The art of sacrifice

I was never good at chess but always loved to play.  There are certainly good points and bad points to the game of chess.  But if you don’t get too involved or obsessed with it we can analyze the principles and take only what is good from it.

Value:

The relative value of pieces must first be known.  The pawn is worth one point.  The bishop and knight are worth three points.  The rook is worth five points and the queen is worth nine points.  The king, because he can be captured and the game lost has infinite value.

Once you understand this you can make an educated choice on how to move or capture your opponent’s pieces.  As you learn to make better choices, you can definitely apply this to your life – whether it is raising a family or developing yourself on the quest.  Chess teaches us to utilize our often neglected reasoning skills.

Sacrifice:

Compassion is the understanding or empathy for the suffering of others.  It is regarded as a fundamental part of human love and foundational to the highest principles in philosophy and religion.  It is much needed today in our society yet it starts with a good intention and proper goals in life.

In chess, one of the great tactics is to sacrifice material to gain a special advantage later.  This teaches us a nice lesson not to be greedy solely for the purpose of material gain.  This is the heart of the bodhisattva’s way of life.  He or she lives on good principles and not bad ones that consist of harming others.  In other cultures, this type of hero is called a good Samaritan in Christianity or a Caretaker in the Native American religion.  It is a universal principle that shines through in most religions.

Needless to say, one of the most surprising moves is considered the queen-sacrifice because her value is among the highest.  When executed properly a master will, more often than not, win the game.

“Combinations with a queen sacrifice are among the most striking and memorable.”  -  Anatoly Karpov

There are two types of sacrifices.  The good sacrifice and the bad sacrifice.  The good sacrifice helps gain an advantage later on.  The bad sacrifice is done without proper forethought and planning.  It would be more of an unconscious impulse – something akin to a martyr complex.

In the spiritual world, it is often thought that we must sacrifice our self in order to attain enlightenment.  Of course, this is very true but how you give up your self is very important.  Without the guidance of a guru and without the guidance of proper scriptural sources you may just believe that suicide is the answer.  Therefore, without any consideration you end up seeking your own death without thinking of how it will affect your parents, children or spouse.

You truly will be creating negative karma if you act selfishly and without awareness.  The results of suicide are told over and over that you end up in a hell realm or a bad migration in your next lifetime.  One must contemplate this, consider the consequences correctly and receive proper instruction before one can gain confidence to act correctly in all situations.

Vipashana:

Chess may have a hidden element in it that could be the starting point to proper insight (vipashana) meditation later on.

I always wondered what would happen if two Buddhas played chess with each other.  Who would win?

By studying the texts of the great chess masters, the answer is already known.  They tell us that the perfect game will consist of neither a win nor a loss.  If either player doesn’t make a mistake then the game will certainly end in a draw.

Two important questions:

1. What is his intent?
2. What is his weakness?

If you keep these two questions in mind; you will be ahead of the game.  Often you will just look at your side of the board and rush to make your move.  But each move consists of an intrinsic advantage and weakness.  You just have to discover it.  When you get stuck ask the question, “What weakness did he leave behind?” and you will learn to expand your awareness to his side of the board.

Life stories:

Here are two beautiful stories that hit the essential point.  In the first, we might not see any immediate benefit to the Bodhisattva hero.  On the surface, it just seems like he lost his life.  But it was a conscious act of compassion that eventually leads to his full enlightenment.  In a future life he does awaken to Buddhahood.  Naturally, this act did not go unnoticed by the Buddhas who have the eye of omniscience.  This compassionate action sped up his development as positive karma was created.

In the second story, we see the power of a realized Buddha making a sacrifice with the principle of crazy wisdom.  Since he was a Buddha there were no harmful consequence to him and his action only enhanced and benefited all who heard, saw and believed the display-like miracle.

1.  The touching story of The Hungry Tigress is from the Jataka tales.  This is one excerpt from a collection of past life stories of Shakyamuni Buddha.

The Bodhisattva, in a lifetime before he became the Buddha, came upon a hungry tigress and her cubs.  Seeing the tigress was too weak to hunt, the Bodhisattva sent his traveling companions away to look for food.  While they were away, he threw himself over a cliff, thereby offering his body for food to the hungry tigress and her cubs.

2.  The story of the Eight Manifestations of Padmasambhava is part of a long discourse given by the late Khenchen Palden Sherab in 1992 on the life of Guru Rinpoche:

With Guru Rinpoche and Mandarava we see the deep sacrifice of both the master and the disciple.  Wanting to learn the dharma from the Guru rather than lead a worldly life and get married, the princess was sentenced to prison for her actions while he was to be burned at the stake.

“The men ignored her and Guru Padmasambhava was captured.  His hands were bound and they led him off surrounded by hordes of people.  They wanted to make sure that he did not try to run away.  By royal decree, his punishment was to be burned at the stake. Mandarava was sentenced to prison for 25 years, while all 500 of her attendants were sentenced to ten years.  All of this was the king’s decision.  A great quantity of wood was collected from the local households and soaked with sesame oil.”

Guru Rinpoche was tied in the center and the pyre was lit.  The king ordered that no one be allowed into the area for a week except those who were tending the fire.

“Now while Guru Rinpoche was in the midst of the flames, the fire transformed into water, which soon became a lake encircled on its outer perimeter by a ditch sporting a halo of upside-down flames.  In the center of this beautiful lake there was a wondrous lotus flower and above that, Guru Padmasambhava was sitting in the posture of royal ease, even more glorious than before.”

Sutras:

Vimalakirti explains, in The Holy Teaching of Vimalakirti that even sharing the dharma with others is a great dharma sacrifice.  It definitely is not an easy action to perform.

Vimalakirti explains that:

“Those who teach it to others, whether it be no more than a single stanza of four lines, or a single summary phrase from this teaching of the Dharma, will be performing the great Dharma-sacrifice.”

The truth is that obstacles can arise when doing any type of good deed.  Furthermore, it is much harder to spread the dharma that helps liberate sentient beings lost in confusion.  As one common axiom explains:  No good deed goes unpunished.  People often reject unsolicited advice.

