Seth Ananda

Hi SlippySlim, welcome to the Forum. Do you know what kind of meditation you are interested in? Its a huge field

Maybe you guys could stay on thread topic. teknix, your ideas about what chi is or isn't have noting to do with this thread. If you want to debate chi and its reality or lack of, start your own thread devoted to that.

Karma is often seen as a bit more sticky or metaphysical than that... Cause and effect is, if I am rude to someone they might punch me in the face, or cease liking me and any other social ramifications. Many views of karma see it as being deeper than that. It may bite you 10 years later or in some future life!

I'm not sure how you mean this? Are you referring to some general 'miraculousness' of life that is always present and slides past unappreciated or something else? I would like to add that what I call Magick has nothing in common with the normal life of a 'mundane'...

I think that people have to feel opposed to it, as to seriously question if it is real would be to seriously question the foundations of ones entire world view. Most do not want to do that. Others that have a more magical model of the world, often have a set of beliefs that stop them exploring the subject in any meaningful manner. like 'Karma', or 'its all evil manipulation' or 'Mages don't really know what those beings really want'.... Well i love it. I don't actively try to hide it or talk about it, as far as outsiders are concerned, usually. Sometimes I like to bring it up if I become interested in how someone would react to the subject, or If i think they may find it genuinely Interesting. I hear Bali, and many similar places accept Magick far more readily than the west. I tend to associate myself mostly with people with similar interests to me, as i like conversation about topics that are dear to me. Does it matter what others think? Well it did have consequences for Galileo, but no one is going to burn you at the stake. And who wants to be surrounded by muggles 24.7? Find the people who like what you are in to... They tend to be far more Interesting anyway.

I don't know about karma either. I believe in cause and effect, but am less sure about Karma. In one of my worst abuses of Magick {a long time ago} via a demon, the only 'karmic' like effect I witnessed was the obvious result of 'becoming' the type of person who would stoop to do the things I did to people. I became a miserable and despicable abusive humanoid, till i realised just how rotten I was becoming. On one level I am still ashamed of my actions there to this day, but on another level it was one of the greatest learning experiences i have had, and shame or not, I would not even consider not doing it again if I some how had to live it over. But again, I tend to sit in the camp that says 'as long as you get to walk away from it, burning ones fingers is good!'

Why? What about just for your good? I am personally all for 'results Magick' for a better quality of life for me. Mind you I dont need it nearly as often any more which free's me up for deeper considerations. My formula is when my life is shit it's hard for me to think about or have time for spiritual pursuits, so its time for results Magick. Me me me me!!!! Then Magick helps set up what ever conditions I needed and I can enjoy 'loftier' pursuits. We we we we....

This is totally inconsistent with my experience of Magick. While I have never won the lottery there have been a number of occasions where I have turned to Magick for financial aid and it has always worked. I never have been aware of some karmic back lash {which doesn't mean it didn't happen} out side of working with demonic energies, when I have failed to make appropriate offerings. I don't see that as being karma as much as having a demon not be entirely happy with you. The 'karma and Magick talk' is an interesting subject. It often seems to come up among scared new agers, lofty mystics and christians, and more often than not seems to contain a set of rationalizations as to why they themselves are 'wise' or better off some how, for not doing Magick. I am not saying that is what is happening here, but it is something I have noticed quite often in the past. Fair enough I suppose, but if I do a working to 'get' something, the only side effects I notice are a greater quality of life in a bunch of other directions as well, including that feeling of spiritual connection. But I think you all know how I feel about Magick. I think it is the greatest pursuit on earth.

Sure but I want to make sure that you understand that I was not talking about 'feelings' or emotions as such, but rather the feeling nature or the feeling faculty itself. As a complex organ of perception in its own right, it is the thing that does the feeling of emotions, body sensations and so on, but it also does {or can do} so much more. It is the function that can open the deepest Inner doors, letting one experience first hand exactly what 'soul' is... It is one of the most important subjects of much esoteric science, and ancient law, and details of its use and development were often closely guarded secrets.

