TheSongsofDistantEarth

Mal, This post establishes you forever in the realm of Geeky Dorkhood. 1,000 years of taoist practice and the full rising of your kundalini will not even get you out...

Last time I had surgery, I was determined to hold awareness into the anesthetic state...they gave me a shot to 'relax' me "the good stuff!' one nurse joked as they administered it into my I.V. (fentanyl? Versed?) and I remember about the next 30 seconds, and damned if the next thing I was aware of was them shaking me awake after it was over. If I think about not having some form of awareness after death, it kind of scares me, but really...had I never awakened after surgery, but died during it and there is no 'consciousness after death;, man i would never be the wiser. had I not woken up, I would not have even been aware of it, and you know what? If that's the way it is, then so what...you'll never know the difference...

man, there's nobody else like H U G O... (who now goes by the name of Dark).

Yes, but this is usually only true retrospectively. Consider this: would you now take on raising another grandchild, since you so highly valued and loved the one you have, or would you rather finish her upbringing and have the time and energy for cultivation or anything else you choose?

Yes, that sounds right to me. I'm sure this has been covered here before and I haven't searched it yet, but it seems like a vasectomy is a good thing if one thinks the child issue is a no-go...but what are the effects (if any) on energy and cultivation?

I have two dogs, and I am infinitely grateful that they are not children. I love them as much as I could love any being. My regret is that their lives are not long. I never had a desire for children. I feel sorry for the young, the world they inherit is broken beyond repair. Perhaps they will find love and meaning in the face of immense suffering.

Updates? Scotty, still using yours? How many times/minutes a day, and what benefits are you cumulatively accruing? Worthwhile investment?

Don't know anything about it, never heard of it. If you check it out and want to look further, you can explore something in 'the big leagues': www.ahalmaas.com .

One of the things most spiritual practitioners ignore at their peril is the Shadow...Jung had much to say about this. Those who do not explore, acknowledge and own their own Shadow are destined to have it come back in some form to remind us of it's existence as part of us. Those 'demons' you mention? they are part of you. But theTaoBums is not the place to really explore this. Start looking, searching and reading... good for you that you are opening up to this! Shadow .

Jeez, drewhempel, lighten up. It's like hitting someone with an advert the moment they arrive. Where's ya manners? Welcome, LikeMC...you write well and seem to be a thoughtful person. Don't mind drew, he gets a little hopped up on ginseng sometimes... SongsofDistantEarth

BwaaaHaaaaaaaHaaaaa!!!!

Shaktimama, I'd like to apologize for questioning your credentials in another thread here on ttb. You are obviously a fine and honorable person and healer. We here appreciate your presence here on theTaoZooBums.

Good luck with it...BTW, topics like this should be in 'off topic' rather than Taoist Discussion...unless the virus is a Taoist, then...

coconuts/peaches???

stuck in my chimney put that in your pipe and smoke It had to be yooooou....

You need to ask? Outdoors, for sure, and if it is a natural power spot, then there is no comparison.

Terrors of Woodstock?

Interesting book by Timothy Freke and Peter Gandy called 'The Laughing Jesus-Religious Lies and Gnostic Wisdom'' makes a strong case against there ever being a historical Jesus, and he also quite convincingly lays out the evidence that the Prophet Mohammed started out as a Gnostic who drew from Judaism and Christianity but eventually was corrupted by his own power and became a warlord and mobster. There are many incongruities pointed out in the Quran as well. This is not to say that Islam has no merit; it seems to be a deeply flawed religion (how convenient that the Prophet was the last of the Prophets and had the final word) I believe that the desire of the Divine despite the Quran and Mohammed. Interesting reading, if you dare. The final premise is quite beautiful, embracing a Gnostic vision that transcends the need for the historical and flawed scriptures and figures. Sorry to derail the thread, but this KAP thread is like a goulash as it is.

Ah, Gurdjieff...What an amazing being. BTW, you can go to youtube and find some actual footage of him and get energy (shakti) just from watching him. What an amazing, amazing being. I love Gurdjieff. If I had been alive then, I definitely would have found him and studied with him. I have a huge collection of Gurdjieff books. Books about him, about the Work, by his students and also by teachers that spun off from him like Nicoll, J.G. Benett and Robert De Ropp. The best books to get a feel of Gurdjieff the man and teacher I think are 'Boyhood With Gurdjieff' and 'Gurdjieff Remembered' by Fritz Peters. He actually grew up at the Preuire and had a very special relationship with Gurdjieff. Also a very helpful manual to the 'meat' of Gurdjieff's work (Self Observation and Self Remembering) is Charles Tart's 'Waking Up: Overcoming the Obstacles to Human Potential'. It doesn't include any of the esoteric cosmology of octaves, etc., but is a nice discussion and explanation of these basic and essential practices. I enjoyed Bennett's autobiography very much as well. When I tried going to Gurdjieff groups, however, I found the people mainly to be maniacs. I worked with several people who had been in the Work for many years, and I was unimpressed with the quality of their being/presence. Just my impression, perhaps there are some high-level groups, but I haven't found them. I'm glad to see a discussion of Gurdjieff, though. What a mysterious being...also considered himself a 'teacher of dance' and you can get a glimpse of some of the movements at the end of the film "Meetings With Remarkable Men", and they are an astoundingly powerful and beautiful taste. (You can also find these on youtube).

Is it the technology or the story telling? Does the spectacular digital 3D effect dazzle us? The story should stand in 2D as well...but does it? Can future movies spend that much to create other worlds and effects if this is the future of moviemaking? Time will probably tell. Remember how Titanic really got to everyone and now most people are almost embarrassed to talk about it?

I thought it was GREAT. I like the New-Agey Life Force theme a lot. Difficult to carry off, but U think they did it...Also had a couple of thoughts... you know that the final battle was not the end of the war, the humans will be back in greater force to destroy the planet and get their "Unobtanium"...I like how the Na'vi materialized their poisoned arrows whenever they needed one--no one ever carried a quiver...and those Na'vi had the smallest genitalia in the Universe--despite skimpy loose loincloths nothing ever flashed or flopped out. Go see it, though in 3D or XD 3D or iMax 3D I imagine would be the best/awesomest.

Don't wish to hijack this thread any further. Go read a basic physiology and pathology textbook. Read up on the cardiovascular and pulmonary systems. I won't bother explaining this here. But most of what you're saying is completely incorrect and physiologically impossible (like a "shower" of little clots from the pulmonary embolus traveling further...how?? through the microscopic venules and then arterioles?...etc., etc.,).

Incorrect. Blood clots in the legs do not travel to the heart and cause heart attacks, nor do they travel to the brain and cause a stroke. They can go from the legs to the lungs via venous return and cause pulmonary embolism (in which case the IVC filter protects the lungs from this potentially lethal occurrence). Emboli to the heart and brain do not originate in the legs, and an IVC filter will not protect these organs. Good advice in the rest of the post, though. .

That's great Hugo. Hey, did I call it when I pegged you as the mopai!? Now run along and go play in the street like a nice little evil one, OK? Bye!