S:C

It seems funny and odd as first, then thoughtworthy if you think of a tyrant, or a Gestapo Officer, or a serial killer. They all are as well, then in this perspective? As you referenced the chap called Robert, I had a further realization… if you take integration seriously, relationships as a path (not one by my conscious choice) will show you what you are averse of or even despise and might need to integrate if you cannot become careless about it. It also reminded me of a series of dreams where I was in more than one perspective at the same time. Victim and perpetrator and a third non reactive bystander. Shocking really, I hate my path.

Holy Spirit gives the spark to the fire to burn books forbidden by the Catholic Church.

dust-cloud darkened sky a pale blue dot breaks open two dancers inside

Borrow?

Like a Tango

And well, if the practitioner happens to be a (biological heterosexual) woman the Daena happens to come across as a radiant man? Huh. Regarding the ‘rite of destruction’… there’s a music piece by Strawinsky that pictures that well, ‘rite of spring’ called, I believe, huh odd, it sets place in Mongolia or so, for spring a female is sacrificed in a dance, even though noone harms her physically. The female physically and in all layers just dies during this, just like in so many gruesome traditions of old, also common in the Tibetan traditions, if I recall correctly. Thanks, this seems helpful!, do you know if Zoroastrism is still practiced somewhere in the west? The Tibetan view seems quite crowded in my experience. The simpler the better. Life’s complicated enough. I’d almost fall for a unique path, but learning seems limited- even there. Teachings seem to have parallels, though. Thanks for the onion metaphor, @Shadow_self but well you never know if it’s emptiness, beyond emptiness so what good does it do. The peeling on of layers after returning seems to make sense, even if it’s counterintuitive, why get ‘thicker’ again after returning?

Wtf is this? Would you explain please?

Indeed. And if despite training, discipline and listening there is no improvement it might be time to move on.

Still scratching my head. Tried to draw your version but it doesn’t add up or I don’t get it. If you happen to enjoy and have the extra time, please feel free to elaborate…

As long as we haven’t a no-resistance (zero-Ohm)teacher that reaches to us from the ‘other side of the light’ we must be aware that we could be taking to the fool or the sage in our teacher at any time… and as well act and react from the same positions ourselves … as also we still are partly fool and (if lucky) partly sage. Not saying: anything goes, but - be reasonable and proportionate in forbidding someone to speak his/her voice!

Moderator Comment: What is with this aggressive behavior? If you don’t understand the question, and genuinely want to know, you can articulate your question without the condescension. Let me be very clear with you @Taoist Texts - if I see even a hint of condescension/bullying from you again, it will result in a permanent ban. If I learned anything from those I consider a teacher and/or a friend, it is that asking the right questions is imperative (for survival, success or sanity along the way - take your pick!). Reading TT’s comment did help remind me of a few lessons that always serve to be learned again and again. The receiving part might hear his words from the ear of condescension or bullying or aggression, (honi soit qui mal y pense!) - his/her loss - but it seems to be open to a broader spectrum of interpretation and one where TT’ throws Ariadne (modern female cultivators and princesses have to help themselves… (!) no white knight Theseus comes with a sword to kill their dragon… anyways in a weird way they would be the same person anyways) a red thread in the labyrinth of the dragon to find her way out there hopefully. All we can do here in TDB as friends along the way is to throw some trails of breadcrumbs out of the woods of the witch or pointers at the moon (good lord what a mix of metaphors.) If we forbid helpers to speak up it’s getting dim for our chance of success. https://www.buboquote.com/en/quote/32-carroll-if-you-don-t-know-where-you-are-going-any-road-can-take-you-there Applying discipline or cultivation to a lost cause or wrong end is a waste of time and energy that could (or should) be avoided (if it doesn’t coincide with one’s personal goal or nature). It’s always wiser to observe and orient with several options and consequences before deciding for a course of action. Sometimes a more direct approach can be necessary, I don’t see an insult or offense here: not everybody can teach with silence alone. Aren’t we all getting a little miffy with the so called modern emotional based rules of rational discourse? Cultivation is no cuddling. It must have been more fun to talk in the past.

Still, I don’t see Mercury here, just a (conjoined) balance of aforementioned polar energies. Thanks, that was interesting! Gotta love daobums various perspectives and interpretations!