ChiDragon

4 hours ago, Electric Sekhmet said:

Sorry for this weird rambling, the important question is: where should I start in the many schools and offshots of taoism if I want to learn more about "magical" practices and is the familiarisation with philosophical taoism (and reading the important texts) necessary?

If you are only interested in the "magical" practices, the answer is no. It is not necessary.

10 hours ago, Cobie said:

 

 

On what is this opinion based?  Could you please give some concrete examples from actual chapters in the DDJ.

 

 

If you'd study the DDJ long enough, I think you should know what the DDJ is all about by now. 

48 minutes ago, Giles said:

 

Why not?

It is because Qigong is Qigong. A names was given to it is what one thinks it is. Given a name to it that makes one's new invention and write a book to make some money!

On 5/17/2025 at 6:29 PM, Lost In Void said:

Now, at 70, having been unable to find a local teacher, I have come seeking knowledge and insight on further internal development as well as TC development. With gratitude.

A Taiji teacher may only teach you the movements. If you don’t know how to coordinate the breathing with the movement and the movement coordinates with the breathing, then, you are wasting all your effort in your practice.

On 5/18/2025 at 8:01 AM, Lost In Void said:

What is TDB?

TDB is The Dao Bums.

Too slow is that a set of movements can be done in 30 to 45 minutes. That means you stand on one leg and took a minute or so for the other leg to land the the floor/ground. Normally, that is how long for a master to finish the Yang style 108 form if so desired!

On 5/4/2025 at 3:42 AM, markern said:

I have seen people say that this form isn't proper Chen style but a form made more just to look cool. Is that true or is it genuine Chen style? It sure looks good though. I want to learn it regardless. I just wanna move like that. But it would be interesting to know if it is a proper form or not.



 

 

Let's put it this way. If one can perform a show like that, it must be done by a master of the art.

1 hour ago, liminal_luke said:

Question: is there such a thing as too slow?  Advantages sometimes to doing the form quickly?  How does the speed of the movement impact the effect it might be having on my body?

 

Any insight you might have into this speed question is much appreciated.

In regard to the speed of in practicing Taiji, I had gathered from the accumulated knowledge of my forty years experience in the Yang style.  Taiji beginners must be practiced at moderated speed. For that said, it means it should not be to slow nor too fast to begin with.

The moderated speed is at your own pace. It is because, as a beginner, the leg muscles are not used to withstand the weight of the body by standing on one leg. The duration for standing on one leg depends on the physical strength of the individual.  Some can be standing longer on one leg may perform at slower speed. The one that cannot stand too long may have to do it a little faster to release the stress on the leg. After the leg muscle strength are developed from diligent practice, then, the leg can be stand longer to withstand the body weight. Now, it can be do the movement slower.
 

One should not do faster than the moderate speed. If the speed was beyond the moderate speed, then, it is not Taiji. It becomes  ending up practicing Shaolin Kung Fu. However, after years of diligent practice or became a master of the art, one may perform at much slower or much faster speed. 

Standing on one leg is like one is lifting one's own body weight with the leg. The slower the speed have more health effect to the body. It is because the slow movements are slowly developing the muscle tone throughout the body. The moderate slow speed will, also, prevent from over stressing the leg muscles at the beginning. 

Yes, but each chapter has a philosophical story to tell.

22 hours ago, Lairg said:

1It rather depends on what "self" is intended to mean.

If we follow the principle in Chapter 36 of the TTC,  then we may come to a conclusion that:
To be the spiritual no-self,
There must be a physical humble self.  

Chapter 7
The humble self lives for others instead of one-self.
 

Chapter 36
1.将欲翕之（将要合起），
2.必固张之（必先张開）；
3.将欲弱之（将要削弱），
4.必固强之（必雖强盛）；
5.将欲废之（将要废除），
6.必固兴之（必雖兴盛）；
7.将欲夺之（将要夺取），
8.必固与之（必雖给與）。
9.是谓微明（这是機先的徵兆），
10.柔弱胜刚强（柔弱克服刚强）。
11.鱼不可脱于渊（鱼儿离不开水），
12.国之利器不可以示人（国家的武器不要隨便耀示於人）

Translation in terse English
1. Want to close it
2. It must be opened
3. Want to be weakened it
4. It must be strengthened
5. Want to abolish it
6. It must be prosperous
7. Want to retrieve it
8. It must be given
9. This is experiencing a premonition
10. Softness subdues the hardness
11. Fish cannot apart from the river
12. National armament shall not be displayed at random

Chapter 7 - The Unselfishness (Selflessness) 
1. 天長地久。
2. 天地所以能長且久者，
3. 以其不自生，
4. 故能長生。
5. 是以聖人後其身而身先，
6. 外其身而身存。
7. 非以其無私邪?
8. 故能成其私。

Translation in terse English...
1. Heaven and Earth are eternal.
2. The reason they are eternal,
3. Because they do not strive for themselves.
4. Therefore, they are eternal.
5. A gentleman always place himself behind but ended up in front.
6. One keeping oneself in a neutral position will survive.
7. Is it not because of his unselfishness?
8. Thus gained his personal accomplishment. 

