Jim D.

But wasn't Mr. Gray a miserable person. And wasn't he the guy that never got old, while everyone did and died around him? Now why would you want that kind of life...live forever and your wife gets old and ugly and dies, and you stay young and attractive? Don't you think that people would notice and become a nusiance? What would you do about a job you could not retire out of. What would you do about health insurance and the company nurse checking you all the time? How many cars would you go through? Or what about space travel? Now that's a "bennie !" You get into a space ship that is heading for a spot 100 million light years away. Now that would work for you, because you wouldn't age, according to Einstein. You blast off from Earth, and land at Contry "D"...all fresh as a daisey blumming on the frist day of Spring. And imagine if there is life on Country "D" and they don't look anything like us. Well, you could out live them too. Or maybe the'd put you in one of their side shows, or circus. Or what about their scientists and medical examiners on this planet Country D. Oh what fun!!! Well, I am half Italian and look pretty good for my age, thanks to Mom. You can have your Dorian Gray. :-)

Spotless, you are right on about my conviction. One of my strong subjects at the Masters level was Psychopharmacology. In all the hours that I read the Literature, I never came across any reliable or verifiable fact based evidence regarding Chi being anything more than an electrical exchange of ions within the Neuron. Moreover, I am studying Classical Wu Tai Chi and have since 2003. My Master is a 3rd generation practioner of Tai Chi. He has never in his tutelage hinted that Chi was anything more than what it is...a warm tingling sensation in the extremeties, or "energy flow." What I see here on this site, are people interested in having an extrodinary experience which could probably happen if expected. We call it in my field, Self Fullfilling Prophecy...or placebo affect. I will always be a thinker, a criique of the data presented, and a skeptic. There is so much out there that people are trying to sell, and so many people buying into it. I believe in Meridians, and energy fields, accupuncture, and accupuncture pressure points. But that is about it. If you want to "smell the color 4" we'll get into my "time machine" and go back to the '60's and drop some acid, or do a window pane. Peace

I have seen posts regarding birds. I have been a bird watcher since the age of 6. I have bird books, and an antique Birds of America Volume given to me in 1959 by a friend. Beautiful pictures are inside. No one could disagree with me that birds are God's creation and gift to human kind. Well, given that, the song of most birds are lovely. We look for the creature making that beautiful sound. But what if the bird is an English Sparrow, and you are a "scrumpliumpshish" locust...just flying around trying to find a female because you only have a few days on earth to enjoy life...because once it's over...it's over. And the heck of it is, you can't bite back because you don't even have a mouth. You just have that disgusting buzzzzz...you know, the one where you think will ward of the marauding English Sparrow that is after you right now...Oh, my God...there it is...right on my tail...excuse me, right on my abdomen. Don't you just like it when there are a swarm of them around. Now how beautiful is that bird with the beautiful song? JD

CT, I looked at the Video you posted, and I have a question for you. It will be an opportunity for you to share how it is that putting names e.g. "elements" makes deah anymore acceptable for you. I promise not to be a "wiseguy." You are probably like most people...afraid of death. But really there is nothing to it. Like the lady said in the video, it is a process. I don't agree with her Tibetan view of the process of death. I worked in four nursing homes, lost my best friend to cancer, my mother to COPD, and my dad to Prostate Cancer, and I can say that no one flailed around, or fought death. Death comes on deliberately. It takes over the body, and the spirit of a man disappears into a coma called "the death mask." And then there is the last inhale and exhale...and then you're gone. I believe that if I have swept my side of the fence there will be no regrets once my time comes.

I thought Zetsu was a dog. Heh, I used a lot of my energy when looking for a reason not to come home at night in the '70's. I came up with a lot of reasons e.g. fixed a tire for two elderly females, working late tonight Honey, have a racket ball time and court at 6:30 pm. Yeah, I was real stealthy. But you know what, I always became visible when I came through that door, whenever I got there. I held a Masters in Deception, "Recon," and Search and Destroy. Pot made me invisible in my mind. I thought the me could not be seen. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Say listen, who do you pray to when you are hanging off a small cliff tree above a ravene that is 300 ft. below you? Seriously, what name comes across your lips. Don't try to think about it, just image it and tell us the first name that comes to your mind. This will be interesting. Remember, no curse words. We have a young audience listening.

I don't think that the Sun, the Moon, and the Stars can be seen today.

I had a near death experience when I was served with Divorce Papers. Her name was Plantif. The rest of the story was living through the court proceedings, lawyers making money off of minutes, warming up benches in court, checking the Settlement Agreement for fine print, and then skipping with arms raised out of the court house when it was finalized. Now that was better than any high I ever had. Next !!!

