For anyone else who is interested in learning proper breath meditation I would suggest

reading Shaila Catherine, Ajahn Brahm, Alan Wallace, Dudjom Lingpa, anything on

Dzogchen preliminary practices or any other of the serious Buddhists with maps to

follow.

=====================================

Hi Anatmava

You're welcome!

It is so wonderful that this is working for you.

I have to wonder, because of your description of the color of your nimitta. There is a

phenonmenon which occurs when one is fairly relaxed and that is the appearance of

purple and green light which appears in pulses. The purple light appears, grows and then

disappears, then the green light appears grows larger and then disappears. If you sit and

watch calmly, the pattern repeats itself. Although this is an extremely good sign because

it indicates that you are very relaxed, it is not a nimitta. It is related to what I believe is

the sacral-cranial pulse. The pulse produces pressure on the optic nerves and optical fluid

in the eyes and produces those signature colors. A good way to test it out is this. When

you see the nimitta, or light, move your eyes's focus to another direction (look to the

right). If the purple and green lights move too, then this is not a nimitta.

The nimitta is seen through the third eye. It has nothing to do with the physical eyes.
Most of the time I will see the purple and green light and that just lets me know I'm

getting closer to the relaxed state that produces the nimittas. It also lets me know that my

forehead and face are not relaxed enough. So, I put in more attention at relaxing the

forehead/face and eyes and go back to watching the breath and letting go on the out-

breaths.

That said, I have read that nimittas can appear in numerous shapes and forms, some

looking like spider webs, cotton balls, even geometric patterns. I have see a moon, spider

webs and geometric patterns but mostly the nimitta looks like a very bright star or the end

of a lightning bolt. I've also seen bright unworldly blue and red nimittas. They are so

beaultiful that you fall in love with them! Sounds kind of crazy doesn't it? Ajahn Brahm

does a good job of describing the different kinds of nimittas. And, he is right. The first

time you see one you get so excited that it doesn't last very long. And then if you go

looking for it, the looking for it prevents you from settling the mind.

When I've succeeded in remaining non-reactive and almost ignored the nimittas, they get

brighter and more pronounced. Then, when you get a good one, you enter it or it envelops

you and then you find yourself in strange new wonderful places or states. Once, after I

went through a bright white lightning bolt type of nimitta, when I came back, I looked

down at my body and saw (what I believe is the lower tan tien) this long horn-like

structure coming out from below my navel. It was bright white light and it sparkled. I

started to play with it with my breath, by pushing my abdomen straight out. When I did
that, it released a shower of twinkling little stars that came up my front to the top of my

head and showered down around me. It was like being in fairy land. Coming back from

the jhanas is the best time to do self-inquiry. We are really mysterious wonderful

creatures.

So, you can see the value in Buddha's instructions of cultivating neither aversion nor

grasping.

Also, I know Ajahn Brahm says to cultivate the beautiful breath, that there is joy in just

breathing. I have tried that but it just doesn't work for me. But it hasn't stopped me from

producing nimittas. I just cultivate one-pointed focus, Vitakka and Vicara, (directed

attention and sustained attention) on the breath, the breath turns into a mind-object,

everything else disappears and then the nimitta appears..

Another thing that helped me was when I read that the in-breath is one consciousness, the

out-breath is another concsciousness and the one part that sees the nimitta is another

consciousness. It is like trying to get all three balanced and operational at the same time..

Anyway, I'm very glad that you are succeeding. Good for you!

Hi Turtle Shell.
Yes, that is kundalini. The moment she sees a good strong nimitta, or for that matter, any

very bright light in the head, she makes a leap for it. I have experienced this many times.

It is so annoying. Once, I just sat down in perfect posture, took one deep breath and

notice a perfectly round moon above my forehead. Within two seconds, kundalini woke

up and charged right for it. I became very hot, flames were enveloping me and I began

sweating profusely. I had to stop. All this happened within 2 minutes. Scary. I thought I

was going to instant-combust.

After that I did the kundalini meditation found at the crystal links website, took kundalini

up to the crown twice and became more familiar with it.

The good news is that, after having quit all forms of spinal breathing and bandhas (root

lock, perineum lock, sambhavi etc) for a while( over six months), kundalini for the most

part lies sleeping now. I can see the nimittas without waking her. But, if I do intense

concentration, she always starts to comes back to life. The key is relaxed concentration,

simple placing of awareness and working on perfecting that. Then she doesn't bother me.

