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My first post and a few questions for Michael Winn...From: RDB
Subject: General
Date/Time 2005-03-31 21:42:05
Remote IP: 24.91.189.182
MessageHello everyone,
Over the past few days I've read through about a hundred messages here on this board. I am extremely impressed by the depth of knowledge and sharing here. Many thanks go out to all of you!
Before discovering this message board, I spent some time looking into various teachers and systems of genuine daoism. The results of my search were the same as they were years ago for the area I'm living (Massachusetts), the healing dao school (with Marie Favorito), Kwan Sai Hung (alledged daoist immortal), Ginsoon (Direct lineage descendent of Yang Style Tai Chi), Fu Hok Tai He Morn (with Calvin Chin--successor to Grandmaster Kwong Tit Fu), and Park Bok-Nam's Ba Gua.
Of the above mentioned schools and teachers, I've learned with Kwan Sai Hung for a workshop, Marie Favorito up to Fusion 2, Park Bok-Nam for only a little over a year, and used to check out Kwong Tit Fu once in a while since I had a friend who was his neighbor. I never really gave Ginsoon a chance. I've studied various hard martial arts for years before studying the above mentioned stuff and am also into the occult quite a bit. Also, on a more personal note, I do not have a religion and I am currently studying yoga with an incredible teacher--Barbara Benagh.
When I found Michael Winn's website, I immediately read his short article on the seven formulas and thought "this is it". As I read more, I really began to resonate strongly with what Michael has to say. Then I read through the message board and found a debate between Michael, Plato, and most everyone else. I also discovered David Shen's website from this board, and found that he had something negative to say about Michael.
So after reading and accumulating an over-abundance of information here, I need to ask a few questions. As one who has an incredible motivation to learn with Michael this summer and possibly in China, it is important for me to get clarification on the questions below. So Michael, the following are my questions:
(Btw, anyone who has information about the following questions may feel free to reply, it will be appreciated)
1. David Shen says on his website:
[quote]Mantak Chia
presently living in Thailand founder of the Healing Tao (now Universal Tao) a system that collects techniques from diverse Qi Gong teachings simplifying them for westerners.
IMPORTANT NOTICE
David collaborated in the codification of many of the practices in what is now called the Universal Tao. Among other teachings, David instructed Mantak Chia and Michael Winn in the introductory part of the Kong Jing (Empty Force) and Jing Shui (Water of Life) practices in order to introduce to them these teachings in a simple form. They later, without permisssion, took it upon themselves to incorporate fragments of these and other of David's teachings into the Universal Tao and Healing Tao USA systems.
These teachings and others were blended and simplified by them, but in this form are ineffective in the completion of Nei Dan Shu, the very thing for which they were originally created. They do not represent in any way the original transmission of Dazhen or David's other Masters, nor do they represent any traditional Daoist qigong cultivation method.[/quote]
Michael, what's the deal with this? Is it a lie or what? Is there more to the story that you can share?
2. What are your feelings about Xingyi, Bagua, and Tai Chi? Do you feel it is necessary or not, or helpful maybe, to supplement the internal alchemy with any of the above?
3. Do you or anyone know of Kwan Sai Hung and if so, then what are your thoughts about this being. Is he worth learning from or not?
4. Can you or anyone comment on the Magus of Java? What is it that he does? The author of the "Magus of Java" said in his second book Nei Kung, that he developed dark circular scars on his palms, what is that all about? What is this Mo Pai system of his in relation to different sects of daoism?
5. Can you or anyone recommend any teachers of anything in Massachusetts?
6. Do students ever take your entire line up of summer courses? Do you consider this a bad idea?
7. Is there an equivalent to Naropa's Tummo Yoga in the daoist internal alchemy?
8. When is your book coming out?
9. Have any students had success learning from your home courses? If I buy a home course now and then come to the summer workshops, can I get reimbursed the 50% discount that I would've received if I had taken the workshop first?
10. Do you offer private training? How about daily classes in your area?
11. And now for a totally different type of question--about Buddha. A few weeks ago on the board you posted:
[quote]It is pretty much built into to Buddhist philosophy that "life is suffering", and body is, under the guise of attacking bodily desires, given much of the blame. I trace it all to Buddha's mother dying during his childbirth. Its a heavy thing to transmute, your mother simultaneously giving birth and dying on you, and I think he ran in every direction he could find to get away from the problem of the body.[/quote]
Forgive me if you were not being entirely serious. Everything I've learned about Buddha and Buddhism is from biographical material, and what you mentioned above just doesn't make a lot of sense to me. If his mother was the issue all along, then why did the problem of body never come up (at least in the canons and biographies) previous to the time he left? Growing up, Buddha's aunt took the role of his mother. He loved her just as any child or adult normally loves their mother. He was happy with the mundane life, winning weightlifting contest, philosophical debates and so on. He even got married and had a child. This dude was happy. It wasn’t until he was 30 years of age and witnessed someone suffering and die that he became determined to find a solution to suffering. So to my question, does the above quote from you reflect your current feelings? If so, then can you go a little deeper with it?
Well, that's it for the questions at this time. Sorry this post is so long and also if you've answered these questions before on the older message board.
Thanks
Rob
- My first post and a few questions for Michael Winn...: (1357) RDB (12) - - 2005-03-31 9:42 pm
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