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I won't beat around the bush, I'm here to learn if the stuff I read in novels has an ounce of truth or if fiction and fact are too far apart. I aim to become a real immortal through means like Qigong, Daoism and TCM, but if not an immortal than just stronger than humanly possible.The bigger a person's dreams, the more for them to do, right?That will guarantee me a not boring life at least.

Hello, I'm new to this forum

Hi, this is Eric Fagundes from Sao Paulo Brazil, I'm acupuncturist, I have been study classical medical and philosophical texts as foundation to my clinical practices since I read an Elisabeth Rochat book translating chapter 8 of Neijing Lingshu. So, last year I started to learn classical chinese with her and with Peter Smith to a better comprehension of the texts. I have a lot of Dao De Jing versions and reading Dao De Jing in Clear English of Jeff Pepper and Xiao Hui Wang, they use the forum as reference, so, that's why I'm here. In advance, can someone help with line 11 of Laozi chapter 3, some versions use 知 "使夫1知者不敢為也" (https://ctext.org/dao-de-jing, https://www.daodejing.org/3.html) and others 智 "使夫智者不敢為也" (http://www.laozica.org/第3章不尚賢使民不爭/, https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/7337/pg7337.html). Although most of the translators translate it as knowledge, that is a possible translation for both characters, can some clarify why this difference in chinese versions? Any reference that goes thru such analysis is also appreciated Thanks a lot, Eric

I'm new, system says I must make a newbie post. Hi!

Hello, hello, hello! 🐱 It's nice to be here! I lurked for a while before deciding to join. I became interested in Qi Gong and Nei Dan through my Papa, who tried to get me into Tai Chi when I was younger. I wasn't interested then, unfortunately, but I am now! I'm 21, I really like cats, and I hope to have fun here! Thank you!

Hi, I'm introducing myself, as I'm a new member of this site. I found it after searching for more information on Qi gong. Have been practising Stillness Movement through Michael Lomax's teachings for the last month or so. Thank you for such an informative and helpful forum!

Hi there im new around here but in saying that have been on this forum lurking almost everyday, its finally time i started participating in this discussion. A bit about me I'm a youngin (22 years ole) i spend most of my time creating music and looking at the Australian trees, flora and fauna. However, i would like to add to my repertoire qigong and other energy cultivation practices. I have been reading alot of @voidisyinyang and @Yang posts as i find his concepts of noncommunicative phase relationships between music and non-duality really fascinating along with the whole alchemy based training he speaks of. Very fascinating. However, my endeavours as of now are a lot more centred on the simple things such as clearing the clutter from my mind and being consistent with my qigong practice. I've been watching SFQ videos and ive found them to be really helpful, would really appreciate if someone could recommend me a practice they have found most beneficial in quieting the mind, going into the emptiness. Is the microcosmic meditation the best route to achieve this? What have been YOUR experiences of practices which seem to be the most effective in achieving the goals stated above? I love this community already, without even having participated myself, simple observation has led me to the conclusion that nearly every member on this forum has great life experience and valuable information in their own way, its really great. Again glad to be part of the community much love.

I bumped into Daoism via Tai Chi classes. In reading on Tai Chi, I ran across Daoism, and that's where I am now, really just into learning about some principles of Daoism and how a Daoism perspective can help me navigate life.

Hi Bums. My friends and family have always symbolised me using the sound "thomas". Grateful to have found this community. Thanks, NotTheEternalUsername

