Astral Monk

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Everything posted by Astral Monk

  1. The Way of The Bow: Tao of Weapons

    Astral Monk replied to silent thunder's topic in General Discussion

    Bows are so versitile--as weapons and as spiritual exercise. Not to mention that they can be fashioned in the wild, unlike firearms. That video is awesome and inspiring. Makes me want to get abow, butt, and arrows and start jumping around and firing sans quiver. 8)

  2. Learning Tai Chi - Where to get started

    Astral Monk replied to taichistudent's topic in General Discussion

    Tai chi chuan was developed for fighting, a way to gain advantage over hard styles. The emphasis on wuji (emptyness) has enabled the martial art to crossover into deeper internal arts. I think that if one approaches tai chi chuan with an understanding or experience of Chinese energy medicine (meridians etc) or qigong it will be easier to put the pieces together. The most prolific style out there is Yang style, and I believe many taiji for health come from Yang styles. Get plugged into local tai chi and learn a basic form. A form could be learned from video etc, but to advance further a teacher will be neccessary. After a certain amount of instruction tho, one has to take what is learned and make ones own path. As long as the fundamentals are solid. 8)

  3. Learning Tai Chi - Where to get started

    Astral Monk replied to taichistudent's topic in General Discussion

    Taiji's origins are mysterious. Right now the modern forms are descended fron the Chen family style, from the 1800s. It was a boxing style, and only later has developed as a health/spirit art, due in part to Sun Lu Tang's influence at the turn of the 1900s. tbc... 8)

  4. Who has seen American Sniper?

    Astral Monk replied to Owledge's topic in The Rabbit Hole

    its absolutely not an anti-war movie. It pays pathetic lip service to dissent, like half a scene. Just the same as many US war movies about the middle east in the last 10 yr---vets get ptsd, trouble at home, comradery, lets go boys and salute fallen Jimmy etc. Not agreat movie by any means, not sure why theres oscar buzz. For me the story wasnt impactful, cinematically. 8)
  5. been practucing SFQ in the morns, playing with Taiji forms. Been reading Sun Liu Tang's book on taiji--lots of insight into realizing the movement of energy. 8)

  6. If you thought being a sheep was bad...

    Astral Monk replied to Rara's topic in General Discussion

    No one follows a path, as there is no person and no path. Or, one might say we are all follwers of causality, as causes lead to effects more inevitably than a shepard leads his flock. In which case we are all led by the initial cause of our being, and that by the initial cause of the universe, the emergence of taiji. But, if all causes are connected, then all paths are determined, and there is no 'leading' or 'being led' nor 'shepards' nor 'sheep' (of the way). There is only awareness of causes as they come into fruition and emerge. All things push and are pushed, pull and are pulled, lead and are led. Where it not so reality would be very unbalanced! After all, yin & yang emerge from emptyness, not merely yin or yang. We have all blazed trails and will blaze trails. We all walked well trodden paths and passed many travellers. And will again! 8)

  7. Foxes---everywhere! ?

    Astral Monk replied to Edward M's topic in General Discussion

    the fox often turns up in Zen Buddhism. I read somewhere that foxes are thought to be one non-human animal that can attain high levels of cultivation, even enlightenment. maybe the foxes are trying to remind you of a trye path? 8)

  8. Spiritual value Bagua.vs Tajiquan?

    Astral Monk replied to Source's topic in Daoist Discussion

    Taiji is the supreme ultimate--the harmony of yin and yang. It emerges from wuji, emptyness. The first move in taiji sets, variously considered 'opening to Taiji', is all you need to attain the dao. Wuji stance is key. From stillness comes movement. Bagua zhuang deals with constant change, constant movement, the arrangement and interplay of the 8 trigrams. I think continuing deeply into zhan zhuang (stillness), complimenting it with basic taiji chuan movmements (movement from stillness) and walking, with an opening or closing routine of bagua zhuang circle walking (always turning to the middle) is the way to go. Ultimately, all IMA flow together as one. Each porthole opens into the ocean of qi. 8)
  9. today i tried a seated version of the SFQ set. Even tho there is pressure on the seat it felt like my back could relax a bit and stretch up a bit more from the top of the head. A good exercise. 8)
  10. Regular morning practice mon and tues; this morn some SFQ meditation followed by active exercices. Playing with some Tristar taiji form this evening. 8)

