thelerner

Allow me to be contrary. Seems overly New Ageish to me. Nothing wrong with happy thoughts and wishing others well, but..I'll take action over thoughts anytime. If happy thoughts lead to performing good deeds, then I see the power. But it was in the doing, 'thinking' don't cook the rice (as my old sensei would say). If people think happy thoughts by themselves will materialize things, then to me its new age crap. Happy anecdotes are used to sell books, but in reality they can easily be countered with countless examples to the contrary. To me action changes the universe. The thought that we are actually powerful gods who can change the world with our bare thoughts if we 'think' it hard enough is a left over from childhood fantasies. My read of history and what I see in my life and the news doesn't support it. Still I think we do have much greater potential then we know. But its through work, knowledge, cooperation..and some luck. We can do great things.

I've suspected Mr. Ananda was the devil for some time. That picture looks remarkably like Seth except Seth has smaller horns and bigger boobs actually I'm kidding about the boobs part. He probably isn't the devil either. Just another Tao Bummer. Settler forgive us, we can be irreverent, judgmental and foolish, but there are some very knowledgeable people here and when they challenge you it can provide a way to grow. To learn to better express oneself and control ones anger. Everyone gets into a 'flame' war every now and then. Its been a while since one has flared up on the board. So take answering threads for what there worth, the opinion of unknown strangers. Sometimes all you can do is state your truth, clarify it once or twice, then walk away. Sincerely Michael

I accidentally hit Last instead of Next on the discussion timeline and was taken back to the original bums opening page in 2005. Here is something I posted back then: Here is the ultimate short crash course in comparative religion: ;* Taoism: Shit happens. Confucianism: Confucius say, "Shit happens." Buddhism: If shit happens, it isn't really shit. Zen Buddhism: Shit is, and is not. Zen Buddhism #2: What is the sound of shit happening? Hinduism: This shit has happened before. Islam: If shit happens, it is the will of Allah. Catholicism: If shit happens, you deserve it. Protestantism: Let shit happen to someone else. Presbyterian: This shit was bound to happen. Episcopalian: It's not so bad if shit happens, as long as you serve the right wine with it. Methodist: It's not so bad if shit happens, as long as you serve grape juice with it. Congregationalist: Shit that happens to one person is just as good as shit that happens to another. Unitarian: Shit that happens to one person is just as bad as shit that happens to another. Lutheran: If shit happens, don't talk about it. Fundamentalism: If shit happens, you will go to hell, unless you are born again. (Amen!) Fundamentalism #2: If shit happens to a televangelist, it's okay. Fundamentalism #3: Shit must be born again. Judaism: Why does this shit always happen to us? Calvinism: Shit happens because you don't work. Seventh Day Adventism: No shit shall happen on Saturday. Creationism: God made all shit. Secular Humanism: Shit evolves. Christian Science: When shit happens, don't call a doctor - pray! Christian Science #2: Shit happening is all in your mind. Unitarianism: Come let us reason together about this shit. Quakers: Let us not fight over this shit. Utopianism: This shit does not stink. Darwinism: This shit was once food. Capitalism: That's MY shit. Communism: It's everybody's shit. Feminism: Men are shit. Chauvinism: We may be shit, but you can't live without us... Commercialism: Let's package this shit. Impressionism: From a distance, shit looks like a garden. Idolism: Let's bronze this shit. Existentialism: Shit doesn't happen; shit IS. Existentialism #2: What is shit, anyway? Stoicism: This shit is good for me. Hedonism: There is nothing like a good shit happening! Mormonism: God sent us this shit. Mormonism #2: This shit is going to happen again. Wiccan: An it harm none, let shit happen. Scientology: If shit happens, see "Dianetics", p.157. Jehovah's Witnesses: >Knock< >Knock< Shit happens. Jehovah's Witnesses #2: May we have a moment of your time to show you some of our shit? Jehovah's Witnesses #3: Shit has been prophesied and is imminent; only the righteous shall survive its happening. Moonies: Only really happy shit happens. Hare Krishna: Shit happens, rama rama. Rastafarianism: Let's smoke this shit! Zoroastrianism: Shit happens half on the time. Church of SubGenius: BoB shits. Practical: Deal with shit one day at a time. Agnostic: Shit might have happened; then again, maybe not. Agnostic #2: Did someone shit? Agnostic #3: What is this shit? Satanism: SNEPPAH TIHS. Atheism: What shit? Atheism #2: I can't believe this shit! Nihilism: No shit. Consumerism: Buy more Shit (from Steve) And of course we must add...Alcoholics Anonymous: Shit happens-one day at a time! Peas Michael

Here is the U.S Midwest the Moon will be rising at 4:33pm. The sun is setting at 4:19. It might make for a very colorful and energetic sight. To the Chinese it is the Bitter Moon. To the Cherokee the Snow Moon To the Celtics the Cold Moon To Neo Pagans the Long Night Moon

I write a bit. I have some stories in my Personal Discussion site here. I have a couple of Threads there, its the Misc Stories one. On Meetup.com I found a local writers group that meets up every week to review and write short stories based on prompts. Its a lot of fun, much like doing improve. She's not on the bums much anymore but one old member, Yael has become a professional writer. Making a living writing is quite a challenge. I know a few people who have had there books published and unless you're a star in the field, there's not much money in it. So to some extent you have to do it for the love of it. I recommend An Artists Way by Julia Cameron. She sees writing as almost a religious calling.

