Category:T'ai Chi Ch'uan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:T%27ai_Chi_Ch%27uan
Full Version: The T'ai Chi Corner ......
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Do not dwell in the past ....
Do not dream of the future ....
Concentrate the mind ....
On the present moment.
~Buddha
Do not dream of the future ....
Concentrate the mind ....
On the present moment.
~Buddha
What is it that is going on in this thread?
What is the point of all these posts?
And the answer to those questions must come from yourself ....
For the purpose of this thread is to provoke thought ....
Mine and yours, both ...
And it must be noted that this thread is about "T'ai Chi" as a philosophical concept ....
A dynamic "BALANCE" between heaven and earth ....
There is also t'ai chi ch'uan, which is the "FIST" of t'ai chi ....
A multi-dimensional martial art that comes to us from the philosophical concept of t'ai chi ....
But I do not talk about the CH'UAN or "FIST" in here all that much ...
Not because I can't ...
But because the thread just seems to keep leading me in another "YIN" direction, based upon the FIVE REGULATINGS which serve as the underpinnings of all CHI GONGS, which include t'ai chi ch'uan ....
And so ...
The goals of this thread are to promote and provoke patience and equanimity ....
For if you have those qualities or attributes ....
You really don't need much else in life to keep you sustained ....
And so ....
What is the point of all these posts?
And the answer to those questions must come from yourself ....
For the purpose of this thread is to provoke thought ....
Mine and yours, both ...
And it must be noted that this thread is about "T'ai Chi" as a philosophical concept ....
A dynamic "BALANCE" between heaven and earth ....
There is also t'ai chi ch'uan, which is the "FIST" of t'ai chi ....
A multi-dimensional martial art that comes to us from the philosophical concept of t'ai chi ....
But I do not talk about the CH'UAN or "FIST" in here all that much ...
Not because I can't ...
But because the thread just seems to keep leading me in another "YIN" direction, based upon the FIVE REGULATINGS which serve as the underpinnings of all CHI GONGS, which include t'ai chi ch'uan ....
And so ...
The goals of this thread are to promote and provoke patience and equanimity ....
For if you have those qualities or attributes ....
You really don't need much else in life to keep you sustained ....
And so ....
QUOTE(Livyjr @ May 10 2006, 07:15 PM) 
"Because the sage always confronts difficulties ..."
"He (SHE) never experiences them ...."
- Lao Tze, Tao Te Ching
And so ....
A thought for the evening ...
To just let "settle in" ...
And so ....
"He (SHE) never experiences them ...."
- Lao Tze, Tao Te Ching
And so ....
A thought for the evening ...
To just let "settle in" ...
And so ....
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Jul 10 2007, 07:43 AM)
This world and this society are competitive!
Tao uses the metaphor of the warrior to meet that competition.
Warriors never yield to their opponents.
They may sidestep, but they do not give way.
Whether you are a lawyer, police officer, fire fighter, doctor, businessperson, athlete, or any one of numerous other professions, you compete against either other people or natural forces.
But there is a right way and a wrong way to compete.
Avoid anger and greed.
Use concentration and awareness.
Coincidentally, concentration and awareness are also necessary for spirituality!
That is why the follower of Tao (path or course of life's continuing evolution) incorporates the way of the warrior into training.
The warrior and the sage both seek to transcend emotion and petty thinking, to perfect themselves, and to live lives of the deepest truth.
BUT WHEN OUTSIDE THE ARENA, DO NOT FORGET TO BE KIND!
Leave behind competitive aggression!
You must still have awareness, concentration and reflex, but the expression will be different.
Your compassion must not falter!
That is why the combination of the way of the warrior with the way of Tao is the ultimate symbol of versatility.
Such a follower of Tao commands the extremes of the universe.
- Deng, Ming-Dao
Tao uses the metaphor of the warrior to meet that competition.
Warriors never yield to their opponents.
They may sidestep, but they do not give way.
Whether you are a lawyer, police officer, fire fighter, doctor, businessperson, athlete, or any one of numerous other professions, you compete against either other people or natural forces.
But there is a right way and a wrong way to compete.
Avoid anger and greed.
Use concentration and awareness.
Coincidentally, concentration and awareness are also necessary for spirituality!
That is why the follower of Tao (path or course of life's continuing evolution) incorporates the way of the warrior into training.
The warrior and the sage both seek to transcend emotion and petty thinking, to perfect themselves, and to live lives of the deepest truth.
BUT WHEN OUTSIDE THE ARENA, DO NOT FORGET TO BE KIND!
Leave behind competitive aggression!
You must still have awareness, concentration and reflex, but the expression will be different.
Your compassion must not falter!
That is why the combination of the way of the warrior with the way of Tao is the ultimate symbol of versatility.
Such a follower of Tao commands the extremes of the universe.
- Deng, Ming-Dao
SAGE: wise through reflection and experience ....
Proceeding from or characterized by wisdom, prudence and good judgment ...
One distinguished for wisdom ...
SAGACIOUS: keen in sense perception ...
Of keen and far-sighted penetration and judgment ...
Discerning ...
Caused by or indicating acute discernment ...
DISCERNMENT: the quality of being able to grasp and comprehend what is obscure ...
- Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary
WHY?
Why do I post words in here, and their definitions?
BECAUSE ....
Because words form thoughts ....
Because words also DIRECT the direction that thoughts will go in, like arrows shot from a bow ....
And because words do not always have a common meaning, especially as this thread is read not only by people here in America, but by people in other parts of the world as well, who might not have access to the same "source" for definitions as to the words I use in here ...
And so ...
COMMONALITY!
By posting these definitions, I am making plain what meanings that I am giving to words ....
And thus, I am making clear the direction of my own thoughts in here ....
Which, as always, you do not have to agree with ....
All I ask is that you do think about things that are said in here ....
For I say nothing in here that is frivolous ....
All has meaning and intent behind it ....
But since we are all at different places and stages in our individual lives ....
At this moment in time ...
IT IS YOU WHO MUST DETERMINE FOR YOURSELF WHAT ANY OF THIS MIGHT MEAN ...
TO YOU ...
And so ...
In closing, thank you, all of you who have been following this thread along these last few years ....
Without your continued interest ....
None of this would be possible ...
And so ....
Why do I post words in here, and their definitions?
BECAUSE ....
Because words form thoughts ....
Because words also DIRECT the direction that thoughts will go in, like arrows shot from a bow ....
And because words do not always have a common meaning, especially as this thread is read not only by people here in America, but by people in other parts of the world as well, who might not have access to the same "source" for definitions as to the words I use in here ...
And so ...
COMMONALITY!
By posting these definitions, I am making plain what meanings that I am giving to words ....
And thus, I am making clear the direction of my own thoughts in here ....
Which, as always, you do not have to agree with ....
All I ask is that you do think about things that are said in here ....
For I say nothing in here that is frivolous ....
All has meaning and intent behind it ....
But since we are all at different places and stages in our individual lives ....
At this moment in time ...
IT IS YOU WHO MUST DETERMINE FOR YOURSELF WHAT ANY OF THIS MIGHT MEAN ...
TO YOU ...
And so ...
In closing, thank you, all of you who have been following this thread along these last few years ....
Without your continued interest ....
None of this would be possible ...
And so ....
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Feb 11 2008, 07:53 AM)
DISCERNMENT: the quality of being able to grasp and comprehend what is obscure ...
- Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary
- Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary
BUT LIVYJR, WHY DO WE NEED TO KNOW WORDS IN ORDER TO LEARN T'AI CHI?
And that answer is because words form thoughts ....
And thoughts provide direction ....
And because t'ai chi is something that can and does exist on many levels ....
And somewhere along the line, those levels cannot be attained without the guidance of words ....
For as one advances in life, and t'ai chi, the movements themselves become more and more subtle, until it appears to the observer that there aren't any movements at all ....
And so ...
And in response to this above post, my good freind TaiChiLady sends us this ....
"The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug."
The difference between words makes a lot of difference in the teaching of t'ai chi and chi gong here in America because we are dealing with human minds and bodies ....
And the wrong words can get people physically hurt ...
Or mentally mis-directed, so as to send them down frustrating dead-ends ....
Perhaps one of the biggest challenges for the Chinese who have knowledge in these areas is trying to translate that knowledge over into English in such a way that the translation is not totally meaningless to us over here ....
And here, the concept of t'ai chi being an "internal" art comes to mind, since the word "internal" carries with it too many extraneous meanings to us over here ....
And there are "natural world" implications as well ....
For example, the concept of how bamboo can bend under loads and sway before the wind without breaking ...
In China, they have forests of bamboo to observe ....
Whereas up here where I am, anyway, bamboo waving in the breeze has to be solely a mental conjure, since there is no bamboo up here where I am, at all ...
And the same goes for tiger forms, and such ...
We don't have tigers in the natural world over here, only in zoos, so the concepts that the forms are based upon in some part are not readily accessible or available to us .....
And so ....
Words ....
Yes ....
The wrong ones can make a big difference in your life ....
Just as the more correct or proper ones can ...
And so ...
"The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug."
The difference between words makes a lot of difference in the teaching of t'ai chi and chi gong here in America because we are dealing with human minds and bodies ....
And the wrong words can get people physically hurt ...
Or mentally mis-directed, so as to send them down frustrating dead-ends ....
Perhaps one of the biggest challenges for the Chinese who have knowledge in these areas is trying to translate that knowledge over into English in such a way that the translation is not totally meaningless to us over here ....
And here, the concept of t'ai chi being an "internal" art comes to mind, since the word "internal" carries with it too many extraneous meanings to us over here ....
And there are "natural world" implications as well ....
For example, the concept of how bamboo can bend under loads and sway before the wind without breaking ...
In China, they have forests of bamboo to observe ....
Whereas up here where I am, anyway, bamboo waving in the breeze has to be solely a mental conjure, since there is no bamboo up here where I am, at all ...
And the same goes for tiger forms, and such ...
We don't have tigers in the natural world over here, only in zoos, so the concepts that the forms are based upon in some part are not readily accessible or available to us .....
And so ....
Words ....
Yes ....
The wrong ones can make a big difference in your life ....
Just as the more correct or proper ones can ...
And so ...
Words have the power ....
To both destroy ...
And heal .....
When words are both true ...
And kind ....
They ....
Can change ....
Our world ....
To both destroy ...
And heal .....
When words are both true ...
And kind ....
They ....
Can change ....
Our world ....
The purpose ...
Of meditation ...
Is not to concentrate on the breath ....
Without interruption, forever ....
That by itself ...
Would be a useless goal ....
The purpose ...
Of meditation ....
Is not to achieve a perfectly still ...
And serene mind ....
Although a lovely state ....
It doesn't lead to liberation by itself ....
The purpose ...
Of meditation ...
Is to achieve ....
Uninterrupted mindfulness ....
Mindfulness ....
And only mindfulness ...
Produces Enlightenment ...
Of meditation ...
Is not to concentrate on the breath ....
Without interruption, forever ....
That by itself ...
Would be a useless goal ....
The purpose ...
Of meditation ....
Is not to achieve a perfectly still ...
And serene mind ....
Although a lovely state ....
It doesn't lead to liberation by itself ....
The purpose ...
Of meditation ...
Is to achieve ....
Uninterrupted mindfulness ....
Mindfulness ....
And only mindfulness ...
Produces Enlightenment ...
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Feb 15 2008, 07:11 AM)
The purpose ...
Of meditation ...
Is not to concentrate on the breath ....
Without interruption, forever ....
That by itself ...
Would be a useless goal .....
Of meditation ...
Is not to concentrate on the breath ....
Without interruption, forever ....
That by itself ...
Would be a useless goal .....
In the theory of chi gong, and by extension. t'ai chi, the breath is considered to be a "strategy" ....
And in its broadest sense, a "strategy" can be considered as a tool ....
Something that you have handy and can use for some specific purpose, when a tool is needed ....
And recall that in here, our underlying theme remains the FIVE REGULATINGS ...
No matter where this thread veers or meanders ....
Underneath it all is and remains the FIVE REGULATINGS ....
* Regulate the body
* Regulate the breath
* Regulate the mind
* Regulate the chi
* Regulate the spirit
BUT ....
The goal is to be able to remain regulated without having to continually be regulating ....
"REGULATING" is but a phase or stage in a life-long process ....
It is a lot like training a small tree to become a bonsai ....
Once you have achieved the desired "shape" or "outcome" ....
Then the shaping process of necessity must come to an end ....
And something new begins ....
That is how life seems to work ....
And since we are but a part of life ....
Well ...
And so ....
The Te of the Tao Te Ching - Te is virtue.
“The Chinese refer to seeds as personal power, for they have the power to spring forth as new life.”
‘Te means choosing truth above ego.”
“Te means being more of ourselves, not an imitation of someone else.”
“Te is the mixture of compassion and detachment.”
“Te means living with, commitment, realizing that life is continuous change, that even failure brings us closer to the truth.”
“Te means daring to live life deliberately.”
‘Te means living with courage of our convictions, transcending social norms.”
“Te is the way of the dragon, leaving old assumptions, conventions, and prejudices far behind us.”
“Te means never losing ourselves in a group, a job, a relationship.”
- From The Tao of Inner Peace by Diane Draher
“The Chinese refer to seeds as personal power, for they have the power to spring forth as new life.”
‘Te means choosing truth above ego.”
“Te means being more of ourselves, not an imitation of someone else.”
“Te is the mixture of compassion and detachment.”
“Te means living with, commitment, realizing that life is continuous change, that even failure brings us closer to the truth.”
“Te means daring to live life deliberately.”
‘Te means living with courage of our convictions, transcending social norms.”
“Te is the way of the dragon, leaving old assumptions, conventions, and prejudices far behind us.”
“Te means never losing ourselves in a group, a job, a relationship.”
- From The Tao of Inner Peace by Diane Draher
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Feb 18 2008, 07:49 AM)
“Te means living with, commitment, realizing that life is continuous change, that even failure brings us closer to the truth.”
“Te is the way of the dragon, leaving old assumptions, conventions, and prejudices far behind us.”
- From The Tao of Inner Peace by Diane Draher
“Te is the way of the dragon, leaving old assumptions, conventions, and prejudices far behind us.”
- From The Tao of Inner Peace by Diane Draher
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Jul 10 2007, 07:43 AM)
This world and this society are competitive!
Tao uses the metaphor of the warrior to meet that competition.
Warriors never yield to their opponents.
They may sidestep, but they do not give way.
Whether you are a lawyer, police officer, fire fighter, doctor, businessperson, athlete, or any one of numerous other professions, you compete against either other people or natural forces.
But there is a right way and a wrong way to compete.
Avoid anger and greed.
Use concentration and awareness.
Coincidentally, concentration and awareness are also necessary for spirituality!
That is why the follower of Tao (path or course of life's continuing evolution) incorporates the way of the warrior into training.
The warrior and the sage both seek to transcend emotion and petty thinking, to perfect themselves, and to live lives of the deepest truth.
BUT WHEN OUTSIDE THE ARENA, DO NOT FORGET TO BE KIND!
Leave behind competitive aggression!
You must still have awareness, concentration and reflex, but the expression will be different.
Your compassion must not falter!
That is why the combination of the way of the warrior with the way of Tao is the ultimate symbol of versatility.
Such a follower of Tao commands the extremes of the universe.
- Deng, Ming-Dao
Tao uses the metaphor of the warrior to meet that competition.
Warriors never yield to their opponents.
They may sidestep, but they do not give way.
Whether you are a lawyer, police officer, fire fighter, doctor, businessperson, athlete, or any one of numerous other professions, you compete against either other people or natural forces.
But there is a right way and a wrong way to compete.
Avoid anger and greed.
Use concentration and awareness.
Coincidentally, concentration and awareness are also necessary for spirituality!
That is why the follower of Tao (path or course of life's continuing evolution) incorporates the way of the warrior into training.
The warrior and the sage both seek to transcend emotion and petty thinking, to perfect themselves, and to live lives of the deepest truth.
BUT WHEN OUTSIDE THE ARENA, DO NOT FORGET TO BE KIND!
Leave behind competitive aggression!
You must still have awareness, concentration and reflex, but the expression will be different.
Your compassion must not falter!
That is why the combination of the way of the warrior with the way of Tao is the ultimate symbol of versatility.
Such a follower of Tao commands the extremes of the universe.
