silent thunder

Thank you so much for this. While you shared this a little over two years ago... It just reflected in my awareness now. and the timing was incredible... synchronous. Again thank you for taking your time and sharing this. This kind of encounter, reminds me why I remain here so long and so often...

Hey @Satya Checking in... thinking of you. peace.

Grandparents create life size Totoro bus stop for their Granddaughters. So. Much. Yes! edit to add: @rainbowvein

Necessity of thought... necessity. The necessary stuff for me, seems to lie in what occurs below the threshold of conscious waking awareness. As I've pursued 'meditation' I came to realize that my innate sense of things doesn't demonize thinking. I'm not much concerned by everyday thoughts arising. I've always appreciated the value of a quiet mind, but have no innate interest in demoting the value of conscious thinking, or in seeking to stop it completely, or railing against it as some kind of enemy. It's natural, a part of awareness... but a small part, it's just the thin surface. "Like butter scraped over too much bread." ~Bilbo Baggins I have found abiding benefit in no longer feeding many of the thoughts that arise naturally. But I don't perceive conscious thinking as a negative, or a positive. It is part of awareness; a small part. And often, not necessary. Awareness is what is... my samadhi experience obliterated all notions of objects around me being somehow separate 'things'. Objects, like thoughts, exist occur in the mind, which seems to me, a tiny field within awareness.

Those non-moderator member's sigs are now reflecting the ignore preferences I previously selected. Thank you.

It's a minor and inconsequential issue, but I'm curious, so since we have mods now, I bring it up. It's about members who's signatures can't be ignored, due to some sort of moderator status. None of them have ever been mods, so it seems a software mixup? Many are no longer active, but three examples are either active now, or recently were... Miroku Toni and Son of the Gods None of these member's signatures can be ignored.

padded bicycle seat

I've always appreciated the Druidic definition of who we are... We are always three in one. We are who we think we are. We are who others think we are. And we are who we really are, (which is neither of the other two). It's one big soup and thinking and labeling is an ever shifting smear, glazed along the surface... like colorful oil atop water pools.

No. None of my playlists are public.

*bump* Still noticing this issue with normal members having mod status in regards to unignorable signatures and today, a non mod member posted a new topic in hundun/primordial chaos. Showed up in my feed but was unviewable.

Yes Sir!

Do not overlook negative actions merely because they are small; however small a spark may be, it can burn down a haystack as big as a mountain. Do not overlook tiny good actions, thinking they are of no benefit; even tiny drops of water in the end will fill a huge vessel. ~Buddha

I may get the Dan Reid version. What was your impression of the one you got?

there is a crack, in everything... that's how the light gets in...

While searching up quotes of Herman Hesse on the anniversary of his passing a couple weeks ago... several quotes I encountered leapt out at me and resonated piercingly. All from the same book, Demian. I'd never heard of it. Got it for my gal for Second Christmas. She's not started it yet, but I'm anticipating good things... woof!

I played that song for my ferns... they are now Sequoias...

Welcome mate. When I first encountered Daoism, it was like being struck by silent lightning. It was like suddenly becoming aware of an entire aspect of myself that had lain dormant and having it then spring to life. Hope you enjoy your time and conversations here...

It's certainly possible, though whether or not it's beneficial in your case, only you will come to know. There are certainly some added benefits but also many pitfalls in beginning that young. But it's certainly possible. I have a friend of 25 years who is asexual and has never had a romantic relationship. He's retired and in his upper 70's now. He has never had a girlfriend, or boyfriend in all that time. Never asked if he is completely celilbate. My wife and I dual cultivate and go long periods abstaining. I'm demisexual (at 50 I've had two partners in my life), and I'm often not engageable sexually, cannot be seduced and won't respond sexually unless certain resonance is present. For me sexuality arises from non-physical stimuli and deeper emotional subconscious triggers and spiritual resonance. It seems to follow cycles with my gal and I... we have our natural rut and we long ago embraced this and don't force anything, either in engaging, or abstaining. Authentic response... never forcing is my motto for almost all of life and it works well for me... for us. What lineage are you considering joining? There was a time when I considered joining an order if my gal and I had not worked out...

woof! "with all the fire we can breathe..." "I feel the change on the rise..." wow... thanks for sharing this one. He's new for me.

I studied music for years as a youngster, drums piano and sax, then took a long break. Few years ago I picked up a beginners acoustic guitar and enjoy strumming contentedly with no personal goal. I play for pure enjoyment and distraction and do not seek learning songs... though a couple have come along on their own. As for healing... music is a wonderful tool, I find, whether playing, listening, dancing, or all three simultaneously. If you're playing for healing, look into Solfeggio Harmonics and tune your A string to 432 or 417 Hz and not the standard 440 if you want to heal; not only is it a warmer tone musically, if sensitive, you'll feel the difference and resonance clearly in the quality and effect of the sound on the heart and mind @ 432 vs 440. Happy strumming mate! Also, to add... somewhere around the forum here, is the story of my wife healing herself of a double spine fracture, without pills and without surgery, through daily ecstatic dance inspired by African Drumming. This was 27 years ago now and she's still fully healed. All life, all 'physical matter' is vibration, every thing is vibration. Music penetrates, sound heals. I use certain playlists to offset my darker moods when they gain too much inertia, to great effect. Cheers!

Welcome to the Bums @CuriousMonkey... You ask a question that I've lovingly, (and grudgingly at times) asked and re-asked countless times for the last three decades. I've yet to find the one answer to it... rather recently and unexpectedly, I've come to appreciate dancing in the raw answerlessness of it. Hope you find many good conversations here.

Houdini took off a few minutes ago. It's a perfect morning for flying... warm, dry, just the slightest of breezes.

Here's Houdini pre-flight.