Songtsan

The almost breathless state is interesting. I can get there by simply deciding not to add or subtract to the breathing. Soon there is barely any movement of the diaphragm and almost no perceptible movement of air in/out of the nostrils. It does not seem to be harmful. In the Secret of the Golden Flower, it says to keep the mind on the breath and the breath in mind. This would seem to lead to no-thought, and also some type of state of rhythmic entrainment and associated state of relaxation which would result in a drop in metabolic rate and thus the state of barely breathing. People have straight up held their breath for over 20 minutes, so nearly not breathing should be able to be done for at least that long safely.  

I use jojoba, but argan oil is all the rage now

There is enough anecdotal evidence that meditation can result in psychosis out there (notice I don't say 'can cause'), but I highly doubt that it is upwards of 7%. Some individuals are prone to extreme imbalance, some people can get high on marijuana just a few times, and end up with permanent schizophrenia, not to mention more intense drugs. Thing is western psychology just barely peeps into the window of what is going on often, and then labels things under catch-all phrases, such as psychosis, when there are really various things going on, from energetic disturbances, to spirit possession.

 

I wouldn't say that he is absolutely wrong in his premise, just that he may be over-exagerating or feeding into the fear factor, most likely based on a small number of extreme examples. People in academia do this to write papers, sell books, etc.

 

Also, there is full blown psychosis and partial psychosis. Many a religious zealot can be said to have lost touch with reality, due to their practices. Belief is powerful. Unconscious energies are powerful.

 

The fact is meditation (as well as many other things such as sleep deprivation, fasting, interpersonal conflict, war, illness and more) can precipitate psychosis. Meditation is powerful. I doubt its 7% though.

 

That just sounds like numbers pulled out of the air, to make it seem significant. Its more likely around 1-2%. And only among those who really pass a certain threshold of training.

I grow my hair long...definitely have noticed better hair quality when taking the various supplements that are recommended. Also, avoid shampoos and chemicals, maybe just use an occasional rinse with conditioner, which still contains solvents. Nioxin containing shampoos, conditioners and products are touted for improving thickness, growth rate, etc. if you want to go there. They say one loses about 100 hairs a day from the head, and has about 100,000 total hairs on the head. I like to use henna to coat and protect my hair. And when tying it back, use a high quality 'schrunchee' or hair tie that wont break the hair.

An important part of preparation for a smooth ride is the 'clearance of the nadis' or meridian channels. You will have what correspond to areas of tension which are created by excess energy and deficient energy. These directly correspond with trigger points, which can form around areas of overactive, excess energy, as well as areas of underactive energy. So correcting these imbalances in the myofascial system is a part of it, using massage, acupuncture, possibly chiropractic, as well as stretching and strengthening exercises. Another important method recommended in yogic literature is pranayama, which is supposed to be done daily for a period of at least half a year before awakening kundalini. The better pranayamas are things such as nadi shodhana or surya beda, which generate an internal heat, and help the clearance process. Anytime there is excess energy or heat felt in an area, this could be due to stagnant energy flows....the between the shoulder blades stuff you mentioned is common.

Yes, as above. If spirits are going to do something helpful for you, they will just do it. Words arent necessary. Beware things things that talk to you. It could also be something that says useful sounding things in order to gain trust, and then you get fucked with. There is also no way to identify them, so you could think you are dealing with the same entity, and actually be having numerous visitors. Never trust, and just ignore and do your work.

Possibly Tom Bisio

I'm curious. In all your seminars, have you ever witnessed or expierienced some of the mor eosteric feats that he is supposedly capable of? Such as Fa Jin, for example?

I still see slavery, or 'slavery-like' conditions in nature, but of course I should clarify that my definitions of 'nature' and 'slavery' are somewhat different than the norm. 'Nature' is often defined as anything that exists, except for mankind related things, which I think makes no sense at all. I personally think thaat anything that exists in the multiverse is natural, from cybernetic implants to spaceships, regardless of how they come about. But that's just me. As far as slavery, which is often defined as someone or something as being under the domination of someone or something else, it also includes psychological domination, i.e. trickery, fear etc.

 

For example, there is a certain species of bird that lays its eggs in a different species of birds nest. The other species of bird then raises the former's young, often to the detriment of the latters progeny as well (they get kicked out of nest and die). This might not be a textbook definition of slavery, but to me its slavery. Any kind of unequal, and unasked for exchange is like slavery. But it happens in nature, and so is natural. Deceit,stealing, power exchange, domination/submission is natural, simply because it exists.

Well then, what about parasites? Read the book 'Parasite Rex' - I don't agree that we are anthromorphisizing these patterns. There ain't no free. There is always another organism trying to take from you,, infest you,, use you in some way, whether its the flies that gather around a horses eyes ( drinking their 'eye juice').

