Birch

Hmm, that's quite the can of worms Mr Bob :-) - Far as I can tell, I'm not identified with any other mind but it could very well possible for me to approximate such.

Well seriously, I mean if I'm off chanting devotionals, I'm unlikely to be robbing a store at the same time. Still, I do wonder about this stuff. I'm not sure I think it's fine to look at 'reality' and in the face of what is seen persuade oneself otherwise through willful diversion towards the great and the beautiful - although the great and the beautiful are also present. To what point this slopes off into willful blindness, well, not sure. One's relationship with reality ought IMO to be as close to it as possible.

Am I conflating? Sorry if I am. Not the intention. The 'modern' version of this 'reality relected more or less in language' stuff would be Steven Pinker. But I couldn't bear to drag myself through his book further than halfway.

Granted :-) Assuming you refer to the original Shaman book. PM me addy etc.

Sounds to me like you're both talking about pretty much the same stuff from pretty much the same angles and that neither of you like the fact. So, whence the problem? Oh yeah, still both incarnate. Sorry but I do think that understanding all this is fine and dandy and it really doesn't make much of a hog's hair of difference. In other words, if your numbers' up. It's up. IMO. The discussion happens afterwards, and that's why and how it gets entangled in the very things you thought that you had transcended. ----speaking only for self alert----- My take, progress the discussion. People who do not know need not be caught up in the petty arguments of those who do or believe they do. You both owe it to them. ----personal opinion alert---alert----

Ok, just as an idea. And granted, it's a bit 'syrupy' as a choice. And the music isn't the same. But I found two 'Heart Sutra' chants in Mandarin and Sanskrit. I know which one I prefer. Does that mean it's closer to real or not? Edited: I should also add, I understand one better than the other.

They're not Canadian? -----Well, at least that's the Canadian argument anyway opinion alert---- I wouldn't be so harsh on 'Americans'. Harsh on specific things that take people of any citizenry to that point (and beyond), yes. IMO it's too easy to point at this country in particular. But at the same time, it's not like the people don't know what's happening, really, is it? It's a terrible thing to be a subject. Born into it. Aussies and Canadians IMO just don't have all that 'dream' thing to deal with. IMO/IME. I mean it's not like I'm expecting to wake up as rich as Buffet tomorrow morning. I also have the leisure of not having to do what he did to get there.

Huh. That was a bit rough. 'Contribute or leave'. IMO it was contributing. You didn't think so? I reckon if you're going to ask umbrella questions like that then it's worth (for me at least) to understand what you're really asking. Hence my questions. They were meant to be helpful. I mean if you're going to refer to an 'I' of some kind then IMO we ought to talk about what that is, before then asking about 'you' and 'real' and all that stuff. Otherwise it is just word games. IMO/IME.

This assumes I do not already. Also that I'd want to. Also that there's a difference between what I really am and something else. Why does it matter? Only if i don't like what i see? I think this might just be word play but I'm not sure!

I'd say that 'intention' applies some kind of force to any given situation. The idea being you want something other than it is. I don't know about 'intent'. I don't understand quantum anything.

Everything of Tao can be described as Shen, chi and Jing. These are variants of the same 'thing' Tao, manifesting from the unmanifest into all there is and was and will be. Nothing is ever lost or ended. All things have their path that includes their manifestation from the unmanifest, their growth and development and decay and return to unmanifest.

This could send the thread pit-bound but I thought it was interesting - OT

I'll confess to still keeping up the kuji-in (hand-seals) but only in the bath, and not with a great deal of intent, although I am curious when I see my blood pumping through my fingers and I wonder if this particular practice hasn't contributed to better 'right/left brain integration... Anyway, the way I understand those (hand-seals) are as physical (the trendy term would be 'somatic') semi-hypnotic trigger points for intentions/states. I've actually forgotten some of the meanings/intentions/chakras each seal goes with so I'm curious if they 'work' without the rest and/or if the rest is 'called in' regardless because the sign is the sign wherever you make it (and forget about acupressure stuff in the hands as well, and channels and whatnot). I see mantras somewhat similarly, in that if you are reciting them, you are doing that to the exclusion of other stuff you might be doing which in the long run will modify your, well, yourself. Sort of like telling oneself over and over what an idiot I am could be replaced by 'I'm really pretty nice' except the words might not have the appropriate resonance for effect. The idea I think I recall is/was that Sanskrit was the most "exact/closest to reality itself" language in all cases so chanting in Sanskrit has a direct relationship with reality while just approximating noises/vibrations in other languages doesn't. I'm really not sure about that though. I'm also quite scared to call on Ganesh in case he actually turns up and starts stomping on things, but that's just an aside

By popular demand I never say eh, eh? Alright dearie :-)

Those are not horses, they are weapons mate Want me to post the Lumberjack Song?

Read the drinking thread ----opinion with some amount of documented research to refer to alert----- By popular demand http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1MgCV6uGuc&feature=related

It was a sort of a note to self. As I was skipping around trying to lighten up I came across your post and thought I'd tease you a bit and then thought again and recanted.

bump for added article...

I agree these are two different (although hideously enmeshed at present IMO/IME) things. Value and Money = different. ---opinion alert--- Anyway, I thought I'd mention the numbers because they are out there and they seem to have quite some influence on what people can or cannot achieve in this lifetime. If you start with 'education' for example. To whom does 'chemistry' belong? Yeah I'm in a mood to beg the question a la Mitt or whoever does that. The answer is 'no-one'. So why are students being asked insane $$$ to get taught it?

I'd put it in a section like the TTC. I wouldn't think to go to it if it were in a PPF.

http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umberto_Eco Couldn't find an English translation, sorry! Edit: posted for his very fine book about translating and translations.

Yep, those French b'stards! Sorry sorry, I'm skipping about trying to lighten up because Encephalon is out of sorts and I'm not used to it. Not working, probably.

Oh, forget it

And further apologies for 'mid-Serbian' misguided remark. I checked after. My bad.

That was a Edited link due to actual virus. Apologies (although not for the roll ;-p))