Podcasts about daoist

Send Us A Message or Ask Us A Question? Exploring the Power of Compassion and Self-discovery with Sifu BoggieIn this engaging episode of the Us People Podcast, host Savia Rocks welcomes the insightful Sifu Boggie. Sifu Boggie, a mentor and self-healing practitioner with over 40 years of experience, delves into his unique journey of self-discovery and personal growth. He shares his eclectic background, including his adoption and growing up with dyslexia, and provides a rich story ranging from his martial arts training to his perspectives on consciousness and energy. Throughout the conversation, Sifu Boggie emphasizes the importance of compassion, the interconnectedness of all things, and the transformative power of self-awareness and meditation. His teachings challenge conventional thinking and inspire listeners to embrace their unique paths and potentials. Tune in to explore the balance between chaos and calmness and to uncover the wisdom that connects and transforms us all.00:00 Welcome to the New Season00:56 Meet Sifu Boggie: A Journey of Balance01:26 Inspiring Stories and Personal Growth03:38 The Power of Humor and Resilience05:35 Martial Arts and the Philosophy of Taoism14:09 The Importance of Movement and Meditation18:28 Finding Your Path and Purpose23:40 The Balance of Life and Energy29:21 The Role of Meditation in Daily Life31:14 Choosing the Path of Healing and Mentorship32:20 The Psychology of Ice Skating33:31 The Universe Reacts to Your Emotions34:51 Learning and Teaching Techniques36:23 Beliefs of the Wealthy40:15 The Power of Perception44:21 Judgment and Perspective47:13 The Third Eye and Psychic Abilities52:52 Society's View on Neurodiversity58:31 Conspiracy Theories and Society01:01:11 Conclusion and Final ThoughtsLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sifuboggie/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sifu.boggie/#Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/2sifuboggieYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SifuBoggie"We have walked these streets of memory before, where voices of old choices sift through the present like lantern light guiding us, if we listen, toward the quiet wisdom that returns when we remember who we are." - Savia RocksThank you so much for coming on the show and sharing your beautiful perspective as a Daoist guide. Your mentoring drawn from a lifetime of practice and reflection offers a compassionate path through life's complexities. Your insights into reincarnation, self-discovery, and the art of guiding others illuminate how we can encounter enduring truths in every moment, and how mentorship helps us become more whole.Support the show

Send us a textAs we move deeper into November, the world around us begins its slow descent into winter. The days contract, the evenings lengthen, and nature invites us inward. In this episode, Belinda and Omar welcome back Dr. Paul Wang to explore how the water element in Daoist wisdom can help us navigate a time marked by uncertainty, loss, and profound change.Winter — and the water element — teach us about how to flow with change by actively transmuting fear with greater hope. This is the season when nature's energy roots down and inward, guiding us to fortify our inner foundation so we can meet life's floods without being carried away.Through stories around the struggles of adapting to food scarcity and grieving personal loss together, the conversation circles around a central question:How do we strengthen our inner riverbanks so that the waters of change can move through us rather than overwhelm us?Together, they explore:The transition from soil to the winter water season as a time of contraction, deep listening, and turning toward our centerDigestive and emotional nourishment — tending the “inner soil” of the microbiome through porridges, broths, roots, and gentler rhythmsThe winter of the day — why the hours between 9pm–3am mirror winter's medicine and offer a daily opportunity to practice restorationFear and flow — understanding our emotional terrain and how to create containers that help us feel held rather than floodedCommunity resilience — how food, land, and mutual care can soften the challenges of these timesLearning to move with change instead of spinning outThe Gratitude Blooming card that arises — Cosmos (Balance) — becomes a reminder of lightness in the midst of heaviness, and to play with the paradox of rooting deeply and allowing movement at the same time.This episode is a medicine for anyone feeling the intensity of the season or the weight of the world.It's an invitation to slow down, nourish yourself, fortify your inner riverbanks, and remember that descent is not collapse — it is preparation for renewal.Let go. Let flow. And trust the wisdom of water.Winter Retreat InvitationIf your body is asking for a reset, spaciousness, or deeper listening, join us for a New Year's Winter Sabbatical Week (Dec 28–Jan 3) on the Big Island.A week to rest, realign, set intentions, and welcome 2026 from a place of deep inner stillness.Find out more at: hestiamagic.com/nye--- Join us on substack to get a bonus seasonal practice from Dr. Paul each month at: https://gratitudeblooming.substack.com Create an intentional practice or give meaningful gifts with the Gratitude Blooming card deck, notecards, candles and much much more at our shop at www.gratitudeblooming.com. Learn more about our co-hosts and special guest for Season 4: Co-host Belinda Liu | Hestia Retreat Centers Co-host Omar Brownson | Trickster's Guide to Immortality on Substack Special Guest Dr. Paul Wang | The Dao CenterIf you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to leave us a 5-star rating and review. Your feedback is valuable to us and helps us grow. Share your thoughts and comments by emailing us at hello@gratitudeblooming.com. We love hearing from our listeners!

In this episode we have on friend of the show, Dr. Rory Hiltbrand to discuss Daoist Cosmology, fractals, Daoist Geometric Laws, levels of consciousness, the 4th dimension and the dilation of time.

Entity Attachments, Paranormal Evidence & Heart Coherence – with Sifu Aman Berry”Tonight – 7 PM Eastern | Rumble Premium Episode✅ INTRO / BIO (to read on-air or paste into description)Sifu Aman Berry is a martial artist, healer, and spiritual practitioner who uses Kung Fu as an energetic system to help clients reduce pain, release trauma, and clear negative unseen influences.His work bridges ancient Daoist proto-shamanic practices, heart coherence, and paranormal countermeasures. Tonight he breaks down entity attachments, parasitic consciousness forms, summoning mechanics, and why heart coherence and energetic alignment repel negative forces.He also brings exclusive paranormal evidence that we will play live.✅ SHOW DESCRIPTION (RUMBLE/YT)Tonight on the Typical Skeptic Podcast (TSP # 2294), I'm joined by Sifu Aman Berry for a deep dive into:Entity attachment mechanicsMutated consciousness vs enlightened consciousnessDjinn, archons, devas, asuras & ancient blood-god worshipersHeart coherence and energetic countermeasuresSummoning & why the phenomena can appear anywhereIron, running water, the Dog Whistle Frequency (1.6–1.8 GHz)Delta/Theta/Alpha/Beta brainwave statesParanormal evidence played liveThis episode blends ancient myth, parapsychology, energetic martial arts, and non-local consciousness in a way only Sifu Aman can deliver.Why did ancient groups like the Canaanites, Aztecs, Kali worshipers, Moloc cults all perform ritual blood sacrifice? What entity group were they feeding?BIOSIGILIZATIONCan you explain “biosigilization” — is it an encoding process into the DNA field, aura, or emotional body?COUNTERMEASURESHow exactly does heart coherence disrupt entity activity or parasitic consciousness?What's the physics behind iron and flowing water breaking attachments or interference?How does heart coherence tie into Daoist proto-shamanism and lightning energy?What is the Dog Whistle Frequency (1.6–1.8 GHz) — why do entities react to it?BRAINWAVE STATESHow do Delta, Theta, and Alpha states make people more vulnerable — or more powerful — in entity interactions?Do some entities prefer people in Theta, where the veil is thin?PRACTICAL APPLICATIONHow can people blend martial arts, breathwork, and heart coherence to fortify their energy field?For beginners: what is the #1 sign someone may have an attachment?What's the most compelling paranormal evidence you've ever captured?✅ HASHTAGS  #EntityAttachments #ParanormalEvidence #HeartCoherence#KungFuHealing #EnergeticProtection #Djinn #Archons #Celestials #Asuras#DaoistShamanism #Mysticism #EnergyMedicine #Consciousness #OccultScience#FrequencyWars #MetaphysicalProtection #TraumaHealing #UFOCommunity #SpiritualWarfare #EntityRemovalTAGS (YT/Rumble/IG)✅ TAGS (YouTube)Typical Skeptic Podcast, Sifu Aman Berry, entity attachments, paranormal evidence,heart coherence, Kung Fu for healing, Djinn, archons, devas, asuras,malakim, raphiem, biosigilization, frequency healing, trauma release,energy clearing, Daoist shamanism, metaphysical podcast, esoteric podcast,UFO podcast, paranormal podcast, spiritual warfare, negative entitiesTypical Skeptic Podcast Links and Affiliates:Support the Mission:

Richard Wickes is an energy worker and healer based in Chiang Mai. Richard shares his journey from martial arts to studying Daoism in China and how witnessing things he thought impossible steered him towards his work today. ALSO the nature of self, nothingness/flow, traumatic psychic perception, psychosis and schizophrenia through a spiritual lens, finding balance and the power of intention to affect energy.

