Michael Sternbach

Apech, regarding your reply to me (I cannot use the automatized quoting method due to your unusual manner of commenting ): I assume that the Karma concept in the earliest Sanskrit texts did mean something different from its later interpretation in popular Buddhism. However, in the latter, it becomes akin to the dualist Christian notion of reward and punishment for good/bad deeds in an afterlife - except that the "afterlife" may or may not be another physical existence. In fact, Internal Alchemy differentiates between even more kinds of immortality than those two. This text explains them well: http://www.all-dao.com/immortality-achievements.html I guess, for greater clarity I should have written "individuality" instead of "soul". However, my statement was based on my unified perspective on various metaphysical systems that sometimes transcends alleged exclusivities. The direct source for my identification of the Diamond Body with the Temple of Salomon in Occidental tradition is the great occultist Dane Rudhyar. I will look up the reference on request.

I agree with you, Marblehead. Let's not worry too much about different versions. Unless somebody still has something to say on the foregoing, it seems like a good moment now to move on to the next chapter, using the Minford translation again, for reasons of consistency. The Art of War does not tolerate too much fuss.

Siddhis are natural abilities that typically awaken at certain stages of one's development, fostered by general meditation practice and, in many cases, by special training. These stages coincide with the opening of certain energy centers or chakras. Provided a basic talent and readiness (openness), it is not difficult to experience them on an at least rudimentary level. Siddhis can be of great use. My personal experience includes remote viewing (mostly for recognition of mental and physical conditions in individuals), psychic healing, and visualization for purposes of manifesting a desired outcome. Talking about your example of the Dalai Lama, I think he is really doing a good job as the peaceful head of Tibetan Buddhists, but he doesn't give me the impression of a metaphysically highly realized individual. Similar things may hold true for other supposed spiritual masters.

Karma in Buddhism is based on the concept of good and evil, which is a dualistic concept. It is my understanding that true Daoism doesn't bother with dualism but completely transcends it. As does Zen, which is a kind of Buddhism influenced by Daoism. As far as immortality is concerned, the idea of attaining it on the spiritual (if not physical) plane is part of Alchemical Daoism, if course, and it's hinted at in the Dao de jing (i.e. chapter 50). It seems to tie in with the creation of the Diamond Body as an indestructible vehicle for the soul in Vajrayana Buddhism. The same process is referred to as the building of the temple if Salomon in Western esoteric tradition, which shows that it is not a culturally bound concept.

Welcome to TDB, sweetheart!

Aren't you a little negative about the whole issue of getting old?

Other than a hatching chicken, a good symbol for the resurrected soul is the phoenix. I really like the opening of the Japanese Anime Hi no tori (Phoenix) - it's Galactic too.

Right. No plan is more important than the purpose it serves. I think of plans as approximate outlines, to be held on to, implemented, modified, extended according to circumstances. A good going can even supersede the original plan - if you remain open.

The Hindu say that a smile you give returns to you. :)

The zodiac is the annual course of the Sun (the ecliptic) divided into twelve equal sectors. Of course, nowadays we know that it is in fact the Earth orbit. The reason for the twelve-fold division ties in with Numerology and Sacred Geometry. It is demonstrated by the faster moving Moon (the Yin) coming full circle and catching up again with the Sun (the Yang) usually twelve times in a year. Which the concept of the twelve months is derived from. Mind you that the star constellations on the ecliptic are neither exactly twelve in number nor do they exactly measure 30° each. Some are considerably bigger or smaller; thus there are gaps and overlaps. So it's apt to say that the constellations were only used as markers and name-givers for the signs. Perhaps it was even the other way around, and the constellations were named after the signs that they roughly coincide with... The principal pivots for the zodiac however are the equinoxes and solstices that again characterize the relationship between the Sun and the Earth - which never changes throughout the aeons.

This is actually a brilliant definition. The question of winning is then one of dealing with the forces that are present in the best possible manner. However, I do think that people with constructive aims are often more capable of coordinating their actions with the Dao, therefore they have higher chances of success. And the scenarios most in tune with Dao are win-win ones, in my view. I quite like your pairing of strong with flexible, and weak with rigid. In a sense, rigidity is strength that is one-sided and doesn't allow for its polar opposite, thus turns into weakness altogether eventually.

Right. Even some spiritually conscious people tend to fall into that trap. So despite wu wei spontaneity, careful preparation can be in accordance with the Dao. Or better yet, spontaneous action based on preparation and planning. Indeed.

Or, more specifically, visualization for in preparation for tasks we want to be able to accomplish. A highly effective method. But it should be realized that it actually makes the scenarios that we visualize more likely to happen in the first place...

The organization Tai Chi World, founded by Erle Montaigue and continued by his son Eli, offers excellent, very detailed training videos that I love to work with. You can also send them a video of yourself performing for feedback and corrections. Actually, I believe that remote learning is a wonderful thing made much easier by modern technology, and while it has certain drawbacks, it does have a number of advantages as well. I won't go into this topic further as I don't want to bring this thread OT, but feel free to PM me if you wish specific information. They do every time MH and I start discussing with each other. Thank you for the hint. I am not sure if that story is historically accurate, but it's interesting. It's illustrating a typical problem with using oracles to this day.

woodcarver, just like MH, I think you are doing a magnificient job. Talking about Tokugawa, I feel placing him in the same category like Cesar and Napoleon is alright. I can't imagine that your fairly nuanced comments regarding him would have seriously insulted anybody, and if so, your apology should have straightened things out. I asked my wife about the matter (she is Japanese), and she said that she couldn't care less. But being a counsellor, I can't help noticing that you tend to be apologetic. I would like to encourage you to use this thread as a practising tool to help you develop a more detached view on those patterns of yours and, as far as you feel up to it, make new choices regarding them. To no longer be your own enemy, you need to know "him" just like you know yourself. LOL To comfort yourself, remember that your readers here are a fairly tolerant heap who appreciate your readiness to bear with them.