Hello and Happy 2019! (Apologies in advance for long post!!!!) I am a British lady in London who has recently been restarting a long paused spiritual journey and I really like the principles and ideas of Daoism/ Taoism but have some doubts/ concerns. Daoism itself is not new to me, I studied Chinese from a Bachelor Degree level and spent five years living in China, however at the time I had never considered it would be a path for me. The last six months I have felt a strong yearning for spiritual fulfillment and growth but I have a checkered past when it comes to religion, my parents were both agnostic and I joined the church on my own at 11, then at 18 several things happened that made me refute my Christian beliefs. I have always been a very spiritual person drawn to a wide variety of ideas, I used to do crystal meditations as a teenager and had very positive experiences with Tai Chi. Although I have tried to convince myself otherwise I can’t shake the feeling there may be “something out there” and that spiritual practice will enrich my life and fill the void I am feeling. However I find many modern religions pious and judgmental- especially about women- and in conflict with the things I consider important in life ( sexuality, peace, tolerance, passion, etc). I’ve read certain texts and watched videos that talk about Taoism as a lifestyle/ philosophy/ religion however a lot of these seem at odds with the ideas covered in the original texts. Following that winding preamble what I really want to ask is: How does Daoism impact on your life? What actions or thoughts do you believe a Daoist should/ shouldn’t do/have? How does Daoism fit in with a modern lifestyle? ( office jobs, social constructs, romantic relationships) Any advice or anecdotes would really be appreciated!

i am a noob and intrested WHERE DO I START

Has served its purpose

Hello. I am brand new to qigong. I am very poor, but through my wife's Amazon Prime account I have access to Dr. Bingkun Hu's Wild Goose series of DVD's. His series of DVD's is great, even though the form is dauntingly complex for someone like me. However, I'm curious as to the proper way to practice this. Do you practice the Wild Goose method? How did you start? How did you start your qigong practice in general? Any tips, experiences, or anecdotes are welcome. Thank you

Hello all. I've been lurking around these forums for a while now without an account, but I'm here now, ready to dive in to the wide world of qigong. I was introduced to the topic of qigong through wuxia novels. I'm well aware that the manifestation of dragons and phoenixes is outside of the realm of reality, but I've always been interested in the self-healing aspects of qigong and the numerous reports and studies that show the efficacy of the practice. Looking forward to meeting you all.

I just began reading the Tao Te Ching last year. I am completely new to Taoism. Looking forward to the journey and the becoming.

Hi everyone, I look forwad to reading your threads and learning more on daoism.

Hello everyone! I have been studying Tai Ji for over 12 years. Started at a San Diego, CA school, Jing Institute, learning Yang 24. I progressed through all compulsory forms (Yang 40, Sun 73, Wu 54, Chen 56, Competition Forms, Chen Sword, Broadsword, Staff, and that weird Kung Fu/Tai Ji Fan), won a few local tournaments. Had to move to Los Angeles for college where I practiced Karate, JJJ, Systema, Wing Chun and Bujinkan (Ninjutsu style). I never missed a week of Tai Ji practice since I started. Tai Ji is my rock. My central philosophies regarding existence, martial arts, self defense, health and leading a good life really took hold thanks to ideas and concepts I learned through Tai Ji which were derived from Taoism and Buddhism. I have been hunting for fruitful discussion conceptual discussion and have had little luck. I never aim to offend, but I am not afraid to voice my opinion. My ideal to only speak truth from my perspective and I am happy to hear other points of view. My words are just words and I would never force anyone to take my position. So please know that I do my best to begin a conversation from a place of agreement and attempt to find the point at which I and another disagree before providing evidence for my position. No need to defend a position if we both agree, right? Thank you for maintaining this forum and let us understand each other so we can grow together! -Tie Xiong Ji