After a decade or so in the martial arts I worry about my knees too. One site I like Marks Daily Apple said walking is anti inflammatory for the whole body and heartily recommended it for weightlifters. He may be right, walking doesn't burn many calories but long walkers tend to be a healthier bunch. In his book "Pathnotes of a Ninaja Grandmaster" (bad tittle, good book) Glenn Morris discusses different styles of walking. Some styles he liked were gorilla walk, same hand and foot moving together as well as keeping the 'stepping' foot weightless until the body weight shifts forward. Lots of walking meditation styles too like simple slow awareness to one breath every 32 steps. When its safe I'll walk with my eyes closed and only open them in a quick blink every 30 or so steps. After seated meditation Ya Mu (Michael Lomax) has a long rub down routine. One thing is vigorously circling and rubbing the knee area. Its good. I find saunas loosen up the knees nicely too. It seems most people gain a huge degree of temporary flexibility in the sauna, making them an ideal place to sit in meditation.

I enjoy doing ZZ to Rawn Clarks Archaeous series. They're about 15 minutes long and are based on putting the elements stacked within the body. Legs feet to waist being Earth. Stomach region water. Chest region air..etc. They're free downloadable at abardoncompanion.com. I find the first 2 or 3 lessons to be great for doing ZZ to, although they weren't made for it. They make the 15 minutes go by quickly.

It was posted here a year or two ago. The poster was a woman who'd been at a Taoist conference in China. She brought up the question innocently and was practically escorted out of the room. The post had a link to her blog. I don't think she's currently active. I wonder if Stigweard would remember? He also went to some Chinese Taoist conferences. I remember he wrote about it and there was a heckling person who wrote back about the annoying 'whites' who'd showed up.

Hmmnnn.. Guess G-d is only resurrecting Buddhist monks these days..

Anything by legendary anime director Hayao Miyazaki. Spirited Away, Howls Moving Castle, Ponyo, Princess Monomoke, Castle in the Sky. He creates beautiful worlds, great story lines with an eastern sensibility. His heroes show more eastern virtues, conquering through kindness and subservience(?) rather then out right fighting.

One of the Tao Bums publicly doubted Lao Tzu's existence during a Taoist conference in China and got a very very cold reception. The lesson: Beware of who you're 'open minded' to.

I thought I remembered Michael Winn the Healing Tao teacher writing about something like that. Here is a link: www.healingtaousa.com/pdf/dao_inner_alchemy.pdf

Looks great, I find adding some peanut butter(!) to pumpkin and sweet potato soups puts them over the top and adds some down home Jamaican swing to them. I just made a batch of Ramen. Noodles from the Japanese supermarket, shitake shrooms, bok choy from my neighbors garden(yes she harvested in Dec! Global warming indeed), bean sprouts, chives. Cheap and delicious. Sadly my kids who were raised on the 10 for a $1 stuff turned up there noses at the real thing .

In seated meditation keeping my hands on my tantien (as taught by Ya Mu's Stillness-Movement chigung) gives me a deeper sense of downward flow then keeping them more traditionally a few inches infront.

Funny, it seems like a pond would be the safest place for a toad if there was an earth quake. I mean.. what are they doing.. Hopping into buildings? And another thing. 'Abandoned a pond'?? Toads can't swim(frogs can). Before I say 'Run for your lives. The toads are on the move.' I'd want some back up info.

