forestofclarity

In many ways.

Huang Yuanji, from Taoist Internal Alchemy, trans Mattias Daly, p.35 Fabrizio Pregadio, Introduction to Awakening to Reality, p.6 Wang Mu, foundations of Internal Alchemy, trans. Fabrizio Pregadio, p.45-46 This last one is interesting because it distinguishes the term as used in medical texts, such as saliva.

This sounds like a self-perpetuating feedback loop, which is common in my experience in unhealthy mental states (anxiety, addiction, etc.). In other words, the mind (the habitual, egoic mind) says X and we believe it because the mind says so. Spiritual practice, in my experience, involves disempowering and becoming free from these loops with external feedback from realized teachers and the teachings that contain the experiences of many practitioners.

If you want to communicate and be understood, especially on a forum where everything is in words. Living in one's own head and following spiritual techniques that pop up in one's mind seems to me to be both unhealthy and unwise.

Mod Note: Discussion with Lairg moved here. Sorry, I botched the title, so it has the same title but I moved it to General. Please remember this is the Daoist section: A focus on Daoist teachings and practices as expressed through such as Taiji, Qigong, Bagua, Neigong, Zuowang with sub-forums to cover textual studies.

I don't do astrology or typically consult external readings, but if I did, I would probably reach out to Christopher Warnock. https://www.renaissanceastrology.com

Mod Note: split Eric Isen discussion here:

Welcome!

Your school sounds really awesome! This is not unlike Tantra. In Tantra, traditionally one starts with the highest methods, but there is a whole structure of other methods for different types of people depending on their particular circumstances and capacities. In other words, methods aimed at providing health and wealth are not there necessarily for hedonistic pleasure, but to bring one along to the ultimate way. It is difficult to practice if you're sick, hungry, or worried. And some of these also lead one to increase certain inner qualities by providing services to others. And to get one's health and magical practices to work, arguably one needs to begin to align with the ultimate in some way.

I might suggest that this is a bit more foundational. Maybe it is dangerous of me to say without textual support, but I'd say that without the Dao, or whatever, there'd be no structure, movement, or awareness. I'm cool if whatever concepts bubbling through my mind are shown to be wrong. From a certain point of view, they are all limited and don't really hold up. I'm curious though on what you mean though about "based on other goals interwoven in the tradition?" What would be an example?

It sounds like you're really resonating with the Spring Forest Qigong! If you're doing a lot of love, feeling more of the MDT would make sense. I don't think most people feel their LDT unless they do some sort of work like internal martial arts, Zen, qigong, neigong, etc. Some people naturally feel centered there also. There are a lot of experiences that arise in spiritual practice. My personal view is to enjoy them while they arise, but to let them go. Some people spend their whole lives trying to recreate a spiritual high. But it also shows what is possible, which is valuable as well. I wasn't aware of their focus on unconditional love/compassion, that's a very interesting approach.

Other people read these also!

Welcome!

Here's an interesting article below with a variety of interpretations depending on how you break it up. There are moral, philosophical, divinatory, etc. meanings. In the Taoist I Ching (a commentary by Liu Yiming, trans Cleary)), it is said to be a complete cycle of creation, like the four seasons or the four parts of internal cultivation. https://www.arcjournals.org/pdfs/ijhsse/v9-i11/1.pdf

It is sort of a weird thing. I think for me, spirituality may be a thing that tends to lead to loneliness, and also overcomes it. But this may be specific to my path and my body-mind. It seems there are fewer people interested in spiritual practice, at least the kind here you practice and "see it for yourself." In my experience, practice tends to be alienating since you stop caring as much about things people are into (i.e. the world), and you care more about things people aren't into (spiritual practice). Also, you begin to operate differently than other people. It can be harder to relate, especially as the years pass by. But there is also a sense of opening and compassion that arises. I'm not sure if this is specific to certain paths. In this sense, there is more of a connection. When you talk to someone, you're not just holding your breath until you can make a point. You can let them be who they are. You may also feel more connected with other things, like the earth, the sky, animals, the lineage, etc. The whole world is alive in a way it wasn't before. For a long time, I kept looking for a live, in person sangha. One of my teachers told me there aren't any for my school the way there are for others, and that it is better to learn to practice intensively on one's own. It is harder, but it does tend to make it stronger and less dependent on externals.