alchemystical

Thanks for pointing that out, maybe I'll click him off the ignore list at some point and reread what he said but those were my initial reactions and each subsequent post of his gave me no reason to pause and reflect that there may be an error, if anything they solidified the impression so its whatever...

I'm actually laughing in real life reading this. Its almost like you're a parody of a parody at this point. Lets hit the checklist: Come across like a tool A preachy tool Posts smack of condescension Fapping your gums Present and correct! That'll be thelerner posting again. Ha! *ignore list*

Now this I vibe with because you're getting my drift. Something is messed up in a very major way on an exceedingly fundamental level and the rest of the craziness that follows is due to that. Whats nuts about it though is how many are well adjusted to this sickness and not only glorify it but revel in it. This is quite easy to see with a bit of insight and this itself is a very rare commodity in this modern life where its all externally focused, me me me, Narcissus falling in love with his reflection styled society where people simply do not think why they do anything or what they hope to gain out of it. Almost like they are entirely unconscious and walking around on autopilot. What makes it particularly hellish however is how most people either don't see, don't comprehend or don't care about this and its implications because that then means the one who is aware is stuck on a rock with 8 billion asshats who never even question why its dark or why it smells so funky? Look, I'll devote a bit more time to you but in general you come across like a tool. A preachy tool because your posts smack of condescension. Whether you intend this for effect or its just how I interpret, who knows? But in general you sound like a bit of [word removed by system] so I treat you like one. Fairs fair. None of what you've said has had anything to do with my original premise so to me it seems you're flapping your gums just to make sure they're working because there isn't anything of any value coming out of them at all. Not one bit. Not even by accident. You evidently have a high opinion of yourself but I ask you: Is it based in reality? Has it ever been tested? Maybe everyone else was too polite to tell you your breath stinks but rest assured I pull no punches so if I see your posts like this then there may well be something in there you can learn about yourself and the image you project online so please, leave this thread alone until you have something worthwhile and on topic to contribute as this is the last pixel of attention I shall be giving you for now.

Whilst I don't know that guy or his issues with some members I can say he raises a lot of interesting points in his statement, especially about how the conduct of many belies their purported prowess in cultivation as that was in part what motivated my original post as it all seems so immature and I'm stunned people actually have that much free time to sit around BSing. I'm a new signup here so don't know what this place was like in its heyday nor do I recognize any "characters" or anyones old rivalries but there seems to be an absolutely immense amount of signal to noise which is oddly tolerated by whoever is supposed to be calling the shots for whatever reason. Like I said I'm here to learn and pick up some hints and tips along the way but man from what I've been reading it makes me wonder if this site isn't some kind of containment place that stops people signing up to the true cultivation discussion forum (wherever that may be - do I need to roll up a trouser leg?) like some kind of shield? Truly bizarre.

True but its just so obvious that I can't help but wonder how others don't comment on it even if the purveyors themselves are blind to it? Whats the point? Speaking on them by name transfers energy toward them whilst validating them so they win either way. Even if push comes to shove its not like they'll go anywhere, will they? It would be different if we were all sitting in a physical place and you could Uncle Phil them but otherwise, pointless.

Preface: No limits on this discussion, all viewpoints welcome, no dogma is subscribed to by me. Can't say I know much about the Vedic culture as I'm just learning but a quick glance through the years and some points stand out which I'd like to discuss with the more knowledgeable members on board: How in the heck did people who apparently had a very rudimentary culture in terms of buildings etc.. have things that sound like war planes/some kind of flight craft equipped with weapons that seem either nuclear or laser based. Its all very Star Wars and the Vader/Veda thing doesn't escape me either. From what I've read they were powered by a different, non electrical power source that may have used mercury and a totally different view of physics/knowledge of the basis of reality. Obviously this has been seized upon by ancient alien people and totally mangled on top of the already shaky translations of Sanskrit (which is apparently supposed to be one of the most complex, in depth languages ever as its packed with nuance and subtlety which evades translation). Its quite perplexing for many that our ancestors in the past were more advanced than us in the present but things like the Pyramids in Egypt prove that man of the past was far more resourceful than we are now. Plus there is the whole "Where did the Vedics come from angle" which I'd welcome some more insight on. One thing I do firmly believe is that we're taught a load of mistruths and flat out lies when it comes to this culture and its significance for whatever reason but I do find it very fascinating. Loads of things I wonder including: What were their origins? Where did they come from? Whats the deal with the way their gods/goddesses look? Was their culture local or global like Christianity is now? How did they amass such insight without technology? Why did they live such seemingly basic lives? I could continue on... Your insight is welcomed.

