thelerner

Scotty, please take the week off, come back rested and ready to be the interesting knowledgeable person we know. The rules may not be fair, but if we choose to play on this field, we have to abide by them. You've had your say, but now you're pushing to hard. How much satisfaction will you get by being permanently banned and ghosting the site? Not much I wager. Take the week off come back fresh. please, your a valuable member here. Generally the moderating here works fine. This was an unfortunate flare up. Egos and senses of Justice's got bruised. The air will clear and we'll get on with the business of bumming and taoing.

You could be part of society and not buy into so much of its bull shit. Realize you have some middle ground in common. I think crazy often has more to do with Where and When you do things, then what you do.

View Posttulku, on 08 September 2011 - 04:43 AM, said: i will probably choke that keyholder to death first I'm not sure if Tulku was being sarcastic. I think most people would say they'd walk away, not kill a woman if they didn't like the situation pictured. The reason I brought up KAP in an earlier situation is because it bases so much of its foundation on relaxed, happy energy. One of its foundational practices has you running relaxation, confidence, love, and finally sexual energy through your system. All good feelings. I agree with witch, if you're doing energy work and not positive your way more likely to get burned. For what its worth Kap has its share of emptiness meditation too, but before you begin them you start out running positive energy. Recently I posted you could get to the top levels without a teacher. I think I was wrong. Without a solid experienced teacher, we don't know, what we don't know. There are short cuts, good and bad, and safeties that we may not know. 2 bits

Hey Craig, The Goodbye forever was followed with - that is what I could have done if I was an abusive moderator. Mal is/was keeping it to 7 days, though Scotty's protest may well be the equivalent of 'Thank you sir, can I have another'.

That sucks. Question. Knowing what you do now, would you change your decision about going?

Dr. Poppins who has a PH.D. in Child Psychology said this: In ev'ry job that must be done There is an element of fun you find the fun and snap! The job's a game Nad ev'ry task you undertake Becomes a piece of cake A lark! Aspree! It's very clear to me That a... Spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down The medicine go down-wown The medicine go down In a most delightful way A robin feathering his nest Has very little time to rest While gathering his Bits of twine and twig Though quite intent in his pursuit He has a merry tune to toot He knows a song Will move the job along

Cool, we have some top guys down there (Stigweard, Mal I think), its as if all the standing upside down brings more blood to the head. If you use the Search Function look up 'Map' or 'Google Map' you'll find a thread that links to a globe with member locations on it. They were using it lately so it maybe on 3 or 4 'pages' off the first one. When traveling in the Middle East I was taught 3 phrases. Where's the washroom? How Much? and 'Don't shoot I'm Australian' just another indication that you guys are considered cool across the globe. Michael

True. I'm hoping they replace the moderators with robots. Once the ModeratoR1000 gets online heads will roll, things will be different, and we'll finally have some peace around here. til then ..

The avatar is smiling, but each incarnation seems to be coming back a little angrier. You made your point, then over stepped it. Anger does that to everyone. The hand played out, Seth was given a suspension. You got caught, right or wrong, in the flak. I hope part of the result is the bums become a little more respectful for a while. It always reverts when passion is involved, but your calling our attention to a problem was a wake up call. Respectfully Michael

Personally if you're not at least threatened with suspension at some time in your bums career, then you lack passion. Scotty, you have passion, I admire that. Its interesting that Seth reported himself for violations before you did. Seth has good self awareness. He was indeed rude to you, but he realized it, stuck up his hand and said I'm willing to take the punishment. Getting suspended for a week is not so bad. Right now, I subject myself to the judgement of the mods. I've been rude, perhaps personally insulting to the point of breaking tb policy to Tulku. I said he acted like a poser, and wrote a insulting piece in his thread about a young man jumping up and down trying to get attention. If I've broken the policy, give me a week off. Its not the end of the world. I really like the TB's but its just an internet forum (an excellent one). Leaving it for a week might do me (and others) some good. Improve our perspective. Help us chill out, I for one have probably been over posting lately. Sincerely Michael