Computers:

Most people that love computer programming and chess believe that calculating up to fifteen or twenty moves means more intelligence.  In reality, that is just the power of the intellectual mind and not necessarily intelligence in the sense of having Awareness and Compassion.  For basic game-play, one just needs to utilize three half-moves as the chess coach Bruce Pandolfini advises.  You move once, your opponent moves, then you move again.  This is called a combination.  Only in certain instances does one need to calculate up to ten moves and that usually is near the end of the game.

In Buddhism, there are explicit instructions on how to develop the mind.  With a little thought we can see how our body and mind is also like a computer.  Our ordinary mind, while still unenlightened has a glitch.  The main misconception – the belief in an inherently existent self, needs to be corrected.  Once we can organize our mind properly we surely gain better clarity.  One way to do this is to study and reflect on the scriptural teachings.  And if you are fortunate enough to participate in shedra courses you will be all the better for it.

Final point:

The sutras and tantras tell us that on the eighth stage of a Bodhisattva’s realization there is no longer any separation between meditation and post-meditation.  At that point, there is no compulsive reification of concepts.  What this means is that when you turn away from the chess board, the next moment you no longer have the same habitual thought-patterns going on.  If you lost the game, you can let it go.

In fact, you can let anything go – whatever good or bad things happen, you just abide in the nature of mind.  This is Mahamudra.  In the next moment, you can bring your awareness to the task at hand.  This is something we should all aspire towards.

good luck!
Neo

The peacock’s grove

One great master that has given us such compelling instructions on Lojong (Mind Training) material certainly is Dharmarakshita.  He was one of Atisha’s masters in the tenth century and the author of Training the Mind: The Wheel Blade of Mind Transformation.

The “wheel of sharp weapons” can be visualized as something we throw out, which then later comes back to cut us… like a boomerang.  In the same way, Dharmarakshita explains, the non-virtuous causes we create through our self-interested behavior come back to ‘cut us’ in this life or in future lives.  They return as the ripening of the negative karma such actions create.

This really is the source of all our pain and suffering.  He thoroughly admonishes us when he explains that all of this is the result of our own selfishness and self-cherishing.

In The Wheel of Sharp Weapons he explains how a Bodhisattva (spiritual hero) takes on suffering just as the peacock eats poisonous plants:

1) In jungles of poisonous plants strut the peacocks,
Though medicine gardens of beauty lie near.
The masses of peacocks do not find gardens pleasant,
But thrive on the essence of poisonous plants.

 

2) In similar fashion the brave Bodhisattvas
Remain in the jungle of worldly concern.
No matter how joyful this world’s pleasure gardens,
These Brave Ones are never attracted to pleasures,
But thrive in the jungle of suffering and pain.

Another text:

Dharmarakshita also wrote The Peacock’s Neutralizing of Poisons that helps us see how our ego interferes with discovering true happiness.  These few stanzas should be spread far and wide in all new Buddhist tantric texts so that we can gain a clear understanding how Buddhism differentiates from harmful worldly tantric practices.

Here are a few excerpts that hit the essential point:

Even though, like Upali, you’ve reached the perfection of industry;
And, even though, like Ashvajita, your conscientiousness is highly commendable;
If you do not lead your parents on the path to enlightenment,
This is the way of a mere shepherd for you fulfil only your liberation and wellbeing.

Even though you wear robes you do not observe the precepts,
Your perceptions remain permeated by the various tasks of attachment;
And you criticize and denigrate the noble beings.
This is deserving of being exterminated by the Dakinis.

Important quote:

This wonderful book by Thupten Jinpa Ph.D. had further quotes of Dharmarakshita that I have not been able to find online or anywhere else.  It is called Mind Training: The Great Collection (Library of Tibetan Classics).

THE DELUDED WHO ARE CHASED BY AFFLICTIONS AND KARMA

ARE CARELESS OF THE DOCTRINE AND SENTIENT BEINGS AS A WHOLE,

YET THEY ANGRILY DRIVE ENEMIES WHO HARM THEM

TO THEIR AFTERLIFE WITH INCANTATIONS.

WHETHER LAPSED IN MORALITY OR NOT,

THEY ARE MOST INTRIGUING!

Discernment:

And these additional quotes are most valuable since it is so hard to differentiate the authentic teacher from a charlatan:

For sake of material gains you adopt the guise of a noble one;
Yet, like the dogs and pigs, you indulge in sexual acts [with no restraint];
Those who deceive others by professing to be practicing tantra,
Deserve to be thrown into a [burning] hearth by the realized Vajra holders.

Those harmful ‘mystics’ who possess little learning,
When they see common feats they become supremely inflated with conceit;
Such people who lead others with no guidance through the stages of the path,
They deserved to be belittled and brought to shame by the learned ones.

You can read this full text here: Progretto Free Dharma Teachings

Or you can download this same text (with added images of beautiful peacocks) as a .pdf file here:  The Peacock’s Neutralizing of Poisons

best wishes,
Neo

Blazing away mental illness

For over twenty years, I had read Paul Brunton’s books over and over again.  I enjoyed contemplating his works and achieved many insights through his synthesis of eastern and western spirituality.  With respect to PB’s achievements in the spiritual world, I regularly used him as a guide to assist me along the quest until I met my own teacher.  Therefore, with reluctance I write this article.  Some people may misconstrue this criticism and claim it stems from hatred or jealousy.  But nothing could be farther than the truth.

A few things need to be pointed out, so that fellow questers can see through the dark misconceptions in order to continue safely on their path.  Since PB’s work (over the last century) has sunk into the collective-consciousness of our world; a few bad seeds need to be uprooted.  As there has been a drastic increase in mental illness over the last ten years such as Bipolar Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder and even Schizophrenia this topic needs to be addressed and its antidotes placed in the hands of practitioners, health-care providers and psychologists etc.

PB writes:

“If the voices which he hears are audible in the same way that one hears the voices of people through the ears, it is merely psychic and undesirable. If, however, it is a very strong mental impression and also very clear, then it is the mystic phenomenon known as the “Interior Word” which is on a truly spiritual plane and therefore is desirable.” – Paul Brunton

This is quite a dubious para.  It got me in trouble in the past and I believe others can easily be misled when hearing this.  Unless it is clearly pointed out, this type of belief can result in spiritual ruin.  It is important to note that the Buddhist doctrine has never said to follow your mind, sense impressions, or intuition.  Futher, it is very important to note that any voice, whether audible or mental, can deceive you.  These mental impressions mostly derive from a false source.

