Daeluin

Peter Shea speaks about this in his book Alchemy of the Extraordinary, as well as other parallels between classical Chinese medicine and modern understandings. If DNA didn't have the ability to change, why would there be more than one sequence? I don't know much about this topic to be honest. It just seems somewhat logical that there would be changes - naturally these changes would be the most extreme where we have traumatic impacts upon a life-form which require it to change quickly and deeply to survive. We can also see that trauma impacts at the extraordinary vessel layer of the meridians, which are tied into the yuan qi layer and the bone marrow. People are able to get to these layers as they deepen their neigong practices, able to clear traumatic imprintings, create healthy and strong foundations... all manner of things. If I get a bone marrow transplant I start reproducing some other person's DNA, so if I am doing work at my bone marrow layers, perhaps it changes?

Oh. Hexagram 15 is also like this - Humility. ䷎ The top trigram, earth, is related to the mechanism of using submission to extend humility - of using true yin to repel false yin. In line 4 this is called extending humility to that which is low, as one can already extend humility to the worthy. In line 5 one is able to apply it to strangers and opponents, whereby it is beneficial to make an invasion. Line six, the top yin line, is called trumpeting humility. Here is where it may find completion of the elixir by focusing on pure reality, inwardly conquering one's land and thus outwardly radiating purity. And also where it is oh so easy to mix it up and not bring it to completion, following human desires and false humility. Sherrill and Chu seem to get the essence of line six:

Mind has no substance, but it can direct and reshape substance. That substance comes from feeling. When impatient and directed by desire and ambition, the mind creates obstruction by leading the energy to greater imbalance as it neglects the needs of internal balance through attachment to selfish intent. The mind is like fire - it can control and direct, but is itself controlled by water, which comes from the lower centers. When it does not work toward balance and harmony, the water gets muddier and more filled with errant emotions that then control the selfish direction of the fire. The more this happens, the more the mind transforms from being one, equal part within a whole flow of transformation into a dictator that thinks it has the right to control everything. When patient and clear, one's mind is able to maintain empty illumination by adapting so as to ever create harmony according to the needs of the peaceful flowing of the energy matrix. This is known as the true mind or the mind of dao. Harmony and integrity come from balance. See: http://www.thedaobums.com/topic/41451-is-it-the-duty-of-a-taoist-to-protect-nature/?p=699387

Which is a little confusing. We like to separate our emotions from our cognition. Yet in stillness we come to see how much our thoughts are directed by our emotions - how much the ongoing dis-ease of our inner spirit directs the momentum of the mind. So the heart center / middle dan tien region can be connected to the emotional/cognitive paradigm. It is the center where prenatal qi that collects in stillness refines into shen (spirit), as that stillness, that ease, that peace, allows the spirit to settle. The upper dan tien / true mind is where the prenatal shen, as it now has a home within the middle, is able to be clear and empty, and is able to transform the shen back into the emptiness that is the true unity of jing, qi, and shen.

心 xin: heart-mind https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xin_(concept)

2 or 3 mods can handle this site just fine. However I think part of the intended direction could be to have more staff, that does less. This would allow for there to be less people in control, while there are more people around to help de-escalate issues when needed, but overall for things to be allowed to carry out their natural course. Here are some quotes from our original mod discussion with dawei, to perhaps help others understand the direction intended by our admin, and how things are affected when mods start trying to control things. I think the rotation decision is being taken as more biased than it is. There may be some difficulties in seeing around the perspective of being part of a group that is being attacked, and as mentioned before dawei has taken steps to get non-biased opinions from other sources. But the actions taken are completely aligned with the set intention for the mod team and moderation in general. The pattern seems to be that when things escalate as related to any particular mods, it is time to rotate. The role of mods is to diffuse and de-escalate, not the other way around. This type of hands-off moderation is also the direct request from Sean.

I don't know if your intention was to get a laugh or not. Sorry. I'm just looking at the result. Your comments didn't add anything to those heated discussions except to keep the flames going. I respect you enough to imagine you understand what happens when two people are fighting around a circle of onlookers who egg them on. That you reacted to my words so strongly conveys that you are emotionally attached. Why?

