TheExaltedRonin

@taoiseasy Perfect explanation. Very simple as well.

I added a lot of topics! But I've found my own path at the moment, its just training myself now. Maybe I'll start a thread on ideas to accelerate my training. Sure, why not. Bye!

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Ding means focus. Any who I have never heard of this. Is it as simple as it sounds? Pure concentration on one thing?

In my personal reading of the tao te ching I did not read anything supporting mindfulness. Actually the story regarding the caterpillar suggests flow over mindfulness. So when practicing flow what is one supposed to do with their thoughts according to Lao Tzu? Let them pass as clouds do in the sky?

Do you perform mindfulness? Or do you naturally just go with the flow in whatever your doing and allow all thoughts to pass? ...

Meditation and attaining awareness down to its most fundamental practice. So now let's all discuss attaining the perfect oneness. And as usual we should try to use walking our basic premise. Many discussions were found positive towards general awareness. Aware of the wind, environment etc. Like a dog walks down the street. Now, how do we all utilize this feature in everyday life? No thought? When I am doing everything I try to break it down to its most basic fundamental practice. What really helps me compared to what may or may not help others is to become natural. Be aware of everything and yet have no thought. Its quite useful. We all know mindfulness is a pretty well known idea here. Some may o may not know that I disagree with Buddhist function of mindfulness. Marblehead suggests that the taoist mindfulness is awareness. I too agree with that. So utilizing oneness, and awareness how do YOU bring it forward in life? How do you think about what your doing?

I don't think its a problem but where our misunderstanding lies when we talk.

Well the multiple spots of forgetting the body indicate to NOT focus attention towards it. It actually speaks of forgetting oneself. But marblehead I believe our argument lies in different translations of mindfulness. When he speaks of witnessing these things these animals, it appears they are just existing-not thinking. No mind. Thoughts?

To be as they are today. I feel that the word meditation I'm Tue eastern sense does not mean to sit and clear the mind in x position for x amount of time. I have found more cultivation and insight performing what Lao Tzu said the most of: natural flow. As a recent practitioner of zen and Buddhism to their fullest extent I had a issue finding the essence that's required and or suggested for such meditations. After branching to daoism I have found that meditation should be practiced and cultivated with all daily practices. Washing hands, sleeping, web browsing, video games etc. It doesn't need to be a blatant sitting posture. There certainly are benefits to the vast performances of traditional meditation however, the main being cultivating stillness. However one can still do this while performing a vast practice of arts and daily rituals. Thoughts?

@marblehead Please explain taoist mindfulness? And a source for said thought? So I can reflect upon it.

So in a broad sense it means no duality?

@marblehead I'm not looking for the exact word, lol. I'm looking for any signs of traditional mindfulness. AKA Buddhist mindfulness. Complete dedication and thought of ones actions during the present. For example according to Buddhist thought-when one is walking they should be thinking of how the wind feels, how their body feels, how the socks rub against the shoes etc. Etc.

10. Therefore the Sage dwells in nonactive affairs and practices the wordless teaching.(No mention of mindfulness) 11. The ten thousand things arise, but he doesn't begin them; (Again, no mention of mindfulness.) 12. He acts on their behalf, but he doesn't make them dependent; (Again, no mention of mindfulness) 13. He accomplishes his tasks, but he doesn't dwell on them;(Same, he simply performs tasks and doesn't think about them afterwards) 14. It is only because he doesn't dwell on them, that they therefore do not leave them. (Yet again, no mindfulness. I no longer dwell about using the restroom either-no mindfulness mentioned.)

@CT That's certainly a matter of opinion. All people have a path and they are all different. What seems to be a fundamental process for YOU might not be others.

I believe we can all learn from it.

In all truth- Zazen and meditation is far from taoist teachings. Read the tao the Ching and instruct yourselves- Where is one directed to sit and breathe? Cultivating stillness in Lao tzu's words means to do nothing until action is required. This is a taoist forum yet so rarely do people practice simplicity.

@marblehead No one and everyone.

@CT he is right to an extent. The Buddhist form of meditation was adapted into taoism during the introduction of Buddhism into China. He is correct. Many people are extremely misled. I mean, simply reading the tao te Ching will tell you this. There is no form of mindfulness nor sitting meditation within the works. Hence, the fact that it was merged at a later date as a stepping stone. To what? Who knows. Its in confrontation with wu Wei and the basic principles.

Great analyzation by the way. But when crossing a frozen stream that still doesn't indicate mindfulness. that is simply acting-being cautious. Unless I'm misunderstanding what mindfulness would be in that situation.

@marblehead Explain please.

The answer is quite simple: Quit trying. No effort. Just remember the teachings, put them into effect and live naturally.

Name one thing I've tried to teach you. Skydog said: Like you, trying to teach me something

Literally I believe the best thing may be to not strive. Just exist. Discard thoughts as they arise or realize they have no value and continue acting. Easier to say than do.

Cultivate enthusiasm huh? Be enthusiastic? Interesting.