I became a Taoist monk for a year

(George Thompson) I lived as monk for year. Here's what happened. Wuhan pandemic lockdown

• 
  Tai chi (moving meditation) and sitting meditation in Taoism, the Way [of harmony with nature], on a holy mountain in China with Master Gu, I had to do it. Then I had to go back for the yin and the yang. For an atheist, what is the Tao?

Taoism, Tai chi, Kung fu: Sun Lutang

Defining the Internal Martial Arts

Sun Lutang (1860-1933) was a master of Chinese internal (neijia) martial arts and the progenitor of the syncretic (blended) art of Sun-style tai chi [1].

He was also considered an accomplished Neo-Confucian and Taoist scholar (especially of the I Ching or Book of Changes) and was a distinguished contributor to the theory of internal martial arts through his many published works [2].

• Lives of Chinese Martial Artists (4): Sun Lutang and the invention of “traditional” Chinese martial arts, Pt. 1 (Kung Fu Tea)

Biography

Sun Lu Tang doing bagua

Sun Lutang was born in Hebei, named Sun Fuquan (孫福全) by his parents. Years later, his baguazhang teacher Cheng Tinghua gave him the name Sun Lu Tang.

It was common in old China for people to have multiple names during various phases of life. He continued to use his original name in some areas, including the publishing of his books.

He was well-versed in two other internal martial arts, xingyiquan and baguazhang, before he came to study tai chi. His expertise in these two martial arts was so high that many regarded him as a master without equal. More: Sun Lutang

• Pfc. Sandoval, CC Liu, Seth Auberon (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly Wiki edit

The real meaning of yin and yang (video)

ReligionForBreakfast, Feb. 10, 2023; Pat Macpherson, CC Liu (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

The real meaning of yin and yang

(ReligionForBreakfast) Let's explore the concept of yin and yang, the ancient Chinese philosophy that highlights the balance of opposing [complementary] forces in the universe.

Delve into the meaning of yin and yang, how they are represented in the famous Taijitu symbol, and their impact on health, relationships, and the natural world.

From the yin yang balance of light and dark, to hot and cold, and masculine and feminine, this is a comprehensive look at one of the most fundamental beliefs in Chinese philosophy -- that made it into Buddhism from Taoism.

Thanks to Wondrium for sponsoring today’s video. Signup for FREE trial. Patreon community: patreon.com/religionforbreakfast... One-time donations: paypal.me... Favorite religious studies books Amazon page: amazon.com/shop/religionfor...

How to Produce Natural DMT (video)

Mantak Chia; Pat Macpherson, Dhr. Seven (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Mantak Chia (Chinese 謝明德, Xiè Míngdé) was born on April 24, 1944 in Bangkok, Thailand (mantakchia.com). He is a Taoist master. He is best known for teaching Taoist practices under the names of Healing Tao, Tao Yoga, Universal Healing Tao System, and Qi Gong. He has run numerous workshops, written a series of books, and published a number of training videos. He views himself primarily as a teacher. BIOGRAPHY: Mantak Chia was born to a Chinese family in Thailand in 1944. He was raised in a Christian family, his father a Baptist minister. He began studying the Buddhist method of "still the mind" at the age of six and later studied Muay Thai boxing, T'ai chi ch'uan, Kung Fu, and Taoist and Buddhist meditation practices from several masters. Of all his masters the most influential one was Yi Eng ("White Cloud"), an eremitic member of the Dragon's Gate sect of the Quanzhen ("Complete Perfection") school of Taoism (道家全真龙门派), who taught Mantak Chia a complete Taoist training system and authorized him to teach and heal. More

Basketball's Kobe goes out with a bang (video)

Kobe Bryant; Pfc. Sandoval, Seth Auberon, CC Liu, Wisdom Quarterly; Zen Master Coach Phil Jackson on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN); Aqupas, 4-13-16; NBA Countdown (video)

Los Angeles, April 13th: Kobe's last pro game
(Aqupas, April 13, 2016) Kobe Bryant's epic final game of his NBA career with full individual game highlights vs. the Utah Jazz from Wednesday April 13, 2016. Kobe exploded for 60 points and helped the Lakers win. Long Live the Black Mamba with this unbelievable game during the 2015/2016 NBA regular season. NOTE: Video created for "Fair Use" purposes only. MORE

(OWN) Oprah talks to Kobe's basketball Coach Phil Jackson about how Zen and Mindfulness (Vipassana) practice shaped his approach to coaching the Lakers, particularly Kobe and Shaq.
 

When Phil Jackson began coaching the Chicago Bulls -- and later the Los Angeles Lakers -- he says he used the Zen Buddhist philosophy of "mindfulness" (sati) to help build both teams.