Life is not merely a series of challenges to conquer; rather, it is an intricate dance to embrace, replete with its myriad twists, falls, and unexpected turns. In this enlightening discourse, we are graced by the presence of Sifu Boggie, a Daoist guide, healer, and storyteller, whose extensive journey through diverse disciplines and experiences instills a profound understanding of the natural flow of existence. With over four decades of expertise in energy work and Eastern philosophy, Sifu Boggie deftly blends ancient wisdom with contemporary practices, empowering individuals to unlock their inherent healing potential. His approach encourages us to move beyond the notion of fixing oneself and instead focus on rediscovering our authentic selves, fostering a harmonious relationship with life's ebb and flow. Join us as we delve into the transformative practices of Qi Gong, Tai Chi, and Daoist Shamanism, inviting you to embrace the adventure of life with renewed meaning and purpose.Takeaways: Sifu Boggie emphasizes that life should not be viewed as a problem to solve, but rather as an adventure to embrace, inviting us to dance with its unpredictable nature. With over four decades of experience, Sifu Boggie integrates ancient Daoist wisdom into modern practices, such as Qi Gong and Tai Chi, to foster personal development and healing. The essence of Daoism is to thrive in any circumstance, and Sifu Boggie encourages individuals to unlock their own healing potential rather than seeking external fixes. A fundamental principle discussed is the interconnectedness of all beings, which suggests that our state of mind and body is influenced by our thoughts and feelings, highlighting the importance of mindfulness. Listen on Apple, Spotify or your favorite listening platform; visit us on our YouTube channel Find everything "One More Thing" here: https://taplink.cc/beforeyougopodcastThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

Kabir is the most alive of all dead poets. He is a fabric without stitches. No centres, no edges. Anand threads his way in. Over the years, as a publisher and editor, Anand immerses himself in the works of Babasaheb Ambedkar and other anticaste thinkers. He gives up his practice of music and poetry, blaming his disenchantment on caste. One day in Delhi, Anand starts looking for Kabir. He finds him here, there, everywhere. He begins to pay attention to the many ways in which Kabir's words are sung, and translates them. Soon, Kabir starts looking out for Anand. The songs of Kabir sung by a range of singers—Prahlad Tipaniya, Fariduddin Ayaz, Mukhtiyar Ali, Kumar Gandharva, Kaluram Bamaniya, Mahesha Ram and other wayfarers—make Anand return to music and poetry. Anand translates songs seldom found in books. Along the way, he witnesses Kabir drawing on the Buddha, often restating ancient suttas in joyous ways. The Notbook of Kabir is the result of this pursuit with no end in sight. This is the story of how Anand loses himself trying to find Kabir. You can check out the YouTube list of relevant Kabir's songs curated by S. Anand here. For readers interested in the paradoxical, downside-up language in Kabiri and its resonances with Daoist language (e.g. this translation of Daodejing), especially the mysthical atheist aspects, check out appendix B to this book by Brook Ziporyn. Feel free to check out Anand's Navayana Publishing, and his insightful blog posts here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

More Chapters AI Contribution: Courtesy of Google NotebookLM

Kabir is the most alive of all dead poets. He is a fabric without stitches. No centres, no edges. Anand threads his way in. Over the years, as a publisher and editor, Anand immerses himself in the works of Babasaheb Ambedkar and other anticaste thinkers. He gives up his practice of music and poetry, blaming his disenchantment on caste. One day in Delhi, Anand starts looking for Kabir. He finds him here, there, everywhere. He begins to pay attention to the many ways in which Kabir's words are sung, and translates them. Soon, Kabir starts looking out for Anand. The songs of Kabir sung by a range of singers—Prahlad Tipaniya, Fariduddin Ayaz, Mukhtiyar Ali, Kumar Gandharva, Kaluram Bamaniya, Mahesha Ram and other wayfarers—make Anand return to music and poetry. Anand translates songs seldom found in books. Along the way, he witnesses Kabir drawing on the Buddha, often restating ancient suttas in joyous ways. The Notbook of Kabir is the result of this pursuit with no end in sight. This is the story of how Anand loses himself trying to find Kabir. You can check out the YouTube list of relevant Kabir's songs curated by S. Anand here. For readers interested in the paradoxical, downside-up language in Kabiri and its resonances with Daoist language (e.g. this translation of Daodejing), especially the mysthical atheist aspects, check out appendix B to this book by Brook Ziporyn. Feel free to check out Anand's Navayana Publishing, and his insightful blog posts here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/buddhist-studies

Kabir is the most alive of all dead poets. He is a fabric without stitches. No centres, no edges. Anand threads his way in. Over the years, as a publisher and editor, Anand immerses himself in the works of Babasaheb Ambedkar and other anticaste thinkers. He gives up his practice of music and poetry, blaming his disenchantment on caste. One day in Delhi, Anand starts looking for Kabir. He finds him here, there, everywhere. He begins to pay attention to the many ways in which Kabir's words are sung, and translates them. Soon, Kabir starts looking out for Anand. The songs of Kabir sung by a range of singers—Prahlad Tipaniya, Fariduddin Ayaz, Mukhtiyar Ali, Kumar Gandharva, Kaluram Bamaniya, Mahesha Ram and other wayfarers—make Anand return to music and poetry. Anand translates songs seldom found in books. Along the way, he witnesses Kabir drawing on the Buddha, often restating ancient suttas in joyous ways. The Notbook of Kabir is the result of this pursuit with no end in sight. This is the story of how Anand loses himself trying to find Kabir. You can check out the YouTube list of relevant Kabir's songs curated by S. Anand here. For readers interested in the paradoxical, downside-up language in Kabiri and its resonances with Daoist language (e.g. this translation of Daodejing), especially the mysthical atheist aspects, check out appendix B to this book by Brook Ziporyn. Feel free to check out Anand's Navayana Publishing, and his insightful blog posts here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/south-asian-studies

Kabir is the most alive of all dead poets. He is a fabric without stitches. No centres, no edges. Anand threads his way in. Over the years, as a publisher and editor, Anand immerses himself in the works of Babasaheb Ambedkar and other anticaste thinkers. He gives up his practice of music and poetry, blaming his disenchantment on caste. One day in Delhi, Anand starts looking for Kabir. He finds him here, there, everywhere. He begins to pay attention to the many ways in which Kabir's words are sung, and translates them. Soon, Kabir starts looking out for Anand. The songs of Kabir sung by a range of singers—Prahlad Tipaniya, Fariduddin Ayaz, Mukhtiyar Ali, Kumar Gandharva, Kaluram Bamaniya, Mahesha Ram and other wayfarers—make Anand return to music and poetry. Anand translates songs seldom found in books. Along the way, he witnesses Kabir drawing on the Buddha, often restating ancient suttas in joyous ways. The Notbook of Kabir is the result of this pursuit with no end in sight. This is the story of how Anand loses himself trying to find Kabir. You can check out the YouTube list of relevant Kabir's songs curated by S. Anand here. For readers interested in the paradoxical, downside-up language in Kabiri and its resonances with Daoist language (e.g. this translation of Daodejing), especially the mysthical atheist aspects, check out appendix B to this book by Brook Ziporyn. Feel free to check out Anand's Navayana Publishing, and his insightful blog posts here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/music

Kabir is the most alive of all dead poets. He is a fabric without stitches. No centres, no edges. Anand threads his way in. Over the years, as a publisher and editor, Anand immerses himself in the works of Babasaheb Ambedkar and other anticaste thinkers. He gives up his practice of music and poetry, blaming his disenchantment on caste. One day in Delhi, Anand starts looking for Kabir. He finds him here, there, everywhere. He begins to pay attention to the many ways in which Kabir's words are sung, and translates them. Soon, Kabir starts looking out for Anand. The songs of Kabir sung by a range of singers—Prahlad Tipaniya, Fariduddin Ayaz, Mukhtiyar Ali, Kumar Gandharva, Kaluram Bamaniya, Mahesha Ram and other wayfarers—make Anand return to music and poetry. Anand translates songs seldom found in books. Along the way, he witnesses Kabir drawing on the Buddha, often restating ancient suttas in joyous ways. The Notbook of Kabir is the result of this pursuit with no end in sight. This is the story of how Anand loses himself trying to find Kabir. You can check out the YouTube list of relevant Kabir's songs curated by S. Anand here. For readers interested in the paradoxical, downside-up language in Kabiri and its resonances with Daoist language (e.g. this translation of Daodejing), especially the mysthical atheist aspects, check out appendix B to this book by Brook Ziporyn. Feel free to check out Anand's Navayana Publishing, and his insightful blog posts here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/poetry

Kabir is the most alive of all dead poets. He is a fabric without stitches. No centres, no edges. Anand threads his way in. Over the years, as a publisher and editor, Anand immerses himself in the works of Babasaheb Ambedkar and other anticaste thinkers. He gives up his practice of music and poetry, blaming his disenchantment on caste. One day in Delhi, Anand starts looking for Kabir. He finds him here, there, everywhere. He begins to pay attention to the many ways in which Kabir's words are sung, and translates them. Soon, Kabir starts looking out for Anand. The songs of Kabir sung by a range of singers—Prahlad Tipaniya, Fariduddin Ayaz, Mukhtiyar Ali, Kumar Gandharva, Kaluram Bamaniya, Mahesha Ram and other wayfarers—make Anand return to music and poetry. Anand translates songs seldom found in books. Along the way, he witnesses Kabir drawing on the Buddha, often restating ancient suttas in joyous ways. The Notbook of Kabir is the result of this pursuit with no end in sight. This is the story of how Anand loses himself trying to find Kabir. You can check out the YouTube list of relevant Kabir's songs curated by S. Anand here. For readers interested in the paradoxical, downside-up language in Kabiri and its resonances with Daoist language (e.g. this translation of Daodejing), especially the mysthical atheist aspects, check out appendix B to this book by Brook Ziporyn. Feel free to check out Anand's Navayana Publishing, and his insightful blog posts here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sound-studies

