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These are all possibilities which just because they're (however clumsily) saving animals doesn't mean that they or others don't do the others too.

Sorry to see you go Roger, hope you change your mind but in the meantime don't let the bastards grind you down.

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I don't see the scandal as the death knell for vajrayana in the West. It does perhaps burn any Shangri La illusions people may have had about Tibetan Buddhism. Patriarchy, power and abuse exists in all types of religious institutions, even in the West, so in this respect the scandal shows that the Tibetans are no better and no worse than any one else. It's a universal problem.

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I'd change the emphasis from finding a way out to finding an inner wisdom that enables conscious responses instead of automatic, and by degree, neurotic reaction. While the goal would be to practice 24 hours a day by maintaining post-meditation presence of awareness in all activities and maintaining that continuity through dream states, the foundation would still arguably be formal sitting sessions on the cushion that are never dispensed with. There is perhaps a danger of self-delusion if there is never any formal sitting practice and a reliance on a putative 24 hour meditative awareness. Steve's point above about preliminary practices to assist in the process is worth emphasizing, though depending on tradition and approach I think there are also practices that maintain and protect too.

You're welcome!

A tip on multiplying the merit of doing prostrations - perform on the days in the Tibetan calendar when the merit of activity is multiplied by a factor of 1,000, 10,000 or even 10 million. Perform a full ngondro on these days and you get the merit of performing full complete ngondros. Unfortunately even though the merit is multiplied the counts towards completion of the four 100,000s is still one to one.

Success is the best form of revenge. For and against: http://www.debate.org/opinions/is-success-the-best-revenge

Good aerobically - watch the knees and back.

Wow! Superb!

In a nut shell (label - path -> themes/practices): Sutra - path of renunciation (Theravada, Mahayana ) -> 4 Noble Truths, 8 Fold Path, 12 Links of Dependent Origination, Emptiness, Loving Kindness, Compassion, Calm Abiding, 6 Paramitas/Perfections, Vipassana, Vow of individual liberation (Theravada), Vow of Universal Liberation (Mahayana), Buddha Nature (Mahayana). Tantra - path of transformation (Vajrayana - subset of Mahayana) -> Ngondro/Preliminary Practice, Deity Yoga (various classes of), Pure Perception. Dzogchen/Mahamudra - path of self liberation -> uncontrived, unaltered natural state, innate purity and primordial emptiness. This is a very simplified presentation, ignoring sectarian issues and differences between the schools. Each path has as its foundation the path before it and also includes it in its own special way. So for example. Tantra automatically relies upon and incorporates Sutra.

Emptiness is non inherent existence which is not the same as saying nothing exists. You can tie your mind up in knots on this and I suppose understanding and refinement comes with time, study, practice and reflection. http://thubtenchodron.org/2010/01/lack-of-inherent-existence/ http://thubtenchodron.org/2010/01/dependent-arising-conventional-truth/

Isn't Guan Yin revered both as a Daoist Immortal and Buddhist deity? Cross-fertilisation or different paths to the same source of grace that works expediently?

Please see below a link to an exposition of the meditative experiences/mental factors associated with each of the 10 Bhumis and their correlation to the 5 stages of the Path according to Tibetan Buddhism: http://www.lotsawahouse.org/tibetan-masters/patrul-rinpoche/stages-and-path

From all the different approaches and motivations out there it appears that meditation has different goals and rationales. There's meditation and then there's meditation. A lot depends on the context in which meditation is practiced, whether secular, spiritual or religious, and what practitioners are taught to expect and advised on. If meditation is seen solely as a means of relaxation and sedation from using a specific technique then those practicing with this view may be in for an unpleasant surprise when negativity eventually arises. If meditation is seen as way of gaining insight and wisdom and holding a centre in the midst of inner storms then those practicing with this view will not be so perturbed when unpleasant stuff announces itself.

And all luridly recounted with a saccharine sweet moralising delight.

This blog looks excellent: https://voxhermes.wordpress.com/ For example it includes a link to non-pirated Philosophers of Nature course material: https://voxhermes.wordpress.com/2017/05/05/lessons-from-the-philosophers-of-nature/

You're welcome Living and sorry for the suspicion. Watching the breath and mantra recitation can have the similar goal of quieting the mind at the beginning stages of practice by acting as objects for calm abiding. As the experience of practice deepens the still mind and mantra recitation can each relflect and compliment the other - from stillness mantra can proceed and mantra in turn can lead to stillness. The subject of mantra is deep and profound and a subject unto itself. The same too with stillness.

'Scuse me for sticking my nose in, not sure if you're having a laugh Living though there's 27 guidlines, or tips as you will, on mantra recitation here: https://greatmiddleway.wordpress.com/2011/03/22/how-to-recite-mantra/

Is any art effective against the grim realities of violence where weapons and multiple opponents are involved? This thought provoking blog post argues that many people train for a one-on-one fantasy encounter: http://cattanga.typepad.com/tabby_cat_gamespace/2017/05/why-traditional-martial-arts-mma-and-reality-defense-are-all-obsolete.html [Haven't read entire thread so sorry if this blog post has been mentioned already]

This video reminds me of Primordial Qigong as well as Mantak Chia's Tai Chi form and highlights how awareness, breath and intention can be applied universally for making connections in embodied practice.

@Apech - Spot on!

The skateboard needs some attention too.