Wow, two awards in one day 🙂 _/\_
Thank you to Kathryn at http://serenholisticlifestyles.com for her kind nomination of endlesslightandlove for The Versatile Blogger Award.
Please drop by Kathryn’s site and take a look at her great posts
Namaste
Mark
Get close to the edge my friends, take a chance on life…Your Life…Make a Difference to this World…
Give it a Go!
Namaste with Love
‘Always’
Mark
I have talked about this in some blogs before…It only takes One!
We can all do good in this world, help ourselves, help our friends, our neighbours, our family, our brothers and sisters in far away lands who are so much less fortunate than ourselves, our environment, global warming, conflict resolution, peace on earth…..It is in our power and it only takes One….
One Person,
One Hope,
One Voice,
One Smile,
One Hand,
One Word,
One Touch,
One Laugh,
One Candle,
One Life,
One Tree,
One Person Wanting Change,
One Person Who Has Had Enough With Excuses
One Person Who Cares…….
It Only Takes One to Start a Chain Reaction…….Can you Be That Person?
Namaste
With Love, With Smiles and with Joy.
Mark
Hello my friends, well it’s happened 🙂 We held our first Mindfulness event here in Shanghai; China last Saturday….Yeah 🙂
It was an afternoon for ladies only, the event was held in the Chinese language and we took the ladies on a journey of self discovery with the theme ‘Who am I’ and ‘What do I want’.
We used various Psychological and Counselling techniques throughout the discovery sessions including meditations, interaction and questioning in pairs, group exercises and music / sound therapy. It was a fantastic afternoon of fun, self discovery and some awakening 🙂
We also held exercise sessions in TaiChi and Yoga
We rounded up the afternoon with an interactive session on health and beauty with tips on skin care, hair styling and make-up.
All in all a wonderful afternoon was had by all and the first of many to come.
Namaste
Mark
My dear blogging friends,
I have received two blogging nominations for awards this week from two of my fellow bloggers and friends Hari at http://hariqhuang.wordpress.com and Michelle at http://lifeasagarden.wordpress.com . Please check out their blogs because they are both so full of inspiring, wonderful information and energy 🙂
I am as usual very humbled by their kind thoughts and nominations and so appreciative of their support of my blog, however I will accept their nominations in the true spirit they were bestowed on me but gracefully decline to adhere to the nomination process due to the time it takes to complete.
Thank you dear friends, from the bottom of my heart.
Namaste
Mark
Chronic back pain and me.
Do you, like me suffer from chronic back pain? Maybe its from a old sporting injury, work related injury from lifting incorrectly or from just sitting too long at your desk and using a computer?
Back pain is annoying, its painful, it comes at the perfect time to stop us enjoying our life’s and it can be very time consuming and expensive to manage and to treat. So, it’s about time we did something about it!
I’m probably one of the worst offenders, I spend far too much time each day; sitting at my desk and using my computer, which for the majority of the time is sitting at the wrong level (ergonomically) for me to sit in a healthy posture. I tend to look down at my screen instead of up, my fingers rarely leave the keyboard and as my typing skills are not as per the perfect typist (I.e using three or four fingers at most, instead of all 10) which leads to strains in my fingers and of course can lead to the potential of Carpal Tunnel in my wrists.
What is low back pain?
“Low back pain” which can be acute or chronic, is literally pain or discomfort of the lower lumbar region of the back. Acute back pain usually follows some kind of injury, often related to everyday activities such as housework, gardening, a sports-related injury or an automobile accident. Back pain that lasts for more than three months is classified as chronic.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms are often described as muscle aches but can include shooting or stabbing pain, limited flexibility and range of motion, or an inability to stand straight.
What are the causes?
Most cases of low back pain are due to strain on the bones, muscles, and ligaments of the spine. In some cases, however, low back pain can be due to such serious conditions as cancer or structural problems of the spine, which can cause nerve damage. Occasionally, lower back pain is due to a “slipped disk” (also called a herniated disk), in which one of the disks of cartilage that separates the vertebrae in the spine bulges out of place and presses on nerves. Often, a disk “slips” as a result of twisting while lifting, but the cause may not be identifiable.
Simple preventive steps can help eliminate recurring back pain resulting from improper body mechanics or from other causes of back problems that don’t stem from injuries.
Exercises that tone the back and maintaining proper posture are especially helpful. In addition, anyone with a tendency to develop back pain should learn to lift objects properly:
• Bend your knees and squat to pick up an object
• Keep your back straight
• Hold the object close to your body
• Avoid twisting
Choosing ergonomic furniture and tools at home and at work can also help avoid strains on the back.
What is the conventional treatment?
Most acute back pain will resolve on its own within two weeks without medical intervention. Whether lower back pain is acute or chronic, most cases are initially treated with over-the-counter pain relievers to reduce discomfort and with anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce inflammation. Sometimes, prescription drugs may be recommended for pain relief and to allow quality sleep. Cold and hot compresses may help reduce pain and inflammation and allow greater mobility, although they have not been scientifically proven to quickly resolve low back injury. Bed rest is recommended for only 1-2 days at most, and patients are advised to resume their normal activities as soon as possible. Massage therapy can be very useful in cases of acute muscle spasm causing back pain and problems with flexibility. Exercise may be the best way to speed recovery and strengthen back and abdominal muscles. Physical therapy may be recommended for more severe strains. In the most serious cases that don’t respond to other forms of treatment, and that involve compromised structures in the spine, surgery may be recommended to relieve pain caused by back problems or serious musculoskeletal injuries.
• Practice a relaxation technique daily: Options include mindfulness meditation (proven to ease chronic back pain), breath work, progressive muscle relaxation and hypnotherapy.
• Try Yoga, Tai Chi or Qigong, the stretches and slow movements can reduce muscle tension, strengthen the back and promote flexibility.
• Electrical stimulation: Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) delivers low level electrical pulses to the lower back (you can get a portable device for home use). Percutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (PENS) works the same way but delivers the pulses via needles inserted into the back rather than electrodes used with TENS.
• Exercise: Both aerobic and strength training exercises can help. Aerobic exercise includes walking, swimming or cycling, all of which can help strengthen the back. Aerobic exercise also burns calories and helps you lose any excess weight that may contribute to your back problem. In addition, perform strength training exercises at least twice a week to tone and firm the abdominal, leg and buttock muscles that help to support the back. Seek out proper instruction before embarking on a strength training program; using either free weights or weight machines improperly can defeat the purpose. Make sure you do some stretching or yoga for flexibility.
• Chiropractic care may be of benefit in the treatment of back and neck pain. Many chiropractors use a kind of manipulation called “dynamic thrust”: a low speed, high force movement often accompanied by a popping or cracking sound. Others use a low-force, high-speed method, known as the Activator method (incorporating a tension spring and plunger tool) that may be a better choice for older patients who could be injured by dynamic thrust.
