Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;I've been sleeping on the same spot where the qigong master who befriended me slept when he visited our house. As part of his friendship to me, he gave me his Bible that he read as he did his qigong training. Jim said the word of the Lord came alive as a holy book, he could literally feel the energy of the words, as he read the Bible.
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Jim and I discussed our religious views a bit together and amazingly I did not notice anything we disagreed with, exception about abortion. Yes so this morning I woke up with a song in my head, as I woke up on the same spot where Jim had slept. But I could not remember the words to the song. It was a beautiful song and I knew from reading the book, "The Haunting Melody" by psychologist Theodore Reik, that if you remember a song, then the words will have subconscious meaning revealed to you.
Then it hit me. It was the Doxology! I always loved singing the Doxology every Sunday. It was secretly my favorite song at church. Now I am curious - are their different musical versions of the Doxology depending on denomination? http://library.timelesstruths.org/music/Doxology/ So says it was written back in the 1600s or was that just the music and the lyrics were from the 1500s?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doxology
The tradition derives from a similar practice in the Jewish synagogue,[4] where some version of the Kaddish serves to terminate each section of the service.OK this is what I like - singing is the most important part of the Western spiritual tradition. When I read Doxology on Wiki - I don't see the lyrics for the above doxology?....So I searched the lyrics:
Where Did We Get The Doxology?
The story behind what may be the world's best-known hymn.
OK so that was the lyrics....Yet few know the story behind these words, first published in 1709, and fewer still the life of their composer, Anglican Bishop Thomas Ken (1637–1711).
Dang - ChristianityToday is behind Paywall!!
Here we see both the 'host' of heaven and the 'creatures here below' of earth ...So this is secretly why the Doxology was my favorite hymn at Church - it is the Harmony of Heaven and Earth of Daoism!!
During the reign of King James II, he was imprisoned in the Tower of London for refusing to sign the Declaration of Indulgence. Ken was acquitted of the charge, but when King William III ascended to the throne Ken refused to swear loyalty to him, he resigned his office and lived the rest of his life at the home of his friend, Lord Weymouth, at Longleat, Wilshire.So since he had been chaplain to the royalty - he got away with having some backbone - lucky for him. Wow - here is his teaching of his Doxology!! This is secretly a Solar praise song: Morning and Evening - when Solar sun gazing is to be practiced.
but the first mention ofSo the similarity with the Psalms as Joy is noted.
the hymn is in 1674 as the presumed final stanza of two longer hymns: “Awake, My Soul and with the Sun” and “Glory to Thee, My God, This Night.” These two hymns were referenced along with a third as Morning, Evening and Midnight hymns in a pamphlet written for his students titled A Manual of Prayers For the Use of the Scholars of Winchester College
, whichwas accompanied by the directive: Be sure to sing the Morning and Evening Hymn in your chamber devoutly, remembering that the Psalmist, upon happy experience, assures you that it is a good thing to tell of the loving kindness of the Lord early in the morning and of his truth in the night season.
Psalm 96:11-12a and the final jubilant line of Psalm 150:6:And here I would like to refer to my friend in meditation - who supported my 8 hour full lotus meditation experiment of non-local energy healing - who translated Master Nan, Huai-jin.
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
let the field exult, and everything in it. (Psalm 96: 11-12a, NRSV)Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord! (Psalm 150:6, NRSV)
Joy is noted as the key of samadhi - as the heart unconditional love energy. Whereas bliss is of the body. This is a subtle emotional difference I had not realized before.
And so as the qigong master was hanging out in the space - I shared a story with him. And it was the story of how I sang and played guitar in this wedding. But the story - it started out about Cleveland where the wedding was. I think we were listening to books on tape and Cleveland was maybe mentioned. So the story was about how I sang in my friend's wedding - but on the way there my glasses broke in the car and on the way back my car key broke and I had to sing play guitar at one of those "rest" places - so I could make some money to call for the repair of the key through AAA. And while I sang the song at the wedding, my voice cracked as I sang out of key. And so at the wedding reception - it was a huge ball room, conference room, filled with round tables. But I didn't know anyone and I was too embarrassed since my voice had cracked out of key - and so even though I had slept on the floor of the apartment of the wedding couple, their night before the wedding - I left without saying goodbye. I think the reason I told the story was because I said how when people get married then I don't have any more contact with them. I have been in other weddings - and then not had contact with the friends after words. It is like in the Theraveda monk tradition - the monks do not go to the weddings. I am not supposed to go to weddings I think. haha.The Anapanasati Sutra for Cultivating the Breath - Meditation Expert
https://www.meditationexpert.com/zen.../z_anapanasati_sutra_Buddhist_pranayama.ht...... and other types of chi in the Peter Senge-Nan Huai-Chin Anapana Chi Conversations, which are truly excellent. ... Often you see them on pictures of various spiritual masters. ... In the 6th stage you can receive joy and in the 7th receive bliss.Apr 13, 2017 - This is an English translation of Nan Huai Jin's 'Lectures on the Surangama SutraNan Huai Jin's Genuine Cultivation (Anapanasati Sutta) – Serious ...
https://seriousbuddhism.wordpress.com/.../nan-huai-jins-genuine-cultivation-anapanas...'. Please ... Master Nan: Not just one person, everyone speak up. .... (T/N: Jhana is a progressive state with defining qualities like joy, bliss, etc.) ...