I'd like to remind people that moderators assume the title of Concierge. This word has a long history, and comes from the latin "conservus," which means "fellow slave". Even though it is in a position of some authority, the role is about serving. Not presuming to direct things. I was a little saddened when MS decided to announce wilfred's retirement all on his own, rather than waiting for our admin to do so. To me this very clearly showed that something had come between them. Now I'm further saddened to see dawei's adminship called into question by MS. How is this not taking things personally? When this recent concern first appeared, dawei opened up a discussion to past admin, and myself. He realized his closeness with the so-called-group being questioned could cause bias, and carefully reached out for external perspectives that he could trust, and made the decision against what his "group" was doing even though he did not feel convinced it was causing harm. dawei may be closer to this issue than most, but even here he has taken extra steps to make decisions without bias. He is always working hard to be an unbiased voice that only moderates when it is absolutely necessary. If his actions are going to be called into question I imagine he will flow with whatever the community wants. Brian, I am sad to see that you too still attach to this moderation issue. Even several months after you were no longer a mod, you continued posting triggering replies in heated threads, mostly just to project your already confirmed opinion to get a laugh from your supporters. Can you not see that this type of taking sides is what resulted in the last rotation? I think dawei tries very hard to keep an unbiased team in play, and it is unfortunate that people do not seem able to recognize when their biases are active. At least dawei has taken clear steps regarding his own biases and even acted against them on behalf of the community. His requests to staff have been very spiritual and in accord with the dao. I'm sorry that this is not being seen. Personally I think we are all making a big deal out of nothing, and people just need to let go and move on.

Tonight in class we read this. From Jonathan Star's translation of chapter 27 of the daodejing:

Yeah, I'm not sure why there should have been any issue. Concern was raised, there was discussion, and a decision was made to avoid energy work on people in the chat. So the people who were concerned presumably had their needs met. When I joined the chat once, and agreed to do an energy exchange, it was with both Michael and Jeff at the same time. Honestly I felt a little safer with Jeff than with Michael. But perhaps that the point. We all resonate differently with different people, and sometimes we don't know what we're getting into. But this can extend to the entire forum. We even have a specific subforum where people request others to share energy with them, for healing. We have many members here who are very spiritually awakened, and I believe there are some whom will visit uninvited those who they engage in discussions with out of curiosity. I'm not sure if anything can be done about this - same as can happen walking down the street, a stranger becomes aware and there is an exchange. In every moment we are exchanging energy with others whether we like it or not, because we are all connected. Just the way energy works - same as with incomplete energies like ghosts. I'm glad that awareness of this is growing. And with awareness of this, I think it is important for people to also be aware that the best way to "counter" this is to cultivate your own health, centered-ness, and groundedness. No need to worry about the sharing, just cultivate your own whole self. When dawei invited both Michael and myself to become moderators, the main thing he requested from us was to not get personally involved or attached to this role. I believe this was designed to protect us and minimize our exposure to stressful energy, and also because he wanted things to flow naturally without contrivance through too much controlling. Assuming this request was taken to heart, I don't see why staff should have any trouble moving on. Personally I needed to move on after a month! And yet maybe I'm still here... hopefully not very attached. I try to let the dao tell me what to do.

You are the universe. Do you trust yourself? Do you trust yourself to let go of all the protection you've placed between yourself and the rest of yourself, trust yourself to be vulnerable? All we need to decide is what is right for us in the present moment. This sets our course, and can be guided from our heart, with no need for thought. If we feel that something needs to change, simply perform an action to change it. Often we fail to do this because we are caught up in a judgement about something external to us. If an external source hurts me, I don't need to think about it or fear it, I can simply go another way, or change something. The daodejing speaks much on being humble. Flowing like water to the lowest place. When we do not hold to grand aspirations and ideals, we cannot have them denied to us. When we do not place ourselves above, we cannot be put below. And by staying resting upon what is low, water builds up continuously, naturally, until it begins to reach even the clouds. Even in the clouds it does not presume, and simply continues to flow with dao. Trust, accept, let go and simply be present. The answers come from the heart, not the mind. If the mind won't let go, go read some daodejing.

Oh, like this. The presence that resides in innocence and changes nothing intentionally, even as everything changes. The buffers and distractions to the lineages - the webs emanating from our origin - are dissolved in the presence of a great clarity that is naught but the momentum between here and there.

I wonder if sometimes the end of a lineage - there being no appropriate successor - might be quite the gift, if we are able to see it for what it is. When a void is created, things come to fill it, drawn by its patterns and sucked into its wake. Perhaps like a waterfall? The destination is not clear, and many will come to say this or that about what they think the destination is, or attempt to take up the reigns and presume to continue the lineage. Like water molecules dancing and crashing their way off the cliff - some will find the bottom, some may not, some may go to within the mystery - and all who pass by tend to agree there is some good energy in the area. Lao Zi comes to mind. The thing about authority is, it is often a natural process, like the branchings of a river or a tree. One may contrive to duplicate or set in play some mimicry of it, but if it disconnects from the celestial mechanism too much it will stagnate and suffer by the artificial complications of its own design. I think I can see some of what you mean, and it feels beautiful and natural, but is somewhat unclear to me. Are you open to elaborating further?