The Buddha said, “Be wary of trusting your own mind, for it is deceptive. Be wary of situations that may incite lust, for those will lead to disaster. Once you have attained arhatship, you can trust your own mind.” — The Sutra of Forty-Two Chapters

It is understandable that most westerners have an aversion to following a guru or a master.  We have the certain pride that we can walk this path on our own.  However, since the subconscious mind is so entrenched in negative karma and emotional obscurations it is good advice to follow someone who is ahead of us on our meditational path.

Just as an Arhat can trust his own mind, a Bodhisattva on the 8th bhumi can truly discriminate what comes from ordinary mind or wisdom mind.  He can now clearly see what comes from a demon or master.  Since the faulty discriminating mind has come to an end for the Bodhisattva, this enlightening being can see what is real and what is not.

“Mahamati, at the eighth stage the Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas, Sravakas, and Pratyekabuddhas cease cherishing discriminative ideas that arise from the Citta, Mana and Manovijnana.” — The Lankavatara sutra

We all wish to be guided by an internal master so that we may advance on the quest without having to do much work.  It would be nice to have a shortcut and not have to put much effort in traveling to see a lama or all the expenses that it entails.

However, if we sat at the feet of an enlightened master, faced much hardship and honestly let down our guard an authentic samadhi would develop.  It will be more than a glimpse (that comes and goes), as it would bring us to a level of permanent peace.  Once this way of abiding is realized, then this stable state of being is priority.  Thereafter, any elevated thoughts, intuitions or messages that arise in the mind pales in comparison.

The surest way to check if we have gone astray is to understand our ethical motivation.  As soon as we have a worldly agenda seeking selfish ends, then we need to immediately recognize our wrong intention.  We would be fortunate if we became properly instructed to go beyond the eight worldly dharmas or mundane concerns.  Then we are less likely to grasp over mystical messages that cause us to become grandiose or inflated.

The Eight Worldly Dharmas (to avoid) are:

• the hope for PLEASURE and fear of PAIN
• the hope for FAME and fear of INSIGNIFICANCE
• the hope for PRAISE and fear of BLAME
• the hope for GAIN and fear of LOSS

Fault of intuition:

One of the things that I took seriously was being a good student and following instructions perfectly.  In PB’s paras, he states repeatedly to obey your intuition.  I figured that is what I must strictly adhere to in order to succeed.  For example:

“The intellect ought to work only as a servant, obeying intuition’s orders in practical life or filling in details for intuition’s discoveries in the truth-seeking quest.” – Paul Brunton

One must take into account that there are many planetary forces, nagas, and king-like spirits that act like authority figures.  And like a military general they are often in a disposition of shouting orders…wanting you to obey their command.  It is a simple fact that, when you deepen your meditation you become quite adept at hearing your own thoughts.

How would anyone know what the source is? 

Furthermore, we all want to become the favored and chosen practitioner.  We all want to be enlightened as soon as possible.  And at a desperate time we would obey any faint intution to get it.  Unfortunately, this is not the proper way to go about it.

Just like the story of the monk on solitary retreat.  He heard a mental voice tell him to throw his bell against the wall in order to see a fantastic miracle.  He did so only to shatter and break his precious dharma instrument.  In the end, all the Buddhas want you to do is practice the six perfections and ultimately achieve non-action.  One really needs discriminating wisdom, proper scriptures, and an enlightened master to keep us safely on track.

Proper use of Intuition:

A few circumstances where right intuition can be followed:

1. Pertaining to the physical body
2. Pertaining to interpersonal relationships
3. Pertaining to travel

The following examples are correct ways to utilize your intuition which have no fault accompanying it:

First, when you are practicing yoga or exercising it is only beneficial to recognize the warning signs of pain and stop what you are doing.  Women seem to have an easier time understanding this.  Nonetheless, anyone can balance their intellect with their feeling and increase their level of skill through bi0feedback.  Because of the reference point of pain and pleasure it can be mastered rather easily.

Second, when you are in relationship with another person (or someone you just met) and you feel a negative warning or a “red flag” comes up…it would be wise to follow your intuition and avoid this individual.

Third, when you are about to travel someplace and have a bad “gut” feeling.  It is beneficial to follow that feeling and avoid getting in the car with someone.  The negative warning sign may save your life.

The Lankavatara Sutra:

To do some more accurate research in this direction you can read this wonderful sutra:

“The first seven of the Bodhisattva stages were in the realm of mind and the eighth, while transcending mind, was still in touch with it; but in the ninth stage of Transcendental Intelligence (Sadhumati), by reason of his perfect intelligence and insight into the imagelessness of Divine Mind which he had attained by self-realization of Noble Wisdom, he is in the realm of Tathagatahood.

Gradually the Bodhisattva will realize his Tathagata-nature and the possession of all its powers and psychic faculties, self-mastery, loving compassion, and skillful means, and by means of them will enter into all the Buddha-lands.” — The Lankavatara sutra

Click here to read the Lankavatara sutra.

Click here to download this version of The Lankavatara Sutra.

Best wishes!
Neo

Refining the nervous system

MH, the master herbalist, told us many years ago that his youngest son would frequently walk on his tiptoes.  Shortly after, Trevor would get the nick-name tippy toes.  I never understood exactly why this would happen until recently.  His father says, “Trevor desires to be Bare-feet and walk on his tippy toes! Even today, he still must jump often through out the day in steady pace or seek the trampoline.”

The bible gives us a hint and inspires us to achieve that child-like quality that we have lost as we enter adulthood.  We know from the bible it says:

“I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” — Luke 18:17

A very true statement indeed.  We can learn so much by becoming innocent, carefree, and experiencing joy – playing freely in the moment.  After working with various movement therapies over the years, the rational part of it is slowly coming together.  I had the wonderful opportunity to work with a Feldenkrais Therapist for about four months.  I visited her once a week and she worked with me in her home; guiding my body with her hands to move in new, unfamiliar ways.  It wasn’t always easy (as painful or angry emotions do surface) but the results paid off over the years.

