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Everything posted by Michael Sternbach
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Well, reading the header, I first thought the OP wishes to discuss what a world in which people generally accept and live according to Daoist principles would look like.
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Differences between dualism and non-dualism
Michael Sternbach replied to Bindi's topic in General Discussion
Bindi, A Zen master once said that we should be able to switch back and forth between the relative view and the absolute view at will. -
Differences between dualism and non-dualism
Michael Sternbach replied to Bindi's topic in General Discussion
The way I look at cultivation, it aims both at the Universal and the Individual. This may sound like a form of dualism, but it really isn't. For the All resides in each of Its creations, from atoms to galaxies, at their very centre - and always in Its Entirety! (Otherwise it could hardly be called the All, could it? .) - In Indra's Net, every pearl mirrors all others. Atman is Brahman, say the Hindus. God is a circle that has its centre everywhere and its circumference nowhere, says Nicholas of Cusa. The great mystics of all times and places essentially shared the same experience. Cultivation is naught but putting metaphysical theory into practice. A sound form of practice doesn't require Individuality to be dissolved in Infinite Spirit - not permanently, at any rate! It does expand the conscious self's awareness, thereby awakening it to its Divine nature, which emanates from its very core. For every movement outwards, there is an equal and opposite movement inwards. Paradoxically, the more the practitioner embraces the Universal Spirit, the more complete an Individual he/she therefore becomes. For, in truth, the two are not-two. -
Thank you for your kind words. I noticed your posts too. They demonstrate your passion for and profound understanding of internal alchemy and qigong and, just as importantly, your willingness to freely share your knowledge and help anyone who comes with an open mind and honest heart. You are a real asset for this site. π Cheers! Michael
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Or at least don't expressly invite them in! And no, I'm from Switzerland, where we often view American politics with a sense of astonishment.
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In your subtle bodies, you still have those organs, even if they were removed on the physical level. That's why people can feel pain in amputated body parts. So I would say, yes, you can definitely practise those qigong exercises with success.
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I like really your alternative ending, Luke! But what do you think are the chances for things to actually unfold that way? Here's a version of the story with yet another twist: This is how I would expect things to turn out in case Sean steps in again eventually!
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It's just like in the story of the scorpion and the frog: A scorpion wants to cross a river but cannot swim, so it asks a frog to carry it across. The frog hesitates, afraid that the scorpion might sting it, but the scorpion promises not to, pointing out that it would drown if it killed the frog in the middle of the river. The frog considers this argument sensible and agrees to transport the scorpion. Midway across the river, the scorpion stings the frog anyway, dooming them both. The dying frog asks the scorpion why it stung despite knowing the consequence, to which the scorpion replies: "I am sorry, but I couldn't resist the urge. It's in my nature."
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I don't get it. What has one issue got to do with the other?
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Yes, I was looking at the forum before, even though it's been awhile. The more relevant part (if any) now would be the hidden political subforum, which I have no access to. My comment was based on Aethereous' post, though, linked in the OP: So I thinks it's fair to say that political debate was thriving in comparison to spiritual discussion. I am not at war with anyone. The OP asked for members' views, so I shared mine regarding what I think is likely to happen if we invite OD participants back in en bloc. And this was based on my intimate knowledge of what happened on this forum in the past, both in the limelight and backstage. Also, I am quite familiar with many of the (former) long-term posters here. That's all.
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How can everything be ever said about matters of spirituality and cultivation for people who genuinely care for those things? This only underlines that such topics were not the primary interest of the majority of members to begin with. It's quite telling that the political part was thriving, while the spiritual part was starving to death! Well, if you guys want to see that kind of shift in emphasis happen here on TDB again, go ahead... Inviting them all back in is a sure way to go!
