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<BR><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#0000ff size=4><EM><STRONG>Everyone can move their mind around to play with their Qi, visualize their Qi, observe their Qi and fantasize about their Qi..................</STRONG></EM></FONT><BR>
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<FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#0000ff size=4><EM><STRONG>But there are very few that can keep their mind still and eventually dissolve the mind into emptiness............</STRONG></EM></FONT><BR>
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<FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#0000ff size=4><EM><STRONG>This is real skill.................</STRONG></EM></FONT><BR>
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<FONT size=4><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#0000ff><EM><STRONG>This is where the Dao begins...............</STRONG><BR></EM></FONT><BR><BR><BR></FONT>> Date: Sat, 2 Feb 2008 00:08:51 -0800<BR>> From: clif@eugeneweb.com<BR>> To: isaac.freeman@gmail.com<BR>> CC: wag@eugeneweb.com<BR>> Subject: Re: [WAG] Fwd: Guidelines For Practice & Practice Theor<BR>> <BR>> Hi Issac,<BR>> <BR>> Sorry I didn't reply right away. I've been busy not manageing my time as <BR>> well as I should. ;-)<BR>> <BR>> Ok, I think from what you say are deffinition of groundedness is a little <BR>> different. but simular. Your version seems to be connecting with the earth <BR>> and harmonizing your consiousness with it. My deffenition includes that <BR>> and more abstractly any energy system you want to be a part of. However <BR>> after trying it I see you're right with simple grounding you can make that <BR>> connection and still not have it affect the "blinders" on your focus. My <BR>> take on that is that it's handeled by a different sub-body than the <BR>> consiouness. (my sloppy terms)...<BR>> <BR>> OK... It took me quite a while to come up with a exercise becuase when <BR>> I meditate I'm drawn to focus on something that just depends on where I'm <BR>> at in my head that day so it's sometimes hard for me to pick something <BR>> else. Anyway, you mentioned how when you focus on your hand it eventually <BR>> hurts. Why don't you also focus on your maridians along your arms and in <BR>> your hand? Feel how the energy affects them and what they want? Under my <BR>> loseer deffinition this could be seen as widening your awarness to include <BR>> them and seeing how they are related to the energy flow in your hand. <BR>> Infact as you prctace you can add more energy centers and pathways to your <BR>> awarness. It should be obviouse (I think) what they need.<BR>> <BR>> On another note, I've noticed in general that roadblocks pop up for me <BR>> shortly after I start meditateing, or at least things I need to work on. <BR>> They might be karmic things they might be thoughts from others, or maybe <BR>> blockages in your chackras. Whatever they are you need to focus on gently <BR>> removeing them and healing the trouble. I think this often involves <BR>> letting go of attachents. A hughe ammount of energy goes into being <BR>> attached, or you could say that you create your world and you only have so <BR>> much consousness to do that. When you release attachments you free up your <BR>> consouceness for other things. You may have much more power to process <BR>> things abstractly if you arn't tied down buy these things. You can't do <BR>> spritule gymnastics if your arms and legs are tied to the equipment.<BR>> <BR>> So I reccomend getting quite and running the spirtual energy that works <BR>> best for you, be it Qi, push, pull, cold, hot, or the little waterfall. <BR>> Then when that clensing energy brings up soemting thats blocking you focus <BR>> on it and where it's stuck and try to work it free. I like to think that <BR>> you don't actully have to know where it comes from though it can help. <BR>> Either way you can clear it and move on.<BR>> <BR>> One of the chalanges here is that it's often painfull. Pain sometimes <BR>> draws your attention and sometiems makes you shy away depending on the <BR>> reason. So the challange is to maintain your focus and how the blockage <BR>> relates to the energy system it's in.<BR>> <BR>> It does get easyer as you go on. Once you open up your eyes and include <BR>> something in you scan like say your maridians, it/they becomes second <BR>> nature to monitor it after awile, and then it just takes care of itself. <BR>> Then move on...<BR>> <BR>> Well I hope that was somewhat accurate and please share your thougths. :-)<BR>> <BR>> Ciao,<BR>> Clif<BR>> <BR>> On Sun, 27 Jan 2008, Isaac Freeman wrote:<BR>> <BR>> > Yeah perhaps some form of these notes would be useful to others.<BR>> ><BR>> > I'm thinking about groundedness as I have learned it and trying to figure<BR>> > out how it relates to what I'm doing.<BR>> ><BR>> > I feel that groundedness energetically allows me to have a very sharp focus,<BR>> > and I am able to reason deeply. Deep groundedness energetically causes body<BR>> > to be like an elephant so to speak slow moving yet very sturdy.