Apech

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Everything posted by Apech

  1. Dao Bums gender divide

    Apech replied to Maddie's topic in General Discussion

    Witchcraft and wicca focus on the goddess and are to quite an extent matriarchal. Buddhism I'm afraid is largely patriarchal - although certainly in vajrayana there is no reason for this apart from cultural ones that I can think off - and there are many great female practitioners in the Tibetan system. I remember moderating 'genderwarz' years ago on here where the likes of Susan Carlson were hounded by a gang of male members. In those days we didn't edit or ban very much so it just got put in the Pit. Now I think it would be different. It would be interesting to look at the proportion of female applications for membership and then compare that with the actual ratio in active members and try to find out if there is a barrier somehow - and if that is not the case try to work out why so few women are interested in the first place. Perhaps its the preponderance of Mantak Chia related noobies that puts women off???
  2. No, for instance the goal of Theravada is becoming an Arhat while Mahayana Buddhists is becoming a bodhisattva and so on. Some kind of definition of what eternal life means or is conceived of as by Thomas Aquinas.
  3. Back to the, the garden where the rich folks love a walkDon't chop wood for practice, your place is here in the worldDelirium, delirium, maybe it's just cold outsideCrooked bones show the king's feet[Chorus]Uptown folks pay very well, indeedUptown folks pay very well, indeed
  4. It varies depending of which school of buddhism you are talking about. https://www.crossroadsinitiative.com/media/articles/lifeeverlastingameneternallifeaccordingtotheapostlescreed/

  5. Pandemic Panic - Transcending the Fear

    Apech replied to Michael Sternbach's topic in General Discussion

    The British Public respond to being the first country to approve the Pfizer vaccine:
  6. realising that there is no-self is not really a goal (of Buddhism) ... producing the elixir as I understand it is a prerequisite to achieving immortality (which is a goal) , Unity with God might be a goal but then so is 'eternal life in Jesus' = immortality. Don't you think?

  7. simplify

    Apech replied to zerostao's topic in Daoist Discussion

    Horse
  8. This is hilarious:
  9. another one eh? By the way this should be in Buddhist discussion really.

  10. Pandemic Panic - Transcending the Fear

    Apech replied to Michael Sternbach's topic in General Discussion

    'a little bit better' because you have achieved a lower fatality rate over a long period which is a better than Europe.

  11. Pandemic Panic - Transcending the Fear

    Apech replied to Michael Sternbach's topic in General Discussion

    Just to make Americans feel a little bit better a comparison of the case fatality rate between the European Union and the USA:

  12. How to bridge the two realities?

    Apech replied to manitou's topic in General Discussion

    For quite a while now broadcast and printed news media have been struggling with circulation and viewing figures. To deal with this they have resorted to click-bait style journalism and mixing opinion with fact to create a loyal fan base. This means neither right or left wing media are reliable int terms of fact based reporting. The trouble with alternatives such as online feeds and so on is that they are full of fake stories. I have found the best way of dealing with this is to read a variety of outputs and treat everything you see and read with a pinch of salt. I read the Guardian (online and free) as a left wing source, the Daily Mail (right wing conservative) and the Times (paywall) - these are all UK publications. None are bias free but at least I get a cross section of headline news and opinion.
  13. And in the ruins of the balloonStood a man with glasses held highWondering when to do it againHave another fly into the skySomewhere flying highAstral travellerLeaving without herWondering where lights goLeave out the body load
  14. I am now so old I think of the 1980's as modern and as the recent past When I think how long I have been practicing - I started when I was 16 - and how long it took me to pass certain barriers and problems I am in awe at the immensity of the path - and yet for some reason I proceed with a buoyant certainty and optimism each day! Oh yes life can bring me down and depress me, but never mysticism. Part of it is, I think that I never grew into an adult (despite bringing up a family) which is something I am thankful for. The price is huge, perhaps everything - but I offer it gladly, knowing there is no alternative. Thank you @Yueya for adding so much depth to this conversation.
  15. Thanks, The more I listen to talks like this I realise that the similarity of dharmic traditions - even though they would doubtless dispute what exists/what doesn't exist and so on - the whole analysis or approach of this and buddhism say, is very much along the same lines. I recently was reading 'Being Different' by https://beingdifferentbook.com/ by Mahlotra and it's easy to see how 'Western Universalism' has interfered with our understanding. And actually I think this discussion illustrates one way in which that has happened in that there may be a dispute between saying the realisation of 'Self' is complete and the idea that there is a Great Work to be done. How can something be big and small at the same time, how can there be more when it is complete, how can it be both light and dark ... and so on. Western thought can block this always either/or and not both/and if you see what I mean.

  16. One person one account rule

    Apech posted a topic in Welcome

    We are in the process of cleaning up the database of members and have come across multiple accounts. For clarity's sake we have decided to introduce a 'one person one screen name' policy. This means we would like each person on here to have a single screen-name for posting purposes. If you have more than one account please contact the mod team so that you can choose one account to stay live. If you need any other help - like a name change we can sort this out for you. In future the 'one person one account' rule will be in the terms of service. Thanks

  17. Cultivation side effects

    Apech replied to Maddie's topic in General Discussion

    To put a positive spin on it, if I may, it means you really were meditating and not just playing at it (which is what most people do). It's a tough path and challenging in all sorts of ways. I'm sure you'll find your own way through (which is largely the point anyway) but I would encourage you to just step back when you need to but don't abandon it altogether - I don't mean whether you sit or not, I mean don't mentally give up completely. I've been meditating for several decades and I can say there are barriers after barriers - but if you keep digging you do strike the occasional gold. I'm not Christian but I often describe meditation as 'slow crucifixion' - it cooks you in your own juice I hope I haven't put you off at all - but I see nothing but good and increased awareness in what you are saying. Cheers A.

  18. Story of Atlantis Part 2 - Conquest of America

    Apech replied to Michael Sternbach's topic in The Rabbit Hole

    Sure I guess its a 'logical first choice' but still echoes for me our common ancestry and self awareness. I'm trying to remember the term used for those patterns you see in the stages before deep sleep and in meditation - zig zag lines and dot filled spaces ... I keep thinking ectopic ... but that a pregnancy outside the womb ... eidetic that's it!!!

  19. Story of Atlantis Part 2 - Conquest of America

    Apech replied to Michael Sternbach's topic in The Rabbit Hole

    It amazing how the hand print is more or less universal in cave/rock art. or so it seems to me.

  20. Story of Atlantis Part 2 - Conquest of America

    Apech replied to Michael Sternbach's topic in The Rabbit Hole

    Does it remind you of Aborigine art? And how did they get up so high to paint? The repeated wavy lines and so on very suggestive of abstract symbolism.

  21. Story of Atlantis Part 2 - Conquest of America

    Apech replied to Michael Sternbach's topic in The Rabbit Hole

    Better photos: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8998147/Eight-mile-wall-prehistoric-paintings-animals-humans-discovered-Amazon-rainforest.html

  22. Oh Narrator, Where art thou?

    Apech replied to WHITEROOMENERGYMINE1's topic in General Discussion

    yeah

  23. Story of Atlantis Part 2 - Conquest of America

    Apech replied to Michael Sternbach's topic in The Rabbit Hole

  24. Story of Atlantis Part 2 - Conquest of America

    Apech replied to Michael Sternbach's topic in The Rabbit Hole

    This looks amazing: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2020/nov/29/sistine-chapel-of-the-ancients-rock-art-discovered-in-remote-amazon-forest
  25. I understand what you are saying - but don't agree. It's nothing to do with speculation.