• Acupuncture. Studies indicate that acupuncture can help to relieve several kinds of pain, including low back pain.
I have personally been going through many weeks of intensive treatments for my chronic back pain, I have had scans and MRI’s, X-Rays and all the normal forms of medical diagnostics, and the consensus is I have a disk that likes to pop out from time to time, I guess to keep me mindful that it is still there and still important as a member of by spine ☺ When this disk pops out it usually manages to trap a nerve while its out of alignment from my other disk’s, this then causes shooting pains down my back and leg, often stopping my completely, immobilizing me and causing me severe pain.
I try not to agitate it, I take things as easy as possible, I don’t lift heavy objects, I always bend my knees and squat properly to lift anything even the lightest and easiest of objects, I exercise as often as my back allows, Qigong and Yoga are my personal favorite forms of exercise and I meditate and use my own forms of personal healing including self-hypnosis and visualization techniques.
I also have deep nerve massages twice per week followed by acupuncture with TENS then Cupping.
Cupping therapy is an ancient Chinese form of alternative medicine in which a local suction is created on the skin; practitioners believe this mobilizes blood flow in order to promote healing. Suction is created using heat (fire) or mechanical devices (hand or electrical pumps). There is reason to believe the practice dates from as early as 3000 B.C.; the earliest record of cupping is in the Ebers Papyru, one of the oldest medical textbooks in the world, describes in 1550 B.C. Egyptians used cupping. Archaeologists have found evidence in China of cupping dating back to 1000 B.C. In ancient Greece, Hippocrates (c. 400 B.C.) used cupping for internal disease and structural problems. This method in multiple forms spread into medicine throughout Asian and European civilizations.
Yesterday afternoon, I met with a Qigong Master, we met in a local park and I meditated while he manipulated my Qi (energy) to my lower back, I focused my internal Qi with his and the combination of the two energy forces worked in harmony together to reduce my pain to the point where it disappeared completely, I was totally relaxed, there was no tension in my body, I was stress free and my own body took control over the healing process, after my session in the park, I was able to walk freely and in fact walked home which is about four miles from the park ☺
I guess, alternative therapies and treatments are certainly a part of my life and they could also offer you some relief from your pain too.
Take care.
Namaste
Mark
Dream More. It’s great to dream, to visualize what we would like in our lives, its also nice to visit beautiful safe places in our dreams, our ideal world. etc.
Complain Less. Oh Yes, I fully agree with this one, but our Ego’s will argue against this point well! Be happy, Be Positive, Be Grateful and Give Thanks.
Listen More. Empathy is all about listening, my father told me when I was a young boy. ‘You have two ears and one mouth, use them in those proportions’!..Listen with the intent to understand, and your empathy will grow to your benefit.
Talk Less. Ah, this is an interesting one, ‘Talk is Cheep’ as the old saying goes!. Only talk when you have something useful to offer..Listen, think, then talk.
Love More. When Love is in your heart, you will be happy, give Love and you will receive Love….Simple as that .
Argue Less. Something that we often learn later in life! We go through our lives arguing about things of little importance and loose so much time in the process.
Hope More. Hope for the future, Hope for a better world, hope for peace…But action speaks too, so put some action behind your hope and it / they may come true.
Fear Less. This is an interesting one, Fear is often controlling our future, holding us back from a better, happier way of life, Fear can be overcome, one step at a time, put fear behind you for what it is…NOTHING! And it has no place in our lives.
Relax More. Give yourself some quiet time, meditate, have happy thoughts, be a child again and enjoy that moment in your life..and please do it as often as possible.
Worry Less. Worry get’s you nowhere, Worrying accomplishes absolutely nothing, worrying is destructive and can make us physically sick, the time we waste on worry, can never be reclaimed.
Believe More. Have trust and believe in yourself, push away your fears and doubts, celebrate yourself.. You can do it; you can achieve it, You Can, You Can, You Can.
Doubt Less. Doubt like Worry gets us nowhere, you need to make a decision when doubt comes knocking, don’t just sit there and worry.. Make a decision, trust your intuition and seek advice from your heart.
Play More. Get out and enjoy your life, celebrate your life with your family and friends, it’s never too late to play, play is not just for children, have some fun, bring some joy and happiness into your day and smile J
Work Less. We all have to work, well, the majority of us anyway! What I mean by ‘Work Less’; is, don’t become a slave to your work, take as much time out as you can to live your life, try to find sometime to stop working and see your life and give thanks for what you have in your life right now and don’t waste your time working for what you don’t have in your life; because when you achieve that thing in your life you will just want more…and on and on it goes!
Namaste
Mark
Time Reversal
One of the most fascinating things to me in Qigong has been the Chinese fascination with longevity and immortality. Immortality is not living forever in the body you have today, it is to be aware of your eternal nature – before you die.
Interestingly, Laozi addresses this in the context of light in his poem #52, “using your own radiance return to the source of all light, this is the practice of entering eternity.”
In Qi cultivation this process is initiated at the practical level of health and healing. However, in the more advanced methods that are explored in the Heaven Phases, healing, longevity and immortality are gained by returning to one’s primordial or pre-birth nature and by merging with the timeless field of universal Qi. Many Qigong practices are focused on reversing time and returning to your pre-birth when there was no stress, no complexity, nothing to know, nothing to plan, nothing to remember.
Very recently, scientists have determined that our usual perception of time is not entirely correct. The arrow of time does not just travel forward in accordance with the clock and the sun, it also travels the opposite direction. I found this out while presenting at the Esalen-Noetic Science conference noted earlier. My roomate was the distinguished physicist Helmut Schmidt, who developed the digital random numbers generator (DRNG) at Boeing in 1969. This device, produces sets of random numbers that allow scientists to investigate non-local and quantum effects. In our conversations I was amazed to find that his work reflected the concepts that were so prevalent in the world view of the ancient Chinese Qi Masters. Talking Dr. Schmidt is a little like talking to Laozi, “When exploring the science of Qi, emphasize the mystery – anything else that you name it is probably wrong.” In his research Dr Schmidt has demonstrated that mind or consciousness influence the chance process in nature so that an outcome can reflect your intention. (50, 51)
This was further confirmed by Russell Targ (52, 53) a physicist who conducted the CIA research on remote viewing and Dean Radin of the Boundry Institute. (54, 55)In the discussions with these three luminaries of science it became obvious that there is a significant amount of research data that suggests that an influence can travel from the present to influence the past or from the future to influence the present. It has been found that this influence is potentiated by coherent function, aligning inner resources through mind focus and intention.
The possibilities that arise from this research are amazing. Healing may not actually be simply physiologic. In the light of time reversal, healing could as easily be caused by an influence going into the past and altering the development of health status even before a disease had occurred. This is connected to our discussion on possibility, probability and actuality. The set of “probabilities” that were on track to cause the “actual” disease would be altered by a signal or message that travels into the past to trigger an alternative set of probabilities. This would prevent the disease before it began and established a new history, a new set of “actualities”, for the person which begins to manifest in the past but is reflected in the present.
