thelerner

I find the more disgusting the better. <kidding.. maybe> As one gets older raging hormones cease and we search out more mature relationships and stops playing games.

Not necessarily. Its human nature to skip steps and while generally that means you don't results, sometimes it means you hurt yourself. So lineage holders take there job very seriously. Knowing its often better to teach a few deeply for decades, then write a book or have mass classes thats end up compromising your art.

26.. maybe yes, 28.. I guess the new testament mention is moving away from my theory. We're pretty squeamish about blood, but in those days, you said a bad word and you'd buy a dove, used your sharpened thumb nail to slit its throat, say a ritualized prayer for forgiveness. So things were different, way different in those days. Our understanding of the culture's norms, and symbolism, may be way off. To me the bible is an evolved work being 'telephone gamed' through many generations before its various written forms. Just as the old testament was (<highly> probably) written by several sources at different times, I assume (perhaps wrongly) the new testament is based on sayings and stories of Jesus but after death those needed to be seen through the prism of creating a new religion and deifying Jesus and codifying a new religion. Which involved separating it from its Jewish roots. Thus you had people like Thomas Jefferson creating the 'Jefferson' bible to search for the undeified Jesus.

I'd add, if they don't have a special interest in any particular art they'd want to explore indepth, then I'd highly recommend Model Mugging, Chimera or something that's specific to woman's self defense which is a different set of skills then whats learned at most dojos. Plus keep a small can of pepper spray on your keychain. Unfortunately woman are bigger targets then men for robbery and rape.

hmnn, mine did too. I said 'Wear a condom.' kidding, I don't even have any grownup kids yet, though I'm getting close. actually my kids are boy, girl, boy. my youngest once said he'd only want 2 kids. I said 'me too' and we laughed and laughed.

my understanding is more psychological then religious. Every holiday, including each Friday, Jews tear off a piece of bread, look at it reverently and say the essence and mystery of God is right here! Then we do the same with wine; hold it, and within the blessing, imply right here essence and mystery of God, wow wine! Too often we do by rote but its supposed to be a holy sacred, opening the ark kind of moment. Probably is for a person of mystic bend, and might be misinterpreted by someone who's not used to it. Jesus was probably saying the same prayer I do every Friday over bread, in this case (Passover) it'd be unleavened which evolved into wafer. Perhaps mystery and essence got mixed up with blood and body? Symbolism being taken literally. Maybe, especially if you weren't used to it being referred to in that way.

Yowza.. no short cuts to finding paradise. still, for all the negative writing there, it might still be a good environment for some. Hopefully there are places that get 'it' right. I think I Michael McAllister of Infinitesmile.org (great podcast) gave a talk about how there's often a stage where you hate your guru and/or system. Somewhere in the maturation process, after falling in love, after obsession, the stage happens.. disillusionment.. and that has its place to set up going deeper.

I see Jesus as a mystic, teacher, healer, rabbi living in a dangerous superstitious age who had mythologic stories attached to his life. Philosophically I think he'd be at home with reformed Judaism, though would find an orthodox synagogue more familiar. Course its silly to argue when so much is speculation. <maybe we all tend to see such historical/mythic characters, in our own image> I don't know if he'd be all that happy 'historically' with Christianity. Maybe no religious 'founder' would be.

Good idea joining a group with experienced people. I have little experience with such things. I've dabbled a bit in Bardon Hermetics and the first lessons, which can take years, are all about self awareness, self knowledge and self discipline. For getting far in life, its all about the base. This kind of thinking might fall into the naive category. Thinking an entity will be some sort of slave that will grant you powers or advantages in the material world may be off track. For overcoming fears and desires internalizing the age old lessons of conventional Buddhism are great; no magic or entities required.

Has this been covered in this thread? What precursors/foundations should be done (if any) before a person tries a period of celibacy? Secondly, are there any particular lengths? Some traditions have 100 day requirement before moving on to another level.

Is there a button somewhere we can push??

Transportation and navigation kind of things. How to read a map, know basic directions, north south etc., Use public transportation (or bike), figure out how to get from point a to point b confidently on there own. This area is great for teaching confidence, independence and a sense of adventure. I'd add, earning money. Something like babysitting, lawn work, house sitting, dog walking etc., Having a job teaches many life lessons, so does having some money.

PPD's rock. They give you control and keep your best writing from getting flushed down screen.

Yesterday I got it once or twice. Fine now. The internet moves in mysterious ways.