• What is mindfulness?
• How mindfulness practice lead to enlightenment

Watch as Jackson explains why that practice helped build mental strength, and find out what happened when he asked the most famous basketball player in the world to do tai chi, practice yoga, meditate, and even play in the dark. SuperSoulSunday on OWN.

Career highlights: Top 10 Plays

(NBA Countdown) Kobe Bryant's Top 10 Plays of His Entire Career

Chinese New Year Festival (Jan. 18, 2014)

CC Liu, Ashley Wells, Wisdom Quarterly; PacificAsiaMuseum.org

Lunar New Year Festival
Celebrate the Year of the Horse at Pacific Asia Museum's fourth annual "Lunar New Year Festival"!

It will be held on Saturday, January 18, 2014 from 11:00 am-5:00 pm. For the day, admission to the events, performances, crafts, demonstrations, and museum galleries is free and open to the public.

• Lunar Festival schedule
• Full schedule of events

EVENTS GUIDE

YOGA: Designed with a lunch-hour audience in mind, instructor Jill Zepezauer’s instruction of Hatha yoga is uniquely accessible. $10 per class, or buy a series and save. Beginners always welcome. Every Thurs., 12:30-1:30.
TAI CHI: Held in the peaceful surroundings of the museum’s courtyard. $10 per class, beginners always welcome. Every Sat., 8:00-9:30 am.

CHINESE CALLIGRAPHY: Guang-Li Zhang teaches the art of Chinese calligraphy. Each six-week series is $80 per person or $50 if also enrolled in Chinese Brush Painting. Every Sat., 8:45-9:45 am.

CHINESE BRUSH PAINTING: Taught by Guang-Li Zhang. Each six-week series is $120. Potential students are welcome to observe a free class before enrolling. Every Sat., 10:00 am-12:00 pm.

SILK ROAD STORYTIME: Join everyone’s favorite storyteller Sunny Stevenson in the travelers’ tent of Journeys: The Silk Road for stories, crafts, Asian snack, and a balloon. A different theme every month! Free and open to all! First Sat. of the Month: 10:30 am.

HAIKU: The Southern California Haiku Study Group is devoted to studying, writing, and sharing haiku in English. No membership fee. Beginners are always welcome. Group meets in the serene Blue Room at USC Pacific Asia Museum. Third Sat. of the Month: 2:00-4:00 pm.

HAWAIIAN MUSIC: Learn to play the ukulele or guitar and sing traditional songs with Charles Kiaha and Ilima Lei Russell. Every Sun., 10:30 am-12:00 pm.

The Tree of Contemplative Practices

Tree of Contemplative (meditative and physical) Practices (Martin Beck Matustik, contemplativemind.org)

Under the Bodhi Tree
Wisdom Quarterly

It is one of the most embellished and famous stories in the world -- the Buddha under the Bodhi tree. Before attaining buddhahood, Siddhartha struggled for six years. Most of that time may not have been spent sitting. Sitting was the culmination of the practice.

We tend to focus, or are directed to concentrate, on exactly the things the Buddha overcame: struggling, severe austerities, fighting, battling with inner demons (maras), rejecting the angelic care of devas, dieting (eating only certain foods then fasting altogether), and discursive thinking.

None of these led to illumination, although from time to time Siddhartha had epiphanies about what might work and what certainly would not. He had already learned the absorptions (jhanas) but seems to have only skipped through them without developing or indulging in them for fear of attachment to the bliss they produce.

Now, under the tree, he reasoned that he should not fear pleasure far removed from sensuality. There is an elevated, more reliable source of pleasure and happiness. The meditative absorptions purify the mind/heart. They become a platform for successfully practicing mindfulness.

And it is mindfulness of the body, sensations, mind, and mind objects (all detailed in the The Discourse on the Fourfold Setting Up of Mindfulness) that yields liberating insight. One begins with the breath (under the category of "body"), and the practice culminates in meditating on the causal links of Dependent Origination.

It seems like a lot to remember, except that we forget that the purified mind is easily able to remember what needs attending to under the care of a teacher who has practiced Buddhist meditation. Unfortunately, there are very few such teachers. But hidden deep in Asia and only rarely visiting the US, there are some. (We have met them, we have named them on Wisdom Quarterly, and increasingly there are Westerners trained by these lights. The future of American Buddhism is not likely to be monastic but oriented towards lay-meditative practices).

So we find a tree. And if is old enough and big enough, it is likely to be inhabited by dryads (woodland sprites) and rooted deep into Mother Earth (Gaia). Nagas may help or harm, maras and yakkhas tempt and distract and attempt to terrify one from one's Quest. But ultimately it is a matter of perseverance over effort, balance over striving, letting go over insisting.

Siddhartha entered the successive meditative absorptions, emerged from them with a purified mind (because these states suppress the defilements that are obstacles to serenity and insight), then practiced mindfulness of Dependent Origination until he broke through to liberation.

