Raindancer

We seem to have the same thing going on! I can often block out what I hear by fantasizing, and it does not bother me in the day to day life, but that's not ideal for meditation. I've never been able to enjoy white sound, it sounds too eerie to me, but I checked the forest rain with singing bowls and that one is fantastic, thank you for mentioning it! It is something about rain that I really resonate with, music normally distracts me, but the sound the bowls make sounds like it's from within the rain, a call from nature.

Thank you for your answers! My question was not a very deep and thoughtful one, I know that, but I'm very thankful for the answers.

Thank you both for your replies! So there is no consensus, I suspected that. The reaction I had from this person makes me think that there might be some differences in opinion about that, and I can see how that would be with what you say, Lost in Translation, but I'm glad to hear that there's no consensus. I could picture just how hard it would be, to deem who is and who isn't. Thank you for the link, escott! That article was interesting, and it also seems to support that there's no clear cut line that makes someone a Taoist, only principles to live by as one. I'm studying Taoism to the best of my abilities and I try to follow principles in Tao Te Ching, I very much consider myself a student, and I don't think I will ever be 'perfect', but to me there's no question about me being a Taoist or not. I feel as if I've been a Taoist longer than I've known the word for it, as I held the same view of the world and the Way before I discovered Tao Te Ching, I just didn't know how to live aligned with it. I suppose some might disagree with me, but what else should I say I am?

I noticed that I completely dropped out of this forum just a few weeks after joining, I suppose I had too much going on in my life. Honestly I still have quite a lot going on, but I'm hopeful that I'll be able to explore this forum more now. This was an update that I felt like I wanted to put out there, but it doesn't need a new thread. I'm glad to have rediscovered this forum, even if it might take me a week or two to truly have time to dive in.

Hi everyone! I joined here in hopes of finding a community of somewhat likeminded people, I couldn't find any thorough description of the forum, but it looks like it might be a good place for me. I've always been a bit of a loner and I've grown up in a family that wouldn't talk religion or philosophy, therefore I developed all my beliefs and thoughts pretty much on my own. I would call myself an atheist (which I am) and ignore the other thoughts since talking about those would give me weird looks. I didn't know what to call or how to explain my beliefs up until a year ago when I came across Tao Te Ching and realised that the Tao lined up perfectly with everything I've thought of and in the core believe in. I still can't explain it, but it feels so right and I'm so happy I picked up that book. It has made me question my life in several ways, I'm not really sure how to deal with it all, but that's not material for an introduction thread. I'm not very good at talking (or writing for that matter, as you may notice). I think a lot and deep, but my words never give them justice, for that reason I don't think I could ever have an in depth conversations without sounding a bit like a child discussing heavy matters, but I hope that is okay. I am alone in this where I'm at now. I was never bothered by being alone before, but knowing there are others potentially like me out there makes me feel like I belong elsewhere. I hope this forum will lend me the company I feel I need Thank you for reading, if you did, any advice on how to move on from here is very welcome! Also, what are "tags"? (sorry if that's a silly question, I didn't know what to put in that field)

Hello! I joined this forum not long ago thinking that my main reason was that I wanted a community, which I still want, but after looking around I've realised that I probably wanted help to first and foremost educate myself. I feel as if I am a taoist/daoist (which word is preferred? can it even be expressed that way?) but quite an uneducated one. I have Tao Te Ching which I often read and reflect about and I do meditate, but for now that's about it. Which other books (and which translations) should I go for? I know about Zhuangzi and have been looking for it, but knowing how much translations can differ, I would like to get some tips before I purchase one. Are there any activities that could help me on my way? I feel that the internet points in several different directions which makes me unsure what is really the right route to take. Tai Chi is mentioned in a few places and looks interesting, reminds me a little bit about yoga (which I do a every day), but I'm not sure where the good ends and the unnecessary starts. I feel like it would be easy to overdo it, making it not natural at all. (Edit: with "not natural" I meant that too many activities might take the eyes off the "right goal", losing the purpose of the activities.) I'm thankful for all type of input.

Alright.

I was not sure if this place or the "Newcomer corner" was best fit for this thread, if I picked the wrong one I apologise in advance. I have talked about this with people before, usually as clueless as me as to what it could've been, but I thought that maybe someone here would have a better answer. When I was 10 or 11 years old, one October or possibly November evening I was walking alone outside when a light appeared behind me, bright enough to colour everything before me. When I turned around I saw that it was a shining blue sphere a few meters away from me, 2 to 4 meters above the ground (hard to judge, but it was above my height and a bit away from me, but not too far). I remember looking at it, in awe, until it went away. I can't remember if it faded or quickly disappeared, but it filled me with excitement and joy. It might also have made me warm, but that I can't be sure if I remember that right or if that is just me being very fond of the memory. No one was around, so I ran home to tell my father. Telling him didn't give me much. "Probably a weather balloon" I recall him saying, which I didn't understand at all, since the thing I saw definitely wasn't a balloon. I've since tried to make sense of what I saw, the closest explanation I've found is ball lightning. There was no thunder that evening, but what else could it have been? Any thoughts?

