doc benway

You may want to educate yourself a bit about the psychology of harassment and abuse, Wells. There is a lot of good information out there. It is far more subtle and insidious a problem than you seem to understand. Here's a good, simple starting point - https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/what_the_science_of_power_can_tell_us_about_sexual_harassment?utm_source=Greater+Good+Science+Center&utm_campaign=e2a1bb19a4-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_10_18&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_5ae73e326e-e2a1bb19a4-51521023 Verbally abusing victims is not becoming, Wells. Tibetan Buddhism is complex and exotic and there are practices that involve sexual acts. Being naive and malleable in the hands of a predator in a position of authority does not make the victims morons. People sometimes do foolish things with good intentions. You yourself are guilty of that, as are we all. All authority and power is in the mind of those subjected to it. There is no authority more powerful than spiritual authority to one who seeks spiritual guidance. Tradition and lineage are very valuable to many people and for good reason. The fact is that tantric sexual practice is highly secretive. Very little is written about it other than in texts that are not available to the public and not available in English. These women had no way of knowing what real tantric practice is versus what Sogyal was telling them. Furthermore, the dynamics of sexual harassment make it very difficult for the victim to challenge the abuser. He may not even have made it about enlightenment, harassment and abuse is all about the power differential. I hope you will try to look at victims of sexual abuse as human beings with feelings who were taken advantage of rather than morons who asked for it. You may have no frame of reference for empathizing with them but if you have any interest in spiritual growth, this is what it is all about. No one is deserving of such treatment. One way to try and see this is to contemplate one of the victims as being your daughter. Imagine your daughter, or another woman you deeply love, being taken in by a wily charlatan and predator, not necessarily spiritual - maybe in the workplace or academic setting. It is pervasive in our society. They are no less human or worthy of our compassion because they were duped.

It boils down to the fact that taijiquan, like qigong and neigong, is experiential. Three things are needed - a dedicated student, a skillful guide, and a credible lineage. If these things are in place, we come to understand as a result of direct knowing through experience. If we continue on and have the opportunity to teach, it takes the experience to a whole other level because we now need to recognize flaws in others (as well as ourselves) and use our knowledge of the basic principles to find solutions. When I first started teaching, I would constantly run things by my teacher. I'll never forget the time he basically cut me off, saying quite emphatically - no more questions, it's your turn now, you need to figure it out! So it is not that you are awful at noticing things, morning dew, I suspect it is more a matter of not having put in enough years of practice yet. As you feel it in your own body and develop confidence in that knowledge and experience, you will be better able to see it in others. This really hit home with me when I began reading a marvelous book called The T'ai Chi Boxing Chronicle by Kuo-Lien Ying. I started it when I was about a year into my taiji training. I could understand the first few chapters but beyond that I just didn't get it. After about 6 months I revisited the book and found that more of it made sense. I repeated this over the course of the next few years and eventually the entire book not only made sense but helped me gain deeper understanding. It was necessary to feel things in my body and mind and then the words and concepts made sense and could help guide me further. I've had very similar experience in practicing and reading about meditation and spirituality. I agree with Taomeow regarding the first video. A few clues are to look at are the shoulders and the continuity (or lack of) of movement when comparing the two videos. I suspect the practitioner in the first video is primarily an external practitioner, at least that's how his body movement and posture look to me. I don't know who he is and I reserve the right to be wrong, as always. External and internal practitioners often take different approaches to qigong forms. When I learned the shiba luohan qigong, I was taught two approaches - external and internal. Each is valid and valuable and they cultivate different benefits.

I think this area of inquiry is very valuable, especially if we maintain an open mind about the meaning of symbols (words/concepts) like "knowing, believing, and faith." Knowing sometimes transforms into belief. We know something to be true until we find out it is false, then we can see in retrospect that it was a belief - not knowledge. Examples include every major scientific breakthrough and paradigm shift in history. Another example is the experience of spiritual awakening, what once was knowledge of the way things are is no longer accurate. A deeper, more pervasive, and (arguably) more accurate explanation unfolds and turns what was once knowledge into delusion. The whole concept of knowing and proof is quite interesting and elusive and can be explored on two levels - the intellectual and the spiritual. Belief is acceptance or conviction that an explanation or definition is true in the absence of direct, personal knowledge or experience. It is a useful tool but can be easily corrupted or misused. As a word, it is often used interchangeably with faith. I tend to avoid that equivalence as will be discussed further below. Faith for me conjures up more of a sense of confidence and trust without necessarily implying the acceptance of a specific explanation or body of information. No question that there is a relationship and overlap between faith and belief but there are also important differences. It's all about how each of us understands and uses the symbols. Knowing and belief tend to be more related to the intellect. Faith tends to be more related to the heart. Knowing and belief often refer to information whereas faith often relates to people. I like how Alan Watts discusses the relationship between belief and faith: "We must here make a clear distinction between belief and faith, because, in general practice, belief has come to mean a state of mind which is almost the opposite of faith. Belief, as I use the word here, is the insistence that the truth is what one would “lief” or wish it to be. The believer will open his mind to the truth on the condition that it fits in with his preconceived ideas and wishes. Faith, on the other hand, is an unreserved opening of the mind to the truth, whatever it may turn out to be. Faith has no preconceptions; it is a plunge into the unknown. Belief clings, but faith lets go. In this sense of the word, faith is the essential virtue of science, and likewise of any religion that is not self-deception."