I haven't seen the movie yet, but it is on my watch list. Unlikely. Even in our fairly prosperous time, NASA is receiving hardly enough funds to keep the ISS going. Given the technological advancements assumed in the movie, one would think so. Even on our current level, we can tell that Kepler 452 b is a 6 billion years old Earth-like planet possibly sustaining life, and hey, it is 1400 light-years away (the story was in the news recently). And even a few neat things more: http://www.express.co.uk/news/science/593355/Ten-facts-about-new-second-Earth-planet-Kepler-452-b Theoretically, a spaceship approaching a rotating black hole could miss the event horizon and end up - where? Neglecting the insignificant fact that the bh's gravity would have reshaped it to a kilometres long spaghetti. Of course, that's only unless: ??? Sounds rather tedious but perhaps not quite impossible. You can't fight with magic! Oh, boy... I've got to watch the movie now. Well, bear in mind that real scientists seriously believe that they can explain everything based on their limited insights into a certain subset of reality, and nothing can really surprise you.

I recommend Combat Taiji. (Although I am often doing it in the morning.) I had a talk about that with MH some time ago. Perhaps it's time to resume that conversation? I was almost going to mention that in my previous post, then I decided to leave it to you. Although Lao Tzu doesn't talk of excessive planning here necessarily, the recommendation does share the element of foresight and purposeful action with the latter. Then again, wu wei is not so much no-action as action with the flow of things. Good to know. That explains at least partially why Quincy was able to wipe the floor with me when I (newbie) dared playing chess with him (master). I hope that this thread will lead to some insights regarding this.

You mean, when the going gets tough, forget about Daoist principles? When the shit hits the fan, forget your Taiji and resort to Muay Thai? Nah, that doesn't convince me... I wonder, is that how they invented chess? I know what you mean. In that same sense, Japanese arts often have the character for Dao (Do) in their names (Judo, Shodo etc.). Supposedly these are Daoist ways though (if you excuse the pun). Interesting. Which raises the question if a direct influence of the Yijing on the AOW can be demonstrated.

Hi Marblehead, I see, the temple is the general's head (is it made of marble, by any chance? ). And he shares the holy words only with the chosen ones on a "need to know base", of course. There is really nothing new under the sun. Maybe, but you might be having a hard time to demonstrate that - given that Lao Tzu & co. lend themselves to all kinds of interpretation. Strategically speaking, they should have studied The Art of War in and out. Didn't Sun Tzu's write that the secret of victory is to know your enemy as well as yourself? Moreover, they would have learned that looking inconspicuous and taking the opponent by surprise is often a more effective tactic than intimidation by a show of force. A lesson that the US armed forces still haven't brought home. So it remains their tender spot, imo. It's a yin and yang thing that I am talking about. Yes, these texts often talk of universal principles. Therein lies their beauty.

From the union of the two, a third one is born. Now this is a spiritual principle that holds true not only on the physical level. In fact, the union of polarities is valid on every level. If you think of humans as essentially spiritual beings, it makes perfect sense that there is a spiritual side to sexuality. That's actually how diverse Eastern systems look at it.

Be flexible, adjust to/make use of the circumstances. That sounds quite Daoist to me. It's good advice generally in life. Ha! Not primarily on showing off your muscles... As many states are prone to do. Again, Daoist thinking here; the (apparently) weak overcoming the (apparently) strong. Sneaky! Not to meet strength by strength is considered an important principle in many martial arts. Tricky, but it may be effective under certain circumstances. Make him lose his temper, and he will become careless. Careful with this one when fighting the Hulk please. Divide and conquer, in other words! This is typical for guerilla warfare. Again, also used in martial arts sometimes. If the opponent is a boxer type, kick his legs etc. However, the reasons for this are obvious. This sound a little less in tune with Daoism (at least if we look at it superficially), in light of its emphasis on spontaneous (non-)action. Yet Sun Tzu leaves no doubt about the importance of preparation. I suggest that we are dealing with a polarity here that warrants further discussion. And the general is supposed to make his battle plan in a temple?! Woodcarver, I hate to break it to you, but your mancrush Tokugawa was a ruthless dictator who established a Fascist rule over Japan under which the slightest deviations from the norm in behaviour could easily lead to the annihilation of oneself, one's family and even one's whole village. The memory of this is deeply ingrained in the Japanese collective psyche. It is the main reason why Japanese society is so rigid and uptight to this day.

Hey, this is The Dao Bums, not The Dao Wimps. Not to forget that there are lots of martial artists here. The Art of War is a marvelously insightful book. Go ahead with the discussion, you have my blessings.

Hi Apech, Do you have any references for that? (If possible, online ones?)

Hmm, did you consider that you might be getting a funny answer because you are asking funny questions? Anyway, which hexagram are we talking about?

Hmm... Maybe to help you understand the answer, it would be helpful to know what the question was?