 

http://boingboing.net/2009/04/01/ant-slaves-murderous.html

 

So the ant slavery is not a far fetched empirical observation, its been known for decades. And parasites, as well as related viruses, bacteria, etc. Could be likened to slavery. And there are other animals that 'farm' plants and other materials. Is agriculture slavery? What about between different plants? Black Wallnut trees basically kill off most vegetation around themselves. Its not just tooth and nail out here, its root and stem, pseudopod and spore....the lines between parasitism and symbiosis is often blurred.

Desires, right? Attachments, is that it?

 

Sigh...

 

Attachments, which is the bad word for "connections," "relationships," is the only thing awareness has to go on. All those stories of "pure awareness" have to attach the word "pure" to what they are talking about, have you noticed?..

 

Desires are the only tool that we have to measure the strength of these connections which hold all of awareness together. The problem is with the way some people, demons, monsters calibrate this tool.

 

I have never seen a wild animal drink more water than it needs. Domesticated ones do though -- e.g. horses. There's something wrong with domestication. What's wrong is that it's another word for enslavement. Nature did not invent it.

 

By the way, many years ago I was instantly enlightened in the best traditions of the genre the moment I read this line in a book by biologist Konrad Lorenz: "the abnormal and pathological process of domestication of humans."

Actually there is domestication and enslavement in nature. One example is certain species of ants that will collect certain species of aphids and 'farm' them for some type of dew they give off, if I remember correctly. Also, some ant colonies will attack other weaker colonies and make off with either drone ants or egg sacs and subsume them into their own colonies.

 

There is so much hegemony in life, and it all has to do with control of resources, whether the resources are 'living' or 'dead.' Anytime there is territoriality or a pecking order, there is enslavement of one sort or another. If I was a wolf, let's say, but not the alpha, I better do what I'm supposed to do, or I'll get my ass handed to me by the alpha. That's enslavement. Enslavement and domestication is so wrapped up in territoriality, which is ownership. This is a big part of the matrix. Ownership of resources puts us into compromised positions, and thus we are subsumed into a system of competing for resources within the system set up by the 'controllers.' Of course we can free our minds deprogram ourselves, and try to be creative, but that's a difficult path. Is there any true freedom? Yes, every second, I can do whatever I want. But so can anyone else. The matrix is group tendencies, and groups are hierarchical,, like a pyramid. The propaganda and mindsets that are created most strongly through top down methods do in fact resemble natural memes throughout other lifeforms, its just more socially complex than any other extant species (although I can't speak for the aliens or other dimensional species that are here with us)...if it wasn't for attachment, however, to things like food, shelter, and so forth, there would be no slavery. This is the dog and pony show and we are the ones who get trained to appease and entertain the ruling class (i.e. 'owners'). But it is the bodies and their 'needs' which are the true matrix. We are born bowing down to the 'needs' of the bodies....some would say that we were inserted into these bodies, tricked into these jails (such as by the Annunaki or some other alien race), that we were once infinite beings who had no concept of slavery. May we all know the truth.

I'm working at full lotus a little every day, although I fear the damage that may happen to my veins in my legs, as I already have varicose veins. Right now I do it in usually 5 minute maximum 10 min intervals, and only after exercisingt. I believe you about your tantric experiences. I have had several myself, although not as easily as yours. Have also had telepathy, sending of images, was able to move other peoples bodies without touching them, and was able to make one girlfriend climax by sending energy without touching her, and she normally didn't climax easily. Couldn't just do it with anyone though, only those id been around and known for a while. Taking any kind of ego pride in these things is cautioned about in Taoist Yoga. Every time I have gone celibate for an appreciable length of time, women noticed me more. It was when I was least interested, and has succesfully gone celibate internally with my mind that I was pursued the most. Glenn Morris talks about how one of his students was able to cause a girlfriend to climax over and over without touching her in Pathnotes of an American Ninja Master...there is no way something like that could happen without an energy exchange, and thus an energy loss. Its not like I wouldn't want to play around with that stuff, but time is short for me to spiritually master myself, and I'm not doing the greatest job as of yet....