<BR>> ><BR>> > I've been taught that I can focus relaxing from the top of my head to my<BR>> > feet over and over again, this greats grounding energetically and then you<BR>> > can stand up and smack yourself all over as we did in wudang after our<BR>> > practise and that releases the muscle portion of the energetic groundeness,<BR>> > so you now have relaxed muscles that are able to move quickly, yet your<BR>> > focus is sharp.<BR>> ><BR>> > Hrrm yeah interesting, the buddhists always have the mind, but they rarely<BR>> > equate what you can do energetically to do the same thing to effect your<BR>> > mind. Hrrrm..........still I've been able to ground myself as I know it and<BR>> > not be able to be aware of my focus dialation.. Hrrm .....I think this means<BR>> > our definition of groundedness is different, but perhaps as you say does<BR>> > have the same effect.<BR>> ><BR>> > Do you have any examples of exercises that you tried to maintain your<BR>> > definition of groundedness or was it just through experimentation and<BR>> > generally feeling of how your energetic body was related to the outside<BR>> > world as you say it. If you did I might be able to experiment and see what<BR>> > kind of results I get, and then be able to understand your definition a<BR>> > little more deeply, and also see if it helps me.<BR>> ><BR>> ><BR>> ><BR>> ><BR>> ><BR>> > On Jan 26, 2008 4:35 PM, <clif@eugeneweb.com> wrote:<BR>> ><BR>> >> Hi Isaac,<BR>> >><BR>> >> Thanks for the long and detailed email. Yes I think we might be in the<BR>> >> same 10%. I have also had to learn about mindefullness, though the term I<BR>> >> learned it by was grounding. From your description I think they are the<BR>> >> same. To me Grounding means realateing to or being aware of how your focus<BR>> >> realates to the world, or at least your bodies energy system. I sapaose<BR>> >> more abstractly the environment you want to be apart of. It took me many<BR>> >> many years to learn how to stay grounded, and it takes some effort.<BR>> >><BR>> >> A while back I was meditateing and thought I might be forceing the Qi<BR>> >> energy too hard. I thought of what you said earlyer about being gentle<BR>> >> with with yourself, and noticed that there was a part of my bodies energy<BR>> >> system that didn't appreciate being forced. I saw that it had it's own way<BR>> >> of handleing the flow of energy and that I could "intend" for the Qi to<BR>> >> flow and it would handle the details (for this particular energy<BR>> >> body/system). It even worked better if I could be sensitive to what it<BR>> >> needed from the rest of me. Ofcouse it's hard to maintain that level of<BR>> >> focus for very long unless you practus. Over the next few days I started<BR>> >> feeling better though that might have happend anyway.<BR>> >><BR>> >> I wonder if we should post these notes to the list or wiki? It might help<BR>> >> others.<BR>> >><BR>> >> Ciao,<BR>> >> Clif<BR>> >><BR>> >> On Sat, 26 Jan 2008, Isaac Freeman wrote:<BR>> >><BR>> >>> Here is another take on it.<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> I'm going to share my experiances and theories with you, but I<BR>> >>> suggest nothing for you, yet I feel I want to tell you this.<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> One our body types are similar, and we both have similiar interests,<BR>> >> with<BR>> >>> computers, which requires a certain kind of focus.<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> I've been talking to several different instructors on my issue, both<BR>> >> buddist<BR>> >>> and daoists and I have Essentially I have come up with this. Generally<BR>> >> when<BR>> >>> one practises Qigong, you pay attention to your body, wether it's moving<BR>> >>> qigong where you are focusing on certain body parts, or meditation where<BR>> >> you<BR>> >>> focus on your dantien.<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> About 60% of the people seem to have problems maintaining focus long<BR>> >> enough<BR>> >>> to feel/notice any Qi build up in their dantien, or notice their<BR>> >> external or<BR>> >>> internal qi if they are doing moving qigong When the finally do notice<BR>> >> the<BR>> >>> Qi, they still have problems maintaining focus and naturally and slowly<BR>> >> get<BR>> >>> better at it, while naturally getting healthier. This is a kind<BR>> >>> of healing qi that starts to move around and help the body, if you<BR>> >> generate<BR>> >>> this qi in your dantien (By simply gazing at it) you get a build up of<BR>> >>> energy and your body goes through a natural healing process, and many<BR>> >> things<BR>> >>> including clearer thought, and everything the ancients spoke of I would<BR>> >>> surmise.<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> Another %20 get anxious, or desirous for something to happen, they might<BR>> >>> also unconsiously kind of "push" at what they are doing. This kind of<BR>> >>> concentration can create a kind of qi that the buddists know as "Push".