- Deng, Ming-Dao
IF THERE ARE FIVE REGULATINGS, THEN WHAT IS IT THAT IS BEING REGULATED?
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Feb 18 2008, 07:49 AM)
“The Chinese refer to seeds as personal power, for they have the power to spring forth as new life.”
- From The Tao of Inner Peace by Diane Draher
- From The Tao of Inner Peace by Diane Draher
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Feb 19 2008, 07:34 AM)
IF THERE ARE FIVE REGULATINGS, THEN WHAT IS IT THAT IS BEING REGULATED?
If you look at the FIVE REGULATINGS as the spokes of a wheel radiating outwards ....
YOU are at the hub ....
YOU being the totality of yourself ...
What you presently are ...
What you can yet become ...
YOU are the "seed" in the center that you are nurturing by practicing the FIVE REGULATINGS ...
And so ...
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Sep 12 2005, 05:17 PM)
Way back in the beginning, for me, was pain!
Just pain!
Which is what my mind was focused on ....
And it was a huge distraction ...
And my body would feel as if I was on fire, at times, or my heart would be racing ....
Or I would feel as if I could not breathe .....
Just pain!
Which is what my mind was focused on ....
And it was a huge distraction ...
And my body would feel as if I was on fire, at times, or my heart would be racing ....
Or I would feel as if I could not breathe .....
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Nov 14 2005, 05:09 PM)
When I got back to here from Viet Nam, and began to adjust to being in a non-combat environment, which is to say, go through a period of adrenaline withdrawal, I began to go through periods of where I would feel as though I were on fire, or my heart would be beating like a trip hammer ....
And I wouldn't have a clue as to what was going on ....
As it would be happening, I would be experiencing it, which is to say, having whatever emotional reactions that would come from this essentially "out-of-control" situation of the physical body, at least with respect to the heart, anyway, since it is difficult to say where the "hot flashes" were really located, whether in the body at all, or fully in the mind ....
Anyway, at some point in this set of recurrences, I began to get out ahead of the curve, as it were, so that when one of these episodes would be coming on me, at least I would be aware of the transition, and so it was to be ....
And gradually, I was able to discern a cycle associated with all of this, and that got me involved in a study of the endocrine system in the human body, which I personally view as the "control system" for our "selves", and out of that comes the "practice" that I engage in, to this day, over thirty years later ....
And I wouldn't have a clue as to what was going on ....
As it would be happening, I would be experiencing it, which is to say, having whatever emotional reactions that would come from this essentially "out-of-control" situation of the physical body, at least with respect to the heart, anyway, since it is difficult to say where the "hot flashes" were really located, whether in the body at all, or fully in the mind ....
Anyway, at some point in this set of recurrences, I began to get out ahead of the curve, as it were, so that when one of these episodes would be coming on me, at least I would be aware of the transition, and so it was to be ....
And gradually, I was able to discern a cycle associated with all of this, and that got me involved in a study of the endocrine system in the human body, which I personally view as the "control system" for our "selves", and out of that comes the "practice" that I engage in, to this day, over thirty years later ....
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Dec 21 2005, 09:03 AM)
WINTER
At the winter solstice, the day is shortest of all and night is longest.
It can also be a time of bitter cold.
The wind blows with a frigid ferocity, cutting all before it.
Snow and ice become deadly.
Those who are homeless die of exposure.
Even the mightiest of trees can split from the drop in temperature.
The sound of a tree snapping is a sudden slap.
The horrors, the tragedies that this nadir brings.
Winter tortures the world with icy whips, and those who are weak are ground beneath its glacial heels.
Sometimes, we dare not even lament those who die in the onslaught of winter, in fear that the tears will freeze upon our faces.
But we see, and hear.
Huddling closer to the fire, we vow to survive.
-Deng, Ming-Dao
At the winter solstice, the day is shortest of all and night is longest.
It can also be a time of bitter cold.
The wind blows with a frigid ferocity, cutting all before it.
Snow and ice become deadly.
Those who are homeless die of exposure.
Even the mightiest of trees can split from the drop in temperature.
The sound of a tree snapping is a sudden slap.
The horrors, the tragedies that this nadir brings.
Winter tortures the world with icy whips, and those who are weak are ground beneath its glacial heels.
Sometimes, we dare not even lament those who die in the onslaught of winter, in fear that the tears will freeze upon our faces.
But we see, and hear.
Huddling closer to the fire, we vow to survive.
-Deng, Ming-Dao
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Dec 24 2005, 07:17 PM)
The Day's Closing - Evenings
From the beginning of time, a richly colored twinge of dusk touching the eastern horizon, the lengthening of shadows, and the appearance of the evening's first star have let us know that it was time to rest, relax, and retire from the pressures of the day.
From the beginning of time, a richly colored twinge of dusk touching the eastern horizon, the lengthening of shadows, and the appearance of the evening's first star have let us know that it was time to rest, relax, and retire from the pressures of the day.
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Dec 26 2005, 04:19 PM)
I myself am a strong believer in the philosophy stated in this one sentence in blue above here ....
And especially the part about "retire from the pressures of the day ....."
Like a fire being banked for the evening, it is good to "bank our minds" at the close of day, as well ......
GO YIN .......
If not disciplined, by us, the mind simply remains undisciplined ......
And so, "going yin" means imposing that upon yourself as a discipline, and that can only be successfully done if you find benefit in the doing of it, and so ....
If we stay active right up until the end of day, and then we cannot sleep, perhaps the two are related in some way .....
For me, living out in the country with a wood fire for heat, going yin at the end of the day revolves around making sure the fire is set for the night .....
And that cannot be done in a hurried manner .....
A good wood fire is a function of the person who is trying to burn the wood ....
And wood burns as it will, depending upon the conditions of that exact moment, and so .....
Patience is taught when burning wood for heat ....
But only if you let it be so ....
Beyond that, my thought is that gazing upon the flames at the close of day is therapeutic, as well .....
Going yin means retaining no ill thoughts from the day to carry over into the evening hours, and so, release them to the flames .....
Simply let loose, and be free for the remainder of that day ....
If at the close of the day, there is something that you did not get done that day, and it is now beyond your reach, well, what is it that you can do about it, then?
Will you somehow be better off the next day if you have fretted about this, all night long, because you could not sleep?
If the answer is no .....
As for me, when I have seen to the fire for the evening, then I sit and read ......
No TV on ....
No noise ....
No distractions .....
And no ill-thoughts ....
If there are ill-thoughts entering, it is not yin, and so ....
And especially the part about "retire from the pressures of the day ....."
Like a fire being banked for the evening, it is good to "bank our minds" at the close of day, as well ......
GO YIN .......
If not disciplined, by us, the mind simply remains undisciplined ......
And so, "going yin" means imposing that upon yourself as a discipline, and that can only be successfully done if you find benefit in the doing of it, and so ....
If we stay active right up until the end of day, and then we cannot sleep, perhaps the two are related in some way .....
For me, living out in the country with a wood fire for heat, going yin at the end of the day revolves around making sure the fire is set for the night .....
And that cannot be done in a hurried manner .....
A good wood fire is a function of the person who is trying to burn the wood ....
And wood burns as it will, depending upon the conditions of that exact moment, and so .....
Patience is taught when burning wood for heat ....
But only if you let it be so ....
Beyond that, my thought is that gazing upon the flames at the close of day is therapeutic, as well .....
Going yin means retaining no ill thoughts from the day to carry over into the evening hours, and so, release them to the flames .....
Simply let loose, and be free for the remainder of that day ....
If at the close of the day, there is something that you did not get done that day, and it is now beyond your reach, well, what is it that you can do about it, then?
Will you somehow be better off the next day if you have fretted about this, all night long, because you could not sleep?
If the answer is no .....
As for me, when I have seen to the fire for the evening, then I sit and read ......
No TV on ....
No noise ....
No distractions .....
And no ill-thoughts ....
If there are ill-thoughts entering, it is not yin, and so ....
KAN ....
And LI .....
FIRE ....
And WATER ....
Powerful mental concepts ...
That underlie the practice of chi gong and t'ai chi ....
And are related to YIN ...
And YANG ....
And SHEN ...
The SPIRIT OF VITALITY ....
Your "control tower", as it were ....
And so ...
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Feb 21 2008, 07:58 AM)
KAN ....
And LI .....
FIRE ....
And WATER ....
Powerful mental concepts ...
That underlie the practice of chi gong and t'ai chi ....
And LI .....
FIRE ....
And WATER ....
Powerful mental concepts ...
That underlie the practice of chi gong and t'ai chi ....
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Feb 13 2006, 09:37 AM)
As I have stated in here before, I first came across the "CONCEPT" of t'ai chi in a footnote in something that I was studying at that time, this being around 1975 or a little later, that was related to physics, and thermodynamics, and energy ....
From OUR "modern" perspective .....
Which stems from the early-1900's actually ....
And comes to us from Europe ....
And from the minds of some people over there ....
Who somehow saw into what is all around us ...
Just as the Taoists did back in China some 2500 or more years ago .....
In the modern study of energy from the perspective of an engineer, which is what I am by training, there are always "losses" present in dynamic systems ....
And those "losses" result in "operating efficiencies" that can actually be quite low, compared to the "energy potential" that a certain amount of "fuel" contains within it that is going into that "dynamic system" to cause it to operate in the first place .....
And those "losses" are largely unrecoverable, in theory, anyway ....
That "energy" simply goes away ...
To where, nobody really knows ....
And so ....
Against this "modern backdrop", this author brought in the concept of t'ai chi in a footnote as a "conservative, balanced system" .....
Which theorectically is possible ...
But supposedly not in reality ...
Which of course got to me to thinking about that ...
And why that could or should be so ....
And those thoughts led me on and on and on ...
To the here and now of right now ...
Where I am sitting typing these words onto this virtual piece of paper in here ....
For a long time, in "western" science, there was this concept of the "observer", and the "observed" .....
As if the presence of the "observer" had no effect on what was being "observed" ....
And to be "scientific", as an "observer", you were supposed to be detached from the world that was being observed .....
Which really means that you are not participating in life ....
And that you are not really a part of it ...
And so ....
A gulf ....
The "observer" on one side ...
The "observed" on the other ....
And never the twain shall meet .....
And then came along modern physics .....
And quantum mechanics ....
And the unified field theory ....
And all of a sudden ...
There we all were ...
Right back in ancient China ...
2500 years ago ....
And so ....
Mind-sets were changed ...
And in some cases, radically so ....
Because in "reality", the observer and the observed can never truly be separate ...
And that brings us around to these "thought experiments" that I talk about in here ....
A rational means and methodology that allows us to actually "explore" the power of our own minds ...
In a safe and sound manner ...
Where we are never not in the "driver's seat" ....
And so ....
From OUR "modern" perspective .....
Which stems from the early-1900's actually ....
And comes to us from Europe ....
And from the minds of some people over there ....
Who somehow saw into what is all around us ...
Just as the Taoists did back in China some 2500 or more years ago .....
In the modern study of energy from the perspective of an engineer, which is what I am by training, there are always "losses" present in dynamic systems ....
And those "losses" result in "operating efficiencies" that can actually be quite low, compared to the "energy potential" that a certain amount of "fuel" contains within it that is going into that "dynamic system" to cause it to operate in the first place .....
And those "losses" are largely unrecoverable, in theory, anyway ....
That "energy" simply goes away ...
To where, nobody really knows ....
And so ....
Against this "modern backdrop", this author brought in the concept of t'ai chi in a footnote as a "conservative, balanced system" .....
Which theorectically is possible ...
But supposedly not in reality ...
Which of course got to me to thinking about that ...
And why that could or should be so ....
And those thoughts led me on and on and on ...
To the here and now of right now ...
Where I am sitting typing these words onto this virtual piece of paper in here ....
For a long time, in "western" science, there was this concept of the "observer", and the "observed" .....
As if the presence of the "observer" had no effect on what was being "observed" ....
And to be "scientific", as an "observer", you were supposed to be detached from the world that was being observed .....
Which really means that you are not participating in life ....
And that you are not really a part of it ...
And so ....
A gulf ....
The "observer" on one side ...
The "observed" on the other ....
And never the twain shall meet .....
And then came along modern physics .....
And quantum mechanics ....
And the unified field theory ....
And all of a sudden ...
There we all were ...
Right back in ancient China ...
2500 years ago ....
And so ....
Mind-sets were changed ...
And in some cases, radically so ....
Because in "reality", the observer and the observed can never truly be separate ...
And that brings us around to these "thought experiments" that I talk about in here ....
A rational means and methodology that allows us to actually "explore" the power of our own minds ...
In a safe and sound manner ...
Where we are never not in the "driver's seat" ....
And so ....
QUOTE('Livyjr' date='Feb 12 2006 @ 10:04 AM' post='491856')
To me, a disabled combat veteran who has been "wrestling" with being an "injured" human being now for over thirty years ....
This concept of "control of the mind" has been my "savior" in a lot of ways ....
And so ....
Somewhere along the line .....
The thought came to me to start this thread ...
And so I did ....
To begin a "discussion" on this subject ....
Simply for the sake of putting this information "out there" ....
While at the same time ...
Making a serious attempt to deal with and clear up misconceptions that I am aware of people having about this subject ...
Based upon my own experiences with them ...
Over these last thirty years or so ....
Too often, when we hear of this subject of "mind control", automatically, we are thinking of some kind of "brain-washing" ....
Or some other type of "control drama" ....
Of where we are being taken over and manipulated ....
By external forces ...
For their purposes ...
Which might not be our own ...
And that indeed can be so ....
Which is why I have this thread running ...
I personally made my way "over" to t'ai chi and chi gong precisely because I was getting tired of the "DANCE" ....
Going here ...
Going there ...
Looking for "THE CURE" ....
When such really did not exist ...
OUTSIDE OF MY OWN SELF, that is ....
And there ....
The only one that is controlling my mind ...
Is me ....
And in my contacts with people over the years, this is the point that I always emphasize ....
That to find OUR way through life ...
Sometimes ...
It is really better to go within ....
Rather than "without" ....
And so ...
This concept of "control of the mind" has been my "savior" in a lot of ways ....
And so ....
Somewhere along the line .....
The thought came to me to start this thread ...
And so I did ....
To begin a "discussion" on this subject ....
Simply for the sake of putting this information "out there" ....
While at the same time ...
Making a serious attempt to deal with and clear up misconceptions that I am aware of people having about this subject ...
Based upon my own experiences with them ...
Over these last thirty years or so ....
Too often, when we hear of this subject of "mind control", automatically, we are thinking of some kind of "brain-washing" ....
Or some other type of "control drama" ....
Of where we are being taken over and manipulated ....
By external forces ...
For their purposes ...
Which might not be our own ...
And that indeed can be so ....
Which is why I have this thread running ...
I personally made my way "over" to t'ai chi and chi gong precisely because I was getting tired of the "DANCE" ....
Going here ...
Going there ...
Looking for "THE CURE" ....
When such really did not exist ...
OUTSIDE OF MY OWN SELF, that is ....
And there ....
The only one that is controlling my mind ...
Is me ....
And in my contacts with people over the years, this is the point that I always emphasize ....
That to find OUR way through life ...
Sometimes ...
It is really better to go within ....
Rather than "without" ....
And so ...
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Sep 3 2005, 06:08 PM)
"The emotions are composed of energy, which can be likened to water, and a dualistic thought process, which could be likened to pigment or paint."
"When energy and thought are mixed together they become the vivid and colorful emotions."
"CONCEPT gives the energy a particular location, a sense of relationship, which makes the emotions vivid and strong."
"Fundamentally, the reason why emotions are discomforting, painful, frustrating, is because our relationship to the emotions is not quite clear!"
- Chogyam Trungpa
"When energy and thought are mixed together they become the vivid and colorful emotions."
"CONCEPT gives the energy a particular location, a sense of relationship, which makes the emotions vivid and strong."
"Fundamentally, the reason why emotions are discomforting, painful, frustrating, is because our relationship to the emotions is not quite clear!"
- Chogyam Trungpa
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Dec 17 2005, 03:06 PM)
A central concept for Tao (path of life, a philosophy, and not a "religion") is breath.
Without breath, there is no life.
The complexity of this idea is great, indeed.
You breathe; that brings you oxygen.
You breathe; that sustains you.
You breathe; that regulates your heartbeat, feeds your brain, makes your blood red.
