Birch

Love it! Every drink is a different vibe? My interpretation;-) - A nicely aged, medium red (like St Emil) - in moderation, tends toward warmth and compassion - descending energy - overdone becomes fuzzy melancholic ego - A chilled white with greenery (like a Entre Deux Mers) - in moderation, tends toward playful fresness- rising energy - overdone becomes wild sleepless racing mind - A round, chubby pint of stout - in moderation, tends towards ground and fullness-sinking energy - overdone becomes sleeping heavy body - A glass of good Scotch - in moderation, tends towards mixed ascending/descending energy - overdone becomes ? lesser Kan and Li;-)? I would guess that the no-alcohol caveat for practice is related to its capacity to alter body/mind energy in ways that the practitioner may not be aware of AND that could be counter to the effects of the intended practice. Oh, plus that practices themselves are often quite enough thanks;-)

My guess is that if they made as much effort as some of the Taoists do to understand the book(s) they might get more out of it;-) I haven't but that's because the translation is really bad. Anyhow, back to the metaphysics thing. Why someone (Christian or not) would wish actual, real death upon anyone is probably the biggy here. Despite actual events and apart from what you told us about those - that he actually concentrated very hard on killing someone for weeks - the guy must be seriously lacking - in a number of ways that will probably not benefit him in the long run. THAT'S where his Karma might just nail him. See the 'Make a wish' thread here for fun and instruction.

If it doesn't spontaneously get you to not eat that second Krispy Kreme - then it ain't enlightenment either;-) But you might say wolfing down the second Krispy Kreme and the realization that you don't have to are too insignificant/ridiculous to be called this wonderful thing that is enlightenment. I would reply: no realization is insignificant.

Oh THIS is an interesting thread! Ian being pompous (although I doubt it;-)) Mal making all kinds of distinctions about love. Hot vs not. Mal, ask her about the metaphor of the handcuffs from her POV. I attended a speech once where the woman was talking about traditional wedding symbolism. I felt very very uncomfortable (stuff like chains and cattle were being referred to - yak) Anyway, I've been reading a lot about fallout between partners. Apparently this is addressed by many spiritual practices. I was shocked, shocked! to hear of Buddhists at it! Taoists, not surprised;-) Kabbalists do it Gnostics do it Taoists do it Buddhists do it Bees do it Birds do Even itty bitty somethings do it Let's do it, let's fall in looo---ove (can you hear Sinatra?) I didn't much like the sound of the Deida stuff about women being bitchy (NB inferred from this thread). Anything that seems to have generalizations (sic) in it should be looked at closer. Like that John Grey dude. Like some of the basic idea - hate the form.

Without going all the way;-) You can still think of something you don't presently believe in - like that big fat pink elephant in your living room (for which the gun is stored some place between the refrigerator and the oven, approximately;-) ) No-one may get the stupid reference to elephant guns - or will they???

If I didn't like someone and they yawned and that made me want to yawn I would hold the yawn back on purpose so as not to be like them;-) Bloody difficult;-)

Now I feel terrible for saying I was having fun with this. Agree with all above posters so far. Thanks for the reminder.

I know I'm doing this on purpose but we're making an assumption that there is one (a mind) I would say its the same as all the other objects. Lots to contemplate on those so back to mind.... Struggling between saying it is and it isn't. (is) - I don't know but I'm wasting a lot of time (euh having fun) trying to find out.

Sure GIH. I'd be interested in an analysis of that.

Just so we know;-) I took the sig from Mikaelz in the first place. I was thinking (sic) of a new one for me: "Don't always believe what you think!" What do you think? Pun not intended.

Look into destruction cycle vs nourishing cycle for 5E. But I think it's unlikely the manufacturers had those in mind.... Bling!

What is enlightenment? It means knowing your own mind as it really is. This a good thing for this thread. As I said, I have BDD ;-) Why insist so much on something that is belief-dependent? I guess it's not so much of a criticism than an outright question. I can think of some really terrible (and wonderful) answers!