<BR>> >>> There are several qualities of qi, hot, cold, push, pull, warming,<BR>> >> healing<BR>> >>> quality to name a few basic ones. and actually by chance your dantien<BR>> >> is<BR>> >>> one of the safest places to do "push" on your body.), rather than a warm<BR>> >> and<BR>> >>> healing feeling. Push qi will actually activate your dantien to<BR>> >> energize<BR>> >>> your body temporarily (If you push off of it rather than into it), but<BR>> >> the<BR>> >>> effects will last only temporary. Continuing to do this every day, say<BR>> >>> three times a day will cause you to have almost no sleep, and be drained<BR>> >> of<BR>> >>> energy, these affects are also normal to the effects you get when you<BR>> >> are<BR>> >>> doing it properly except that your energy will quickly fade, and your<BR>> >> body<BR>> >>> will not feel lighter etc.... The short term effects essentially are an<BR>> >>> empty feeling or even a slight pressure in the dantien, or even may<BR>> >>> actually follow governing channel up your back. (Rather than warm<BR>> >>> healing feeling in the dantien) (If you push inward rather than off your<BR>> >>> dantien)<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> Another %10 of the people, are able to focus and get the warm feeling,<BR>> >> but<BR>> >>> after noticing the progress is slow they consciously or unconsciously<BR>> >> start<BR>> >>> "pushing". This is where I am, I was able to focus properly at first,<BR>> >> but<BR>> >>> now every time I pay attention to any part of my body I generate "push<BR>> >>> qi." Push and pull qi is used in martial arts, it for example can<BR>> >>> allow someone to hold their arms up for hours by pushing off the bottom<BR>> >> side<BR>> >>> and pulling off the top, at the same time and has many other uses in<BR>> >> the<BR>> >>> martial arts when striking moving etc.. In cases where the problem<BR>> >> inside a<BR>> >>> persons body is a tumor, push Qi, if used precisely can be used to get<BR>> >> rid<BR>> >>> of the tumor.<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> I have yet to meet a doaist that can explain it in these terms, some<BR>> >> would<BR>> >>> tell you that you are pushing things at best. I think the point is that<BR>> >> most<BR>> >>> doaists don't know the qi qualities in a sort of logical way. I think<BR>> >> the<BR>> >>> practice teacher Hu teaches is very authentic, yet I am learning that<BR>> >> there<BR>> >>> is times were more/deeper or even more logical understanding would help<BR>> >> him<BR>> >>> with his students.<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> The last ten percent do not get the practice at all, can't hold the<BR>> >>> concentration long enough to notice anything, even though they do<BR>> >> benefit<BR>> >>> from deep breathing, which occurs naturally and has many benfits in<BR>> >> itself.<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> For the first about year of my pratice I had intense qi and strength<BR>> >> coming<BR>> >>> into my body and felt very healthy. Suddenly one day I noticed the<BR>> >> opposite<BR>> >>> affects happening, and gradually even my digestive condition returned<BR>> >> with<BR>> >>> even more problems. I kept practising trying to adjust my focus to bring<BR>> >>> back the opposite affects, kept reading all the information and my notes<BR>> >>> trying to figure out what made things different all of a sudden. I even<BR>> >>> took Jesse's tour in 2006 (Going all the way to china to find an<BR>> >> answer),<BR>> >>> and while I learned many things about traditional practise, it still<BR>> >> didn't<BR>> >>> answer the question on how to resolve the problem I'm facing.<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> Finally I spoke to a buddist instructor, who filled my dantien with some<BR>> >>> energy, so that qi was really obvious to me (The more energy your body<BR>> >> has<BR>> >>> the easier it is to notice the qi in the begining , he then showed me<BR>> >> the<BR>> >>> quality of push (on my hands), and asked me if that is what I felt in my<BR>> >>> dantien when I focused there. I said yes, and then he showed me what<BR>> >> it<BR>> >>> was useful for, holding up your arms, lifting weights larger than your<BR>> >> own<BR>> >>> muscle strength can use. He also mentioned the affects in the dantien.<BR>> >> This<BR>> >>> all came to clear to me in that moment, I was gazing into my dantien<BR>> >>> alright, but the quality that naturally arises for most people by doing<BR>> >> this<BR>> >>> was not what I was doing.<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> So how to fix it, I have been just doing some deep breathing and staring<BR>> >>> into the floor, kind of zen style for a while and I'm trying to meditate<BR>> >> in<BR>> >>> any fashion without any kind of qi focus at all, a kind of a focus<BR>> >> without<BR>> >>> causing qi to happen. I started on my hand and just stared at it for a<BR>> >> while<BR>> >>> as an experiment , eventually my hand was sore , I didn't even have the<BR>> >>> intention of bringing qi to it it, just happened. This is from<BR>> >> practicing<BR>> >>> this type of qi for over three years now. You see I notice my breathing<BR>> >> or<BR>> >>> my shoulder or anything and the push quality goes there and causes<BR>> >> problems,<BR>> >>> because push is actually quite destructive outside of the dantien within<BR>> >> the<BR>> >>> body.