Eviander

The Dao Bums
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Content count

    142

  • Joined

  • Last visited

Posts posted by Eviander

  2. Posted · Edited by Eviander

    Just was wondering what some good books where for beginners in buddhism. I have read some of a tibetan dream yoga book, but other than that I have no solid grasp in the foundations of mindfullness, meditation, ect, ect.

     

    Also I have not decided what school I am going to practice (therevada, mahayana, or vajrayana). So I would like some recomendations to some books which cover there differences (or summaries from those with knowledge)

  3. Posted

    Yes, Franz Bardon.

     

    There are two people on this website, one with the username Prophecy and the other one Veos, that are reportedly quite advanced in Bardon's system, as well as yoga, and they have some rather interesting insights.

     

    Isn't Franz Bardons system the Rosicrucian system?

  4. Posted

    So I have been reading a book regarding the Tibetan practice of dream yoga, or what they call 'clear light dreams' which is equivalent to what western psychologists call lucid dreams. I have been interested in the subject of lucid dreaming for awhile, but with only a few books published on the topic directly, I am having to deal with the religious thinking of Tibetan Buddhists to get a concise understanding of dream yoga by adepts. Aside from the Tibetans, I was wondering if this idea of lucid dreaming has been included in the Taoist, Hindu, or other inclusive spiritual practices besides that of the Tibetan.

  6. Posted

    The trick - in the book by the Japanese author who is the head monk in a Buddhist monestary - where they teach meditation to beginners for 8 hours per day, 3 days a week - is the Zafu and Zabuton: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zafu

    I was not familiar with yantra yoga so I searched - here is a video that I found: http://yantrayoga.org/

     

    I live in Hong Kong where I have studied Asian culture, philosophy and meditation for a little over 10 years.

    As far as Tibet, I've researched its history back for about 700 years to find that almost all of the culture & philosophy, in Tibet, came from either India or China.

     

    What is in Tibet now is largely 'marketing for tourism' of which tourism is the main income. The monks are not like buddhist monks -or monks from a religion - they are the nobles of a feudal society who are the only ones allowed to own land. The situation there is largely this: http://library.thinkquest.org/10949/fief/lofeudal.html

    Although it is changing . . . slowly.

     

    On Yoga, To make a long story short, I would bypass Tibet and study more from India and China. India is where it developed - China is where it is evolving.

     

    On the contrary Tibetan Buddhist practices are some of the most highly developed because of their dream yoga system which from my beginners knowledge, is quite amazing.

     

    As for their yoga, I am not to aware of it past the 5 rites, but I am starting to lean out of yoga and look more towards tai chi, qi gong, or karate because of my lack of any real body awareness from yoga..(though there are a select few postures that seem fitting).

  7. Posted

    Funny. Because I watched that video the other day. I really like the idea of a shamnistic way...but they all seem to end up in chaos every time. The only good shaman who wasn't a complete sociopath is Terrence Mckenna from my knowledge...but most of the better stories end up with the shamanistic practitioners turning to yoga and meditation..ect..

  8. Posted · Edited by Eviander

    I did it many years ago by practicing the best full lotus I could get into and then grabing a knee and pulling my body toward it and then changing knees.

     

    As far as meditation goes, my best meditation has been on park benches, bus rides and in the AM after sleeping.

     

    The best overall Yogic exercise for developmental meditation is by far the Savasana - here is the exercise: http://www.thetaobums.com/index.php?/topic/11802-awakening-psychic-abilities/

     

    The best exercise for aligning our body, clearing our electrical system and practicing meditation - using the full lotus can be found in a book called The Five Tibetans that is partially explained here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Tibetan_Rites

    but is far better explained in the 85 page, with 10 full page pictures with large print book.

     

    My day is to practice the Savasana at night, T5T (The Five Tibetans) in the morning and others as time, place, location and mood present themselves.

     

    A booklet on how meditation is practised in Zen monasteries - Opening the Hand of Thought, Revised and Expanded Edition: Foundations of Zen Buddhist Practice (Paperback)

    ~ Kosho Uchiyama Roshi

     

    Here's another page on the Zafu: http://www.enabling.org/ia/vipassana/Archive/Z/zafuSewingInstructions.html

     

    The Zafu raises your rear slightly to make the full lotus a bit more comfortable...