There is nothing wrong with people having to look for me and what I've said. It makes me feel loved for the meatballs of wisdom that I share. I'm getting the attention that I deserved all my life. I just want to hear, "I love you Man !!!!" once in a while. And thanks for coming. No really, I chose to go to PPD. I see it as my little corner in the Universe. All are welcomed to Contry D. Come and stay for a while. I'll leave the light on for ya.

The ancients said that if you practice Tai Chi you will always be in the spring season of your life. They were not referring to longevity, but to robustness of the body. We live on in the memories of our loved ones. Others forget us for a time, and then something reminds them of us. But a 100 years go by, there is no memory of us at all, unless were important enough to make our mark in history. But when you're dead, you don't know the difference. And would you really like to be Dorian Gray? Think about it. JD

I am now the invisible man. I went to the PPD part of town. You can't see me. You can't...can you. I am looking for the camera. I am looking outside. Hmmmm! Nothing there. "Hello Is there anybody in there? Just nod if you can hear me? Is there anyone home?" I don't think he's coming out.

Look around you. Nature will tell you what happens after our body parts give out, and we stop breathing. "What dies is a collection of parts that we called a person...what dies is our human meaning..." (365 Tao) * The rest is just conjecture. Me, I am going to be cremated, and then my ashes will be placed under a tree, preferably a willow tree. I will be fertilizer for the tree, and the trees growth will be me. And when the tree sheds its leaves, I will return to the earth, and begin the cycle of life once again, until this Earth is sucked into the flames of the Sun becoming all encompassing...and then I will become the Sun which will burn out in time...and then I will become a black hole of non-matter...and on...and on...and on...ad finitum. I think it all started that way, or was that way, or is that way. "Death is the opposite of Time" *

The Double-Blind component of an experimental study was developed due to Experimentalist bias, and participants bias. For instance, if I am trying to prove a simple hypothesis let say sugar is an Hallucinogen. I could run an experiment and give someone a sugar pill and tell them that is a LSD pill. They look at me, watch my expressions and will either report having an experience or not...depending on how dependent they are on me...the guy with the white coat on and all. Other critics would question my methodology and say this guy is full of it. He use one subject. The experimenter, me, wanted a certain outcome to happen, therefore it did. And the subject was told the pill they were given was LSD. I say that sugar pills are Hallcinogenic But what if I had two subjects. One was the control group that got the real deal = LSD and the other subject got the sugar pill. No one knew what kind of pill they were getting accept me. Still the critics would complain about my influence over the subjects because of my facial expression and the white coat. So now here comes the third blind or Double blind test. I am given two trays with two pills on them. I am told to give one pill to the control subject, and the other to the experimental subject. I have no idea who got what, so therefore, I cannot bias the outcome of the test. What this means is that the outcome is probably more reliable because they have taken me out of the equation. The "They" who gave me the trays know who got what. They now say my first test's outcome was a placebo. And they would be right. By the way, you have come to me with a complaint of Major Depression, Recurrent. I tell you that Depakote has proven to be very effective in matters of Mood Stabilization...and it is a controled, scheduled drug. Of course, I fan my hand over to the old shelf of herbs, oils, Dr. Feel Good books and tell you that under HIPPA, I must inform you that you're free to refuse treatment and try anything you like. You say, I could have done that to begin with, and I did. But it did not give me the relief I was looking for. Well, I say, what do you want to do? You're are still driving the bus. I's up to you now. Comment: I would rather take something that has proven to be effective and reliable as evidenced by stringent trials, studies, and protocols. ECT is still perscribed for unremitting Depression. I had a patient that went through 25. By the way, I don't know who would finance these studies, but I am guessing the Pharmaceutical companies. The change your projecting if Pharmaceuticals where elimated would be similar to the Mental Health Treatment patients endured in the Dark Ages. And I would also say, that if Pharmaceutical Companies were reduced or eliminated the Herb Companies would be lobbying for first place, costs would rise to what the Pharmaceuticals are charging, and the insurance companies wouldn't pay for it...because if it is an herb they would want clinical proof that it would work. Now we are back to the experimental model and who is going to finance it.

On Altruism: You come out of your home and you see a child walking into the street. You run to her to redirect her. Is this altruism, or is it instinctual? You know, a gut reaction without thinking about it. You just do it. But the neighbors see you do this kind and maybe heroic thing, and they make a big deal out of it. Now you're embarrased, and you put your head down while blushing. You don't want attention drawn to you...but you like it. Now your on the news and tell everyone you're just being a good citizen, doing what anybody would do, or would they? Now, is it a disinterested concern of yours regarding the child you saved from harm. Is it selfless now, or was it ever?