<BR>> >>> Into the dantien you get more tired, your body gets more acidic rather<BR>> >> than<BR>> >>> less acidic, pushing off gives you a bit of energy, both I've mentioned.<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> Anyway the solution from what I can glean (And what I've been taught) is<BR>> >> two<BR>> >>> fold. One is that meditation is only tool to help you get to<BR>> >>> enlightenment, the other is mindfullness, you can do mindfulness<BR>> >>> meditation, but if you are like me and do meditation really well (Are<BR>> >> able<BR>> >>> to focus really intently), you can get spaced out, focus too hard or<BR>> >> become<BR>> >>> too narrow in your perception.<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> Both Zen style meditation, and Doist style mediation have aspects of<BR>> >> both<BR>> >>> types, now if you are so good at medtation and not so good at<BR>> >> mindfulness<BR>> >>> then what it means is that you might be so deep in your practice but not<BR>> >> be<BR>> >>> aware of what is happening, you may even deepen in this and be spaced<BR>> >> out<BR>> >>> after your practice or start to easily get spaced out in things.<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> The two sides of the path sometimes need to be practiced seperatley to<BR>> >> help<BR>> >>> with this. So how to practice mindfulness outside of meditation? Well<BR>> >> the<BR>> >>> basic thing is to pick up an object with a small amount of detail on it,<BR>> >> a<BR>> >>> small jagged rock for example. You look at the rock noticing it's<BR>> >> details<BR>> >>> and turn it around and keep noticing the details, but not getting caught<BR>> >> up<BR>> >>> in them. As soon as your mind forms a thought about the details then you<BR>> >>> shift to the next bit of detail and keep doing that. You might come<BR>> >> back to<BR>> >>> the same details and notice something different about them or not, but<BR>> >> you<BR>> >>> keep shifting. Slowly you get more complicated objects until you can<BR>> >> stand<BR>> >>> back and look at a room. If you start to get spaced out, then your<BR>> >> object is<BR>> >>> too big, eventually you bring this into everday life, doing small benign<BR>> >>> tasks and noticing the details as you do them, eventually you branch it<BR>> >> out<BR>> >>> into everday life.<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> To do this in qigong, you could for example practice some moving qigong,<BR>> >> or<BR>> >>> tai chi and pay attention to the subtle details of your body, motion,<BR>> >> how<BR>> >>> the movement feels inside your body etc...<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> When you think about it, Jesse has developed mindfulness through his<BR>> >> other<BR>> >>> practices that came before this, tai chi, bagua, etc.., so had others in<BR>> >> the<BR>> >>> class, others have enough mindfulness to be able to be aware of their<BR>> >>> focus/depth of meditation in which case it's not nessecary. With me<BR>> >> I've<BR>> >>> been staring at a computer screen all of my life, a very narrow two<BR>> >>> demensional surface. In fact I go very deep into many thoughts about<BR>> >> this<BR>> >>> and that while I work on the computer all related to that narrow focus.<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> Anyway this is all great in theory, although it makes so much sense to<BR>> >> me, I<BR>> >>> cannot speak for it's functionality. I can say that yesterday I<BR>> >> practiced<BR>> >>> mindfullness for about twenty minutes on some small objects and I found<BR>> >> that<BR>> >>> before I left my house, I remembered everything without having to come<BR>> >> back<BR>> >>> for a change, in fact I simply noticed them there on the table, or the<BR>> >> bed<BR>> >>> or the closet before I left they caught my eye, perhaps this is the<BR>> >>> mindfullness starting to work. Today I also had a class with my qigong<BR>> >>> instructor, he was talking about the details and now I see how he was<BR>> >> trying<BR>> >>> to show me the same thing for many months about paying attention to the<BR>> >>> details of my body and how that will help me notice the qi more easily,<BR>> >> help<BR>> >>> me dialate the focus and be more aware of what i'm doing, and thus<BR>> >> allowing<BR>> >>> myself to be more gentle. So maybe the daoists just don't have direct<BR>> >>> logical understanding, but they do have the connected theory. If this<BR>> >> all<BR>> >>> works and I'm able to bring my practice back to being effective, I'll<BR>> >> talk<BR>> >>> to teacher Hu about it, but until then, I thought you might be<BR>> >> interested as<BR>> >>> my deviations seem to be part of my growth and it's taken me almost<BR>> >> three<BR>> >>> years to get to this point, where I feel I'm moving forward again,<BR>> >> albeit<BR>> >>> slowy, yet spiritually.