Aetherous

Yes, I think video games are good for the brain. But not if that's all you do. There has to be balance between playing and working. Between sitting and moving. I think if we punish ourselves mentally for doing things that are enjoyable, it just creates problems. People enjoy playing games...that's good for them, and good for everyone if they are finding ways to be happy. Truly. But at the same time, our happiness may come at the cost of bad things happening throughout the world. It's hard to smile and play when you know that your culture is spending money on useless things, and leaving starving people behind, for instance. All I can do besides taking personal responsibility, is hope and pray that there are people in charge who are making the best decisions throughout the entire world. I don't think we need a wake up call, these days. No horrible things should happen to anyone, to make them see the "errors of their ways". I think we just need a gradual change into a well functioning whole. We need to forgive ourselves and move on. The entertainment industry is too focused on making people good (their version of good). Their schemes create mind numbing false realities. Too many movies are coming out that are just completely heartless and dull. Too much fear is in the air, creating mass hysteria. Maybe they want to get the entertainment industry to the point where it's just so senseless that no one really cares about it anymore? Seems to be working. I envision people coming together and enjoying their time together, doing simple things. It doesn't matter what. No more desiring to drink until brain dead. No more laughing like lunatics. No more seeking temporary fixes for the things we desire deep within our hearts. More courage and peace. More enjoying the moment. I have no idea how to implement these solutions that I dream of...I hope that by saying it here, it will help. I hope that by slowly beginning to live my life this way, that others will somehow benefit from it and follow suit. -clueless.

I respect these words so much, and wish that everyone can learn the essence of this easily. I hope that we can all help each other in this, together.

May everyone find what makes them feel at home within, no matter who they are.

This definitely speaks to me.

I recommend this book as a new alternative or complement to the Tao Te Ching. It's very down to earth and clear.

It's an excellent movie that really speaks to me. But I should stop thinking the entire theater wants to watch my favorites.

.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4jFvSbR9Gs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9gzkp3Hj4I

So much better than the first one...this movie is filled with humor and really good writing. Check it out!

Well my interpretation is: the first one deals with the theme of using willpower and determination to pass all of the chambers of Shaolin temple (a chamber is a place where the monks do specific training for martial skill). So the character played by Liu passes the levels, and the abbot sends him away with his skills, so that he can help people outside of the temple. His name is San Ti. It's like the left brain path. In the second one, Liu plays a beggar on the street who has a tendency for lying. He pretends to be San Ti, the now famous monk who trains people in the 36th chamber, and is shown to be a liar...or at least a decent actor. Out of shame due to his lies hurting so many people, he goes to the actual 36th chamber for training, so he can help others. When he's there, the real San Ti gives him unorthodox training like building scaffolding, and he doesn't fit in with the others at all, who are doing strict martial arts training. Eventually he becomes a badass scaffolder, and San Ti forces him to leave the 36th chamber. Then the character goes back to his village and finds that he actually does have martial ability, due to San Ti's training methods (which fit his unique nature). Much more interesting.

Oh it is? I thought someone was holding it up, and the background is a forest which is out of focus, or something.

Good things to reflect upon. Thanks guys, for sharing with the main forum!

Just take a break from beef, and do fish. Sooner or later you'll start salivating over a steak.

Art & Science of Mudras, Part 3

It's really generous to share teachings freely...plus I couldn't figure out how to access the older streams, so this is awesome. Thanks.

.

.

.

My bathroom is in need of cleaning too. Not a big deal, it's normal.

Oh yeah, or, if you already mastered those things...anything you do in life is meditation. I'll stop coming up with addendums now.

Oh and on the flip side...cleaning your kitchen, and cooking food from scratch...enjoying eating your creations and sharing them with others... That's good to do also. It represents conscious creation of things you think are good, which is like the opposite of "purification". The kitchen stimulates the senses. For instance when making bread: You feel the stickiness of the dough, you smell the yeast and flour interacting...you see your finished creation and are proud...you enjoyed the easy effort in making it...you filled a loaf of bread with all of your care and love, and it tastes that much better for it. You share it with others. Everyone loves to get a gift of food...unless it tastes horrible of course. So that is another idea, a way to live meditatively.

Cleaning your place slowly in a zen like way...especially the bathroom. The bathroom is a place of purification (symbolically, of your mind...physically for your body of course) and if it's kept very clean it helps your mind to function right. It also represents a place of 'letting go' of things you don't desire. So it's a good place to spend time contemplating, especially when thoughts are powerful. Of course half of using the bathroom is about cleaning yourself, not just the room. It seems like the nastiest place...so it's "grounding" and "exorcising" to spend time cleaning it. You're facing your own "shit" (pardon my french) literally, which is the point of spirituality. You're moving the body during all of this, so I consider it to be a form of "qigong". Also, do a forum search for cold water therapy. It's a very healthy thing to do, and many spiritual traditions have used it for tempering the mind. Also, I think Taoist meditation isn't really about attempting to accomplish anything. You're fine just the way you are, even if you doubt it. Whatever is in your nature to think, feel, do...those things are good for you. Eh, this is a hard thing to remember and I'm not good at describing it. But basically just enjoy your life, there's nothing to become except what you choose. Why would you want to become Lao Tzu or something? You enjoy yourself much more than being someone else.

.