There is nothing comfortable about not breathing. Try falling through ice and having no where to come up for air. Image it. You can see the sky above you...light...and you are holding your breath while the carbon dioxide keeps building up in your lungs until it feels like your going to burst from the pain of your lungs expanding. Then you do exhale and there is relief. But in a panic you suck water into your lungs, suck some more water in, and you loose consciousness from lack of oxygen, and pass out and die. Why would anybody not want to breath unless your David Caradine in his last moments of ecstasy...oops! I guess I made a mistake...I held my breath tooooooo long. I would like to ask him if not breathing was worth the high. The embryo is metabolically connected to its mother, and does not have to breath. But as you know upon coming into this world it has to breath air or it will die. So, the doc helps the baby to start breathing. The doc doesn't tell the mother, well your baby can contiue on in its embryonic state not breathing because it is a better place to be. And the baby doesn't indicate in anyway that it does not want to breath. I still say, that EB is a state of imagery...a state of meditation...a state caused by lowering our respiration willingly. Nothing magic or etheral about it.

CT, take a closer look at my model regarding psychic pain. Do you submit to me that over time there is a deadening of emotions from the layer of defenses. The gentlemen from Arabia did say that he was concerned that he could not feel. He is reaching out for answers. My impression is that he is scared that he cannot feel. Therefore my help. Regarding the cancer patient example. Cancer can be painfull but it is treatable with pain killers which deadens the sense of pain therefore the aware of the body's state of affairs. Look at the thumb/hammer example again and ask yourself this question, I am going to answer the phone and become instantly empathic to the caller who has just told you that their wife/husband is divorcing them? Yes, after the pain subsides over a few minutes and the person has enough personal growth to relate to their friends pain. I would say that altruism is possible, but not probable. But let me say this, true altruism does not exist because in your heart of hearts, you don't do anything without a payoff. If you say you do, then your denying that your are selfish which is not realistic. To be self-less is impossible. Unless you're Jesus up there on the Cross telling His Father "Forgive them for they know not what they do!" Even Victor Frankel, a concentration camp victim was being selfish when he went around trying to comfort other prisoners. As he did this he remembered the why of their existence and remarked in his book that it was the ones that practiced the how of their existence that lived longer, or survived. Victor made some money off their suffering by writing a book about it. It might have been closer to altruism if he did not write the book and just let it be. Have you ever heard the saying "you can't keep what you don't give away?" This is how it is that I offer my help.

It is impossible to be altruistic when you are hurting. Try this experiment. Take a hammer and hit your thumb with it. Now try to be empathic with someone. In my professional opinion, there seems to be trauma in your life that has not been dealt with. It is true that Panic symptoms are your consciousness recognizing this, and it scares you, even for a moment. Then this stored memory is defended again by the walls of defenses that had to be placed there in order for you to deal with it. Historically, you have had this for a while. And there has been some other negative experiences experienced on top of the trauma. Kinda like levels of experiences going all the way back to your childhood...some good, some bad. Well, it takes a lot of psychic energy to hold all that down out of your awareness. But as we age, our ability to hold down stored negativity/trauma becomes compromised by life stressors. It is too much to deal with. Take out a piece of paper and draw many lines starting from the top down. The top is your awareness line. The bottom line is when you were born. Look at it as a time line from birth to now. At each line write down the negative experiences you have had. The lines are the defenses a person has to use, walls to keep the those umpleasant experiences from reaching our awareness. But sometimes there is a crack in the wall, and the trauma and negativity combine and shoot up to our awareness causing a Panick Attack. After defending ourselves all our lives we just become numb to it all which equals no feeling. Depression is a bed fellow along with Anxiety as well.

Ralis, I think that when I said that on the inside I judge Joker was a reflection of one other character in the movie, I was on to something And that Joker could have been the worst in us or the antithesis meaning the exact opposite of something or someone. Your challenging on the anti-Christ I understand. But not pointing out that I was on the right road with the first assumption, I don't. Well anyway, the following is a result of my research. So, it is someone else's idea not mine. This is how this person relates to Batman and Joker: Appolonian Dichotomoy - order,law, order, beauty, reason Dionysian Dichotomy - hedonistic, primal My assumption - Ying/Yang - complimentary Thank you for the teachable moment!