After many months of working with her, she helped me achieve something I never had before.  I had “unlocked” my frozen hips to a certain degree that it felt like I was in a cradle rocking freely in a swing.  That lightness of movement was amazing.

Years later, I continued to work towards wholeness.  I found a Chi-Kung master who taught me a practice called Chi-Lel Chi-Kung (LCUPCD) which allowed me to be self-sufficient in regards to adjusting my spine.  I no longer needed to visit the chiropractor again.

Recently, I took up the practice of the Chinese Health balls that would take my body to a whole new level.  There were a few experiences that happened that will prove useful for therapists, lightworkers and those seeking better health.  Know that this is a culmination of many different movement exercises and one therapy alone cannot be the sole cause of this success.  Nonetheless, I believe that in order to have a more perfected nervous system you need to be aware of three things.

The first thing I noticed was having a spring in my step.  As I continued rotating the health balls in my hand I could discern the tailbone would begin to resonate with vibrant energy for up to twenty minutes after the practice was finished.  This was very hard to notice at first but it was happening.  There were tiny contractions moving the tailbone back and forth.  After that, the energy would slowly move down the root chakra between the legs.

When your tailbone begins to move as a dolphin’s flukes in the water your nervous system is almost perfected.

Second, I began walking on my toes just like Trever did; except not as pronounced as his heels were.  In a way, I felt like I was walking like a ninja — walking toe to heel.  To me, this indicated that my tailbone and all the nerves along the spine were at its peak strength.

If you can reach to this stage, it is as if your vitality is at the level of an eighteen year old with the joy of a seven-year old.

Thirdly, as I kept practicing with these exercises the breath unfolded in a more spontaneous way.  It was amazing to experience the breath just spring back into action after each exhalation.  When the nervous system is weak, breathing incorrectly happens as a matter of course.  When this is the case, it is like the breath would “hang-up” and there is no automatic return-breath.  When your breath “hangs” like this, it’s as if you exhale and the breath doesn’t want to return on its own — except in a labored way.

Furthermore, if someone were to criticize or speak harshly to you, you wouldn’t have the energy or courage to bear it.  Your chest would be caved-in and you could not display a sense of self-respect or speak strongly in return.  Upon refining the nervous system to this level, there was a complete sense of freedom and feeling of joy.  After exhaling, the breath was effortless and would return on its own without any heaviness.

WITH SPONTANEOUS BREATHING, YOUR NERVOUS SYSTEM IS PERFECTED AND COMPLETELY NATURAL.  THE BODY AND VITAL ENERGY (SPEECH) ARE IN SYNC AND THEY MIRROR EACH OTHER.

Now you can go on enjoying life and walk in infinite possible ways.  Even getting up from a seated position is joyful.  Falling down is also easy and without fear.  You begin to play in your movements as a child would.  A joyful feeling becomes your nature and a simple smile runs across your face.

Good luck!
Neo

Mysticism 101

Gandhi said it right: “Be the change you seek in the world.”  But most get it backwards and begin a political agenda that is at odds with the powers that be.  When their ethics aren’t upheld properly, obstacles arise.  Then paranoia sets in and they defeat themselves.  These types of people see an evil or corrupt world and become very impatient.  Without the dharma-eye they cannot see the help going on “behind the scenes” and so they take it upon themselves to change the world.  And they do this in an unskillful way that ends up in a disaster.

It has been said that your opinion of the world is a reflection of your character.  I have to agree.  Change does come but it happens very slowly.  The Buddhas of this world see the world as already perfect.  Even so, they aren’t ignorant of the fact that certain systems or ways of living are wrong or in need of improvement.  They know all too well that people are suffering.  These masters are ready to help anyone who seeks their wisdom or advice.

The main rule of thumb when being on a spiritual path is:

Do NOT follow your thoughts, do NOT pay attention to images, do NOT listen to voices you may hear and do NOT follow impulses that would violate the rules (precepts) or laws of society.

Over the last decade we have seen mental illness on the rise.  Deep spiritual seekers are now being labeled as having Manic-depression, Schizophrenia, or Borderline Personality Disorder.  The following is some information so you can see the patterns of behavior that develops through having mistaken conceptions on the path.

A recent story:

One lady I recently talked to had herself convinced that she was the new Maitreya.  She tried to explain to me that she hears voices in her head and this was a common thing in the past.  She said, “Voice hearers were once very important in ancient civilizations, there is nothing insane about this.”  She went on to say that one of her intentions was to destroy the scriptures.  I told her these voice-hearers were disciples of the Buddha called Shravakas who listened to the actual Shakyamuni Buddha discoursing on the dharma in person.  But to no avail, I couldn’t convince her otherwise.

One of the dark’s agenda is to destroy the dharma or sacred scriptures.  But, in reality, the dharma is the LIFE-BLOOD for all living and non-living beings.  It is the source of happiness and upheld by the bodhisattvas, masters, and lineage holders as a gift to you – so that you can be set free and be liberated.

Please, if you hear a voice in your head it is a psychic phenomena and on a lower (astral) plane than proper meditation.  For your own good, you should stop all meditation or breathing exercise or whatever you are doing and seek qualified help.

On having powers:

Every demon that enters someone’s mind has convinced them they have a special power or ability to endure and survive.  Look at Charlie Sheen’s attitude. He feels indestructible due to his excess use of drugs that would normally cause death to ordinary person.  He just negatively conditioned his body to tolerate the stress.  Furthermore, most of us know about Jesus and how he heard a voice in his head that told him to jump off a cliff.  Fortunately, he did NOT listen to that demon.  He set the right example for all of us.

Every intuition that you receive MUST be backed by reason and grounded in reality – otherwise you will eventually lose your path.  The informed aspirant knows exactly how to stay on track.  In Buddhism, there are checks and balances so your spiritual career doesn’t turn into a colossal failure or spiritual materialism.  If you know the Eight Worldly Dharmas you’ll be ahead of the game because you’ll know what to avoid.