I think I might have a yin fire disorder too as well as zou huo ru mo. I don't know that they mean exactly the same thing, as it seems zou huo ru mo can mean lots of disordered qi issues, although 'fire wild, demons enter' does seem to indicate excessive fire of some sort or other....I would say that a lot of people that come to Taobums have these issues. Too much groping in the dark, experimenting with different systems, learning from books and dabbling in fire methods....problem with qigong deviation is that the things you believe (even if they aren't true), can become true energetically speaking...i.e. your energy body makes them true for you. This is why people with qigong deviation syndrome can have all kinds of experiences, such as talking with aliens (in which case a sort of Tulpa or demonic transformation body was likely created)...The book Taoist Yoga gives examples of when to back off the practice, so that the 'demons don't enter.' Honestly I don't think that 'demons' really enter at all. I think that they are created and enlivened by the qi, which leads to the loss of said qi (of whatever type). That's why its so important to stay focused on emptiness when doing these practices, so that you don't feed the hungry demons and create countless transformation bodies of the demonic type, which are really ones own thoughts about 'what is out there.' Or else walled off unconscious/subconscious aspects of the psyche...

I've read a few places that the LDT doesn't exist initially, until it is formed, that the kidneys contain the energy that will eventually be stored in it, when it is created. I've also read that it directly corresponds to the bodies center of gravity when one is in anatomical position (possibly Chinese Medicine's version of such?), about 2 inches inwards....can anyone say anything to these pieces of 'heard information'? Also, when they say it is about two inches inwards, I always assume that they meant not two inches under the skin, but two inches deep to the outer layer of the rectus abdominis, e.g. that adipose tissue external to this should be discounted when determining this.

 

http://www.upwithgravity.net/up-with-gravitysm-lesson-1-locating-your-center-of-gravity/

Oh yeah, I can relate. There is exhaustion, anhedonia, a jaded feeling of it all being bullshit - even the spiritual stuff. On another side, there might be a fearlessness and even fascination with death. I recently read that the Po (Yin soul/s) wants to return to the Earth, wants to die. It is the Heavenly soul/s that want to do and be. This is remniscent of Thanatos and Eros, where Thanatos is 'death urge' or 'delighting in entropy.' When you want to just die, its like the yang is dim, often through overuse or lack of tempering the fire. I've been like this much of my life, and its the ego that causes it.

Go back to school. Find the cheapest online college you can, and borrow as much as you can for living expenses. Take as few courses as possible and invest all extra money in your business. If you are interested in this plan, let me know, I can provide more detail.

There is: form is emptiness, emptiness is form. That's a good one. Oh yeah, try to connect the ideas of sameness and opposition. Finding the yin within the yang and yang within the yin is exemplified by this: In a cabin in the wintertime, there is a roasty toasty fire. The fire is yang to the air in the room, which is yin compared to the fire, but the air in the room is yang to the air outside...so its levels and levels. Are there really any opposites at all, anywhere? For every big and small, there is a bigger and smaller, ad infinitum. Arbitrary 'opposites' are just plain not true: black isn't the opposite of white, wrong not the opposite of right. Nonduality isn't opposed to duality. Sameness everywhere, yet nothing isn't unique, so nothing happens twice. If nothing happens twice, there can be no absolute categories, which is what the terms 'opposite' and 'same' are.

are you experiencing hair loss?

I've been looking for a massage trade, regular and skilled at that. That is one of my short term goals right now, find a training partner and healing partner. I keep feeling my back and other sore areas and imagining what it would be like if I could work on myself from another body. Also, did I mention foam rolling? Keep in mind that tight calves and tight hamstrings may effect a low back - its a chain really. Tight hamstrings pull on the ischial tuberosities and this causes the back to become more rounded in a concave shape, exacerbating a hypo-lordosis. Or you could have the reverse - tight quads, which could create more hyperlordotic curve. Or a tight iliopsoas, etc. etc. Thats why I recommended a professional posture and ROM assessment. 

Well, I found a good online college that costs maybe $2500 per quarter with books and fees included. I can borrow up to $20,500 a year so all extra will be for living expenses, and I will still work part time. But I am also thinking of going to a third world country like Nepal, then I could invest the extra money. Its a real low interest rate - like 4.25% or something....

Yeah, I remember it as such. Lived there for a short spell in 2004 near Diamond Head. I wish I had stayed longer.

Ah...Hawaii! I've been considering this honestly...I'm going to do online college for a few years, so I can probably live just about anywhere

The Heart of the Dragon - Alasdair Clayre

A Brief History of Medicine - Paul Strathern

Vagabonding - Rolf Potts

...And the Truth Shall Set You Free - David Icke

Moonwalking With Einstein - Joshua Foer

SotGF - trans. Cleary

Taoist Yoga Allchemy & Immortality - Lu K'uan Yu

Ascent to Civilization - John Gowlett

I like that one as well. Also looking at springforest....

1) Move anywhere in the United States to study with a specific person or school, where and who? And why?

 

2) Move anywhere in the world to study with a specific person or school, where and who? And why? (I'm looking for open schools only here)

 

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A separate, but related survey:

 

If you could go back in time, knowing/remembering everything you have learned/experienced up until now, what systems/exercises would you continue to study/practice, and what would you not bother with?