No, ralis. I don't beleive in those myths. But the director might have. I don't have T.V. any more. Too expensive and not interesting enough to continue. I rely on Youtube and I don't Stream. So, I need for you to tell me from your point of view what the Joker signifies for you. Thanks. JD

I have experienced embryonic breathing technique. For me, it was a matter of imaging that the breath I took in stayed within my lungs and was not exhaled (In reality, it was exhaled out of my lungs). But the image became so strong and convincing it eventually felt as though I was holding my breath in comfortable and rebreathing it down into the Tan Dien, or abdominal region. As I said, it was a matter of imaging, not acutally. The benefit of this technique was being able to slow down my respiration significantly, which relaxed my body and mind, and spirit. But like anything, it takes work, it is uncomfortable at first, and is every time I began because it takes a great deal of concentration. But once I got into it, it became second nature. Do I do it now, no. I would rather take a Melatonin before I go to bed.

ChiBoy, Your brain has been use to a state of mind that has been affected by a foreign substance you were not born with...THC. It will take a while for your body system to metabilize the toxins out. There is nothing you can do, accept don't smoke up again. Do you know why Cannabis is called "dope?" Believe me I know why. I had a 13 year relationship woth Pot and it didn't do anything good for me like play guitar better, make love better, be a better dad, a good employee when I could hold down a job, a friend, or honest, or momogamous. Back in the 60's I believed in "Love the one your with..." Just let your body heal itsef. When I hear Celibacy, I cringe. My body cringes. You mean no sex at all...at all. not even with myself? You have to be carefull there too. No outlet comes out somewhere e.g. depression, blood in the semon, UTI, aggression. Just not natural. I started meditation with a Psalm in the Bible when I was a Christian. It starts out "Whither I go from your spirit...." My mentor who was a very spiritual man guided me for 10 years until he moved to another state. I like guided meditations. It is the easier softer way, and works just a good, at least for me. I can tell you that mediation blocks anger. And you can take that to the bank!! JD

O.K. ralis, please explain the deeper meaning 'The Joker' signifies. It is way over my head. I think 'The Joker' was the Devil incarnate. But now that I think of it, something on the inside is telling he was a reflection of some other character in the movie. 'The Joker' could have been the worst in us that is potentially there. somethng else that comes to me is he could have been the antithesis...or anti-Christ. I don't know. It's been a while since I have seen the movie.

I am in Chapter 1 pages 25 - 30, The Happy Excursion and need help understanding what is being said here. The book I am reading out of is A Taoist Classic Chuang-Tzu Foreign Languages Press, Bejing China 1989. Thanks, JD

Got the answer I was looking for ralis. I had 13 topics on the Newcomer location going, and it created extra pages. I didn't know The answer to this problem is to create a Jim D. topic calling it the Jim D. thread. This is where I can put all future topics and interests. And if anybody is interested in me and what I am interested in, they can click and view. I then need to find more appropriate sites and fit my interests and comments in those sites. Well there you have it. Problem solved, and I am off the radar. Oh, I now have my own PPD in a sub forum Niiiice! JD

Welcome Chi Boy, I read your post and there is one disclosure you made that I would like to address. It is your admitting that you did a lot of pot smoking. The tightness that you are feeling in your chest are your lungs which if you were to do a autopsy of yourself, would see how black and tarred they are. It will take many years for your lungs to clear up where this tightness goes away. So, deep breathing will be uncomfortable for a while. Another area of concern is the build up of THC in the fatty tissues of your neurons. This build up will affect neurotransmission for a good while until your body gets rid of the gunk build up in your meyiln sheath of your neurons. What this means is that the messages that your Central Nervous is trying to deliver between the synapsis of your neuron system is being slowed down and/or blocked. In other words, the THC build up is an obstacle for any kind of learning or experiencing new material. And it is a block to feeling Chi. So, you have to give your body a period of time to detox from the toxins you put into it, save that there were other controled substance use. Everything that you did before is State Dependent. The popping you're hearing in your back is a kind of gas that is being released. Nothing to worry about. Nothing is being cracked like people think Chiroprators do. O.K. with that being said in an attitude of good will and encouragement, I would start out slow. Do the readings. Don't take it so seriously as to forget about having a good time, and add joy to your life. And beath in to the degree that you are feeling comfortable. Mediation is a matter of focusing on one thing at a time. The goal is to slow down the racing mind. Best of luck, Jim D.

Looks like tracers to me. You know like an LSD trip...mine. By the way, "it has been brought to the attention of the Newcomer Board that I have been posting so much, that pages are being added to wherever I post, which means other posters are having trouble posting because of the numerous pages they have to go through to post. I have been asked to place my postings on other more appropriate sub forums and/or apply for a PPD. What does that mean in practice? Help , JD