Birch

RyanO, It occurred to me that "practice hopping" seems to happen just when that practice is getting closer to "working", as in "doing what it was intended to do". I don't think it means one has to stop or continue. I think that's where the "levels" idea in practices come in. Just an idea.

Ok, but the Chinese (and others) still seem to manage. What a stupid waste of intelligence this SOPA thing -----opinion alert-----

Er, it seems to me that it's highly recommended to talk politics. It's like that old church/science divide. The divisions are only diversions. ----opinion alert---- Anyway, my name for SOPA is "Stop Online People Acting". What will happen to Facebook (gasps)?

Yes I agree with this. But then in a sense, isn't that "using" other people to improve one's own mindfulness? I'm not quite sure about the ethics of it. I suppose if everyone agrees that the forum is a sort of a training ground of sorts and agrees that that's the ideal use of it then that seems ok to me but what about the people who arrive here in actual need of help and haven't agreed to anything? Whether with cultivation issues or "real world" stuff. Is it then helpful of me to be even throwing in my 2cts if I'm not here to offer help or information I found somewhere that could help? And what if I offer and the poster goes "nah, what a bunch of BS" - might they be correct, and me entirely offside? And what are the consequences for them if they do take what I'm saying seriously? I don't think I have answers to this, but I often wonder if what I'm doing on TTB's ought to either be more helpful to other people or just stick to philosophical discussions about this and that. Which would put TTB's definitely into some kind of intellectual entertainment category for me. Edit: found this link http://www.afterpsychotherapy.com/mind-and-meaning-one/

Yes, I try to stay away from deities and spirit forms and such, although I did find it "useful" to embody a well-known huntress for a while, but who knows what "goes with" that? Disembodied are disembodied for a reason, aren't they? I think I'm starting to understand devotional practices, but I think they also might be a source of misunderstanding if one relies on them the whole time. Or am I misunderstanding?

Super post Steve! I think I have no qualms at all with the ideas in it in a face to face social setting. Totally agree that all these things are going on. What I'm very surprised about is the online part of it where emotions are (I feel) definitely transmitted almost regardless of what people are writing. To say meaning is "extracted" is an interesting choice as again it seems to put the onus on the receiver for their choice of attribution. I think that's interesting, it's also (seems) to be what all of these "change your understanding" practices are about. So a message is sent, i don't like it and it's up to me to modify the meaning so it doesn't bother me, regardless of sender's intent. I feel that's a bit dishonest in some way, both to oneself, and the sender. But of course, to avoid conflict and look a bit "more wiser" in the eyes of others, I will take some time to process and then return with something well chosen:-) And in the meantime go off and punch things in the guise of IMA :-)

[quote name='Harmonious Emptiness' date='29 December 2011 - 06:42 AM' timestamp='1325169778' post= So some people have managed to beat all the symptoms away, but they still carry the anger and so they spit it on people without even realizing what is lurking underneath them, thinking they have totally quashed it by just blocking the symptoms, but really sometimes just build up even stronger bacterias of anger which effects others very quickly. At least if we show the symptoms we can get over them, turn away when we sneeze, and deal with the issue before it affects other people. It's my opinion that we can't really help resonating with our environment. I think the trick is to be in tune, but in harmony rather than the exact frequency. So we don't really change our note, we just alter it slightly to help the other person find "the pocket" of harmonic pitch ("pocket" is a rhythm term, but useful here). Then we can get others to resonate better; get them to resonate more in harmony and in tune if we change only enough to let them in. I guess this works with rhythm too, slowing down a bit to get everyone on the train, so to speak. So it might come upon us to help someone out of their anger, which is not necessarily bad depending on how the opportunity is availed to us. So cooling people's anger can have a lot with getting them to let go of some unnecessary desire, if you can find what it is and make them forget about it. Contentment, happiness, and energy can co-emerge, usually... Note: had to pare down quote to be able to type reply! Not a selection of what I'm responding to:-) That was a great post H_E, thanks! Funnily enough, I feel like I've caught a cold. Spent a lot of time with lots of different people over the holiday season.

Yes, sounds quite like what I reckon goes on. Not to say I have wisdom or anything. I'm not quite sure about that but I think all it takes is to be selected by other people regardless. Then you wonder "WTF?' and have to spend years figuring everything out and doing strange training which is where I suspect the wisdom might come from in the end. Just working with it. If I were going to get esoteric on this, I'd say that the shamans are on their way back in because other "standard" religions aren't going to help people face future challenges. Of course they (the "standard" religions) might see the chaos as a huge opportunity to gain muster but I think they'd be doing a disservice to people. If you look at the current play of religious influences into actual cultural reality, it's no longer homogeneous enough to be either credible nor functional. So the response almost has to be shamanic. ----opinion alert---- Edit:typo and to admit I really would like to have wisdom, sounds like a nice thing

Thanks, will check it out.