So, it does go away or at least lets me get into the jhanas without disruption now.

And yes, "Intense Awareness"!! Vividness! That thing you can cultivate. You got a pretty

good taste of it. You hit the jackpot! You'll have to get over it, perhaps work on the
sushumna (central channel) and strengthen and purify the path out the top of your head so

kundalini can have her voyage and let you get back to exploring the mind (or lack of it).

And no, jhana is not like that. The greatest disruption that I've hit so far is what they call

the Arising and Passing (if I am correct in my assesment). It is when thoughts quickly

arise and then quickly dissolve. It is like watching a thousand tv screens go whizzing

past, coming from nowhere, going nowhere.. These are signs of progress but it is kind of

disturbing watching that. Aside from that the jhanas are so wonderful, peaceful and

energizing that you will be amazed what you have been missing. Just don't get too

attached..

Good luck to you.

Hi Anamatva

No, that is not Ajahn Brahm, that is from one of Alan Wallace's podcasts.

There are actually two good sources for anapanasati and the jhanas, one is Ajahn Brahm

and the other is Shaila Catherine - her book called "Focused and Fearless". Their

approaches differ slightly; Shaila's breath awareness is to fix the attention on the nostrils

while Ajahn's says it is not necessary to fix the attention of the breath at any point. But,

both are excellent books.

The third resource is Alan Wallace. I think he is so wonderful. I had actually posted some

info about these topics in another thread, because I thought you were also interested in

Dzogchen and rigpa.. I think you might have missed them..

Here is that link:

http://thetaobums.co...ht/#entry356966

Hey guys I've been doing thought observation as my meditation and have a question.

There are moments when I am sitting and in my meditation I literally have no thoughts

and I would like to know what I am suppose to observe if I have no thoughts at that

moment. And I have been wondering if I have no thoughts because I am focussing to hard

on nothing when I have no thoughts.

Thanks

By the way Thought observation has proven to be the best meditation for me and has

yielded me far better results then my stint with Vipassana

Someone from this website recommended me a meditation book by Daniel Ingram which

I think could help, I was more into reading more primary texts before but this book is

good imo. It talks about Vipassana a bit but it will give you advice one where to go

whatever stage you are at, especially by analysing your experience of no thought to see
whether it it is characterised by "the three conditions" of suffering, no self and

impermanence.

You can get it free from his website http://www.interacti....com/mctb.shtml

I've seen a description of the "correct" way one is sitting observing one's thoughts in

meditation likened to the way a cat is sitting watching a mouse hole -- your awareness

being the cat and the thoughts the mice. If the mice know about the cat, how many mice

will dare emerge from the hole?..

I believe it's a good meditation. If you observe "nothing" when you observe your

thoughts, it means you are in charge, rather than thrown this way and that way by

thoughts scurrying around. What do you want to accomplish when you're in charge?

What's the goal of your meditation?

I view meditation as a "tool," not a destination (what shamans call a "horse" to get you

somewhere). Where do you want to go? Getting your thoughts to disappear is step one,

and "watching" them serves only this purpose and no other. What's the next step? To

notice what, or who, emerges when your thoughts disappear. Have you noticed?

Anapanasati can be practiced in both ways - as a samatha method or a vipassana method. As a

vipassana method it can yield penetrating insights that lead to liberation.

Quote
Quote

Excerpt from http://www.aimwell.o...na/anapana.html

Insight Meditators Must Know Realities

However in vipassana meditation every object of meditation must be absolute reality, ultimate
reality, paramattha. In vipassana meditation no concept can be the object of meditation. Concept
cannot be the object of vipassana meditation because vipassana meditators need to realise the
specific characteristics and general characteristics of mental and physical phenomena, which are
absolute realities. So the object must be either mental or physical processes which are ultimate
realities. If concept is the object of vipassana meditation, vipassana meditators cannot realise any
characteristics of mental and physical processes because you cannot find any real characteristics
in concepts. Concepts are created by the mind.

Say your name is Pannananda. Even though you might have died, if I memorise your name as
Pannananda, the name is there in my mind (though the actual Pannananda has gone). Why?
Because my mind memorises it, and makes it exist. This shows that a name is just a concept
because it is created, memorised or made to exist by the mind. So concepts are not realities. They
are things made up by the mind, so they do not have any characteristics to realise.

