Introduction

["peter_reist <peter_reist@...>" <peter_reist@...>]

Dear Rawn et al.,

I'm currently attending the University of Waterloo in Southern 
Ontario, working towards my BA in psychology. As such, depending on 
my course load, I'll probably be more of a lurker of sorts, grateful 
for whatever insights into the works of Franz Bardon that I might be 
able to glean from the discussions.

I am also an active practitioner of Taiji Quan who studies Chen, Shen 
and Yang style Taiji Quan. My instructor having primarily learned 
most of his art from Shen Zaiwen and Master Jou Tsung Hwa though he, 
as do I, consistently works towards a better understanding of the 
form and the energies that are found within Taiji Quan.

Having a background within the Chinese Martial Arts, I too find that 
Bardon's conception of the electrical and the magnetic fluids closely 
relates the concept of Yang and Yin. In fact, I personally go a step 
farther to see a connection between the first chapter of the Dao De 
Jing and Rawn Clark's commentary upon The Emerald Tablet of Hermes 
and hence with the Tree of Life.

The Dao that can be spoken of is not the eternal Dao.
The name that can be named is not the true name. 
The nameless (Wuji) is the origin of both heaven (Yang) and earth( 
Yin); 
That which we give name (Taiji) is the mother of all existence,
Darkness within darkness, the gate to all mystery.
All who desire can see only the manifestation of it; 
All who renounce desire can see the mysteries.
--- Lao Zi, Dao De Jing #1

Wuji = Kether.
Yang = Chokmah, electric fluid. Yod.
Yin = Binah, magnetic fluid. First Heh.
Taiji = Tiphareth, Air, the union of the electrical and magnetic 
fluid. Vav.
The myriad things, usually expressed as the Wu Xing(Five Elemental 
Phases) equaling Malkuth, earth, and the final Heh. Though, by far, 
the Chinese conception of the Wu Xing is a far more fluidic and 
cyclical than what you will find anywhere else. Which is primarily 
due to, in my opinion, the geographic conditions that are to be found 
in China.

Sure, I might be stretching things a tad, but it makes sense to me. 
And, at this moment in time, that's one of the few things that matter 
to me. I'm sure someone could easily point out numerous differences 
between the two traditions, though one could also easily point out 
numerous similarities as well. The fact of the matter is, each 
tradition is attempting to try to explain the same thing, the 
universe. As such, it is only logical that one find threads of 
similarity between one tradition and the next. 

Though, at the very same time I recognize that similarity does not 
make them the same. As such I try not to fall into Plato's 
famous "Socrates is a duck" theorem: Socrates has two legs, ducks 
have two legs. Therefore Socrates is a duck.

Furthermore, I'm an active member of the local university alternative 
spirituality club. In which we do a lot of discussion on energetics, 
astral projection, healing, empathy and so forth. Oftentimes leading 
to some practical, hand's on working of what we have been discussing.

I also must confess that my current copies of _Initiation into 
Hermetics_ and _The Key to the True Quaballah_ are from online 
sources. Though I do plan on getting all three of Bardon's works once 
I actually get some money. Which, as a university student, probably 
isn't going to be for some time. Though, given Bardon's openness with 
expressing his works I'd think that he probably wouldn't mind my 
little copyright infraction overly much. :)

Brightest blessings,
Peter Reist