I don't really know, but I think spirituality is found in many ways, and is simply the nurturing of spirit. Spirit likes stillness of mind. It is also related to the heart. When the organs, emotions, and heart are very active, thoughts tend to be active and spirit tends to scatter. When they are at peace, the spirit can settle more fully within without being pushed away. In bringing the emotions to peace and cultivating a stillness that nurtures the spirit, we are centered, comfortable in who we are without having desires and ambitions pulling and pushing on us, self-so, able to trust ourselves and trust the universe so that we may flow in harmony according to the ways the universe guides us that is completely unique to our own path. I believe we all have talent for this, and it may be found by surrendering our desires and following anything that helps us to become whole.

I think it is similar to lineages of anything. DNA is passed from species to species. Often it branches out like a tree as that species begins to thrive. As the environment changes evolution occurs and in time that species dies out or wanes in power. Maybe it'll grow again someday too. Yet in the mean time we often have other species that have evolved in different ways and are perhaps able to survive better through the changed environment. With spiritual lineages, we may have traditional schools of thought that are deeply rooted in the slower moving ways of pre-modern society. Today we have many teachers who still share these deep and poignant lineages with us, and we have many students who only grasp so much of them, but are more integrated into the modern environment, and are learning to transmit their own version of the received teachings to those who are less inclined to seek them out, through these new mediums. It isn't the same lineage, not the same species, but is perhaps more like an evolution of the old into the new that thrives better within a new environment. Like traditional yoga and western yoga. In the end, those who are able to go deep follow the veins of lineage back to the root, through all they are connected to. As humans, awakening is often spoken of in relation to an awareness of our own lineage. As we transcend time and space we are owning our body's energetic connection where we are tied to time and space in our wei and qiao vessels, and our transcending this connection comes with the harmonization of various aspects of our DNA. Our DNA is just one of the things we are connected to in lineage. We are also connected via the various threads of knowledge and understandings encoded in our societal paradigm. As we begin to enact various patterns within ourselves in stronger and stronger ways, we begin to more deeply change our perspective within the whole, and begin to follow similar series of changes and choices as others who have carried these patterns within the past. Yet we are different, this time is different, and so we make new and different choices based on who we are now. And yet the center of things is always the center of things, despite the many changes. The more we are able to connect toward the center of things from any given perspective, the more we will tap into those veins that reach back to the root, and those will help us as we navigate this new present moment back to the root. Spiritually speaking, I would imagine it follows a similar course, but following the principles of spirituality. It requires greater sensitivity and refinement to tap into what is spiritual, and what is spiritual follows a greater current of harmony than what is earthly. Thus the spiritual lineages might end and begin more as needed, without being quite as tied to particular material existences within the earthly/human realm. As such we might not be able to as easily recognize their earthly/human manifestations as be related to the earlier manifestations of that lineage until we are able to tap into the spiritual component and come into realization of how the same patterns are unfolding within a new time and space. A bit abstract, but perhaps this is enough of a general principle to translate into what works for you.

