Sketch

This connection between the breath, the voice and the sacred is a lot of my focus.

Neurological Correlates of Religious Chanting https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6414545/ The Seed Syllable Om http://www.visiblemantra.org/om.html Cymatic Science and Om https://www.gaia.com/article/cymatics-provides-explanation-for-the-benefits-of-mantra Six Healing Sounds https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liu_Zi_Jue

Not all music has lyrics Not all lyrics are words Some sounds are their meaning (Not to mention situations where the connection is a sympathetic one)

Why would I do that? I'm on a lucky streak.

I can't even assume everyone here has read Lao Tzu or Zhuangzi so that seems like a lot. Or Kerouac's "Dharma Bums" for that matter.

I've fished flies and roostertails in places where it was running along those lines.

At that point in the conversation, my memory grows hazy. It may not be water i needed waders for.

The main strategy for catching the big ones around here in the Columbia basin is the hog line...a group of small flat boats anchored side by side, stabilized by ropes to one another, in strong current. Seventeen to twenty five feet deep near the Falls? There abouts. The community spirit can be quite high; bitter rivalry and deep friendships. The chinook salmon are a great fish too.

I though of that aspect of the thing as soon as I posted.

The toxic honor version is basically "be courageous and follow my orders! Only a coward would be swayed by reason!"

Absolutely not masquerading as a "stream enterer" ... more indulging in my near constant reference to a few short passages from Zhuangzi, whether they seem to fit the situation or not. Zhuangzi and Huizi were strolling (you 遊) on the dam of the Hao River. Zhuangzi said, “How these minnows jump out of the water and play about (you 游) at their ease (cong rong 從容)! This is fish being happy (le 樂)! ” Huizi said: “You, sir, are not a fish, how (an 安) do you know (zhi 知) what the happiness of fish is?” Zhuangzi replied: “You, sir, are not me, how (an 安) do you know (zhi 知) that I do not know (bu zhi 不知) what the happiness of fish is?” Huizi said: “I am not you, sir, so I inherently don’t know you; but you, sir, are inherently no fish, and that you don’t know (bu zhi 不知) what the happiness of fish is, is [now] fully [established].” Zhuangzi replied: “Let’s return to the roots [of this conversation]. By asking “how (an 安) do you know (zhi 知) the happiness of fish,” you already knew (zhi 知) that I know (zhi 知) it, and yet you asked me; I know (zhi 知) it by standing overlooking the Hao River.” (Zh. 17. Trans. Meyer, “Truth Claim”, 335, modified.)

I certainly behave as if luck were real. My family has a line of successful gamblers. Usually at things attributable to skill. I decided not to gamble at all, to cultivate that lucky streak where it matters. My great good fortune in friendships, relationships and the way my wayward adventures have turned out so far, seems very lucky to me.

At this point, I'm standing by the shore in hip waders.

You have to love fishing without catching anything To really appreciate getting a bite. The pathway is the thing. The goal is an illusion.

This is exactly a question of "gong".

What ended?

Then I've been there many times. You should give fishing a go.

If I absolutely had to describe a goal to my current practices, it would be something like my understanding of Lao Tzu 's Shengren. Then, I'd be in a better position to decide what was enlightenment than I am now.

Brad Warner talks about his ex girlfriend kind of "rooting against" his enlightenment.

in fact, some of my happiest times have been spent messing about on boats.

Sometimes,one risks drowning. My wife quotes Arthur Ransome a lot...."better drowned than duffers.If not duffers, won't drown" Risk management is the essence of fun.

And if someone swims across the same river They stop swimming at the shore as well.

Still seems like a weird system of end gaming. Only playing a musical instrument because the Grammies exist. Only playing catch if there's a big league. Makes all the real work seem drab.

Neither is a depiction Of a guy with a halo. Neither are the words written in the holy books