thelerner

Alright, scored a double facepalm.. & it goes without saying I was writing as a Bubba Buddhist Redneck

That is the dumbest idea I've ever heard. I'm positive I'd win any trolling contest. I've got (experience) a quote from the Buddhist bible, it says "Michael will win any trolling contest". You're not disagreeing with the Buddha are you!? Just to be 200% sure, I will roll some Taoist IChing coins. Hold on..tossing... They come up heads, tail, tail, tail..consulting IChing manual. As I thought, Iching #69 Bull thunder squat, meaning 'Michael is Right'! I win!! I am number one, all others are 2 or lower.

I know , I'm forcing myself, its hard, but aren't all good things. Why am I posting?? Because I'm not trying to change the world. I want to change you, get you in line with what you're preaching. I figure I have a billion times more chance of changing you then you'll have changing the world. With such good odds, I figure I'll take one last swing at it, then bow out of the thread, giving you the last word. While you want Everyone to give up Everything to become hunter gatherers, I merely want You to consider living closer to what you preach. The environment gets saved when a few people become hundreds, then thousands.. millions.. then hundreds of millions. Particularly when those adopters were using a large share of resources. Few things are as powerful as an idea who's time has come. You're not a good spokesperson for environmental problems because you seemingly aren't willing to walk your talk. You pronounce a cure, but not one you'd take. Maybe if a 2 or 3 billion go first, you'd consider it. I understand the problems, you've repeated them over and over. You lose integrity when you tell the world what it should do, but don't do it yourself. Don't you see even a little bit of irony that you are getting angry because I'm telling you to do, what you are telling everyone else in the world to? Do you practice anything close to what you're preaching? Addendum: As I write this my niece is in a small Mayan Village in Mexico helping dig an irrigation system. Its small, only 500 people with no running water or electricity. In many ways its your perfect world. Yet they want cleaner water and better planting. Would you go there to live; go there to tell them they shouldn't have better water? Being closer to nature maybe they'd listen to you, or not. But we both know you wouldn't travel there. My niece has something you don't have.

Hmnn, well a couple in with luke warm ingredients cools it off pleasantly, keeping the fire alive. More and its a pleasant milk shake, fire be damned. I like my spring water the way I like my woman, adulterated. There is a cool site that lists natural springs across the country, some in unlikely places. Many are reviewed and have people who'll fanatically go there each week to fill up. It was mentioned somewhere on the bums. This summer I think I'll road trip to find a few and bring home liquid gold (or at least have a good hike).

I don't crave them (unlike sugary foods), but I get deeply satisfied when I eat'em. Avocados. Highly nutritious, and full of good fats. Michael's Great Green Shake Put in personal size blender 1/2 avocado (or whole) 1/2 banana handful spinach (or kale or lettuce etc) milk - couple of ounces, any kind so it'll mix properly sweetener a teaspoon or so. I like agave syrup, it mixes well & has fruit taste. couple drops of vanilla. If nothing's frozen, put in a few ice cubes, its nice to have frozen banana halves in the freezer. Blend til the green color is uniform. No spinach taste, instead its like a thick vanilla milk shake.

Which Lin are you discussing? Aiwei? Thanks.

I don't know about transcending life or death. Enlightenment is a poor word because it has too many definitions for different people. Undoubtedly mine would be on the low end on the list. IMO Being a complete human being doesn't give you powers, or immortality, it means that you're Awake. A seemingly fragile state shattered by thought; and our minds are a thunderstorm of thought, only the loudest of which we are aware. With 'I' thoughts being the loudest. But there is a part of us that is Awake, but its a small part and we're not in tuned with it. Some where in our most quiet mind it lurks. Dancing between thoughts, popping up between breaths. Our job is to identify it, find it, lure it out. Stay with it. Stay with that bright awareness night and day, conscious and asleep. Cling to it as if it were our last breath. Maybe that's why some Indian mystics have a practice of pointing straight up with there hand years and decades at time. The pointing is an intimate symbol to remember remember, keep the awareness just so. That seems a bit extreme and you give up any semblance of normal life. I think there's a middle ground we have to find.