I think it is simply the principle of harmony. Giving and receiving are one. At advanced levels we may not wish to speak often to preserve the energy of the heart, and yet we are still engaged in a giving and receiving that is highly refined and balanced. In the more beginner levels we are learning to discover this balance of giving and receiving. Some of us give too much and need to return within. Some of us hold back too much and being able to express what is stagnant within us helps us to break up that stagnation and help to increase the flow within. However, when we express this with another person we are entering into an energetic exchange with that person. We can only know ourselves from the inside out. How can another know us from the outside in? How will they be able to validate our expression in the way we need? Won't they be in a process of comprehending what we are expressing from their own perspectives? Thus in attaching to the results of this sharing we hold open our wounded gates between internal and external, ever seeking for that perfect reflection of refined external to internal validation. Sometimes we come close, meeting those who reflect some of those needs, but not others. Perhaps a way of thinking of this is like jars of water that have holes poked in them at various places, with hoses coming out. They are all dancing among each other attempting to make a perfect connection that returns the energies they are leaking out. But they can't, as they are all unique and there is no absolutely perfect match. When we return to ourselves, we seal those leakages. As the pressure builds up we learn to vibrate the places where there is blockages until there greater and greater internal flow. As this process builds, our heavier energies begin to vibrate at higher and higher frequencies as the jing replenishes and transformed to qi, the qi replenishes and transforms to shen, and so on. As we begin to vibrate in these new frequences the same principles of returning to ourselves and being centered are played out within new landscapes of energetic connection. And as we are able to remain centered we begin to understand that more and more we aren't isolated at all, but are breathing in unity with the universe; we are connected with all things everywhere, in harmony. In harmony we focus inwards, because we know that everything is right or wrong from some perspective. We know that external expression might be helpful or might cause dissonance, depending on the circumstances. This can be helpful and is a beautiful part of giving and receiving. But the more we attach to the specifics shapings of what we give or desire, the more we are holding ourselves at this layer of refinement. The more we are able to surrender into the flow of things, the more we heal inwardly and are able to increase our flow and our vibration. There are no secrets, there is simply being whole and flowing with harmony. This often comes with trust and acceptance. When things are conditional, they have a power to change things in specific ways, and this can often create extremes of imbalance. Like if some hundred of those jars form a balanced way of exchanging with each other, and then 5 of them see a way to do something that would increase their power, but only if they keep it secret from the rest, and then that's what happens, but also the balance of the 100 is now lost unless the 95 continue to play along with the desires of the 5, assuming the 5 are not so greedy as to shatter the balance entirely by forcing some of the 95 into making decisions of self preservation or opposition. Even when we make contrived decisions toward guiding others into balanced ways, such as talking about keeping your spiritual practice secret so that you don't impede your spiritual progress, this can create imbalances within the whole. As we begin to understand this principle in a deeper way, we understand that often trust and acceptance of all things as they are without needing to speak up to change things is often the best way to harmony. Here I am simply flowing with what is in front of me, with the intention to say only what I hope will dissolve stagnation and misunderstanding, while recognizing that I cannot truly know what will come of my words and that increasingly I will need to increase my vibration by going more inward and expressing less outwardly.

Talent/Nature: Going deep and an inner compass for the heart of things. Unrefined: Fears and stagnation. Refined: Bringing clarity and integration to what is heavy and so increasingly merge it with lightness, transforming the paradigm and so entering the heart of unity.

You're right. What I said wasn't the main thing. Just a thing.

The main thing with extensions is related to there often being a single programmer involved. Will the software work in 10 years? Is there enough use of the software to expose security fixes? Will the programmer support maintenance releases after they've stopped updating and using the software. For a small, single feature extension this isn't something to cause much concern. But when something integrates extensively into the main application, like this one seems to, there is potential for a lot to go wrong, especially as the years pass. As ever, what is simple endures.

I don't know.