Interesting comment given that Apech and I are mostly in disagreement in this thread.

Thank you for emphasizing that important point, Rene, which supports both Apech's position and my own. Men appear to be far more prone to violent behavior than women, but it remains a small percentage of all men who are engaged in violence.

And just about everything else!

Victims of homicide are often participants, not always innocent bystanders... Do you think size and strength are determining factors for expressing violence? They are potentially useful characteristics, but deterministic? Are larger, stronger women (men) more likely to be violent than smaller women (men), for example? Who is doing the recruiting and initiating the conflict? Male or female? For sure they are more often in a position to be subjected to such manipulation in most societies. How often do they volunteer vs become victims of manipulation? I don't mean to imply an answer to any of these questions but they are worth considering if we are interested in this topic. I disagree with this point. I think crime statistics show very clearly that men are more prone to violent behavior than women. I'm not saying it is solely due to an inherent 'defect' or trait or even genetics. I suspect it is multi-factorial - genetics, cultural, societal, etc... It would be very interesting to have an opportunity to live in a world, particularly a technologically advanced society, with predominately female leadership and see if there are significant differences. I personally agree with the Dalai Lama on this topic but I could certainly be wrong. I doubt it will ever happen in my lifetime so this is just an empty thought. It is interesting that in Bön and Buddhism, compassion is generally represented by the male deity while the female deity represents wisdom. I have a friend who is a shaman in Mexico. We once had a very interesting conversation about this point, to which he also subscribed, from his shamanic perspective. The whole question of the nature of gender differences is an interesting one to me and it doesn't necessarily have to be judgmental. In terms of survival, there is certainly a normal and necessary component of violent behavior, particularly among hunter gatherers. In "civilized," agrarian society, I would suggest that it is far less necessary but far more prominent, at least on a larger and more destructive scale. There are many human characteristics which were valuable from an evolutionary biological perspective but become maladapted and dysfunctional in more technologically advanced society. This tendency towards violence seems to be one of them. I'm currently reading a book that I received as a gift that discusses Buddhism from the perspective of evolutionary biology. It's very interesting and well written. Just some random musings...

No doubt women have the capacity to be warriors. I've seen women in my family transform into demons when their children are threatened. My wife's nickname among our kids is "two-guns."

My comment wasn't directed at men in general. I was more focused on paternalistic leadership and the pervasiveness of war. However... It doesn't seem that women have the same propensity for violence. Approximately 96% of homicides worldwide are committed by men. http://www.unodc.org/documents/gsh/pdfs/2014_GLOBAL_HOMICIDE_BOOK_web.pdf

Sadly, it seems to be those that are skilled at taking life who rule. Not those who are capable of creating it. http://mentalfloss.com/article/31274/6-modern-societies-where-women-literally-rule

I'll miss you roger. You are a breath of fresh air. Fare well

There are vendors in Thailand, and I imagine elsewhere, you capture living creature with the intention of selling them at Buddhist festivals for just this sort of ritual. Very misguided.

Alchemy implies transformation. In that sense, Daoist alchemy and tantra are comparable. The word alchemy, as used in Daoist practice, does relate to working with energy but it is not a generic term for "energy stuff." For example, there are lots of Daoist energetic practices (taijiqun, qigong) which are not necessarily a part of alchemical methods. Daoist alchemical methods and Buddhist tantric methods include working with energy centers (dantians/khorlos/chakras) and paths (jingmai/tsa/nadi) and the subtle energy (qi/lung/prana). While Daoist and tantric terminology and paradigm are somewhat different, the parallels are clear, especially if you have the chance to practice each under the guidance of a master. We need to be a little careful with knowledge and experience gained solely from books and self-exploration. There is far more to cultivation than information and an experienced guide is essential.

Tibetans do revere books and texts and yet they caution their students that it is essential to learn from a credible and accomplished teacher. Books are a way to preserve and transmit the Dharma from generation to generation. They contain all of the information but there is more to spiritual growth and awakening than information, hence the need for a teacher. On a Tibetan shrine, nothing is placed higher than the written word, not even a statue of Buddhas or Deities. A Tibetan would never put a book on the floor or ground or step over it, it is a constant reminder of the value of education and the power of words. You make a good point about the importance of dispelling superstition, fantasy, and projection surrounding Buddhist teachings, I would extend that to all spiritual or religious teachings in fact, including Daoism. I do see this happening in the west. My own teacher is very much committed to a progressive, practical approach to the Dharma, as is the Dalai Lama. On the other hand, there is enormous power and value in esoteric teachings that we, as westerners, may not yet understand and there has been a problem with giving high tantric teachings and empowerments to people who are not ready for them. I'm reading an excellent book right now called Why Buddhism is True by Robert Wright. It's something I never would have bought for myself but my wife gave it to me as a gift and, despite my skepticism, I'm thoroughly enjoying it. Wright is the author of The Moral Animal, The Evolution of God, and Nonzero: The Logic of Human Destiny. He brings a scientific context, particularly that of evolutionary biology, to the Buddhist view and practices. Highly recommended.