In an applied sense this means that in our practice of Qigong we may be influencing the past to affect the future or that our practice in the future has an effect on our present. Let this sink in. Your practice today may influence the past to alter your future. As your practice advances in the future the more powerful influence may be having an effect on you now. This Qigong effect could translate into new choices or behaviors. Or it could simply inspire us to increase the quantity or quality of our Qigong practice. Essentially, as this picture formed up in the discussions with Schmidt, Targ and Radin it became apparent that as probabilities become actualities it creates what is called our “world line” – a sequential set of probabilities that actualized. The time reverse effect suggests that, through intention an alternative set of probabilities actualize creating a new world line – a new you. This is exactly what the Chinese promise in Inner Alchemy and the cultivation of the Golden Elixir which is a spiritual medicine that creates peace of mind and a direct association with timeless nature of life.
Love
In the highest levels of Qigong it is an intention of the practice to become one with all life. Or as we havediscussed it may be more accurate to say — to realize that that you are of the One. Dissolving in Qi is essentially this, to melt into the universal field of Qi. To become one is to deeply associate with and accept oneness with everything. This is love. One of the most advanced states in Qigong is compassion and spontaneous service – love.
Interestingly, the writers in the domain of physics that I have drawn upon the most in my exploration of the Heaven Level of equivalents of Qi all talk about love. One of the first and most interesting things that I heard William Tiller say about the practical application of his findings in physics was, “We have an inherent capacity to resonate to the frequency of love, except for one thing – fear creates resistance in our circuitry.”
Love in all its forms – compassion, devotion, appreciation, gratitude, caring – create inner coherence. Love describes interacting with openness. Physicist Goswami suggests that the reality of quantum mechanics at the human level is love – where the “boundaries of the self are transcended through the experience of unity in spite of apparent separateness.” Shen, the Chinese word for Spirit is often translated as unconditional love – because in the ultimate sense personal spirit is associated with the One. In the most advanced forms of Heaven Qigong, sometimes called Shen Qigong, one enters into a form of practice where the self merges with the One.
Coherence
These universal interactions — whether through fields, consciousness or otherwise — suggest that the Chinese idea of the One and the relation that you can elect to have with the One is feasible. We can not decide to make the universe more coherent. The universal field is already coherent. However we can, through our practice, align with or enter into coherence with the inherent power of the universe.
Heart/Mind Equivalent
Consciousness, it appears, may be the primary or fundamental factor in our experience of what we know as as the cosmos or the world. It also appears that your own consciousness may actually be an aspect or a portion of a universal field of consciousness. In the Chinese tradition this is all consistent with the idea of the pervasive Qi of Heaven entering the individual and residing in the heart (Heart/Mind). This means that our heart reflects the One.
When the great masters who teach with life and compassion do their good work it is essentially, according to the Chinese, opening to the natural Yin force of Earth, opening to the natural Yang force of Heaven and allowing them to merge in the Heart/Mind center. By over coming the illusion of separateness that causes fear and worry the heart opens and the influence of Heaven and Earth pour through you and into your life, your work, your family, your community. When you purposefully cultivate Qi to eliminate resistance and the forces of the universe flow through you, it is an expression of the One. Complete surrender to all that is — that is openness to the One. Openness to all that is that is love and love resides in and expresses through the Heart.
Nesting — Embedding
The Multidimensional Human
Physiology – Earth internal, material, local
Bioenergy – HeartMind internal, non material, local
Biofield – Heart Mind internal/external, non-material, local
Quantum – Heaven Qi internal/external, nonmaterial, nonlocal
Of the four Western equivalents of Qi, only one is material. Yet, for most practical applications particularly in health and medicine, Western science has been completely focused on the material. Our science has definitely demonstrated the power to study, and apparently even control, the physical domain. The future of Western science is guaranteed to be awesome given only the smallest material portion of the multi-dimensional world and only a minor aspect of the multi-dimensional human has been explored.
The Chinese are contributing to our capacity to understand what looks like the limitless nature of our being. It appears that each of the levels of our self may be nested or embedded in the other levels. This can be viewed from bottom up as is typical here in the contemporary science of the West, or top down as in the more intuitive sciences of the ancients.
Bottom up – Western Science —
The body — physiology and biochemistry — is the conductive ground for the bioenergetic frame work which generates the biofield. These together provide the local framework for the interface of quantum/consciousness which is boundless and timeless.
Top down – Ancient Science —
The boundless and timeless ocean of Qi (quantum) creates the personal Qi Matrix (biofield), which infuses channels and centers (Dan Tian). This constructs and maintains the physical body ( structural and biochemical interactions).
This nesting integrates the parts into a whole. In our practice of cultivation we can either work from the Heaven Level down – which is not generally that easy to accomplish for people from our background in the material world — using Natural Flow Qigong, Circulating the Light or Guarding the One are examples of this. Or, fortunately, we can cultivate from the bottom up as well. This approach is the approach to Qigong that is open to everyone. Creating inner physiological coherence among the heart, brain, nervous system and other organ systems enhances the flow of the ions which maximize the capacity of the biofield. Western science has recently progressed rapidly toward understanding this. In addition, our coherent biofield very likely creates a positive relationship with or impact upon our interaction with the universal field of conscious or the quantum domain. While this aspect of the multi-dimensional human is going to be a big challenge for science, there are excellent Qigong tools for practice in this area that have been refined and improved for centuries.
Earlier we explored briefly the ancient formula for health and longevity. The emerging new formula that expresses the equivalents from the contemporary sciences of biology and physics for the knowledge of the ancients:
Inner Coherence = Information Exchange = Optimal Function
Western culture is experiencing a breakthrough to new knowledge about the fact that it is possible to purposefully enhance inner coherence through the methods developed by the ancients as well as some more recently developed self-improvement methods. The new formula for the use of personal practice to potentiate optimal function:
Practice + Intention =
Coherence = Information Exchange = Optimal Function
The ancient Chinese would declare that we can manage our relationship to the universal Qi to improve our lives through the practice of Qigong and Tai Chi. Western science is progressing rapidly to confirm this. The Chinese would declare that by doing the cultivation practices we engage our Heaven self (spirit, Shen) which enters into us to create the illuminated life. With current trends in energy medicine and quantum science we are, it seems, close to this same discovery in the West. Will we solve the Mystery in the West through our sophisticated scientific methods? The ancients would predict that there is quite a bit that you can uncover about the nature and benefits of the Qi, but that it is unlikely that we will solve the ultimate mystery known as Tai Xuan – Supreme Mystery.