Hey don't get me wrong, I feel very grateful towards Buddhism, and no, no one was holding a gun to my head - lol But i was on a certain path, getting astounding results, when the Buddhist Meme hijacked my system so to speak. Hence at the time feeling some resentment And despite how good things were going, I 'Had' to follow Buddhism and its annoyingly good arguments as that began to seem like the path to truth. I know very well what Buddhism says on this topic. But it is an insufficient explanation for me. I don't want conformation of anything. I wan't truth. I would convert to the religion I most despise, in a flash if I thought that they genuinely had the truth...

I want to add to this. Buddhist theory is very carefully and logically crafted from the conclusions drawn from their mode of investigation. Vippasana. It makes total sense. and it does uncover certain universal laws. When you watch and watch and watch, you see that nothing 'seen' remains the same, all things come and go, nothing has any lasting 'reality' and there is no centre to speak of. The mind becomes more and more subtle and amazing {or horrible} 'states' start to arise, yet none of it is 'real'... The masters gain all kinds of abilities as they master their minds, including the ability to project themselves into new lives... From here a very detailed philosophy has been built up. Increadible in stature. Yet it is all based on just one system or lens of investigation - Just sit down and look - Can you see it? Is there a center? Is there a Self?... Thats all well and good, but there is an overlooked way of investigating that yields far different results. And again, its a very different faculty... Feeling.

Well to stay on topic, the 'experience' or 'place' that some refer to as soul. You see its very tricky to describe properly with words. Calling it an 'experience' could make someone think it is something that comes and goes, yet within that state, it is evident it has always existed, and that all ones personal awareness is actually flowing from it. It is the 'place' that views, but ones personality level, made of all those thoughts and feelings which is our tool for getting around on earth, gets distracted by all the noise of the world, forgets about its core, and thinks its the one in charge. Buddhism is anti soul, because it accepts the 'mental viewing' mode of investigation as the only valid tool for investigation. It does strike me as funny now, to think that Buddha's name came from 'Buddhi' which is the higher mental faculty's... So despite buddhism running blind in relation to aspects of the universe, there really is meaning in the universe, our souls really do have a purpose and intelligence, and the universe really is a living sentient and interactive consciousness. The old traditions are correct underneath their culturally specific interpretations of existence. Not only that, but all this can be 'known' directly and personally, in a very scientific manner, as outlined by esoteric schools, shamanistic teachings, and ancient wisdom from all over the world. And it requires a different tool to investigate with. That tool is the 'feeling' - not emotions - but the feeling, a faculty that tends to be atrophied in most modern countries...

Feeling bad now doesn't mean feeling bad for the rest of ones life - unless you kill yourself

Hehe. I am a truth seeker first and foremost. Conversations with Vajra, Xabir and CT slowly slowly won me over. Certain Ideas like E&DO once I grasped them, dug in and would not let go. So, despite as painful as it was, I forced myself to move out of communion with the universe, turned my back on all my direct intuiting, and entered the Buddhist path. I felt I had been forcibly converted. I became a reluctant Buddhist. I started to like it eventually. I absolutely loved Prasangika philosophy, as it makes absolute perfect sense to me on a mind level. Dzogchen and Mahamudra are wonderful. But again, I had experienced things that just don't fit within the Buddhist rhetoric or world view. and eventually I could not ignore that any more. I realised that Buddhism is fantastic for some areas, but not for others.