Deeper still: you breathe, and the entire energy field of your body is sustained and set into motion.
When that field, so intimately tied to breathing, is integrated with your mind, you have the power of spirituality.
Breath.
Don't think crassly of it as mere gas.
Just as we breathe, so too does the universe breathe.
In fact, we can think of the entire medium of life as breath.
When the world breathes, all things are sustained.
Weather moves as it should.
Plants grow as they should.
Animals are made strong.
The very forces of geology are set in motion.
And together, a mighty field of energy is generated, a much larger version of what happens in your own body.
Connected to that field is a universal mind.
Do you want to know how spirituality works?
Breathe!
- Deng, Ming-Dao
Without breath, there is no life.
The complexity of this idea is great, indeed.
You breathe; that brings you oxygen.
You breathe; that sustains you.
You breathe; that regulates your heartbeat, feeds your brain, makes your blood red.
Deeper still: you breathe, and the entire energy field of your body is sustained and set into motion.
When that field, so intimately tied to breathing, is integrated with your mind, you have the power of spirituality.
Breath.
Don't think crassly of it as mere gas.
Just as we breathe, so too does the universe breathe.
In fact, we can think of the entire medium of life as breath.
When the world breathes, all things are sustained.
Weather moves as it should.
Plants grow as they should.
Animals are made strong.
The very forces of geology are set in motion.
And together, a mighty field of energy is generated, a much larger version of what happens in your own body.
Connected to that field is a universal mind.
Do you want to know how spirituality works?
Breathe!
- Deng, Ming-Dao
Every now and then ....
In a long, continuing thread such as this one has turned out to be ....
It is a good thing ....
To go back to the beginning as it were ...
To re-examine these two essential question, to wit:
WHY IS THIS THREAD HERE?
WHAT IS THIS THREAD ALL ABOUT?
And the basis for the answers to those two questions can be found right above here, in the little windows directly above this post ....
I am a real person out here in the countryside ....
I have had real experiences of life as a person who was grieviously wounded in the head and neck in Viet Nam in 1969 ....
And all these years later ....
Well ...
I am still here ....
And actually, I am content to where this "PATH" I embarked upon all those years ago has gotten me to ...
So, this thread exists to talk about that "journey" ...
To share some mile markers along the way with you ....
To validate the "path" as it were ....
Although each of us must still "walk that path alone" ....
We are truly never alone when we do ...
Because the footsteps of countless others on that same "path" precede us ....
And serve to guide us ....
If we can but clear our eyes to "see" the "way" ...
And so ...
KAN is water .....
LI is fire .....
And they are both related to yin and yang ...
And in fact, represent "components" of a mental strategy to BALANCE out yin and yang ....
Which balancing then brings tranquillity to your day-to-day life ....
So that you can face what comes ....
With equanimity ....
And so ...
LI is fire .....
And they are both related to yin and yang ...
And in fact, represent "components" of a mental strategy to BALANCE out yin and yang ....
Which balancing then brings tranquillity to your day-to-day life ....
So that you can face what comes ....
With equanimity ....
And so ...
KAN and LI are powerful concepts in our lives ....
Or can be ....
Because they are so simple ....
Just two short words to grasp onto, if or when your mind is racing along, and you wish to "get a grip", as it were ....
At their very minimum, KAN and LI are the BASICS of life itself for humans down here on earth ...
And certainly for me, who heats his house with a wood fire that has to be both nourished and controlled, so that I have heat to survive the winter ....
But not so much that I am going to burn down the house that I am in ....
And so ...
Or can be ....
Because they are so simple ....
Just two short words to grasp onto, if or when your mind is racing along, and you wish to "get a grip", as it were ....
At their very minimum, KAN and LI are the BASICS of life itself for humans down here on earth ...
And certainly for me, who heats his house with a wood fire that has to be both nourished and controlled, so that I have heat to survive the winter ....
But not so much that I am going to burn down the house that I am in ....
And so ...
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Feb 24 2008, 07:51 AM)
KAN is water .....
Amniotic fluid
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Amniotic fluid is the watery liquid surrounding and cushioning a growing fetus within the amnion.
It allows the fetus to move freely without the walls of the uterus being too tight against its body.
Buoyancy is also provided.
The amnion grows and begins to fill, mainly with water, around two weeks after fertilisation.
After a further 10 weeks the liquid contains proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and phospholipids, urea and electrolytes, all which aid in the growth of the fetus
Recent research by researchers led by Anthony Atala of Wake Forest University and a team from Harvard University has found that amniotic fluid is also a plentiful source of non-embryonic stem cells.
These cells have demonstrated the ability to differentiate into a number of different cell-types, including brain, liver and bone.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amniotic_fluid
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Feb 26 2008, 06:53 AM)
Amniotic fluid
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Amniotic fluid is the watery liquid surrounding and cushioning a growing fetus within the amnion.
After a further 10 weeks the liquid contains proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and phospholipids, urea and electrolytes, all which aid in the growth of the fetus.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amniotic_fluid
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Amniotic fluid is the watery liquid surrounding and cushioning a growing fetus within the amnion.
After a further 10 weeks the liquid contains proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and phospholipids, urea and electrolytes, all which aid in the growth of the fetus.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amniotic_fluid
In the theory which underlies t'ai chi, and chi gong, there are a number of CONCEPTS related back to yin and yang ...
And KAN and LI ....
And what is called "pre-birth", or "pre-heaven" chi, or qi, as it is also spelled ...
And to me, a person who has been using these CONCEPTS as actual tools to maintain and improve my state of health and well-being as a human being for some 30 years now ...
The CONCEPTS of KAN and LI exist on many mental levels ...
Which is something, I have found, that confounds and confuses people over here in America who have, like myself, embarked upon a "path of life" towards "healthfulness" that takes them towards the study of t'ai chi and chi gong ...
And a part of that confusion, in my experience of it, anyway ...
Comes from our modern "style" of life that separates people, in large part, from both fire, which is LI ...
And water, which is KAN ...
So .....
In here, we will muse about this a bit longer ....
As I have found that the best way to teach these CONCEPTS ....
Is slowly and deliberately ....
And so ....
Once again, I would like to thank all of you who do visit this site and this thread ....
Without your continued interest ...
None of this would be possible ....
And so ...
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Feb 25 2008, 06:55 AM)
KAN and LI are powerful concepts in our lives ....
Or can be ....
Because they are so simple ....
Just two short words to grasp onto, if or when your mind is racing along, and you wish to "get a grip", as it were ....
Or can be ....
Because they are so simple ....
Just two short words to grasp onto, if or when your mind is racing along, and you wish to "get a grip", as it were ....
Distractions come in all sizes, shapes and flavors .....
Buddhist philosophy has organized them into categories ....
One of them is the category of hindrances ....
They are called hindrances ...
Because ....
They block your development of both components of meditation, mindfulness and concentration ....
A bit of caution on this term:
The word "hindrances" carries a negative connotation ...
And indeed ....
These are states of mind we want to eradicate ....
That does not mean, however ....
That they are to be repressed ....
Avoided ....
Or condemned ....
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Sep 8 2005, 07:46 AM)
Not to have edges that catch
But to remain untangled,
Unblinded,
Unconfused,
Is to find balance!
- Lao Tze, Tao Te Ching
But to remain untangled,
Unblinded,
Unconfused,
Is to find balance!
- Lao Tze, Tao Te Ching
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Sep 7 2005, 06:57 PM)
Health Through Balance - Everything In Moderation
Because life is short, the temptation to overindulge is ever-present.
We want to glean as much pleasure as possible from everything such as what we eat or what we do.
Or, conversely, we are so driven to stay healthy or be successful that we throw ourselves into exercise or work with abandon.
But the true means of achieving what you want lies not in overdoing it, but in moderation.
A balanced life does not lean in one direction, but contains a measure of each element: work and play; friends, family, and solitude; pleasure and abstinence; and necessities and indulgences.
The ancient Greeks practiced moderation in all things, believing that in excess, virtues became vices.
And so it is.
Things that benefit your body and soul in one amount, whether it is medication, nutrients, forethought, or introspection, can be harmful in higher amounts.
The concept of moderation is embodied in the middle ground between all extremes and is thus a source of steadiness.
It is simply the capacity to exercise self-control.
Living moderately often means forgoing short-term pleasures in favor of deeper, long lasting happiness and considering all aspects of your actions.
It also means never categorizing anything in terms of 'always good' or 'always bad.'
Sleeping in for hours may seem a wonderful idea until you consider the daytime lost and the difficulty you may have sleeping later.
Avoiding all sweets feels like the healthiest choice, but may not be if it's making you feel deprived.
A strong sense of thrift can become stinginess just as a strong sense of generosity can become a tendency to spend beyond your means.
The benefits of moderation are said to be a healthy body, a clear mind, increased vigor, and a welling up of positive emotions.
Moderation eschews rigid control in favor of allowing you just enough of any one thing for it to be satisfying, but not enough for it to be detrimental.
Thus, it unlocks a healthy lifestyle without denying any pleasures, any ambitions, or your changing will, through equilibrium and equanimity in all things.
Living a balanced life leads to rewarding experiences that not only heal and nurture, but can also fulfill you to a fantastic degree.
Because life is short, the temptation to overindulge is ever-present.
We want to glean as much pleasure as possible from everything such as what we eat or what we do.
Or, conversely, we are so driven to stay healthy or be successful that we throw ourselves into exercise or work with abandon.
But the true means of achieving what you want lies not in overdoing it, but in moderation.
A balanced life does not lean in one direction, but contains a measure of each element: work and play; friends, family, and solitude; pleasure and abstinence; and necessities and indulgences.
The ancient Greeks practiced moderation in all things, believing that in excess, virtues became vices.
And so it is.
Things that benefit your body and soul in one amount, whether it is medication, nutrients, forethought, or introspection, can be harmful in higher amounts.
The concept of moderation is embodied in the middle ground between all extremes and is thus a source of steadiness.
It is simply the capacity to exercise self-control.
Living moderately often means forgoing short-term pleasures in favor of deeper, long lasting happiness and considering all aspects of your actions.
It also means never categorizing anything in terms of 'always good' or 'always bad.'
Sleeping in for hours may seem a wonderful idea until you consider the daytime lost and the difficulty you may have sleeping later.
Avoiding all sweets feels like the healthiest choice, but may not be if it's making you feel deprived.
A strong sense of thrift can become stinginess just as a strong sense of generosity can become a tendency to spend beyond your means.
The benefits of moderation are said to be a healthy body, a clear mind, increased vigor, and a welling up of positive emotions.
Moderation eschews rigid control in favor of allowing you just enough of any one thing for it to be satisfying, but not enough for it to be detrimental.
Thus, it unlocks a healthy lifestyle without denying any pleasures, any ambitions, or your changing will, through equilibrium and equanimity in all things.
Living a balanced life leads to rewarding experiences that not only heal and nurture, but can also fulfill you to a fantastic degree.
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Feb 28 2008, 06:45 AM)
The word "hindrances" carries a negative connotation ...
And indeed ....
These are states of mind we want to eradicate ....
That does not mean, however ....
That they are to be repressed ....
Avoided ....
Or condemned ....
And indeed ....
These are states of mind we want to eradicate ....
That does not mean, however ....
That they are to be repressed ....
Avoided ....
Or condemned ....
What we are talking about in here ....
Is METHOD ....
Or perhaps more correctly, METHODS ....
Since this knowledge that I draw upon in here goes back in time thousands and thousands of years ...
Back into antiquity, as far as we "modern" peoples on earth at this time are concerned ...
And the METHODS that we do talk about in here themselves are for the main purpose of bringing stability and tranquillity in the face of adversity into our personal lives ....
To benefit our health and well-being ...
To bring BALANCE into our lives, especially as we grow older ....
And so ...
With this recent discussion of KAN and LI ....
What we are doing ....
Is fleshing out the underpinnings of a STRATEGY OF LIFE that I would term "DISPLACEMENT/REPLACEMENT" therapy ...
A "therapy" that is intended to soothe one's "soul" ...
By the strategy of displacing disruptive and/or invasive thoughts ...
From the center of our "attention" ....
And replacing them, PURPOSEFULLY, with PRODUCTIVE THOUGHTS aimed at our continued well-being ....
And mental BALANCE ...
Which is necessary for good health and physical balance ...
And so ....
PHYSICIAN, HEAL THYSELF ......
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Feb 26 2008, 06:53 AM)
Amniotic fluid
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Amniotic fluid is the watery liquid surrounding and cushioning a growing fetus within the amnion.
It allows the fetus to move freely without the walls of the uterus being too tight against its body.
Buoyancy is also provided.
The amnion grows and begins to fill, mainly with water, around two weeks after fertilisation.
After a further 10 weeks the liquid contains proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and phospholipids, urea and electrolytes, all which aid in the growth of the fetus.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amniotic_fluid
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Amniotic fluid is the watery liquid surrounding and cushioning a growing fetus within the amnion.
It allows the fetus to move freely without the walls of the uterus being too tight against its body.
Buoyancy is also provided.
The amnion grows and begins to fill, mainly with water, around two weeks after fertilisation.
After a further 10 weeks the liquid contains proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and phospholipids, urea and electrolytes, all which aid in the growth of the fetus.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amniotic_fluid
Hormones can stimulate activity, thinking, growth; they are directly related to the strength of your life force.
They determine the length of a person's life, and whether he (she) is healthy or sickly.
They stimulate your emotions and lift your mood, or they depress you physically and emotionally.
Traced back far enough, hormones are the very original source which stimulates man's thinking and ideas, and even generates the enthusiasm for energetic activity.
If you know how to generate these hormones and use them properly, you can energize yourself to a degree quite impossible for the ordinary person.
- p. 56, Qigong Meditation by Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Mar 1 2008, 06:59 PM)
Hormones can stimulate activity, thinking, growth; they are directly related to the strength of your life force.
They determine the length of a person's life, and whether he (she) is healthy or sickly.
If you know how to generate these hormones and use them properly, you can energize yourself to a degree quite impossible for the ordinary person.
- p. 56, Qigong Meditation by Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming
They determine the length of a person's life, and whether he (she) is healthy or sickly.
If you know how to generate these hormones and use them properly, you can energize yourself to a degree quite impossible for the ordinary person.
- p. 56, Qigong Meditation by Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming
Many important hormones can now be produced synthetically.
However, you must understand that taking synthetic hormones is like taking vitamins; it is an unnatural and discontinuous process.
However, if you generate a hormone within your own body, it is natural and continuous.
In addition, when you produce the hormones yourself, your body is able to tune into and adjust to the gradual increase in production.
However, if the hormones come from outside of your body, your body is subject to an abrupt change.
This can produce side effects.
- p. 56, Qigong Meditation by Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming
According to science today, we understand less than 12% of the functions of the brain.
This means that the brain contains many mysteries which today's science still cannot explain.
I believe that the valley formed by the two brain lobes is the key to the length of brain waves.
Energy resonates in this valley, and is transmitted outward like waves from the antenna of a radio station.
I believe that the Upper Dan Tian or "third eye" is the gate which allows our thoughts to be passed to others, and also allows us to communicate with nature.
If a person can activate a larger percentage of his(her) brain cells through Qigong, he(she) will probably increase the sensitivity of his(her) brain to a wider range of wavelengths.
He(she) may be able to perceive things more clearly, and he(she) may have a greatly heightened sensitivity to natural energy.
Physically, beneath the skin is the skull, and underneath it is the frontal sinus.
Both the skull and the skin can block much of the energy which is emitted from or received by the brain.
This is why this gate is considered closed.
We now know that bones are semi-conductors.
This means that, through meditation (i.e. concentration), we are able to build up a significant potential difference (EMF or electromotive force) between the brain and outside of the head.
Once this potential difference has reached the "threshold" level, the bone will become a conductor.
When this happens, the energy in your brain can communicate with the outer world without blockage.
According to the Chinese Qigong society, once this gate has opened, it remains open.
- pp. 60,61 Qigong Meditation by Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming
This means that the brain contains many mysteries which today's science still cannot explain.
I believe that the valley formed by the two brain lobes is the key to the length of brain waves.
Energy resonates in this valley, and is transmitted outward like waves from the antenna of a radio station.
I believe that the Upper Dan Tian or "third eye" is the gate which allows our thoughts to be passed to others, and also allows us to communicate with nature.