More Chapters AI Contribution: Courtesy of Google NotebookLM

More Chapters AI Contribution: Courtesy of Google NotebookLM

This episode we start to get more into the material culture of the period with court fashion, as we look at the court robes that went along with the updated court ranks.  Granted, we only have a few resources, but from those it does seem like we can construct at least a plausible idea of what the court may have looked like at this time. For more discussion, check out the blogpost:  https://sengokudaimyo.com/podcast/episode-137   Rough Transcript Welcome to Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  My name is Joshua and this is Episode 137:  Courtly Fashion. In the New Year's ceremony, the court officials lined up in front of the Kiyomihara Palace, arranged by their relative court rank, dressed in their assigned court robes.  The effect was impressive—the rows of officials painting the courtyard like the bands of color in a rainbow, albeit one with only a couple of hues.  The fact that they were all wearing the same style of dress and black, stiffened gauze hats only added to the effect.  The individual officers were all but lost in what was, at least in outward form, a single, homogenous machine of government, just waiting for the command of their monarch to attend to the important matters of state. We are covering the reign of Ohoama no Ohokimi, aka Ama no Nunahara oki no mabito no Sumera no Mikoto, aka Temmu Tennou.  Last episode we went over the changes he had made to the family titles—the kabane—as well as to the courtly rank system.  For the former, he had consolidated the myriad kabane and traditional titles across Yamato into a series of eight—the Yakusa no Kabane.   These were, from highest to lowest: Mabito, Asomi, Sukune, Imiki, Michinoshi, Omi, Muraji, and Inaki.  By the way, you might notice that "Mabito" actually occurs in Ohoama's posthumous name:  Ama no Nunahara oki no mabito, which lends more credence to the idea that that kabane was for those with a special connection to the royal lineage. Besides simplifying and restructuring the kabane, Ohoama also reformed the court rank system.  He divided the Princely ranks into two categories:  Myou, or Bright, and Jou, or Pure.  For the court nobles the categories were:                Shou – Upright                Jiki – Straight                Gon – Diligent                Mu – Earnest                Tsui – Pursue                Shin – Advancement Each category was further divided into four grades (except for the very first princely category, Myou, which was only two).  Each grade was then further divided into large, "dai", or broad, "kou". And this brings us to our topic today. Along with this new rank system, Ohoama's administration also instituted a new set of court sumptuary laws. Some are vague in the record—we can just make assumptions for what is going on based on what we know from later fashion choices.  Others are a little more clear.  We'll take a look at those sumptuary laws, particularly those that were directly associated with the new court rank system, but we'll also look at the clothing styles more generally. To start with, let's talk about what we know about clothing in the archipelago in general.  Unfortunately, fabric doesn't tend to survive very well in the generally acidic soils of the Japanese archipelago.  Cloth tends to break down pretty quickly.  That said, we have fragments here and there and impressions in pottery, so we have some idea that there was some kind of woven fabric from which to make clothing out of. And before I go too far I want to give a shout out to the amazing people at the Kyoto Costume Museum.  They have a tremendous website and I will link to it in the comments.  While there may be some debate over particular interpretations of historical clothing, it is an excellent resource to get a feel for what we know of the fashion of the various periods.  I'll also plug our own website, SengokuDaimyo.com, which has a "Clothing and Accessory" section that, while more geared towards Heian and later periods, may still be of some use in looking up particular terms and getting to know the clothing and outfits. At the farthest reaches of pre-history, we really don't have a lot of information for clothing.  There is evidence of woven goods in the Jomon period, and we have Yayoi burials with bits of cloth here and there, but these are all scraps.  So at best we have some conjecture as to what people were wearing, and possibly some ability to look across the Korean peninsula and see what people had, there. There are scant to no reliable records from early on in Japanese history, and most of those don't really do a great job of describing the clothing.  Even where we do get something, like the Weizhi, one has to wonder given how they tended to crib notes from other entries. There is at least one picture scroll of interest: Portraits of Periodical Offering of Liang, or Liáng -Zhígòngtú.  It is said to have been painted by Xiao Yi in the early 6th century, and while the original no longer exists there is an 11th century copy from the time of the Song Dynasty.  The scroll shows  various ambassadors to the Liang court, including one from Wa.  The Wa ambassador is shown with what appears to be a wide piece of cloth around his hips and legs, tied in front.  His lower legs are covered in what we might call kyahan today: a rather simple wrap around leg from below the knee to the foot.  He has another, blue piece of cloth around his shoulders, almost like a shawl, and it is also tied in front.  Then there is a cloth wrapped and tied around his head. It's hard to know how much of this depiction is accurate and how much the artist was drawing on memory and descriptions from things like the Weizhi or Wei Chronicles, which stated that the Wa people wore wide cloths wrapped around and seamlessly tied As such, it may be more helpful to look at depictions actually from the archipelago: specifically, some of the human-figured haniwa, those clay cylinders and statues that adorned the burial mounds which gave the kofun period its name.  Some of these haniwa are fairly detailed, and we can see ties, collars, and similar features of clothing. These haniwa primarily seem to cluster towards the end of the Kofun period, in the later 6th century, so it is hard to say how much they can be used for earlier periods, though that is exactly what you will typically see for periods where we have little to know evidence.  I'm also not sure how regional certain fashions might have been, and we could very much be suffering from survivorship bias—that is we only know what survived and assume that was everything, or even the majority. Still, it is something. Much of what we see in these figures is some kind of upper garment that has relatively tight sleeves, like a modern shirt or jacket might have, with the front pieces overlapping create a V-shaped neckline.  The garment hem often hangs down to just above the knee, flaring out away from the body, and it's held closed with ties and some kind of belt, possibly leather in some cases, and in others it looks like a tied loop of cloth.  There is evidence of a kind of trouser, with two legs, and we see ties around the knee.  In some cases, they even have small bells hanging from the ties.  Presumably the trousers might have ties up towards the waist, but we cannot see that in the examples we have. We also see individuals who have no evidence of any kind of bifurcated lower garment.  That may indicate an underskirt of some kind, or possibly what's called a "mo"—but it could also be just a simplification for stability, since a haniwa has a cylindrical base anyway.  It is not always obvious when you are looking at a haniwa figure whether it depicts a man or woman: in some cases there are two dots on the chest that seem to make it obvious, but the haniwa do come from different artisans in different regions, so there is a lot of variability. We also see evidence of what seem to be decorative sashes that are worn across the body, though not in all cases.  There are various types of headgear and hairstyles.  Wide-brimmed and domed hats are not uncommon, and we also see combs and elaborate hairstyles depicted.  On some occasions we can even see that they had closed toed shoes.  For accessories, we see haniwa wearing jewelry, including necklaces (worn by both men and women), bracelets, and earrings.  In terms of actual human jewelry, early shell bracelets demonstrate trade routes, and the distinctive magatama, or comma shaped jewel, can be found in the archipelago and on the Korean peninsula, where it is known as "gogok".  Based on lines or even colored pigment on the haniwa, it appears that many of these outfits were actually quite heavily decorated.  Paint on the outfits is sometimes also placed on the face, suggesting that they either painted or tattooed themselves, something mentioned in the Wei Chronicles.  We also have archaeological examples of dyed cloth, so it is interesting that people are often depicted in undyed clothing.  There is one haniwa that I find particularly interesting, because they appear to be wearing more of a round-necked garment, and they have a hat that is reminiscent of the phrygian cap: a conical cap with the top bent forward.  These are traits common to some of the Sogdians and other Persian merchants along the silk road, raising the possibility that it is meant to depict a foreigner, though it is also possible that it was just another local style. If we compare this to the continent, we can see some immediate difference.  In the contemporaneous Sui dynasty, we can see long flowing robes, with large sleeves for men and women.  The shoes often had an upturned placket that appears to have been useful to prevent one from tripping on long, flowing garments.  Many of these outfits were also of the v-neck variety, with two overlapping pieces, though it is often shown held together with a fabric belt that is tied in front.  The hats appear to either be a kind of loose piece of fabric, often described as a turban, wrapped around the head, the ends where it ties together trailing behind, or black lacquered crowns—though there were also some fairly elaborate pieces for the sovereign. As Yamato started to import continental philosophy, governance, and religion, they would also start to pick up on continental fashion.  This seems particularly true as they adopted the continental concept of "cap rank" or "kan-i". Let's go over what we know about this system, from its first mention in the Chronicles up to where we are in Ohoama's reign. As a caveat, there is a lot we don't know about the details of these garments, but we can make some guesses. The first twelve cap-ranks, theoretically established in 603, are somewhat questionable in their historicity, as are so many things related to Shotoku Taishi.  And their names are clearly based on Confucian values:  Virtue, Humanity, Propriety, Faith, Justice, and Wisdom, or Toku, Nin, Rei, Shin, Gi, and Chi.  The five values and then just "Virtue", itself. The existence of this system does seem to be confirmed by the Sui Shu, the Book of Sui, which includes a note in the section on the country of Wa that they used a 12 rank system based on the Confucian values, but those values were given in the traditional Confucian order vice the order given in the Nihon Shoki.   The rank system of the contemporaneous Sui and Tang dynasties was different from these 12 ranks, suggesting that the Yamato system either came from older dynasties—perhaps from works on the Han dynasty or the Northern and Southern Dynasty, periods—or they got it from their neighbors, Baekje, Silla, and Goguryeo.  There does seem to be a common thread, though, that court rank was identifiable in one's clothes. As for the caps themselves, what did they look like?  One would assume that the Yamato court just adopted a continental style cap, and yet, which one? It isn't fully described, and there are a number of types of headwear that we see in the various continental courts. Given that, we aren't entirely sure exactly what it looked like, but we do have a couple of sources that we can look at and use to make some assumptions.  These sources l ead us to the idea of a round, colored cap made of fabric, around the brim that was probably the fabric or image prescribed for that rank.  It is also often depicted with a bulbous top, likely for the wearer's hair, and may have been tied to their top knot.     Our main source for this is the Tenjukoku Mandala Embroidery (Tenjukoku-mandara-shuuchou) at Chuuguuji temple, which was a temple built for the mother of Prince Umayado, aka Shotoku Taishi.    This embroidery was created in 622, so 19 years after the 12 ranks would have been implemented. It depicts individuals in round-necked jackets that appear to have a part straight down the center.  Beneath the jacket one can see a pleated hem, possibly something like a "hirami", a wrapped skirt that is still found in some ceremonial imperial robes.  It strikes me that this could also be the hem of something like the hanpi, which was kind of like a vest with a pleated lower edge.  Below that we see trousers—hakama—with a red colored hem—at least on one figure that we can see.  He also appears to be wearing a kind of slipper-like shoe. As for the women, there are a few that appear to be in the mandala, but it is hard to say for certain as the embroidery has been damaged over the years. That said, from what we can tell, women probably would have worn something similar to the men in terms of the jacket and the pleated under-skirt, but then, instead of hakama, we see a pleated full-length skirt, or mo.  We also don't have a lot of evidence for them wearing hats or anything like that. The round necked jacket is interesting as it appears to be similar to the hou that was common from northern China across the Silk Road, especially amongst foreigners.  This garment  came to displace the traditional robes of the Tang court and would become the basis for much of the court clothing from that period, onwards.  The round necked garment had central panels that overlapped, and small ties or fastenings at either side of the neck to allow for an entirely enclosed neckline.  This was more intricate than just two, straight collars, and so may have taken time to adopt, fully. The next change to the cap-rank system was made in 647, two years into the Taika Reform.  The ranks then were more directly named for the caps, or crowns—kanmuri—and their materials and colors.  The ranks translate to Woven, Embroidered, Purple, Brocade, Blue, Black, and finally "Establish Valor" for the entry level rank. The system gets updated two years later, but only slightly.  We still see a reference to Woven stuff, Embroidery, and Purple, but then the next several ranks change to Flower, Mountain, and Tiger—or possibly Kingfisher.  These were a little more removed from the cap color and material, and may have had something to do with designs that were meant to be embroidered on the cap or on the robes in some way, though that is just speculation based on later Ming and Qing court outfits. Naka no Ohoye then updates it again in 664, but again only a little.  He seems to add back in the "brocade" category, swapping out the "flower", and otherwise just adds extra grades within each category to expand to 26 total rank grades. And that brings us to the reforms of 685, mentioned last episode.  This new system was built around what appear to be moral exhortations—Upright, Straight, Diligent, Earnest, etc.  And that is great and all, but how does that match up with the official robes? What color goes with each rank category?  Fortunately, this time around, the Chronicle lays it out for us pretty clearly. First off we are given the color red for the Princely ranks—not purple as one might have thought.  Specifically, it is "Vermillion Flower", hanezu-iro, which Bentley translates as the color of the "Oriental bush" or salmon.  In the blogpost we'll link to a table of colors that the founder of Sengoku Daimyo, Anthony Bryant, had put together, with some explanation of how to apply it.  I would note that there is often no way to know exactly what a given color was like or what shades were considered an acceptable range.  Everything was hand-dyed, and leaving fabric in the dye a little longer, changing the proportions, or just fading over time could create slightly different variants in the hue, but we think we can get pretty close. From there we have the six "common" ranks for the nobility.  Starting with the first rank, Upright, we have "Dark Purple".  Then we have "Light Purple".  This pattern continues with Dark and Light Green and then Dark and Light Grape or Lilac.  Purple in this case is Murasaki, and green here is specifically Midori, which is more specifically green than the larger category of "Aoi", which covers a spectrum of blue to green.  The grape or lilac is specifically "suou", and based on Bentley's colors it would be a kind of purple or violet. The idea is that the official court outfits for each rank would be the proper color.  And yes, that means if you get promoted in rank, your first paycheck—or rice stipend—is probably going to pay for a new set of official clothes.  Fortunately for the existing court nobles at the time, in the last month of 685, the Queen provided court clothing for 55 Princes and Ministers, so they could all look the part. And the look at court was important.  In fact, several of the edicts from this time focus specifically on who was allowed—or expected—to wear what.  For instance, in the 4th month of 681, they established 92 articles of the law code, and among those were various sumptuary laws—that is to say, laws as to what you could wear.  We are told that they applied to everyone from Princes of the blood down to the common person, and it regulated the wearing of precious metals, pearls, and jewels; the type of fabric one could use, whether purple, brocade, embroidery, or fine silks; and it also regulated woollen carpets, caps, belts, and the colors of various things. And here I'd like to pause and give some brief thought to how this played into the goals of the court, generally, which is to say the goal of creating and establishing this new system of governance in the cultural psyche of the people of the archipelago.  