Originally posted by The111
Wow, I pulled up an old thread here, that went way off the topic of freediving.
I'm somewhere in between skeptic and open-minded about a lot of these things. A question, which isn't intended to prove or disprove anything - if these experienced yogis can control anything with their mind (sitting under pools of water in their yards for hours), why aren't they still alive? Why didn't they control the length of their own lifespan?
The111 (weird name
),
Physical life is nothing my friend. It's to short. The very beginning comes right afterwards. But in order to become an immortal you must dedicate your life (especially the last 30 years of your life once you are older) to growthe 'spiritual embryo' that's inside of you. You won't be able to see it until you get rid of the internal chatting all humans (I don't know about animals tough) have and which blind us from the truth: Enlightenment. It means see how reality really is, see the source of the Universe we live physically in but which is only a fog, a cloud.
If you are lucky enough in the last 30 years of your live to find an 'Enlightened' master that is willing to show you that path then go for it and live all your possessions and people you love because you won't need them afterlife. That master will show you how to transmutate your cosnciousness to the spiritual embryo (called 'golden elixir' in Taoism), and then in the moment of your physical death you'll be able to leave your body (like the chicken that has been living inside the egg) and merge with Tao (Universal Consciousness), also called the Source or the way (God) for eternity. This Taoist belief is very similar to Tibetan Buddhist thought.
Why ordinary people don't become immortals. Reasons:
1. Blinded by society's rules and conventions
2. Five Thieves: external sensory (smell, touch, sight, hearing and thought), and as Taoists and Buddhist say the chief hooligan of emotions. Nothing is more draining for human health, longevity and spirituality than scattered emotions that are typical of our so-called
CIVILIZED society. And this sensory are boosted by the rampant effects that the stupid technology has on humans (think of the Matrix message) and their emotions. Everyone today is too carried away with useless mobile phones, sex, clothes, cars, money, Real State, etc. instead of stopping for a second and asking to themselves:
IS ALL THIS STUFF REALLY MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN MY LIFE?
No, not at all. People still die at the age of 70 when they could live up to 120 easily still healthy and strong and with the possibility of becoming immortals instead of following the eternal path of reincarnations (wheel of karma).
Actually, immortals are able to return to life (through reincarnation) to help others to become Enlightened (like Enlightened Tibetan Buddhists monks do). Taoists are more selfish, like Yogis.
However, don't think this stuff is easy to accomplish. Only few people succeed like the Buddha taught: Karma and an strict observance of the Eightfold Path will determine if you are ready to become a Buddha or not. Taoist belief is a bit different: It is determined also by Karma but by how successfully you apply internal alchemy (by fusing jing (essence/semen)-chi (vital force)-shen (spirit)) to the process of transmutating your consciousness to your spirit which resides in your heart and which must be carried up to the upper dantien (either the third eye linked to the pitituary gland, or the bai-hui (crown) which is linked to the pineal gland). At the moment of death the spirity leaves the body in either of those two points depending on the way you practiced meditation and opened those chakras.
Do you see know why Yogis and Taoists are so keen to prolong their physical lives on earth? Simply because passing your consciousness your
self to your spirit takes many, many years of dedication and absolute reclusiveness. And way before you can do that you must cut-off the influence of the Five Thieves and emotions during meditation in order to see below the cerebral cortex (responsible of the internal dialogue), access the parasympathetic side of the brain and work on your spirit which is deeply inside of us, latent but asleep.
(*Note: Sometimes we are able to be in touch with your spirit in our dreams, i.e. astral flights).
Neverthless, becoming an immortal is very hard, you must develop extraordinary mental powers in order to consciously access your spirit-soul. Again a masters guidance is a must.
For you Christians, I must recall here that the old Bible before it was altered in the ninth century talked about this stuff. Jesus referred to karma and reincarnation as prerequisites to purify our spirits before entering the kingdom of God. This
link describes it.
I consider Daniel Reid an “Enlightened” Westener because after reading his work he will definitively change your Western approach to life forever. So as an start-up this book is highly recommended:
http://www.redwingbooks.com/products/books/TaoHeaSexLon.cfm
That book also gives you the necessary references to understand the Taoist way to obtain spiritual immortality. The path is yours and as Reid says: “The sky is the limit. Bon voyage”.
A good addition to that book this will help you with the necessary health recomendations to succeed:
http://www.bookfinder.us/review7/1570620717.html
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O.K. the normal reactions to this post would be:
1. B....hit.
2. Gerard has lost the plot
3. Religious brainwashing
4. It's too complicated for me.
5. I love it. I want to become an immortal too :waterwork
The funny thing is that Tao has nothing to do with the way Religion is depicted. It's about practice, about following a radically different lifestyle that was common in China 5,000 years ago, and also radically opposed to the traditional lifestyle which has characterised our society.
If you still think that all this stuff is bull I urge you to start meditating seriously, not just once a week.
After meditating for a number of years you'll start to see things, to have an awareness that things are not really what they seem to be. Then is when you start
opening the box and see with the Buddha's eyes. This
link explains what I mean.
BTW what has all this stuff to do with Freediving? maybe freediving is another illusion to keep you down here :duh
Good luck.