Sketch

But in keeping with the spirit of the post, and the sort of thing I'm generally glad to find on this site. Thanks!

Getting comfortable behind an awkward guitar - a steel bodied resophonic, heavy enough to be foolish to play standing up - got me into Alexander Technique, a postural training system I worked with for a few years.

Slim Gaillard knows. “The fish trap exists because of the fish. Once you've gotten the fish you can forget the trap. The rabbit snare exists because of the rabbit. Once you've gotten the rabbit, you can forget the snare. Words exist because of meaning. Once you've gotten the meaning, you can forget the words. Where can I find a man who has forgotten words so I can talk with him?”― Zhuangzi, Chuang Tsu: Inner Chapters

Part of the route to my current practice involved investigating resonance frequency breathing. I made recordings of my breath work over time, providing myself with proof that I was able to slow my heart rate by synchronizing it with my breath. This drew me to explore further. In my current practice, the mechanisms of breath still control and inform the movement in my tissues, but when things are rolling along, the breath and my pulses are independent of one another. Outside my regular practice time I find myself humming into my body, and chanting. I seem to be becoming more resonant, and I can make things buzz, especially in my spine. I have always sang a lot and come to this with a well developed diaphragm so playing with sound and resonance is what I cannot resist.

After a couple of years of diligent practice, one thing I have certainly cultivated is a sensitive tingly feeling in my back and capping my head. There are other positive effects, like an improved attitude in general, fewer bad habits, where'd my rage go? type things. This right here seems to justify the whole project. The "Practice of practice". It wouldn't make it through a really bad day, but I know it's here and I could get in touch with it, rebuild it. Moving forward seems to be a matter of keeping up a beneficial practice - and finding out where it goes. And reading, lots of reading.

A box of books arrived - Damo Mitchell's "White Moon on the Mountain Peak" and Simon Bastian's "The Way Of The Demons, Shadow and Opposition in Taoist Thought, Ritual, and Alchemy" will take some digesting. Also got a new tablet, first in a few years, so I'm going through my digital comic book collection. The perfect antidote to all this serious Taoist stuff - Junji Ito's "Uzumaki". A graphic novel that plays reality games in a way that recalls "Ringu" and the fiction of Thomas Liggoti, characters lose themselves contemplating the Spiral, which causes strange effects on their bodies, minds, and spirits. Like I said, a great break from this Taoist lark. Highly recommended. Looking at a lot of anatomical reference these days, and just downloaded Theodore Dimons "Anatomy Of The Voice", which has very clear descriptions and excellent illustrations.

My friends who are fishing guides still love to go fishing.

I see where my ideas are different from how a few of you cats think. I'm just interested in moving forward. An idea of "Perfection" is useless to me. Good for you folks who "Achieved " what you set out to do. We're all better off with you as you are now. That's how I understand the story of Milarepa, too. If I ran out of skills to develop, what would I do then? Does Cook Ding run out of Oxen to butcher? It's just more music. Once you get the instrument in tune, you begin. You join the music, you don't make it. The music never stops.

The two ideas I remember having the biggest "aha" factor for me about drawing were "Two Point Perspective" - which an uncle taught me, but there'll be internet resources aplenty - and shading, the idea that adding darkness and heavier lines to the bottom and side of a drawing gave it depth. Figuring out how shadows actually work can take up lifetimes, but there are tricks. However, depicting the 3d world is only one aspect of drawing - it goes in all directions. I find that the best approach is an attitude of playful practice.

Yes, especially if the book is blank. Just cover paper with marks for a while, play with it, scribble. Doodle. See what kind of marks you make. Actually, Betty Edwards' "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" is a useful and encouraging book about "how to draw".

By "Got them naturally" I suppose you mean not as afterimages? The vibrating blue stuff does act differently than the other colors.

That is a semantic distinction I have heard from numerous musicians over the years. For "Practice" read "Praxis".

It seems like wondering if a musician should (or could) quit practicing their instrument once they become "good enough" at it.

Something I can add here is the observation that after months of standing exercises and scalp massage, my scalp feels much softer and "puffier", as do tissues all throughout my body. It feels as though the sutures have wider, softer space between them. The back of my head - the wind ponds - feel fabulous. I've always had what I assume to be "very active" phosphene effects, a tendency towards seeing things in the dark - vibrating blue lines, almost 3d abstract shapes, a blacker than black bow tie the last couple of times I got drunk, fun stuff. So I'm cautious to ascribe too much to visual effects from my practice. But they are there, plentiful and entertaining. There have been many associated effects - crying jags that left me feeling as if my sins had been forgiven, the inside of my back feels like a fresh, slippery salmon fillet, my feet and hands have stopped hurting from some endless clutching I didn't know I was doing. I am often aware of my pulse, especially along the Aortic line, except when that organizes itself into an orchestra of spinning balls and orbiting wooshing. I think that's supposed to happen, but an awareness of that sort occasionally intrudes on whatever else is going on.