If the red circle is the object of meditation, we see the form of the circle in our mind and
concentrate on it. Gradually our mind becomes more and more concentrated on the red circle that
we see in our mind. When the mind is totally absorbed in that circle, then we say we have
attained jhana. However, that red circle is not reality, because the mind makes the object; so it is
just a concept. It hasnt any characteristics to realise. Even though you concentrate your mind on
it for a hundred years continuously, you cannot realise any characteristics; because it is not an
absolute reality, it is a mind-made thing just a concept.

Respiration Meditation

Then as to respiration meditation (anapanasati), in the Visuddhimagga it is mentioned as samatha

meditation, concentration meditation. In the Mahasatipatthana Sutta it is mentioned as vipassana
meditation. Then how can we distinguish it between the vipassana aspect of respiration and the
samatha aspect of respiration? If we are mindful of the absolute reality of respiration, that will be
vipassana meditation. If we are mindful of the concept regarding respiration, then it will be
samatha meditation.

So the Visuddhimagga mentions the method of concentrating on the touching sensation

whenever you breathe in and breathe out. When you concentrate your mind on the coming in and
going out of the breath, then it is samatha meditation because you have to concentrate on the
coming in and going out, not on the wind or air. When it is coming in you note in; when it is
going out you note, out. In, out, in, out. Your mind is not on the breathing air but on the
coming-in and the going-out. Coming-in and going-out are not ultimate realities.

Say you come into the room through the door and go out of the room through the door. We may
ask, What is this coming in and going out? it is neither you, nor a person. It is just coming-in
and going-out. It is just concept. In the same way, when you concentrate on the coming in and
going out of the breath, it is just a concept. Since concept is the object of meditation, it is
samatha meditation. You cannot realise any specific characteristics or general characteristics of
coming-in and going-out because they are not realities, just concepts, so thats samatha
meditation.

However, if you focus your mind on the point where the breath touches whenever it comes in or
goes out, it touches the nostrils. When you observe this touching sensation and are mindful of it,
then it is (ultimate) reality. That touching point is composed of the four primary material
elements: pathavi; dhatu, hard or soft; apo dhatu, liquidity or cohesion; tejo dhatu, hot or cold;
vayo dhatu, movement or vibration. These four elements are there whenever you focus your
mind on the touching sensation. So the object is absolute reality. What can we call it samatha
or vipassana meditation? It is vipassana.

That is what the Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw wrote about the distinction between the samatha and
vipassana aspects of respiration meditation. I appreciate it very much. So then we can say
respiration meditation is vipassana meditation in accordance with the Mahasatipatthana Sutta.
We can also say that respiration meditation is samatha in accordance with the Visuddhimagga. It
is very subtle and profound to differentiate between these two aspects of respiration meditation,
but I think those who have practised meditation very well can differentiate between these two
aspects

be in that space between thoughts and slowly it will expand. That is the goal of any

meditation...to expand and stabilize in the state of no-thoughts. That's when the true

nature of Consciousness will reveal itself....there are things that you will just know

(profound intuition).

If you know that you have no thoughts, you are wrong, because when you don't have any

thoughts you don't know that you don't have any. It's like when you are practicing a sport

that needs concentration to win, you won't know that you are concentrated when you

actually are. So forget about the fact that you need to concentrate (for example when you

are meditating on a sound), just be the sound. When your mind is completely relaxed on

that sound, you'll start to have like strange "dream thoughts", that's when you'll be at the
edge falling asleep. Don't fall completely into these "dream thoughts" (or you'll fall

asleep), but stay aware.

===================================================

Here are some small ideas for people to reach "non-contrivance" from my personal

experience. I may be talking to the choir, though. The best way to reach non-contrivance

is to either imitate it, or to start from contrivance.

1. Alter between action and non-action. Breath 10 intentional breaths, then follow with 10

"free" breaths.

2. Inhale and exhale, then halt your breath for 10 seconds. Then let your body take the

next few breaths. Observe. Your body knows how breath properly.

3. Pore breathing is a very effective way to train. For you, place your intention at the

upper dan-tien. On inhale, your pores open and air enters through all the pores in your

body. On exhale, your pores close and noxious gases are expelled through the pores. In

my experience, I find pore breathing the best way to align the internal and external reality

of your being.