Oh, just to add. I mentioned a bit about this stuff to an aquaintance the other day, that I didn't want to be that person that other people used for their needs. His reply was that I should be "honoured" to act as such. Wow. Well, I declined the whole idea and that just seemed to annoy him. Ok, what am I doing wrong here? BTW, i think it's still on topic.

I just thought. Isn't resonance resonance regardless of directionality? I was thinking this because of the anger thing and the whole "yours" vs "mine" idea. I mean of course I get angry when I feel someone has overstepped some kind of mark with me. Where those marks are, however isn't always obvious. I suppose that's why they get lumped into the nebulous "issues" category? And I get (so far) even more angry if I find out someone has been trying to get me angry so they don't have to feel it themselves. With all this talk of responsability, I find it's often the case that spiritual practitioners are the first to play the "it's all yours" card and point at things like projection without full understanding. I'm perhaps not much closer to understanding either:-) But I suspect I will never lose my capacity to resonate emotionally with people. I think it's human, maybe?

Hum. I suppose having already been through the whole veggie disaster myself I might be conveniently ignoring parts of it:-) Also agreed on junk science, a 30-person metanalysis (sp?) does not sound that convincing;-)

That's an interesting idea Mark. I'd digress into what a "proper" enemy might be some other time. Not always clear to me. I think I also liked Informer's idea about the "stuff" just sort of being there and then being sensitive to it or not. To the extent that "ownership" of emotions might not always be obvious (the idea that someone is actually angry but doesn't want to feel it so they have to piss other people off so there will be anger anyway)I think it's wise to suggest just noticing it and then going off to do whatever works to process is a practical idea but that's about it. I don't see there being a gain for the person who processes (or "exorcises" ) others' anger for example.

Yes there is quite a veggie bent to it but I haven't noticed it as being "too much" so far. Yes it mentions food properties as well as which organ-meridians are involved. I still can't quite get over my identification with the "piece of meat" idea of organs yet so it's sometimes tough for me to "get" upon reading. "Getting it" as far as food is concerned is a work in progress I'd say. I think I can spot dead chi foods quite some way off. Some others can still fool me though.

Because I see them both as true. Sorry, I happen to like lots of different things.

Heh, not true. I often read your posts. Anyway. I'd like to say that Buddhism is still not the truth. It's a vehicle, another one. And I think a very good one, except for a few stances that I disagree with (no need to get into which ones as I'm not looking to justify myself) It's the rules that are required until one has realised that you can be all of these good things all by yourself without relying on methods. But like TTC suggests, when Tao is lost, we require rules. And I suggest, conversely, when all we have are rules, Tao is lost. It's no use arguing with someone living by rules that their rules are intended to synthetically recreate the senses of mutual respect, compassion and empathy that are attainable just like that. I personally think it's the 'big lie' of society. But we're still buying it for the moment.

You might like http://books.google.com/books/about/Healing_with_whole_foods.html?id=YD-H5tBVNbMC&redir_esc=y Lots of 5E food goodies (and scary stuff as well, but hey.)

There are too many interesting posts on this thread! Jetsun, I think my basic understanding is that "I don't know" how this stuff works but what should I do with it? I liked Scott's suggestion that it's yours whether it originated in you or not. Responsability becomes an "ability" in that sense rather than a burden. This being said, that the healers seem obliged to do their own cleansing (what it sounds like to me) after people have (unknowingly?) taken their trash out on them is as good an ad for self-awareness as any. I have found in many cases that my only option to deal with oversensitivity is to shut myself away to meditate on my own (in some cases "newly uncovered") "issues". Honestly, sometimes I'd just rather not. So I'm looking for expeditives:-) I can't sit FL btw

Interesting POV Scott. I think I can do quite well at it, but the spikey stuff hurts. Wonderful post Informer!

Yes dear.

Well, this is exactly what I'm referring to:-) And I think depending on what's "really" going on, well it's probably a few of those things. If words are inherently meaningless, why use them as vehicles for meaning?

I think the extrapolating part is the projecting/avoidance of the "true" energy/intent behind the words. I'm referring to the feeling of the online words. The easiest one to feel IME is anger because that's spikey and, well, it hurts exactly as if someone was spiking you with something. I think it's different when you "know" people. In the latter case I think you can project a lot more (possible defense move?) but online with a bunch of people you don't know, well it just sort of leaps off the page.

I'm behind you :-)

Interesting H_E. I'm referring specifically to online forms of communication where the undertones, well, where are they?

Well, I suppose that's one way of seeing it:-) The Satan thread might have you agreeing:-) Meditation does get me into contact with my ignorance.