Paradoxically, it has become apparent that way before Einstein, the ancient Chinese were doing medical research that was completely consistent with modern physics. This fact is having a major impact on contemporary science and causing a radical new trend to use the framework of quantum era physics to investigate medicine, healing and human potential. From its earliest history, Qigong has been associated with a mysterious and wonderful inner medicine, the Golden Elixir, which is based in Qi and the universal field of potential. The ancient theory that Qi is everywhere has both frustrated and stimulated Western science. Western science has a strong aversion to unsolved mysteries. To solve the mystery of Qi, Western science will have to experience a radical transformation. Research in Asia and Western countries has led to speculation that Qi could be a multi-dimensional factor that may link specific components of the local world with unspecific and immeasurable fields of cosmic proportion into a dynamic, unbounded and unified web of life.
I hope you enjoyed this article on Qigong?
Namaste
Mark
Excerpt from:
The Healing Promise of Qi, Chapter 16, The Light of Science on Qi
McGraw-Hill; 2002 by Dr. Roger Jahnke ,OMD
Sources
48. Schmidt, Helmut. “The Mysterious Side of Psychokinesis (PK).” Esalen-Noetic Sciences Conference on Subtle Energy and Uncharted Mind. Esalen Center for Theory and Research (http://www.esalenctr.org/display/psi.cfm), 2000.
49. Schmidt, Helmut. “PK Tests in a Pre-Sleep State.” Journal of Parapsychology 64:317-31 (Sept. 2000).
50. Targ, Russell. “The Scientific and Spiritual Implications of Psychic Abilities.” Esalen-Noetic Sciences Conference on Subtle Energy and Uncharted Mind. Esalen Center for Theory and Research (http://www.esalenctr.org/display/psi.cfm), 2000.
51. Targ, Russell. Miracles of Mind: Exploring Nonlocal Consciousness and Spiritual Healing. Novato, CA: New World Library, 1999.
52 . Radin, Dean. “Time Reversed Human Experience.” Esalen-Noetic Sciences Conference on Subtle Energy and Uncharted Mind. Esalen Center for Theory and Research (http://www.esalenctr.org/display/psi.cfm), 2000.
53. Radin, Dean. The Conscious Universe: The Scientific Truth of Psychic Phenomena. San Francisco: HarperCollins, 1997.
[Dr. Roger Jahnke, OMD – has practiced clinical Chinese medicine for over 30 years. He has traveled to China 8 times to research Qigong and Tai Chi in universities, hospitals, temples and sacred mountain sites. He is a co-founder of the National Qigong Association and is director of training and research at the Institute of Integral Qigong and Tai Chi IIQTC, http://IIQTC.org and http://FeelTheQi.com. Dr. Jahnke is the author of The Healer Within, which is widely used in wellness and health promotion programs, and The Healing Promise of Qi, which became an instant classic of mind-body practice and energy medicine. He, along with his colleagues have recently published the most comprehensive review of the Qigong and Tai Chi research literature in the American Journal of Health Promotion (AJHP). The Integral Qigong and Tai Chi Teacher Training program at the IIQTC is considered by many to be among the most credible Teacher Training programs outside of China.]
My dear friends, I would like to add the following post from Master Zhongxian Wu, whom I had the pleasure to meet here in Shanghai a few months ago. Master Wu left an everlasting impression on me and I will remember his words and his teachings forever.
1. Introduction
The first time I picked up LaoZi’s DaoDeJing 道德經, I could not truly understand one single sentence. I found this interesting, as I already had a solid foundation in classical Chinese literature. The very first sentence, 道可道非常道DaoKeDaoFeiChangDao, which literally translates as “The Dao that can be the Dao is not the constant Dao” initially felt like a maze to me. I used my knowledge of classical Chinese to interpret the meaning as “The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao.” Still, I felt slightly puzzled.
After some years of a dedicated inner cultivation practice, I picked up the book again and I found that could understand it a little bit more than before. When reading the first sentence again, I decoded a different interpretation: “The Dao, discussed in any language, loses its original meaning.” In other words, we cannot truly understand the Dao simply through words alone. The way to access the Dao is through direct bodily experience. In order to gain experiential knowledge, you must be seriously committed to your inner cultivation practice.
I have had a concentrated focus on Qigong, Neigong, marital arts and other internal cultivation practices since the 1970s. I continue to come back to the DaoDeJing again and again. Each time, I gain insights based on the layers of meaning that reveal themselves to me. Now, the very same opening sentence tells me that the entire book is not a text that passes philosophical truths to us. Behind the words is a powerful teaching encouraging us to use our cultivation practice to connect with the Dao and Xian 仙 – immortality.
Over the last twenty years, I have been preparing to write a commentary on DaoDeJing from a Qigong/internal cultivation perspective. In this article, I will share a small piece of my project with you.
2. ZhiQiDongLai 紫氣東來
ZhiQiDongLai is a popular Chinese phrase often used as a prayer or charm. It is very common for Chinese families to post this above the entryway of their home as a blessing. ZhiQiDongLai literally translates as “purple colored Qi comes from the East”. The phrase originates from the birth story of the DaoDeJing:
In the Eastern Zhou Dynasty (circa 770-256 BCE), there was a famous astronomer named YinXi 尹喜. One evening while he was reading the sky, he noted a mass of purple colored Qi accumulating in the East. He was astonished by this natural phenomenon, and recognized it as an omen indicating that a great sage or truly enlightened master was traveling from the eastern direction. He made a predication about the master’s travel route – passing through HanGuGuan 函谷關and arriving in LouGuan 樓關. YinXi subsequently traveled to LouGuan and built himself a hut to wait for the master’s arrival. After several days, an old man with long gray eyebrows and beard rode towards his hut. He was riding on a green colored ox. YinXi immediately understood that this was the person he had been waiting for. He invited the old man to be his guest in his hut, hoping that he could study with the old master. The old master, LaoZi, saw that YinXi was seriously committed to his own inner cultivation and agreed to spend some time teaching him.
After three months had passed, LaoZi decided he was ready to keep traveling onwards. YinXi humbly requested that LaoZi write down some teachings for him before he left, so that YinXi would be able to continue his studies even if they would not have a chance to see each other again. LaoZi consented, extending his stay to write what we now know as the DaoDeJing for his student, YinXin. YinXi continued to live a hermit’s life in LouGuan, continuing his cultivation practice with the guidance of LaoZi’s DaoDeJing. Years later, after YinXi achieved true enlightenment, he wrote the renowned Daoist classic WenShiJing 文始經.
From this creation story, we see that the original purpose of the DaoDeJing is to provide guidance for our spiritual cultivation. It is a great blessing to create opportunities that allow you to focus on our spiritual selves. Through our Qigong practice we can continuously refine our study and understanding of the DaoDeJing.
3. The Wordless Teaching
In general, the first chapter of each of the Chinese classics reveals the purpose of the rest of the book. Consequently, it is always worth spending extra time on the first chapter so that you can get a real sense of the spirit of the book.