So the qigong master asked me what song I sang at the wedding. I said: You've Got a Friend by James Taylor. Upon hearing this the qigong master burst out laughing so hard - I have never heard a person laugh with so much joy as he laughed. He said I could tell the funniest stories. And as his heart filled with joy while he laughed so loud and so long then he was doing healing on my own heart. And my relative was upstairs wondering what was so funny as I doubt she had ever heard someone laugh with so much joy as he did.
The last time I felt that kind of Joy was when I was doing the 8 hours of full lotus meditation a day - and so as the yin qi filled up my body then my heart really opened up again. And I remember going up for my relative's dinner and I burst out laughing deep from the heart. And this is very healing energy. And so that is another reason I had to end my "experiment" in 8 hours of full lotus meditation a day - since the people donating wanted me to send them energy, but actually my relative needed the energy more.
Wow -the importation of negro slaves to china under the tang dynasty
https://library.uoregon.edu/ec/e-asia/read/tangslave-3.pdfby C Hsing-lang - 1930 - Cited by 8 - Related articlessays: "Fu Nan is situated a distance of 70 li (about 25 English miles) to the south of Jih Nan. .... Chu Kuo Chuan ("A Record of travels in the Five Indies") by Hui Ch'ao, the ..... that negro slaves were known in China as early as the Eastern Tsin ( Chin) .... "All the servants were alarmed at the condition of their young master.
O.K.....
The first line describes the person of God the Father as the source of all blessings (Ephesians 1:3, 2 Corinthians 1:3). The second line, though, speaks to God the Spirit through whom all creatures praise God (Psalm 104:24-30, 1 Corinthians 2:10-13). The third line points to God the Son who is begotten of the Father, firstborn of heaven and superior to angels and the heavenly host (Hebrews 1:4). The fourth line summarizes the stanza and all of praise in general, since all praise is directed toward God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.So one time the qigong master said to me that I was speaking to God. Now this brings us to the Trinity in Christianity - how can a person be above all the angels? The original qigong master said how the ancestral teachers of his lineage help him do his healing and the qigong master who befriended me said he also has angels help him do his healing. One time I slept in the same spot at our cabin where the qigong master had also slept and meditated. I had this glorious dream that was like being in heaven - full of bright light and joy. The qigong master said when he was in the cave at Mt. Qingcheng for his 49 day meditation in full lotus - the cave filled with light and he went to heaven. The original qigong master said messing with ghosts is dangerous! I guess now we know why!
"Zen Master Nan-Ch'uan was meditating in a hut next to a river. One night he heard two ghosts conversing. One of them was rejoicing that his term was coming to an end because the next day someone would be replacing him. The second ghost asked, 'Who will be replacing you?' He replied, 'A man wearing an iron hat.' The master wondered to himself who this person could be. The next day there was heavy rain and the river rose to a higher level. The master looked out of his hut and saw a man about to cross the river. He had covered his head with a wok (a bowl-shaped cooking utensil) for protection against the rain. Immediately, the master knew that this was the man of the iron hat, so he cautioned him saying, 'Don't cross the river today. It's too dangerous.' The man asked, 'Why?' 'Because the water is very deep and running rapidly.' The man listened to the old monk's advice and returned home. You must understand that in Chinese lore, water ghosts are prisoners until another person drowns and takes their place. That night as he was meditating, the master heard the two ghosts again. This time the first ghost was complaining, 'I have been stuck here for so many years, and I thought my chance for freedom had finally come. But now the old monk interfered and messed everything up. I'll show him what I can do.' (Master Sheng-yen)I didn't know Bill Bodri had a youtube channel?!
Upon hearing this exchange, the master immediately entered samadhi. He saw the demons enter, exit and go around his hut, as if searching for someone. However, thanks to the fact that his mind in samadhi was empty and still, 'not influenced by the environment, no longer tied to mental objects,' the demons could not see him. Discouraged, they finally left." Master Tam: 205
Original Link: https://www.breathingcenter.com/Buteyko#KPButeyko
"As many famous doctors and scientists have done, Buteyko used his own body to experiment with his method. He practiced what he referred to as “air fasting” and followed a lifestyle that promoted reduced breathing. His own experience, which his advanced students confirmed, showed that breathing normalization leads not only to an improvement of physical health but also to the clarity of mind, inner peace, and calmness. Additionally, it promotes intuition, telepathy, and other types of extrasensory perception.Buteyko started his career as a traditional doctor, but by the final period of his life, he developed characteristics of a highly developed spiritual practitioner. He was known to have some clairvoyant abilities, such as being able to read people's thoughts or to predict the future. He hardly slept, was able to exist without food for 50 days at a time, and was capable of holding his breath for several minutes. Often, the first question he would ask his patients was, "Do you believe in God?" His methods led him to a point when he did not have any doubts about the leading role of the divine, especially when it comes to healing.Buteyko understood that the door to personal evolution could be opened through breathing. This is not a new thought; it is a paradigm that was practiced in many ancient cultures. For example, one of the goals of Pranayama, a type of Indian yoga, is to breathe less. A basic meditation in Tibetan Buddhism, which is called Shine (Peace), provides a step-by-step training for developing reduced breathing. Japanese Samurai would put a feather under their nose and breathe on it. If the feather moved, the trainee would be dismissed from the Samurai army. Russian Orthodox Saints recommended their disciples reduce their breath during prayer, as they believed this would bring them closer to God. Dr. Buteyko’s achievement rediscovered the benefits of breath reduction. He had developed a health improvement method suitable for modern people—one that was especially valuable for those who are severely ill."