Verse Eighty One True words are not pretty. Pretty words aren’t true. A friendly person is not looking for an argument. Someone who is looking for an argument is not your friend. The person who knows Doesn’t show off their knowledge or credentials; They may not have credentials, just the right mind. An internet translation program I’m consulting Actually says here That a Blogger does not know. One who shows off their knowledge Does not know. The kind of person we’re trying to become Does not accumulate titles or degrees for their own sake, They learn and teach by example. The more we participate in teaching and learning By example and experience, and interacting with people of all skill levels, The more useful knowledge we have access to. This getting along and going along with others Is the pathway set out under the sky. It will benefit anyone to learn of the pathway as the kind of person you should emulate has marked it. Following the path will do no harm. Of this, there is no dispute.

Verse Eighty A small country with a small population Where they do things the simple, old fashioned way They could use more sophisticated methods But they prefer not to. They’d prefer to die Rather than move away. They may have boats and wagons But there’s nowhere they’d rather be. Although they have armor and weapons, They don’t display them. They make their own rope, All kinds of cordage, and make it as they need it. They eat delicious food, Their clothes are beautiful; Their homes are safe. They play wonderful music. If they have anything to do with The country next door, It’s hearing the noise from their chickens and their dogs. The people keep mostly to themselves.

Verse Seventy Nine When there’s been blame and recriminations between people, there will be some remainder of blame, of resentment. Can there be a return to safety and kindness? Follow the example my children’s grandmother sets; Fulfill your obligations Regardless of whether you think the other parties will honor their responsibilities . The path that winds beneath the skies Favors no one But those who follow it are on the right track.

Verse Seventy Eight If you were going around, under the sky, looking for something soft and weak, You wouldn’t find a better example than water. If you were looking for a way to attack something solid and strong - water is great for that. Water is weak but it’s no pushover; It’s softness allows it to be victorious over many things. Nobody in the world doubts this. But nobody tries to emulate water. The person we would like to emulate is like a cloud - their example rains down on the people she deals with, and their effect on the rest of society is like grain growing from the earth. If a country goes through difficult times, it is the difficulty that is the ruler. Not everyone understands this.

Verse Seventy Seven In what way is the Trail Marker, and everything under the sky that follows it, like a bow? When a bow is shot, Mister upper limb goes down, Mister lower limb goes up. The string goes tight, then loose. The person who understands how this works can make use of it. The Trail Marker, and everything under the sky that follows it, Takes from one And gives to the other, Eating the fruits While nourishing the roots. This is not the path that most people follow, They hoard and stockpile and play with markets; Who can leave things in their natural state, Taking what they need Distributing to where things are needed And no more; At this point, it takes the effort to follow the Trail Marker. Someone should have told you by now, like my Grandmother told me, The world doesn't owe you a thing. Make yourself more competent And more patient. Don’t rely on what you perceive as your station or your due in life. Work towards immediate and straightforward goals And don’t concern yourself with honors or praise.

We've only used the I Ching as an oracle during major life decisions - moves and career changes, for example. Then we've discussed the results for months. Sometimes the imagery from a particular consultation becomes part of how we discuss memories of the time passed. "Before the Dragon took off from that field" .

Verse Seventy Six Human bodies are soft and weak When they are born And when dead They are hard and brittle. Living things tend to be soft and supple. Everything dies and becomes withered and desiccated. So - people who are hard and stiff in their ways Are followers of death. The soft and weak accompany life. Putting violent strength first Is no way to achieve a worthwhile victory. The strong place is beneath the weak place.

Verse Seventy Five The people are starving And you tax their food. This is the cause of famine. The people are difficult to rule Because of the yoke of laws put on them. That is why rulers see people as resistant to rule. Rulers talk about the people making sacrifices Because they value their lives So the people sacrifice And only the so called grownups in charge Reap the benefits. The lives of the people should not be wasted to Gratify the desires Of the so called grownups in charge.

Verse Seventy Four If the people aren’t fearful of death, How can they be threatened with death? If the people are afraid of death, Then for the odd person here and there I would have them caught and executed. Then who is going to have the courage to break the laws? The so called grown-ups Always have guards, rent-a-cops, security, police… None of these should be armed with deadly weapons Or authorized to kill people. There's an expert craftsman, the executioner. Letting anyone else do his job Is leaving it to poor craftsmen, amateurs, irresponsible dilettantes. I would prefer not to hurt my hands At skills I did not master.

Verse Seventy Three those with courage and daring Will often be killed; The courageous who do not dare Live to deal with the consequences. I’m not sure which is better or worse. What is evil under the sky? Even people wiser than me find this difficult. The Dao, the path that even the sky follows, Does not fight, but still wins in the end. Does not speak, yet gets a good response. Is not summoned, but arrives uninvited. Calmly, peacefully seeking the right level The sky is a wide, loose net But nothing is able to slip through.

Verse Seventy Two People aren’t afraid of prestige. Authority, Star Quality, Fame, badges and signs of importance, People should keep this stuff out of their homes. Nobody wants to have the boss over for dinner Or have the Cops at the door. It’s all disgusting behavior. Leave folks alone to live, grow, sprout Do as they please. The so called grownups in charge Should leave everyone alone And remember that they serve the populace. Then maybe everyone wouldn’t find them all so disgusting. Dear tiresome, authoritative human refuse; Don’t. Didn’t your grandmother teach you any better manners? Mine did. Don’t make a big show About how important you think you are. Act from caring about those in your charge, from love, not from rank or authority. So - the takeaway here is not to pester people with your authority, but to serve quietly in the background.