Michael Sternbach

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Everything posted by Michael Sternbach

  1. simplify

    Vote
  2. new COVID discussion rule/s

    This issue with its many aspects IS controversial - and not only on TDB. In my country, a full 40% of voters rejected granting government extended powers of implementing "anti-pandemic measures" back in June - all just ignorant and irresponsible extremists? Such measures are indeed a double-edged sword. Arguably, some of them could be saving lives. By the same token, they could destroy lives as well, as they wreck havoc with countless businesses. And so on. On the one hand, there is the medical side that I feel we can't always trust the media to represent in an unbiased and balanced fashion. Most of us may not be medical experts - but even amongst the latter, there is an appreciable degree of disagreement. And what about naturopathic views? They tend to diverge from mainstream opinion almost by definition. On the other hand, there are ethical implications as well - when push comes to shove, what do we value most? Our safety - or our liberty? Obviously, different individuals will have different views on all that. I feel, now more than ever, staff should uphold TDB's traditional position as an independent platform for open discussion. A last bastion of uncensored exchange between free thinking and self-determined individuals, if you will. Understandable as the administration's concerns may be, what each reader makes of the information presented here should be left to their own discretion. As things stand, I prefer not to tick any of the optional boxes offered in the OP. What I shared are simply some general philosophically inspired guidelines that I suggest you take into consideration. Cheers Michael
  3. simplify

    Boat
  4. simplify

    Kama sutra
  5. Stone age tools & cultures with tons of info

    More likely from an Asian. Oral torus is found in a full 20 to 30 percent of humans, most of them being of Asian origin, though.
  6. Mysticism

    Another funny coincidence... My wife and I have just been watching "Chappie" on Netflix. We agreed that one of the main characters looked alot like Wolverine in some Marvel movies. As I couldn't remember the actor's name, I googled it and told her: "Right honey, that was Hugh Michael Jackman in both cases." That happened just last night!
  7. Caduceus - staff of Hermes

    Referring to the OP, the way the serpent heads are shown from the side makes each of them resemble a single human eye. The Hermes staff ending in a pair of eyes also seems in keeping with its attribution to the planets in their respective signs in the zodiac. On top of this scheme you find the Sun and the Moon, which are traditionally considered analogous to the eyes. This is basically an abbreviated version of the latter from an alchemical book: This view essentially regards the caduceus as a Hermetic equivalent to the shushumna, with ida and pingala being represented by the two serpents. Now if the serpent heads are meant to represent eyes, then perhaps their "beards" should be seen in connection with a feature which the Eye of Horus is often depicted with.
  8. simplify

    Easy peasy lemon squeezy
  9. simplify

    Tortillas
  10. A lot of you are deluded

    Well, I would say that we all are both deluded and enlightened to varying degrees...
  11. simplify

    Kylie Minogue
  12. Middle Eastern Alchemy

    Just to clarify... This part would be applicable to Tycho. Here you are taking about Bruno. Tycho's universe was still essentially geocentric. Bruno was indeed probably the only one in his day who realised that stars weren't holes in the outermost crystal sphere surrounding the Earth. The statement that the Universe is infinite without centre was an adapted version of something Nikolas of Cusa had written. This reminded me of how I once entered my kitchen to find it filled with water at least up to my ankles!
  13. Middle Eastern Alchemy

    As a matter of fact, when I started reading your reply, it quickly occurred to me that you must be talking about Tycho Brahe.
  14. Middle Eastern Alchemy

    Would you elaborate on this, please?
  15. Buddhabrot, a different view on the mandelbrot fractal

    So cool! The conception of infinity seems to be key here. This:
  16. Middle Eastern Alchemy

    Just chillin'. Well said. The ascension through the spheres is not least a feature of Hermetic astral magic, e.g., in the view of Giordano Bruno. And yes, Sufism was surely influenced by (Arabic) Hermetism, to some degree.
  17. The Clarity Aspect in Buddhism

    Hmm yes, the way cleaning up takes effort. Effortless action seems to be mostly something Daoism/Zen Buddhism focus on. Uncle Al refers to it (e.g., in the Book of Lies), but then, he was heavily influenced by Eastern philosophies. I am curious... Are you aware of this principle specifically in the context of Hermetic philosophy?
  18. The Clarity Aspect in Buddhism

    Or figuring out where to find the freaking door in the first place.
  19. The Clarity Aspect in Buddhism

    Isn't that like trying to push open a door that opens to the inside?
  20. Middle Eastern Alchemy

    @Nungali Seems like what the OP is referring to is some form of Sufism.
  21. simplify

    Sum it up!
  22. The Clarity Aspect in Buddhism

    Does it require effort to become effortless?
  23. simplify

    Guava juice
  24. Pandemic Panic - Transcending the Fear

    Greetings bums, This topic is intended as a platform for providing alternative outlooks on the current pandemic wrecking havoc in various ways - but first and foremost in people's minds. Comprehensible as their concern for their well-being may be, little is it understood that the very focus on apocalyptic scenarios - powerfully reinforced by the messages governments and media are constantly giving out - can only contribute to their eventual manifestation. It goes without saying that lots of people's hopes rest once again on conventional medicine coming up with a vaccine and/or cure for covid-19, when as a matter of fact methods that could treat it effectively have been known for a long time, but are woefully neglected by mainstream physicians and the general public. We may well go into those methods in due course, but let's start this discussion by reviewing the words of Dr. Edward Bach concerning the nature of infectious diseases. Known today mostly as the founder of a widely popular method of treatment using flower remedies, it should be noted that Dr. Bach started his career as a successful bacteriologist and vaccinologist and was gradually lead to a metaphysical understanding of illness and health. Due to his background, we can assume that the man was talking from personal experience and observation when he wrote: From: Edward Bach: Heal Thyself, ch. 7 I feel these words remain just as true today as when they were written down back in 1936...
  25. Covid was a massacre to my blood and energy system - ideas?

    Hi liberale.ironikerin And thank you for this beautiful introduction. As someone who has been around for awhile, I gladly welcome you to this colorful place. Though I can't say with certainty if I was the author of the highlighted part of your quote, it could have been me, at any rate, as it reflects the 'open philosophy' that I advocated on this board for several years now. I certainly sympathize with your quest for answers and the particular way you presented it. Further insight comes to those who admit how little they know and how much more there is to understand - especially about themselves! Whereas those (men and women alike) who claim to know best about themselves have already reached a dead end in their spiritual journey. That said, sure, be discerning when evaluating the suggestions you get on a board like this and accept only those that you resonate with on an internal level. Oh, and beware of adults offering candies! But hey, I am sure you heard that one before! Regarding your question - judging from personal experience - it is certainly possible to be in all kinds of relationships with others on an etheric/astral level, including tantric/sexual ones. How exactly would you define 'tantric' in this context, though? And do you think that your partner may be aware of the interaction? Best, Michael (male, 51)