From the continental style palaces, to the temples, and right down to the clothing that people were wearing, this was all orchestrated, consciously or otherwise, to emphasize and even normalize the changes that were being introduced.  When everything around you is conforming to the new rules, it makes it quite easy for others to get on board. The court had surrounded themselves with monumental architecture that was designed along continental models and could best be explained through continental reasoning.  Even if they weren't Confucian or Daoist, those lines of reasoning ran through the various cultural and material changes that they were taking up.  Sure, they put their own stamp on it, but at the same time, when everything is right in front of you, it would become that much harder to deny or push back against it. And when you participated in the important rituals of the state, the clothing itself became a part of the pageantry.  It reinforced the notion that this was something new and different, and yet also emphasized that pushing against it would be going against the majority.  So court uniforms were another arm of the state's propaganda machine, all designed to reinforce the idea that the heavenly sovereign—the Tennou—was the right and just center of political life and deserving of their position.  Getting back to the sumptuary laws and rank based regulations: It is unfortunate that the record in the Nihon Shoki doesn't tell us exactly how things were regulated, only that they were, at least in some cases.  So for anything more we can only make assumptions based on later rules and traditions.  A few things we can see right away, though.  First is the restriction of the color purple.  Much as in Europe and elsewhere in the world, getting a dark purple was something that was not as easy as one might think, and so it tended to be an expensive dye and thus it would be restricted to the upper classes—in this case the princely and ministerial rank, no doubt.  Similarly brocade and fine silks were also expensive items that were likely restricted to people of a particular social station for that reason. The mention of woolen rugs is particularly intriguing.  Bentley translates this as woven mattresses, but I think that woolen rugs makes sense, as we do have examples of woolen "rugs" in Japan in at least the 8th century, stored in the famous Shousouin repository at Toudaiji temple, in Nara.  These are all imported from the continent and are actually made of felt, rather than woven.  As an imported item, out of a material that you could not get in the archipelago, due to a notable lack of sheep, they would have no doubt been expensive. The funny thing is that the carpets in the Shousouin may not have been meant as carpets.  For the most part they are of a similar size and rectangular shape, and one could see how they may have been used as sleeping mattresses or floor coverings.  However, there is some conjecture that they came from the Silk Road and may have been originally meant as felt doors for the tents used by the nomadic steppe peoples.  This is only conjecture, as I do not believe any of these rugs have survived in the lands where they would have been made, but given the size and shape and the modern yurt, it is not hard to see how that may have been the case.  Either way, I tend to trust that this could very well have meant woolen rugs, as Aston and the kanji themselves suggest, though I would understand if there was confusion or if it meant something else as wool was not exactly common in the archipelago at that time or in the centuries following. The last section of the regulations talks about the use of caps and belts.  The caps here were probably of continental origin:  The kanmuri, or official cap of state of the court nobles, or the more relaxed eboshi—though at this time, they were no doubt closely related. In fact, a year later, we have the most specific mention to-date of what people were actually wearing on their heads: there is a mention of men tying up their hair and wearing caps of varnished gauze.  Earlier caps related to the cap rank system are often thought to be something like a simple hemisphere  that was placed upon the head, with a bulbous top where the wearer's hair could be pulled up as in a bun. The kanmuri seems to have evolved from the soft black headcloth that was worn on the continent, which would have tied around the head, leaving two ends hanging down behind.  Hairstyles of the time often meant that men had a small bun or similar gathering of hair towards the back of their head, and tying a cloth around the head gave the effect of a small bump.  This is probably what we see in depictions of the early caps of state.  Sometimes this topknot could be covered with a small crown or other decoration, or wrapped with a cloth, often referred to as a "Tokin" in Japanese.  But over time we see the development of hardened forms to be worn under a hat to provide the appropriate silhouette, whether or not you actually had a topknot (possibly helpful for gentlemen suffering from hair loss).  And then the hat becomes less of a piece of cloth and more just a hat of black, lacquered gauze made on a form, which was much easier to wear.  At this point in the Chronicle, the cap was likely still somewhat malleable, and would made to tie or be pinned to that bun or queue of hair.  This explains the mention of men wearing their hair up.  This pin would become important for several different types of headgear, but ties were also used for those who did not have hair to hold the hat on properly. Two years after the edict on hats, we get another edict on clothing, further suggesting that the court were wearing Tang inspired clothing.  In 685 we see that individuals are given leave to wear their outer robe either open or tied closed. This is a clue that this outer robe might something akin to the round-necked hou that we see in the Tenjukoku Mandala, where the neck seems to close with a small tie or button.  However, we do see some examples, later, of v-necked garments with a tie in the center of the neck, so that may be the reference..  Opening the collar of the formal robes was somewhat akin to loosening a necktie, or unbuttoning the top button of a shirt.  It provided a more relaxed and comfortable feeling.  It could also be a boon in the warm days of summer.  Leaving it closed could create a more formal appearance. The courtiers also had the option of whether or not to wear the "Susotsuki", which Bentley translates as "skirt-band".  I believe this refers to the nai'i, or inner garment.  This would often have a pleated hem—a suso or ran—which would show below the main robe as just a slight hem.  Again, this is something that many would dispense with in the summer, or just when dressing a bit more casually, but it was required at court, as well as making sure that the tassles were tied so that they hung down.  This was the uniform of the court.  We are also told that they would have trousers that could be tied up, which sounds like later sashinuki, though it may have referred to something slightly different.  We are also given some regulations specifically for women, such as the fact that women over 40 years of age were allowed the discretion on whether or not to tie up their hair, as well as whether they would ride horses astride or side-saddle.  Presumably, younger women did not get a choice in the matter.  Female shrine attendants and functionaries were likewise given some leeway with their hairstyles. A year later, in 686, they do seem to have relaxed the hairstyles a bit more: women were allowed to let their hair down to their backs as they had before, so it seems that, for at least a couple of years, women under the age of 40 were expected to wear their hair tied up in one fashion or another. In that same edict, men were then allowed to wear "habakimo".  Aston translates this as "leggings" while Bentley suggests it is a "waist skirt".  There are an example of extant habakimo in the Shousouin, once again, and they appear to be wrappings for the lower leg.  It actually seems very closely related to the "kyahan" depicted all the way back in the 6th century painting of the Wo ambassador to Liang. Even though these edicts give a lot more references to clothing, there is still plenty that is missing.  It isn't like the Chroniclers were giving a red carpet style stitch-by-stitch critique of what was being worn at court.  Fortunately, there is a rather remarkable archaeological discovery from about this time. Takamatsuzuka is a kofun, or ancient burial mound, found in Asuka and dated to the late 7th or early 8th century.  Compared to the keyhole shaped tombs of previous centuries, this tomb is quite simple: a two-tiered circular tomb nestled in the quiet hills.  What makes it remarkable is that the inside of the stone burial chamber was elaborately painted.  There are depictions of the four guardian animals, as well as the sun and the moon, as well as common constellations.  More importantly, though, are the intricate pictures of men and women dressed in elaborate clothing. The burial chamber of Takamatsuzuka is rectangular in shape.  There are images on the four vertical sides as well as on the ceiling.  The chamber is oriented north-south, with genbu, the black tortoise, on the north wall and presumably Suzaku, the vermillion bird, on the south wall—though that had been broken at some point and it is hard to make out exactly what is there. The east and west walls are about three times as long as the north and south walls.  In the center of each is a guardian animal—byakko, the white tiger, on the west wall and seiryuu, the blue—or green—dragon on the east.  All of these images are faded, and since opening of the tomb have faded even more, so while photos can help, it may require a bit more investigation and some extrapolation to understand all of what we are looking at. On the northern side of both the east and west wall we see groups of four women.  We can make out green, yellow, and red or vermillion outer robes with thin fabric belt sashes, or obi, tied loosely and low around the waist.  There is another, lightly colored—possibly white, cream or pink—that is so faded it is hard to make out, and I don't know if that is the original color.  These are v-necked robes, with what appear to be ties at the bottom of the "v".  Around the belt-sash we see a strip of white peaking out from between the two sides of the robe—most likely showing the lining on an edge that has turned back slightly.  The cuffs of the robe are folded back, showing a contrasting color—either the sleeves of an underrobe or a lining of some kind.  Below the outer robe is a white, pleated hem—possibly a hirami or similar, though where we can make it out, it seems to be the same or similar color as the sleeves.  Under all of that, they then have a relatively simple mo, or pleated skirt.  The ones in the foreground are vertically striped in alternating white, green, red, and blue stripes.  There is one that may just be red and blue stripes, but I'm not sure.  In the background we see a dark blue—and possibly a dark green—mo.  At the base of each mo is a pleated fringe that appears to be connected to the bottom of the skirt.  The toe of a shoe seems to peek out from underneath in at least one instance.  They don't have any obvious hair ornaments, and their hair appears to be swept back and tied in such a way that it actually comes back up in the back, slightly.  They appear to be holding fans and something that might be a fly swatter—a pole with what looks like tassels on the end. In comparison, at the southern end of the tomb we have two groups of men.  These are much more damaged and harder to make out clearly.  They have robes of green, yellow, grey, blue, and what looks like dark blue, purple, or even black.  The neckline appears to be a v-necked, but tied closed, similar to what we see on the women.  We also see a contrasting color at the cuff, where it looks like the sleeves have turned back, slightly.  They have belt-sashes similar to the women, made of contrasting fabric to the robe itself.  Below that we see white trousers, or hakama, and shallow, black shoes.  On some of the others it is suggested that maybe they have a kind of woven sandal, but that is hard to make out in the current image.  On their heads are hats or headgear of black, stiffened—probably lacquered—gauze.  They have a bump in the back, which is probably the wearer's hair, and there is evidence of small ties on top and larger ties in the back, hanging down.  Some interpretations also show a couple with chin straps, as well, or at least a black cord that goes down to the chin.  They carry a variety of implements, suggesting they are attendants, with an umbrella, a folding chair, a pouch worn around the neck, a pole or cane of some kind, and a bag with some kind of long thing—possibly a sword or similar. The tomb was originally found by farmers in 1962, but wasn't fully examined until 1970, with an excavation starting in 1972.  The stone at the entryway was broken, probably from graverobbers, who are thought to have looted the tomb in the Kamakura period.  Fortunately, along with the bones of the deceased and a few scattered grave goods that the robbers must have missed, the murals also survived, and somehow they remained largely intact through the centuries.  They have not been entirely safe, and many of the images are damaged or faded, but you can still make out a remarkable amount of detail, which is extremely helpful in determining what clothing might have looked like at this time—assuming it is depicting local individuals. And there is the rub, since we don't know exactly whom the tomb was for.  Furthermore, in style it has been compared with Goguryeo tombs from the peninsula, much as nearby Kitora kofun is.  Kitora had images as well, but just of the guardian animals and the constellations, not of human figures. There are three theories as to who might have been buried at Takamatsuzuka.  One theory is that it was one of Ohoama's sons.  Prince Osakabe is one theory, based on the time of his death and his age.  Others have suggested Prince Takechi.  Based on the teeth of the deceased, they were probably in their 40s to 60s when they passed away. Some scholars believe that it may be a later, Nara period vassal—possibly, Isonokami no Maro.  That would certainly place it later than the Asuka period. The third theory is that it is the tomb of a member of one of the royal families from the Korean peninsula—possibly someone who had taken up refuge in the archipelago as Silla came to dominate the entire peninsula.  This last theory matches with the fact that Takamatsuzuka appears to be similar to tombs found in Goguryeo, though that could just have to do with where the tomb builders were coming from, or what they had learned. That does bring up the question of the figures in the tomb.  Were they contemporary figures, indicating people and dress of the court at the time, or were they meant to depict people from the continent?  Without any other examples, we may never know, but even if was indicative of continental styles, those were the very styles that Yamato was importing, so it may not matter, in the long run.     One other garment that isn't mentioned here is the hire, a scarf that is typically associated with women.  It is unclear if it has any relationship to the sashes we see in the Kofun period, though there is at least one mention of a woman with a hire during one of the campaigns on the Korean peninsula.  Later we see it depicted as a fairly gauzy piece of silk, that is worn somewhat like a shawl.  It is ubiquitous in Sui and Tang paintings of women, indicating a wide-ranging fashion trend.  The hire is a fairly simple piece of clothing, and yet it creates a very distinctive look which we certainly see, later. Finally, I want to take a moment to acknowledge that almost everything we have discussed here has to do with the elites of society—the nobles of the court.  For most people, working the land, we can assume that they were probably not immediately adopting the latest continental fashions, and they probably weren't dressing in silk very much.  Instead, it is likely that they continued to wear some version of the same outfits we see in the haniwa figures of the kofun period.  This goes along with the fact that even as the elite are moving into palaces built to stand well above the ground, we still have evidence of common people building and living in pit dwellings, as they had been for centuries.  This would eventually change, but overall they stuck around for quite some time.  However, farmers and common people are often ignored by various sources—they aren't often written about, they often aren't shown in paintings or statues, and they did often not get specialized burials.  Nonetheless, they were the most populous group in the archipelago, supporting all of the rest. And with that, I think we will stop for now.  Still plenty more to cover this reign.  We are definitely into the more historical period, where we have more faith in the dates—though we should remember that this is also one of the reigns that our sources were specifically designed to prop up, so we can't necessarily take everything without at least a hint of salt and speculation, even if the dates themselves are more likely to be accurate. Until then, if you like what we are doing, please tell your friends and feel free to rate us wherever you listen to podcasts.  If you feel the need to do more, and want to help us keep this going, we have information about how you can donate on Patreon or through our KoFi site, ko-fi.com/sengokudaimyo, or find the links over at our main website,  SengokuDaimyo.com/Podcast, where we will have some more discussion on topics from this episode. Also, feel free to reach out to our Sengoku Daimyo Facebook page.  You can also email us at the.sengoku.daimyo@gmail.com.  Thank you, also, to Ellen for their work editing the podcast. And that's all for now.  Thank you again, and I'll see you next episode on Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  