The Mindful Lawyer

Judges, lawyers, mediators, law professors, law students, and other legal professionals gathered at the UC Berkeley School of Law for the first ever national conference exploring the integration of meditation and contemplative practices with legal education and practice. The Mindful Lawyer: Practices & Prospects for Law School, Bench, and Bar offered a blend of academic presentations, discussion, and contemplative practice. Video and audio recordings are available on the conference website, along with guided meditations, syllabi from related law courses, and relevant books and articles.

Meditation Guide: 7 Steps

7 steps to establishing a great meditation practice
(Examiner.com, July 23, 2009)

Meditation is like a vast unexplored continent. The farther one travels, the more splendor and beauty one will see. To begin the great adven-ture, one must prepare for the journey and bring appropriate equip-ment, clothing, and fuel. A well equipped expedition will ensure minimal setbacks and may determine the entire success of the journey.

Here is an inventory list of some "equipment" needed on a meditation journey in order to establish and maintain a successful practice.

1. Set the intention: Be clear and realistic with expectations [or drop them altogether]. Ask, What am I willing to sacrifice in order to set aside the time necessary to meditate?
2. Create the atmosphere: Dedicate a little corner, mat, or chair for meditation, using it only for this purpose. Put on some music, make some tea, develop a meditation ritual. This is not sitting on a cushion with lit candles and incense; it simply means establishing a special place only for meditation.
3. Set aside a time: This may sound obvious, but have a specific time of day when it is possible to be alone in relative quiet. Guard it from disturbances, and protect the inner peace gained.
4. Unplug: Turn off the phone, the computer, the TV. Free of these enslaving distractions, it is possible to get to know some outer peace and quiet to dedicate to meditation.
5. Stay consistent: Diligence is the main thing. Inconsistency is a major stumbling block for any practice. Developing a good habit is crucial. But how? It takes three weeks of doing the same thing over and over again for body and mind to adjust. Then it becomes easy and natural.
6. Keep a diary or journal: After every meditation session, take a few minutes to jot down the experiences, bodily sensations, mental imagery, or thoughts. As one looks back to check on progress, one suddenly realizes -- it's right there in your own handwriting -- something is happening. Progress is being made. It's also a great way to share experiences with others if that comes up. Keep a record of the day, time, and duration of the meditation.
7. Experiment: Start now. Just sit. There are many different types of meditation. [The Path of Purification suggests which personality types will benefit most from which types of meditation, but experimenting proves useful. There are free teachers like Goenka and books at the library and bookstore. And nuns and monks in American temples and on video and on the Web. Come to these resources as someone who already sits.] One never knows which one will work best until one tries. Among the many types, the most common are: guided visualization, mindfulness, calming music, sitting silently in nature, Tibetan singing bowls, walking, slow repetitive movements [Tai chi, yoga, Chi gong, dance, fencing, martial arts], mantra repetition, and watching the breath.

More information on the magic of breathing exercises:

• Beginners: Calm the Mind and Increase Well Being
• Three Easy Breathing Exercises for Beginners

Or visit Vlad Moskovski's BLOG to find many articles on meditation techniques, the Law of Attraction, personal development, inner peace, yoga, changing moods and emotions, intuition, and much more.

Girl on Girl Fight

The teenagers seen in a video assaulting a 16-year-old could face life in prison.

The principle message of the East is ahimsa (nonviolence, nonharming). Nevertheless, the message has not reached these cheerleaders, who mercilessly beat a friend. StudentNews (CNN) reports.

Story Highlights

• Eight Florida teens to be tried as adults in videotaped beating case
• Video shows 16-year-old girl punched by other girls
• 21% of girls age 17 say they've assaulted someone, the Justice Dept. reports
• The teens have "disconnect" between thoughts and actions, psychologist says
• Practical Buddhist solutions to resolving anger
• Yoga in prisons

(CNN) -- Eight Florida teenagers -- six of them girls -- will be tried as adults and could be sentenced to life in prison for their alleged roles in the videotaped beating of another teen, the state attorney's office said Thursday.

The teenagers seen in a video assaulting a 16-year-old could face life in prison.

The suspects, who range in age from 14 to 18, all face charges of kidnapping, which is a first-degree felony, and battery, said Chip Thullbery, a spokesman for the Polk County state attorney. Three of them are also charged with tampering with a witness.

Everyone involved in the case was under a gag order imposed by a judge. The only attorney for the teens who has been publicly identified did not return calls from CNN, and his assistant cited the gag order as the reason. The teens are scheduled for their first appearance in court Friday.

The video shows a brutal scene: The 16-year-old victim is punched, kneed and slapped by other girls. She huddles in the fetal position, or stands and screams at her attackers, but the assault continues. Authorities say the eight teens said they were retaliating for insults posted on the Internet by the attack victim.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd called the March 30 attack "animalistic."

