S:C

if possible, I'd like to change my account name - thanks in advance! to: questionmark

Somewhere I stumbled about a (probably) chinese character that looks like the romanized version of a big "K", but with the 'lower leg' turned slightly upwards above the middle, and then a knee like it is ready to kick. Looking for the meaning or any references, but I know that out of context this might be a shot in the dark. Thanks in advance for any hints or ideas (but please don't rack your brains about it.)

how would one know or find out what ones destiny is, so what it is you are meant to "work on" or "develop on" in this life?

Thanks for the hint, no, that's not what I meant. Might have been this one: 长 any other meanings than "long" / "grow"?

Thoreau like simplicity in modern times? Interesting, do you live the life of an ascetic, is this just a metaphor for the eastern perspective on personal development or is your life really as simple as this? So "goals" aren't the motor's driving force for most of you. Interesting!

Do you use specific methods with dividing the time for most effectiveness and wellbeing - as in time well spent, like using a calender and plan each week ahead? Setting weekly, monthly, yearly goals? Which self management methods do you use, e.g. getting things done? Or don't you and apart from the time that is already taken in by job and family duties you just wait "to be kissed by the muses"? Be glad to hear some of your ideas.

You are saying that the mind is not useful here and the time is not well spent thinking about this, as it is beyond thinking? @old3bob Emptiness as no-thing-ness. Clarity as ... well, terms are tough, here. What do you mean with the dependence on the observer to collapse a wave? Thanks for the commentary and the try to explain, @dwai.

(...) (...) So there is no definition of 'clarity' in that context. Simply equating it with emptiness will not do it, hence the articles purpose. (...) --- edit: so emptiness viewed through the dual mind and clarity ('void') viewed through non-dual experience, so it is but one reality, (still may not be equated ! ) but it is perceived differently, because the dual mind kind of has sensory filters and glasses to function with ideas and concepts and differentiations? so the title is a mere remembrance of non-duality? ok.

Enjoyed reading this, especially about the cloud metaphor, thanks for sharing! Read this several times, foreign to these concepts and terms I still struggle with understanding, - with the clarity aspect: When the clouds are equal to the phenomena and emotions etc. and you deduct them to be mere illusions (without essence) you will arrive at emptiness? So clarity is emptiness? Is that consolation ? Or is one then sheer mesmerized with experiencing actions (& cause, conditions, effects) of the theatrical performance? (The miracle of experience AND awarenwess of it's emptiness being clarity? Or the potentiality that arises within it being clarity? Would be glad, to get some ... wait for it ... - clarity - or opinions on this.) Did I miss the clarity aspect, because I am stuck too much in the clouds..?

Whatever I say here will probably annoy you, as I am not talking in the same concepts as you do, so you will probably not resonate to it and throw it aside as it seems too foolish or simple and not spiritual enough, but here's to your initial questions by some outsider ... Depends what you decide fulfillment is for you in the very moment. Life is always changing, throwing new challenges at you, for you to take and maybe master and if not: learn from your 'failures'. If you reach/miss one bar, there'll just be another, for those who want to see it. So this fulfilling/disappointing feeling is, in my opinion, only momentarily by nature, if you keep an open mind and stay flexible in your desires. If you do develop long term goals (through decisive values) you've become certain about, like getting mentally tough, being financially independent, learning to detach from your emotions etc., you can train that in every action you take. You might see process and recess and regress over time (like when you watch a video series and overview the whole season, instead of just one episode of the characters life) and that can be in my opinion fulfilling and worthwhile, because it will be a great driving power, as it eases identifying the and dealing with the 'friction' (definition by von Clausewitz) of everyday life. When the 'friction' get's lesser through your constant work on yourself, it is a good way to live, I believe. See also: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/OODA_loop as a concept to deal with in turbulent times. It is of exceptional use in extreme pressure situations or disorientation by the military and business. There are more simplified graphics on the internet that might suit more than the one in the link. Either it is not the right (and worthwhile) path for you or you'll have to develop more toughness to go through it anyways, that's your decision alone. Applying morals in your every action, when before you have identified your true values that lead you to your specific set of morals. I'd advise you to change the perspective: not having arrived means there's stuff for you to do, to get to some place you either deem worthwhile or to handle in the best way whatever life throws at you with what you've got. Whenever you'd want to listen to someone telling you something about detachment, discipline, qualities and extreme ownership of actions, I would recommend tuning in to Jocko Willinks podcast. Maybe you wont resonate, still I believe it can help find your driving force inside you again. (Always helped me. And he has a good voice at least.) He does some Q&A and goes through (some more some less) valuable books (Napoleon, Hackworth, Frederick the II., Musashi), whatever he picks out you can often make use of or reflect about in your own life, at least that's what I experienced. He is way more oriented to living life than to the external and internal concepts, many people carry around with themselves while fighting with the friction as Don Quichotte with the windmills.

https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Platon_Cave_Sanraedam_1604.jpg https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allegory_of_the_cave#/media/File%3APlaton_Cave_Sanraedam_1604.jpg Public domain Wikipedia commons

any particular book you can recommend? thanks.