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Not all of the members that left back then were banned, quite a few did so of their own accord. The latter are free to return anytime they choose to. Personally, I actually wouldn't mind to see a few of them back here. But sending them all something like a general and official invitation seems quite reckless to me. It's like handing them a carte blanche to bring the controversy that wrecked their own forum here. At any rate, some of them will take it that way! And no, you won't be able to confine the spirit you summoned to a subforum. Quite likely, you will be prompted to increase the monitoring and the topic lockdowns, the warnings and the bans, perhaps even to the level those things were at when I joined staff for a little while. And ironically, such a course of action will itself incite further controversy. In other words, you will be approximating in spirit what you are opposing... Spiritual principles 101, really. It was exactly for that reason that I was critical of Sean's decision to limit free expression on TDB and 'clean up' the board (and freely spoke my mind regarding the issue ). On the other hand, the board had effectively been managed by some kind of right-wing oligarchy for several years at the time and things just couldn't continue that way. At any rate, in retrospect, Sean's sweeping action had the advantage that it did depoliticize the forum. Fortunately, its focus shifted back to its original purpose: simply providing a platform for philosophically and spiritually oriented 'discussions on the way'. So I too agree with those members who think it would be wise not to temper with that and keep things the way they are right now. As they say in IT: Never touch a running system! Peace, Michael
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εη₯ηΈηθε Άε―¦ζ―η The tiger of the four mythical beasts is actually a lion
Michael Sternbach replied to awaken's topic in Daoist Discussion
That's rather curious indeed! Would you have a link to share? -
εη₯ηΈηθε Άε―¦ζ―η The tiger of the four mythical beasts is actually a lion
Michael Sternbach replied to awaken's topic in Daoist Discussion
Perhaps the depicted animal could be a liger or a tigron? As the article says, these animals are similar to each other. In fact so similar that they can mate and produce hybrid offspring! On a more serious note, are you suggesting that Daoist Alchemy had its origin in Ancient Egypt? -
The 1100 ton Unfinished Obelisk
Michael Sternbach replied to themiddleway's topic in The Rabbit Hole
They may not have had our modern type of tools, but they did have some kind of technology no less advanced - if indeed not more so. -
The thought did occur to me... π€
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Which means that, in a manner of speaking, the ethnic cards are being reshuffled with each conception. Interesting!
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I learnt that one of my earliest ancestors was this... Please say hi to aunt Amy!
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How is that possible, though? π€ Given that "full" siblings stem from the exact same lineage!
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Video as an acceptable form of evidence
Michael Sternbach replied to Shadow_self's topic in General Discussion
In my early martial arts days, I was (to some degree) alternating between Kyokushin and Shotokan. It was kind of funny... In Kyokushin class, I was cautioned not to bust anyone in the nose (those folks did tend to leave themselves open in that area, as their rules didn't allow punches to the face, and with kicks, you generally have a little more time for bringing your guard up). Wheras in Shotokan class, I remember being reprimanded for covering my opponent with a barrage of body punches - rather than going for the one "killing shot" at the right moment. Different strikes strokes for different folks! But I surely took something away with me from both martial art styles, plus from a bunch of others over the years - any creative martial artist seeking to express their full potential should be open to that kind of learning from multiple sources! -
Video as an acceptable form of evidence
Michael Sternbach replied to Shadow_self's topic in General Discussion
Rather than on styles, I tend to focus more on the individuals demonstrating them. For instance, this is a Shotokan guy too, however, he took his art way beyond what is generally associated with this style of "Japanese sport karate": Not only does he move better than many an Okinawan style practitioner I have seen, he's also more knowledgeable than most of them. That said, some 'Okinawans' do excel in both regards. How can I tell such things? Only based on my decades of personal martial arts practice and research. Then you intuitively know what to look out for in a video or other kind of presentation, thus, whether or not the presenter is legit. And the same applies to any other field as well. There's little chance to fake the relevant, to the eye that sees. The layman will always be easily deceived. -
Acting on your true will
Michael Sternbach replied to Michael Sternbach's topic in General Discussion
