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The Association of Traditional Studies videos on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/traditionalstudies/videos

Sorry to read this C T. A close friend of mine died recently too. It's funny how at times like these small synchronicities occur. This quote leapt out at me from a YouTube video recently: 'In the midst of clouds of impermanence and illusion dances the lightening of life. Can you say that you won't die tomorrow? Practice the Dharma.' Glad you're not hanging up the TB boots for good. Time is passing though, so getting embroiled in interminable debates isn't always helpful. I for one am being more selective now. Edit: typo

Good to see you back CT !

Thanks GrandmasterP. Shame I haven't got the time to look into this in any depth though I'm dimly aware that there're studies on neuroplasticity that identify changes made to brain activity and structure from conscious cultivation of loving kindness. It would be interesting to find out what work has been done in comparing the effects of meditation on the psychological health and well being of meditators (against a standard measurement/scale for this - if there's one, that is) and practice within different environments i.e. purely secular or spiritual/religious.

I don't think it's really the point that sources cited have to necessarily endorse an author's conclusions or world view. All the author is doing is combining different public domain sources to present a particular position. Arguably the blog is already preaching to the converted and the citing of the sources serves to indicate areas of authoritative commonality outside the readers' specialist interest area.

Well GrandmasterP you're certainly a crowd puller to any post. When I looked this morning there were no replies and a desultory sixteen views. On checking later this afternoon there was your reply and sixty seven views! Questions of commercial interests in spirituality always provides fertile ground for debate, though I don't see an author placing an advert for their book on their blog page detracting from the essential value of what they have to say. Thanks for your observations Taoist. When I first took up meditation I had all sorts trouble and it was only because I was practising within the context of a tradition, with the support and perspectives this provides, that I weathered the storm and came through the other end. In times of polarisation and fundamentalism the author's ecumenical approach is a welcome light and accords with the Golden Dawn admonition " .. to hold all Religions in reverence, for there is none but contains a Ray from the Ineffable Light that you are seeking.'

Unfortunately Steve the majority of posters here do not extend the same courtesty to Buddhism or Dzogchen that you extend to them and their paths.

How does that saying go? If Dzogchen is being taught and there are ninety-nine interested people listening then this is not enough. If one person doesn't want to hear about Dzogchen then this is too many. This thread is not a conducive medium for meaningful or constructive discussion of Dzogchen. Edit: Typos

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This place has been recommended to me though I haven't visited: http://www.amaravati.org/about_us/faq/

Just been reading the book and listening to the sound track which features the words of Ficino. This may tie-in nicely with the Agrippa thread later.

Yet again I owe you an apology for the waaay overdue reply Nungali. Been busy of late and while I've continued posting here I've been opting for the low hanging fruit. I didn't see this either but Manly Palmer Hall offers an explanation in Lectures on Ancient Philosophy. Porphyry's essay on Homer's Cave treats the account of the cavern as an allegory of the mystery of life and death. The cavern itself is a symbol for the physical/sensible world and the descent of souls into generation. The summer and winter solstices (Cancer and Capricorn respectively) are the gates leading into and out of the cave and generation. Cancer is attributed to the moon, the closet heavenly body to earth. In Orphic theology Cancer is the north gate through which souls descend and Capricorn the south gate through which they ascend. Within the context of the value/theoretical basis of stellar magic the Orphic passphrase to avoid drinking from the Well of Forgetfulness and to drink from the Lake of Memory is as good as anything I've encountered: I am a child of Earth and of Starry Heaven; But my race is of Heaven (alone). Wonderful! Thanks for this. It took a few reads to finally make some sense of it on an intellectual level and I strongly suspect that actually following the directions will yield even greater benefit. I liked the connection to Ezekiel's Vision. Edit: tpyos

Too true unfortunately : (

Having a relationship on all levels of our being (physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual) with an empowered liberated woman is basic spiritual sanity isn't it?. Tantra expressd this millenia ago - woman is wisdom.

The final discourse of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti

Don't know if this has already been posted but it's worth repeating if it has anyway : )

Nice explanation. It's about having pure perception to receive benefit when listening to teachings. Padmasambhva taught that if the teacher is perceived as a dog then then blessings of a dog will be received;an ordinary person, then the blessings of an ordinary person; but if the teacher is perceived as a realised being then the blessings of a buddha will be received. Edit: tpyos

Unless one's training to deal with pain with equanimity. There a view that it's good discipine not to be perturbed by hardships in one's practice. Don't fancy cultivating deep vein thrombosis myself, so not for me. I believe that pain doesn't occur if one is well versed in full lotus and has purified energy channels. Interesting story about your dental work. Teeth are spiritually significant (the Hebrew word for Spirit is Shin which translates as tooth). I've read somewhere that having major dental work done is spiritually significant - something to do with realignment and purification ...

Good : ) Sorry if it's anything I've added.

Displays of intellectual knowledge and learning rarely go down well - no one likes a know it all Sorry, I appear to have touched a nerve. The comment wasn't directed at anyone in this thread in particular or even a judgement on how the thread was progressing - it was a reciprocal general long term observation made in response to another general long term observation.

I used the term scholar quite specifically as one sangha I know of makes a big thing of shedras with in-depth instruction from geshes. These shedras are open to anyone though trainee instructors go as they will be eventually teaching and will need to operate from a base of solid understanding and not one of vague emotionalism. Funny you mention about scholarship being used pejoratively here. It's either robust and perhaps overzealous bullshit detectors; a general cultural malaise of belittling intelligence or more sinisterly, the dark site of the Taobums collective - half committed people disparaging those who rise above a perceived set point.

Sorry Nungali, I've been meaning to respond to this for a while now; as ever your posts are horizon broadening. Still ploughing through the text, though a cursory glance through shows solid introductory backgrounds to the constellations and their associated mythology quoting ancient sources and linking them to practical workings to overcome the astrological conditioning of birth: the premise being that communication between the stars is not one directional but works both ways. The introduction states this elegantly by quoting the Chaldean Oracles: Source: Payam Nabarz Stellar Magic: A Practical Guide to Performing Rites and Ceremonies to the Moon, Planets, Stars and Constellations The chapter on Draco is interesting as it suggests that Jan Fries seething technique can be used to draw into oneself the energies of the earth and sky dragons. So far I really like this book; particularly the sheer variety of texts quoted and references pointed to together with the practical application of the material.

Ordinary people, non-Buddhists and beginners usually do get simplified explanations such as 'Buddha nature' and metaphors like the film projector or the mirror. Abstruse technical terms are usually given to scholar/practitioners and then these only make sense based on the training and oral instructions received from the lineage. Edit: tpyos

Part of the problem stems from injunctions not to discuss personal experiences in public with people who may not be fellow practitioners. It's okay to discuss general view and philosophical positions but one's personal practice has to be kept secret.

I did some part time security work when I was a student years ago at the student bar.