4. Use physical motions. It's much easier to reach emptiness with hand coordination.

Expand the ball with your hands on inhale, condense the ball between your hands on

exhale. This is a common qigong exercise you probably know of. The idea here is use the

hand coordination for 10 breaths, then without for the next 10 breaths.

5. Hollow your armpits, like you are holding a tennis ball between the armpit. Open your

fingers. Drop your shoulders

6. An important point is to learn how to use breath to coordinate upward and downward

flow of energy. Typically, on inhale, the energy rises from the perineum to the crown, on

exhale it descends from the crown to the perineum. If you can make this an energetic

exercise, you quickly forget about the breath. Because after you use the breath to guide

the energy for a few repetitions, you can begin using the energy to guide the breath.

Further attainment is when you can't tell between whether the breath is moving the

energy, or the energy the breath.

7. You may use mantras to prepare your intention. For example, you can say a simple

affirmation, "my respiration is soft, gentle, but deep." Repeat it a few times and see how

your body responds to that intention.

8. Practice the inhale-exhale-pause series. The pause is the most importance, in my

experience. As you gain proficiency, the pause will extend longer and longer. The more

effective the pause, the more natural breath that ensues.

=================================================

Posted 06 January 2013 - 08:34 AM

Contrived or not, the practice-exercises are always to be done fully utilizing the force of
awareness. (Always mindful, yet not necessarily notating phenomenon.) The best method to non-
contrivance is through the rote method of contrivance - by taking the time to analyze the
mechanics and interactions of the breath mechanisms, we can streamline them to a high
efficiency state.

We all know that when something gets repetitive, it gets boring - ok, now think deeper, what is
the source of boredom? Correlate to applying the awareness to the mechanisms of breath and
what is happening is the subconscious processes are being programmed. Hence my idea of
"establishing breath protocol" - re-wiring the subconscious to breathe in a very efficient manner.
Like playing guitar or badminton, when in good practice it flows and the subconsciously-trained
more readily manifests.
This is what the rote method towards non contrivance establishes - the brain builds neural
networks upon habit and experience - so in effect, non-contrivance is leveraging that habit and
experience. If you've put in the time analyzing and practicing, leveraging becomes as easy as
turning one's hands over.

It is similar to your mom, endless talker that she is, her voice starting to sound like the teachers
and parents on Peanuts, if you're not paying good attention to what she's saying. Your brain gets
enough of a signal and begins to attenuate it. Apply this concept to meditation, the breath
structures, the energy, and these phenomena will be classified and attenuated by the brain.

Toss in the feedback-mechanisms and how it affects meditation and it becomes apparent the need
to do the work in the first place - grab the matrix of feedbacks by the horns and bring the force of
awareness about it for a gong or two's time, done sincerely, there's no way you will fail.

Sure you can non-contrive, but prepare, season, cook the meal, set the table before eating. Its a
better meal than nuking something from the freezer
===============================================

That's where my concept of "breath protocol" came from - it is basically referring to what your
subconscious is programmed with in regards to breath mechanics. By mindfully asserting your
will over the mechanics, it slowly reprograms your subconscious. Do it enough and you have
effectively rewritten it - and like turning a prayer wheel, you mindfully do the practice every day,
and give your new habit-energy more angular momentum, ingraining the correct breath patterns
more fully.

So you really only get truly coherent breath mechanics by putting in the time, you truly only
reprogram the subconscious processes by putting in the time, you are only able to truly let go and
have the inertia from your gongfu of putting in the time on breath mechanics carry/fuel the
meditation by "just letting go"

Sure one can just let go, but it will not be as efficient and productive as if one has put the time
and concentration in

=====================================
By Bill Bodri

Anapanasati

The Anapanasati Sutra Method for Highest Meditation Results There is a very

important lecture given by Shakyamuni Buddha, called the Damo Zen (ANAPANASATI)

Sutra, which is ignored by most people, but which tells you how to cultivate high gong-

fu. The three sutras that concentrate on the science and theory of cultivation are the

Surangama Sutra, Lankavatara Sutra and Sandhinirmocana Shastra but when it comes to

practicing, you should concentrate on the Damo Zen sutra; the first set of sutras is like a

map and the Damo Zen sutra is like a tool or the technology used to get there. Buddha

was like a great scientist, and to call any of this "religion" is ridiculous when you read his

explanations of spiritual cultivation. When you put the teachings of Christianity ("just

believe") and other Western religions next to this sort of content, there is no comparison

whatsoever. And if you call it "religion," I think Shakyamuni himself would faint or even

die of shock if he were alive! The Anapatisati cultivation sutra concentrates on the stages

of watching the breath called the "16 Victorious Methods." It's the one sutra where

Buddha talks about how to cultivate high stage kung-fu (gong-fu) most quickly. I guess

it's karma that the teaching that can help people the most in their cultivation gong-fu is

the one most ignored. As for the Surangama Sutra, several fine translations are available.

