ralis

What research are you referring to? ralis

I guess your thinking and or view is superior? What about your little 7 line verse at the bottom. Have you achieved the removal of all obstacles? If not , then why? At what point are the obstacles guaranteed to be removed, absolutely. If Padmasambhava's obstacles are completely removed, then he must not exist anymore. If that is the case then why do you rely on a nonexistent being? ralis

Everyone always wants to appeal to the higher cause, religious doctrine, authority or whatever to prove their own point of view. Buddhism, no matter how it is perceived or framed, is just another authoritarian belief system. It is a nihilistic view at best and offers no real answers to life's problems. I have provided a link to the problem of authoritarianism. http://www.electricpolitics.com/media/docs...horitarians.pdf ralis

Dr. Price's theories in part are based on misunderstanding soil chemistry and how minerals are made available to plants. Mineral availability is a function of soil ph. Soil ph is affected by organic components, microbial populations, rainfall, pollution, erosion, fertilizers, pesticides, soil type i.e, clay, sandy loam, glacial and volcanic. Mechanistic impacts either from natural processes or farming also have impact on ph. Soil ph is very difficult to change since it is measured on a logarithmic scale. Every mineral has a unique charge which determines where on the ph scale it is available. If the ph is slightly off, that element will be unavailable or at best a small percent will be bio available. Over time depending on the factors mentioned, there can be a gradual release of certain elements. In an attempt to solve crop failures and decreased production, such chemicals as urea (liquid N) granular N and other elemental (organic and inorganic) methods were developed to increase crop production/acre to feed a growing world population. The problem with Dr. Price's theories, is that they do not apply now. Why? Small farms will not feed 6.9 billion people. Small communities? Yes! Large cities? No! Small farms can't work on that scale. The law of diminishing returns quickly applies. Organic small farms can't produce enough per acre to feed large populations. There are some recent technological breakthroughs that I am using in my landscape business. Beneficial microbial inoculates that only work on small scales if and only if there is sufficient organic matter already in place. The other is an organic calcium supplement that holds promise for large scale food crop applications. BTW, I use no industrial chemicals in my business. The application of N, actually inhibits (shrivels) root systems. ralis

I have no problem with what you are suggesting for planting mini ecosystems etc. Permaculturists here in Santa Fe have used primitive techniques such as trying to stop water coming through arroyo's with straw bales. LOL! The water wins every time. A friend of mine that is a Permaculturist was given $250,000 to study how to solve a very bad erosion problem along the Santa Fe river. The solution for that problem would be caissons, piles etc. Not straw bales or flimsy ideas that don't work. Linear thinking attempts to use a small toolbox of techniques for every situation. We have serious problems with population growth, climate change, pollution, Monsanto's of the world and myriad other problems that require out of the box thinking. The solutions to our problems require understanding dynamic systems (nonlinear). My profession is Ornamental Horticulture (B.S.) with extensive knowledge of how to make plants thrive in harsh conditions. Also I have extensive knowledge in erosion control techniques that work. I am paid a lot of money to produce real world solutions that work. Every problem is different and must be approached with that aspect in mine. I have built walls on the edge of a ridge to hold back erosion in such a way that there are no cracks in the wall 10 years later. Try that with straw bales and swales as many Permaculturists have tried and failed. I know some people have a problem with grains and legumes being a part of our diets. There seems to be this idea that prehistoric people only ate in a certain way and we should to. Well, if we are evolving, should we not learn to adapt? Is not evolution about adaptation? Why not learn to grow and use grains and legumes in a correct way? If certain crops deplete the soil of nitrogen, then one rotates nitrogen fixers to solve the problem. ralis

He always has the same guy in all his videos and it looks really contrived to me. ralis

The author of the above quote presents a myopic view at best. There is nothing wrong with growing grains and legumes as long as correct crop rotations occur. It was the introduction of nitrogen fertilizers in the early 1900's that increased yields and therefore encouraged poor farming practices. Therefore, causing soil compaction, decreased numbers of beneficial soil microbes and runoff of fertilizer salts into water supplies. The idea of an educated consumer class with the so called enlightened farmer seems to me a bit unrealistic and idealistic. Monsanto is already making moves to control the entire seed supply on the planet. Monsanto is using political and legal (patented seeds) to control farmers. Farmers have already been sued in court for the illegal use of Monsanto's patented seeds. As far as pasture improvement goes, that would only apply in areas that are not impacted by chaotic environmental conditions i.e, drought, fluctuations in temperature shorter growing seasons and various factors such as erosion. Please, don't try to argue that such techniques as so called Permaculture can fix some of these agricultural problems. I have seen the mess that Permaculturists have left here in Santa Fe with their naive primitive techniques and buzzwords such as sustainability. This is linear thinking at best. The planetary ecosystem is nonlinear and dynamic. Simplistic ideas may even work on a very local scale. The variable with the largest impact is 6.91 billion people. ralis

I know the difference between grass fed and factory. I am including a link to a ranch in Idaho, and I can see from the photos the type of land the cattle are grazing on. This is not a very efficient way to raise protein and this process would not feed many people. In fact, if fossil fuels were eliminated, only around 10% of present day population would be supported. I have no problem with supporting small farmers. However, the entire structure that has been created to feed people is severely inefficient. I have grown weary with seeing well heeled elitists lined up in the local farmers market and Whole Foods buying the latest trendy meats and produce. Most of the reasons as to why we eat what we eat, is usually created by hype, fear and how one was raised. ralis http://www.alderspring.com/