https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/science/faraway-nasa-probe-detects-eerie-hum-interstellar-space-2021-05-11/ "Instruments aboard NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft, which nine years ago exited our solar system's outer reaches, have detected a faint monotonous hum caused by the constant vibrations of the small amounts of gas found in the near-emptiness of interstellar space, scientists said." -- revokes memories of john cages - atlas eclipticalis. might be cheerful to someone else, too, or maybe not. at least i hope so. -- "Atlas Eclipticalis represents a map of the stars, evoking in a pointillist manner the multiplicity of the voids and the pools of light that make up the heavens. The title, Atlas Eclipticalis, was taken from the astronomer Antonín Bečvář. Working from maps created by Bečvář and after multiple chance procedures guided by the I Ching, Cage draws his own celestial map — a starry sky, immutably slow but continually in motion." (source: http://smcq.qc.ca/smcq/en/oeuvre/21540/Atlas_Eclipticalis) --- not sure I understand completely, but maybe another reason to be cheerful for someone

still don't know what you mean with enlightened, but there's interstate 60 for people who like development of themselves, looking things in the eyes & calling them by their real names as well as enjoying a good projection of the mind / mindgames ... need a little reassurance or distraction or ... -- 2nd trailer is original one -- of course very western centered and very simple troubles of the main character, but fun to watch for the above purpose, I guess

I am really glad you find this humourous!

ah, cool, I see. from my viewpoint (physics) energy itself is never lost but only transformed. the concept of those energies is foreign to me. from my grasp, it still would seem not really advisable to aspire to either be like a human perpetual mobile (not needing any new energy) or the contrary (as a lack of better words) a 'john galt motor' (a machine that is not losing any energy, [but extracts it from static electricity in the air] ... ). but maybe I do not get something important here. from my viewpoint, the laws of physics would advise agaist that. then again with these certain energies, it has sometimes been debated, if the laws of physics do not apply. so, - - I'm out then, I do not really understand your intention behind having so much energy stuck in your body-mind-system (but others might)? what's your plan behind it, is that getting you closer to something divine/spiritual? how do you know your body-mind-system is prepared to handle it?

there's some guy on youtube doing a explanatory commentary on the VBT, christoper wallis.

is he talking about turiya? thanks for sharing!

Hi Romeo, may I ask what is your motivation to have multiples? You say you don't enjoy the effect it has on you. So why? Please the ladies, get the love or appreciation? Pure sensation? If you approach the topic from neuroscience with every climax you get a full load of dopamine (and other stuff?) in your mind-body-system, which feels great in that moment, but as soon at the level declines (and it sure does fast) it is like a dopamine 'hung over'. (With multiples the decline will be a lot lot worse.. . . .) There is a reason why the body usually has a refractory period. Going against that is like surfing waves much higher than your head with shaky knees and out of breath, you wouldn't do that either, only if you are into escapism or 'sensation' seeking. like the dudes from 'point break' surf movie (wrong way, imho. still there are cases where multiples comes naturally, but that is a different story ...) You might want to check out and go for norephinephrin, oxytocin, vasopressin and all the other 'good' stuff, that comes with a loving approach, that means a good woman/partner that understands you and is loving, kind and patient and appreciative anyhow. (& so should you. but don't fake it. find the real thing.) the increase and decline curve of oxytocin for example is very different, it takes longer to get to a peak and it lasts a lot lot longer and has healthy and positive mood side effects. Then it is like riding the waves with ease and full breath, you won't be able to distinguish them, it is more like sailing, i guess, or like this dude. Don't stress yourself man, don't go against the dao! Why is it that you say that sexuality and spirtuality doesn't mix? What do you mean with 'being spiritual' in the first place? p.s. and thanks for the info on the jing, chi stuff, guys @Cleansox @virtue @Creation! and it would be nice to hear from you what you mean with the 'open spiritual heart', is that the loving connection approach or something else you do when 'cultivating' ( - what does that even mean in your words would be interesting.)

subtle I'd say. spanish is rather easy to learn. no need for any outward interference.

I like the last advice a lot more than the first, I guess! Thanks!

Yes, partly thank you. From what I understood the concept of the energy doesn't differentiate between men and women, so I was confused, why women may be prone to being drained by emotions more than men - in general. (in my personal experience that is not confirmed quite as black and white.) Then again I am new to the concept itself and was wondering how one would know there in this concept, which form of energy is lost ? - while being drained by "emotions" probably jing, as it is the topic of this thread. But how can one differentiate, if you use the candle comparision, how does one know if it is maybe shen that is lost or the other one, chi? In the candle comparison, so chi would be the flame, jing the wax and shen the radiance, said the search engine. That given as a premise, it seems obvious that the fast, hard and wishy-washy emotions would hypothetically drain the flame and the wax and the radiance at the same time. However that's not the point I want to get to. So how would one keep the candle clear of light but annoyingly steady emotions that might seem to be wasted ? How does one know which is which? Which is draining and which not, which is drained and especially what one can hypothetically do about it in order to be free from it all.

Bryan Larsen paints well

When you are marrying you should ask yourself: do you believe you are going to enjoy talking with this woman into your old age? The best foundation is friendship and shared values. Romantic love is fleeting. Ask youself, if you would still care for her if she would be (at a certain time for a certain time or for longer) unable to take care of herself like in illness, age, insanity, fading beauty, inability to give to you anything and unable to please you in the way you seem to desire so much, sexually. Dependency is destructive for both of the partners and the relationship. Of course my perspective is different, as I am speaking in the perspective of a self sufficient woman, one who is not in direct need of a partner, neither financially nor emotionally. Thankfulness might be a reason to marry, but in my opinion it is not a good one and shouldn't be the only one. Shared values, deep friendship and common worldview might be what I would consider. Still, I once was in a similar situation, like the woman, you think you love. Turned out, I felt caged in that other part of the world and couldn't acclimatize and realized my partner saw in me, just what he wanted to see, but never saw myself, even after being with me for five years. When your partner (in that case me, in your case her) cannot provide you with what you want, romantic love ends very soon and turns into something very ugly, in my opinion. My guess is you are far away from actually loving this person, you are hormonally attracted to her. You will want to consider if that is a good reason for marriage.