Hi all... I've been a lurker here for a long time now and everything you guys share has been really helpful and I really appreciate you giving your time. Tl:Dr on the bottom. My current journey started off with Vipassana meditation (did the 10 day Goenka retreat in 2010). Then onto what is now being called as neo-advaita, power of now, observing thoughts etc. I had a brief foray into Vipassana noting practice (the Dharma overground forum and Daniel Ingram's MCTB) and while reading Ingram's book, I realised what my aim was with doing spiritual practices. Right now my aim is to be at peak performance, develop intuition and joy and peace, develop creativity bubble with vitality and health. I should also clarify that I've been battling a chronic illness through all this, and was bedridden for almost the whole of 2011. Oh yeah, and I'm 29 right now. Trying different things and gradually getting better, and I started realising the limitations of working only with energy while ignoring the physical structure, the muscles, Fascia and connective tissue that form the substrate for the energy to flow. (this is only my own insight, and I may well be wrong about the whole thing). When I started working on mobility, stretching, freeing up my pelvis and hips, I found my energy levels soaring. I started to feel the energy start to flow down my legs and feet. The heaviness in my head and brain fog started to clear, and little by little, I started coming into flow. I also experienced weird psychological reactions to the stretching, for which I could find no conventional explanation except Qi releasing. Recently, I started swaying during meditation again. Some meditation teachers told me to let it happen, others told me to keep myself still. Synchronously, I found myself back on The Daobums, reading about spontaneous Qigong. So then I decided to go deeper into the swaying. Something about it felt like a deeper part inside of me calling me. And that was the best decision I've ever made. I'm able to maintain a good flow of energy inside me, with minimal energy pooling in any one place. My body has become much more supple, like a cats. My pain and stiffness is quite now, and is easily dealt with with a session of swaying. After years of tight hamstrings, I gained 2 inches of reach and can touch my knuckles to the ground. And recently, I've been having unity experiences of bliss and joy and connectedness to everything, able to feel, quite literally, the oceans of energy around me. Of course, it didn't last, but I don't mind. Last couple of things I'm struggling with, a psoas muscle that's locked tight, and really seems to be restricting the flow of energy down my legs. And when after my spontaneous Qigong practice I place my hands on my lower Dantian, after about 20-30 minutes my lower belly and psoas starts to tremble and vibrate, and I feel it releasing. And any mental work or stimulation still tires me to no end, (which is why I've never posted before), feels like the energy starts pooling above my lower abdomen and builds up, instead of flowing down the leg, and I have to let it flow all out which takes a lot of time. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks for reading (if you made it this far!). Tl:Dr - I had chronic illness and was bedridden. A long spiritual and healing journey has finally brought me to Qigong. I have experienced fixing the structural aspects of the body such as posture, muscles, Fascia and connective tissue is amazing to optimise energy flow. I started spontaneously moving during meditation, and after reading about it on The Daobums, decided to go deeper into spontaneous Qigong practice. I feel like a new man now, energy flowing better, energy levels up, muscles looser and stronger and having unity experiences occasionally. Last couple of things I'm struggling with, a psoas muscle that's locked tight, and really seems to be restricting the flow of energy down my legs. And when after my spontaneous Qigong practice I place my hands on my lower Dantian, after about 20-30 minutes my lower belly and psoas starts to tremble and vibrate, and I feel it releasing. And any mental work or stimulation still tires me to no end, (which is why I've never posted before), feels like the energy starts pooling above my lower abdomen and builds up, instead of flowing down the leg, and I have to let it flow all out which takes a lot of time. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Love, urbanyogi

Hello all! I've read this forum on and off for a while, but now I'm starting a new stretch of the trail and it's time to engage a little more actively. I'm 30-something, living in the Southeastern USA. I read widely, grow most of my own food, drink a lot of craft beer and good bourbon, work at home, play too much chess, and a few other things. I'm focusing right now on my own development, and I'm hoping what I learn here will help me do so. It's nice to meet all of you!

I occasionally end up here when searching for topics related to the internal arts, so it would be good to be able to join in the discussions. The tone here is very positive and informed compared to other forums I've seen, so it looks like a great place to hang out. I'm an occasional Moy/Taoist style tai chi and lok hup practitioner and am about to start up regular yiquan practice. Looking forward to future discussions.