If a person can activate a larger percentage of his(her) brain cells through Qigong, he(she) will probably increase the sensitivity of his(her) brain to a wider range of wavelengths.
He(she) may be able to perceive things more clearly, and he(she) may have a greatly heightened sensitivity to natural energy.
Physically, beneath the skin is the skull, and underneath it is the frontal sinus.
Both the skull and the skin can block much of the energy which is emitted from or received by the brain.
This is why this gate is considered closed.
We now know that bones are semi-conductors.
This means that, through meditation (i.e. concentration), we are able to build up a significant potential difference (EMF or electromotive force) between the brain and outside of the head.
Once this potential difference has reached the "threshold" level, the bone will become a conductor.
When this happens, the energy in your brain can communicate with the outer world without blockage.
According to the Chinese Qigong society, once this gate has opened, it remains open.
- pp. 60,61 Qigong Meditation by Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Feb 19 2008, 07:34 AM)
IF THERE ARE FIVE REGULATINGS, THEN WHAT IS IT THAT IS BEING REGULATED?
No matter what kind of Qigong you practice ..., there are normally five regulating processes involved in reaching the final goal of practice.
These regulating processes are:
regulating the body;
regulating the breathing;
regulating the emotional mind;
regulating the Qi; and
regulating the spirit.
These regulatings are commonly called "Wu Tiao".
Before discussing them you should first understand the word Tiao which I translate as "regulating".
Tiao is constructed of two words, Yan which means "speaking" or negotiating" and Zhou which means "to be complete," "to be perfect," or "to be round."
Therefore, the meaning of Tiao means to adjust or to tune up until it is complete and harmonious with others.
It is just like tuning a piano so it can be harmonized with others.
Tiao means to coordinate, to cooperate, and to harmonize with others by continuing adjustment.
That means all of the five items, body, breathing, mind, Qi, and Shen, need to be regulated WITH EACH OTHER until the final harmonious stage is reached.
- p. 63 Qigong Meditation by Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming
The key to regulating is through self-feeling.
You should know that feeling is the language of the mind and body.
Without feeling, we will not know if there is anything wrong with the body.
The deeper and the more sensitively you are able to feel, the more profoundly you are able to regulate.
Conversely, the deeper you are able to regulate, the more profoundly you can feel.
Naturally, it will take a lot of effort and time to practice until your feeling can be profound and your regulating can reach the finest stage.
This kind of inner feeling training is called Gongfu of self-internal-observation.
The higher your Gongfu is, the deeper and more refined you are able to harmonize with others.
- pp. 63,64 Qigong Meditation by Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming
You should know that feeling is the language of the mind and body.
Without feeling, we will not know if there is anything wrong with the body.
The deeper and the more sensitively you are able to feel, the more profoundly you are able to regulate.
Conversely, the deeper you are able to regulate, the more profoundly you can feel.
Naturally, it will take a lot of effort and time to practice until your feeling can be profound and your regulating can reach the finest stage.
This kind of inner feeling training is called Gongfu of self-internal-observation.
The higher your Gongfu is, the deeper and more refined you are able to harmonize with others.
- pp. 63,64 Qigong Meditation by Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming
At the beginning of regulating, your mind is absorbed in regulating, to make the regulating happen.
Therefore, it is not natural and smooth.
The final stage of regulating is "regulating without regulating."
It is just like when you are learning how to drive a car, your mind is on the road, the steering wheel, the accelerator, the clutch, etc.
This is the stage of regulating.
However, after you have driven for a long time, your mind does not have to be regulating.
In this stage, you are driving without driving.
Everything will happen naturally and smoothly.
It is the same for all five regulatings in Qigong.
You must keep practicing until regulating is unnecessary.
When this happens, your feeling can be profound.
- p. 63, Qigong Meditation by Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming
Therefore, it is not natural and smooth.
The final stage of regulating is "regulating without regulating."
It is just like when you are learning how to drive a car, your mind is on the road, the steering wheel, the accelerator, the clutch, etc.
This is the stage of regulating.
However, after you have driven for a long time, your mind does not have to be regulating.
In this stage, you are driving without driving.
Everything will happen naturally and smoothly.
It is the same for all five regulatings in Qigong.
You must keep practicing until regulating is unnecessary.
When this happens, your feeling can be profound.
- p. 63, Qigong Meditation by Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Aug 27 2005, 05:50 PM)
The most valuable knowledge one can acquire comes through the cultivation of intuition and the practice of non-interference.
This knowledge addresses a deeper level of awareness than that gained through action, for knowledge that comes through action is obscured by situation-specific reactions.
Those who follow the Tao (path of life) use strategic non-interference to lead them to exceptional awareness.
In this way, Evolved Individuals can align themselves so that their inner world reflects the world around them.
They are using tactical inertness to ensure that their current instincts and impressions are in harmony with the larger forces at work in the world.
With this knowledge they can position themselves appropriately and effectively in order to achieve their aims.
- R. L. Wing, Commentaries on the Tao Te Ching of Lao Tze
This knowledge addresses a deeper level of awareness than that gained through action, for knowledge that comes through action is obscured by situation-specific reactions.
Those who follow the Tao (path of life) use strategic non-interference to lead them to exceptional awareness.
In this way, Evolved Individuals can align themselves so that their inner world reflects the world around them.
They are using tactical inertness to ensure that their current instincts and impressions are in harmony with the larger forces at work in the world.
With this knowledge they can position themselves appropriately and effectively in order to achieve their aims.
- R. L. Wing, Commentaries on the Tao Te Ching of Lao Tze
So ....
By way of a quick review here ....
It can be seen from these above posts on REGULATING that the practice of t'ai chi involves an exercise of the will ...
And that it also involves all five REGULATINGS ...
Or HARMONIZATIONS ....
And it is "internal" ....
Because it is proceeding from within yourself ....
Outwards ....
To your extremities ....
Which are moving in HARMONY with the picture in your mind ...
And so ...
T'ai chi is not about fighting ....
Which may seem like a contradiction in terms, perhaps .....
Since t'ai chi is classed as a "martial art" ...
But it is not a contradiction in terms to class t'ai chi as a martial art, and yet, to say that it is not about fighting ....
At its heart ...
T'ai chi is about not having to ever fight ....
Never having the need to fight ....
Because with panoramic awareness ...
You are able to negotiate your way through the thicket of life ....
Like the perfume from a lilac blossom wafting through the springtime air ...
And so ...
Which may seem like a contradiction in terms, perhaps .....
Since t'ai chi is classed as a "martial art" ...
But it is not a contradiction in terms to class t'ai chi as a martial art, and yet, to say that it is not about fighting ....
At its heart ...
T'ai chi is about not having to ever fight ....
Never having the need to fight ....
Because with panoramic awareness ...
You are able to negotiate your way through the thicket of life ....
Like the perfume from a lilac blossom wafting through the springtime air ...
And so ...
QUOTE(lenal @ Mar 8 2008, 12:52 PM)
Just dropping by and want to share our recent visit by some beautiful waterfowl --
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gpabill/sets/...892909441/show/
Isn't nature awesome?
This is the largest flock we have ever seen here - at least since I have lived here (1987).
lenal
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gpabill/sets/...892909441/show/
Isn't nature awesome?
This is the largest flock we have ever seen here - at least since I have lived here (1987).
lenal
Very nice, lenal ...
There are some real good pictures in there of the birds using their wings ...
It is good for the practice of t'ai chi to be able to see the wings so up close ...
"White crane spreads wings, about to fly" ....
And so ....
Think .....
With the whole body .....
With the whole body .....
We are the makers of our own lives .....
There is no such thing as fate .....
Our lives are the result of our previous actions ...
Our karma ....
And it naturally follows that ...
Having been ourselves the makers of our karma ....
We must also be able to unmake it.
- Vivekananda
There is no such thing as fate .....
Our lives are the result of our previous actions ...
Our karma ....
And it naturally follows that ...
Having been ourselves the makers of our karma ....
We must also be able to unmake it.
- Vivekananda
Though one defeats a million men in battle ....
One who overcomes the self alone is in fact the highest victor .....
One who overcomes the self alone is in fact the highest victor .....
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Mar 9 2008, 06:06 AM)
Think .....
With the whole body .....
With the whole body .....
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Feb 22 2008, 07:21 AM)
Every now and then ....
In a long, continuing thread such as this one has turned out to be ....
It is a good thing ....
To go back to the beginning as it were ...
To re-examine these two essential question, to wit:
WHY IS THIS THREAD HERE?
WHAT IS THIS THREAD ALL ABOUT?
And the basis for the answers to those two questions can be found right above here, in the little windows directly above this post ....
I am a real person out here in the countryside ....
I have had real experiences of life as a person who was grieviously wounded in the head and neck in Viet Nam in 1969 ....
And all these years later ....
Well ...
I am still here ....
And actually, I am content to where this "PATH" I embarked upon all those years ago has gotten me to ...
So, this thread exists to talk about that "journey" ...
To share some mile markers along the way with you ....
To validate the "path" as it were ....
Although each of us must still "walk that path alone" ....
We are truly never alone when we do ...
Because the footsteps of countless others on that same "path" precede us ....
And serve to guide us ....
If we can but clear our eyes to "see" the "way" ...
And so ...
In a long, continuing thread such as this one has turned out to be ....
It is a good thing ....
To go back to the beginning as it were ...
To re-examine these two essential question, to wit:
WHY IS THIS THREAD HERE?
WHAT IS THIS THREAD ALL ABOUT?
And the basis for the answers to those two questions can be found right above here, in the little windows directly above this post ....
I am a real person out here in the countryside ....
I have had real experiences of life as a person who was grieviously wounded in the head and neck in Viet Nam in 1969 ....
And all these years later ....
Well ...
I am still here ....
And actually, I am content to where this "PATH" I embarked upon all those years ago has gotten me to ...
So, this thread exists to talk about that "journey" ...
To share some mile markers along the way with you ....
To validate the "path" as it were ....
Although each of us must still "walk that path alone" ....
We are truly never alone when we do ...
Because the footsteps of countless others on that same "path" precede us ....
And serve to guide us ....
If we can but clear our eyes to "see" the "way" ...
And so ...
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Feb 24 2008, 06:51 AM)
KAN is water .....
LI is fire .....
And they are both related to yin and yang ...
And in fact, represent "components" of a mental strategy to BALANCE out yin and yang ....
Which balancing then brings tranquillity to your day-to-day life ....
So that you can face what comes ....
With equanimity ....
And so ...
LI is fire .....
And they are both related to yin and yang ...
And in fact, represent "components" of a mental strategy to BALANCE out yin and yang ....
Which balancing then brings tranquillity to your day-to-day life ....
So that you can face what comes ....
With equanimity ....
And so ...
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Feb 27 2008, 06:11 AM)
In the theory which underlies t'ai chi, and chi gong, there are a number of CONCEPTS related back to yin and yang ...
And KAN and LI ....
And what is called "pre-birth", or "pre-heaven" chi, or qi, as it is also spelled ...
And to me, a person who has been using these CONCEPTS as actual tools to maintain and improve my state of health and well-being as a human being for some 30 years now ...
The CONCEPTS of KAN and LI exist on many mental levels ...
Which is something, I have found, that confounds and confuses people over here in America who have, like myself, embarked upon a "path of life" towards "healthfulness" that takes them towards the study of t'ai chi and chi gong ...
And a part of that confusion, in my experience of it, anyway ...
Comes from our modern "style" of life that separates people, in large part, from both fire, which is LI ...
And water, which is KAN ...
So .....
In here, we will muse about this a bit longer ....
As I have found that the best way to teach these CONCEPTS ....
Is slowly and deliberately ....
And so ....
Once again, I would like to thank all of you who do visit this site and this thread ....
Without your continued interest ...
None of this would be possible ....
And so ...
And KAN and LI ....
And what is called "pre-birth", or "pre-heaven" chi, or qi, as it is also spelled ...
And to me, a person who has been using these CONCEPTS as actual tools to maintain and improve my state of health and well-being as a human being for some 30 years now ...
The CONCEPTS of KAN and LI exist on many mental levels ...
Which is something, I have found, that confounds and confuses people over here in America who have, like myself, embarked upon a "path of life" towards "healthfulness" that takes them towards the study of t'ai chi and chi gong ...
And a part of that confusion, in my experience of it, anyway ...
Comes from our modern "style" of life that separates people, in large part, from both fire, which is LI ...
And water, which is KAN ...
So .....
In here, we will muse about this a bit longer ....
As I have found that the best way to teach these CONCEPTS ....
Is slowly and deliberately ....
And so ....
Once again, I would like to thank all of you who do visit this site and this thread ....
Without your continued interest ...
None of this would be possible ....
And so ...
When you try any style of Qigong, you must balance Yin and Yang by controlling Kan (water) and Li (fire).
For example, when you practice Taijiquan, you learn the slow meditative physical movements that are Li (fire), which may cause your body to become too Yang.
You must also learn still meditation, which is Kan (water) and neutralizes the excess Yang.
Again, in the moving Taijiquan forms, there is also Kan and Li adjustment.
While the moving is Li (fire) which causes Yang, the calm mind is Kan (water), and it may neutralize the Yang.
In still meditation, while the stillness of the physical body is Kan (water) and causes Yin, the Qi must be actively led by the mind to circulate in the body.
This is Li (fire) and results in Yang, which balances the Yin.
This means that in all of the Qigong practices, if there is Yin, there must be Yang to balance it, and vice versa.
You can see from this discussion that the basic key to successful Qigong training is Yin and Yang balance, and the trick to reaching this goal is Kan (water) and Li (fire) adjustment.
Once you understand this fundamental theory, you will not have too much difficulty in understanding the foundations of Qigong practice.
- pp. 87,88 Qigong Meditation by Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Feb 19 2008, 06:34 AM)
IF THERE ARE FIVE REGULATINGS, THEN WHAT IS IT THAT IS BEING REGULATED?
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Feb 24 2008, 06:51 AM)
KAN is water .....
LI is fire .....
And they are both related to yin and yang ...
And in fact, represent "components" of a mental strategy to BALANCE out yin and yang ....
Which balancing then brings tranquillity to your day-to-day life ....
So that you can face what comes ....
With equanimity ....
And so ...
LI is fire .....
And they are both related to yin and yang ...
And in fact, represent "components" of a mental strategy to BALANCE out yin and yang ....
Which balancing then brings tranquillity to your day-to-day life ....
So that you can face what comes ....
With equanimity ....
And so ...
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Feb 26 2008, 05:53 AM)
Amniotic fluid
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Amniotic fluid is the watery liquid surrounding and cushioning a growing fetus within the amnion.
It allows the fetus to move freely without the walls of the uterus being too tight against its body.
Buoyancy is also provided.
The amnion grows and begins to fill, mainly with water, around two weeks after fertilisation.
After a further 10 weeks the liquid contains proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and phospholipids, urea and electrolytes, all which aid in the growth of the fetus.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amniotic_fluid
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Amniotic fluid is the watery liquid surrounding and cushioning a growing fetus within the amnion.
It allows the fetus to move freely without the walls of the uterus being too tight against its body.
Buoyancy is also provided.
The amnion grows and begins to fill, mainly with water, around two weeks after fertilisation.
After a further 10 weeks the liquid contains proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and phospholipids, urea and electrolytes, all which aid in the growth of the fetus.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amniotic_fluid
Therefore, if you have a long life ....
You will have a longer period for cultivation.
This is most critical especially as the best period for spiritual cultivation is after the age of forty.
This is because normally before you are thirty, you are still looking for the meaning of YOUR life and your mind is still learning how to fit in and survive in the new environment.
During this period, the Shen (spirit) of your new life is not yet mature enough to establish contact with the Pre-Birth Shen.
- p. 87, Qigong Meditation by Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming
PARADE MAGAZINE
"Live Longer, Better, Wiser - Thoughts Can Heal Your Body"
By Robert Moss
Published: March 9, 2008
Our thoughts can make us sick, and they can help us get well.
That may seem like New Age thinking, but medical research increasingly supports the role played by the mind in physical health.
“People have been seeking healing through prayer and intention since Paleolithic times,” notes Dr. Herbert Benson, founder of the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital.
“What’s new is our detailed scientific knowledge of how the mind-body connection operates.”
Scientists first proved a link between stress and disease in the early half of the last century.