So what does that point to about reincarnation? I guess not much. If we're just constantly incarnating all over the place in the first place;-) Which sounds messy - and it is;-) I have BDD (belief deficit disorder;-))

I guess meditation makes me feel better in the long run (although it's no shortcut and has actually brought up more things than I care to deal with;-)) but in the short term, a variety of good food, exercise, time outdoors, time with friends, intellectual curiosity... When I feel something's out of whack I'll sometimes go for massage, acupuncture, a walk, see a friend, just stop and breathe... I think a lot depends on your goal. If I wanted to run a marathon then I'd have to train for it. My goal for meditation is just to improve life, develop awareness and get some skills to handle what comes up better. Because things do come up;-)

I know that it's confusing! Which is why you (ok, maybe just me then;-)) have to sort though all the stuff! Thanks for the link - which is one thing amongst many. It may or may not be the case.

That must be awful for your friend. What's even more awful is all the confusing advice! It's very possible he would have been accepted as some kind of shaman in other places - although this doesn't help at all - does it? He probably feels awful - thinking no-one else "hears" voices apart from him. Like the folks that smell sounds and attribute colours to numbers and things. Or the people with phantom limbs. Or the people who can read on lips. Or the blind guy that echo-locates like a dolphin (by clicking - look it up). Maybe if we could all relax our ideas of what is 'normal' sensory perception that would be a step forward;-) Seriously, lots and lots of fun research on this stuff. Helping blind people 'see' with touch (their 'visual brain centres' light up on MRI indicating to everyone else that they 'really are seeing' :-P

Oh. Good question! Which one makes more sense to you? Which one makes you feel better? Do you have any examples of when either seemed to be the case? i do;-) Lots and lots of them. You could try both in equal measure. I don't really know you and I feel much too responsible telling you what to do on an online forum. As I keep saying, my golf sucks;-) Could you start easy? Grounding exercises every day, a bit of mindfulness. Maybe some western therapy (you can get good therapy here!) Maybe some acupuncture. Get your intellectual curiosity some real food. Read. Study. Not for exams, for you. Get your body some real food. Eat. Have fun. Work out. Love. Change the avatar to something that is not shaking;-) Kate

Well that would explain things. Guess I'm gonna go get a FU or 2. Var, if your students need a case study;-)

ok, I'm caught;-)

So I was looking at Dan Ingram's maps again in order to try to get a handle on my latest system failure;-) Either I'm in what he (and others) term a 'Dark night' AGAIN (sigh) or that's just a load of crap and I'm just blithely in tune with the fact I'm overworking and undersleeping the animal and no amount of mindfulness or meditation is actually going to change that configuration until circumstances change (in a few weeks - my friends, TTB is almost my only fun these days;-)) As will be Thursday for Thursday is when I get to go out to dinner and have fun proper So just for now I've pretty much chosen to walk the way of 'if you can't say something nice, don't say anything ' - which is not only extremely hard to do but also proves some of our mothers were in fact right despite the rest of the BS they lovingly handed down (I did just add to that last philosophy ''especially to yourself or it will hear you') I'm even considering getting a FU or 2. Var, send me some of whatever there is good to send. This place is great! So, does that sound enlightened? I thought it very Ram Dass.

Does this mean I am old? Who am I??? I'm serious about the brain development issue. Whether that's a good thing for the kids or not (to have their pre-frontal cortex not quite there) before beginning energetic practices, I'm not sure. Otherwise good post Ian.

I feel for sadness. But what I've understood is that most meditation techniques are aimed at realizing structure rather than content. If content is a big issue, there are other ways of dealing with that. I'm sure some other people here will disagree. I'd actually like to know why they do. So that's why (I've come to understand) most systems also include compassion-training (I think I have seen a couple on here that don't and I don't think I would go near them) Edited for last minute thought on why Var and company do secret smile. He's said as much.

I dunno. I really really did very much want awakening because I wanted less pain, more love, more awesomeness, less mediocrity, more fun, less stupidity around me (hahahaha), more compassion for myself. Except I didn't know what awakening was. I thought it would bring me all of these things. Did it? Yes and No. Also more pain, less love, more mediocrity, less fun, more stupidity, less compassion for myself. How does one get past all those? This is precisely where the 'chop wood, carry water' thing comes in in my story. And precisely where Seadog has said something awesome. Which he often does - although I suspect he is now tired of people. Of course if you (or I) are in a frame of mind that contributes to your seeing what he said as a bunch of trite cuteness offered up by a dude with an old man avatar then it's not going to make a difference right that moment. Maybe it will some other time. It reminds me of some of those Taoist authors (please don't ask me which ones, I'd have to look it up) who mention letting your eyes rest where they want (I'm paraphrasing)

Yup, probably some work to be done somewhere.

Oh well;-) I guess it can stay down here then.