<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> In case your interested there is other stuff above the two methods that<BR>> >> must<BR>> >>> occur on the path to enlightenment, that's contimplation, in fact<BR>> >> aparently<BR>> >>> you can get there strictly through that method if you understand how to<BR>> >>> properly reason and contimplate, but the guidelines are a little longer<BR>> >> than<BR>> >>> this email will be so anyway for now enjoy your evening.<BR>> >>><BR>> >>><BR>> >>><BR>> >>> ---------- Forwarded message ----------<BR>> >>> From: Eternal Spring < eternalspringtours@hotmail.com ><BR>> >>> Date: Jan 23, 2008 1:22 AM<BR>> >>> Subject: [WAG] Guidelines For Practice & Practice Theor<BR>> >>> To: clif@eugeneweb.com<BR>> >>> Cc: wag@eugeneweb.com<BR>> >>><BR>> >>><BR>> >>><BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *The Hundred Character Tablet **by Ancestor Lu says,*<BR>> >>><BR>> >>><BR>> >>><BR>> >>> Nurturing Energy, forget words and guard it.<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> Conquer the mind, do nondoing.<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> In activity and quietude, know the source progenitor.<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> There is no thing; whom else do you seek?<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> Real constancy should respond to people;<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> in responding to people, it is essential not to get confused.<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> When you don't get confused, your nature is naturally stable;<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> when your nature is stable, energy naturally returns.<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> When energy returns, elixir spontaneously crystallizes,<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> in the pot pairing water and fire.<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> Yin and Yang arise, alternating over and over again,<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> everywhere producing the sound of thunder.<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> White clouds assemble on the summit,<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> sweet dew bathes the polar mountain.<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> Having drunk the wine of longevity,<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> you wander free; who can know you?<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> You sit and listen to the stringless tune,<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> you clearly understand the mechanism of creation.<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> The whole of these twenty verses<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> is a ladder straight to heaven.<BR>> >>><BR>> >>><BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *The Secret Discourse on the Mysterious Pass by the Master of the White<BR>> >> Jade<BR>> >>> Moon says, "*Have no mind on things and no things in mind."<BR>> >>><BR>> >>><BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *Calling the Way, a collection by the Master of Eternal Spring, says,<BR>> >> "*When<BR>> >>> not a single thought leaves the heart, this is true emptiness."<BR>> >>><BR>> >>><BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *The Master of the Cloudy Portal said*, "At the first stage of<BR>> >> meditation,<BR>> >>> thought becomes still. At the second stage of meditation, breath<BR>> >> becomes<BR>> >>> still. At the third stage of meditation, the energy channels become<BR>> >> still.<BR>> >>> At the forth stage of meditation, there is a total extinction and entry<BR>> >> into<BR>> >>> great concentration."<BR>> >>><BR>> >>><BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *Wang ChongYang's Collection on Complete Reality says,* "There is a way<BR>> >> to<BR>> >>> conquer the mind. If the mind is always calm and still, dark and<BR>> >> silent,<BR>> >>> not seeing anything, neither inside nor outside, free of all thoughts<BR>> >> and<BR>> >>> mental images, this is the settled mind, which is not to be conquered.<BR>> >> If<BR>> >>> the mind gets excited at objects, falling all over itself looking for<BR>> >>> beginnings and ends, this is the confused mind, which ruins the virtues<BR>> >> of<BR>> >>> the Way and undermines essence and life - it should not be indulged.<BR>> >>> Whatever you are doing, always strive to conquer perception, feeling,<BR>> >> and<BR>> >>> cognition, realizing these are afflictions. Putting your nature in<BR>> >> order is<BR>> >>> like tuning a stringed instrument. If the strings are too tight they<BR>> >> will<BR>> >>> snap, while if they are too loose they will not be responsive. When<BR>> >>> taughtness and relaxation are balanced, then the instrument is ready.<BR>> >> It is<BR>> >>> also like making a sword; too much iron and it will snap, too much tin<BR>> >> and<BR>> >>> it will bend. When iron and tin are balanced, then the sword is useful.<BR>> >>> Tuning and refining your true nature is a matter of embodying these two<BR>> >>> principles."