Since then, researchers have examined old and new practices—including biofeedback, meditation, guided imagery, spiritual healing and deep breathing.
The fast-expanding field of psychoneuroimmunology, which examines how the neurological and immune systems interact, is providing new clinical evidence of the connection between thoughts and health.
“We now can measure changes in immune cells and the brain in ways that give us objective scientific proof of the connection between them,” says Mary Jo Kreitzer, director of the Center for Spirituality & Healing at the University of Minnesota.
Some people still are surprised to discover that thoughts can control physical sensation.
“The body responds to mental input as if it were physically real,” explains Larry Dossey, a physician and an advocate for mind-body study since the 1980s.
“Images create bodily changes—just as if the experience were really happening."
"For example, if you imagine yourself lying on a beach in the sun, you become relaxed, your peripheral blood vessels dilate, and your hands become warm, as in the real thing.”
Similarly, under clinical hypnosis, someone who is told he is being touched by a red-hot object often will produce a burn blister, even though the object touching him was at room temperature.
Brain scans show that when we imagine an event, our thoughts “light up” the areas of the brain that are triggered during the actual event.
Sports psychologists have done pioneering work in this area.
In one study, skiers were wired to EMG monitors (which record electrical impulses sent to the muscles) while they mentally rehearsed their downhill runs.
The skiers’ brains sent the same instructions to their bodies whether they were doing a jump or just thinking about it.
The “placebo effect” is an example of how the connection between brain and body works in healing.
It has been demonstrated that when a patient believes something will relieve pain, the body actually releases endorphins that do so.
In a recent study, Parkinson’s patients who were given fake surgery or fake drug treatments produced dopamine (a chemical their bodies lack) in quantities similar to those they might have received in a genuine intervention.
Medical research has suggested that 30% to 70% of successful treatments may be the result of the patient’s belief that the treatment will work.
"There is ample evidence that negative thoughts and feelings can be harmful to the body,” says Lorenzo Cohen, director of the Integrative Medicine Program at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.
Stress is known to be a factor in heart disease, headaches, asthma and many other illnesses.
Studies by Janice Kiecolt-Glaser and Ronald Glaser at Ohio State University demonstrate how even minor psychological stress—that of newlyweds having their first fight or of students facing an exam—can compromise the immune system.
The researchers found that a marital spat delays wound-healing and that the stress of caring for an Alzheimer’s patient leaves the caregiver more vulnerable to illness even years later.
When the body fights a virus or heals a wound, it releases cytokines (literally, “moving cells”)—chemical messengers that call in immune agents.
The Glasers’ research showed that stress distracts these cytokines from doing their proper work, instead sending them ranging wildly through the bloodstream.
“When the cyto-kines are misdirected,” says Kiecolt-Glaser, “they produce something you don’t want—a prolonged inflammatory response that far exceeds what is needed with infection.”
Just as our thoughts can make us ill, they also can help us heal, say those who practice mind-body therapies.
There is growing clinical evidence that imagery is beneficial in treating skin disease, diabetes, breast cancer, arthritis, headaches and severe burns, among other conditions.
Imagery also has been helpful in managing pain.
“The mind is our most potent weapon in the battle for health,” says Lyn Freeman, a researcher of mind-body therapies for chronic diseases.
“It can be both slayer and healer.”
What To Do
Adjust your mind-set to promote good health:
•Take a deep breath.
Hold it, exhale, then repeat for 10 minutes.
Take a walk, preferably in nature.
Breathe in the fresh air.
•Laugh!
When you do, you pump more oxygen into your lungs, improve blood flow and boost your immune system.
•Keep a journal.
Writing about emotionally charged events helps us deal with them mentally and physically.
Robert Moss is the author of “The Three ‘Only’ Things: Tapping the Power of Dreams, Coincidence & Imagination.”
"Live Longer, Better, Wiser - Thoughts Can Heal Your Body"
By Robert Moss
Published: March 9, 2008
Our thoughts can make us sick, and they can help us get well.
That may seem like New Age thinking, but medical research increasingly supports the role played by the mind in physical health.
“People have been seeking healing through prayer and intention since Paleolithic times,” notes Dr. Herbert Benson, founder of the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital.
“What’s new is our detailed scientific knowledge of how the mind-body connection operates.”
Scientists first proved a link between stress and disease in the early half of the last century.
Since then, researchers have examined old and new practices—including biofeedback, meditation, guided imagery, spiritual healing and deep breathing.
The fast-expanding field of psychoneuroimmunology, which examines how the neurological and immune systems interact, is providing new clinical evidence of the connection between thoughts and health.
“We now can measure changes in immune cells and the brain in ways that give us objective scientific proof of the connection between them,” says Mary Jo Kreitzer, director of the Center for Spirituality & Healing at the University of Minnesota.
Some people still are surprised to discover that thoughts can control physical sensation.
“The body responds to mental input as if it were physically real,” explains Larry Dossey, a physician and an advocate for mind-body study since the 1980s.
“Images create bodily changes—just as if the experience were really happening."
"For example, if you imagine yourself lying on a beach in the sun, you become relaxed, your peripheral blood vessels dilate, and your hands become warm, as in the real thing.”
Similarly, under clinical hypnosis, someone who is told he is being touched by a red-hot object often will produce a burn blister, even though the object touching him was at room temperature.
Brain scans show that when we imagine an event, our thoughts “light up” the areas of the brain that are triggered during the actual event.
Sports psychologists have done pioneering work in this area.
In one study, skiers were wired to EMG monitors (which record electrical impulses sent to the muscles) while they mentally rehearsed their downhill runs.
The skiers’ brains sent the same instructions to their bodies whether they were doing a jump or just thinking about it.
The “placebo effect” is an example of how the connection between brain and body works in healing.
It has been demonstrated that when a patient believes something will relieve pain, the body actually releases endorphins that do so.
In a recent study, Parkinson’s patients who were given fake surgery or fake drug treatments produced dopamine (a chemical their bodies lack) in quantities similar to those they might have received in a genuine intervention.
Medical research has suggested that 30% to 70% of successful treatments may be the result of the patient’s belief that the treatment will work.
"There is ample evidence that negative thoughts and feelings can be harmful to the body,” says Lorenzo Cohen, director of the Integrative Medicine Program at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.
Stress is known to be a factor in heart disease, headaches, asthma and many other illnesses.
Studies by Janice Kiecolt-Glaser and Ronald Glaser at Ohio State University demonstrate how even minor psychological stress—that of newlyweds having their first fight or of students facing an exam—can compromise the immune system.
The researchers found that a marital spat delays wound-healing and that the stress of caring for an Alzheimer’s patient leaves the caregiver more vulnerable to illness even years later.
When the body fights a virus or heals a wound, it releases cytokines (literally, “moving cells”)—chemical messengers that call in immune agents.
The Glasers’ research showed that stress distracts these cytokines from doing their proper work, instead sending them ranging wildly through the bloodstream.
“When the cyto-kines are misdirected,” says Kiecolt-Glaser, “they produce something you don’t want—a prolonged inflammatory response that far exceeds what is needed with infection.”
Just as our thoughts can make us ill, they also can help us heal, say those who practice mind-body therapies.
There is growing clinical evidence that imagery is beneficial in treating skin disease, diabetes, breast cancer, arthritis, headaches and severe burns, among other conditions.
Imagery also has been helpful in managing pain.
“The mind is our most potent weapon in the battle for health,” says Lyn Freeman, a researcher of mind-body therapies for chronic diseases.
“It can be both slayer and healer.”
What To Do
Adjust your mind-set to promote good health:
•Take a deep breath.
Hold it, exhale, then repeat for 10 minutes.
Take a walk, preferably in nature.
Breathe in the fresh air.
•Laugh!
When you do, you pump more oxygen into your lungs, improve blood flow and boost your immune system.
•Keep a journal.
Writing about emotionally charged events helps us deal with them mentally and physically.
Robert Moss is the author of “The Three ‘Only’ Things: Tapping the Power of Dreams, Coincidence & Imagination.”
RE: SHEDDING SOME FURTHER LIGHT ON THE LOWER DAN TIAN
THE NEW YORK TIMES
"Complex and Hidden Brain in Gut Makes Stomachaches and Butterflies"
By SANDRA BLAKESLEE
Published: January 23, 1996
EVER wonder why people get "butterflies" in the stomach before going on stage?
Or why an impending job interview can cause an attack of intestinal cramps?
And why antidepressants targeted for the brain cause nausea or abdominal upset in millions of people who take such drugs?
The reason for these common experiences, scientists say, is that the body has two brains -- the familiar one encased in the skull and a lesser known but vitally important one found in the human gut.
Like Siamese twins, the two brains are interconnected; when one gets upset, the other does, too.
The gut's brain, known as the enteric nervous system, is located in sheaths of tissue lining the esophagus, stomach, small intestine and colon.
Considered a single entity, it is a network of neurons, neurotransmitters and proteins that zap messages between neurons, support cells like those found in the brain proper and a complex circuitry that enables it to act independently, learn, remember and, as the saying goes, produce gut feelings.
The brain in the gut plays a major role in human happiness and misery.
But few people know it exists, said Dr. Michael Gershon, a professor of anatomy and cell biology at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center in New York.
For years, people who had ulcers, problems swallowing or chronic abdominal pain were told that their problems were imaginary, emotional, simply all in their heads, Dr. Gershon said.
They were shuttled to psychiatrists for treatment.
Doctors were right in ascribing these problems to the brain, Dr. Gershon said, but they blamed the wrong one.
Many gastrointestinal disorders like colitis and irritable bowel syndrome originate from problems within the gut's brain, he said.
And the current wisdom is that most ulcers are caused by a bacterium, not by hidden anger at one's mother.
Symptoms stemming from the two brains get confused, Dr. Gershon said.
"Just as the brain can upset the gut, the gut can also upset the brain" he said.
"If you were chained to the toilet with cramps, you'd be upset, too."
Details of how the enteric nervous system mirrors the central nervous system have been emerging in recent years, said Dr. Gershon, who is considered one of the founders of a new field of medicine called neurogastroenterology.
Nearly every substance that helps run and control the brain has turned up in the gut, Dr. Gershon said.
Major neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, glutamate, norepinephrine and nitric oxide are there.
Two dozen small brain proteins, called neuropeptides, are in the gut, as are major cells of the immune system.
Enkephalins, one class of the body's natural opiates, are in the gut.
And in a finding that stumps researchers, the gut is a rich source of benzodiazepines -- the family of psychoactive chemicals that includes such ever popular drugs as Valium and Xanax.
In evolutionary terms, it makes sense that the body has two brains, said Dr. David Wingate, a professor of gastrointestinal science at the University of London and a consultant at Royal London Hospital.
The first nervous systems were in tubular animals that stuck to rocks and waited for food to pass by, Dr. Wingate said.
The limbic system is often referred to as the "reptile brain."
As life evolved, animals needed a more complex brain for finding food and sex and so developed a central nervous system.
But the gut's nervous system was too important to put inside the newborn head with long connections going down to the body, Dr. Wingate said.
Offspring need to eat and digest food at birth.
Therefore, nature seems to have preserved the enteric nervous system as an independent circuit inside higher animals.
It is only loosely connected to the central nervous system and can mostly function alone, without instructions from topside.
This is indeed the picture seen by developmental biologists.
A clump of tissue called the neural crest forms early in embryogenesis, Dr. Gershon said.
One section turns into the central nervous system.
Another piece migrates to become the enteric nervous system.
Only later are the two nervous systems connected via a cable called the vagus nerve.
Until relatively recently, people thought that the gut's muscles and sensory nerves were wired directly to the brain and that the brain controlled the gut through two pathways that increased or decreased rates of activity, Dr. Wingate said.
The gut was simply a tube with simple reflexes.
Trouble is, no one bothered to count the nerve fibers in the gut.
When they did, he said, they were surprised to find that the gut contains 100 million neurons -- more than the spinal cord has.
Yet the vagus nerve only sends a couple of thousand nerve fibers to the gut.
The brain sends signals to the gut by talking to a small number of "command neurons," which in turn send signals to gut interneurons that carry messages up and down the pike, Dr. Gershon said.
Both command neurons and interneurons are spread throughout two layers of gut tissue called the myenteric plexus and the submuscosal plexus.
("Solar plexus" is actually a boxing term that refers simply to nerves in the abdomen.)
Command neurons control the pattern of activity in the gut, Dr. Gershon said.
The vagus nerve only alters the volume by changing its rates of firing.
The plexuses also contain glial cells that nourish neurons, mast cells involved in immune responses, and a "blood brain barrier" that keeps harmful substances away from important neurons, Dr. Gershon said.
They have sensors for sugar, protein, acidity and other chemical factors that might monitor the progress of digestion, determining how the gut mixes and propels its contents.
"It's not a simple pathway," he said.
"It uses complex integrated circuits not unlike those found in the brain."
The gut's brain and the head's brain act the same way when they are deprived of input from the outside world, Dr. Wingate said.
During sleep, the head's brain produces 90-minute cycles of slow wave sleep punctuated by periods of rapid eye movement sleep in which dreams occur.
During the night, when it has no food, the gut's brain produces 90-minute cycles of slow wave muscle contractions punctuated by short bursts of rapid muscle movements, Dr. Wingate said.
The two brains may influence each other while in this state, Dr. Wingate said.
Patients with bowel problems have been shown to have abnormal rem sleep.
This finding is not inconsistent with the folk wisdom that indigestion can produce nightmare.
As light is shed on the circuitry between the two brains, researchers are beginning to understand why people act and feel the way they do.
When the central brain encounters a frightening situation, it releases stress hormones that prepare the body to fight or flee, Dr. Gershon said.
The stomach contains many sensory nerves that are stimulated by this chemical surge -- hence the "butterflies."
On the battlefield, the higher brain tells the gut brain to shut down, Dr. Gershon said.
"A frightened, running animal does not stop to defecate," he said.
Fear also causes the vagus nerve to "turn up the volume" on serotonin circuits in the gut, Dr. Gershon said.
Thus overstimulated, the gut goes into higher gear and diarrhea results.
Similarly, people sometimes "choke" with emotion.
When nerves in the esophagus are highly stimulated, people have trouble swallowing.
Even the so-called "Maalox moment" of advertising fame can be explained by the two brains interacting, said Dr. Jackie D. Wood, chairman of the department of physiology at Ohio State University in Columbus.
Stress signals from the head's brain can alter nerve function between the stomach and esophagus, resulting in heartburn.
In cases of extreme stress, Dr. Wood said, the higher brain seems to protect the gut by sending signals to immunological mast cells in the plexus.
The mast cells secrete histamine, prostaglandin and other agents that help produce inflammation, he said.
"]This is protective."
"If an animal is in danger and subject to trauma, dirty stuff in the intestines is only a few cells away from the rest of the body."
"By inflaming the gut, the brain is priming the gut for surveillance."
"If the barrier breaks, the gut is ready to do repairs," Dr. Wood said.
Unfortunately, the chemicals that get released also cause diarrhea and cramping.
Such cross talk also explains many drug interactions, Dr. Gershon said.
"When you make a drug to have psychic effects on the brain, it's very likely to have an effect on the gut that you didn't think about," he said.
Conversely, drugs developed for the brain could have uses in the gut.
For example, the gut is loaded with the neurotransmitter serotonin.
When pressure receptors in the gut's lining are stimulated, serotonin is released and starts the reflexive motion of peristalsis, Dr. Gershon said.
Now a quarter of people taking Prozac or similar antidepressants have gastrointestinal problems like nausea, diarrhea and constipation, he said.
These drugs act on serotonin, preventing its uptake by target cells so that it remains more abundant in the central nervous system.
In a study to be published soon, Dr. Gershon and his colleagues explain Prozac's side effects on the gut.
They mounted a section of guinea pig colon on a stand and put a small pellet in the "mouth" end.
The isolated colon whips the pellet down to the "anal" end of the column, just as it would inside an animal, Dr. Gershon said.
When the researchers put a small amount of Prozac into the colon, the pellet "went into high gear," Dr. Gerhson said.
The drug doubled the speed at which the pellet passed through the colon, which would explain why some people get diarrhea.
Prozac has been used in small doses to treat chronic constipation, he said.
But when researchers increased the amount of Prozac in the guinea pig colon, the pellet stopped moving.