     

    Actually I just started the Tibetan 5 rites according to a dvd, but the author of the book you mention would benefit my knowledge of this Tibetan yantra yoga (The only author I know who covered them is Samael Aun Weor). As for full lotus , I was hoping there was some trick into getting into it. I've been trying what you said, about just getting into the best lotus possible and sitting there for the stretch or pulling my knees but I guess it does not work that well. I will have to try the T-stretch. J/w..are there any tai-chi routines or qigong exercises for full lotus or would a general practice of the basics help regardless of what routine it is (which is not the case for hatha)

  9. Posted · Edited by Eviander

    Since I hear that a comfortable full lotus posture is the ultimatum for meditation, I have an interest in doing yogic stretches or other exercises pin pointed to allow me to get into full lotus comfortably. I have been doing hatha yoga for a little bit, but my second instructor said he was not able to get into lotus even though he was at an advanced level. This being said the yoga postures that I have been practicing have not been targeted at the full lotus posture and I would like some recommendations onto what routine I should pursue specifically for the purpose of getting into full lotus comfortably.

  12. Posted

    I am not doubting the fact that most people on this forum probably follow many eastern esoteric and mystical traditions..that being Taoist and Buddhist primarily (I have not seen to many following Hindu but I might be wrong). Anyways..I have for reasons unknown to me been slowly dragged towards the eastern mysticism as opposed to the western mysticism which I was initially interested in. Now I am not trying to start another which is better 'this' or 'that' thread, but I would like peoples opinions on the two branches of mysticism and which is ultimately more complete and older in practice.

     

    The one thing that I have read from hermetical writings claiming that the knowledge of the pharaohs, which is supposedly passed on from the times of Atlantis is in fact superior to any form of eastern mysticism and the level of illumination achieved by the pharaoh priests is at a higher cosmic state of enlightenment than the eastern traditions have achieved.

     

    Now it is possible for those with little knowledge on the two to say they are the same or they are simply 'one'. But this is not true..since western mysticism expounds upon the astral plane and being born into that plane instead of focusing on reincarnation ect..which is truly a big difference for serious initiates into any tradition.

  13. Posted · Edited by Eviander

    As opposed to people saying don't do acid I say do it! If you can get the real stuff do it as you please. Infact, if it was not for that lucky hit of acid I would still be watching mtv eating taco bell and making fun of anime kids..

     

    Infact LSD might elevate your consciousness beyond any level that old school shamnism has gone to because my lsd trip was AMAZING and almost spacey..very cosmic feeling as opposed to anything 'of this earth'. If I could ever get some again I would jump right on it..

  17. Posted · Edited by Eviander

    Sorry if I have offended anybody with my lack of detailed knowledge in both these arts, but I have read numerous times that they are both systems that work the energy body and hence figured they where simply different ways of moving prana or chi throughout the body.

     

    That being said, my goal is to get a unity of sensation in my body and to better align my spinal chord and perfect my posture and stance in my muscles and bones, face and eyes and hands, ect., which in my knowledge is all done by unblocking energy blockages that a stressful life has created.

     

    So I am not at all appealed to toning my body for sex appeal, but rather I am about getting back into my natural state of flow within my body.

  18. Posted

    You had it coming, pal. Do you really expect everyone else to perform ALL of your own background study? I'd like to think that we bring at least some level of reflection to the questions we pose to each other.

     

    Your thoughts..

     

    they are false

  19. Posted

    I think Yoda was vastly more powerful than Pai Mai. You could really tell in "The Empire Strikes Back" that Yoda like totally had his shit together and stuff. But it was definitely in Revenge of the Sith" with the spinning back kicks like Benny the Jet back in the 80s that he could kick Pai Mai's ass.

     

    Although Pai Mai's Kung fu was pretty awesome. Teaching Beatrix Kiddo the three inch punch through the wooden plank was funner than Yoda's light saber, and you could tell that his Eagle Claw was a definite advantage with his forearm development. I also think Pai Mai had a better sense of humor than Yoda, although I guess that's because Yoda was like dealing with intergalactic issues and stuff and Pai Mai was like just hanging out in a jungle retreat on Earth and only agreed to take in Kiddo because he was lonely and bored.

     

    So I'd have to say that Yoda was more developed and his clothes were pretty cool too.

     

    Thanks for trolling the thread..

  20. Posted · Edited by Eviander

    So I have tried both..but have not done them in depth to tell what is a all around better system of energy work. I know Tai Chi is funner..but the subtle movements don't seem like they help the spine enough as opposed to the pain that yoga can be..

     

    Anyways..I would like some opinions on what has worked better in personal experience..As I know yoga is more widely practiced..but I have seen taichi/qigong masters do some cool stuff in videos..

     

    This is also assuming that one does not have time for both..