picnic

That is true that westerners are often in disdain of the term religion due to the religions of the west being see-through, childish, controlling, non-spiritual rubbish. (whos only good is to give some hope to people who don't think or question much). So on that note the term religion is soiled. They then find the Tao and think Wow, this is all good and it is not full of all that religion rubbish. Then they are told it is a religion... Arguments arise, but then eventually we see they only arise out of varying definitions of the word "religion". A similar case arises in India where Hinduism is so all-encompassing that it is said by many to contain buddhism, even christianity and many, if not all other religions. You can and do see debates between Hindus and Buddhists over that and the hindus say for certain that buddhism is just a branch of hinduism, the term Buddha is in hindu texts pre-dating buddhism. It is obvious that Taoism can have many many interpretations. Someone who meditates, does some asanas, reads the TTC can be as much a Taoist as someone who follows a martial art and practices breath control, and someone else who lives in a forest and observes nature. ultimately, it is what gives you happiness, not the label, so ...

When the shoe fits the foot is forgotten. ..

copy and pasted from..... ....my own web site, where I wrote words that i copied from my note pad that i carried whilst wandering round the planet and sitting meditating. ... yes, i copied it from myself

Good post I did smile though at the title "I want to make something clear about Taoism"

Wise words, thanks. In fact I may just go about my day and not take that advice, but if no one laughed it would not be Tao. Try again, it may not appear on the surface. And all in all, smile

A lesson in reading properly before launching in... A post... A reply... I think the answer would be yes, he knows It is fun to see the shuddering and shaking of someone awakening. Shouting at the one who turned on the light.

goldisheavy saves me lots of time by typing out what I would have put if i could take the time to do so. Great post gold

It may be worth adding to the pot that China and India, Nepal and so on were not the entities they are now. So knowledge was walking about with no allegiance. We had many people with good knowledge, mainly we would have to say from tribes and shamans. Lots was suited to the area but they wandered with the people and mixed. Only later did they become solidified by writings, temples, culture and countries. Stir that into the debate pot as you see fit. I think I am going to find this thread very interesting

Not the Tao but still a good quote... "I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it." - Thomas Jefferson

yes making heath a habit. Being so constantly aware of the mind being in good health that it doesn't wander off and pick up a cold when you are not looking. I was reminded of someone I met who corrected (or at least improved) their eyesight by sitting once a day staring into the distance through slitted plastic glasses, then going to rest for a while. In fact what was more important to the process it seems was that she would have in mind that her short sightedness would regress by this routine. I felt sure that the plastic slitted glasses were the irrelevant placebo and the intent and practise were the fix, she could have been without the glasses and the eye yoga of looking, then resting, with the mind knowing progress, would have been just as effective. Even the looking and resting were perhaps just placebo to give the mind some kind of crutch as the mind after all is the power. But we are trained to doubt that and to look for physical answers. But physical is an illusion of the mind so what a twist they indoctrinate to us! Physical is less real than mind and we are to put faith in that

Interesting story. Many go to the doctor to hear they are ok. Once the doctor gives the ok then the mind is pacified and healing can begin. Placebos too are very effective, leading us to see that the placebo need only just be correct seeing and not a physical tablet. Not only can we cure with the mind but keep illness away. Yet, while true, the western 'wham bam' cures are good if it is too late, but the mind must be won over if the cure is to take in either treatment style. The body is a cell in the life stream of nature.

I seem to remember Lau Tzu saying he did isometric pushup for 3mins and did not lock his elbows. The buddha did isometric pushup for 20mins but no one got him on film, and he may have been taking red bull intravenously.