The colon froze up, Dr. Gershon said, which is why some people get constipated on the drug.
And because Prozac stimulated sensory nerves, he said, it can also cause nausea.
Some antibiotics like erythromycin act on gut receptors to produce oscillations, Dr. Gershon said.
People experience cramps and nausea.
Drugs like morphine and heroin attach to the gut's opiate receptors, producing constipation.
Indeed, both brains can be addicted to opiates.
Victims of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases suffer from constipation.
The nerves in their gut are as sick as the nerve cells in their brains.
Just as the central brain affects the gut, the gut's brain can talk back to the head, Dr. Gershon said.
Most of the gut sensations that enter conscious awareness are negative things like pain and bloatedness, Dr. Wingate said.
People do not expect to feel anything good from the gut but that does not mean such signals are absent, he said.
Hence, the intriguing question: why does the human gut produce benzodiazepine?
The human brain contains receptors for benzodiazepine, a drug that relieves anxiety, suggesting that the body produces its own internal source of the drug, said Dr. Anthony Basile, a neurochemist in the Neuroscience Laboratory at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md.
Several years ago, he said, an Italian scientist made a startling discovery.
Patients with liver failure fall into a deep coma.
The coma can be reversed, in minutes, by giving the patient a drug that blocks benzodiazepine.
When the liver fails, substances usually broken down by the liver get to the brain, Dr. Basile said.
Some are bad, like ammonia and mercaptans, which are "smelly compounds that skunks spray on you," he said.
But a series of compounds are also identical to benzodiazepine.
"We don't know if they come from gut itself, from bacteria in the gut or from food," Dr. Basile said.
But when the liver fails, the gut's benzodiazepine goes straight to the brain, knocking the patient unconscious.
The payoff for exploring gut and head brain interactions is enormous, Dr. Wood said.
For example, many people are allergic to certain foods, like shellfish.
This is because mast cells in the gut mysteriously become sensitized to antigens in the food.
The next time the antigen shows up in the gut, Dr. Wood said, the mast cells call up a program, releasing chemical modulators that try to eliminate the threat.
The allergic person gets diarrhea and cramps, he said.
Many autoimmune diseases like Krohn's disease and ulcerative colitis may involve the gut's brain, Dr. Wood said.
The consequences can be horrible, as in Chagas disease, which is caused by a parasite found in South America.
Those infected develop an autoimmune response to neurons in their gut, Dr. Wood said.
Their immune systems slowly destroy their own gut neurons.
When enough neurons die, the intestines literally explode.
A big question remains.
Can the gut's brain learn?
Does it "think" for itself?
Dr. Gershon tells a story about an old Army sergeant, a male nurse in charge of a group of paraplegics.
With their lower spinal cords destroyed, the patients would get impacted.
"The sergeant was anal compulsive," Dr. Gershon said.
"At 10 A.M. everyday, the patients got enemas."
"Then the sergeant was rotated off the ward."
"His replacement decided to give enemas only after compactions occurred."
"But at 10 the next morning, everyone on the ward had a bowel movement at the same time, without enemas," Dr. Gershon said.
Had the sergeant trained those colons?
The human gut has long been seen as a repository of good and bad feelings.
Perhaps emotional states from the head's brain are mirrored in the gut's brain, where they are felt by those who pay attention to them.
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html...752C0A960958260
THE NEW YORK TIMES
"Complex and Hidden Brain in Gut Makes Stomachaches and Butterflies"
By SANDRA BLAKESLEE
Published: January 23, 1996
EVER wonder why people get "butterflies" in the stomach before going on stage?
Or why an impending job interview can cause an attack of intestinal cramps?
And why antidepressants targeted for the brain cause nausea or abdominal upset in millions of people who take such drugs?
The reason for these common experiences, scientists say, is that the body has two brains -- the familiar one encased in the skull and a lesser known but vitally important one found in the human gut.
Like Siamese twins, the two brains are interconnected; when one gets upset, the other does, too.
The gut's brain, known as the enteric nervous system, is located in sheaths of tissue lining the esophagus, stomach, small intestine and colon.
Considered a single entity, it is a network of neurons, neurotransmitters and proteins that zap messages between neurons, support cells like those found in the brain proper and a complex circuitry that enables it to act independently, learn, remember and, as the saying goes, produce gut feelings.
The brain in the gut plays a major role in human happiness and misery.
But few people know it exists, said Dr. Michael Gershon, a professor of anatomy and cell biology at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center in New York.
For years, people who had ulcers, problems swallowing or chronic abdominal pain were told that their problems were imaginary, emotional, simply all in their heads, Dr. Gershon said.
They were shuttled to psychiatrists for treatment.
Doctors were right in ascribing these problems to the brain, Dr. Gershon said, but they blamed the wrong one.
Many gastrointestinal disorders like colitis and irritable bowel syndrome originate from problems within the gut's brain, he said.
And the current wisdom is that most ulcers are caused by a bacterium, not by hidden anger at one's mother.
Symptoms stemming from the two brains get confused, Dr. Gershon said.
"Just as the brain can upset the gut, the gut can also upset the brain" he said.
"If you were chained to the toilet with cramps, you'd be upset, too."
Details of how the enteric nervous system mirrors the central nervous system have been emerging in recent years, said Dr. Gershon, who is considered one of the founders of a new field of medicine called neurogastroenterology.
Nearly every substance that helps run and control the brain has turned up in the gut, Dr. Gershon said.
Major neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, glutamate, norepinephrine and nitric oxide are there.
Two dozen small brain proteins, called neuropeptides, are in the gut, as are major cells of the immune system.
Enkephalins, one class of the body's natural opiates, are in the gut.
And in a finding that stumps researchers, the gut is a rich source of benzodiazepines -- the family of psychoactive chemicals that includes such ever popular drugs as Valium and Xanax.
In evolutionary terms, it makes sense that the body has two brains, said Dr. David Wingate, a professor of gastrointestinal science at the University of London and a consultant at Royal London Hospital.
The first nervous systems were in tubular animals that stuck to rocks and waited for food to pass by, Dr. Wingate said.
The limbic system is often referred to as the "reptile brain."
As life evolved, animals needed a more complex brain for finding food and sex and so developed a central nervous system.
But the gut's nervous system was too important to put inside the newborn head with long connections going down to the body, Dr. Wingate said.
Offspring need to eat and digest food at birth.
Therefore, nature seems to have preserved the enteric nervous system as an independent circuit inside higher animals.
It is only loosely connected to the central nervous system and can mostly function alone, without instructions from topside.
This is indeed the picture seen by developmental biologists.
A clump of tissue called the neural crest forms early in embryogenesis, Dr. Gershon said.
One section turns into the central nervous system.
Another piece migrates to become the enteric nervous system.
Only later are the two nervous systems connected via a cable called the vagus nerve.
Until relatively recently, people thought that the gut's muscles and sensory nerves were wired directly to the brain and that the brain controlled the gut through two pathways that increased or decreased rates of activity, Dr. Wingate said.
The gut was simply a tube with simple reflexes.
Trouble is, no one bothered to count the nerve fibers in the gut.
When they did, he said, they were surprised to find that the gut contains 100 million neurons -- more than the spinal cord has.
Yet the vagus nerve only sends a couple of thousand nerve fibers to the gut.
The brain sends signals to the gut by talking to a small number of "command neurons," which in turn send signals to gut interneurons that carry messages up and down the pike, Dr. Gershon said.
Both command neurons and interneurons are spread throughout two layers of gut tissue called the myenteric plexus and the submuscosal plexus.
("Solar plexus" is actually a boxing term that refers simply to nerves in the abdomen.)
Command neurons control the pattern of activity in the gut, Dr. Gershon said.
The vagus nerve only alters the volume by changing its rates of firing.
The plexuses also contain glial cells that nourish neurons, mast cells involved in immune responses, and a "blood brain barrier" that keeps harmful substances away from important neurons, Dr. Gershon said.
They have sensors for sugar, protein, acidity and other chemical factors that might monitor the progress of digestion, determining how the gut mixes and propels its contents.
"It's not a simple pathway," he said.
"It uses complex integrated circuits not unlike those found in the brain."
The gut's brain and the head's brain act the same way when they are deprived of input from the outside world, Dr. Wingate said.
During sleep, the head's brain produces 90-minute cycles of slow wave sleep punctuated by periods of rapid eye movement sleep in which dreams occur.
During the night, when it has no food, the gut's brain produces 90-minute cycles of slow wave muscle contractions punctuated by short bursts of rapid muscle movements, Dr. Wingate said.
The two brains may influence each other while in this state, Dr. Wingate said.
Patients with bowel problems have been shown to have abnormal rem sleep.
This finding is not inconsistent with the folk wisdom that indigestion can produce nightmare.
As light is shed on the circuitry between the two brains, researchers are beginning to understand why people act and feel the way they do.
When the central brain encounters a frightening situation, it releases stress hormones that prepare the body to fight or flee, Dr. Gershon said.
The stomach contains many sensory nerves that are stimulated by this chemical surge -- hence the "butterflies."
On the battlefield, the higher brain tells the gut brain to shut down, Dr. Gershon said.
"A frightened, running animal does not stop to defecate," he said.
Fear also causes the vagus nerve to "turn up the volume" on serotonin circuits in the gut, Dr. Gershon said.
Thus overstimulated, the gut goes into higher gear and diarrhea results.
Similarly, people sometimes "choke" with emotion.
When nerves in the esophagus are highly stimulated, people have trouble swallowing.
Even the so-called "Maalox moment" of advertising fame can be explained by the two brains interacting, said Dr. Jackie D. Wood, chairman of the department of physiology at Ohio State University in Columbus.
Stress signals from the head's brain can alter nerve function between the stomach and esophagus, resulting in heartburn.
In cases of extreme stress, Dr. Wood said, the higher brain seems to protect the gut by sending signals to immunological mast cells in the plexus.
The mast cells secrete histamine, prostaglandin and other agents that help produce inflammation, he said.
"]This is protective."
"If an animal is in danger and subject to trauma, dirty stuff in the intestines is only a few cells away from the rest of the body."
"By inflaming the gut, the brain is priming the gut for surveillance."
"If the barrier breaks, the gut is ready to do repairs," Dr. Wood said.
Unfortunately, the chemicals that get released also cause diarrhea and cramping.
Such cross talk also explains many drug interactions, Dr. Gershon said.
"When you make a drug to have psychic effects on the brain, it's very likely to have an effect on the gut that you didn't think about," he said.
Conversely, drugs developed for the brain could have uses in the gut.
For example, the gut is loaded with the neurotransmitter serotonin.
When pressure receptors in the gut's lining are stimulated, serotonin is released and starts the reflexive motion of peristalsis, Dr. Gershon said.
Now a quarter of people taking Prozac or similar antidepressants have gastrointestinal problems like nausea, diarrhea and constipation, he said.
These drugs act on serotonin, preventing its uptake by target cells so that it remains more abundant in the central nervous system.
In a study to be published soon, Dr. Gershon and his colleagues explain Prozac's side effects on the gut.
They mounted a section of guinea pig colon on a stand and put a small pellet in the "mouth" end.
The isolated colon whips the pellet down to the "anal" end of the column, just as it would inside an animal, Dr. Gershon said.
When the researchers put a small amount of Prozac into the colon, the pellet "went into high gear," Dr. Gerhson said.
The drug doubled the speed at which the pellet passed through the colon, which would explain why some people get diarrhea.
Prozac has been used in small doses to treat chronic constipation, he said.
But when researchers increased the amount of Prozac in the guinea pig colon, the pellet stopped moving.
The colon froze up, Dr. Gershon said, which is why some people get constipated on the drug.
And because Prozac stimulated sensory nerves, he said, it can also cause nausea.
Some antibiotics like erythromycin act on gut receptors to produce oscillations, Dr. Gershon said.
People experience cramps and nausea.
Drugs like morphine and heroin attach to the gut's opiate receptors, producing constipation.
Indeed, both brains can be addicted to opiates.
Victims of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases suffer from constipation.
The nerves in their gut are as sick as the nerve cells in their brains.
Just as the central brain affects the gut, the gut's brain can talk back to the head, Dr. Gershon said.
Most of the gut sensations that enter conscious awareness are negative things like pain and bloatedness, Dr. Wingate said.
People do not expect to feel anything good from the gut but that does not mean such signals are absent, he said.
Hence, the intriguing question: why does the human gut produce benzodiazepine?
The human brain contains receptors for benzodiazepine, a drug that relieves anxiety, suggesting that the body produces its own internal source of the drug, said Dr. Anthony Basile, a neurochemist in the Neuroscience Laboratory at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md.
Several years ago, he said, an Italian scientist made a startling discovery.
Patients with liver failure fall into a deep coma.
The coma can be reversed, in minutes, by giving the patient a drug that blocks benzodiazepine.
When the liver fails, substances usually broken down by the liver get to the brain, Dr. Basile said.
Some are bad, like ammonia and mercaptans, which are "smelly compounds that skunks spray on you," he said.
But a series of compounds are also identical to benzodiazepine.
"We don't know if they come from gut itself, from bacteria in the gut or from food," Dr. Basile said.
But when the liver fails, the gut's benzodiazepine goes straight to the brain, knocking the patient unconscious.
The payoff for exploring gut and head brain interactions is enormous, Dr. Wood said.
For example, many people are allergic to certain foods, like shellfish.
This is because mast cells in the gut mysteriously become sensitized to antigens in the food.
The next time the antigen shows up in the gut, Dr. Wood said, the mast cells call up a program, releasing chemical modulators that try to eliminate the threat.
The allergic person gets diarrhea and cramps, he said.
Many autoimmune diseases like Krohn's disease and ulcerative colitis may involve the gut's brain, Dr. Wood said.
The consequences can be horrible, as in Chagas disease, which is caused by a parasite found in South America.
Those infected develop an autoimmune response to neurons in their gut, Dr. Wood said.
Their immune systems slowly destroy their own gut neurons.
When enough neurons die, the intestines literally explode.
A big question remains.
Can the gut's brain learn?
Does it "think" for itself?
Dr. Gershon tells a story about an old Army sergeant, a male nurse in charge of a group of paraplegics.
With their lower spinal cords destroyed, the patients would get impacted.
"The sergeant was anal compulsive," Dr. Gershon said.
"At 10 A.M. everyday, the patients got enemas."
"Then the sergeant was rotated off the ward."
"His replacement decided to give enemas only after compactions occurred."
"But at 10 the next morning, everyone on the ward had a bowel movement at the same time, without enemas," Dr. Gershon said.
Had the sergeant trained those colons?
The human gut has long been seen as a repository of good and bad feelings.
Perhaps emotional states from the head's brain are mirrored in the gut's brain, where they are felt by those who pay attention to them.
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html...752C0A960958260
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Mar 12 2008, 05:21 AM)
Therefore, if you have a long life ....
You will have a longer period for cultivation.
This is most critical especially as the best period for spiritual cultivation is after the age of forty.
This is because normally before you are thirty, you are still looking for the meaning of YOUR life and your mind is still learning how to fit in and survive in the new environment.
During this period, the Shen (spirit) of your new life is not yet mature enough to establish contact with the Pre-Birth Shen.
- p. 87, Qigong Meditation by Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming
You will have a longer period for cultivation.
This is most critical especially as the best period for spiritual cultivation is after the age of forty.
This is because normally before you are thirty, you are still looking for the meaning of YOUR life and your mind is still learning how to fit in and survive in the new environment.
During this period, the Shen (spirit) of your new life is not yet mature enough to establish contact with the Pre-Birth Shen.
- p. 87, Qigong Meditation by Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming
Transitioning through Life’s Phases
In our youth-oriented culture, the process of aging is not honored as it once was.
There have been societies that looked to those who were older for leadership, understanding that their life experiences must have brought some wisdom with them.
Our society tends to put more value on looking youthful, so when the time comes that we don’t look, move, or feel the way we once did, this causes a sudden jolt to our perception of ourselves.
We can look at this shift as a crisis and fight against change, or we can take the opportunity to transition smoothly to a new phase of life.
We spend our youth learning who we are and what we are capable of accomplishing.
As we set and reach our goals, it is easy to identify ourselves by our roles.
At some point we may feel very comfortable in the idea that we have a complete understanding of ourselves.
This is, inevitably, when things change and we get to see ourselves from a new perspective.
