9th

Im not sure why you would have to accept it as "final say". I was just trying to provide some context as to why people might even use the word "emptiness" to begin with. I really have no interest in these (wonderful?) sectarian disputes you fellows devote so much time to. But by all means, enjoy yourselves.

No this is not what I am saying at all. It is important to maintain homeostasis with your environment, and go where the resonance is strongest - I totally agree with this. If that means cutting ties with certain people, then so be it. But it does not mean that you should only travel through rich neighborhoods, never talk to a homeless person, and turn away from any and all suffering you encounter. In fact, offensive people in internet forums are a very mild manifestation of this. It is important to remain open to influences of an unpleasant or negative character, especially during the cultivation phase. There is a point at which such influences become effectively neutralized in terms of a personal hindrance (or benefit) and only previous experience will determine your resulting ability and capacity to serve a universal function. This point is still not the "end of the road", and if you are left with fewer tools you will have fewer opportunities to make use of your time in this life. This advice may or may not sound too abstract to you now, but I want to let you know that a path is derived from the steps taken - not the goal in mind. “As you think, so shall you become.” If you are working on being in accordance with the universal law, that means you must be open - not closed. I am currently working in a non-profit as well, so I feel you there. You already seem predisposed to this kind of thing and that is why I am giving you a heads up. Identifying people a certain way in general is a slippery slope, because it requires you to identify yourself a certain way as well. You may not realize why this is restrictive until later, but I still wanted to provide another perspective for you to consider anyways. Compassion and dependent origination are not just ideas or ideals - in reality the connection between all things is infinitely more influential than the apparent separation between them. It is just something to think about. But do keep in mind that turning away from "evil-doers" or "trolls" or so forth is not a virtue. It is not chivalrous or honorable. It may be necessary for a time - but dont get attached to it unless you want to keep running away from "trouble" for the rest of your life. You have resources available that you have not even dreamed of. Abide in perseverance.

meditation practice

i was just trying to show the referencing link to the passage in king james version... not really debate the translation itself i think "mind" and "heart" are conflated in a number of old languages, actually

the concept of karma is older than that - it originates with the jains.. as do many other concepts

In terms of those who follow a path of self-cultivation, IMO these kinds of internet ignore functions are detrimental to practice. They are certainly not in accord with life outside an internet setting, and while there is truth in the argument that people already act in "unnatural" ways because of this, I think such potentials should be used as leverage for practice rather than "nerfed" as a protective measure. Also, Im not sure how you can equate ignoring with compassion - and actually that seems like a fairly pernicious bit of rationalization in the long run. Compassion is more like sunshine, reflecting on all things equally without choice. Certainly if you need to narrow your focus by putting on blinders, this may be required initially - but it should not be more than a stepping stone to increased concentration. Ultimately, challenging situations are beneficial for testing and refining practice. Avoidance is only a virtue if you cannot control yourself. Sanctimonious self-superiority is a distinct danger for all kinds of cultivators, and its easily one of the most widespread stumbling blocks. It can stall people for years, decades, even a whole lifetime. Life is inherently "messy", and its best to realize this as quick as possible and really accept it on its own terms. Man made morals and laws and societies are no match for the sovereignty of mother nature. You cant fight the natural order - just work with it. Learn how to cooperate with the natural order in its totality. That is the path of harmony - and enduring the unpleasant manifestations of other people is really only the beginning of it. If you want to let something go, first you must pick it up. Here we are speaking of a way that is not affected by any outer circumstance, a way which cannot be built upon practice in isolation.

http://youtu.be/Vhj-XDdFunA (btw, i only wish i was still 24...)

BLATZ (17) Jesus said: I will give you what no eye has seen and what no ear has heard and what no hand has touched and what has not entered into the heart of man. LAYTON (17) Jesus said, "I shall give you (plur.) what eyes have not seen, what ears have not heard, what hands have not touched, what has not come upon the human heart." DORESSE 18 [17]. Jesus says: "I will give you what eye has never seen, and what ear has never heard, and what hand has never touched, and what has never entered into the heart of man."

Its actually a direct visual reference to a certain phenomena that can occur during practice. Its not really a big deal, though.

also, sometimes blockages and resistance to energy can manifest as vibrations, heat, various sensations, etc... its not necessarily something that you should focus on as a goal... even manifestations of harmony themselves should not be sought after - if possible, it is good to realize from the beginning that the act of seeking creates its own dynamic

... what?

so you are saying folk music is for pissy babies?

“

The question of available Qi is secondary at best. The fact is that humanity does have its limitations, by design. People do not wish to acknowledge this because they are too absorbed in reflections of their own self-importance. They reject reality in favor of fantasy. There are countless motivations for this kind of recursive self-imagery, but learning about them in a general way will serve no purpose in your personal life. Personal limitations must be realized as personal discoveries before they can be dealt with in any meaningful way. Otherwise they simply become generators of unconsciousness - churning out ignorance in an endless stream of denial and fragmenting the mind into numerous opposing structures where one hand doesn't know what the other is doing. This is most perilous.

and for a change of pace, here is a video containing explicit text and subtitles as well: (WARNING NSFW FOR AMERICANS AND POSSIBLY KOREANS - IF YOUR BOSS DOES NOT ALLOW EXPLICIT LANGUAGE IN THE WORKPLACE PLEASE DO NOT CLICK, ALSO IF YOU ARE NOT OLD ENOUGH TO HEAR THIS PLEASE DO NOT CLICK)

speaking of metal and witches...

I figured the reference to "inappropriate" might provide a clue... but yeh, just in case: PARENTAL ADVISORY WARNING - THIS VIDEO CONTAINS EXPLICIT LANGUAGE

http://youtu.be/VXo1VIFJ0AU