John Powers and Thomas Cleary have translated the Sandhinirmocana sutra, but I am not

happy with either translation and while Suzuki and Goddard have translated the
Lankavatara sutra, I am not satisfied with those translations either as they have great

shortcomings. In a short while Red Pine will be coming out with his own translation, and

I hope that helps. The basic technique of watching the breath revealed in the Damo Zen

Sutra starts with watching your inhalation, exhalation, and then the longness or shortness

of your breath. You observe them because your chi channels are not yet open. Then the

fourth stage is knowing or observing the breath (your chi) throughout your whole body.

You don't try to do anything with it, such as smoothen it out, but just know it or be

conscious of it. If there are any obstructions anywhere, that's because the chi channels

have still not opened all the way through and the body elements have not transformed.

When you feel your breath (chi) all over your body and cultivate that knowing, there will

eventually be no more obstructions in the body when you keep cultivating this way,

which is the fifth step of the practice ... and you will eventually feel quite comfortable

from the practice after all the chi channels open. In some schools they have you count the

breaths to get started with this practice, but most people misinterpret this as adding force

or effort to the process of watching. You do not need to add effort or energy in anapana

practices. Don't put a hat on the top of the head. The natural relaxed mind that knows is

the right way to observe, and you already have that. You just watch and know the breath

-- there's no drowsiness or wandering thoughts but just knowing and that's it.

Unfortunately, people get lost in the counting and don't realize the purpose of the method.

It's like knowing the hotness or coolness of the chi in the body. You don't have to do

anything about the knowing, like try to smoothen the chi or link with or unify mind and

breath (chi). Just know it, relax, and let go. That's all. It's cultivating a peaceful open
awareness without tightness or restriction. So simple, so easy to do -- everyone can do it

which is why so many people succeeded in Buddha's day. Today people have lost the real

understanding of his method and turned it into all sorts of other things but if you just start

with this simple practice, you'll get there. Secondly, people get confused about the three

types of chi you can cultivate this way. The first type of chi, called the "nurturing chi," is

what you rely on to be alive. When we practice pranayama, we usually practice this type

of chi. If you can stop your breathing, you can enter into the cultivation of the second

type of chi. The second type of chi, called the "reward" chi in the Damo Zen Sutra and

"karmic" chi in Esoteric Buddhism, is the chi that arises when ordinary breathing stops.

This "hsi," if you cultivate it, is what a fetus uses to grow inside a mother's womb (when

external breathing is not required) and when you cultivate it after birth, you can use it to

cure sickness, extend the lifespan and stay healthy. If you are able to recognize and

cultivate this chi, you can have longevity and can reverse the process of getting old and

will become young. You can cultivate that chi to get samadhi but it's not the highest. The

third type of chi is called "fundamental" (from Consciousness Only school) or "original"

or "primordial" chi. Sometimes it's called "original heaven chi." If you are able to enter

into the cultivation of this type of chi, you can control birth and death. So when you enter

the cultivation of the second type of chi you can become like a baby whereas entering

into the cultivation of this third type of chi you can eventually control life and death. This

is the stage you want to get to because it corresponds to becoming one with the universe

and the original nature. This third chi is akin to the chi of the whole universe. When

Buddha says there is no self, he means there is no true little self but there is one true BIG
SELF, and that is the whole universe, cosmos, Triple Realm. This is the chi of that one

thing. An Arhat who cultivates this chi can appear or disappear (dissolve) at will into this

type of chi, and thus can control their birth and death that way. To cultivate this chi, you

really need wisdom. People without enough prajna wisdom will have a difficult time

recognizing this chi. So to get to this stage already takes cultivation practice. If your

practice enters the stage of cultivating the second type of chi, you can not only initiate the

internal embryo breathing but can start breathing from the bottom of the feet, the

forehead, and other places in the body because the chakras and chi channels have all