Those who have reached their goals may wonder where to go from there, feeling uncomfortable with the new choice of parts to play.
Others may have to let go of an identity that was built around a goal that was not reached and decide from what foundation to rebuild.
Although it can be challenging to shift into a new expression of self, we may find that we’re better suited for this fresh path of self-discovery and the new perspective it brings.
Whether we find ourselves facing a midlife crisis or any life transition, we can take the time to get in touch with our inner selves.
From the unchanging spirit within us, we can accept and embrace the changes that come with the human experience.
Examining where we’ve been and what we’ve learned can point in the direction of all that we would like to do now and in the future.
When we anchor our identity in our spiritual nature, we understand that physical change does not change who we are, but only offers another perspective from which to experience, understand, and celebrate life.
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Mar 17 2008, 05:34 AM)
RE: SHEDDING SOME FURTHER LIGHT ON THE LOWER DAN TIAN
THE NEW YORK TIMES
"Complex and Hidden Brain in Gut Makes Stomachaches and Butterflies"
By SANDRA BLAKESLEE
Published: January 23, 1996
EVER wonder why people get "butterflies" in the stomach before going on stage?
Or why an impending job interview can cause an attack of intestinal cramps?
And why antidepressants targeted for the brain cause nausea or abdominal upset in millions of people who take such drugs?
The reason for these common experiences, scientists say, is that the body has two brains -- the familiar one encased in the skull and a lesser known but vitally important one found in the human gut.
Like Siamese twins, the two brains are interconnected; when one gets upset, the other does, too.
The gut's brain, known as the enteric nervous system, is located in sheaths of tissue lining the esophagus, stomach, small intestine and colon.
Considered a single entity, it is a network of neurons, neurotransmitters and proteins that zap messages between neurons, support cells like those found in the brain proper and a complex circuitry that enables it to act independently, learn, remember and, as the saying goes, produce gut feelings.
The brain in the gut plays a major role in human happiness and misery.
But few people know it exists, said Dr. Michael Gershon, a professor of anatomy and cell biology at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center in New York.
For years, people who had ulcers, problems swallowing or chronic abdominal pain were told that their problems were imaginary, emotional, simply all in their heads, Dr. Gershon said.
They were shuttled to psychiatrists for treatment.
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html...752C0A960958260
THE NEW YORK TIMES
"Complex and Hidden Brain in Gut Makes Stomachaches and Butterflies"
By SANDRA BLAKESLEE
Published: January 23, 1996
EVER wonder why people get "butterflies" in the stomach before going on stage?
Or why an impending job interview can cause an attack of intestinal cramps?
And why antidepressants targeted for the brain cause nausea or abdominal upset in millions of people who take such drugs?
The reason for these common experiences, scientists say, is that the body has two brains -- the familiar one encased in the skull and a lesser known but vitally important one found in the human gut.
Like Siamese twins, the two brains are interconnected; when one gets upset, the other does, too.
The gut's brain, known as the enteric nervous system, is located in sheaths of tissue lining the esophagus, stomach, small intestine and colon.
Considered a single entity, it is a network of neurons, neurotransmitters and proteins that zap messages between neurons, support cells like those found in the brain proper and a complex circuitry that enables it to act independently, learn, remember and, as the saying goes, produce gut feelings.
The brain in the gut plays a major role in human happiness and misery.
But few people know it exists, said Dr. Michael Gershon, a professor of anatomy and cell biology at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center in New York.
For years, people who had ulcers, problems swallowing or chronic abdominal pain were told that their problems were imaginary, emotional, simply all in their heads, Dr. Gershon said.
They were shuttled to psychiatrists for treatment.
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html...752C0A960958260
"Pain lasts long after traumatic injury: study"
By Will Dunham
Tue Mar 18, 2:44 AM ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A surprising number of people -- more than 60 percent -- still suffer significant pain a year after a traumatic injury in a car crash or other cause, showing the need for better pain treatment, researchers said.
In a study published on Monday in the journal Archives of Surgery, researchers tracked 3,047 patients ages 18 to 84 from 14 U.S. states who survived an acute traumatic injury.
A year after the injury, 63 percent reported that they still experienced pain related to the injury, with most having pain in more than one region of the body.
On average, the patients assessed their pain at 5.5 on a 10-point scale -- a level at which they would be expected to have moderate to severe interference with daily activities.
"I was surprised that the pain was as common and as severe as they reported it to be," said Dr. Frederick Rivara of the University of Washington in Seattle, who led the study.
"The implications are that we need to do a much better job of identifying pain in these patients, treating it adequately and treating it early," Rivara added in a telephone interview.
The people in the study sustained head injuries, broken limbs, chest or abdominal trauma and other injuries in motor vehicle crashes, falls and other circumstances.
Pain was most commonly seen in joints and limbs (44 percent of patients), the back (26 percent), the head (12 percent) and neck (7 percent).
Rivara noted that people who experience chronic pain are at higher risk for depression and for being unable to work or function normally.
"The focus up until now in a lot of our care is on whether you live or die, which is obviously important."
"But we can't just stop there."
"And I think we need to look at what are the things we can do to improve people's lives after serious illness or injury," Rivara added.
The American Pain Foundation, a Baltimore-based advocacy group, said the financial cost exacted by chronic pain in the United States -- including health-care expenses, lost income and lost productivity -- is estimated at $100 billion a year.
The group said back pain is the leading cause of disability in Americans under 45 years old.
"There are hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people who have had traumatic injury when the focus has been the injury and the destruction of tissue and not the pain."
"Pain has been a secondary consideration (during treatment)," said Will Rowe, American Pain Foundation chief executive officer.
"In many instances, the injury heals and the pain persists."
"That's the story that needs to be told," Rowe said.
(Editing by Eric Beech)
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Jun 7 2006, 05:03 PM)
And for our thought exercise of this evening ...
Especially with respect to the underlying philosophy of t'ai chi ....
Which could be called .....
A pursuit of non-violence ....
And tranquillity ...
And steadiness ....
And balance ...
In a sometimes violent ....
And chaotic world .....
We turn to Lao Tze ...
And the Tao Te Ching ....
Where we have ....
Do enough ....
Without vieing ....
Be living ....
Not dying ...
Especially with respect to the underlying philosophy of t'ai chi ....
Which could be called .....
A pursuit of non-violence ....
And tranquillity ...
And steadiness ....
And balance ...
In a sometimes violent ....
And chaotic world .....
We turn to Lao Tze ...
And the Tao Te Ching ....
Where we have ....
Do enough ....
Without vieing ....
Be living ....
Not dying ...
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Oct 5 2006, 05:50 AM)
"Violence is essentially wordless ..."
"And it can begin ....."
"Only where thought ...."
"And rational communication ..."
"Have broken down ....."
"And it can begin ....."
"Only where thought ...."
"And rational communication ..."
"Have broken down ....."
Unexpected Enlightenment - You Never Know Who You'll Meet"
Our individual journeys take us into many unexpected situations where we encounter a wide variety of people - some quite like ourselves and some very different.
We cannot anticipate these meetings, but we can make the most of them when they take place.
When we are courteous as a matter of course and open-minded in our assessment of the individuals whose lives briefly touch our own, we are more apt to stumble upon surprising gems of wisdom that open our eyes to new worlds of possibility.
Every person we meet can affect us profoundly, just as every situation we find ourselves in can teach us something new.
To fully embrace this fact, it is essential that we acknowledge that everyone is valuable in their own way and capable of expanding our horizons.
Since we never know when we will happen upon those individuals who will unveil truths before us, we should extend to all people the same generous level of kindness, care, compassion, and understanding.
When we assume everyone we meet is special and treat them as such, we can develop a strong rapport quickly.
By making an effort to adopt a positive attitude toward others at all times, we ensure that our emotions do not blind us to wisdom that may be lurking in difficult or distressing situations.
We are accordingly receptive to knowledge that comes to us in the form of examples, advice, and direct teaching.
These brief relationships ultimately have the potential to enrich our lives in a very concrete way.
But the wisdom we gain is proportional to the attention we pay to the world around us.
The responsibility is on us to maintain a state of awareness that allows us to recognize when we are in the presence of someone consciously or unconsciously in possession of knowledge that will change us significantly.
When we are cognizant of the potential for unexpected enlightenment, we make a habit of turning strangers into friends, thus ensuring that we are never without a font of wisdom from which to draw.
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Jan 23 2007, 07:08 PM)
Growing Day By Day - Becoming A Better Person
At some point in our lives, many of us find ourselves overcome with the desire to become better people.
While we are all uniquely capable of navigating this world, we may nonetheless feel driven to grow, expand, and change.
This innate need for personal expansion can lead us down many paths as we develop within the context of our individual lives.
Yet the initial steps that can put us on the road to evolution are not always clear.
We understand that we want to be better but have no clear definition of "better".
To ease this often frustrating uncertainty, we can take small steps, keeping our own concept of growth in mind rather than allowing others to direct the course of our journey.
And we should accept that change won't happen overnight: we may not recognize the transformations taking place within us at first.
Becoming a better person in your own eyes is a whole-life project, and thus you should focus your step-by-step efforts on multiple areas of your existence.
Since you likely know innately which qualities you consider good, growing as an individual is simply a matter of making an effort to do good whenever possible.
Respect should be a key element of your efforts.
When you acknowledge that all people are deserving of compassion, consideration, and dignity, you are naturally more apt to treat them in the manner you yourself wish to be treated.
You will intuitively become a more active listener, universally helpful, and truthful.
Going the extra mile in all you do can also facilitate evolution.
Approaching your everyday duties with an upbeat attitude and positive expectations can help you make the world a brighter, more cheerful place.
Finally, coming to terms with your values and then abiding by them will enable you to introduce a new degree of integrity and dignity into your life.
As you endeavor to develop yourself further, you can take pride not only in your successes, but also in the fact that you are cultivating consciousness within yourself through your choices, actions, and behaviors.
While you may never feel you have reached the pinnacles of awareness you hope to achieve, you can make the most of this creative process of transformation.
Becoming a better person is your choice and is a natural progression in your journey of self-awareness.
At some point in our lives, many of us find ourselves overcome with the desire to become better people.
While we are all uniquely capable of navigating this world, we may nonetheless feel driven to grow, expand, and change.
This innate need for personal expansion can lead us down many paths as we develop within the context of our individual lives.
Yet the initial steps that can put us on the road to evolution are not always clear.
We understand that we want to be better but have no clear definition of "better".
To ease this often frustrating uncertainty, we can take small steps, keeping our own concept of growth in mind rather than allowing others to direct the course of our journey.
And we should accept that change won't happen overnight: we may not recognize the transformations taking place within us at first.
Becoming a better person in your own eyes is a whole-life project, and thus you should focus your step-by-step efforts on multiple areas of your existence.
Since you likely know innately which qualities you consider good, growing as an individual is simply a matter of making an effort to do good whenever possible.
Respect should be a key element of your efforts.
When you acknowledge that all people are deserving of compassion, consideration, and dignity, you are naturally more apt to treat them in the manner you yourself wish to be treated.
You will intuitively become a more active listener, universally helpful, and truthful.
Going the extra mile in all you do can also facilitate evolution.
Approaching your everyday duties with an upbeat attitude and positive expectations can help you make the world a brighter, more cheerful place.
Finally, coming to terms with your values and then abiding by them will enable you to introduce a new degree of integrity and dignity into your life.
As you endeavor to develop yourself further, you can take pride not only in your successes, but also in the fact that you are cultivating consciousness within yourself through your choices, actions, and behaviors.
While you may never feel you have reached the pinnacles of awareness you hope to achieve, you can make the most of this creative process of transformation.
Becoming a better person is your choice and is a natural progression in your journey of self-awareness.
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Sep 26 2006, 05:59 PM)
Different Ways Of Navigating - We're All In The Same Boat
We're all in the same boat.
We just have different paddles, and perhaps we find ourselves on different rivers.
We all live in human bodies.
These are the vehicles in which we move through our world.
We are all made of flesh, blood, and bone, with brains, hearts, and lungs to power us.
Our paddles - the tools we use to move through the world - vary, as do the bodies of water - the environments - in which we find ourselves.
Some of us use our high IQs to get where we want to go.
Some of use our smiles, others use kindness, a gift with language, or athletic ability.
Some of these qualities we were born with and others are skills we have learned.
Considering this metaphor in light of your own life can be very enlightening.
What tools are you using to get from point A to point B in your life?
Chances are, you and the people you know have used many different tools in various combinations throughout your lives to get where you needed to go.
Just as with oars or paddles, a balanced approach is best.
If you rely too much on one thing, like beauty, to open doors, you fail to be well-rounded and you may eventually lose your equilibrium.
And if you lose that one quality, you have no paddle at all.
This is inspiration to develop multiple tools to navigate your world.
Some of us may be moving along paths that are like rushing rivers; others may be on a large, still lake.
We have all felt, at one time or another, tossed about on a stormy ocean.
Through all this, we are never really alone, even though it might seem that way.
There is inspiration all around us in the form of other people making their way through the world, in the very same boat.
Remember to look around you for role models, companionship, and encouragement.
We're all in the same boat.
We just have different paddles, and perhaps we find ourselves on different rivers.
We all live in human bodies.
These are the vehicles in which we move through our world.
We are all made of flesh, blood, and bone, with brains, hearts, and lungs to power us.
Our paddles - the tools we use to move through the world - vary, as do the bodies of water - the environments - in which we find ourselves.
Some of us use our high IQs to get where we want to go.
Some of use our smiles, others use kindness, a gift with language, or athletic ability.
Some of these qualities we were born with and others are skills we have learned.
Considering this metaphor in light of your own life can be very enlightening.
What tools are you using to get from point A to point B in your life?
Chances are, you and the people you know have used many different tools in various combinations throughout your lives to get where you needed to go.
Just as with oars or paddles, a balanced approach is best.
If you rely too much on one thing, like beauty, to open doors, you fail to be well-rounded and you may eventually lose your equilibrium.
And if you lose that one quality, you have no paddle at all.
This is inspiration to develop multiple tools to navigate your world.
Some of us may be moving along paths that are like rushing rivers; others may be on a large, still lake.
We have all felt, at one time or another, tossed about on a stormy ocean.
Through all this, we are never really alone, even though it might seem that way.
There is inspiration all around us in the form of other people making their way through the world, in the very same boat.
Remember to look around you for role models, companionship, and encouragement.
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Oct 27 2006, 05:38 PM)
Observing Evolution - Allowing Others To Walk Their Paths
Watching a loved one or a peer traverse a path littered with stumbling blocks can be immensely painful.
We instinctively want to guide them toward a safer track and share with them the wisdom we have acquired through experience.
Yet all human beings have the right to carve their own paths without being unduly influenced by outside interference.
To deny them that right is to deny them enlightenment, as true insight cannot be conveyed in lectures.
Rather, each individual must earn independence and illumination by making decisions and reflecting upon the consequences of each choice.
In allowing others to walk their paths freely, you honor their right to express their humanity in whatever way they see fit.
Though you may not agree with or identify with their choices, understand that each person must learn in their own way and at their own pace.
The events and circumstances that shape our lives are unique because each of us is unique.
What touches one person deeply may do nothing more than irritate or confound another.
Therefore, each of us is drawn to different paths - the paths that will have the most profound effects on our personal evolution.
If you feel compelled to intervene when watching another human being make their way slowly and painfully down a difficult path, try to empathize with their need to grow autonomous and make their own way in the world.
Should this person ask for your aid, give it freely.
You can even tell them about your path or offer advice in a conscious loving way.
Otherwise, give them the space they need to make their own mistakes, to enjoy the fruits of their labors, to revel in their triumphs, and to discover their own truths.
The temptation to direct the paths of others is a creature of many origins.
Overactive egos can convince us that ours is the one true path or awaken a craving for control within us.
But each person is entitled to seek out their path leading from the darkness into the light.
When we celebrate those paths and encourage the people navigating them, we not only enjoy the privilege of watching others grow - we also reinforce our dedication to diversity, independence, and individuality.
Watching a loved one or a peer traverse a path littered with stumbling blocks can be immensely painful.
We instinctively want to guide them toward a safer track and share with them the wisdom we have acquired through experience.
Yet all human beings have the right to carve their own paths without being unduly influenced by outside interference.
To deny them that right is to deny them enlightenment, as true insight cannot be conveyed in lectures.