The Eight Worldly Concerns are:

• hope for PLEASURE and fear of PAIN
• hope for FAME and fear of INSIGNIFICANCE
• hope for PRAISE and fear of BLAME
• hope for GAIN and fear of LOSS

Pay attention to when these eight mundane concerns manifest in you.  As these thoughts or feelings arise in excess then you’ll know immediately to avoid clinging and grasping to agendas filled with all sorts of hope and fear.  They are the links to your subconscious demons.

Some people have the mistaken idea that enlightenment is gifted or graced by a Higher Power.  This is a very dangerous belief to hold on to.  The Buddha never taught that he could grant someone enlightenment with the snap of a finger or a push of a button.  All he can do is explain what is right from wrong, correct from incorrect and show us the way to a lasting happiness.

You have to be a LIGHT UNTO YOURSELF.  You have to obtain the necessary realization on your own.  No one else can do it for you.  You are required to do the hard work of purification, study and contemplation.  The unfortunate result of holding onto such a mistaken belief (that an external being can clear away all of your karma) is being hospitalized for a mental illness.  This seems to be happening more and more to people in our degenerate time.  Here is what most likely happens:

Patterns of behavior:

In a general way, men are innately aggressive.  They are ready to “take a leap of faith” and follow their hunches and synchronicities as a test to be passed.  Once passed you feel elated and “in favor” of the god or demon guiding or impulsing you.  Naturally you believe you are the “chosen one” of God and will be enlightened very soon.  This type of euphoria goes on for some time when things go right.  When things go wrong or out of hand paranoia sets in and then you crash.  You end up being depressed for many reasons; mainly for being in a miserable world and still unenlightened.  These men end up being labeled as Bipolar.

In a general way, women are innately passive. They are also ready to “take a leap of faith” and follow their hunches and synchronicities as a test of faith to be passed.  Once passed you feel elated and “in favor” of the god or demon guiding or impulsing you.  Naturally you believe you are the “chosen one” of God/Goddess and you will be enlightened very soon.  They also have highs and lows like men do.  But instead of lashing out (exploding) at others the way men do they lash inwardly (imploding) in a suicidal way.  These women could end up being labeled as borderline or Schizophrenic.

The five paths:

Every religion has its place depending on where you are at in your spiritual evolution.  When you get rid of the dogma and limitations of certain lower views then you can see the beauty in each religion and how it all fits like a mosaic in this world.  What is unique about Buddhism is that you can more easily figure out where you are on the Path and how much further work you have to do on yourself.  There is no guesswork involved.  The Buddha explained in detail the five paths and ten bhumis of ascension especially in the Lankavatara sutra.

The five paths are:

• The path of accumulation (one must clear away the heavy negative karmas)
• The path of preparation (one must clear emotional afflictions)
• The path of seeing (one has a direct perception of their true nature)
• The path of learning (one begins to clear away the cognitive obscurations)
• The path of no-more learning (one becomes a fully awake and omniscient being)

Making decisions:

Sometimes, when you have a decision to make, you usually get yourself in a bind depending on the perplexity of the choices.  Some will consult the tarot deck, soothsayers, fortunetellers and divination.  Others will consult their spirit guides for help.  This can be very costly financially but more costly if the guidance comes from a corrupt or unenlightened source.  All of this can be easily be cut-through in a simple way so that you can be more self-sufficient.  You have your own innate wisdom within you.

The key principle is to FOLLOW THE PATH OF JOY.  For example, when you think of a future scenario and you are wondering if you should accept a course of action then you should feel joyful and effortless when imagining yourself doing it.  Otherwise, if the future possibility is wrought with a lot of pressure and resistance then that course of action should be rejected and not followed through.

The Buddha knew well that the above principle was not fool-proof since some people misinterpret their feelings and intuitions.  Since the Buddha calculated 84,000 outflows of poisonous thoughts, feelings, and actions he gave out specific precepts of what to accept or reject as a guideline for certain spiritual progress.  Unfortunately, there are some people that take pleasure and joy in being destructive in all sorts of heinous crimes or perverted behaviors.  They would enjoy pulling the wings off of insects for example.  That is simply wrong.

Following precepts:

In a more precise way, the Buddhist precepts were given to assist you to develop your conduct in a right and safe way for positive day-to-day living.  As it has been taught, there are hundreds of basic precepts to hold in Buddhism.  This type of self-denial has caused so much anger, confusion, and resentment among humans and non-humans.  For some, it was considered too harsh to accept these facts immediately.  They rejected Buddhism because it went against their normal, negative habitual way of living.  In reality, it is for everyone’s greater good to evolve in this way as it has been said:

The Buddha told Ananda, “You constantly hear me explain in the Vinaya that there are three unalterable aspects to cultivation.  That is, collecting one’s thoughts constitutes the precepts; from the precepts comes samadhi; and out of samadhi arises wisdom.  Samadhi arises from precepts, and wisdom is revealed out of samadhi.” ~ Shurangama Sutra

Walking the path:

If you are serious about walking on solid ground on a spiritual path then finding a qualified Lama is of utmost importance.  The lama can begin to teach you what steps to take.  Being initiated into these more advanced practices are ways for you to send healing energy to the world without interfering with anyone’s free-will.  These practices require a transmission and words of honor.

Learning to perform a sadhana such as a fire puja (homa) or Ganachakra (tsok) feast is the best way to accumulate merit and wisdom as well as pacify the inner and outer elements.  This is a skillful way to help all worldly and non-worldly beings that are suffering without hurting yourself in the process.

All the best,
Neo

Sungazing method

MH has talked about sungazing as one of the important ways to get back to health.  He always says the modern person spends too much time in indoors, in the dark – and in the long run this is definitely not good for our health.  In the past, he has recommended conceiving children outdoors to create more Aware Beings.  I don’t know much about that but it would be interesting to hear feedback on children conceived under the sun and how they behave in life afterwards.

At the Solar Healing Center website Hira Ratan Manek has one of the better methods for practicing this form safely.  I accomplished three months worth of sungazing which is up to the 15 minute mark and had many good results from it.  Once you start gazing at the sun it will activate the pituitary and pineal glands in the brain.  It will also open up blockages in the spine right away.  Another good quality about the practice is, it will heal and repair the functional channel to improve digestion.

