liminal_luke

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Everything posted by liminal_luke

  1. The tenets of any given spiritual path can be debated endlessly, obviously. At a certain point however (ten pages in, perhaps) I start asking myself what's the point. For some the debate may be intellectually stimulating and fun -- fair enough. But personally I'm more interested in how people's lives change when they take up this or that spiritual practice. Do people become happier, kinder, better able to navigate the everyday challenges of life? If so, my interest is piqued. For me, the ultimate validity of dependent origination or whatever is secondary. YMMV
  2. Well I guess that settles it then.

  3. Stranger things

    liminal_luke replied to Taomeow's topic in The Rabbit Hole

    I'm sure the term "desert" has a meteorological definition, annual rainfall or some such. It's not defined by the cultural proclivities of it's residents. Still, when I think of the archetypal desert denizen I imagine a scruffy old man living alone in a rundown trailer, not wealthy gay urbanites lounging around sparkling pools sipping fruity cocktails. So I'm always surprised when my Palm Springs pals pridefully begin sentences with the phrase..."Here in the desert..."
  4. At the risk of sounding self-contradictory (again!), I think that people who realize they have "no separate self" actually appear, by most standards, to have a strong sense of self. These aren't people who have lost all particularity, who don't have defined characters and characteristics, who change with the wind because they don't know what they stand for, who struggle to make decisions. In a sense one becomes who one really is, one's self, by losing the sense of self. (I'm not actually a Buddhist so I'm happy to be corrected, but this is my impression.) (I'm not usually the Bible quoting type but went looking for a quote and found this: to find your life you must lose your life -- and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. To me, this gets at part of the paradox of loss/gain of self inherent in Buddhism.)
  5. The discussion has been good! I wondered if you were using the word avoid to mean "to make void"...ie to experience as empty of separate identity?
  6. Do you mean it's about avoiding avoidance? Beginning meditators avoid things...uncomfortable bodily sensations, uncomfortable thoughts, uncomfortable emotions. Middle of the road meditators avoid avoidance, allowing themselves to live, at least to some extent, without pushing away discomfort. Advanced meditators don't avoid anything, not even avoidance. This last step is a doozy and I can't speak to it from experience except to say that I suspect it's weird incomprehensibility opens up into exquisite beauty.

  7. Stranger things

    liminal_luke replied to Taomeow's topic in The Rabbit Hole

    Here in Ensenada it's just been a light rain though I heard it's supposed to be more torrential farther inland. For one memorable summer, I lived in Puerto Vallarta. Miserably hot but loved loved loved the storms.

  8. Unpopular Opinions

    liminal_luke replied to Apech's topic in General Discussion

    What's the difference between Hilary the storm and Hillary the politician? One results in catastrophic loss of life. (Before you throw tomatoes, no, I don't actually know this to be true. Just thought it was a funny -- and possibly unpopular -- thing to say and couldn't resist.)
  9. Against all odds, this thread has taken a miraculously informative turn.
  10. @C T? @steve? What say you -- is Buddhism about "avoiding sensations including suffering" or not avoiding anything? My impression is that Buddhism, perhaps more than most approaches to spirituality, is prone to popular misunderstandings.
  11. Buddhism aims to "avoid all sensations including suffering"? I'm no expert in Buddhism but this doesn't sound right to me. My impression from reading and attending a few retreats is that Buddhism is not about avoiding anything. To my mind, Buddhism is better characterized as The Doctrine of Non-Avoidance. Which is why it's such a pain in the butt. (Perhaps other Bums more expert in Buddhist doctrine would care of weigh in?)

  12. A Game of Stories

    liminal_luke posted a topic in General Discussion

    One of my favorite psychologists, Esther Perel, sells a games called Where Should We Begin -- A Game of Stories. Where Should We Begin A Game of Stories - Esther Perel. It's a getting-to-know-you-better game designed to help friends, lovers, family members, and really anybody to ask each other provocative questions and learn more about each other. Rather than buy her game, I'm now thinking....why not design my own? What questions could somebody ask me that would elicit interesting stories? What questions would I like to ask others? So here's a few questions I would ask players of my game if I had a chance. Please add any questions you'd ask if you were designing the game. Bonus points if you give answers -- to my questions or your own. ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... What is something you used to be able to do that you can't do any longer and miss? What is something that you used to do that you would like to bring back into your life? What is something that most people get wrong about you? How do you the foods you eat reflect your values? How does your living space reflect your personality and taste? How do you fit in or not fit in with the culture of the area you live in? Does your use of technology make you more or less lonely? Tell us more... Tell us about a time you were moved by art or music or literature.... Tell us about a time you were moved by the natural world.... What is a quality in your mom or dad that they've passed on to you? Tell us about an important conversation you had that went well... Tell us about how you made an important decision -- where to live? what to study? who to marry? whether or not to have kids? What is something you used to do that seems out of character for you now? (I put this in General Discussion but maybe it really belongs in The Rabbit Hole? If a moderator wants to move it, fine by me.)