Hi, You can call me Azure, I am a newly practicing Taoist Internal arts in the lineage of Master Zhongxian Wu. Speficially Mt. Emui Sage Qigong and Dai Family Heart-Mind Xian Yi. My background is as a massage and craniosacral therapist. A natural empath/inuitive Piscean type. I was first drawn to the world of energetic medicine as a teen mostly as an act of self preservation (being highly overwhlemed by psychic stimuli and not knowing why). It is now a deep source of passion and internal strength. I also am very interested in the "Green Path" or Bioregional Animism here in my home of the Pacific Northwest USA. That is working with indigenous plant spirits and forming animistic connections to the land. This includes the ingestion of entheogens, which is also a passion of mine I am happy to discuss. I joined this forum to converse with like minded individuals such as yourselves and gain clarity in the vast world of Taoism. Also I play the didgiridoo fluently and throat sing

Hello everybody my name is Richard and I've been meditating for many years. The last 10 years has been quite committed with daily practice and 3 silent retreats a year. I've been a surbanite most of my life with a large mortgage and family but I've slowly been simplifying life and would say I'm a yogi in transition. I have two kiddies at university and at the beginning of the year passed my house onto my wife. Alas she did not share or understand the path/journey so we separated. It's sad but I was never very good at convincing her that going off on a retreat benefitted all of us... In fact if the truth be known it's so tricky to be with a spouse who doesn't have a spiritual practice and I didn't handle it very well. They do become your greatest teacher! A friend of mine pointed me to the dao bums forum and I thought I'd check it out to see how everybody is getting on. I hope you're all finding your way and peace and love to you all. x

Hi, firstly I'd like to say that I'm glad that I've found this place, it's filled with lots of information and good (and not so good) people Before I go into telling the story I'd like to state my goal first, which is finding evidence that this force within really exists (chi, qi, life force) whichever term works for you, but I have no idea what I'm doing so any input is highly appreciated. 1. journeys out of the body robert monroe http://www.amazon.com/Journeys-Out-Body-Robert-Monroe/dp/0385008619 I started out with this book, the author seemed like a pragmatic man (not too crazy) so I said, why not give it a try. The method he describes there is pretty simple, you relax, close your eyes, stay on your back with your head direction north (would be nice to find out why exactly north but..), then you focus your attention above your eyes, about where your hands would be if you'd stretch them out, and after a while you move your attention somewhere above your head (I'd say where you crown chakra is but I'm not sure) and wait for a miracle to happen. didn't have any success with this, but I'm still trying from time to time I'm also playing with this 2. John Chang (Mo Pai) http://spiritualteachers.proboards.com/thread/1320 I tried to do what that guy said there for the first level for about a month, and realized that there's no way that I can empty my mind just like that, so I'm doing something different right now. I'm sitting in half lotus, breathing in through the nose, "forcing" in as much air as I can, until I reach a point that I feel some kind of pressure around that point where the lower dantien (I meant to say solar plexus) is supposed to be, and when breathing out I'm pulling in my stomach and huiyin (perineum) until I fell the pressure in the same place. I like this more then just trying to empty your mind because, I have a point at which to focus and the second one is after a while of doing this kind of breathing I transpire a lot but only in that region (around the abdomen and lower back) which is a good sign, right ? 3. Opening the Dragon Gate: The Making of a modern Taoist Wizard I stopped reading this one after I saw that you have to be able to sit in full lotus for at least 4 hours (which took that guy around half a year to achieve), and I'm only able to do half lotus for ~2 hours max, and even that feels like torture What do you guys think ? (I'm sorry that I've made you read all that)

