Birch

Or chronic stress.

I'm sorry to hear about your dog dying.

Neither

I have a different suggestion. Allow yourself to feel the way you do but don't act on it. But I think there's also some argument to be made that feelings can escalate further and quicker to action than if you cut them off. --opinion etc--

The whole thread. It has to do with what I understand as major differences between Taoism and Buddhism in views around the process of formation of mindbodyspirit. Sorry to use that term but its as close an approximation as I can get to between a 'materialist to begin with' concept I'm quite well aquainted with having grown up with it and the other ones which are as far as I can see 'not materialist' to begin with. Buddhist enlightenment is one direction only 'jing qi shen'. Taoist immortality is any which way they cultivate. But like I said, correct me if I'm off the mark.

Welcome to TTB's!

Different ways again. Jing-Qi-Shen goes both ways AFAIK. 'JIng-Qi-Shen' is not a Buddhist understanding. Someone please correct me if I'm off the mark on this?

I'm suggesting we get the "classic" one down before discussing others. The one you're talking about could be a 5 element altar- at least that's what it sounds like to me. So it would be Taoist for sure but use a different system. I reckon if we let this thread mature while different folks weigh in, we'll get to the different types.

I'm wondering whether the nature altar might be more a topic for the Hermeticism forum? The Taoist altar has well-codified objects and correspondences so to get to those first and then work out IF they have equivalences would be my suggestion. The thread on whether non-believers and believers can discuss the same topics with mutual respect isn't really a thread IMO, it's the spirit of the forum to do so (or try one's damnedest:-)).

So it seems that lately I've been pretty active in the occult scene in my dreams. Latest, I dreamt I broke two curses that different people had placed on me. The dream narrator also told me I'd been through the kundalini twice. There were a bunch of symbolic objects, a heavily underlined book that looked like a paperback 'how to' of curse breaking which I'd definitely buy if I could recall the title :-) and the realization that my mother is actually a real witch. She was one of the people who had placed a curse. The big curse. The other person had just put a little one on me and they know who they are (apparently) and not to do it again or I'll use a bunch of mirrors on them:-) I also dreamt I'd left my luggage in a different city, but that part I get. Anyone want to take a stab at analysis?

CT dude, you're not suggesting anything cultural or anything? --joke--

I can get that, but why would a dream (this is during more 'unconscious' sleeping moments) be about something I have understood already during 'waking' (and could be assumed) 'consciousness'. Not to get all Occam's razor but to get Occam's razor, why? If I've already got it. Why bother with the dream? I'm not trying to be silly. Just trying to understand.

And what about the room to put them (the altars) in? Let's say you put one in your bedroom due to lack of space and other reasons (like not having an obvious altar in a public room). Which one would you best put there? And which not. I'm not a fan of anything being in my bedroom I haven't invited. Great thread:-)

Reckon I should pay 12K to get it removed;-) haha. ---joking---

Lemon, the narrator was just a voiceover, like in a documentary. Nothing particular about it

More interesting posts! I don't wish to speak about the people involved in any detail. I'm relying on the dream itself for insight. What's an 'appendage'?

More what?

There was a bit of both. But I'm not a particularly high-level cultivator, I LOVED Liminal Luke's and Taomeow's posts. Curious about where these dream categories might be to be found today.

I can only offer that the # 2) gets better with time and practice. But you might want to check in with someone on what your practice has become. I mentioned my own more 'suppressive' meditative practice that actually causes pain (it's like a bunch of little balls of microtension everywhere) so I have to not do it that way any more:-)

I think it's fine to question the motivations around the costs.

Welcome to TTB's!

Thanks for all the great posts so far. Finding this really interesting.

Maybe there are TTBs closer to home and less costly who could help out? Some of the Hermetic folks sound like they have chops with this stuff. Might be a 'put up or shut up' opportunity for someone:-)

Thanks Stosh. I find the below somewhat debateable however. "since you have the most distinct understnding of your own symbolism"

With what? The ridding of the illusion of self? I have no intention of doing so:-)