That's just it, Zen is basic; simple but not easy. Zazen is simple, but not easy, sit attentively with quiet mind. Zen philosophy is mostly about subtraction nothing fancy or obscure. Simple, simple, simple, but not easy due to our overly conditioned mind.

They're under 'Guru Radio'. there are 23 of them. Good stuff, I particularly liked his 'The Fourth State'. If you join his HardLight site, you get a free booklet and a 40 minute audio from one of his intensives. Trunk he has many guided meditations. Are there any you'd recommend?

Back on the meditation vs less meditation track. I've heard it said that Zen Buddhism has created more enlightened people then any other system, following a rigorous practice does not guarantee enlightenment but gives you a better shot then most. Honestly I don't know if it's true, since there's no board of enlightenment you sign into, but it may be close. They do quite a bit of meditation in Zen. It's only a piece, but I think it a vital one. Serious practitioners seem to do an hour or more each day. I listen to the Zen inspired dharma talks of Michael McAlister on InfiniteSmile.org podcasts. He seems very wise and in his tradition, meditation is important.

I don't know if thats apples to apples. Seems to me the poll was generalized to ask about all of I4L's posts. Whereas this is a question on Christianity and goes beyond I4L. There might be increased interest in a Christian sub topic history and mysticism.

You seem a little hung up on the Anal yourself. People can disagree with you in good faith. I don't see it as nit picking to say Meditation has health benefits on a thread about meditating. I wonder if you read others posts or feel you don't need to because you have such solid stereotypes in your head? Hmnn let me nit pick over one thing you wrote, ",...but what we know, is that we still live a world where females are considered as having absolutely no value,...especially in the West." What do you mean by 'We' kemosabe? Do you really feel that way? Again if this is taking your initial thread on a tangent I apologize. I think we're a little more modern in thinking then say the Taliban (I'm not sure they're that extreme either). Do you think people look up to such sexist ancients as John Chrysostom who you quote saying “What else is woman but a foe to friendship, an inescapable punishment, a necessary evil, a natural temptation, a desirable calamity..” Perhaps Non would be in agreement but I think few on the Bums or in general society would agree.

Absolute?? Probably not because real life's extremes tend to shatter such walls. I think there is importance in a strict moral code that cannot be swayed by convenience or personal benefit, yet it should be realized in extreme times when your life or others are in danger, you need flexibility to act.

I think its important to realize many of the quotes are pointing to problems with too much meditation. Which could lead to escapism in which case it becomes like a drug or watching TV. Meditation literally rejuvenates body and mind, many studies have shown. But it's purpose is to help 'real' life, not be a substitute for it.

Good idea, Christian history speculative or otherwise seems like a sub topic. Still usage wise I don't like too many sub topics cluttering the top of the board, the real meat of the board is discussion and once a good thread on page 2, its too often forgotten. If Christianity is put in I could see knocking out the "Going to Chat Room" glued above. Since only a name and date changes, its not all that noticeable. People trying to get others into Chat are better off creating a New Topic. The new thread will quickly be flushed down stream. Maybe the 30 Day Mentoring could be put somewhere else too. Maybe a subtopic in Personal section?

Someone had a really nice avatar showing a 3D yin yan symbol turning and transforming, white to black to white etc., the white/black dot circled and flowed through. Mesmerizing and I think there was some truth in its imagery of how yin and yang flow into each other. Nature paces itself, flipping yin and yan over and over.

I hadn't bought a Mantak Chia book in 20 years, so when I saw a used copy of a newer book I thought why not, see what's changed. The book is Living With the Tao, it's okay, but he starts with one idea and I think its gold; We misuse our minds, we should use the mind for awareness/alertness and make decisions from the heart area. If we're often actively thinking, we're doing something wrong. Its a nice practice for living in the now. Shutting down thoughts by keeping the mind focused on the senses and trying to feel our decisions through the heart.

It is, because my 'Western' eyes originally saw ugly, primitive and superstition in it. Once explained, looking closer, I see with different eyes and learn.

