen monk screw in a light bulb? Because he was celibate. Why didn't his master? Because he was enlightened and found everything perfect as is. How did the Aikido master screw in a light bulb? Tenkan. If you did Aikido, you'd be laughing now

Its taken me 20 years but I'm beginning to recognize how important it is to have regular lessons in dharma. That its as important as emptiness or yang practices. From whatever tradition they spring from. There are wisdom traditions that are in many ways common sense, but not commonly followed. Too easily forgotten in a rush to judge or egoic attempts to pull out the weiner first. The lessons are easy, living it is hard, we fail at it all to often. Michael

I'd love to ask questions for those who can consistently see into the spirit world. How often do you see spirits(ghosts?) What do you think they are? Does that differ from what you were initially taught or does it confirm earlier teaching? How has it changed your life? Would you consider it a third eye experience? Do you consider dreams and dream work to be another portal into seeing the spiritual world? Last question What is good and what is bad about it? Thanks, I look forward to hearing your answers. I'm hoping this focuses the discussion away from theoretical and into what people actually experience. Michael

Great site. Lots of info on remedies and cures. Thanks

If it was't too time consuming, I'd like to see the Personal Discussion site reshuffled so that the people who haven't used their site in a few years were placed on the bottom and some of the frequent posters put on top. Your time and effort would save me having to move my index finger 3/4 of an inch, I'm sure everyone wants that . Michael