Apech

Yes I think definition of terms is helpful. Daimon, for instance, was not originally a malevolent entity but rather a form of deity - perhaps a minor deity and particularly a personal one - like one's genius for instance. But more broadly the existence or not of non-embodied entities cannot be proved on disproved by science , since science takes a materialist view and does not credit existence on anything which is not formed from the mechanical/electrical interactions in matter. That is of course if one is to glorify areas of study such as psychology or psychiatry with the name of science - rather than the speculative fields of enquiry which they are. Not just belief in but interactions with entities is common to all cultures (pre-enlightenment) and is part of the human experience. Even Buddhists do it - apart from Western made-up Buddhism which is to be avoided in any case, as it is just part of the general sickness that pervades the world at the moment. Even we, as humans, are not single entities but are several. I think it is key to any level of practice in any mystical tradition to accept this and work with it.\\

gonna need an ocean of calamine lotion

Wilhelm is standard still. I like Richard John Lynn - classic of Changes and also Alfred Huang (though it has its detractors).

My home lies on top of me, it goes where I go. I am always home. - a snail.

18 in cat years

One version is that I was doing guru yoga (completed 56k out of 100k) and I realised that the ‘guru’ was my Buddha nature and that the prayers weren’t doing any good but if I related directly to my ‘self’ in whatever way seemed appropriate it worked a lot better- so I went back to being a freelance mystic. Then I began to feel much more genuine and happy about what I was doing. so I do a kind of Zouwang plus a Dan tien type thingy…..

Actually it’s not- that is just a western projection- but that should be another thread and I’ve given up Buddhing anyway.

sola scriptura!

wot?

‘protestant’

sorry I’m still not kissing you

I thought Hunger Games was a bit of a Battle Royale rip off - but the first film was ok and M. Wouldn’t let me watch any of the others.

I read the first two books in the 90’s cos my daughter - who never read books was obsessed with Harry Potter. I must admit I thought they were very derivative and poorly written. I have never watched any of the films.

The answer is Nungali - I’m not kissing him!

She walks in beauty, like the night Of cloudless climes and starry skies; And all that’s best of dark and bright Meet in her aspect and her eyes; Thus mellowed to that tender light Which heaven to gaudy day denies. One shade the more, one ray the less, Had half impaired the nameless grace Which waves in every raven tress, Or softly lightens o’er her face; Where thoughts serenely sweet express, How pure, how dear their dwelling-place. And on that cheek, and o’er that brow, So soft, so calm, yet eloquent, The smiles that win, the tints that glow, But tell of days in goodness spent, A mind at peace with all below, A heart whose love is innocent!

what is up with sticking pins in people? 😀 super powers is def a bloke thing.

I thought it was just the martial arts background of many plus the mantak chia retention syndrome which drives many young men here

I watched a bit of the guruviking interview but I couldn’t get up much interest.

Do people still go to church where you are? On a personal note I moved to a majority Catholic country and a small rural village ( full of old ladies in black) - but I was amazed how relaxed and open minded they are about the few LGBT+ people who either live here or are related to those who do. Also historically most witch trials and the like were 16/17th century puritans and not the inquisition.

An extract from Park's book 'How Buddhism Acquired a Soul on the way to China' attached if anyone is interested.

yes particularly the ‘abstruce mystery school’ - xuanxue… the last step In the process involved a classically trained Daoist or Confucian scholar reframing the translation into ‘correct’ Chinese - if they hadn’t done this the sutras wouldn’t have been taken seriously by the intelligencia .

There’s a very good book called ‘ how Buddhism found its way to China and squired a soul’ by Park which explains in some detail how the Chinese approached translating the sutras.

Oh I thought you meant ‘entities’ …but insects?

It’s full of something alright.

Spooky!