Hi everyone, I'm new here, as you can probably tell. My significant other has been a member for quite some time, and is quite active here, so I figured I'd give it a shot. I'm quite interested in Alchemy, and I'm working on a few things at the moment. It'll be a few weeks before they're ready. Maybe, if all goes well, I could start some discussions about my projects. Heh, maybe if it doesn't, I could still talk about it and see if anyone has advice or something. I've read quite a few books on the subject, but I'm finally starting to actually walk the path. I'm one of those people who likes to know as much about something as they can before they actually approach it (I think it's my Rat nature, my Chinese Zodiac sign, lol). It's an odd topic, so I doubt here's the place to really go in depth on it. I'm also interested in Yoga. Mostly the philosophical, devotional, and mystic side of it. Not so much into Hatha yoga, seeing as how I don't have money for classes and I've seen people injure themselves doing it on their own. I perform Bhakti yoga, being devoted to lord Shiva. Y'know, puja, mudra, mantra, japa, etc. I feel as though the Shiva Sutras have made a pretty big impact on my life. I also decided to practice brahmacharya, so I've deleted all my porn, stopped going to dating/sex sites, and am trying to be more conservative about the type of media I take in. Heh, I probably sound like a prudish weirdo now, but I've got to admit, this is a huge change for me. I've also practiced witchcraft since I was about 13 or so. I was heavily into Wicca back then, but after many years I realized that it just didn't click with me. I didn't feel satisfied, fulfilled, or like I was making any personal/spiritual/psychological/whatever progress. Sure, I could cast some spells and get results, but it wasn't really making me "evolve", if you know what I'm getting at. I want to be a better person, bring good things to myself and those around me, and impact the world in a profoundly positive way. I feel like Wicca is a good way to feel good about yourself, and maybe get in tune with the natural cycles of the Earth, but I couldn't really find a way to get much deeper than that. Maybe it's just me, and if it is, that's totally fine. If the system works for you, I'm very happy for you! I'm not trying to negate anyone else's beliefs or systems, I'm just stating my own personal experience, that's all. I hope no one takes what I'm saying as an attack. All that said, I have found that some of the practices are pretty much the same regardless of what path you're on, and are quite effective for obtaining specific goals. So yeah, still in "witchcraft". Aside from that, I also make herbal medicine. Really into tinctures, salves, teas, etc. I've been told that some of my medicines are pretty effective. It makes me really happy to be able to help people. If I had some way to make that my life's work, I'd do it. Sadly, I don't see it ever being more than just a simple hobby. Anyway, I'm mostly here to see if I can get more insight into Alchemy and Yoga. Thank you.

Hello, Sorry this is long, but I've doing Zhan Zhuang alone for while and am reaching out with my experiences to see if they are normal. My name is Michael and I'm from Australia. I've gotten some handy inspiration and leads from reading this forum, so I also want to say thanks and hi. About two years ago I did some internal martial arts training for few months, until my work schedule changed and I couldn't make the classes at all. That was fine, I thought I would just do other styles of excersise. Time passed and gradually, I couldn't stop thinking about the brief Zhan Zhuang we did at the start of each class. They never went into much detail, other than saying it was important and to relax my shoulders more. Anyway I started doing it again, working up to half an hour. It left me feeling, on the whole, so good. Like a free massage, though sometimes my knees would ache a little. I stoped for a bit when things got hectic at work, but now I've started up again and things feel much more intense. My spine sometimes fills up with a feeling of pure pleasure that somehow feels golden in colour and radiates into the rest of my body. At other times, the solar plexus glows with a pleasure that fills my rib cages. Sometimes the area just under my belly button seems to hum softly with a feeling of ease. At other times my rib cage seems to suddenly relax and I spontaneously start breathing so deeply and freely and it just feels so good. Sometime when I breath out, my arms want to push out, and when I breath in they feel sucked in. There are so many bizzare things like this, the list could go on. When the pleasure arrives, I feel like I've been carrying around a burden for years and I've finally put it down. Of course at other times I do it and my mind does not settle and not much happens other than feeling a bit relaxed. Often it is just 30 mins of my brain saying 'Just put your arms down and stop,' or 'I think your timer is broken, you better stop and check or you could end up standing here all day' Each morning i feel like I'm heading off on an adventure, not sure what I'm going to see or feel, even though I'm just standing there 'holding the ball'. My questions are: are those pleasure experiences 'qi'? Is it wierd that sometimes they come and sometimes they don't? Am I meant to be doing anything other than relaxing while holding the posture, quietening the mind and seeing what happens? I've read that qi is felt as warmth, and sometimes my head, arms and hands feel warm, but those other experiences don't involve warmth really. Thanks for making it to the bottom of my post I'd appreciate your thoughts if you're willing. Michael.