<BR>> >>><BR>> >>><BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *The Treatise on Cultivating Life by Liu Hua Yang says,* "The subtleties<BR>> >> of<BR>> >>> the Tao lie in original nature and life, and to cultivate original<BR>> >> nature<BR>> >>> and life is to return to the One. The ancient sages used symbols when<BR>> >> they<BR>> >>> spoke of returning original nature and life to the One because they did<BR>> >> not<BR>> >>> want to present the teachings in a straightforward way. Consequently,<BR>> >>> nowadays it is difficult to find someone who truly understands the<BR>> >> meaning<BR>> >>> of cultivating mind and body."<BR>> >>><BR>> >>><BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *Zhang Sanfeng's Alchemy Secrets says,* "The actual practice of the work<BR>> >>> cannot follow anything created as a rule, because everything created is<BR>> >>> temporal. At first the work is a matter of extinguishing emotionalism<BR>> >> and<BR>> >>> sweeping away miscellaneous thoughts. This is the first step, building<BR>> >> the<BR>> >>> foundation and refining the self. Once the human mentality is set<BR>> >> aside,<BR>> >>> the celestial mind comes back. Once human desires are purified, then<BR>> >> the<BR>> >>> celestial design is always present."<BR>> >>><BR>> >>><BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *The Secret of the Golden Flower by Ancestor Lu says,* "Naturalness is<BR>> >>> called the Way. The Way has no name or form; it is just the essence,<BR>> >> just<BR>> >>> the primal spirit."<BR>> >>><BR>> >>><BR>> >>><BR>> >>><BR>> >>><BR>> >>><BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *In the art of practice to follow the Way, when we diverge from the Way,<BR>> >>> affliction, aberration and calamity can arise.*<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> **<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *Generally it is the grasping mind, thoughts, desires, obsession and<BR>> >>> emotions that cause such disturbance.*<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> **<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *Let us call these five the Five Bringers of Calamity.*<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> **<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *What is this thing we call 'Calamity'.*<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> **<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *It can show signs such as, dizziness, headache, pain behind the eyes,<BR>> >> sharp<BR>> >>> needle like pain in the abdomen, nausea, vomiting, heavy head and<BR>> >>> disoriented confusion. *<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> **<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *We can term these the Eight Calamities.*<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> **<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *Generally if we practice in a natural and gentle way, there is no<BR>> >> problem<BR>> >>> and no calamity shall arise.*<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> **<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *Calamity can arise when we force things, try and gain progress,<BR>> >> practice<BR>> >>> with strong emotional desire such as anger, force and passion,<BR>> >> forcefully<BR>> >>> use the mind will in an intense manner, over concentrate the mind will,<BR>> >>> think and mentally analize the practice seeking signs and results, and<BR>> >> also<BR>> >>> practice for an excessive long period of time in a forceful manner. *<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> **<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *This is a subtle area, and it is very easy for the false mind to tell<BR>> >> you<BR>> >>> that you are making great progress - while all the time you are in<BR>> >> reality<BR>> >>> using force and aggressive mind will - creating nothing but disaster;<BR>> >> and<BR>> >>> diverging from the Great Way. *<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> **<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *Be careful, watchful, and diligent.*<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> **<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *To practice properly, we must go slowly, in a very gentle and balanced<BR>> >>> manner.*<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> **<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *Sometimes we move forward, sometimes we stop and rest, sometimes we<BR>> >> take a<BR>> >>> step back.*<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> **<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *All the while being natural, not thinking to gain anything; letting the<BR>> >>> pure heart embody the practice.*<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> **<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *Keep in mind the basic teaching of Resting in Purity and Stillness.*<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> **<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *This one phrase embodies the whole course - 'Rest in Purity and<BR>> >> Stillness.'