Please allow me to make a set of GongFu 功夫 tea so that we can savor the first chapter of the DaDeJing together slowly (please read my book, Vital Breath of the Dao, if you are interested in learning more about the GongFu tea ceremony).
Let us sip our tea and discuss the first line of DaoDeJing together.
Dao 道
Ke 可
Dao 道
Fei 非
Chang 常
Dao 道
The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao.
Tea Commentary: The original meaning of Chinese character 道 (Dao) is simply a trail, road, or path on which to walk. Later on, the meaning expanded to include rule, law, way, method, and the spoken word. In traditional Chinese philosophy, the Dao also refers to the way of nature or the universal law. In the first sentence of the DaoDeJing there are three Dao characters. The first and the third instances use Dao to mean the way or the method, while the second occurrence is used to mean speak or express.
The hidden meaning of this line is as follows:
The ways that are expressed in our daily lives, such as those pertaining to politics, business, and knowledge do not provide the pathway to the Eternal Dao – immortality or true enlightenment.
The way to attain the Eternal Dao is wordless. The path to the Eternal Dao involves gaining a deep understanding of your physical body, your Qi body, and your spiritual body. That is because the path to the Eternal Dao is not mental or verbal. Rather, it is experiential.
We reach the Eternal Dao through the same method as we enjoy our tea. We savor the tea, experiencing it directly through our senses – by tasting, smelling and seeing it, and by being in touch its affects on our bodies – that we accurately understand the rich and subtle complexities of the tea. If I tried to describe the flavor, fragrance, and color of the tea to you and never offered you the opportunity to savor the tea yourself, you would gain some superficial knowledge about the tea but you would never grow to truly understand it.
We learn about the Eternal Dao not only through the Dao of tea, but also through the Dao of Qi. Traditional Qigong forms serve as another pathway to the Eternal Dao. By cultivating our Qi, we learn to experience the Eternal Dao through our bodies, our breath, and our spirits.
4. Conclusion
Guan觀, which means observe or observation, is one of the traditional names for Qigong. Guan is also the name used to refer to all traditional Daoist temples in China. For thousands of years, Daoist temples have been much more than regional sites for ceremony or religion. Traditional Daoist temples have been and continue to be havens where Daoist masters, following LaoZi’s teaching, diligently practice various methods of Guan, or inner observation. Guan is both the secret and not-so-secret method of LaoZi’s own Qigong and inner cultivation practice.
The lineage of LaoZi’s teachings is known as the Hidden Immortal Lineage or Dragon Like Lineage. This name came about through Confucius. One day, Confucius returned from studying with LaoZi. His students, curious about the mysterious master, asked Confucius what he thought about LaoZi. Confucius replied: “LaoZi is just like a dragon.”
In China, the dragon is the most common icon, replicated on businesses and temples, in homes, on paintings, ceramics, clothes, etc. However ubiquitous in Chinese culture, the dragon itself is still a mystery – both seen and unseen, ever present but little understood.
Similarly, although the DaoDeJing is arguably China’s famous book, most people don’t realize that the DaoDeJing is actually LaoZi’s cultivation handbook. The secret to understanding the DaoDeJing is not a secret at all. Through a committed inner cultivation practice and guidance of an illumined master, you can decode the enigmas within these five thousand words and find the path to the Eternal Dao.
Acknowledgment: I’d like to express my gratitude and appreciation for my wife, Dr. Karin Taylor Wu, for her helpful suggestions and her editorial assistance.
Master Zhongxian Wu is the lineage holder of four different schools of Qigong, Taiji and martial arts. Since 1988, he has instructed thousands of students, both Eastern and Western in ancient Chinese wisdom traditions. Master Wu is the author of Vital Breath of the Dao, Seeking the Spirit of the Book of Change, The 12 Chinese Animals, Chinese Shamanic Cosmic Orbit Qigong and of Fire Dragon Meridian Qigong. He synthesizes wisdom and experience for beginning and advanced practitioners, as well as for patients seeking healing, in his unique and professionally designed courses and workshops. For detailed information, please visit http://www.masterwu.net.
Namaste
Mark
For parts 1-3 of My Spiritual Journey, please see the dedicated page on my home page.
My Spiritual Journey Part 4:
I really must try to bring this journey up-to-date because the last post I gave you takes us back to January 2012 so we are at least 18 months behind!…That’s me, sorry, I am a little tardy when it comes to writing, I don’t know why but I guess I over think too much about what I should and need to write, this leads to procrastination and leads to delays of this amount of time J Actually, I guess I am always rather busy with my work, my family, my interests and of course my spiritual journey.
So, back to the journey J After the passing of my beloved father ‘John’ on the 13th January 2012 life was tough not just for me but for all my family, my children went through all sorts of emotional battles because they were all very close to their granddad. After the funeral we returned to China on the 3rd February arriving home o the 4th, that night I was invited out by friends to have a few drinks and to celebrate my fathers life (my friends in Shanghai all knew my father because he had been over many many times). This celebration was a final step in the grieving process for me and brought some closure to my mind…or so I thought! That same evening as I was on my way home in the rain, I slipped and fell on we steps leading up to our home, these steps raise about 1.5m from the ground. As I fell I must have hit my arm on the way down taking the whole weight of my body on my shoulder, as I rolled about and writhed in agony on the concrete floor in the rain and puddles I must have came to my senses, managed to gather enough adrenalin to pull myself up, clamber up the steps that caused me this pain, stumble into the elevator and rise on up to my home on the 16th floor. I banged and banged on my door until my wife answered my calls; and she said, “ Oh my god, your shoulder is falling off ”…. We called for transport and off we went to the hospital, on arrival I was quickly ushered into the x-ray room and before I had even left the room, the radiologist ran out shouting, “ We need to admit him now “…to cut a long and painful story short, I was admitted immediately, my wife signed the papers straight away and quickly underwent many hours of reconstructive surgery to repair my shoulder I had about 8 months convalescence and am left with these: –
“Why Me”, “Why Now”!
While I was in surgery, I felt I had risen out of my body, I was looking down on me, lying there on the operating table, all the Chinese surgeons were working away and trying to fix my shoulder, they were communication with each other, drilling, cutting, stitching and fixing me. It was though I was a medical student observer watching the operation. I must have re-entered my body and woke up a few hours later. The next few days were filled with pain, discomfort and this all added to the recent trauma of my fathers passing. My wife called our children to tell them what had happened; you can imagine this was all they needed to hear so soon after the passing of their Granddad.