Spoken like a true master! Please send me your bank details and I will transfer the money </Nigerian Prince voice off> Although that does highlight another aspect of all of this because whilst we all know most "gurus" are fake and purely in it for the paper what a lot of these online wannabes with delusions of piety seem to gloss over is they are attempting to glean the same kind of reverent energy transfer from acolytes... The ego is a slippery bitch. Or maybe I'm just thinking too much into it and they're just trolls attempting to offset their ho hum lives via the spice melange pretending to be someone else online provides?

Yes, semantics are just that but no doubt we are pointing toward the same thing. Anyone else have any views on the subject of food or are you sitting there licking empty plates?

Armchair psychologist slash professional navel gazer slash man who evidently has way too much time on his hands based on postig history, eh? Once again you completely miss the point and this makes me wonder if you're actually a dumb twat or just doing a really good job of portraying one? The last sentence you offered proves without a doubt that you simply don't comprehend what I've been saying at all so jog on muppet. Now this is interesting. Care to expound further?

You're a bit on a obtuse [word removed by system], aren't you? From my point of view you're dodging the point of this thread like Neo in the Matrix but I don't presume to be able to say what your intent is. Either way, congratulations on missing the point not once but twice. Fancy going for a triple?

See the funny thing about it is that there is just enough goodness to inspire hope that keeps people wading through the hell because if it were all the way bad then folks would actively rebel and seek emancipation. This way the programming is good enough to stick to the majority of people so they don't question the scenario. Based on your reply you've completely missed my point.

Something that will give a newcomer insight into all aspects of Daoism from its inception, texts, practice etc... Would prefer something I can get my teeth into from an author that knows what they are talking about. Thanks

Is there a third option for Goldilocks? Ideally something that sits between the two, a just right if you will that covers, well, everything but especially things like alchemy, the history and origins of Daoism, how it fared through the ages, the primary texts/concepts etc..

@Nungali In the Ramayana it is said: "The Pushpaka Vimana that resembles the Sun and belongs to my brother was brought by the powerful Ravana; that aerial and excellent Vimana going everywhere at will ... that chariot resembling a bright cloud in the sky ... and the King [Rama] got in, and the excellent chariot at the command of the Raghira, rose up into the higher atmosphere.'" What does that sound like to you? The laser like weapon is the Brahmastra from the Mahabharata: “Dense arrows of flame, like a great shower, issued forth upon creation, encompassing the enemy… A thick gloom swiftly settled upon the Pandava hosts. All points of the compass were lost in darkness. Fierce wind began to blow upward, showering dust and gravel. Birds croaked madly… the very elements seemed disturbed. The earth shook, scorched by the terrible violent heat of this weapon. Elephants burst into flame and ran to and fro in a frenzy… over a vast area, other animals crumpled to the ground and died. From all points of the compass the arrows of flame rained continuously and fiercely." Both sound ridiculously out of place for the era. Awaiting your insight.

Like I said, there are three sides to this story and you cherry picking quotes and using them out of context speaks volumes about your character. Context: I'd be willing to guarantee you there are more things you consume daily that are way worse than Basa yet, handily, your red light must take the day off every now and then. Trying to fit the facts to your predetermined narrative never really ends well... Bottom line is pretty much every single thing we eat is messed with in some way shape or form and is nowhere near the quality of what it used to be around 50 years ago due to the way modern agriculture works and how everything is driven by the bottom line but seeing as we've got a forum full of holier than thou, know it all bellybutton gazers slash spiritual savants its nice someone comes through and kicks them in the arse every now and then. At ease.