When you gaze directly at the sun, the most important benefit is steadying the eyes.  As a rule of thumb, when the eyes are steady the mind becomes steady.  As we intentionally still our body there is a better chance to deepen our meditative practice and stability can be gained.  A famous quote from the bible says:

“Be still, and know that I am God.” — Psalm 46:10

You can gaze directly or indirectly at the sun.  When you are fully and properly trained, gazing DIRECTLY at the sun will yield the most benefits. In this case you will experience the deepest penetration of light and energy into your system.  When you are not too experienced you can gaze INDIRECTLY and let the light begin to enter your system slower as you stare into the sky alone or look through the leaves of a tree with the sunlight being diffused.

For best results, it has been taught to stand on sand or dirt and not the grass while gazing at the sun.  If you are not sure, try both until you can perceive what is better.  After working with it I am sure you can discern that standing in sand, gravel or dirt is a lot better energetic wise.

The method: Stare at the sun for ten seconds on day one; then add ten seconds to each day.  Blinking is OK.  When finished, palm your hands over your eyes and concentrate on the after-image of the sun until it disappears.

• After 90 days all mental disorders and mental diseases will be cured
• After 180 days all physical disorders get cured
• After 270 days hunger pangs disappear and you attain victory over taste and hunger

Power boost: Looking at the sun for 30 seconds early in the morning reduces melatonin levels right away so your body temperature rises immediately.  This will counteract the tendency to sleep all day like a vampire and you feel super-charged.

It is very important to practice during the safe hours. Research more about it at the HRM website:

“No harm will come to your eyes during the morning and evening safe hours.  The safe hours are anytime within 1-hour window after sunrise or anytime within the 1-hr window before sunset.  It is scientifically proven beyond a reasonable doubt that during these times, one is free from UV and IR rays exposure, which is harmful to your eyes.” — Hira Ratan Manek

RULE: It is import to get thoroughly educated first and NOT exceed 44 minutes as it will be dangerous.

TIPS: I discovered two things with my own observations of this practice.  First, if you bare your teeth to the sun – the bones all through-out the body are infused with healing light.  Second, if you close your eyes and face the sun it feels like an acupuncture session as the individual channels that are in most need of repair get energized.

IMPORTANT: Always palm the eyes afterwards as this will be cooling.  If you are attuned to reiki…the symbols in the palms will add more beneficial healing energy into your eyes and throughout your nervous system.

One last thing, BEFORE each session it is good to drink a glass of water to hydrate your body and AFTER the session it is best to walk on the grass for some time to ground the solar energy that you took in.

Good luck!
Neo

Repairing the auric field

There are some people that are so intuitive to their surroundings that it is a constant struggle to survive in the world.  They can go into a room where a couple had a fight and can just feel terrible negative energies there.  Some sensitive people can examine an object such as jewelry (worn by others for years) and know their life was filled with stress or sadness.  Others can pick up the negative vibrations from the food they eat and note that the chief was angry while preparing that meal.  And still other people will feel that negative entities are “attacking” them or draining away their energy.

Why does this happen? 

While part of this ability is a result of meditative practice, the other part is having a weak constitution.  When your internal subtle-body is not strong or toned, you are more vulnerable to negative energies and outside influences.  A good healer can “see” with their high sensory perception, that the client has one large hole in their aura or many tiny ones all over.  In scientific terms, this would mean that your nervous system is damaged.  In spiritual terms, the channels or chakras are broken and in need of repair.

Some ways that will cause you to have major damage (holes) in your aura are:

• physical and sexual abuse
• substance and drug abuse
• vaccines and medical prescriptions

Many new age books have talked about building a protective shield of light around the body.  This might work for some but it is only a temporary benefit.  The constant attention on that takes away from the necessary work of contemplation.  The superior way is to get to the root of the problem and repair the nervous system.

Once the nervous system is healed, fear of negative entities is no longer a problem – they just bounce off you.

There are many healing modalities for repairing the nervous system.  Each one that I have researched has some unique quality that will provide some results.  Here are the ones that I have personally tried and can attest for.  They are as follows: the Barbara Brennan School of Healing, Feldenkrais Movement therapy, juice fasting, Reiki Tummo, Network Chiropractic, Chi-Lel chi kung, and Fragrant Chi Kung

The one that is of primary importance is the Barbara Brennan School of Healing therapy.  The Barbara Brennan trained reiki-healer will assist you in releasing pain and unnecessary connections from your emotional body.  She will also help you move dark, unconscious energies from your astral and etheric bodies.  Having someone there to help heal your core issues and empower you to bring forth your true Self is so vitally important.

With Feldenkrais Movement Therapy the healer will help you release the stress and strain that has been stored in the muscles, due to habitual contractions held in your body since childhood.  Having someone to assist you to move these old traumatic energies from your body is indispensable for stable progress to come about.

In addition, Juice Fasting helps the body to fully relax, cleanse the blood, and rebuild the organs. While fasting, the nervous system is free and doesn’t collect any forms of entropy with the outside world.  This means that other people’s dense energies such as anger or hatred won’t “stick” to you at all.  Unfortunately, once you start eating food again the problem tends to return but in a less uncomfortable manner.

To get around this problem it is beneficial to upgrade your nervous system in a spiritual manner.  For long-term benefits, I highly recommend becoming attuned to level one Reiki Tummo in order to permanently stabilize your energy field.  With this under your belt you will start to become more self-sufficient and able to handle most difficult situations.  You will immediately be less tired and listless throughout the day.

In addition to all of the above, seeing a Network Chiropractor and practicing Chi-Lel Chi Kung is very helpful for maintaining the strength and functionality of the nervous system by aligning the spine.  When the spine is freely able to adapt through any stressful situation then you are ahead of the game.  You have an edge when your endurance is increased if you need to be on your feet all day long at work.  At the very least, you have an antidote to remove the stress and get back into alignment when things go wrong after a long, hard day.

One of the deeper methods I found to realign and repair the nervous system is a method called Fragrant Buddha Chi Kung.