Anyway, while I was in hospital recovering, I was often wheeled around the hospital in a wheelchair or on my hospital bed, off for x-rays, tests of one sort or another etc., and while visiting different areas of the hospital I became acutely aware of other people, their injuries, their worry, their plight, their fear and their sadness. I could feel their emotions, hear their silent prayers, observe their sadness, grief and sometimes joy. My healing senses were becoming even more finely attuned to those around me. After a week or so we came home, I felt totally lost, I could not dress myself, wash myself, feed myself, all those daily tasks we take for granted were impossible for me to manage, I fought and I struggled to do all that I could by myself but mostly I had to rely on my wife for all these things we like to do for ourselves…. This made me think more deeply, I started to gain even more admiration for those less fortunate than myself, I now felt for myself the difficulties of going to the bathroom alone, which was impossible, my dignity felt drained and my self respect diminished, my sadness for the loss of my father became even more enhanced, I was becoming lost in my own grief……
Sorry, I need to stop now because reliving this trauma has brought back so many deep and painful emotions, I need to meditate be thankful and get myself back on track.
Namaste
Mark
My Spiritual Journey Part 5 Coming Soon.
TCM. Traditional Chinese Medicine in China.
Traditional Chinese medical education has a history going back thousands of years, and it has kept abreast of the development of TCM culture and Chinese civilization, which is rarely seen in the world medical history. Numerous practitioners have been trained and they have offered much in medical and health care for the Chinese people, and promoted development of traditional Chinese medicine. So far, it occupies an important place in national medical education.
A Brief History of the TCM Education System in China.
The ancient medical examination system took shape during the Zhou Dynasty fro 1100-256 B.C. Laid down In the Zhou Li Yi Shi (The Chief Practitioners Book of Rites) the requirements for TCM chief practitioners were recorded. Their compensation depended upon the response to their treatment, e.g. those whose patients responded well to their treatment without any failiure received the highest level of compensation, whilst those whose treatments were not effective received lower levels of compensation.
From the Qin to Han Dynasties 221 B.C – A.D 24 the teacher apprentice system prevailed, but by the Southern and Northern Dynasties 386 A.D – 589A.D, there was a systematic government run education. In the Sui Dynasty 581A.D – 618 A.D, the Imperial Administration of Health was set-up, and in the Tang Dynasty 618A.D – 907 A.D, the Imperial Administration of Health expanded and medical schools appreared throughout China. Through the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties 960 A.d – 1911 A.D, the medical education system was gradually perfected.
The Basic Principles of TCM, Traditional Chinese Medicine.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine all illness symptoms are based on the theory of eight principals. They are grouped in the four pairs of opposites.
They are:-
Cold and Heat
Exterior and Interior
Deficiency and Excess
Yin and Yang
These four pairs represent eight elements and explain the nature of diseases and the location of pathological changes. These principals lay in the basics of differentiating the symptoms and giving the analysis.
Cold and Heat
These two principles indicate the nature of disease.
Manifestations of cold syndromes include absence of thirst, slow pulse, tastelessness in the mouth and many others. These are the signs of having an excessive Yin and may be caused by Yang deficiency. Cold syndromes may also be caused by pathological changes.
Fever, thirst, red eyes, rapid pulse, red tongue, constipation, yellow urine are some of the symptoms of heat syndromes. They all all caused by a yin deficiency
Exterior and Interior
Exterior conditions can affect muscles, skin and channels. This refers to flu, viruses and cold. These conditions are caused by the invasion of the body by pathogens while Interior result from pathogens entering the interior of the body. These symptoms affect brain, bones, nerves and other inner organs.
Deficiency and Excess
These principles are used to analyze the bodies resistance to pathogenic factors. Deficiency is explained by the lack of something in the body. It may be caused by a weak constitution, low immune system, deficiency in Qi flow or loss of weight. Among the symptoms are weakness, tiredness, dull pain and many others.
Irritability, rapid breathing, constipation, pain in the chest and abdomen are the main symptoms of Excess. To give you a clear idea here is an example: a common; fast developing cold with high temperature, sore throat and sweating.
Yin and Yang
Exterior, Heat and Excess belong under Yang; Interior, Cold and Deficiency belong to Yin.
People who belong to the yang category are usually dynamic and outgoing. They are extremely energetic and choose careers to display their abilities. It is often very hard for them to sit back and relax. That’s why the symptoms of diseases are usually sudden and among them are:- fever, thirst, swellings and other Yang symptoms. Yang people need to take frequent breaks and learn to calm down, meditate from time to time. Chinese herbs will help them achieve this change to their hectic lifestyle.
Yin people on the contrary are pretty quiet. They choose careers where they can be supportive and more reserved in their outlook on life. They are happy with their quiet lives and go with the flow. The problem may be in their Qi flow. In order to strengthen their Qi flow and yang they also should take special herbs.
It doesn’t mean that being reserved or active is either bad or good , all our emotions and states are natural and given to us by God. Sometimes we can become tired and quiet and sometimes we feel, joyful, happy and are dynamic.
The only thing that is very important is balance.
Namaste
Mark
Hello Everyone,
I’m going to take you on a pictorial journey of Leshan to see The Giant Buddha of Leshan also known as
樂山大佛, ‘Dafo’ which means Big Buddha, Dafo is the tallest stone Buddha statue in the world, and by far the tallest pre-modern statue in the world. carved out of a cliff face by an 8th-century monk during the Tang Dynasty (618–907AD) in southern Sichuan province. The Giant Buddha overlooks the confluence of the Minjiang, Dadu and Qingyi rivers which flow below his feet and faces the sacred Mount Emei (with which it shares its World Heritage status).
I will share with you many images during the next few days which I hope will enable you to enjoy the beauty and serenity that this very special and spiritual place has to offer.
I do hope you enjoy the journey with me!
Namaste
Mark
There was a time when barefoot walking was considered to be immodest and was frowned upon by people. In fact, watching someone walking without his/her shoes, or at least slippers, on was bound to create a negative impression about him/her in other people’s mind. However, this has ceased be the case in the present times. In fact, today, there is a complete society, called ‘Society of Barefoot’, dedicated to the cause of walking barefoot. Have you ever wondered why more and more people are taking to bare foot walking these days, especially in their home? Let us tell you that walking bare foot has a lot of positive effects on the health of a person. If you want to explore the benefits of bare foot walking, go through the following lines.
In Children
It has been noticed that people who have walked barefoot in their childhood encounter much less foot troubles, as compared to those whose feet were always covered with slippers, sandals or shoes. In other words, the children who go barefoot, and are allowed to do so by their parents, have been seen to have lesser foot deformities, greater flexor strength and more feet agility. At the same time, they are able to spread their toes to a greater extent than others.
In General
• Irrespective of the extent of care shoes companies take, in making footwear that suits the shape of human feet, they can never ever beat the comfort that one gets from bare foot walking. In fact, those who walk with their shoes on encounter much more aches and pains in the body, as compared to the people who indulge in home bare foot walking.
• Barefoot walking helps straighten out the toes of a person. At the same time, if you walk bare foot, even the lazy muscles of your feet are prompted to move and develop more, with the result that you have toned and much stronger foot muscles.