That Basa disinfo was funded by native fishing concerns who were losing market share to cheap imports: https://www.timescolonist.com/life/ask-eric-is-it-safe-to-eat-imported-basa-fish-1.87907 Don't believe everything you read, everyone has an agenda on the internet.

As linked by @dwai in a previous thread that appears to have ascended:

Wherever we look we see computers are up in your face which logically means they will soon be literally in your face as implants so people can get the "always on" hit they crave. Its blatantly obvious this tech is designed to be addictive and if what makes us perch atop the animals as an apex predator is our larger brain and what it endows us with what happens when silicon becomes king? Will we go the way of the neanderthal? I know we have a mixed bag crowd on here so am interested in hearing what you think.

Would prefer something with a bit more substance than "Hold this to get this" as I'm wondering about the underlying process, what is actually going on in the mindbody to create said changes whilst performing them? Has anyone encountered such a resource along the way? I remember reading once that the origin of Mudras was from the sages of yore who got so adept at observing their awareness that they spontaneously started forming the shapes based purely on intuitive insight in the moment and it was only on reflection after, in regular awareness, that they began to document the uses which they shared but I'm still seeking something definitive as this area seems to be quite brushed over in contrast to say the minutiae of TCM. Thanks

Fascinating thread. The entire field is full of more faith, leaps of logic and contradiction than any religious text plus it also has the same zealous kind of adherents who are entirely intolerant of anything or anyone who profanes their "scripture" but yet are totally blind to this foible of their psyche. Its amusing really as that level of staunch faith and "of course we know what we're talking about... look it says right here... so obvious" mindset is identical to what was attached to religion before it. Another funny factor is how the gods of one religion become the demons of that which supplants it as thats evidently what happened here just as it occurred with indigenous shamanism before it when that switched over organized faith - each one a downgrade in terms of practical efficiency and results to what came earlier. I do believe, like most good lies, there is a kernel of truth in there that has been obfuscated with layers upon layers of abstruse reasoning to hide what is actually useful but all in all it really does point to a very interesting "flaw' in the way the mind of man works. Speaking from a hackers perspective you could almost say it was an attack vector which allowed the execution of malicious code with the dumb terminal being entirely unaware of the process...

Thank you. Any suggestions for a similarly styled book that covers Daoism? Something with substance as before as well as nuance and subtlety would be appreciated.

"I was looking for detailed technical clear descriptions of "why?" and internal mechanics" - exactly that. This info seems to be ridiculously sparse on the ground with so many monkey see monkey do approaches and very little shared knowledge on the inner workings of the process, the why behind the how. Inquiring mind want to know. I intend to check out Matsuo as this is my first time hearing of him and there is a huge thread on here about him to look through but it seems odd that the biomechanics of this entire area is just skimmed over, especially with the net and how people like to find niches and pimp them for all they are worth.

Can anyone who speaks both dialects verify that the translations actually say what the original says without mangling it sixty ways from Sunday? I've watched many a Japanese film in the past with subtitles that say something totally different to what was actually expressed and its always made me wonder if these scriptural Babel fish don't pull a similar trick on people who don't really know any better anyway. Same goes for texts like the Bible which have gone through many translations in tongue as well as countless other examples.

You smell like a troll. Dismissed.

Exactly my friend, exactly. People are caught up in the shine and don't realize - nor need to develop - their innate talent or abilities. I recently said how if you picked a random man and woman for 50 years ago and compared them to todays models the vintage version would be much more capable in so many respects and this in effect speaks of collective devolution under the guise of technological improvement. People generally don't feel the need nor use of flexing their mental muscle as everything is "one click away" but anyone who has been around the block once or twice can easily attest that the vast majority of people walking around these days are simpletons as it seems to be the default operating speed of most of the populace. What is most interesting however is that with a few well placed questions you can almost see them shaking off the torpor as they stop and think - for possibly the first time in quite a while - and wonder. Wonder. What a wonderful feeling it is to be full of wonder. I'll have to check that out as I do think that stories are far more important that people give them credit for as back in the days this was how the tribe passed its collective wisdom down to the next generation and that leads into the creation of myths, the collective unconscious and all manner of interesting things. Explain.