I probably have a glass of wine with dinner or a beer on a daily basis. Tastes good and the moderate drinker tends to live longer (least in the West) then the tea teetotaler. Some how fermented grapes are a strong health tonic. Part of it is the grapes but apparently alcohol in moderation also helps the cardiovascular system. On the other hand I know of several teachers who don't drink. I organized a wine and smores camp fire at Tao Mountain years ago and while Michael Winn joined us he didn't drink because he said it messed with his qi. He might be correct, though I know other high level teachers who do. I don't find my meditation helped or hindered after a glass of wine, but I'm not particularly high level. I'll throw in this article: 8 Health Benefits of Drinking Wine Every year, there is a flurry of headlines about the health benefits of wine. But can drinking wine really make a difference? Here, the news—very good news, indeed—from the latest studies. Note: The health benefits come from moderate wine consumption, defined by the American Heart Association as one to two four-ounce glasses a day. By Christine Quinlan The Benefit: Promotes Longevity The Evidence: Wine drinkers have a 34 percent lower mortality rate than beer or spirits drinkers. Source: a Finnish study of 2,468 men over a 29-year period, published in the Journals of Gerontology, 2007. The Benefit: Reduces Heart-Attack Risk The Evidence: Moderate drinkers suffering from high blood pressure are 30 percent less likely to have a heart attack than nondrinkers. Source: a 16-year Harvard School of Public Health study of 11,711 men, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, 2007. The Benefit: Lowers Risk of Heart Disease The Evidence: Red-wine tannins contain procyanidins, which protect against heart disease. Wines from Sardinia and southwest France have more procyanidins than other wines. Source: a study at Queen Mary University in London, published in Nature, 2006. The Benefit: Reduces Risk of Type 2 Diabetes The Evidence: Moderate drinkers have 30 percent less risk than nondrinkers of developing type 2 diabetes. Source: research on 369,862 individuals studied over an average of 12 years each, at Amsterdam's VU University Medical Center, published in Diabetes Care, 2005. The Benefit: Lowers Risk of Stroke The Evidence: The possibility of suffering a blood clot–related stroke drops by about 50 percent in people who consume moderate amounts of alcohol. Source: a Columbia University study of 3,176 individuals over an eight-year period, published in Stroke, 2006. The Benefit: Cuts Risk of Cataracts The Evidence: Moderate drinkers are 32 percent less likely to get cataracts than nondrinkers; those who consume wine are 43 percent less likely to develop cataracts than those drinking mainly beer. Source: a study of 1,379 individuals in Iceland, published in Nature, 2003. The Benefit: Cuts Risk of Colon Cancer The Evidence: Moderate consumption of wine (especially red) cuts the risk of colon cancer by 45 percent. Source: a Stony Brook University study of 2,291 individuals over a four-year period, published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, 2005. The Benefit: Slows Brain Decline The Evidence: Brain function declines at a markedly faster rate in nondrinkers than in moderate drinkers. Source: a Columbia University study of 1,416 people, published in Neuroepidemiology, 2006.

In December I want to do some work on image streaming. See if it I can expose some of the promise it suggests. Ultimately see how close I can get to waking dreams.

Daniel Reid talks about longevity being of the sweetest fruits of Taoist practice. Yet for all the talk of immortals I don't see abnormal life spans amongst various practitioners. Ofcourse only a fool knocks long, healthy and productive. Here is the little bit on the woman who recently died - "Bolden was born Aug. 15, 1890, according to the Gerontology Research Group, a Los Angeles organization that tracks the ages of the world's oldest people. Guinness World Records recognized Bolden as the oldest person in the world in August after the death of Maria Esther de Capovilla of Ecuador, who also was 116. Bolden died at the Mid-South Health and Rehabilitation Center, a nursing home where she had been living for several years, said the center's administrator, Charlotte Pierce. Bolden suffered a stroke in 2004, and her family said she spoke little after that and slept much of the time. Family members said this year that Bolden had 40 grandchildren, 75 great-grandchildren, 150 great-great-grandchildren, 220 great-great-great grandchildren and 75 great-great-great-great grandchildren." Its sad that when you count the generations of relatives, she had no living sons or daughters. Michael

Boom. Thats good. This may be venturing into opinion territory, but I think a Taoist doesn't seek eternal reward or 'honor', yet holds himself to high standards of honorable behavior; not based necessarily on an external code, but reflecting a natural Te'. ie 'Honor' isn't something to die for, but to be lived out. You Honor the path by keeping your feet on it and moving forward.

Jeez is this the best you can come up with? Ad hominem bull. Those who don't agree with you follow the herd? Opponents must be shills? Get back on track.

Maybe start lower. Just a teacher, yoga, tai chi, aikido, tea ceremony.. something with a bit of spirituality and growth. Don't spend months looking for a master, researching tibet, china, india etc. Look around your city and get involved in something growth oriented so you can get a few notches on your belt. Preferably something you have to go to several times a week. Nothing grand, keep it simple, build up and sustain a practice.

I think some of the best discussions are in the Personal area. But they're hard to find, its cluttered with people who haven't posted for years, or only written 3 or 4 times then abandoned it. So the worthwhile posters tend to get hidden. I know it would be quite a bit of work but I'd love to see a reordering of poster there, with the more active ones on top, and the abandoned ones on the very bottom. Happy Turkey Day to All. This site and its members and moderators are one of things I'm thankful for

Speaking of Plus'ing. I often plus you on this thread. Technically I'm in the middle, but I admire you for standing up for the conservative position. Otherwise the board would be a love fest for loving, compassionate, dead end, less well thought out positions. Verse your seemingly harsh, practical, real world posts.