this seems like a good place to add this wonderful Chuang Tzu story (in the hope that the leaders of the world will happen across the page and learn - and that normal people can read it and nod knowingly..).... Cracking the Safe For security against robbers who snatch purses, rifle luggage, and crack safes, One must fasten all property with ropes, lock it up with locks, bolt it with bolts. This (for property owners) is elementary good sense. But when a strong thief comes along he picks up the whole lot, Puts it on his back, and goes on his way with only one fear: That ropes, locks, and bolts may give way. Thus what the world calls good business is only a way To gather up the loot, pack it, make it secure In one convenient load for the more enterprising thieves. Who is there, among those called smart, Who does not spend his time amassing loot For a bigger robber than himself? In the land of Khi, from village to village, You could hear cocks crowing, dogs barking. Fishermen cast their nets, Ploughmen ploughed the wide fields, Everything was neatly marked out By boundary lines. For five hundred square miles There were temples for ancestors, alters For field-gods and corn-spirits. Every canton, county, and district Was run according to the laws and statutes- Until one morning the Attorney General, Tien Khang Tzu, Did away with the King and took over the whole state. Was he content to steal the land? No, He also took over the laws and statutes at the same time, And all the lawyers with them, not to mention the police. They all formed part of the same package. Of course, people called Khang Tzu a robber, But they left him alone To live as happy as the Patriarchs. No small state would say a word against him, No large state would make a move in his direction, So for twelve generations the state of Khi Belonged to his family. No one interfered With his inalienable rights. The invention Of weights and measures Makes robbery easier. Signing contracts, settings seals, Makes robbery more sure. Teaching love and duty Provides a fitting language With which to prove that robbery Is really for the general good. A poor man must swing For stealing a belt buckle But if a rich man steals a whole state He is acclaimed As statesman of the year. Hence if you want to hear the very best speeches On love, duty, justice, etc., Listen to statesmen. But when the creek dries up Nothing grows in the valley. When the mound is leveled The hollow next to it is filled. And when the statesmen and lawyers And preachers of duty disappear There are no more robberies either And the world is at peace. Moral: the more you pile up ethical principles And duties and obligations To bring everyone in line The more you gather loot For a thief like Khang By ethical argument And moral principle The greatest crimes are eventually shown To have been necessary, and, in fact, A signal benefit To mankind. -The Way of Chuang Tzu - Thomas Merton

10 minute presentation wow cool

So if we can all see that from where we live, the earth must be flat.

Was it the universe acting as one, through you? Or was it your separate ego acting? Maybe the cat/universe limped to get the you/universe to act with pity and feed it as the cat/universe had some kitten/universe to feed at home and needed some more days in cat form before rejoining the tao. Or maybe your ego fed the cat to feel better about itself.. I'd go with the former

If you are using FireFox, search for the add-on "download helper" - then when watching any movie you can select to download and keep it. If not then there are sites that allow you to download youtube and so on through them.

I'm on (somewhere near sydney Aus) Hey Mal you gotta stop using IE !!

These are mostly doodles I made in a sketch book then drew on computer as ideas for tattoos. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

It is quite unlikely that you have a nasty in your system if you are on Linux, but a small chance exists. Did you get the help you need or still need suggestions?

Did anyone notice how fucking amazing it is to be? * disclaimer, I know it's nothing special as we are it, and there is no room for getting all excited about yourself, and there's nothing cool in swearing, but Fucking WOW! !!

quite right, value makes it a thing and once a thing it is nothing to the One. Truth IS and shall have no need for master or price. Anyone putting a price on knowledge has no idea of its value.

My master has no name. My master is nothing, my master is not a master, and would never take the role of master. My master is not above or below. My master comes to me every time I step up, and it brings me down, Every time I am down, it brings me up. When I am right it has nothing to say to me. So I know best when I do not know. And I know not when I know. Except that I am not I. The Stiller I am, the more I see. You hear? I smell my eyes. You touch my ground, I am the ground, you taste my vision?

has anyone considered secrecy and why some things would be secret? It seems obvious to keep things secret when access to them could do harm. Most people could consider that as a primary reason for secrecy, where certain practice on an untrained individual may do harm not good. Another reason is that there is an intention to guard the secret as it has power, this though is against the idea of compassion for all. A third reason I have considered is that the act that is held secret is a little embarrassing. Such as, maybe the sweat inducing meditation act, the heightening of body heat and such is that the person has taken a naturally occurring sensation such as sexual arousal and moved that energy to a more useful place, e.g. body heat or fuel for the mind or body. This I can believe is something a deep mediator would access but would be embarrassing for masters to tell a group of uninitiated monks.

nice