In the writings about the Yellow Emperor and his (wisest?) adviser the Plain Girl, she corrects when he wonders if having no sex is the way. She talks about controlling the refining sexuality, but not cutting it off completely. How accurate is that story considered? Thing is, the Yellow Emperor is legendary; a story lost in the mists of time. Yet aren't such things as the diamond body to? Do we have good solid proofs on diamond body and rainbow body and physical immortality.. I don't think we do. There is some, but in my eyes its far from a slam dunk. There are 10,000's if not 100,000's of people who work on spirituality 24/7 pretty much yet outside of fiction we don't have monasteries where people live 100's of years or have super powers. Even such 'hard cores' like Shaolin. Thus imo its good to warn younger practitioners about potentially retarding there life by getting into celibacy early. Though if they're hard core and fall into a tradition where they have an acknowledged master, who knows, maybe it is good. The 150 year old + sage, who's alive and teaching doesn't seem to be out there, sadly. So we're left with much conjecture and few role models.

just two points. You quote the World News Daily Report, its not an accurate news site. Ten seconds researching such 'headlines' as Bermuda Triangle ship Reappears after 90 Years' as well as its disclaimer: Honestly- World News Daily Report is a fake news site whose disclaimer page clearly states that its content is not news and is not meant to be taken seriously: World News Daily Report is a news and political satire web publication, which may or may not use real names, often in semi-real or mostly fictitious ways. All news articles contained within worldnewsdailyreport.com are fiction, and presumably fake news. Any resemblance to the truth is purely coincidental, except for all references to politicians and/or celebrities, in which case they are based on real people, but still based almost entirely in fiction. Read more at http://www.snopes.com/media/notnews/cotopaxi.asp#rhT7HMHy3SbbKMfA.99" Also Chernobyl has recovered incredibly. Parts of it will be radioactive for a long long time (very bad), but much of the space around it has bounced back strongly. Parts outside the 'hot spot' are returning to a pristine pre-man state. Its not all roses, there's high radiation and the problems that causes, but fauna and animals have recovered (not without some problems) way faster then any predictions, many which were dire, assuming it'd become a lifeless wasteland because they didn't understand the problem. Bottomline is I don't think you or the qigong master need to worry about being vaporized any time soon. I respect the anti-nuclear side, but some of your arguments seem .. to jump around all over the place, like what a student asked Sri Aurobinda sometime..somewhere.. its gets fuzzy fast.. your paper on the 'Matrix' includes Gene Roddenberry as member of the Secret Council of 9. I find such things far fetched. And in my opinion undermines legitimate arguments against nuclear energy.

I don't believe in physical immortality. Can't find role models.

God bless people who find there nitch and live simply. It can be done. If thats your dream, then I hope you find it. I've read about a great 'bum' who lived in California, a mild climate who lived happily in a shack, did odd jobs when he needed money and mostly enjoyed himself and lived for the Tao. Again, god bless, that great. Couple years ago I picked up a hitch hiker, classic vagrant; looked like something out of Mad Max, skilled at out door living, walking a couple hundred miles to over winter in Southern California. Freedom, but its a hard life, he was walking with 30 or more pounds of gear. He had my total respect and I learned a lot from him. He was a very tough guy and led a tough life but it was his own terms and he didn't complain about it. At least not to me.

Adapt to the world?? Like be an air breather. Congrads evolution-ally speaking your adapted. Adapt to our society, that means educate yourself, get a job. Cause we need food, shelter, clothes and modicum of creature comforts and its not going to be just given to us for free (actually it kinda can, but it'll be crappy). We generally have to work for it. Choose not to and you're at the mercy of others charity. Or find a society that will accept someone who doesn't seem to want to work, unless its soul fulfilling, without karmic repercussions at any level and probably a few other conditions. Good luck. Without the right mindset most work is hard and boring. With the right set its alright. In this world you've got alternatives.. but they're not always great and they're not unlimited. Matter of fact as you get older, they tend to get fewer. Its possible to pick off the menu but you'd better be talented and hard working. On the bright side, opportunities appear if you keep your eye out for them and are ready to seize them. The world can throws breaks every now and then, though generally not on command. Bottom line for all of us is, what are the realistic alternatives, we can pick the best, work to make it right with us, or suffer what's left. Wishing on a star only works in Disney and then only if your made of wood.

I find the moon follows me around, especially long walks. Doesn't bother me though, we're old friends.

hmmn, I get the feeling when I'm watching TV, eating fast food, yelling at the TV, surfing the internet, yelling at people on the internet, at those moments or hours, I'm probably off the path and heading down hill.

which ones do you like the best? I have an app from the Silva method thats interesting because instead of just biaurals it ping pongs the sound from one ear to the other giving you a right/left bouncing effect in the brain.

maybe its human nature to go against nature. Part of our species greatness is technological. Having a $339 million each F-22 war plane <less than a dollar per person, new ones only .30 each x whole population) is what separates us from the lower beasts. <who perhaps use there money wiser> fire too. <fire good> so far, so good.

any stars next to it?

I'm on the mailing list for 'Sounds True' http://www.soundstrue.com/store/. Every other week they seem to have 50% of sales as well as offer shorter free introductory material by famous authors. Worth looking into. They also have podcasts of interviews with famous authors.