There is a place inside each of us that knows exactly who it is, and expresses in a totally authentic manner, and feels quite literally to be the core of who we are. It is radiant and open, and knows {without words} exactly what it wants here on earth. Some might call that the soul. I tend to think that Buddhists will never find it as they use the wrong tool in their investigation. I have never been able to access this place myself using Vippassna, and trust me, I have tried. When I got converted to Buddhism 4 years or so, ago, this 'soul experience' was one of my previous experiences that I was Interested in examining from the Buddhist/insight point of view... But to no avail. I left Buddhism mid 2012 as it just could not answer certain experiences that i have had, in any satisfactory manner. One {or at least I} simply can not access that 'place' by sitting and observing or looking at body sensations, feelings, thoughts and so on. Doing so by its very nature, keeps you sort of 'mentally orientated' and one will never find the 'soul' in that manner, as the 'soul' is what is behind the looker, and never comes into view for examination and dissection... My parable for the Buddhist path is: Once upon a time there was a floating eyeball creature, that had some big questions about who he was. He decided that he needed to find evidence of his existence. He didn't want to just 'believe' others when they told him that he was an eyeball. He wanted proof that this eyeball existed. So he looked around and around. Everything that he found, constituted something other than an eyeball, even his thoughts and feelings. He began to feel disoriented and started to wonder if there really was an eyeball anywhere... then at last it hit him! There was no eyeball! None at all. This gave him a profound sense of freedom. So he, the eyeball, sat back and started writing complex theories as to why there is no eyeball, and how we really are just a bunch of mixed elements that form a temporary false sense of existence... Many many other Eyeballs joined him, started mountain retreats, and spent their days debating over whether the emptiness of a cup is the same emptiness as the emptiness of a yack horn, and their theories grew vast in number, as did the counter theories, and split of groups formed, and they created debate conventions, and so on, and so on... I can't say the end, cause it goes on forever... But there is a different way of finding the 'soul'. And it requires a different tool. Outside of spontaneous experiences, It requires a total dropping into feeling. A dropping of the minds grasping, dropping its need to 'see for itself' and to control via mental understanding... Stepping into 'Being' and 'feeling' is the required ingredient, for 'finding' the thing that is always there. When you are 'being' for long enough, it just 'emerges' and you realise that it was always there, and that you always have known it in some subtle way. Its the core of who you are. And it will be more than clear that it is quite literally the source of awareness, or the place that 'looking and watching' flows from. My tools to describe this accurately are probably faulty. But its like the mind and its watching capabilities, are fantastic tools for exploring the outside world. and when I say outside I am including body sensations, many subtle energies, thoughts and emotions. But Mental 'watching and looking' are totally Inept, deficient tools for exploring and discovering the soul. This is why Buddhists 'usually' don't discover the soul. The tool they favour for examination of 'reality' is only good for a portion of it. But Feeling, is the consummate lens by which to enter the deepest regions of our existence. And it is just as valid a tool as mental 'viewing'.

This forum has clear rules on No Personal Attack. Yet Racism, Sexism and Homophobia continually slide past the Mods and go unpunished, due to what I believe are unclear laws on this Issue. My Argument is that racist, sexist and homophobic posts, actually do constitute a personal attack, and thus should be clearly added within the forum rules on civil discussion. Ones race, gender, and {usually} ones sexual orientation are something you have absolutely no control over. Also race, gender and sexual orientation are part of who you are, personally. They are not just like some set of inner furnishings either, like ones personal belief systems, cultural programming or Religion, as all of those are merely sets of Ideas and assumptions, and are totally subject to change. They are part of the foundation of who you are. So any article that says: "Women all do... Gays are all like... or Blacks are all... " ...and then proceeds to paint a whole population of people in some negative light, is actually personally attacking everyone of that persuasion. It is attacking and denigrating something that is natural to that person and that they have Zero control over. This can Never do anything constructive. Where can a conversation like that go? It leaves people feeling powerless and victimised. It destroys self esteem, and breeds bigotry and hatred. It is, emphatically, a Personal Attack. I say it has no place on this forum. Now, a person might have Issue with a subgroup, within a race, gender or sexual orientation. I have no problem with this. Examples might be: Extreme man hating feminists within the Female population... {gender} Gangsta culture within poor African American communities... {race} Straight Hate within Gay communities... {sexual orientation} {and there would be lots more, examples} Of course these things should be up for conversation. They are the {temporary} result of thinking (or lack of), or cultural/sub cultural conditioning. In other words they are 'add ons' to the person. They are not sacred cows. They are just beliefs, and intelligent dialogue can change them. and may be sorely needed. Unlike issues of race, gender or sexual orientation. No 'dialogue' can change these, as they are part of the person. Nothing positive can come from attacking these. When you attack a black man's race, it is a personal attack against him, and should see a swift response from our Lovely moderators. When you attack woman or mankind, it is a personal attack on every woman or man everywhere. And when you attack the gay community, it is a personal attack on every gay person in the world. I believe it fits within forum rules, or at least can very easily. I personally believe that it is an ethical Issue as well, that can not be ignored in social platforms. We are a microcosm of the world. Lets stop grinding the self esteem of 'others' into dust. Lets contribute to making a world where people feel great about being who they are, naturally.

