Dear Marcy,
I just read your message and it really spoke to me. I can't get over this forum and the fact that you can encounter all sorts of different people from all over the world who are also, like you, clearly searching for something deeper in their lives.

I particularly liked what you said about moving beyond the mind. I too find that my mind - which is rather heavy on the analytical side! - does clutter up the flow of life on a very regular basis! I haven't actually read the Course in Miracles (my mum read it a number of years ago), but, like you, I would find Eckhart Tolle's books to be very simple yet powerful.

I also practice SFQ to "step out of my mind", to bring it gradually in tune with my body and with a growing sense of energy within and around me. I recently joined a Tai Chi class and am finding that it is also helping me to achieve my original natural posture and to become aware of the flowing of "Qi" and how the simplest of daily, habitual movements can effectively block it. I am confident that this is no doubt helping my SFQ practice.

The other powerful practice for me has been Reiki which I have been learning over the last couple of years. The simplicity of laying your hands on your head or your throat and experiencing a flow and release of blocked energies really brings me out of my over-analytical/over-complicating self. Plus being able to do that for friends or family members who experience pain - is a wonderful thing for me as I have spent much of my life living with close relatives with chronic pain and illness and not being able to do anything about it. (even though of course with Reiki, Qigong and any of the genuine healing arts - "I" am not actually doing anything!!)

I was also surprised how convinced I was about Chunyi Lin from first looking at the book. I am naturally very skeptical - particularly of guru worship (I will remember that pun you described from now on!). I am half Austrian and constantly remind myself where mindless adulation can take a country and its people. But I realise also that there is a real difference between genuine mind-lessness or deep spiritual reconnection and a mind that is fixated on one way of seeing things - even though this fixation can naturally create a very convincing sense of "freedom" or release.

I suppose that what I really appreciate about Chunyi's philosophy has been his evident openness. For example, when he talks about your "Master"'s energy (on an analytical level I would become immediately wary of that concept) - he then immediately highlights that this "Master" COULD be Jesus, Lao Tzu or even he, Chunyi Lin. I like the fact that what he is merely emphasising is that healing energy is quite simply there if you are open to it - and the concept you decide to use to even begin opening up to this energy is entirely up to you. Hopefully you begin to lose the "concept" the more you practice.

Anyhow, if anyone's rambling on in this forum, it's me! I think there are possibly certificiates and accreditation for anyone who could even be bothered ploughing through all of my "mindless" babblings!

lots of love
Ingrid :0)