  11. Spiritual value Bagua.vs Tajiquan?

    Astral Monk replied to Source's topic in Daoist Discussion

    If youre already doing standing post practice you cant go wrong with adding a little tree circle walking. The trees can give you some spiritual advise, if you listen closely. 8)

  12. Proving you can't have a rock in your hand

    Astral Monk replied to FmAm's topic in General Discussion

    Number doesnt apply to the world because there are no independently existing things--neither rocks, nor hands, nor consciousnesses. Each thing contains all other things. A rock is made up of all non-rock elements, which is what makes it a rock. And the elements of all those elements are fundamentally empty. 8)
  13. today practice was microcosmic orbit meditation (known as 'small universe' in SFQ). I made it through the session without getting lost and mind wandering too much. I need to work on this more often for sure. Also, I did a wee bit of circle walking using the 'white ape holds peach' post since in Bizo's book 'Circle Walking Neigong' it is suggested that it is good for the kidneys, and i was feeling a pain. Less so now 8)
  14. today i started off the day with some SFQ meditation, focussing on pore breathing, followed by the 10000 hands practice and '7 steps to a new life'; in this latter move we raise energy up and down the body switching weight to alternate legs; on a variation we pick one leg off the floor, point the toes to the ground on the raise, then press the heel to the ground on lower. Ive been playing with my own variation by stading pigeon toed, shifting to one side, then on the heel press pivoting from straight back to pigeon toed. all in all its a good exercise for balance. standing on one leg should be just as stable as two if your center is in the right place. 8)
  15. nice relaxed session today, focussing on 'breathing of the universe' which I combine with the Sun taiji 'opening/closing hands', which is similar, but nearer the heart center. Also, getting into the heel press--a variation of SFQs 'Seven steps to a new life' requires one leg standing with one leg raising, toes pointed. then heel press to the ground as one presses the energy down thru the body. The heels are a source of strength for sure. 8)

  16. Can we not love our brother as ourselves?

    Astral Monk replied to manitou's topic in General Discussion

    I reckon death is exactly what it appears to be--the end. Why would it be othrwise? Nature is not a deceiver. All religion and philosophy are designed to prepare you for that moment when you face the void and end. All we can do is hope to pacify all fears by realizing form is emptyness and emptyness is form. For those who die naturally under the spell of religion, their paradise will be short-lived; for those who die suddenly, violently, there is none at all. The only way to love one anothr is to destroy all religion. 8)

  17. Astral Monk replied to DreamBliss's topic in General Discussion

    every moment can be used for practice. Chunyi Lin recommended that when we use the facilities we keep our focus on the heart center and lift the heels off the ground, to avoid undue energy going down the drain. 8)
  18. nice mud stepping this morning (thnx wet concrete!); tonight, SFQ, with a small enphasis on heel awareness. 8)
  19. today, some impromptu circle walking; later, a nice full SFQ set. 8)
  20. todays practice was some rousing circle walking in the forest, working on heel push and turning to the middle. Followed by some SFQ post with sword fingers. 8)
  21. starting the calendr pff right with SFQ meditation, focussing on opening the heart center and pore breathing visualization. 8)
  22. yesterday, practicing bagua stepping, kou bu/bai bu, with emphasis on the heel push; today SFQ 10000 hands under a near midday sun. 8)

  23. Neidan vs Qigong

    Astral Monk replied to opendao's topic in Daoist Discussion

    Thanks for the replies to my query. This is indeed a fascinating topic. So much to learn. From what I gather, a person who practices qigong might initially recognize some elements of neidan practice, but soon that practice would take them into other areas, and encompass a much larger scope. So contemplating how a qigong-esque practice might look the same as neidan but be internally entirely different is probably like debating the merits of a brass vs gold door knob on a 3000sq mansion. 8)

  24. a little dark: How have the masters die?

    Astral Monk replied to thelerner's topic in General Discussion

    and that none of their practices deliver longevity. That goal seems unattainable, unless you are working to become an immortal and you thereby change the state and function of your bodily form. if a qigong healer whose practice opens up the heart dies of heart failure, we might have cause to suspect the worth and value of such practice. Otherwise I expect most 'masters' die in very normal ways like everyone else. It is suggestive, no..? 8)

  25. Neidan vs Qigong

    Astral Monk replied to opendao's topic in Daoist Discussion

    after reading all this thread, I'm interested if someone can give just one example of what a neidan practice is and how it is radically different from qigong. And not just metaphorical quotes from texts but one example of what a simple neidan practice is. Is this possible? 8)