  13. Unpopular Opinions

    liminal_luke replied to Apech's topic in General Discussion

    People say that Hurricane Hilary is a killer but I dunno, ain't nothin' compared to Mega-Tornado Trump. Whatdaya say @old3bob, am I right?

  14. Unpopular Opinions

    liminal_luke replied to Apech's topic in General Discussion

    Thanks, Taomeow. I just read that it's expected to make landfall about 200 miles south of here. I'm a bit skeptical but we'll see. I don't want anyone to get hurt but do love a big storm. We'll be prepared in any case.
  15. In case you'd like to join us, Luke's Hideaway is having a pina colada special (buy 3, get one free) to everyone whose been insulted by GB in the last week. I'm expecting quite the crowd.

  16. Adam mizner taiji course cheap

    liminal_luke replied to Asiergr's topic in General Discussion

    Does it? Now I'm really in trouble.

  17. Adam mizner taiji course cheap

    liminal_luke replied to Asiergr's topic in General Discussion

    No problem, Taoist Texts. I was just trying -- not very successfully perhaps -- to give you a friendly hard time.

  18. Adam mizner taiji course cheap

    liminal_luke replied to Asiergr's topic in General Discussion

    In addition to having a better grasp of the Dao than I, you're also much more proficient in German. I have no idea what the post above means. While I would like to be more erudite, I take comfort in the thought that my ignorance will give your day a little boost.

  19. Adam mizner taiji course cheap

    liminal_luke replied to Asiergr's topic in General Discussion

    Nothing like a little Daoist schadenfraudeude to brighten one's day.

  20. Unpopular Opinions

    liminal_luke replied to Apech's topic in General Discussion

    Where have all the good misinformationists gone? Now that Covid is no longer top of mind for most, they're largely silent and who can blame them? Spreading misinformation truth is thankless work. Even so, I'll always look back wistfully on the bad ole days.
  21. Does nirvanna exist? If so, what's it like? At this point in my life, my approach is not to worry about such questions. Should I be suddenly transported to a realm of everlasting bliss, believe me, it will come as a complete surprise. I'm far enough from the Mount Everest of spiritual achievement that it doesn't make much sense to speculate. Let me get to the basecamp first, then I'll get back to ya. Of one thing I'm certain: human potential is vast and there are people experiencing things I can't fathom. Some are probably members of this forum. Therefore, I like to keep an open mind.
  22. Whoa, galen_burnett...can we take a beat? Sometimes my approach to these threads is to find something that hooks my attention and go on about it a bit. It's fun for me to develop my thinking and see if I can communicate what I want to say clearly. I hope that my posts stimulate the minds of my fellow Bums, or, failing that, provide a moment of entertainment. I'm generally not trying to "win" any arguments -- unless you catch me on a bad day. I don't take it all that seriously. If you're not impressed by my "cool dude" persona, that's fine. Feel free to ignore me. I'm just bumming around.
  23. If you like that one, stick around. You'll be amazed at the heights of self-contradiction I can reach! But seriously. Happiness is just a word. If you'd like to define it as including the positive states induced by simple pleasures, fine by me. Alternatively, we could break things down into more granular categories to come up with a more nuanced taxonomy of good feelings. There's bliss, there's ecstasy, there's contentment. In particular, there's a species of happiness that derives from awareness of existence itself rather than any given specific aspect. None of these states are permanent -- or at least that hasn't been my experience. None of them need be regarded as great spiritual accomplishments or thought of as requiring loads of "work."
  24. I agree that pleasure is not happiness, and yet many of us would do well to put more effort into experiencing daily pleasures, not less. One of the skills taught in Dialectical Behavior Therapy is to "accumulate positive emotions" by engaging in pleasurable activities daily. Simple things count: savoring a cup of tea, noticing flowers on a short walk, calling a friend. The regular experience of pleasure can be a bulwark against depression and emotional overwhelm. Perhaps there's a middle path here, not living a life devoted purely to hedonism, and also taking time to appreciate the tiny good things in life.

  25. From Fiction to Fact

    liminal_luke replied to Zoya's topic in Welcome

    Never mind curmudgeonly me.