Thank you for the tips. I think I was trying to express, that my posture had created a structure that did not allow the chest to breathe. Even fully lowering my diaphragm, with the shoulders hunched over and Ren 15 area caved in, the upper parts of my chest did not get proper oxygenation, let alone qi flow. This tended to cause stagnation in the qi, especially when thinking too much. Perhaps, given enough time with rising and falling and working the diaphragm this would have self-corrected. For me it was worth pointing out, as a few simple adjustments completely transformed my experience. Sometimes I feel that adjustments are forcing things, and simple is best. At other times the right adjustment is like fitting a key into a lock. Recently I've been reading in Peter Shea's book Alchemy of the Extraordinary, which is a fantastic, detailed overview of how the various layers of the meridian systems work together, going to their origin at the eight extraordinary vessel layer. In particular there is great detail on the dai mai (belt vessel) and how it serves to consolidate and contain our energy, but also comes to store the traumatic experiences that we refuse to release, like stuff we store in a basement and forget about. Further, there are some upper trajectories of the dai mai that I hadn't know of previously, the da bao and bai mai: "The Da Bao wraps the MIddle Tan Tian from Sp 21 / GB 22 at the "forgotten muscles" of the lateral aspects of our chest and across the front and back to the solar plexus at Ren 15. Un-transcended issues are shunted away from the Heart via the Da Bao. The Post-Natal influences that have impacted our original nature can accumulate and enter the constitution both at Ren 15, the Luo Point of the Ren, and at Sp21 / GB 22, the Great Luo of the Spleen. The Bao Mai is a vertical trajectory from Ren 15 to the perineum at Ren1 and provides the mechanism whereby these un-transcended issues read the Belt Channel and affect our ability to support the anus / tailbone and extend more of our self into the world." I recalled having an rather effective treatment that worked on GB22 previously and played with the sensations activating the above points. Immediately I felt my chest opening. Perhaps, as joeblast says, I was not really expanding a great deal more, but from my perception there was oxygen and qi reaching parts of me that had been stuck closed before. It felt as thought my ribs had come to life, my lymph nodes were more active, and there was a greater structural alignment to my lower thoracic vertebrae that allowed a sense of stagnation being eliminated to this area with my breath / blood flow. Additionally I am able to think more freely without causing my qi to stiffen and stagnate, something that had become quite the problem. In the 8x vessels, the qiao vessles are related to our stance in the world. In particular the yin-qiao is related to self-esteem issues and runs along the inner heels, inner legs, up the front on either side of the ren mai to the insides of the eyes. It is related to how we see ourselves, how we validate ourselves, how we trust ourselves to stand up straight and strong in the world, in the present moment. It is also written of in the taoist classics as the vessel that must be opened first before we can really work on the ren, du and chong vessels. This is because it is where we hold the space for ourselves to be present to do the work. Funny, as after making these adjustments, not only has my breathing improved, my posture been filled with more energy, but I've been having dreams about my childhood traumas, in a very healing way. I am able to recognize that, due to past life attachments, I entered this life with patterns that denied support of who I am. In my dreams I was able to recognize how these patterns led me to develop a fearful attitude when engaging with the world, so that I would hide away from myself and deny myself my power. There were various elements that represented the dominators in this lifetime, but now I am more clearly able to see past any grudges or attachments to these people, as they were simply filling a role. Instead I saw beyond to where I did not really need these things to hold me back any longer. As long as I am able to flow with and serve the greater good of the dao in this lifetime I don't need to worry that I will repeat the mistakes I made in long distant past that caused me patterns of deeply set guilt. These types of unfoldings are very interestingly (to me) related to some of the points in the yin qiao vessel. Particularly some of the following, which I feel are related to the unbinding of the chest I have been experiencing: "Kidney 25, Shen Cang, Spirit Storehouse, Fire: Here we are discovering the essence of our self. The true nature that was buried. The crystal gemstone that has been buried and alchemically transformed through the pressures of the earth. Kidney 26 Yu Zhong, Lively Center, Metal: Here we are regaining inspiration. Recovering from the loss of animation of being frozen in post-natal forgetfulness. The Po is regaining sensory awareness with the reverence and wisdom of how to relate to sensation, to fear and desire and sensuality without simply crystallizing into the resistance, the limiting into one perspective. Kidney 27, Shu Fu, Conveying Palace, Master Point: All the Upper Transport Points unbind the chest and allow the Lungs to be strong enough to cultivate forgiveness, the rectification of the qi and the ability of the Kidneys to grasp that qi and bring it into the world. Stomach 9 Ren Ying, Man's Welcome, "Welcome me Humanity": The clear articulation and expression of one's self, of one's identity. We are welcomed as we are by society due to our clear understanding of our self. We no longer meet the resistance of the collective because we have transcended the resistance within our self." ------ Of course, all of these things unfold naturally when we consistently and sincerely cultivate the following of our inward integrity. In a seeming paradox I've been expressing how too many details can become a draining of power, as we attempt to hold onto more than we can carry, in this thread. But I think that's the point - simplicity is always powerful. And when we are blocked from simplicity, if we are able to utilize a key to help us return to simplicity, perhaps that is worth something, to those who need it. And so this post goes out to those who hold shackles that are ready to be unlocked.

I don't think anyone is denying this. Knowledge and techniques are like tools. The more tools we try to carry the more weighed down we can become. The purpose of these tools is the effects they help to evoke. These effects can happen without even needing the tools. It is up to us to find the proper balance. Often on these forums we see the dogma of different schools come to conflict. Daoism ever transforms itself by merging with the various fixed attitudes it encounters. We can follow this model of simplicity by listening to the inner changes and flowing with them. It is when we refuse to let go of a set of tools that conflict arises between what those tools are doing and what the natural flow is doing. Sometimes attachment to a set of tools can help us break through, sometimes it holds us back. We need to listen inwardly to decide which direction is going to serve us best.

Great advice in this thread. Something I found was that I'd been focusing too much on breathing into my lower abdomen, and not actually opening my chest and filling my lungs. All related to bad posture and spending too much time in front of the computer - I hadn't even realized how my chest was deflated. Some focus on breathing more fully into my lungs and CV15, SP21, GB22, has really been helpful.

When one tries to mentally microadjust in many specific ways, one is more prone to blocking the flow of qi. However, the more one works with the qi, the more the qi replenishes and fills and refines until it naturally spirals, naturally opens up the various orbits at the correct timings, etc. When we say that such and such is the correct way, it may be true from some perspective, but often the best way of getting there is by following, not forcing or thinking. The mind needs to be empty for it to really be "advanced." The trouble is that people are often not sincere enough in their practice for the advanced work to arrive naturally. It generally takes a long time.

Simple is simply what we treat simply. Complicated is what we make complicated. Could be anything.