I'd like to see vegetable gardens moved up to the front lawn. At least an easy square foot garden. Less lawn, more fruits and vegetables. Begin by just stacking a few bags of good soil on the ground the first season and go from there. Easy. Every park should have a fruit orchard open to the public. More fruit trees and berry shrubs on all public property. With so many new dwarf species it should be fast and easy. Cultivate appreciation and joint ownership for them. Once you get into the habit of eating off the land, you begin to appreciate nature in a dozen new ways. More bike lanes. Better public transportation. I'd like to see dedicated bus lanes with raised platforms able to reset traffic lights and running on natural gas. Fast, inexpensive public transportation that can be built for a fraction of what of what inner city rails would cost. Every city have a comprehensive plan that includes the use of grey water. New codes should allow basin, bath and shower water to flow straight into gardens and lawns or least be minimally reprocessed. We should beware inefficient use of farm water, particularly subsidizing high water fruits artificially in dry areas. Build green subsidized housing. People would have to work a set number of hours a week to earn into it, mostly by local improvement projects. To many people consider grass clippings and fallen leaves to be annoying garbage. Every home should have at least a circle of rebar and fencing to put such lawn waste into for composting. Let it become mulch and feed the shrubs and gardens. People who keep it up should get a municipal tax break. Also planted garden today, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers(a gaspacho garden), squash, stevia, mesclun lettuce and marigolds to protect them. I may put out some soap shavings also to keep furry things away.

Softcore moderate Agnostic, Oooo baby, what are they wearing? Are they in a hot tub? Sounds like my kinda speciman

eeYup. Excellent answer.

I'm considering you, I just think you have a tendency to stereotype and exaggerate. It's not a good trait, it leads paranoia and worrying about trifles when there are issues that have vastly more importance. Your latest windmill is deism in America? Good luck with that. Are Christians keeping you from worshiping in your own way? Most Tea Partiers may be Christian, but most Christian aren't Tea Partiers. Other then imagined, what have they done to you? Your money is tainted by 'in god we trust?'? A child somewhere has included 'one nation under god' in since 1950's? Again, I don't see that as a big deal. In a country with problems with hunger, unemployment, environmental degradation, education, your biggest worry is Deism and what's on a coin. Jeez. Personally I find hardcore fundamentalist Atheists to be as bad as any other fundamentalists. I'm not Christian, but I have no problem with public or private displays on religious holidays. I chalk it up to holiday spirit. I don't need to waste my time being offended where no offense or proselytization is meant.

Thank you, I try but don't always succeed. Don't understand your points on 'Sending Love' experiments. As far adding ..in God we Trust and One Nation Under God, I don't see the big deal either way. The whole angle of Christian Take over is a seeing the pendulum swing from over zealous separation of Church and state where any mention of God is vilified to a swing back where religious right wingers have an edge and try to push legislation. One side gains a temporary edge setting up for counter resistance that pushes too far. In my nearly 5 decades here I've seen liberal mid 60's & 70's replaced by Reagan 80's and push back liberal 90's, a middle grounds of heavy political correctness. I think right now, we're closer to middle ground with forces pushing in both directions, we may see real movement depending on who wins the Presidency in November. (In my opinion the Tea is as likely to hurt the republicans by forcing out there middle then help them.) But I think we need to see changes as swings that will reverse themselves and not as points on a line. The progressive looks at the Tea Party and quivers in fear. The hard core conservative looks at the Occupy Movement and think the same. So much of reality where we look, and if you don't take in the whole picture you get paranoid. The pendulum swings, with forces on each side. Let's face it, we rarely say the pledge of allegiance and those who do are generally not in the mind set of making a sacred pledge, its mostly said by bored school kids and slightly drunken baseball fans. Likewise the dollar doesn't get much respect and you might as well claim there's an Egyptian or Free Mason conspiracy to it as Christian. There are pieces of legislature that matter, but imo the people who fight for, or against the ..in god we trust are wasting there time when there are real issues to discuss.

bring a snorkel