Apech

Looks like awful spam/commerce to me. Why has he got the four western elements on a Taoist book? Where is metal? Dodgy.

I don't think you can draw any conclusion between the shower and the surgery ... as in don't have the surgery because of the shower ... but it is true (IMO) that there is resonance or connectivity between things that happen to us. Assuming things is a bad idea. As in - it's wet under the shower therefore the shower is leaking. Its always more interesting/enlightening to find out what is actually happening rather than assuming. The way is a real way and not an abstract way. If you want to see the third connection look inside at how you are feeling.

THIS!!!!

No one at all has been banned or suspended for being interesting, intelligent or controversial. Everyone (except spammers) who has been banned or suspended either insulted another user or was trolling/multi-posting to hijack a thread/topic. All members are valued as far as I am concerned - if a post is reported we look at it the same way whoever reported it. Just to be clear - passionate and emotive language and debate is not a problem. At all. Its not the discussion of ideas that is a problem its when that breaks down into personal attacks at the person you disagree with. If you start swearing at them or calling them an idiot because they hold a different idea then that is a problem. As I see it the 'no insult' policy protects freedom of speech.

Welcome Maria - enjoy your time at TTBs.

Not very helpful I know - but access to site is ok from here - so I think it must be a problem local to you.

Bent double, like old beggars under sacks, Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge, Till on the haunting flares we turned out backs, And towards our distant rest began to trudge. Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots, But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame, all blind; Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots Of gas-shells dropping softly behind. Gas! GAS! Quick, boys!--An ecstasy of fumbling Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time, But someone still was yelling out and stumbling And flound'ring like a man in fire or lime.-- Dim through the misty panes and thick green light, As under a green sea, I saw him drowning. In all my dreams before my helpless sight He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning. If in some smothering dreams, you too could pace Behind the wagon that we flung him in, And watch the white eyes writhing in his face, His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin, If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs Bitter as the cud Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,-- My friend, you would not tell with such high zest To children ardent for some desperate glory, The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est Pro patria mori. - Wilfred Owen

Rain, I am puzzled by this and am sure it is a mistake of some kind. I don't think any of us delete or edit personal practice - in fact its a self edit area. I can't think of a reason why anyone would do this. A.

Yes it is.

Do you have indigestion? That would explain the music.

"Good morning madam, would you like some extra cream?" "Good morning madam, can a satisfy you with a doorstep delivery?" These are the lines that always worked for me.

I think that that transition between the speed of the world and the stillness of meditation is very hard. I think getting up 1/2 hour earlier and doing some then is a good idea - if you can manage this - or otherwise in the evening but not either immediately on getting home or just before going to bed. The best thing is to set a routine so it just becomes part of your life ... do it at the set hour whether you feel like it or not - just sit for 20 - 30 mins say and don't worry if it seems good, bad, pointless ... or what ever just do it. The advantage of systems like Taoism or Buddhism is that it gives advice or answers to your behaviour in the day as well. For instance not getting caught up in strong workplace emotions. infighting, bitterness and so on ... they sap your energy. So a good ethical approach to your work life will support your practice. If you do energy work you could do some breathing exercises quietly at lunch time or at your desk also.

No threads have been banned. Some have been locked and some have been moved to off topic. Either they were not really Taoist discussion or they were repetitive slanging matches between certain parties. The main reason for suspending or banning is repeated insults. There has also been an outbreak of multi-posting and some trolling. Read the Moderation Guidelines if you what to know what is ok and what is not. If there seems to be more moderation recently then it is because of people not respecting these rules which are how Sean who owns the site wants things to be done. Believe it or not moderation is a pain which takes up a lot of time. Most of it is deleting spam and helping other members sort out tech probs and so on (this bit is not a pain). If people respect the guidelines then we don't have to do anything much ... which would be great. A.

Well, when I banned some folks I got 6 + points from members and this time when I locked a thread I got four. So I guess I felt encouraged by this. Seriously I am doing what I and the Mod Team think is best for the forum - if anyone has a constructive critique of what I am doing I am willing to listen and learn. But if you are just going to hurl insults like 'weak, cry baby and spoilt brat' then farewell and good luck. A.

Surrender! We've got you surrounded. Come out with your hands up!

*** Moderation Message **** I am locking this thread and have sent the following message to Lotus-Born. Lotus-born, I've read you post No. 12 on this thread http://www.thetaobums.com/index.php?/topic/17274-grandmaster-wang-liping-intensive-april-16-25-2011/page__p__254266entry254266 and I am really disappointed that you have decided to prolong this dispute between Kathyli and DragongateNYC. I am not going to edit your post but some of your language could be read as insulting to another poster so you have the option to self-edit. I hope you will use it. I am in any case locking the thread. You also suggest that I as a moderator somehow support your case in all this. I don't. I'm not interested in your petty squabbles as they are without value and do nothing to promote the teachings of your Grandmaster ... in fact I think they would put most people off. You make much of the real identity of certain other posters on here - but we are all free to post on TTBs using a user-name. Obviously multiple posting is not ok as this is deceitful and designed to mislead the reader and/or distort the debate. However apart from that people are entitled to anonymity within the Moderation Guidelines. We cannot always trust what people say about themselves on here nor should we try to. For instance I know that your profile information is not currently correct. Please desist from this line of debate and if you will, concentrate on positive helpful subject matter. Apech for Mod Team I think I speak for most people when I say that I am sick of all this bickering and requests for apology. Enough is enough. **** Mod Message ends ****

I can move it if you want - you'll get more replies - some people don't bother with Off Topic.

Interesting. Why did you put it in off topic?

Shaktimama, I really like the term masturbatee which you coined in one of your posts. A common term of abuse in the UK is to call someone a wanker ... now there will also be wankees. I think I accept the point that whatever you do with your sexual energy is important and has consequences for yourself and others. However to equate what every adolescent and many others do to a form of rape is pushing it a little. Rape is a nasty violent crime perpetrated on both men and women. Have you ever told a real victim of rape that what has happened to them is similar or the same as what happens to our Britney when her (now aging) fans spill their beans ??? I can imagine the answer.

Stig, Just going back to the OP again. Your ocean is more like an unknowable because it will never be 'known', while unknown implies a possible known which we haven't discovered yet. As sentient beings we spend quite a lot of time on the shore of our island, living in between the known and the unknown, in the twilight if you like between our yesterday (all that we have known) and our tomorrow (that which we have yet to encounter). A shamanic journey might be a swim in that ocean where we allow the force of unknowable (the mystery) to impact on us giving us dreams of the unknown. Also I think it is important to remember that although the island is a finite space - the intricacies of form mean that it has its own kind of infinity - the infinity of complexity. If you think that your chair (for example) is a dependable given certainty... then you have forgotten that the chair is part of the mystery also ... there are no gaps in nature ... (who said that?). Hope this makes sense. A.

Without wishing to interrupt this interesting discussion - just quickly - you have to understand the relationship between the island and the ocean.

Its an evolving subject. From microbes to Mickey Rooney.

**** Mod Message **** I am locking this topic as it just seems to be going over old ground and not serving any real purpose. **** Apech for Mod Team ****

I wonder if Wayne Rooney is pre-cambrian ... if one is looking for a primitive form of life that is. Just speculating of course. Or perhaps looking at it the other way scoring a hat full of goals is evidence for intelligent design???