The spiritual head of the Bön tradition, His Holiness 33rd Menri Trizin Lungtok Tenpai Nyima, left the body on September 14th at 625pm New Delhi time. He was instrumental in bringing the Bön teachings out of Tibet shortly after the Chinese invasion and is responsible for helping to spread the teachings to the West. I had the good fortune of meeting him last year when he presented teachings on the A-Khrid lineage of Dzogchen in New Jersey. He was very warm, knowledgable, and generous. His teaching style was strongly rooted in tradition yet flexible, full of good humor, and love for the Dharma. He will be sorely missed and unanimously celebrated within the Bönpo community. Here is a link to a biography of His Holiness for anyone interested. ཨཱོཾ་མ་ཏྲི་མུ་ཡེ་སལེ་འདུ།

That is certainly one situation in which terma have been discovered or received. There is also the aspect that terma have been hidden for protection during times of war and persecution (the latter is particularly applicable to Bönpos). These may then be discovered or revealed in times of peace when we are again free to practice the Dharma.

I have. I've also noticed issues with electronics, it's interesting. Several friends and family members have had cell phone issue over the last few days as well.

If the OP is still in need of help in this area, most Bönpo lamas and geshes are able to address these concerns. The tradition is made up of the Nine Ways of Bön, some of which are rooted in the early, shamanic ways of Bön. The second vehicle, the Way of the Shen of the Phenomenal World, teaches rituals, remedies, and practices related to external forces and harmful energies. Many traditional Tibetan medical practitioners are trained to help with such problems as well. Right now is a difficult time due to the recent passing of His Holiness, the spiritual head of Bön. Most of the high lamas and geshes are in India right now participating in rituals related to his death and upcoming funeral. Some have stayed behind at US centers but are very busy with similar practices. You can reach out to any of a number of Bön centers in the US and abroad. Here are a few in the US: Ligmincha.org Bonshenling.org Yeruboncenter.org Olmoling.org If the OP wants to PM with his location, I can help you find a center close to you.

The Dzogchen of the Bön tradition has been passed through 3 lineages - A-Tri, Draspa Korsum, and Zhangzhung Nyengyud. The Zhangzhung Nyengyud is an unbroken, oral tradition (unlike all other Dzogchen traditions which have been lost or hidden and recovered through terma) dating back at least 24 generations before the 8th century. The Bönpos venerate two 8th century masters - Tapihritsa and, his student, Nangzher Lopo as the first to write down the oral teachings. Prior to the 24 masters of the oral tradition it is said to have been associated with 9 Buddhas.

Fare thee well!

I feel deep sympathy for Wayne and his poor mother who now has to live and die with the suicide of her child. I'll respectfully disagree. There is a flexibility to non-attachment, something very much lacking in Wayne's suicide, the blog, and his "red-line events." This is important. I think a common problem leading to nihilism is isolation. Wayne led a very isolated life. Many people who followed him, likely feel isolated. We need to connect with other people - physically, emotionally, intellectually, spiritually. It is a type of nourishment. We live in community with others, that is a fact, and yet we can be so fully isolated. And communicating online is no substitute for human connection. I would urge these folks to connect with others, seek out support. Spend time with your family and loved ones. Make new relationships. Repair old wounds. Let shit go. Don't follow Wayne's example. Live his words in ways that he couldn't, or chose not to. Life is worth the candle in so many ways! Seeing that and living that is wisdom. I'm sorry if anyone is offended but I feel it needs saying.

If you have Netflix access, check this out. It's quite beautiful. http://m.imdb.com/title/tt6541634/

The external reality of solidity is very familiar but not fundamental. The essence is clear and unbounded. A direct experience of unbounded spaciousness can cause profound fear, vertigo, disorientation. Not only is it a matter of clinging ego but a feeling of the loss of integrity of the body and external reality. If you can rest in that more fundamental essence, that space, there is a deeper realization of reality. Let go... Rest with confidence and trust This last part is often lacking and shows the importance of things like devotion, lineage, renunciation, and so forth. It can require a lot of courage, even faith, to let go fully

Wonderful quotation and apt. Thank you, this will require some time and consideration to process.

From my perspective, the significant development here is not so much related to Awareness, Life, Sentience, Insentience, or even Emptiness, but rather the letting go. That is essentially my practice in a word, or two.