On 7/22/2018 at 10:34 AM, rocala said:

Well, is there a self, what is it?

The self is known to be one's existence.
 

On 7/22/2018 at 11:58 AM, rocala said:

I would like to add another question to this. Are no-self and non-self the same thing?

The "self" has to be existed, in order, for one considered to be no-self. "No-self" does not mean that one doesn't exist. "Self" is physical and "no-self" is spiritual.

Yes, I would say that no-self and non-self are the same thing.

This is something new and interesting to know.

https://www.the-independent.com/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/masturbation-can-be-good-for-the-over50s-1516792.html

 

9 hours ago, Apech said:

but where I am not

other people mostly are

avoiding me now.

 

Avoiding me now
Tao doesn't avoid but Wu Wei
So, just let it be

11 hours ago, Cobie said:

Exactly. 
 

知之者弗言  Those who understand it say nothing about it; 
言之者弗知  those who talk about it do not understand it. (DDJ 56)

 

 

The one who knows doesn't speak.

The one who speaks doesn't know.

3 hours ago, Cobie said:

书 读 百 遍 shu1 du2 bai3 bian4 - book read a 100 times, 

其 意 自 现 qi2 yi4 zi4 xian4  - it’s meaning naturally appears.

(《三国志》裴松之注)

 

 

To read a book 100 times,

It will reveals its meaning.

4 hours ago, Cobie said:

 

@ChiDragon why are 2 lines in the colour blue?

Please don't just extract something out of a thread then ask questions. It will lose its continuity of the thoughts.

@Cobie

Please go back to the original thread to remind me.

I do Taiji once a day, rain or shine!
Taiji sword once a week and Taiji saber twice a week or whenever the weather permits to do it outside.

P.S. 

Ever since, I have reached chi to the lower dantian, I have been doing slow deep breathing as my natural and normal breathing. It seems to be the most effective way to enhance my immune system. I hardly get a cold since then and have a high resistance to cold temperature!

19 hours ago, Thrice Daily said:

@ChiDragon do you know what it means.. Can you decipher it?

Sorry, these two characters are very strange. I think they were used by a different group of Chinese national that is no longer existed. They were killed by the Mongos over night. No one knew what they meant anymore!

11 hours ago, doc benway said:

 

Grok is a word created by Robert Heinlein in his book Stranger in a Strange Land. It means something like understanding through empathy.

I was looking for a word like that for a long long time. Finally, I had found it and used it for my translation of Chapter one of the TTJ!

Chapter one.

1. Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao.
2. A name that can be named is not an eternal name.

3. Invisible, was a name given to Tao at the origin of sky and earth.
4. Visible, was a name given to Tao as the mother of all things.

5. Hence, when Tao is always invisible, one would grok its quale.
6. When Tao is always visible, one would observe its boundary.

7. These two come from one origin but differ in name,
8. Both are regarded as unfathomable, the most occult and profound;
9. The gate of all changes.

 

1 hour ago, Turnip said:

While practicing regularly I noticed a huge increase in sexual energy and sexual thoughts. I didn’t really like this. 

It indicates that you are making progress in your practice. Most people wanted to accomplish this. The practice increase in sexual energy that means your body energy level are more than normal and you are healthier than before. You should be very happy about it.

23 hours ago, Sir Darius the Clairvoyent said:

 

please don’t get to caught up in technicalities and sematics.

For being with a scientific oriented mind, it is hard to follow this advice. IMO All definitions, facts, and theories should be followed in order for things to be fallen into place. Everything should be cleared in one's mind with no doubt to reach a conclusion. 
 

IMO To practice an art, one must know what the goal is. How to go about it? What are the intermediate stages during the practice. Know what to expect when the highest realm of the art has been reached. 

16 hours ago, Sir Darius the Clairvoyent said:

….  Cobid 🤯

 

Why do you think exposure to the sun influenced skin color??

 

@ChiDragon

How would you describe it?

To make it simple, from my recollection. There are pigments beneath the skin layers that respond to sunlight. If there is too much sunlight, then, the pigments will come up near the skin to darken the color of rhe skin.

10 minutes ago, Maddie said:

 

There actually are some cases where I will use the term "bad karma" but these are where someone else is actively being harmed with ill intent. 

Karma can also be used to describe a fate or destiny, or the good or bad emanations that someone or something generates. For example, someone might say "This place has bad karma".

16 minutes ago, Maddie said:

 

I don't know if I would use the word bad karma. I think acting on desire creates the karma of desire. 

I agree! Karma by itself shouldn't be differentiated it is good or bad. IMO It is the effect that determines it is good or bad.