opened and the chi circulates at these spots. But this is just laying a good foundation for

practice, and is not the real fruit of cultivation. You want to not just cultivate samadhi, but

cultivate to discover the original nature of Mind and all things. For that you must proceed

to cultivating the third type of chi. Now eventually in watching the breath and feeling it

everywhere, you'll reach a state of emptiness which is the sixth stage of practice, and

from that emptiness, your body will begin to feel peaceful and you'll develop joy and

physical bliss. In the 6th stage you can receive joy and in the 7th receive bliss. In the 8th

you can reflect everything in your mind - you are abke to clearly know about evry

response that your mnind has. To achieve this stage of gong-fu you have to practice like

the monk Shen Shou (Hui-neng's dharma brother) said, which is to keep the mind clean

like a mirror. These are the 6th, 7th and 8th stages of gong-fu reached because you're not

influenced by the physical body anymore since its chi channels are open. Resultingly, you

can now accept or receive mental joy and physical bliss because the physical body doesn't

bother you so much, so you can be open to receiving happiness. To others your face will
always seem joyful. And then eventually your mind will be able to accept every single

behavior. You'll be able to have mercy come out towards all things because you can

accept everything, and not reject anything. Mercy, compassion, and feeling other people's

suffering comes out. Only now at this stage do we say you can sincerely give to others, so

only now can full-hearted giving manifest. The 6th, 7th and 8th level of practice is

starting to enter the level of mind ground. Even Confucius described this first sequence of

events in The Great Learning, so we know it's a universal process, a common phenomena

- found in all true cultivation schools. We know it's the right way to cultivate because it's

so natural and non-artificial, and in following this non-artificial way the highest results

come out. Confucius said you cultivate awareness, reach a state of stopping or cessation,

attain samadhi, from there attain quietness-stillness-calmness, next peacefulness because

the chi channels are all open, and then wisdom or true knowing (correct thinking) after

which you'll be able to get the real results of practice. In essence, this is very much a

similar path or sequence of events as just described in the Damo Zen sutra, but it was

developed separately by Confucius showing the commonality of the True Way to

cultivate. Mencius described this natural process in a different way. You first start with

the desire to cultivate. Cultivation is only desiring what you should desire, and that's

called kindness - for example, desiring to save the whole world versus just desiring a lot

of money, food, sex, etc.. From that step of cultivation, because you can always watch

yourself and the desires of your mind and what's right or wrong (you watch thoughts),

you'll be able to gradually establish trust, confidence, faith and belief in your cultivation

and yourself, and that's the time your body will begin to transform. The body will feel full
or rich - a stage called beauty -- because the chi channels all open and the chi becomes

full. That's exactly the same gong-fu stage as the fourth stage of the 16 steps just

mentioned from the Anapanasati Sutra. Your hsi will then be eventually felt all over your

body. Your body will not only feel full and rich and glorious, which he called

"grandness." It becomes so grand or large or big that there's no boundary, which Mencius

called the stage of a saint. When the saint's cultivation level is so high that nobody knows

how high it is, that's the stage of a shen, which is like the 10th level Bodhisattva. This

stage meant a stage beyond an ordinary person because no one can speculate on what you

are at this level of cultivation. Because no one can put you in a box that way, or put a

name or label on you, no one can know who or what you are or what you'll do next. In

olden times, that was the accepted description of a "god" though today we call that the

stage of an enlightened sage because those are the ones who really get that stage, and

gods don't. The gods or celestial beings are just heavenly denizens with higher samadhi

attainments than ordinary beings, and aren't enlightened at all. There's no special practice

other than letting go and watching to initiate this all happening. You don't follow the

breath to try to become one with it. You already know the breathing -- that's it. It's so

simple and direct. It's just there. So in this practice, there's really almost nothing to do

except cultivate the presence of awareness while letting go and remaining natural and

relaxed. That, in itself, will get you the highest gong-fu. Notice there isn't any spinning of

the chi or chi channels or anything like that. There are no special Tao school secret

methods or secret Tibetan mantras and visualizations. It's all so very simple and natural.