Young man in field, jumping up and down Look at me, Look at Me You clowns Look at me I'll tell you what Buddha meant (don't contradict me w/ facts) Look at me, Look at Me My way is the only way Look at me, Look at Me You should have no desires (I surely don't) Look at me, Look at Me That is probably overly negative. Tulku you make some valid points and definitely inspire conversation. Unfortunately you start off so provocatively it's less a discussion and more a rant. Which is too bad, it cheapens your argument. The path of the monk is a virtuous and high one. You get crap because you display a fundamentalist's outlook, so we look at you as we would an obsessed missionary. Dial it down. You should open up and lead discussions on topics like sealing the senses. It's an important subject that crosses both Buddhist and Toaist lines. But if you start the conversation talking down to people, you're worthless. Keep an open mind and learn from people here. Some are advanced. I'd also recommend dropping the absolutes from every post, maybe just adding a IMO every now and then. Conversation moves much more respectfully when people are self honest, separating what they know from what they think. You set so such a high bar for enlightenment that obviously you're not there (even at our lower bar most of us aren't either), so lecture less discuss more. my 2 bits

One thing I like about the Taoist sub forum is it moves slowly. Topics stay on the main page for weeks. I like it when conversations are long, and there are less misc. threads popping up. I've always been surprised Buddhist threads get so heated. If they were on Satanic philosophy I don't think they'd generate half as much heat. Frankly it seems like just a few people, good ones on both sides, can't help themselves. The word Buddha is like a red flag and they go into attack and counter attack mode.

I'll resist my usual 'get a room' (or single Egyptology thread) and add Steven Halpern has an interesting album called Tonal Alchemy. I like it for the way he works with vowel intonations. Great example of kotodama, sacred sounds. It contains a piece called 'Inside the Great Pyramid', which was produced (!) inside the great pyramid. Its pretty good. .99 in Itunes worth checking out. With decent headphones its powerful. Strangely, or perhaps not so strangely it connects well with a strain of kaballah I like.

Well yes, but as long as its here: First we'd need some sort of time machine. Then we'd need some incentive to cause them to fight. Hmnnn, I think getting the time machine will be easier.

I think there's enough 'open source' out there to get people all the way. <<edit> All the Way is a bit much, but pretty far, a teacher is probably needed for deepest expertise.> But like mastering music, its not lack of instruments or sheet music; its that people have other goals and paths. More importantly, few have the discipline and time to reach the highest levels.

An old timer here Yoda, had some good posts on it. I did a search and couldn't find them. From what I remember its a very yang practice. Too much can definitely have repercussions. I enjoy staring at the rising or setting sun when its got some good cloud shielding and its not very bright. In the morning I'll often go out and stare at the sun w/ eyes closed for a few minutes. I'll enjoy the colors behind my eyes and try to run them through my body. I don't look at the naked sun though. Last year I'd do some Zhan Zhang (15 or 30 minutes) in front of the window with the afternoon sun blazing in, (eyes closed) I stopped, it was too yang an exercise for me. Be careful with it. Some sites over hype it. Its probably has powerful potential, but is best done under supervision of a good sane experienced teacher.

English can be a poor language to discuss religion. There are few words for god, and most of them are mixed up with authority/king figures. Judaism has lots of words for G-d. Its lost in English translations but each word has specific and subtle meanings. In English prayers often come off as groveling, but in my opinion, true prayer is lost in the translation. We're not buttering up a diety when we call him great, powerful, etc. what we're attempting to do is have the concept of utter almost unimaginable greatness in our mind. Its similar to many Eastern meditation where you try to put your mind onto the furthest reaches of the universe. That kind of thing. Each word is to throw you into a specific state of mind. Short prayers like the Shema aren't a declaration, but rather a meditative device to open ones mind. In the mystical sense, which I find to be the truest religionwise, we're not trying to worship G-d, as much as connect with him. Judaism gets away from the old white bearded god dude relatively quickly. While its filled with strange old cultural baggage, the concept of G-d (IMO) is an Infinity beyond time and space that we are inside of and made up of. Infinite, yet intimate, we are part of G-d. Good prayer and worship of any kind should fill us up with an aspect of G-d.