How many of you that have posted in this thread stopped to consider what problems are associated in raising cattle? Even grass fed cattle in idealistic pastoral settings? How large would the pastoral setting have to be in order to provide for anyone to purchase this kind of beef at a cheap price? Have any of you seen the effects of overgrazing? Northern New Mexico was once grasslands and Ponderosa pine. When the Spanish Conquistadors invaded, sheep were allowed to overgraze, therefore destroying indigenous plant life. Those grasslands never fully recovered and what we have left are stubby grasses, plenty of erosion (subsoil structures with virtually no topsoil) and no Ponderosa pine forests. The exceptions are in the higher elevations where grasslands and healthy forests thrive. New Mexico is just one example of many that are the daily realities of millions of people worldwide. Is healthy grass fed meat just a promotional gimmick for the gullible? At what price? ralis

Some countries are very progressive in making organics affordable. However, that is the exception rather than the rule. Here in the U.S. there is just as much greed in the organics industry as in any other. ralis

What percent of the population have access to a farmer such as what you are referring to? You incorrectly assume that I have access to this idealistic cattle farm. My only source at the moment is Whole Foods here in Santa Fe that carries Coleman's brand of grass fed beef. The price is around 12.00-18.00/ pound depending on the cut of meat. Just what do I get for that price? Why would I want to support an industry that continually gouges the public for excess profits? ralis

What about parasites, e coli and other problems associated with raw meat? Especially beef. Even so called organic can have these problems. ralis

Neo-Advaita has been here in Santa Fe starting with Gangaji since the early 90's. Every week there is some new enlightened one coming to town. Their view is a misunderstanding of Ramana's work. Their arguments about "nothing to do" and "no one there" etc. are based on nihilism and beg the question. Humans are masters at trying to create philosophies from their own anthropocentric points of view. Does that make those views universal and absolute? Recently I have seen Neo-Advaita arguments used to explain Dzogchen. Seems to me that the only one's with "nothing to do" are the Neo-Advaita teachers who are supported by their followers with plenty of donations. Looks like the same old trip! LOL!! ralis

First of all, karma is just another control mechanism used by the machine i.e, any belief system. If you feel guilty or have any so called neg. feeling, then your life is not your own, it belongs to the machine. Does karma exist? ralis

First of all, why are you attacking me? You obviously don't understand how to debate. Why not discuss the merits of what I stated vs. attacking the messenger? Why are you so angry? Where is your so called Buddhist compassion? Your condescending remarks to me show your true nature! You proceed from your incorrect conclusion that I need to be lectured as to the proper way to approach finding the so called true path! It seems that you need to lecture someone as opposed to maybe asking questions? True? "Everyone dies, it's called Karma. you think having "balanced elements" makes you immortal? get real. if Santiago died falling off a rollercoaster, then KAP is obviously bullshit, right? because he could easily fly away, right? FRAUD!" This statement from your post that I just quoted is very puzzling. It is full of non sequiturs and just plain irrational. State why you said this. I never implied any of the above. Michael Parenti provided documentation at the end of his article and yet you attack him with no discussion as to the merit of his work! For your information, I have received almost all of Namkai Norbu's transmissions. "No one needs a 4th grader giving their opinions about getting a PhD." Do you have your PhD.? LOL!! ralis

Tummo is still one of the secret teachings in Tibetan Buddhism. Even if one can do the traditional 3 year retreat, there is no guarantee that one will receive Tummo or any other advanced practice. Tibetan Buddhism is not authentic Buddhism, it is Lamaism. You will kiss their asses for ever and not get anywhere (with rare exceptions). For hundreds of years the priesthood in Tibet collected various practices from the greater region and claimed such as their own. They claim the practices come directly from the Buddha realms. Nothing could be further from the truth. I guess that is what you mean by Orthodoxy. As far as learning Tummo on ones own, that would be ill advised. How does one control the intensity of it if it gets out of hand? What if it rises into the upper wind channels and really gets out of control? What about damage to the nervous system and psyche? There is much in the literature about the hazards of such an unbalanced approach. Lama Yeshe was the first Lama to come to the west and promote Tummo. He dropped dead of a massive coronary at his front door. Imbalance of the elements? Too much fire in the physical heart? Mircea Eliade's book on Shamanism provides an overview of where these practices come from. Highly recommended. Also Joseph Campbells works. Read this link for a very sobering well researched paper on Tibetan Buddhism. http://www.michaelparenti.org/Tibet.html Santiago is right on about how one must approach these gurus. Kissing their their asses for years in the hopes of receiving something. Good luck! For example, I received the Kurukulla empowerment from Lama Gangten Tulku and after the empowerment was over he said we received only part of it. His claim was that the practice works and can't be trusted to just anyone. A 3 year retreat was the absolute minimum to really receive the transmission. That really pissed me off! Santiago knows what he is talking about! ralis

Tummo is just a fragment and if you don't know how to handle it, you will get burnt! I say that in all seriousness! KAP will teach you how to deal with these energies in a safe way. ralis

hcp, I have tried them all and it depends on if you want a warmer variety or cooler. I believe the Korean is red and somewhat warmer. The American variety is cooler. Most of these are contaminated with pesticides and herbicides. I am using Maca root these days and it is wonderful. You can buy organic Maca very cheaply. ralis

You are not a Jedi yet. ralis

Any news yet? ralis

Santiago, You mentioned KAP in AZ. What are the dates and where? Thanks ralis

I have been in KAP for 1 month and the last 24 hrs made it even better. Thanks Santiago ralis

I will be there. Only 8 hrs. from Santa Fe. ralis