Performing the movements with Fragrant Chi Kung will:

1. massage the stomach, liver and thyroid with simple arm swings
2. open the diaphragm and unlock the base of the brain
3. ground your body – surprisingly as the arms go up and out, the feet stick more firmly to the floor
4. strengthen the body in a way that one can stand with steadiness
5. activate the glands within the seven chakras due to each twisting movement

Even an old sports injury in my shoulder (a tiny break in the bone), which has bothered me off and on for about seventeen years, is improving as I notice the pain finally subsiding. I would say that consistent practice has started to build new channels around that area.

With all these beneficial qualities about it, I am going to challenge myself to practice it two or three times a day for the next three months.  I already see the possibilities of it regenerating the entire nervous system, teeth and eyes.

Here is a video I created that gives more information on what is needed.  You can also forward it easily to others that you care about.  Whatever you choose to do remember that healing the nervous system is essential to stabilizing your mind and purifying your emotions.

The matrix has you

In order to find a real and lasting happiness we must disconnect from the Matrix or veil that blinds us to ultimate Reality.  But, how do we do that when we have so many worldly obligations to take care of?  One way to begin is by deciding on a game-plan that feels right and works best for you.

Every personal problem has an inherent solution that only needs to be discovered.  The root of most of these problems is a damaged nervous system.  Fortunately, each problem ALWAYS has more than one antidote to choose from.

In the movie “The Matrix” the main character had to undergo extensive therapy to repair his damaged nervous system before his true potential could unfold. As a pre-requisite, he had to undergo acupuncture (remember the long needles) before he was allowed to study (downloading information) and receive the physical martial-arts and advanced mind-training.

Likewise, the root cause of most dis-ease can be traced back to what Tibetan Buddhism refers to as Tsa, Lung or Thigle.  Tsa represents our channels, Lung is our inner wind and Thigle is our vital essence.  If our channels are damaged then the energy cannot flow properly and we open ourselves up to unwanted psychic influences and negative energy.  If we have a wind-disease we often feel extremely cold, introverted, and mentally imbalanced.  And most of us have learned from the ancient Taoist texts that our vital essence is a treasure that we must save, preserve and cultivate.

This purpose of this website is to help anyone find an antidote to life’s problems quickly regardless of their denomination.  It is a result of over thirty years of my research and findings.  As you progress on your spiritual path, it will become clearer to you which method is superior and yields swifter benefits.

Here is a general outline for a thorough process of healing:

1. Become attuned to level-one reiki to swiftly open the central channel or median nerve.  The two that are reputable and authentic are Reiki Jin Kei Do and Reiki Tummo.
2. After that, receive healing from a certified reiki therapist such as a Barbara Brennan School of Healing practitioner.  Their standard of therapy is very high which can repair a severely damaged nervous system on many levels.  Make a commitment to receive weekly sessions for about four to six months.
   
3. Choose a movement therapy such as Feldenkrais Movement Therapy or the Anat Baniel Method which is key for building new neural pathways within the nervous system.  Again, work with this trained healer once a week for many months.
4. Then, pick a chi-kung practice such as Chi-Lel QiGong (LCUPCD), Fragrant Chi Kung, or Chinese Health balls to help maintain the strength of your spine and nervous system.
5. Lastly, begin a meditation routine to calm and investigate your mind.

As you are working to improve yourself, it is a great idea to follow MH, the Master Herbalist, and research his information on the Curezone in order to help yourself and family learn the old-fashioned remedies used for healing all diseases as well as burns, scars, colds, fevers and broken bones.

Remember to have a right motivation and not stray into any sort of spiritual materialism as it has been said that:

“Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” — Matthew 6:33

Here is a short video (0:57) I created to inspire you:

Fragrant Chi Kung

In 1988 a new form of chi kung, called Fragrant Qigong (Xiang Gong), began to be taught openly in China after being kept secret for centuries.  It has been reported that those performing this particular chi-kung will begin to smell a sweet fragrance emanating from the body.  I haven’t noticed it myself because this tends to occur more often when done in a group setting.  To me, there are more important physical, mental and emotional benefits to be had from it.

From the Chinese Health Website:

“Fragrant Qigong (Xiang Gong) is one of the easiest yet most powerful styles of Qigong.  Fifteen simple arm movements, twice a day, no concentration required, no special breathing, can be done sitting and watching TV or chatting, yet it is known to treat almost any disease humankind may suffer from.  With the exception of late stage cancer, schizophrenia and emergencies like heart infarction, poisonous snake or spider bites or rabies, which are contraindicated, there are stacks of successful case histories to support this claim.  Among them, stroke, cancer, allergies, asthma, diabetes, depression, ulcers, stones, epilepsy, even deafness and blindness (including congenital).”

The story:

Around 1938, at the age of twelve, Master Tian Ruisheng was diagnosed with an incurable skin disease.  A Buddhist monk happened to knock on the door and requested to stay the night.  The parents agreed but explained they couldn’t attend to his needs properly because of a family matter.  He asked them what was wrong and when he found out he wished to take a look at their son.  They agreed to let him do so.

After he diagnosed the son, the Buddhist monk asked permission if he could do a healing session.  The monk treated their son with certain hand positions, sounds and a high level of the Fragrant Chi Kung practice.  The monk successfully cured the son much to the delight of his parents.  Later, the monk chose to make the boy his successor in one condition.

It has been said that, if he would keep the practice hidden for fifty years he would teach him the secrets of this ancient art.  Only after a half a century has passed, he should come out and help others who were suffering.  And this is just what happened.  In 1988 Master Tian Ruisheng started teaching this form of chi-kung to the public.

Healing levels:

There are three levels to this Fragrant Qigong.  Each level has 15 different movements which takes about 10-15 minutes to execute.  The practice is done once or twice a day but no more than three times a day.  It also can be done either in a seated or standing position.

• On a purely functional level this practice will open up and adjust the spine.
• On an inner level it opens blockages in the body and organs.
• On the deepest level it churns the central channel in order to heal the broken channels (nadis) so that they realign and return to normal functioning.

These movements will unblock the spine in difficult or troublesome places such as the neck.  It will also massage the stomach, liver and thyroid with simple arm swings.  You can feel that right away.  I would go on to infer that all the glands are activated within the seven chakras due to each twisting movement.  This makes sense since the fragrance would be emitted from the pineal or pituitary glands.