<BR>> >>> *<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> **<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *Let us not forget the phrase, 'The Great Way of Dao Follows the Way of<BR>> >>> Nature.'*<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> **<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *Be natural. *<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> **<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *Be Pure.*<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> **<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *Be Still.*<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> **<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *To follow the Dao, we must follow Nature.*<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> **<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *During the practice, there are many signs that arise.*<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> **<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *Sometimes we feel light, sometimes heavy.*<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> **<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *Sometimes there is pain and stiffness.*<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> **<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *Sometimes there is nothing at all that arises, and it seems quite<BR>> >> ordinary.<BR>> >>> *<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> **<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *Sometimes there is energetic vibration, and internal movement of all<BR>> >> sorts.<BR>> >>> *<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> **<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *Sometimes there is great golden and white light that appear, from where<BR>> >> we<BR>> >>> do not know.*<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> **<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *Sometimes there is strong thunder and wind like sound, arising from<BR>> >> where<BR>> >>> we do not know.*<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> **<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *Sometimes we float away in a golden cloud, loosing all sense of our<BR>> >> selves,<BR>> >>> where we came from, and where we are going, floating up and away. *<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> **<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *Sometimes a great pleasure arises, like a wave of golden light,<BR>> >> covering us<BR>> >>> and washing away all things in this world of red dust.*<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> **<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *Sometimes we fall down into the pool that has no name, no color, a<BR>> >> place of<BR>> >>> utter emptiness, utter nothingness, for how long we do not know. *<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> **<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *Sometimes we find ourselves in a place of purple clouds, not knowing<BR>> >> where<BR>> >>> we are, or how we arrived there; a golden moon presents itself, and<BR>> >> baths us<BR>> >>> in its divine mystic light. *<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> **<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *Many things happen if we can follow practice in a proper manner.*<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> **<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *Do not think too much about it all.*<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> **<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *Just continue with the practice.*<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> **<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *Gain the Pure Heart State.*<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> **<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *Rest in Tranquility and Stillness.*<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> **<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *Gain Stability; remain in the unchanging state.*<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> **<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *Return to the place before your birth and death; viewing your true<BR>> >> original<BR>> >>> face.*<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> **<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> *Follow the way of nature, and let nature do its own<BR>> >> work................*<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> **<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> **<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> **<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> **<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> **<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> **<BR>> >>><BR>> >>> **<BR>> >>><BR>> >>><BR>> >>><BR>> >>> ------------------------------<BR>> >>> Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! 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