George Thompson is a filmmaker, Tai Chi practitioner, and creator dedicated to inspiring balance for both people and planet. After experiencing anxiety and burnout, George embarked on a transformative journey that took him from the Wudang Mountains in China to the wilderness of Scotland. In this conversation, we explore: — Why discovering Tai Chi was a pivotal moment in his trajectory — How compassion naturally arises from true understanding — The power of investigating our thoughts and feelings as messengers of unmet needs — How to cultivate playfulness and sincerity without being serious — George's journey from atheism to panpsychism and how this shift changed his relationship with nature And more. You can learn more about George's work through his YouTube channel or his website: https://www.balanceispossible.com. --- George Thompson is a filmmaker, storyteller, and educator dedicated to making ancient wisdom practical for modern life. As the founder of Balance Is Possible!, he leads a global team sharing teachings on Tai Chi, Daoist philosophy, and the art of living in harmony with oneself and nature. After years of struggling with anxiety and disconnection, George travelled to China's Wudang Mountains, where he studied Tai Chi and Daoism under Master Gu. There, he discovered that balance isn't about perfection—but about learning to move with life's natural flow. Through his courses, films, and online community, George helps people reconnect to purpose, clarity, and inner peace. His unique teaching style blends humour, emotional honesty, and spiritual insight, making profound ideas accessible and engaging. Today, George's work reaches millions worldwide through films like The Subtle Art of Losing Yourself and the world's largest online Tai Chi school. Supported by mentors such as Chungliang Al Huang and Deng Ming Dao, he continues to inspire others to embrace their full potential and live with compassion, creativity, and balance. -- Interview Links: — George's website: https://www.balanceispossible.com/ — George's recommended books: https://bit.ly/472aEh7

Ever wonder if being human is less about mechanics and more about patterns? Not the kind of patterns you memorize in a textbook, but the ones that repeat like spirals in a sunflower, or the way a thought can shape the body before we even realize it.In this conversation with Rory Hiltbrand, we wander through the field of being human—where Daoist numerics, fractals, and the golden ratio intersect with medicine and daily practice. Rory draws from both classical Daoist thought and his own clinical experience, weaving geometry, physiology, and spirit into something that feels both practical and mysterious.Listen into this discussion as we explore the body as a field and the mind as its knower, how intention can be grounded in embodied experience rather than wishful thinking, why ministerial fire might look a lot like the nervous system, and the curious ways symmetry becomes a treatment strategy.What I love in talking with Rory is how ideas that seem abstract at first end up grounding us in clinic. Patterns that echo through heaven and earth can also help us know when the best time to treat is simply when the patient is on the table.

