Apech

Are they? I thought they were techniques to make the intellect realize it can't explain everything.

V. doesn't actually exist, he only appears to exist through dependent origination, I think this may be why he fades in and out of view.

Marblehead, You are not helping I'm trying to be saintly and pure! I smoked when younger and gave up for maybe 15 years before starting again. Then I gave up in 2004 at 11 a.m. 11/11 (Armistice Day) - I have only smoked a couple of cigars since (because some friends went to Cuba for hols). Why are things that feel nice always supposed to be bad for you? A.

Actually its far easier for me to simply give things up and suffer than to moderate - I don't know why, maybe I'm some kind of masochist. I haven't thrown any of the coffee paraphenalia I just ignore it. In a couple of weeks I might try just one cup a day - or to have it some days only. Thanks for the helpful suggestions. I am on jasmine tea now which I really enjoy. Slow release caffeine from tea sounds great. I think though its more than caffeine. I am sure coffee has a lot more in it that affects you - I feel much calmer - but I still feel a bit as if my nerves are jangling sometimes. I more or less cut out chocolate this year too - but that was to loose weight more than anything. Soon I will live like a monk! Ha! Yes - what is that craving all about eh?

where is the fulcrum? we see-saw in emptiness, sunlight and shadow.

The great philosopher pondered this question long and hard. Some of the seekers urged him to answer but Lady Gray felt that they had forced him into a corner: "Just walk away Rene," she said, with compassion, "You won't see me follow you back home."

Lino, Could you explain the nature of the entities - how do you perceive them and how do you know they are there? This might help with making the advice more appropriate. A.

Ninpo, Me! Secretary! You must indeed be delusional. I lack the appropriate skill set - this is obvious. If you want proof here is the result of the Non-Delusional Secretarial Training Course: Zen art of no-typing Score [blank] Grade: pink Filing the non-categorizable Score [piffle] Grade: ZX81 Telephone skills Score [eh?] Grade: U Overall Score: fish/water Final Grade: X Notes: {Zombie do not employ} I think this is proof enough. A.

Unfulfilled cup, Disposable container, A throw away line.

Ninpo, I would like to sign up for this but I feel that the very act of joining and paying the (presumably substantial) enrollment fee would be a betrayal of the principle of Non-Delusionalism. If there was any snow I would go skiing instead obviously. A.

They drank their tea in silence, except for Marcel who dipped his cake in his drink and insisted on talking endlessly about his childhood and youth until the others got thoroughly sick of him. "Oh do put a sock in it, Proust!" said Lady Gray having herself enjoyed a good muffin. "The voyage of discovery is not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes, " the young Frenchman replied. Rene nodded his head approvingly.

It's cool and astute Ice cubes in your lemonade Lips sip like kissing.

"Real tea or real-i-ty?" asked the old Tibetan sage, Lobsang Suchong. Earl and Lady Gray just laughed.

The seekers pushed the oldest to the front. "We seek therefore we are," he said. "Merde!" the muffled voice of the philosopher replied " Zey have stolen my best line!"

Rene Descartes practicing Universal Doubt refused to see anyone who couldn't prove beyond doubt that they existed. Hidden in his oven (or stove or whatever it was) he hurled insults at the seekers as they gathered outside. "Oh great philosopher we have come seeking truth, " they shouted. "Go away!" replied the crusty old Frenchman. "How can we go away if we don't exist?" the asked disingenuously. "Rats!" said Descartes.

Compare: 1) you are f***ing stupid 2) you are being f***ing stupid If you mod obscene language then 1) becomes 1) you [.......] are stupid which is still a personal insult. Arguably 2) is ok because the sense is an attack on what someone is saying/doing and not the person. I think we will just have to wait till it happens - its such a find line ... I'm glad I'm not a moderator but I think you will always have the support of most people because we know you are trying to do the right thing

Nothings perfect and its better to let people get away with it a bit than be seen to be heavy handed. I think you are right that there will be some kind of argument but I have found this place to be good at self regulating and finds its own solution - like all the Fu's and so on.

... so its just you and Yoko then ...

King, Glad to hear you are ok. You are obviously doing lots of energy work. Best wishes and good luck with this situation. A.

I think in the first instance you should PM the poster. You should quote the offending post and explain why it has breached the rules. You should say something along the lines that you do not want to censor their views and give them a chance to edit the post themselves or at least self-moderate future posts. Also say that this is in no way an attempt to discourage them from posting. Invite them if they want to explain why they think the post was ok. by PMing back to the mods. so you can reconsider if necessary. I think PM is better because sometimes threads get quite heated and it could be that if one poster is publicly pulled up by the mods it would be a kind of victory for the other - and some might maliciously try to troll others into breaking rules. In extreme case the offending text should just be removed with a note saying 'text deleted by moderators'. I don't think you should edit because then you would be open to accusations of twisting what people are saying etc. 2nd and 3rd stage ticking offs could be public I guess as this could induce shame. You have to remember that some people like the limelight and then cry victimization if anyone attempts to quieten them. A.

That is spooky.

NeiChuan, Thanks for the link - I would say this guy knows what he is talking about. I have never really focused on LD - just do it occasionally - and I can relate to what he saying. (I've only watched 2 vids so far though). A.

Number one - there's quite a lot of this ... sometimes people don't like what the other person is saying more than they don't like the other person ... after all most of us don't know each other apart from on here ... so mayeb you should say 'persistent'. On number two - are you sure? I can't call someone stupid? I don't think I ever have - but if I really thought they were ... well I would want to say so! And what's wrong with 'I think you are a fool' ... maybe they are Ass-hole and the like would come under number three. Anyway isn't number two just a repeat of number one. On number three - by excessive do you also mean persistent? I think a single outburst might just indicate someone expressing frustration - which is ok - but someone who just repeatedly uses bad language for the hell of it should be told off. What about racism? Its probably the one thing that would cause me to leave the site ... if there was use of certain terms, names for minorities - I don't want political correctness but I still think this should be a complete no-no. Just my thoughts. A.

All respect to the Mod Team by the way.

This thread has had a child: child thread perhaps we should have taken precautions.