• Another positive effect of bare foot walking, which most of the people are unaware of, is that it helps the leg muscles pump blood back to the heart. This makes it beneficial for those who are suffering from the problem of varicose veins.
• Though most of the people are unaware of the fact, walking barefoot helps relax tired feet. It has also proven beneficial for people suffering from flat feet, in many cases helping them overcome the problem altogether.
• Walking barefoot in the summer season has been found to have a cooling effect on the body of a person, especially if he/she walks on morning grass, leaves or a piece of log in the garden.
• In traditional exercises, like yoga, tai-chi and martial arts, it is believed that being barefoot helps a person absorb Chi, the life-force energy. As you walk with your feet bare, you increase your vitality. At the same time, it helps you think clearly and increases your capacity to work.
• Walking barefoot in your garden or the local park will help you feel closer to the nature. This will not only take your mind off everyday tensions and relax your body, but also rejuvenate your mind and boost your energy levels.
Wise Woman Way: Barefoot Meditation
By:Susun Weed
Winter or summer, indoors or out, in the forest or the desert, on a mountain or a city street, I prefer my feet to be bare. I do own shoes, not many, which I wear when I must (airplanes, restaurants, when driving, at the gym), but most of the time my feet are bare. (My bare toes are wiggling at you as I write this.) What is this love affair with bare feet? Why would I expose my toes and soles to wet, gooey, sharp, slimy, muddy, thorny, prickly, and possibly dangerous terrains? Because bare feet sharpen my senses, expand my consciousness, give me a greater connection to nature, energize me, keep me in touch with my overall health (thanks to reflexology), and remind me that every step is a blessing.
Going barefoot sharpens my senses. I listen more acutely, pay much more attention to odors, even use my eyes in a different way when I am barefoot. I am more present, more aware of every detail. When walking barefoot, I go more slowly, I observe my surroundings in detail. Instead of being lost in my head, I am connecting to what is beneath my feet. Instead of carelessly plopping my heels down on the ground, I send my toes out ahead to reconnoiter. Once they give the “all clear,” the rest of my foot is safe to fall softly and caringly upon the earth.
Going barefoot expands my consciousness and enhances my experience of being alive. It nourishes the thoughtful and appreciative aspects of my personality. It causes me to move more gracefully through life.
Going barefoot gives me a greater connection to nature, physically, because I are experiencing it with my bare feet, and metaphysically, because I are being grounded into the electrical circuit of the planet. Rubber (the soles of most shoes) insulates me and prevents me from partaking of the energy of the earth.
Without shoes, I become part of the electrical and magnetic flows around this planet. I pulse with the same rhythms as all other barefoot life. Grandmother Twylah (Wold Clan Grandmother of the Seneca Nation) admonished us to: “Let your heart beat as one with the heartbeat of Mother Earth.”
Going barefoot energizes me, directly and intimately, with Earth Energy. My bare feet connect me to the endless flow of loving, healing energy that emanates from the earth. With every barefooted step, I can feel it tingling up my legs. I breathe it into my belly and nourish my personal power. I breathe it into my heart to help it stay in rhythm. I breathe it into my joints, and let it put a spring in my step.
You can experience this merely by taking off your shoes and placing your bare feet on the ground. No need to walk around if that is a challenge. Even five minutes a day of sitting quietly with your bare feet on the earth can have amazing repercussions on your health, sense of contentment, and feelings of joy.
Going barefoot keeps me in touch with my overall health. When I am healthy, my feet flex in all directions and conform to uneven ground without pain or discomfort. When I am ill, it hurts to walk barefoot. Reflexologists say that there is a reflex point on the bottom of the foot that relates to each organ and system of the body. When it hurts to walk on gravel, I connect the pain I feel to the part of the body it reflexes to, and then do what I can to nourish that organ. (Reflexology charts are easy to find.)
One of my first teachers (Margo Geiger), would go into a room, choose a “victim,” drop down on the floor next to them, take their foot in her hands, remove their shoe and sock, elicit a piercing scream as she knuckled their reflex points, and finish by telling them what their health problems were, all within a minute! Walking barefoot is like having a reflexology treatment several times a day. Perhaps it keeps me healthy, too.
Going barefoot reminds me that every step is a blessing. I am blessed to be alive in these most interesting times. Every barefooted step is a blessing. I allow myself to be blessed and to bless each thing my feet touch. Every step is a blessing. I am filled with gratitude to have a body. Every step is a bountiful blessing. Each step is a barefoot meditation. Each step is a blessing. Beneath my feet, plants. Each step is a green blessing.
I hope this article inspires you to take off your shoes and feel the earth as it should be felt ‘Naked’
Namaste
Mark
Long before the venerable text Tao Te Ching was penned, the philosophy we think of as the Tao or Dao, meaning ‘way,’ ‘path’ or ‘route’ was forming. The Tao is not a name for a human-like god, a thing or a power. It’s more accurately translated as the matrix of the universe, its ultimate life essence. In light of quantum discoveries, we could think of the Tao as the consciousness, energy and potential that is the foundation of All That Is. Penned in China around 500-300 BCE, the Tao Te Ching is thought to be a compilation of even earlier Taoist thought. Although the text is usually attributed to the sage, Lao-tzu (meaning ‘old master’), it’s impossible to know whether Lao-tzu was an historical person or the symbol of a group effort.
The next Taoist work of note, the Book of Master Chuang is accurately attributed to an historical person, the sage Chuang-tzu (369-286 BCE). Instead of copying the proverb/aphorism format used in Tao Te Ching,
Chuang-tzu draws in the reader with a series of allegorical stories and philosophical discussions. Chuang-tzu lived during a time of violent civil war, which ended about 150 years later with the founding of the Han dynasty. The basic concepts of the Tao survived these changes, but the philosophy was altered in the process, much as the words of Jesus underwent radical change as later followers bent the earliest teachings to their own use.
As part of a Han dynasty cultural restoration, a group of eight Taoist sages were brought before the king of Huai-nan to demonstrate their insight. The text called Huai-nan-tzu is said to be a record of the wisdom shared by these masters. Unfortunately, the spiritual insights contained in the work became largely overshadowed by political pressure, superstition and the official acceptance of Confucianism. Texts were produced that were supposedly based on Lao-tzu’s teachings, but they were now offered with the idea that Lao-tzu was not a human sage, but an immortal being who would continue to reappear on earth. Many of the Taoist writings available from this time period reflect a far more esoteric/magical approach that is absent in Tao Te Ching or the teachings of Chuang-tzu. When Taoist teachings were bastardized, those who remained faithful to classical Taoist thought went underground. However, there is another text that remains faithful to original Taoist teachings.