EVERYONE who signs up wins a FREE WhisperVibe™ OR a FREE Rose toy with any Whisper™ order! https://www.bboutique.co/vibe/emilymorse-podcast Join the SmartSX Membership : https://sexwithemily.com/smartsx Access exclusive sex coaching, live expert sessions, community building, and tools to enhance your pleasure and relationships with Dr. Emily Morse. List & Other Sex With Emily Guides: https://sexwithemily.com/guides/ Explore pleasure, deepen connections, and enhance intimacy using these Sex With Emily downloadable guides. SHOP WITH EMILY!: https://bit.ly/3rNSNcZ (free shipping on orders over $99) Want more? Visit the Sex With Emily Website: https://sexwithemily.com/ Sex educator Susan Bratton reveals why the #1 complaint in heterosexual relationships—"she can't orgasm during intercourse"—isn't about broken bodies, but broken information. With techniques that have her inbox flooded with exclamation points, Susan dismantles everything you thought you knew about penetrative sex. Discover why rushing is killing your pleasure, what ancient Daoists knew about rhythm that porn never taught you, and the counterintuitive move that makes orgasm easier (hint: it's not what you're doing now). Susan explains the arousal gap nobody talks about, reframes the vagina in a way that will change how you touch it, and teaches the "Heart Tongue" approach that transforms mechanical sex into connection. A 50-year-old man asks why his girlfriend can't climax during sex despite trying everything. A 25-year-old wonders if she's ever actually had an orgasm and why "squirting" feels like nothing. Susan guides both through tissue activation, sacred self-pleasure, and why the entrance to the vagina needs to be courted, not conquered. Susan claims her best sex ever and credits specific practices for looking a decade younger than her peers. She shares the "Lips-Nips-Clit Axis," why opening matters more than tightening, and her most-thanked technique involving a 10-count that toggles the nervous system. If you've been chasing sensation instead of connection, this episode rewrites the playbook. Timestamps:

On the 144th episode of What is a Good Life?, I'm delighted to welcome George Thompson. George is a filmmaker, teacher, and founder of Balance is Possible!, a movement dedicated to inspiring balance for both people and planet. With over 25 million people impacted by his work and support from changemakers like Louie Schwartzberg, Tara Brach, and Stephen Fry, George weaves together ancient Daoist wisdom and modern science into practical, playful tools for navigating modern life.In this conversation, we explore what it truly means to live in balance — within ourselves, with others, and with the natural world. George shares insights from his time training under Master Gu in the Wudang Mountains of China, and reflects on how balance extends beyond personal wellbeing into a collective responsibility for the planet.This is a gentle and profound invitation to slow down, be present, and rediscover harmony amidst the complexities of life.For more of George's work:website: https://www.balanceispossible.com/His latest film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KArWcMldPMContact me at mark@whatisagood.life if you'd like to explore your own lines of self-inquiry through 1-on-1 coaching, my 5-week group courses, or to discuss team coaching to stimulate greater trust, communication, and connection, amongst your leadership teams.- For the What is a Good Life? podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/00:00 What is balance?03:00 The economy and nature05:00 A radical transformation of understanding08:30 The unexpected path to Tai Chi11:20 The embrace of the unknown17:00 Letting go of yourself20:00 No longer separating life from practice 23:50 The wisdom of the mind28:15 Trusting the flow of life31:00 The forming of a mission34:00 The interdependence of healing38:00 Giving yourself grace of seasons41:00 Creating more space to meet life44:25 Loving the challenging feelings of life49:50 The movement towards balance52:45 Summary of the conversation and what is a good life for George?

Send us a textHow do we spiral with change and not spin out of control?As 2025 continues to swirl with uncertainty, co-hosts Belinda Liu and Omar Brownson reunite with Dr. Paul Wang to honor the Fall Equinox and the elemental transition from metal to soil — a time of release, grounding, and gathering perspective.Together, they explore how nature, Daoist wisdom, and community rituals can help us stay centered when life feels chaotic. From Mount Shasta to the Big Island of Hawai‘i, they share stories of sacred mountains, falling leaves, and the medicine of awe — reminding us that even as the world quickens, we can root deeper into stillness and soil.When the Agapanthus (Perspective) card emerges from the Gratitude Blooming deck, it offers a radical invitation: Pause, breathe, and see through new eyes... the eyes of a mountain.What if transformation isn't something to chase — but something to notice, to nurture, to remember?

Long before Daoism became philosophy, it was survival.In this episode (1-148), Taoist Master Steenrod traces the ancient, shamanic roots of Daoism — a time when humanity faced energetic predators and learned to fight back.Through humor and history, he reveals how early “supernatural combat” shaped the Daoist path: a tradition built on observation, proof, and endurance. What began as the defense of life became a way to understand it — and to walk in balance with forces far beyond the human world.Intro music: “Finding Movement” by Kevin MacLeod — licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Source: incompetech.com

Here we are at the end of our interminable journey! Millions of years in the blink of many hours. Seen some unbelievable stuff (4d space) and some super believable stuff (gender essentialism) and in the end we've really seen what happens when we stretch the scale of ethics to the breaking point. So, finally, we look at what this all says about Chinese philosophy, particularly what it means to be a Daoist sage. Enjoy! Death's End: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death%27s_End Support us at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/0G Join our Facebook discussion group (make sure to answer the questions to join): https://www.facebook.com/groups/985828008244018/ Email us at: philosophersinspace@gmail.com If you have time, please write us a review on iTunes. It really really helps. Please and thank you! Music by Thomas Smith: https://seriouspod.com/ Sibling shows: Embrace the Void: https://voidpod.com/ Content Preview: Sinners and The Color Line

Ever wonder if you're already a Daoist at heart? In this reflective short (Ep 2-6), Taoist Master Mikel Steenrod explores the quiet signs that the path has already found you. From the way pain, fear, and desire shape our search for peace, to the strange resonance some feel when reading the Dao De Jing, this episode looks at why Daoism speaks so deeply—or not at all.Mikel reminds listeners that the journey doesn't have to be grand. Whether your practice is light and grounding or a deep quest for truth, what matters is creating a life you actually want to live. No comparisons. No afterlife scoreboard. Just presence, contentment, and honesty with yourself.Living the Tao Shorts are bite-sized reflections designed to help you return to balance, insight, and calm in under ten minutes.Finding Movement by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100693Artist: http://incompetech.com/

The Daoist hermit who supposedly lived to 118 years old and profoundly influenced Confucian philosophy.Support the show

In today's episode, we discuss the Daoist god Tu'er Shen, who is considered to be a patron god of homosexuality. Join us to learn about intimacy between men in 18th century China, a secret gay statue, and one Daoist priest's desire to create a safe space for queer youth. Check out our website, where you can find our sources, as well as everything there is to know about Queer as Fact. If you enjoy our content, consider supporting us on Patreon, checking out our merch, and following us on Instagram, Tumblr and Bluesky. [Image: cropped from photograph by Han Cheung, Taipei Times]

What if the deepest medicine you're seeking has been alive within you all along?In this week's Fire and Soul, I sit down with my dear sister Dr. Cass Naumann—doctor of Chinese medicine, ordained Daoist priestess, musician, and ceremonialist—for a profoundly moving conversation on the sacred alchemy of healing.Cass shares her remarkable journey from musician to healer, and how the initiations of grief, devotion, and spiritual cultivation shaped her path. We explore why ceremony matters so deeply in these times, how our bodies carry the keys to transformation, and what it means to activate our “inner pharmacy” of joy, presence, and connection.This is one of those deeply rich, heart-opening dialogues that feels like a ceremony in itself, and I'm so excited for you to experience it.

Send us a textDiscover mindful ways to transition into fall with Belinda, Omar, and Dr. Paul. This episode explores harvest wisdom, Daoist teachings, and gentle practices for balance, gratitude, and stress relief this autumn season.From coffee trees ripening on the Big Island to the Daoist teachings of the metal element, this episode invites us to notice the signals of what is ready to be gathered and what needs to be released. Together, we reflect on gentleness as a practice: how to exhale, soften, and discern with care rather than force. Join us in welcoming fall with balance, gratitude, and the question—what does a gentle harvest look like in your life?--- Create an intentional practice with your own Gratitude Blooming card deck, notecards, candle and much much more at our shop at www.gratitudeblooming.com. Learn more about our co-hosts and special guest for Season 4: Co-host Belinda Liu | Hestia Retreat Centers Co-host Omar Brownson | Trickster's Guide to Immortality on Substack Special Guest Dr. Paul Wang | The Dao CenterIf you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to leave us a 5-star rating and review. Your feedback is valuable to us and helps us grow. Share your thoughts and comments by emailing us at hello@gratitudeblooming.com. We love hearing from our listeners!

What if the most powerful talisman wasn't on paper, metal, or wood—but within you? In this Shorts episode (2-4), Master Steenrod explores how Daoist talismans work, why external charms are only reflections of the true source, and how recognizing yourself as a living talisman unlocks a deeper strength.

Can a state make its people forget the dead? Cemeteries have become sites of acute political contestation in the city-state of Singapore. Confronted with high population density and rapid economic growth, the government has ordered the destruction of all but one burial ground, forcing people to exhume their family members. In Necropolitics of the Ordinary: Death and Grieving in Contemporary Singapore (University of Washington Press, 2025), an ethnography of Chinese funeral parlors and cemeteries, anthropologist and trained mortician Dr. Ruth E. Toulson demonstrates this as part of a larger shift to transform a Daoist-infused obsession with ancestors into a sterile, more easily controlled "Protestant" Buddhism. Further, in a context where the dead remain central to family life, forced exhumation tears the social fabric, turning ancestors into ghosts. Using death ritual and grieving as interrogative lenses, Dr. Toulson explores the scope of and resistance to state power over the dead, laying bare the legacies of colonialism and consequences of whirlwind capitalist development. In doing so, she offers a new anthropology of death, one both more personal and politicized. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Can a state make its people forget the dead? Cemeteries have become sites of acute political contestation in the city-state of Singapore. Confronted with high population density and rapid economic growth, the government has ordered the destruction of all but one burial ground, forcing people to exhume their family members. In Necropolitics of the Ordinary: Death and Grieving in Contemporary Singapore (University of Washington Press, 2025), an ethnography of Chinese funeral parlors and cemeteries, anthropologist and trained mortician Dr. Ruth E. Toulson demonstrates this as part of a larger shift to transform a Daoist-infused obsession with ancestors into a sterile, more easily controlled "Protestant" Buddhism. Further, in a context where the dead remain central to family life, forced exhumation tears the social fabric, turning ancestors into ghosts. Using death ritual and grieving as interrogative lenses, Dr. Toulson explores the scope of and resistance to state power over the dead, laying bare the legacies of colonialism and consequences of whirlwind capitalist development. In doing so, she offers a new anthropology of death, one both more personal and politicized. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/southeast-asian-studies