Really? I thought most of the Buddhists here would be fine with that... I think half the arguments you and them have had here, have been simply over 'definitions'. Fundamentally, that is the realisation of emptiness that you are describing there... Something I have only had minor tastes of. Nice, thanks.

Bad Ass! I don't have any... ...yet, but there is some symbolism I want as it has deep personal significance to me, and I tend to lean towards the "hey, why not?" position. Of course if I was really motivated I would have had them years ago... Also, spiritual people get so uptight about everything {myself included sometimes} and go on and on about whether it is the 'ego' or not, as if ego decisions are some 'bad' thing... I'm not really in to that. If I make it to being and old man someday I imagine I would like seeing my faded and blurry tats, and get a chuckle out of my decisions as a young whipper snapper.

You forgot mention the cult like aspects! like if you go with a friend, then the falun authorities find out that you or they dare to continue some other practice, then that person is an 'evil practitioner' That Li Hongzhi can see every ET in the world, and knows that they are all bad, and is teaching Falun to train people to be able to fight ET's with their new Falun Superpowers! That their is a bunch of ambiguous stuff about interracial relationships, homosexuality, and what not... That Li Hongzhi has a super celestial eye that can see/foresee everything, yet could not tell - even with his logical mind - that organising a mass protest/sit down on the Chinese Government (only how long after Tiananmen square) would end with his followers in re-education camps... That Li Hongzhi is the final Authority on everything, and outranks even Buddha and Jesus, and to even question him is considered a sign of low cultivation or even 'Evil' energy!!! I spent some time with this group as the practice is good but i could not stomach its insane cult like tendencies, and eventually I gave up the practice as I don't want to be even energetically linked to Li and his Fanatics.

There is a great tradition of Homosexuality in many African tribes, and among the Australian aboriginals who may have just as long a history as the Africans... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homosexuality {scroll down to the African bit} Saying that it never existed or was unheard of is rather strange. Consider the Bonobo. Im sure Africans saw the blatantly homosexual behaviour that is native to that species, so to think that it was unheard of is rather strange. Also considering the amount of testosterone that is {or is not} present in the mother, {while the foetus is forming its brains sexual attraction centres} contributes directly to whether one is attracted to men, women, or both, then it is again a rather lousy argument to suggest with any form of authority that there were no Homosexuals ever in 90% of human history. Its actually quite funny. In fact as with most of your claims, such as O@AD {which after all these years of being asked for a simple youtube video of you demonstrating your 'power' on unsuspecting female strangers, is still not forthcoming} I wonder if maybe you just pull these 'facts' out of your.... ...um... ...imagination?

And I dont see it as thought police. People can think what they want, but they must be careful about what words they use to avoid violating the personal attack rule. I am all for challenging and dismantling each other's beliefs, and think it is a very valuable past time, and crucial for life on earth. But these are the thought related pursuits, and that is where the thought police, {a disgusting abhorent concept} would rear their ugly heads. Once race, ones gender and ones sexual orientation are out side of 'thought' in any normal definition of the word.

Scotty, why should Racists, homophobes and sexists get special treatment about the personal Insult rule? Is there something special about being sexist, racist or homophobic? I don't think thats what you are implying, but it seems that people are ok with saying 'No' to personal Insults on this forum, as long as they are not Race/gender/sexual orientation related personal insults which are emphatically OK? Why does moderation for rudeness only their for people who are not racist/sexist/homophobic...?

Lets get back on track. Do Racist Sexist or Homophobic posts constitute a personal attack? I say that they do, as they are attacking what someone is, personally.

How do I change the name? I cant find the button anywhere Edit: thanks

if you are Happy to change it that would suit me just fine. `Does Racism/Sexism/Homophobia constitute a Personal Attack`