The nadis are also healed and repaired in a unique way; as you may perceive from each movement.  These nadis are energy channels in the body in which prana flows and connects to all the chakras like a network or web.  Ayurveda mentions 72,000 different nadis and in Tibetan Buddhism it mentions 84,000 nadis.

Here, I found a wonderful copy of an Adobe file of the Fragrant Chi Kung with specific illustrations and explanation of all the moves.  It goes hand in hand with watching the video as it fills in some remaining questions.

If you have been attuned to Reiki, the effects of this practice are multiplied greatly.  This is due to the fact the palms of the hands are facing each other in most of these movements.  Just as in Chinese Acupuncture, the hand can be used to diagnose disease; likewise it can be used to heal.  Therefore, when the Reiki symbols in the palms activate as they face each other, all areas of the body can be infused with healing energy.

Important Results: 

1. There is an immediate increase of WARMTH in the body.  Those that are depressed and suffering from a cold disease will be greatly benefited by it.
2. Your auric field is fully CLEANSED of dirty, stagnant chi.

It is remarkable to experience this positive effect right away since we live in a time where we can more easily contract drib, or what the Tibetan Masters refer to as moral defilement, by associating with degenerate people.  It will also cleanse you of computer, cell phone or other harmful electronic frequencies that tend to mess up your natural energetic field.

It is always best to find a teacher to show you the movements directly in person in order to gather the transmission and correct any mistakes in your form.  Nonetheless, here is a gentleman that shows the form fairly accurately:

Principles of health

MH, at the Ask Barefoot Herbalist forum, always says that few people are willing to self-experiment with herbs and juice fasting.  I would say it is even harder to discern properly what true health really is.  In 2005, following the Dr. Hay protocol, I completed the 21 day Orange Juice fast and lost a pound a day in the process.  It is no easy task to accomplish.  However, to complete such a fast is the only way to obtain a proper BASIS for what is healthy for the body and what is not.

Many years later I fell off the path and started eating meat again.  I got bored and didn’t even feel like drinking distilled water anymore so I decided to do the Wiley Brooks challenge.  The diet would consist of eating one McDonald’s quarter pounder with cheese and a large diet coke on a daily basis for seven days.  This was quite crazy to consider and I do NOT advise anyone to just do it.  But for me, it was a lesson in discernment through Crazy Wisdom.

The Buddha taught the middle path and it makes sense since being a raw foodist was one extreme and the other was eating meat every day.

Like many philosophers say, you have to follow the PRINCIPLES of life to obtain excellence.  Even Josh Waitzkin, the famous Chessmaster, is one of the rare few who can easily explain how to play chess properly by following the exact principles to it.  Likewise, when following the Buddha dharma one must know, understand, and observe the ethical principles (precepts) to achieve the proper results.

So when I did the Wiley Brooks diet, over time, I would come to discern the differences and similarities between these two health protocols.  Unfortunately, the hair growth and strong feeling while on his diet was not enough to produce any incredible long-term results.  Not to mention the harmful side effects such as the tightening up of the channels and drying up of the lymph nodes would eventually lead to kidney pain.  A short time later a full detox would get me back to normal.  The Wiley protocol was a dead-end.

But the real measure of health came later when taking MH’s 2010 Longevity Spices for Life.

The three signs that the body is rejuvenating properly are the skin becomes clearer, the hair grows in thicker and darker and the teeth become whiter.  This is very important to understand.

On the right path toward rejuvenating the body, the nails will begin to feel stronger and take on a clear sheen to them and will not look cloudy.  The hair will become thicker and filled with life-force and appear wet and not dry.  And lastly, the teeth will become pearly white and not look sickly yellow.

With this known, you have a tool to gauge where you are at. But one needs to study extensively the PRINCIPLES of health.  I advise anyone to start reading MH’s 108 Pages booklet and the Dr. Hay book, Health via Food to get started.

Understanding the way food combining works, advocated by Dr. Hay, is the correct PRINCIPLE for obtaining healthy blood and therefore a healthy body which is more alkaline in nature.  For some, food combining is one of the hardest things to maintain but the rewards are great.  Others have had problems keeping track of the rules so they are encouraged to follow a mono diet.

The mono diet is the surest way to get back to health without making any mistakes!  What is a mono diet?  You eat only one type of food per meal and eat as much of that as you want till you are full.

Your first meal may be a fruit such as strawberries and you eat all the strawberries your heart desires.  The next meal may be almonds and you can eat all the almonds you want till you get full.  The reason for getting back to basics this way is your body won’t turn acidic on a mono diet.  The stomach now has a chance to be restored to its original healthy state.  The fault of incorrect food combination is: when you combine protein and carbs your stomach turns acidic.  This in turn, causes the lymph nodes to activate and the toxins go up and out the head rather than down and out the body in the correct way.  Since the stomach is overwhelmed and can’t handle the excess acids to digest foods properly… weight-gain and disease settles in.

So, the first step is researching the PRINCIPLES to good health.  Next, learn the proper rules to food combining.  Then, get educated on why juice fasting is important to rid yourself of environmental toxins from the air we breathe and the harmful chemicals and metals we have ingested over the years.

Once you accomplish a juice fast – whether it is for 7 days or 14 days this alone will help you discern the BASIS of what is normal health for you and nobody else.

Others have gone on to accomplish 21, 40 and even 108 days with ease because it is not a strict water fast that leaves your muscles atrophied.  The almonds eaten on the fast supply the body with enough protein so the muscles get what they need.  Lastly, find a middle path that works for you.  Even if that means on occasion you eat meat or junk food, now you have a suitable method to get back on track.  If you get sick…a three day OJ fast is part of your tool-bag to achieve health quickly.

The body is specially designed.  When you live by the laws of nature you experience health much faster than if you go against nature.  As you live in harmony with Nature you will begin to see how strong, resilient and efficient the body works.  These are the inner workings of true health that people have forgotten to pass down from one generation to the next.

Others suggest that this information has been suppressed time and time again.  Of course, one shouldn’t place too much importance on the body in exclusion to mind and energy work.  But when you master the body, it is much easier to forget about it and focus on the more important task at hand – enlightenment itself.

Good luck!
Neo