Can a state make its people forget the dead? Cemeteries have become sites of acute political contestation in the city-state of Singapore. Confronted with high population density and rapid economic growth, the government has ordered the destruction of all but one burial ground, forcing people to exhume their family members. In Necropolitics of the Ordinary: Death and Grieving in Contemporary Singapore (University of Washington Press, 2025), an ethnography of Chinese funeral parlors and cemeteries, anthropologist and trained mortician Dr. Ruth E. Toulson demonstrates this as part of a larger shift to transform a Daoist-infused obsession with ancestors into a sterile, more easily controlled "Protestant" Buddhism. Further, in a context where the dead remain central to family life, forced exhumation tears the social fabric, turning ancestors into ghosts. Using death ritual and grieving as interrogative lenses, Dr. Toulson explores the scope of and resistance to state power over the dead, laying bare the legacies of colonialism and consequences of whirlwind capitalist development. In doing so, she offers a new anthropology of death, one both more personal and politicized. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/anthropology

Can a state make its people forget the dead? Cemeteries have become sites of acute political contestation in the city-state of Singapore. Confronted with high population density and rapid economic growth, the government has ordered the destruction of all but one burial ground, forcing people to exhume their family members. In Necropolitics of the Ordinary: Death and Grieving in Contemporary Singapore (University of Washington Press, 2025), an ethnography of Chinese funeral parlors and cemeteries, anthropologist and trained mortician Dr. Ruth E. Toulson demonstrates this as part of a larger shift to transform a Daoist-infused obsession with ancestors into a sterile, more easily controlled "Protestant" Buddhism. Further, in a context where the dead remain central to family life, forced exhumation tears the social fabric, turning ancestors into ghosts. Using death ritual and grieving as interrogative lenses, Dr. Toulson explores the scope of and resistance to state power over the dead, laying bare the legacies of colonialism and consequences of whirlwind capitalist development. In doing so, she offers a new anthropology of death, one both more personal and politicized. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sociology

Can a state make its people forget the dead? Cemeteries have become sites of acute political contestation in the city-state of Singapore. Confronted with high population density and rapid economic growth, the government has ordered the destruction of all but one burial ground, forcing people to exhume their family members. In Necropolitics of the Ordinary: Death and Grieving in Contemporary Singapore (University of Washington Press, 2025), an ethnography of Chinese funeral parlors and cemeteries, anthropologist and trained mortician Dr. Ruth E. Toulson demonstrates this as part of a larger shift to transform a Daoist-infused obsession with ancestors into a sterile, more easily controlled "Protestant" Buddhism. Further, in a context where the dead remain central to family life, forced exhumation tears the social fabric, turning ancestors into ghosts. Using death ritual and grieving as interrogative lenses, Dr. Toulson explores the scope of and resistance to state power over the dead, laying bare the legacies of colonialism and consequences of whirlwind capitalist development. In doing so, she offers a new anthropology of death, one both more personal and politicized. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/buddhist-studies

Can a state make its people forget the dead? Cemeteries have become sites of acute political contestation in the city-state of Singapore. Confronted with high population density and rapid economic growth, the government has ordered the destruction of all but one burial ground, forcing people to exhume their family members. In Necropolitics of the Ordinary: Death and Grieving in Contemporary Singapore (University of Washington Press, 2025), an ethnography of Chinese funeral parlors and cemeteries, anthropologist and trained mortician Dr. Ruth E. Toulson demonstrates this as part of a larger shift to transform a Daoist-infused obsession with ancestors into a sterile, more easily controlled "Protestant" Buddhism. Further, in a context where the dead remain central to family life, forced exhumation tears the social fabric, turning ancestors into ghosts. Using death ritual and grieving as interrogative lenses, Dr. Toulson explores the scope of and resistance to state power over the dead, laying bare the legacies of colonialism and consequences of whirlwind capitalist development. In doing so, she offers a new anthropology of death, one both more personal and politicized. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/public-policy

Can a state make its people forget the dead? Cemeteries have become sites of acute political contestation in the city-state of Singapore. Confronted with high population density and rapid economic growth, the government has ordered the destruction of all but one burial ground, forcing people to exhume their family members. In Necropolitics of the Ordinary: Death and Grieving in Contemporary Singapore (University of Washington Press, 2025), an ethnography of Chinese funeral parlors and cemeteries, anthropologist and trained mortician Dr. Ruth E. Toulson demonstrates this as part of a larger shift to transform a Daoist-infused obsession with ancestors into a sterile, more easily controlled "Protestant" Buddhism. Further, in a context where the dead remain central to family life, forced exhumation tears the social fabric, turning ancestors into ghosts. Using death ritual and grieving as interrogative lenses, Dr. Toulson explores the scope of and resistance to state power over the dead, laying bare the legacies of colonialism and consequences of whirlwind capitalist development. In doing so, she offers a new anthropology of death, one both more personal and politicized. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/religion

Can a state make its people forget the dead? Cemeteries have become sites of acute political contestation in the city-state of Singapore. Confronted with high population density and rapid economic growth, the government has ordered the destruction of all but one burial ground, forcing people to exhume their family members. In Necropolitics of the Ordinary: Death and Grieving in Contemporary Singapore (University of Washington Press, 2025), an ethnography of Chinese funeral parlors and cemeteries, anthropologist and trained mortician Dr. Ruth E. Toulson demonstrates this as part of a larger shift to transform a Daoist-infused obsession with ancestors into a sterile, more easily controlled "Protestant" Buddhism. Further, in a context where the dead remain central to family life, forced exhumation tears the social fabric, turning ancestors into ghosts. Using death ritual and grieving as interrogative lenses, Dr. Toulson explores the scope of and resistance to state power over the dead, laying bare the legacies of colonialism and consequences of whirlwind capitalist development. In doing so, she offers a new anthropology of death, one both more personal and politicized. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"That city's name is Sendai."Date Masamune founds a new city with a name fit for the home of a Daoist immortal, while Tokugawa Ieyasu sees to the disposition of rewards and punishments after Sekigahara.Script and sources available at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://riverside-wings.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Riversidewings on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or buy ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠some merch at Fourthwall⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. (Music is "Shinshun Ryoutei," "Kyoto no Ohayashi," "Hokora Uta," and "Yamagami no Yashiro," from 「MOMIZizm MUSiC（もみじば）｜フリーBGM 」)

Many different cultures from China and Southeast Asia honor the dead on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month during the Hungry Ghost Festival, also known as Zhongyuan in Daoism and Yulanpen or Ullambana in Mahayana Buddhism. In this episode, we'll trace the origins of ancestor worship to ancient Shang Dynasty Oracle Bones, or “Dragon Bones,” which were used to inscribe petitions to ancestral spirits and hold the earliest evidence of Chinese writing. Then we'll explore how regional variations of those ancient beliefs blended with the Buddhist Ulambana Sutra (or Mulian Rescues His Mother from Hell), Daoist visions of the afterlife, and Confucian teachings on filial responsibility. Over time, these influences eventually gave rise to the Hungry Ghost Festival which has continued to evolve into modern celebrations that weave together ancient traditions and modern lifestyles to honor both personal ancestors and members of the community lost in historical tragedies.TranscriptsFor transcripts of this episode head over to: https://archpodnet.com/tpm/21LinksSee photos related to episode topics on InstagramLoving the macabre lore? Treat your host to a coffee!Learn More About Chinese History with the China History PodcastLos Angeles Hungry Ghost Festival 2025Video: Taiwan's “Ghost Grappling”Video: Mulian Saves His Mother Performance at Kiew Lee Tong Temple in SingaporeAcademic SourcesCampany, Robert F. 1991. Ghosts Matter: The Culture of Ghosts in Six Dynasties Zhiguai. Chinese Literature: Essays, Articles, Reviews (CLEAR) 13:15.Chan, Selina Ching. 2023. Unequal Inscriptions of the Hungry Ghosts (Yulan) Festival Celebrations as Intangible Cultural Heritage in Hong Kong. China Perspectives(132):49–59.Deutsch, Lauren W. Chinese Joss Paper Offerings.Liu, Jingyu. 2020. The Unimpeded Passage: The Making of Universal Salvation Rites and Buddho-Daoist Interactions in Medieval China.Shirin, Shakinah. 2021. Past and Present Rituals of Hungry Ghost Festival. Intercultural Communication.Zhao, Yin. Indian Cultural Elements on the Ullambana Festival.ArchPodNetAPN Website: https://www.archpodnet.comAPN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archpodnetAPN on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/archpodnetAPN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archpodnetAPN ShopAffiliatesMotion

Don Javier, Nana Lourdes, and John talk about Indigenous, Buddhist, and Daoist spiritual responses to Imperialism.

In episode 2-3 of Shorts:  Daoist “magic” wasn't just movie myth — it was central in much of Daoist history, especially in the ritual and sectarian traditions found in the Daoist Canon. In this episode, Master Steenrod explains how the term “sage” might even be read as “wizard,” and why Daoist practice evolved from esoteric power into a guide for everyday life. Along the way, we explore the concept of ling (numinous power) and the Daoist idea that those with greater ability have the responsibility to uplift society. A revealing look at how Daoism bridges mystical practice, moral responsibility, and daily living. 