The reason you seem like a poser to me is this: ascetics don't spend there time on the net arguing with strangers. Ascetics live a simple, often humble life. You try too hard to convince people and often show a lack of knowledge in your examples. There was one guy on the Healing Tao discussion site Harry (Pain or Sunshine) and he said he was off to be ascetic, live a monks life. And bam, we didn't hear from him for years. He was walking the walk, no time for talk. I know a guy in Chicago. To be more in step with the seasons he had the electricity and heat turned off in his apartment. The sun was his light, his body adapted to the cold (plus heat from hallways and other apartments). Very cool dude. Ascetic, yet he lived in the city. He was charming and enjoyed the food (vegan) at the party and performers. He had a 'shine' of someone who was onto something. No electricity (won't find him on the bums), his enjoyments were the sunrise, sunsets, good simple food. Very inspiring. Simple words, simple man, powerful. I think there is a need to be reminded simplify, reduce; know whats important. But telling people they're 'subhuman losers' is a sign of a wounded ego. We are lucky to have advanced practitioners and teachers on the bums, but the silly drama fests are a turn off to them (IMO). Personally I don't mind participating, but they don't show a high level of practice. Tulku asked me how do I know he hasn't reached a high level of (? something). For the same reason he knows I'm not there, cause I get involved in trivial game playing, though less then he (nya nya ) my 2 bits about Buddha; I'd add, the guy went from prince to ascetic, found that wasn't the way and founded the Middle Path (Sadly died from food poisoning at dinner party). There are many Buddhists Priests (not all) who are married, and I'd wager they know more about Buddhism then Tulku most of us.

I'd like to start a thread where people go a little more in-depth about there practice. Stigweard wrote this: "For me the less crap I take into my mind and the more breathing and gentle movement I do the clearer my energy becomes. However my neidan practice is about: ~ breathing ~ guiding awareness through major orbit ~ five clouds and five element fusion through organs ~ procuring Xindan" Simple things like breathing can cover a multitude of methods, five clouds and procuring Xindan are even more mysterious. I'm hoping Stigweard will go into some detail on what he does and later other people will follow. I'd prefer this thread to be kept as respectful as possible with questions out of interest and Not devolve into what practice is rightest or wrongest. Thanks Michael P.S. It might be interesting to get a feel for how long people practice, per day or week.

The rising sun my zafu my coffee mug

I'm unfamiliar with the Xing Yi set. Is it a medical chi gong form? 25 minutes is pretty long, are you repeating a set of movements or is it a very long form, also what makes it special. Is san ti shi standing similar to Zhan Zang? If so is there a special position for hands and feet? Thanks

Here is a link to it. Very interesting. He explains what he's experiencing, not so much what he's doing. http://longmenpai.blogspot.com/

Its a bit mechanical, but counting breaths. I don't mean to 10 and starting over, I mean up to 100 or 200. As time goes on it gets harder to stay focused. Glenn Morris had a mind scrub practice where you'd count your breaths 1 to 10, in counted as 1, out for 2..etc. BUT if a thought entered your mind, any thought, you'd have to go back to 1. If you practice honestly, getting to 10 isn't easy. Likewise there are non meditational ways to hone concentration. Count mentally up to 100, 1,2, 3.. then down by 2's 100, 98, 96, then up by odd 1..3..5.. You can play around w/ it, adding or subtracting 3's, 4's, etc. The mind rebells and wanders. Try to do it while distracted w/ TV or radio, very hard. Traditionally (India) visual focusing was considered to hone the concentration. Staying focused on a pebble, calligraphy, or flame.