Big Inhale wrote:Any known reason for this?
If you've read any of Dr. Carl Jung's writings, he often speaks about the 'collective unconsciousness'. He speculates that there is an area within the brain of every human being, which can tap into and directly access knowledge which would otherwise remain unknown to the individual having the breakthrough. Call it a deep memory into our core genetics? :idea:
Anyway, having practiced hatha yoga and Yang family taijiquan (tai chi chuan) for quite some time now, I can say emphatically that none of these moments are particularly spontaneous or natural to humankind. I'm talking about body mechanics and difficult to learn postures.
The same can be said for hand mudras, which are quite specific systems of hand posturing, each posture containing deeper meaning and representing universal aspect of existence. It would be absurd to view these hand postures as anything less than an exacting science.
The older Shaolin gung fu is clearly based many of the movements and fluid motion of animals. Most of us are familiar with the Hong Kong kung fu movies about mysterious styles like: Tiger, monkey, snake, crane and dragon. These are very, very specific mannerisms and accompanying headset (attitude, characteristic and proclivity).
As we all well know, animals move
instinctively. Perhaps this is why it is so difficult for contemporary human beings to learn? As we have traded instinct for reason, this is certainly not surprising. So too, it becomes a game of unlearning our fixed rationale in favor of instinctive, more natural ways to navigate through time, space and dimension.
Paradoxically, under the profound spell of psychedelics, we open some doorway into this reservoir of collective knowledge (usually without even knowing it). I propose the idea that
aumumano tuned-into an area of collective knowledge which gave him instant access to manifesting them, within his rushing experience on Spice. Well, I assume it was DMT but having the experience of the tunnel, might just as easily have been any tryptamine or phenethylamine. Spice is just way quicker and more explosive.
I will venture to say this, while yogic posturing and the fluid movements contained within taijiquan take years of practice, to effortlessly actualize. Granted these movements and non-movements are the perfect natural balancing with the Earth's gravitational field, they take years of training to do it properly. Ironically, what is the most efficient and expressive way of holding our physical forms, is only possible by meticulously relearning one's entire center of gravity and one's balance. And as one would imagine, it is a lifetime endeavor to understand exactly how to do these postures and stances.
To access this through the
Magik of psychedelics, is one of the truly miraculous aspects of the incredible flight of the psychonaut. It is the seemingly spontaneous and effortlessness of this phenomenon which is so incredible. It is only possible through the dawning of an acute knowledge and understanding. This is why it takes most people so many years to perfect these practices.
First our mind opens up to the idea of the form and then it translates into our bio-mechanics. It is a special thing indeed, when this happens without prior foreknowledge and quite a stretch of intentional training.
wrote:Exactly this. I have periodically even taken a bowl and a bo staff outside and done regular exercises. Usually just before sunset. Very dangerous behavior, probably, but my staff form is doing rather well.
Paradoxically, the use of weapons in our training (like staff, spear or sword), transmutes the violence by which they are know, into a purely spiritual extension of one's Qi (Chi), directed by the focus of our dantian (center) and thus cultivate Shen (enlightenment). These are references to the triad energies which make up the internal Chinese martial arts: Jing-Chi-Shen. Together, they are called by Taoists,
The Three Treasures.
One more thing, don't you just love the vortex your bo create as it spins figure-eights and large circles in the empty sky? In a milder way, it is the same as the tunnel in
aumumano's vision, as it is the unbound creative force,
The Tao. It's like being in the center of the cyclone... the eye of the hurricane. Gotta love it!!!
There is no self to which I cling, for I am one with everything.