In this watery simulation of an episode, Matt and Chris uncover the true purpose of Scott Adams' existence: not to shape reality, but to provide training data for future AIs working on plumbing-related problems. Somewhere in a cosmic server farm, Scott is endlessly confronted with blocked drains, dripping faucets, and municipal water conspiracies, while his “insights” fuel the next generation of household maintenance bots.Against this surreal backdrop, Naval Ravikant enters the scene — investor, tweeter, self-styled philosopher, and, in practice, just another discourse surfer riding the waves of online conspiracism. The conversation opens with a familiar chorus of right-wing talking points, drifts into feverish speculation about lawfare, censorship, and “imported voters,” and finally winds down in the dim light of dorm-room metaphysics, where slogans like “happiness is a choice” are served up as if they were profound insights.Naval presents himself as a detached sage, offering a boutique blend of political commentary and Daoist-tinged wisdom. In reality, he delivers little more than predictable polemics and recycled aphorisms. Imagining himself a great man of history dispensing lyrical truths in tweet-sized form, he produces nothing that rises above the usual culture-war debris. The posture is Buddha-with-a-smartphone; the reality is a credulous tech elite mistaking his own Twitter feed for a philosophy seminar.What follows is Elon-as-Ben-Franklin fanboying, Trump rebranded as a “bottom-up” leader of the people, and a level of self-congratulation so thick it could be used to terraform Mars. By the end, you may find yourself nostalgic for the leaky pipes in Scott's simulation — at least they produce real water...SourcesModern Wisdom (Chris Williamson): 44 Harsh Truths About The Game Of Life - Naval Ravikant (4K)Real Coffee with Scott Adams: Conversation with Naval Ravikant

Send us a text2025 has been a year of relentless waves — uncertainty, upheaval, and unexpected turns.In this episode, co-hosts Belinda Liu and Omar Brownson are joined again by Dr. Paul Wang to explore how Daoist seasonal wisdom can guide us through noisy, volatile times.Together, they reflect on the transition into the metal season in Chinese cosmology, represented by autumn — a time of discernment, boundaries, and filtering out noise so we can hear the deeper signal of what truly matters.From the symbolism of sound and silence to the lessons of animals, oceans, and plants, the conversation reveals how remembrance, grace, and inner stillness help us navigate change.The Gratitude Blooming card they draw — the Poppy (Remembrance) — invites us to pause, honor what we want to sustain, and release what no longer serves.

In this episode of Chasing Leviathan, PJ and Dr. Eric Nelson discuss his book 'Heidegger and Dao,' exploring the intersections between Heidegger's philosophy and Daoist thought. Dr. Nelson emphasizes the importance of charitable reading and intercultural hermeneutics, critiques the influence of technology on philosophical discourse, and highlights new documentation that reveals Heidegger's deeper engagement with Daoism. The discussion also delves into concepts of freedom, nothingness, nurturing darkness, and eco-mimesis, advocating for a more attuned and responsive way of living in relation to our environments.Make sure to check out Dr. Nelson's book: Heidegger and Dao: Things, Nothingness, Freedom (Daoism and the Human Experience)

In this episode, 2-2, of LTT Shorts, Taoist Master Mikel Steenrod explores why most live by “rules of thumb” while a few chase divine truth—and why only an inner calling makes the journey worth it.Master Steenrod contrasts the everyday “rules of thumb” that guide most people through life with the Daoist pursuit of divine truth—an alignment with reality as it truly is. He explains why such a quest demands refining the whole self, not just thinking harder, and why only those with a deep, inner compulsion should undertake it. For the rare few, truth is more than knowledge—it is power, offering options and freedom beyond ordinary living. 

#367 In this episode, Guy welcomed back San Qing for an enlightened conversation about the deeper aspects of Daoist alchemy and spirituality. San dived into the intricate relationship between the body, energy, spirit, consciousness, and the primordial pulse, emphasizing the importance of realigning the energy within oneself to achieve immortality. The discussion also touches on the practices of channeling, the significance of conditioning the body and spirit, and the transformative power of empathy. San Qing shared a personal, moving story about using Daoist practices to save his son's life, illustrating the profound impact of these teachings. Guy and San also explored the potential of human longevity and the path to true self-realization. Enjoy this deep, emotive conversation that blends ancient wisdom with modern spiritual practices. About San: Taoist Master San Qing has over 30 years' experience guiding people, teaching people, opening people up to their true potential as a human being, as a light being, as just being. San Qing is an ordained priest and 66th generation lineage holder and 126th generation lineage holder of Taoism. San is a Taoist master of Qigong and Neigong, is a prolific channel and healer who has built a reputation for direct access to the spirit realm. He is grateful every day to his teachers, the Three Pure Ones and the Tao, for allowing him to witness miracles. San works with people all over the world showing them, that the impossible is possible. Key Points Discussed:  (00:00) - TAOIST MASTER Explains INVISIBLE FORCE Creating Reality; And the Forgotten Power Awakening in You (01:01) - Podcast Introduction and Guest Welcome (02:35) - San Qing's Journey and Teachings (03:18) - Understanding Personality and True Self (03:58) - The Path to Self-Realization (06:38) - Energy, Consciousness, and the Pulse (11:36) - The Alchemical Process and Sensory Perception (18:54)) - Holding and Harnessing Energy (25:15) - Breathing Through Consciousness (28:30) - The Unity of Energy and Emotions (31:56) - The World's Greatest Secret (32:22) - Evoking Moments and Unity (34:05) - Channeling and Teachers (35:44) - Alchemical Processes and Superhuman Abilities (36:53) - The Power of Empathy and Raising Humanity (45:01) - The Importance of Fundamentals in Metaphysics (53:56) - Human Potential and Longevity (56:44) - A Miraculous Experience (01:01:14) - Conclusion and Resources How to Contact San Qing:theway126.com www.youtube.com/@theway126experience   About me:My Instagram: www.instagram.com/guyhlawrence/?hl=en Guy's websites:www.guylawrence.com.au www.liveinflow.co

Send us a textHow might letting go open space for something new (and even different) to grow in your life?In this episode, co-hosts Belinda Liu and Omar Brownson, joined by season 4 guest, Dr. Paul Wang, explore how we move from the heat of transformation into grounded stillness — from fire to soil. Through their personal stories from Hawai‘i, Los Angeles, and the Galápagos, they reflect on navigating rapid change, embracing uncertainty, and trusting the slow process of adaptation.Dr. Paul shares Daoist wisdom on late summer's elemental shift, reminding us that fire's intensity naturally gives way to soil's stability. Together, they draw the Gratitude Blooming card for Forgiveness, sparking conversation about shedding what no longer serves and letting go with grace, not force.Whether you're in a season of growth, shedding, or simply holding steady, this episode offers grounded insight for finding balance, even in turbulent times.Meet us in person at our upcoming October Gratitude Blooming retreat at Belinda's newest retreat center on the Big Island of Hawaii — use promo code BIGTHANKS for 20% off.--- Create an intentional practice with your own Gratitude Blooming card deck, notecards, candle and much much more at our shop at www.gratitudeblooming.com. Learn more about our co-hosts and special guest for Season 4: Co-host Belinda Liu | Hestia Retreat Centers Co-host Omar Brownson | Trickster's Guide to Immortality on Substack Special Guest Dr. Paul Wang | The Dao CenterIf you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to leave us a 5-star rating and review. Your feedback is valuable to us and helps us grow. Share your thoughts and comments by emailing us at hello@gratitudeblooming.com. We love hearing from our listeners!

In this episode of The Self-Employed Life, I had the great pleasure of speaking with Emily Paul, a member of my High Achievers year-long coaching group. We explored the concept of alchemy—what it really means and why it's essential for entrepreneurs. Emily shares how she helps high-achieving individuals dissolve old patterns, tap into deeper intuition, and reconnect with their authentic selves through the transformative power of alchemy. She also explains how her work goes beyond traditional coaching, why energy healing can be just as powerful remotely, and why now is the time for changemakers to fully embrace their brilliance. This episode is for anyone ready to begin their journey to true freedom and step into who they were meant to be. Rather than letting health challenges, diagnosis, and perceived expectations from others define who she is, from an early age Emily committed to blazing her own path including:   ● Completing her senior year of high school in the Iowa town where she lived while her parents and two younger siblings moved a seven hour drive north... ● Declining a teaching career in her early twenties to instead follow her heart and passion and move to an island in the Caribbean to pursue a path of humanitarian service... ● Realizing why she'd been dying her hair for a decade did not reflect her true self, she chose to gray naturally at age 35.   Emily revels in the sacred space beyond what we've experienced or been led to believe is our truth… The potency of Emily's work lies in decades of her own dedicated self-cultivation and the mastery with which she walks clients through their own internal maze to access latent energy and wisdom. Daoist-infused Alchemy is one means she uses to ignite profound and lasting transformation. Customized integrative coaching/mentoring, ceremony and group facilitation are further means she engages to invoke newfound freedom for her clients. With a Master's of Science in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine from Bastyr University and a Women and Gender Studies -BA- from Macalester College, Emily has sought out teachers, mentors, and healers - both within the United States and internationally - who have guided her exploration of meditation, mindfulness- based practices, coaching/mentoring, leadership development, somatic acuity, energetic healing, and perennial wisdom for well over twenty-five years. All Services and Programs are geared toward personal transformation and cultivating calm confidence in order to show up in an unprecedented way AND find fun in playing a bigger game with life. Guest's Contact – Website Contact Jeffrey – JeffreyShaw.com Books by Jeffrey Shaw Business Coaching for Entrepreneurs Watch my TEDx LincolnSquare video and please share! Valuable Resources – The Self-Employed Business Institute You know you're really good at what you do. You're talented, you have a skill set. The problem is you're probably in a field where there is no business education. This is common amongst self-employed people! And, there's no business education out there for us! You also know that being self-employed is unique and you need better strategies, coaching, support, and accountability. The Self-Employed Business Institute, a five-month online education is exactly what you need. Check it out! Take The Self-Employed Assessment! Ever feel like you're all over the place? Or frustrated it seems like you have everything you need for your business success but it's somehow not coming together? Take this short quiz to discover the biggest hidden gap that's keeping you from having a thriving Self-Employed Ecosystem. You'll find out what part of your business needs attention and you'll also get a few laser-focused insights to help you start closing that gap. Have Your Website Brand Message Reviewed! Is your website speaking the right LINGO of your ideal customers? Having reviewed hundreds of websites, I can tell you 98% of websites are not. Fill out the simple LINGO Review application and I'll take a look at your website. I'll email you a few suggestions to improve your brand message to attract more of your ideal customers. Fill out the application today and let's get your business speaking the right LINGO! Host Jeffrey Shaw is a Small Business Consultant, Brand Management Consultant, Business Coach for Entrepreneurs, Keynote Speaker, TEDx Speaker and author of LINGO and The Self Employed Life (May 2021). Supporting self-employed business owners with business and personal development strategies they need to create sustainable success.