Rather, each individual must earn independence and illumination by making decisions and reflecting upon the consequences of each choice.
In allowing others to walk their paths freely, you honor their right to express their humanity in whatever way they see fit.
Though you may not agree with or identify with their choices, understand that each person must learn in their own way and at their own pace.
The events and circumstances that shape our lives are unique because each of us is unique.
What touches one person deeply may do nothing more than irritate or confound another.
Therefore, each of us is drawn to different paths - the paths that will have the most profound effects on our personal evolution.
If you feel compelled to intervene when watching another human being make their way slowly and painfully down a difficult path, try to empathize with their need to grow autonomous and make their own way in the world.
Should this person ask for your aid, give it freely.
You can even tell them about your path or offer advice in a conscious loving way.
Otherwise, give them the space they need to make their own mistakes, to enjoy the fruits of their labors, to revel in their triumphs, and to discover their own truths.
The temptation to direct the paths of others is a creature of many origins.
Overactive egos can convince us that ours is the one true path or awaken a craving for control within us.
But each person is entitled to seek out their path leading from the darkness into the light.
When we celebrate those paths and encourage the people navigating them, we not only enjoy the privilege of watching others grow - we also reinforce our dedication to diversity, independence, and individuality.
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Jan 20 2007, 06:32 PM)
Following The Current - Going With The Flow
The expression going with the flow is a metaphor that applies to navigating a river.
When we go with the flow, we follow the current of the river rather than push against it.
People who go with the flow may be interpreted as lazy or passive, but to truly go with the flow requires awareness, presence, and the ability to blend one's own energy with the prevailing energy.
Going with the flow doesn't mean we toss our oars into the water and kick back in the boat, hoping for the best.
Going with the flow means we let go of our individual agenda and notice the play of energy all around us.
We tap into that energy and flow with it, which gets us going where we need to go a whole lot faster than resistance will.
Going with the flow doesn't mean that we don't know where we're going; it means that we are open to multiple ways of getting there.
We are also open to changing our destination, clinging more to the essence of our goal than to the particulars.
We acknowledge that letting go and modifying our plans is part of the process.
Going with the flow means that we are aware of an energy that is larger than our small selves and we are open to working with it, not against it.
Many of us are afraid of going with the flow because we don't trust that we will get where we want to go if we do.
This causes us to cling to plans that aren't working, stick to routes that are obstructed, and obsess over relationships that aren't fulfilling.
When you find yourself stuck in these kinds of patterns, do yourself a favor and open to the flow of what is rather than resisting it.
Trust that the big river of your life has a plan for you and let it carry you onward.
Throw overboard those things that are weighing you down.
Be open to revising your maps.
Take a deep breath and move into the current.
The expression going with the flow is a metaphor that applies to navigating a river.
When we go with the flow, we follow the current of the river rather than push against it.
People who go with the flow may be interpreted as lazy or passive, but to truly go with the flow requires awareness, presence, and the ability to blend one's own energy with the prevailing energy.
Going with the flow doesn't mean we toss our oars into the water and kick back in the boat, hoping for the best.
Going with the flow means we let go of our individual agenda and notice the play of energy all around us.
We tap into that energy and flow with it, which gets us going where we need to go a whole lot faster than resistance will.
Going with the flow doesn't mean that we don't know where we're going; it means that we are open to multiple ways of getting there.
We are also open to changing our destination, clinging more to the essence of our goal than to the particulars.
We acknowledge that letting go and modifying our plans is part of the process.
Going with the flow means that we are aware of an energy that is larger than our small selves and we are open to working with it, not against it.
Many of us are afraid of going with the flow because we don't trust that we will get where we want to go if we do.
This causes us to cling to plans that aren't working, stick to routes that are obstructed, and obsess over relationships that aren't fulfilling.
When you find yourself stuck in these kinds of patterns, do yourself a favor and open to the flow of what is rather than resisting it.
Trust that the big river of your life has a plan for you and let it carry you onward.
Throw overboard those things that are weighing you down.
Be open to revising your maps.
Take a deep breath and move into the current.
BREATHE!
Breathe with all of your being .....
Not just your nose ....
And so ...
Know Your Food - Eating Close To The Earth
The food we eat is a multidimensional aspect of our lives.
Food provides us with the energy that enables us to grow and prosper.
Yet it can be, and frequently is, much, much more.
Our food can be an experience in and of itself if we allow it to be.
The act of preparing meals can be an art form of the highest caliber.
And the nourishment we derive from this fare promotes wellness within us.
But many of us, distracted by daily affairs, forget that the profound pleasures of eating go beyond simple sustenance.
We eat foods that are convenient or we eat unconsciously, snacking on whatever happens to be on hand.
To understand the true value of food and the impact it can have on our lives, we should acknowledge and honor it by eating close to the earth.
If you have ever shelled and eaten garden-grown peas or bitten into a sun-warmed apple freshly plucked from its tree, you likely understand that there is a marked difference between these foods and those that are processed and stacked on supermarket shelves.
Food recently picked contains more of its original life force and thus has a greater store of energy and nutrients.
The food we eat is a multidimensional aspect of our lives.
Food provides us with the energy that enables us to grow and prosper.
Yet it can be, and frequently is, much, much more.
Our food can be an experience in and of itself if we allow it to be.
The act of preparing meals can be an art form of the highest caliber.
And the nourishment we derive from this fare promotes wellness within us.
But many of us, distracted by daily affairs, forget that the profound pleasures of eating go beyond simple sustenance.
We eat foods that are convenient or we eat unconsciously, snacking on whatever happens to be on hand.
To understand the true value of food and the impact it can have on our lives, we should acknowledge and honor it by eating close to the earth.
If you have ever shelled and eaten garden-grown peas or bitten into a sun-warmed apple freshly plucked from its tree, you likely understand that there is a marked difference between these foods and those that are processed and stacked on supermarket shelves.
Food recently picked contains more of its original life force and thus has a greater store of energy and nutrients.
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Mar 21 2008, 06:12 AM)
BREATHE!
Breathe with all of your being .....
Not just your nose ....
And so ...
Breathe with all of your being .....
Not just your nose ....
And so ...
"Breathing" is a philosophical concept as much as it is a thing you do with your nose and lungs ....
The goal is to breathe with your whole body, not just your nose ....
You exchange air with your nose ....
Exchanging air, however, is not all there is to breathing .....
And there is the CONUNDRUM!
When you hear the expression, "someone breathed in their surrounding" ....
It doesn't mean that they sucked their surroundings into their lungs through their nose ....
Rather, it is something that happens at another level ....
And so ...
WHAT is that other level?
And WHERE might it be found?
And so ....
You are a citizen ...
Of two worlds ....
The world within ...
And the world without .....
To be a successful person ...
YOU ...
Will need to understand .....
HOW
To build a bridge ....
Between these two worlds.
- Swami Rama, Meditation and Its Practice
Of two worlds ....
The world within ...
And the world without .....
To be a successful person ...
YOU ...
Will need to understand .....
HOW
To build a bridge ....
Between these two worlds.
- Swami Rama, Meditation and Its Practice
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Mar 23 2008, 06:30 AM)
"Breathing" is a philosophical concept as much as it is a thing you do with your nose and lungs ....
The goal is to breathe with your whole body, not just your nose ....
You exchange air with your nose ....
Exchanging air, however, is not all there is to breathing .....
And there is the CONUNDRUM!
When you hear the expression, "someone breathed in their surrounding" ....
It doesn't mean that they sucked their surroundings into their lungs through their nose ....
Rather, it is something that happens at another level ....
And so ...
The goal is to breathe with your whole body, not just your nose ....
You exchange air with your nose ....
Exchanging air, however, is not all there is to breathing .....
And there is the CONUNDRUM!
When you hear the expression, "someone breathed in their surrounding" ....
It doesn't mean that they sucked their surroundings into their lungs through their nose ....
Rather, it is something that happens at another level ....
And so ...
Pausing To Drink - Beauty Day
Sometimes we go through whole days without really tuning in to the beauty of nature that surrounds us.
We have a habit of seeing it without really taking it in, yet once we begin to notice it we treat ourselves to an exquisite realm of subtle, complex scents, miraculous forms, and ethereal light.
The natural world enriches our entire being through the vehicles of our senses.
When we are low, nature lifts our spirits.
When we are tired, it rejuvenates us - if we pause long enough to drink from its beauty.
If you have fallen out of the practice of taking time to observe the light as it filters through the leaves of a tree, or the concentric rings a raindrop makes as it plops into a puddle, you can re-tune yourself by dedicating a day to noticing the beauty in nature.
Each day drink from the beauty all around you, and allow it to rejuvenate your entire being.
All you have to do is pause, for just one minute, and really take it in, remembering to thank Mother Nature for her beauty.
And as spring begins to break the grip of winter on the land up here where I am .....
And birdsong begins to fill the morning air ...
Power, Beauty, And Warmth - Keeping The Sun Inside
Anyone who has endured a long, dark winter can attest to the power the sun has to both invigorate and relax body, mind, and soul.
It can be daunting to begin the months of fall and winter, knowing that we may not see as much of the beautiful sun for quite some time.
But it is important to remember that even during the darker days of fall and winter, the sun is still there shining, as beautiful as ever.
Just because it is hidden behind clouds or setting early in our part of the world, does not mean that we cannot access its power, beauty, and warmth.
One way to do this is to find a warm spot in our house where we can sit or lie down in peace.
Closing our eyes, we allow our breath to come and go easily, progressively lengthening each inhale and exhale until we feel very relaxed, peaceful, and warm.
We imagine that it is a very warm summer day and that the sun is shining on us, allowing it to warm our body.
In particular, we may feel as if a small sun has taken up residence in the area of our solar plexus or our heart.
We do not need to think about which one too much and can simply trust our body to let us know where it is.
Spend some time just experiencing this sensation, allowing the heat to radiate from inside your body.
Keeping the sun inside of you when you are missing it on the outside is a way to say hello to the sun and let it warm your soul.
And birdsong begins to fill the morning air ...
Power, Beauty, And Warmth - Keeping The Sun Inside
Anyone who has endured a long, dark winter can attest to the power the sun has to both invigorate and relax body, mind, and soul.
It can be daunting to begin the months of fall and winter, knowing that we may not see as much of the beautiful sun for quite some time.
But it is important to remember that even during the darker days of fall and winter, the sun is still there shining, as beautiful as ever.
Just because it is hidden behind clouds or setting early in our part of the world, does not mean that we cannot access its power, beauty, and warmth.
One way to do this is to find a warm spot in our house where we can sit or lie down in peace.
Closing our eyes, we allow our breath to come and go easily, progressively lengthening each inhale and exhale until we feel very relaxed, peaceful, and warm.
We imagine that it is a very warm summer day and that the sun is shining on us, allowing it to warm our body.
In particular, we may feel as if a small sun has taken up residence in the area of our solar plexus or our heart.
We do not need to think about which one too much and can simply trust our body to let us know where it is.
Spend some time just experiencing this sensation, allowing the heat to radiate from inside your body.
Keeping the sun inside of you when you are missing it on the outside is a way to say hello to the sun and let it warm your soul.
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Mar 12 2008, 05:21 AM)
Therefore, if you have a long life ....
You will have a longer period for cultivation.
This is most critical especially as the best period for spiritual cultivation is after the age of forty.
This is because normally before you are thirty, you are still looking for the meaning of YOUR life and your mind is still learning how to fit in and survive in the new environment.
During this period, the Shen (spirit) of your new life is not yet mature enough to establish contact with the Pre-Birth Shen.
- p. 87, Qigong Meditation by Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming
You will have a longer period for cultivation.
This is most critical especially as the best period for spiritual cultivation is after the age of forty.
This is because normally before you are thirty, you are still looking for the meaning of YOUR life and your mind is still learning how to fit in and survive in the new environment.
During this period, the Shen (spirit) of your new life is not yet mature enough to establish contact with the Pre-Birth Shen.
- p. 87, Qigong Meditation by Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Mar 25 2008, 04:56 AM)
You are a citizen ...
Of two worlds ....
The world within ...
And the world without .....
To be a successful person ...
YOU ...
Will need to understand .....
HOW
To build a bridge ....
Between these two worlds.
- Swami Rama, Meditation and Its Practice
Of two worlds ....
The world within ...
And the world without .....
To be a successful person ...
YOU ...
Will need to understand .....
HOW
To build a bridge ....
Between these two worlds.
- Swami Rama, Meditation and Its Practice
Underneath The Noise - Hearing The Whisper"
You may have noticed that if you want to speak to someone in a noisy, crowded room, the best thing to do is lean close and whisper.
Yelling in an attempt to be louder than the room’s noise generally only hurts your throat and adds to the chaos.
Similarly, that still, small voice within each of us does not try to compete with the mental chatter on the surface of our minds, nor does it attempt to overpower the volume of the raucous world outside.
If we want to hear it, no matter what is going on around us or even inside us, we can always tune in to that soft voice underneath the surrounding noise.
It is generally true that the more insistent voices in our heads delivering messages that make us feel panicky or afraid are of questionable authority.
They may be voices we internalized from childhood or from the culture, and as such they possess only half-truths.
Their urgency stems from their disconnectedness from the center of our being, and their urgency is what catches our attention.
The other voice that whispers reassurances that everything is fundamentally okay simply delivers its message with quiet confidence.
Once we hear it, we know it speaks the truth.
Generally, once we have heard what it has to say, a powerful sense of calm settles over our entire being, and the other voices and sounds, once so dominant, fade into the background, suddenly seeming small and far away.
We may find that our own communications in the world begin to be influenced by the quiet certainty of this voice.
We may be less inclined to indulge in idle chatter as we become more interested in maintaining our connection to the whisper of truth that broadcasts its message like the sound of the wind shaking the leaves of a tree.
As we align ourselves more with this quiet confidence, we become an extension of the whisper, penetrating the noise of the world and creating more peace, trust, and confidence.
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Mar 28 2008, 04:42 AM)
As we align ourselves more with this quiet confidence, we become an extension of the whisper, penetrating the noise of the world and creating more peace, trust, and confidence.
Core practices for the "Path" to consider this morning:
Act with unyielding integrity and discrimination through moral behavior as guided by Spirit, as though death were looking over your shoulder .....
Develop quietness, calmness, stillness, tranquility and equanimity of mind, breath and body .....
Purify the personality through worldly detachment ....
Develop a one-pointed mind ....
But foremost is the grace of the Master, the Inner Teacher.
- From the book "Sutras of the Inner Teacher" by Martin and Marian Jerry
QUOTE(Livyjr @ Mar 29 2008, 05:30 AM)
Develop quietness, calmness, stillness, tranquility and equanimity of mind, breath and body .....
Purify the personality through worldly detachment ....
Develop a one-pointed mind ....
Purify the personality through worldly detachment ....
Develop a one-pointed mind ....
No Hard Edges - Creating Space In The Body
Our minds and bodies are interconnected, and the condition of one affects the condition of the other.
This is why meditation is such a powerful tool for healing the body, as powerful as physical therapies.
When our minds are cluttered with thoughts, information, and plans, our bodies respond by trying to take action.
When the body has a clear directive from the mind, it knows what to do, but a cluttered, unfocused mind creates a confused, tense body.
Our muscles tighten up, our breath shortens, and we find ourselves feeling constricted without necessarily knowing why.
When we sit down to meditate, we let our bodies know that it is okay to be still and rest.
This is a clear directive from the mind, and the body knows exactly how to respond.
Thus, at the very beginning, we have created a sense of clarity for the body and the mind.
As we move deeper into meditation, the state of our mind reveals itself, and we have the opportunity to consciously decide to settle it.
A meditation teacher pointed out that if you put a cow in a small pen, she acts up and pushes against the boundaries, whereas if you provide her with a large, open space, she will peacefully graze in one spot.
In the same way, our thoughts settle down peacefully if we provide them with enough space, and our bodies follow suit.
When we settle down to examine and experience our consciousness, we discover that there are no hard, definable edges.
It is a vast, open space in which our thoughts can come and go without making waves, as long as we let them by neither attaching to them nor repressing them.
As we see our thoughts come and go, we begin to breathe deeper and more easily, finding that our body is more open to the breath as it relaxes along with the mind.
In this way, the space we recognize through meditation creates space in our bodies, allowing for a feeling of lightness and rightness with the world.
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