The Wen-tzu (or Wen zi, literally Book of Master Wen) claims to be the work of a disciple of an historical Lao-tzu and attributes its contents directly to him. This was thought to be a fiction until the 1970s when archeologists discovered a copy on bamboo while excavating a tomb that dated to 55BCE. The Wen-tzu also follows the aphorism/proverb format of Tao-te-Ching, but adds comments on the writings of Chuang-tzu and Huai-nan-tzu. Even more exciting, its words echo many recently discovered quantum truths. Here are a few of its many gems:
Wen-tzu: Consider the world light, and the spirit is not burdened; consider myriad things slight, and the mind is not confused.
As physicists have discovered, the universe is made of quantum light, and as the writer pointed out, the material portion of the universe is only a small part of All That Is.
Wen-tzu: Those who are known as Real People are united in essence with the Way, so they have endowments yet appear to have none; they are full yet appear to be empty. They govern the inside, not the outside. Clear and pure, utterly plain, they do not contrive artificialities but return to simplicity… not doing anything with the world is the drum announcing learning…comprehending the fundamental, embracing the spirit, thereby they roam the root of heaven and earth, wander beyond the dust and dirt…they are not moved by things… their attention is focused internally.
Understanding that this world is not our reality, the sage looks to the foundation of all things. Quantum physics tells us that consciousness, energy and potential are the foundation of the universe. It is at the quantum level where Reality exists, and the world of form is an illusion projected from quantum consciousness. The ‘Real People’ are those who are awake to this truth and no longer are attached to the illusion of the body.
Wen-tzu: Those who are known as Real People…regard ten thousand differences as of one Source… Everything is mysteriously the same; nothing is wrong, nothing is right… Those who are known as Real People…keep to the simplicity of wholeness and stand in the center of the quintessential.
The physical senses perceive a world divided into separate forms, but quantum physics tells us there is only one interconnected, indivisible whole. In other words, nothing exists outside this one ‘relationship.’ As the sage points out, nothing is wrong and nothing is right because the Divine is everything, and everything is Divine.
Wen-tzu: Mind is the master of form; spirit is the jewel of mind…The spirit is where knowledge gathers; when the spirit is clear, knowledge is illumined. Knowledge is the seat of the heart; when knowledge is objective, the heart is even…sages use the inner to make the external enjoyable, and do not use externals to make the inner enjoyable… Seeing the evolution of events, [sages] keep to the Source. Their attention is focused internally… They take the Way as their guide; when there is opposition they remain empty and open, clear and calm.
Not long ago, it was believed that all thought originated in, and was limited to, the brain. But as sages have always understood, the heart has an even greater intelligence. Research is now backing up that concept. The most important thing that sages reveal about the heart is that it serves as a direct connection to the One Mind, the consciousness that permeates All That Is. As the Wen-tzu points out, we all have the choice of either focusing our attention on the external or the internal, with very different results.
Whether the words found in the Wen-tzu are Lao-tzu’s teachings of the words of master Wen, they demonstrate an understanding that comes from the direct, personal experience of the Source. These words can help us understand that there is something at the foundation of the universe that gives and sustains all life. But why limit ourselves to words? The ancient masters who penned these words wrote so that you too would want to go beyond the words to the experience of the Divine, so you would know that you too could go straight through the heart to Source.
Lee & Steven Hager are the authors of several books exploring the dynamic synergy of science, spirituality and gnosis including
The Beginning of Fearlessness: Quantum Prodigal Son and The Gospel of Thomas: Where Science Meets Spirituality.
To learn more, they invite you to visit their website: http://thebeginningoffearlessness.com or follow on Twitter @LSHager
Where have you been? I’ve been looking for you all my life and I didn’t even know it!
The familiar soul you meet one day you swear you know from somewhere but never met in this lifetime. It has probably happened many times during your life, this soul deja vu. You meet someone who resonates with your very heart and you wonder how the Universe helped you walk right into each other’s life.
In this age of rapidly accelerating energy and evolutionary ascension, we are experiencing this soul recognition more frequently than ever before. Many of us are finding our soul families online. The world becomes a different place as we understand that we have to take more responsibility for our personal environment.
Many of us have been on the quest of surrounding ourselves with “light” minded people. It has become so much easier for us to explore and communicate with each other. It gives reason and a higher meaning to the technology explosion we have had to adjust to in just the last few years. It becomes obvious that without it, we could never have come together spiritually in such a remarkable way.
Your soul family can be more than just other people who think like you do. They could have incarnated with you through different lifetimes throughout the history of the Earth and beyond. They are your cosmic sisters and brothers from the Other Side. You may have once lived in a colony together and made a pact to find each other in this or that life. Depending on your life choices and ability to listen to the signs and messages, you may realize this phenomenon several times. You will feel instant recognition and understand many things in common between you. You know what the other is thinking without saying a word. You have the same spiritual beliefs and questions. You feel energy between you that is on another level. You know this person was truly in your life chart to assist you and you them. You can also possess a very strong psychic bond and share healing energy that is very advanced.
Have you ever felt the family you were born into comes from another planet? Your ideas and personalities may clash in such a manner you wonder if we all really do choose our blood family before we incarnate. You may feel that you never belonged with or been understood by the very people who gave you physical life and most of the immediate family around them.
Consider (remember) that this dynamic may have been exactly what you needed to raise your vibrational energy field by completing your soul theme challenges in this life.
The control dramas and life scenarios played out between you, no matter how absurd, have assisted in the soul growth you needed to spiritually evolve. We all eventually come to realize holding on to these painfully difficult family situations hold us back from completing our life themes and healing the past.
It may be absolutely necessary to remove yourself physically from this kind of constant negativity to heal emotionally and spiritually. You can still forgive and move on without having to ever be in the same space again. Some of the loveliest people on Earth have been raised in cruel and heartless circumstances. They somehow know that they are on a higher vibration and they keep moving forward to a higher purpose. You can always free yourself to recognize your true soul family! It is genuinely possible to find peace and harmony within that helps your purpose shine with others.
Millions of people who are thinking the same thoughts, getting the same messages, and awakening the new era have started sharing and creating miracles together in a very short time. Collectively we understand each other. Members of your “soul family” will weave their way throughout your lifetime. Your level of awareness, combined with theirs, can spark miracles of recognition, healing, and fantastic events!
Where have you been?
This article was written by Judi Lynch http://www.judilynch.com
Namaste
Mark
A very simple introduction to Mindfulness, easy to follow showing the benefits of its practice and being in the NOW.
Enjoy 🙂
Namaste
Mark
Part 2 of Wudang Mountain. Cradle of Taoism
Please enjoy
Namaste
Mark
Wudang Mountains-The Cradle of Taoism, a place in China close to my heart.
I do hope you will enjoy this short video and the one I will post tomorrow 🙂
Namaste
Mark
The 10,000 Ripples Project: Buddha’s bringing Peace and Non-Violence to a Chicago community. How to work together, transcend Religions’ and Ethnic Boundaries for the benefit of all. 🙂
Namaste
Mark
Endless Light and Love 