I'm not sure, I don't generally feel that drawn towards walking very far distances just for the sake of it. I'm more of a "sit down and observe" type of person.

Polite and sometimes fun they sure are, and I guess if they had the right technology at that time, they could've pranked me!

Alright, thank you for the clarification!

It's definitely enough that we know what we mean despite lacking the right words, especially since it's so hard to explain I have not. I have never been to the north part of my country, which is a bit funny since it's probably there I will move someday. I've just never gotten around to do it! Is that walk one you recommend?

So UFOs are more known to shine? Alien spirits checking me out almost sound a bit scary, haha. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. As said, it is quite impossible to find out exactly what is was I saw, but speculating sure is fun. I don't know if your text makes sense, but it made sense to me. I can relate to everything you just said, I just don't know if I would call it emptiness. It's hard to find a word which describes that room in me which display different types of calm nothingness, peace? And thank you, I'm glad I'm doing fine in some area at least

I never did that, so I can't really know. Looking at it, or remembering it, I think my hand would've gone right through it if I were to try to touch it. Thank you for the thought, I'm not sure if I can picture that myself, but who knows

That's interesting, thank you for your words! I'm not sure what change that would've been, after that age a lot happened, views on the world, feelings about the world, etc. But that could also just be the natural development of a kid, so no way for me to know. Oh, that kind of communication I can relate to! Though I have never really described my own experiences as communicating, I don't talk or listen, I just feel. Maybe that is what you do too? I am really not used to talking about these things, so it will probably take a while before I'm used to it, sorry if I come across a bit confused xD Alright, thank you!

Hello! It was rather large, but not several meters in diameter, probably not even one meter, and it did not look like it would be hard. It looked a bit like a soft sun (soft as in not painful to look at and not as bright).

I will do my best, thank you and have a good time! In the line of what others has mentioned or in another way?

I've noticed I'm a bit of a sceptic, but I'm open for suggestions. My mind is not easily turned by ideas without the consent of my inner being (hard to describe), but if I feel something, and it all feels right, that is what I will go on. Maybe it was just a ball lightning, who knows. I'm open to ideas.

Alright, I'm not sure if I understand, but you may if you can! I'm not sure what I should be looking for or feeling, if my heart has stayed open for 15 years I suppose one gets used to that (?). Thank you for your help.

So it would be damaging to find out more? I've heard that ball lighting is able to hover and be still, but the way that sphere appeared to me didn't scream "lightning". I've never thought about using chi(?)/chakra(?) for such things and I'm honestly not interested in it. I'm interested in a more simple and calm life, but still an aware one. I just wondered what it was that I experienced. Are you also of the belief that this could be what the others mentioned in this thread (chakra?), or was the last bit just a warning?

So once they've opened they stay open? What practices is it I should be doing and what is it those practices should lead to? As mentioned I have never heard of this before, so I really have no clue. Is there any good place I could turn to to read about it? Also, Daemon mentioned the heart chakra being green, and rideforever just now said that I would not have been able to turn around to watch the source of the light if it had been the heart chakra, could it still be? I don't know what to think, really.

Also! Thank you everyone for taking your time to answer

I'm sorry if I misunderstand something, do you mean I shouldn't talk about this now or are you referring to when I talked about it after I saw it at age 10/11? I don't know if I would ever find out more about it on my own, should I just keep events like this to myself forever? How would I ever be able to learn if I did? I'm curious as to what it could've been, that's all. That's an interesting thought that I'm not familiar with. Could such things open at any time? And why would they open? I do not do any practices that I think would cover those sort of things, also, this was around 15 years ago, would such practices still be beneficial? I agree with that, I guess that's why I ask others, since I don't know. (or did I misunderstand you now?) I want to learn, I want to know. If I can't know, that's fine, but I thought it was worth a shot. I've never seen that blue sphere since, so all I can do is think. I guess I'm too curious for my own good. Do you mean that I somehow should be able to communicate with this energy? It gave off a blue shine that made things appear blue, it did not blind me and I could tell that it was a round object, it did not hurt to look at. I suppose it could've been flat, a cylinder or even a round hole in the air, but I assumed that it was a sphere since that's what felt most natural to me since most round objects that are not bound to the ground are spheres. Was the hammer and nail reply a reply to the heart chakra reply? I'm getting confused, haha.

I was walking from an apartment complex towards a parking lot, if you mean where on the planet: Sweden. The object was obviously in the air on its own and not coming from a flashlight or similar (which adults also gave me as an explanation when I talked about it in that age, which made me stop talking about it).

That's true. Even if I would love to understand everything, there is a slight charm with things that are hard to understand (or even impossible to understand).