"I've been involved in law enforcement for 35 years, and I've seen a lot of extremely violent events, but I've never seen children, 14 to 18 years of age, engage in this conduct for a 30-minute period of time and then make these video clips," he said. Police say the teens planned to post the video on YouTube.

• Watch the disturbing video »

The victim, a 16-year-old from Lakeland, Florida, was hospitalized, and still has blurred vision, hearing loss, and a swollen face, her mother told CNN on Wednesday.

The video shows only girls doing the beating; Judd said the boys acted as lookouts.

The idea of girls administering a vicious beating so they can post the video online may seem shocking, but it's becoming an increasingly common scenario, according to experts and news reports.

• Watch why more teens are putting fights online »

A search for "girl fight" on YouTube gets thousands of results, and a suggestion to also try "girl fight at school, boy girl fight" and other search terms. There's at least one Web site devoted exclusively to videos of girls fighting.

In 2003, 25 percent of high school girls said they had been in a physical fight in the past year, according to a survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (The figure for boys was 40.5 percent.)

A Justice Department report released in 2006 showed that by age 17, 21 percent of girls said they had assaulted someone with the intent to cause serious harm.

Frank Green is executive director of Keys to Safer Schools, a group that studies and tries to prevent school violence. He said he's not sure whether girls have actually become more violent, or whether there's just more awareness of their fights.

"In one respect, girls have always been more vicious than boys," Green said. "Their violence is of a personal nature." He said boys usually have some focus and a concrete goal when they fight. "But girls want to cause pain and make the other girl feel bad," he said.

Judd, the Polk County sheriff, said an important part of the plan in the Lakeland attack was to post the video of the beating on YouTube to humiliate and embarrass the victim.

"It's the next stage of cyberbullying," psychologist Susan Lipkins said. "They want to show what they're doing."

"Our kids are being peer pressured, in another sense of a trend, to put these shock videos out there at other peoples' expense," said Talisa Lindsay, the victim's mother. "And I hope that it doesn't come to the point where there's more people's lives that are being affected by having to take a beating for entertainment, or possibly being killed."

• Watch mother describe how the victim is doing »

The suspects didn't have a chance to post the video online before police moved in and seized it, Judd said. The Sheriff's Department made it public, and it wound up on YouTube anyway. Judd recognizes the irony.

"In a perverted sense, we were feeding into exactly what the kids wanted," he said. "But according to Florida law, [the video] is public record, and it's going to be in the public domain whether we agree with that or not."

Judd said the suspects showed no remorse when they were arrested and booked.

"They were laughing and joking about, 'I guess we won't get to go to the beach during spring break.' And one ... asked whether she could go to cheerleading practice," he said.

Lipkins, the psychologist, says there's a "disconnect between their actions and their thoughts."

"They think the entire society is doing it, and they think it's funny. So they put it on YouTube. And I don't think they expect kids to get really hurt, and they also don't expect to get really caught." Source

HOW TO DEVELOP LOVING-KINDNESS: Counteracting Anger

Dharmachari Seven

There are a number of ways to cultivate and "bring into being" (bhavana) wholesome states of mind/heart (citta) to counteract normal human anger. While it is "normal" to get angry, it is not normal to cause harm on account of that anger or to let anger remain. A charioteer steers the horses pulling her or him along; others are merely holding the reins, the Buddha explained.

The Dharma has a number of helpful ways to deal with annoyance and irritability that has become full blown anger, hate, or wrath.

• Substitution: cultivate thoughts of loving-kindness to replace the anger that has arisen.
• Contemplate the results of remaining angry (the harm, the consequences, the regression in the slow evolution to a superior, more profitable character).
• Leave, run away, avoid the situation that is inspiring anger.
• Stop giving unwise attention to thoughts that give rise to anger.
• Compliment rather than criticize; simply searching the mind for something to compliment results in finding it -- we'll find what we look for because we look for it.
• Reflect: Three things give rise to anger. Someone's actions, speech, or intentions (physical, verbal, or mental karma). If it is one's deeds that annoy, focus on that person's speech or intentions. If it is that person's speech, focus on that person's deeds or intentions, and so on. If, however, all three are annoying (because you are able to see, hear, and read minds or deduce intentions) then reflect in the following way. If this worthy person continues in this way, s/he will certainly land in an unfortunate destination. Done sincerely, this will give rise to compassion and pity (altruistic sympathy).
• Destroy your enemy. It may sound trite, but Eastern wisdom suggests that the best way to utterly annihilate your foe is to make that person a friend (even if that person doesn't know her/his new status).
• Yoga, Tai Chi, Chi Gong, and even the martial arts (which emphasize mutual respect, confidence, stress management, and avoiding fights) can be very helpful in converting or dispelling angry emotions parked in the body:
• BBC VIDEO: Yoga in prison

Yoga in prison -- solution to violent habits (BBC video)