Or than banging our heads together! Let's save that for archaeology topics... π Not only you! It's as though one 'energy release' releases another. And some of a master magician's wonderous manifestations may simply be the result of him/her being fully attuned to their True Will, so whatever 'magick' is supposed to happen happens pretty much by itself. Note that 'effortless action' is one of the central tenets of Daoism. By the same token, if you ever feel you struggle too hard, it's a sure indication that you are not following the 'sacred path'. Nicely said. This is about having Faith - an important aspect especially when things don't look so good temporarily. It seems like following your True Will doesn't necessarily keep you out of all trubs, however, it does make you come out on top! Until then, it's wise to relax and just enjoy the ride... That's awesome. Isn't it amazing how our visions and dreams tend to come true by themselves when the time is ripe? Even though it can take decades sometimes... Which raises the question: Did we unconsciously create those things by ourselves? Or rather, did we foresee what was always meant to happen anyway by an act of precognition? In many cases, it's not easy to differentiate between the two. Maybe what we are generally dealing with is more of a mixture of both: a vision of a potential future reinforced by our 'affirmation'. Good question! Your as well as my own experiences suggest that on this kind of path one is actually in resonance with the Divine Will. Even though the latter indeed seems to coincide with one's own True Will, the sensation one gets is often one of following the way rather than leading it oneself. There is definitely an altruistic side to grumpy old Nungers! There's an old saying: "The smile you send out returns to you." This is certainly true. I agree, and that might explain why among the three key factors of success I mentioned above, talent outweighs experience. Perhaps Heaven, the Dao, or whatever term you like to use here, has a different definition of 'virtue' than your orthodox Protestant neighbour... For that matter (and with the reservation that I am not a sinologist familiar with Chuang-tzu's text in its original version), what's typically translated as 'virtue' from the Chinese classics often doesn't refer to something of a moral nature, but rather means 'power' - which BTW is in keeping with the original meaning of 'virtue', as in a medicinal plant's virtue to soothe your throat etc. So Chuang-tzu's 'man of virtue' might in fact designate someone endowed with 'magical' power, i.e., chi, mojo, The Force, and so forth.- 95 replies
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It's just to make sure that the Easter bunny stays sober! Happy Easter, Buns Bums!
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Acting on your true will
Michael Sternbach replied to Michael Sternbach's topic in General Discussion
Thanks for your elaborate comments, Nungers. I read them with interest. Based on what you shared and my personal experience, perhaps we can try and establish - one piece at a time - some general principles now. First of all, it should be clear that your True Will pertains to something you LIKE to do. And as it comes to you easy and you have passion for it, you will most likely be successful with it. I read somewhere that the three prerequisites of (economic) success are passion, talent, and experience - in this particular order. That makes good sense. For instance, you could be talented all you want, if you have no real passion for your subject, you won't have the impetus that it probably takes to achieve something noteworthy. It goes without saying that economic success isn't all that matters, though. For some of us it's more important than for others, which has to do with our general circumstances and not least what else we want to do in their life - if it's my True Will to found a private space travel agency, no doubt I am going to need a bunch of money for that. But it's safe to say that, one way or another, most of us need to have some degree of economic success in order to support ourselves and perhaps our family and pets. You mentioned the kind of activity one likes so much that one were actually ready to pay for doing it. Surely that would be a strong indicator for it to be in line with one's True Will (especially in case of an Australian! ). Obviously, a lot of people are indeed investing substantial amounts into some activity they enjoy doing (such as a costly hobby) without ever getting a cent out of it in return. They may in fact be doing some rather unattractive work just in order to sustain that thing they truly like. That seems less than ideal, though. Basically, following your True Will - which is your true vocation - you wouldn't need to be concerned about supporting yourself. Just doing what you came here to do, you should be taken care of by Divine Providence. Whether this manifests itself as a direct result of your favourite activity or in some other way. For that to happen, I suppose that your activity should benefit others/the whole in some way, though. If all you do is sitting at home and playing video games, that's probably not going to cut it! Chuang-tzu, Chapter 12:- 95 replies
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