OK so this is why Sri Yukteswar called "Breathless Ecstasy" as Nirvikalpi Samadhi.
Have you guys read Nyasa Yoga by Bill Bodri?From the meditation friend
It's a new book and he talks about special mantras that can help raise the yang chi (in addition to Zhunti mantra).
This method I use comes from understanding of the same lectures by the Chan master who propagated this Zhunti mantra, Nan Huai Chin (Disclaimer: I do not mean that this is exactly what he said about all mantra practices, but my own understanding! Heaven forbid that I ever put my limited words into his mouth...) What I find is that the gap after the chant becomes longer and longer over the practice session until it is able to hold itself for a prolonged period of time. If mind becomes agitated or starts moving, it restarts the inhalation and interrupts the cessation time.
In one of NHJ's lectures, he taught that true Cessation (or Shamatha) only comes when the external-breath itself seems to stop, also known as 止息 (Zhi-Hsi in Tientai Sect). At this time it switches into inner-breath (内息 Nei-Hsi), producing the natural physiological function of the primordial tum-mo/kundalini (拙火 Zhuo-Huo). He said that this normally happens in the gap after the exhalation. The reason of why an inhalation continues to come after, according to my understanding of his lecture, it is that the mind has moved with thoughts (whether coarse or subtle). When mind moves, breath moves, therefore inhalation (birth) comes again, leading to a exhalation (death). One full cycle of breath is also called one Contemplation (念 Nien).
My understanding of it is that mantras release "stale-winds" through the use of the mouth from the Five Organs (of course, not only having a physiological effect). When inhaling, the mouth is shut closed and inhaled through nostrils. This is similar to the Taoist's Six Healing Sounds which he teaches. Also Om-Ah-Hung, Namo Amitofo and Medicine Buddha dharani which he also teaches. I believe it leads to the calming down of the bodily agitations and hence leading to a more conducive cessation of mind-stream.
I absolutely agree with you about resting in that space as long as possible. And also to resume chanting when mind starts to move again (because of inhalation due to thought-movement, there must be exhalation). Very very similar.
They seem different according to what I've read from certain explanations. She's regarded as a Buddha-Mother. The terminologies in Buddhism are quite long to explain. However, yes, the terminologies for the 'feminine' principle are also reflected in Avalokitesvara's female emanation, Guanyin and other emanations like Tara. A Chan master talked about how the 'feminine' principle allowed the highlighting of "mercy" as a feminine force, whereas "compassion" was a more masculine force. There's no actual seniority between Buddhas, just a difference in their vows and hence their mind-field, for example, Amitabha Buddha compared to the Medicine Buddha, or even Samantabhadra who is considered the mind-ground of all Buddhas with the largest Buddha-field due to the expanse of his 10 Great Vows.
Sorry to make a tiny plug here, but I am attempting (very miserably, slowly and amateurishly) an English translation of a Chan master's explanation of the Zhunti sadhana here. I have to proclaim that I am quite ineffective, slow and sometimes even inaccurate in translation, which I repeatedly stress in the start of my posts above. The reason why I do it is also to help me to understand the lectures at the same time, both for sharing and educational purposes. Please do your own research and investigate accordingly, don't rely on my writings. Thank you.
Concentrating your mind (Diligence) to cultivate for 49 days, and you will have a response/interaction/induction. Then you say you have also cultivated over 49 days, oh gosh! When have you really concentrated your mind (be diligent)? Concentrating your mind (diligence), day and night always in this realm-sphere(alambana), then of course you will have a result, otherwise, you are saying that the Buddha is lying to people in his dharma, Buddha does not lie, he will not bluff you, if you diligently cultivate Zhunti method for 49 days, there will definitely be an attainment, you have to seek awakening to awaken! Seeking bodhi then you will attain bodhi! You should see “Xian Mi Yuan Tong Cheng Fo Xin Yao”, research it well, it says whatever you wish for you will attain.https://seriousbuddhism.wordpress.com/2017/12/11/nan-huai-jin-explanation-of-the-zhunti-sadhana/
http://www.fodian.net/world/cundi.html
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