The process is so simple that hundreds of people could get Tao in Buddha's time but as
time went on, explanations proliferated until people got further and further away from the

true, simple meaning I've just exposed here. But this is it - it's very simple, very

humanistic, very scientific, very effective. You just have to do it. Eventually, in

cultivating the chi then joy and bliss will arise, and then one can eventually feel liberated

or mentally free. What Buddha meant about these stages is that in cultivating to the stage

of no more chi obstructions in the body, the form skandha and sensation skandhas are

transformed. When the mind is joyful it's like the 1st and 2nd dhyana, and when just

blissful it's like the 3rd dhyana. Joy and bliss arise because you are cultivating samadhi,

but with this type of joy and bliss you always look happy to other people. Eventually by

going further you reach the stage of feeling liberated, which means that you are always

clear about what goes on in your mind. Your mind is like a mirror and is very peaceful, so

you are clear about everything. When the mind feels liberated and free, we often say that

"mind and chi are at home." In the 9th stage, the mind is able to function with joy and

happiness at will, and in the 10th stage your mind is able to calmly reflect everything.

During the 9th and 10th stage you are in the second and third samadhi level if you can

actually reach this stage. In the 11th stage, the mind is able to be free from attachment, or

liberated. What does that mean? The mind and chi become unified and you have real

mental freedom. They combine without any concentration or holding. It's naturally

unified. During this stage you get superpowers freely. The feeling is one of freedom from

any attachments. Do you see anything special or esoteric in this? No, nothing. Buddha's

teachings are so natural, and also so scientific. People often forget he was a great yogi

who cultivated all eight samadhi and then got the Tao and enlightened many other beings,
so he was really a great teacher as well and was able to describe things simply and clearly

to help people make progress and get the Tao, but we've lost his teachings today. The

further the time has grown since Shakyamuni's day, the further lost we've become.

Typically people concentrate on the Esoteric School which usually follows four steps of

practice: (1) cultivating chi (the body's wind element) (2) cultivating your mai or chi

channels (the body's earth element), (3) cultivating the drops or bright points (water

element of the body), (4) cultivating the kundalini (body's fire element). After these

preliminary twelve stages, the Anapanasati Sutra talks about 5 more stages of cultivation

that you should be cultivating all the time. You have to do these no matter what stage

you're practicing at, so they're not in chronological order. These five -- anytime, every

time you have to be practicing them - do not belong to the body level but to the mind

level where you are inspecting the mind: The12th principle reminds you to let go of

everything, which is releasing everything, 13) you practice observing impermanence, 14)

you feel more and more of a growing separation or distance from what you desire

(departure of desire - don't drop into what you're doing, like watching TV, sex, food,

desires) which people typically translate as dispassion, 15) the stopping or cessation or

extinguishment of feeling and thought. In contemplating cessation, the meaning is that

you reach a stage where sensation (feeling) and conception are extinguished. There are no

more illusions, desires, or sensations. This is the status of a Great Arhat. Next 16) totally

offering - giving away mind, life, thought - totally giving offering is the next principle.

Buddha meant that you offer everything away, completely letting go and relinquishing

everything. That in itself is a form of cultivation. Together with these 5, which you should
be practicing all the time, then you can arrive at a stage of clear perception where all the

dust in the mind is delinked or settled, and the true real permanence aspect of the

universe (Triple Realm) suddenly appears. The real and permanent nature of the original

nature is revealed at this stage of cultivation. All throughout his life Shakyamuni Buddha

spoke of the falsity of the self, the truth of impermanence and suffering and so forth but

in the Nirvana Sutra he spoke of the true ego, true bliss and permanence. This is how to

arrive at this ultimate state. It's simple, it's fast, it's direct. IT STARTS WITH

WATCHING/OBSERVING (NOT "FOLLOWING") YOUR RESPIRATORY BREATH,

THEN BODY CHI, THEN INNER CHI ("hsi") AND SO FORTH. How do you arrive at

this STAGE OF CLEAR PERCEPTION most quickly? By cultivating the breath,

cultivating via the path of anapana revealed in the Damo Zen Sutra, also called the

Anapanasati sutra . It's the quickest, simplest method/way to high gong-fu. If you can do

steps one through five, knowing the breathing, then the five senses become more free and

empty. If that stage is reached, you have less afflictions and you'll have a better temper

and won't get angry so easy. When you accomplish the whole thing, the biggest type of

offering you can give is to have a mind that is so pure and clean without any thoughts or

pollutions, that's the biggest offering anyone can give - bigger than money, life or

anything. The steps 1 through 16 start with existence until you can let go of everything,

until you can jump out of everything by using the breathing as the initial cultivation

method for letting go and purifying everything