doc benway

The simplicity of your posts always have such a calming effect... Well put, In the book "The Question to Life's Answers", Steven Harrison says: "Aren't those so-called enlightened beings defined as such by those of us who choose to define ourselves as unenlightened?"

Exorcist_1699 - Please help me to understand your motivation here. What's the point in condemning a practice you have no interest in and no experience with? If you would like to try it, try it. If not, that's fine. There are endless other possibilities. Why bother to post about something you have no interest in learning about it? Why put forth an opinion without any experience to support your view? That does no good for you and no good for others. This is not an attack - I'm just curious. I think that the methods that show us our true self threaten the illusion that we are so attached to - the dramatic, the magical, the traditional. At some level, that is difficult to deal with - it is/was for me.

Hi Adeha, Thanks very much for your input. I created a topic called Book Chat which is specifically for individuals who want to discuss books other than the "group" selection. Another option would be to create a topic for each book that individuals would like to discuss as you have suggested. I'd be happy to give that a try to see how it works. Let's try this - anyone who wants to lead or initiate a discussion on a particular book that they find of value will be asked to post the book information (title, author, brief description) in the Book Chat topic. I will then create a separate topic for that book to be used for further discussion. Does that sound like something worth trying to everyone? Should we abandon the selection of a "book club" group selection altogether? It certainly isn't getting much attention on the forum and I agree that the whole selection process seems to be taking some of the fun out of the venture. Adeha's suggestion may work better for the variety of interests on the forum. Thanks again Adeha! Please give me some feedback everyone.

What's the point? Have a nice day!

Please vote for your second book club selection by Friday 3/14. Thanks!

Please note that due to a tie in voting as of 3/14, there is now a new topic with a run off vote for the tied selections. Please visit that topic and cast your vote if you haven't already. I'm going to close this thread now. Thanks

If what you are isn't good enough for you, you will never be happy. You can never be anything other than what you are. You still never answered the original question - how long did you try the method that you are criticizing before reaching your conclusions? You should read The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and the Vedanta Upanishads - your ignorance regarding the origins of the "Who Am I" technique is showing. Nothing personal. In case you hadn't noticed there is just the one world for us all to share. A bit of consideration for others helps to achieve that.

Cool idea! I'll try to join although I'm expecting an overseas call this evening.

Your use of the word true has nothing to do with your misrepresentation of others' opinions by reducing them to simplistic equalities in what appears to be an attempt to make others look foolish or stupid. For example, I never said that external alchemy was equivalent to western medicine - I said that they had interesing parallels in terms of human motivation. Taking external agents into the body to change it in some way in an attempt to improve it, whether that be to transcend illness or transcend mortality, as if what we are isn't good enough and isn't all there will ever be. I find it telling that you consider wrestling, western medicine, and turning yourself into a good person to be trivial. Tell that to your surgeon should you ever need one after being beaten up by a wrestler. My son used to wrestle - the investment of time, spirit, and energy was astounding! I'm a surgeon and I can assure you that what I do and what my patients experience is not trivial to them. PS In case you didn't realize it, the "Who Am I" question is as traditional as any method in existence and is probably older than most known traditions. Just because it is simple and free of ritual, pomp, and circumstance, doesn't mean that it's not traditional or effective. In fact, what is more Daoist than simplicity? Zhuangzi would certainly have approved! It can be seen in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali as well as in some of the earliest writings of Hindu and Tantric traditions. It is the foundation of Advaita Vedanta, and is at the core of Buddhism and, in fact, Daoism. After all what is Dao? Who am I? Are they not the same question? I usually don't get personal on the web but sometimes I'm driven to try an intervention - Have you ever asked yourself why you are always so negative and hurtful? Your voice on the forum is always angry and disdainful. It sounds like the voice of one who is in a lot of pain. it's quite sad, particularly since you seem to have some degree of knowledge you could share. On the other hand, it's obvious that your own cup is full to the point of overflowing. It might change your outlook if you could empty it, just a bit... and perhaps try a kind word, even once. Wishing you the best...

So I guess that you would advocate attending Catholic mass over practicing qigong?

It actually began long before Zen or Buddhism existed. It has nothing to do with marriage, intelligence, or talent, just a bit of discipline and commitment. How long have you practiced this method for you to reach such a conclusion? Why do you feel a need to discourage others from experimenting with it? Actually, it has nothing to do with philosophy or reasoning. It can take you beyond both quite readily in a very short time. On the other hand, if it hasn't worked well for you, there are many other options. How long did you practice it to reach such a conclusion? What is a better use of time for the average practitioner wishing to understand the nature of thought and self? Ramana and Nisargadatta had absolutely no training prior to begin the practice. Neither would be considered a genius. They were very average and Nisargadatta, I believe, had a wife and kids. He was a simple shop owner with no spiritual background. Ramana was nearly a child who reportedly had no formal instruction at all. It's ridiculously simple but not easy. Nothing worthwhile is easy. That said, if you don't like it, don't do it. Why do you feel a need to try and discourage others? Why is tradition better than a simple exercise that can be used by anyone? How long did you practice the method for before reaching your conclusions? You're quite adept at taking things out of context and misquoting people in an effort to belittle their points. Bravo!

Well worth reading. Thanks for sharing that! I ENJOYED it...

Is religion inherently harmful? In keeping with the recent discussion around the importance of the question rather than the answer, I will offer no answer yet this is the line of thought that led me to post this: Humans are, by definition, ignorant regarding that which is beyond their capacity for understanding. No matter how much you know, there is a limit. Consequently, there are questions that will forever be unanswerable. But human thought does not like unanswered questions. Answers, no matter how silly, can make us feel more secure, more safe. This is the nature of belief. This is why we gravitate towards a belief system. Once the system of belief is established, it provides answers to the unanswerable questions. Each system will provide it's own set of answers and if they can convince you that their answers are correct then, at some level, they have convinced you that all the other sets of answers are incorrect. This is the seed of conflict that is then continuously cultivated by the society or culture in which one develops in association with this belief system. Some do a better job than others in encouraging skepticism and an open mind BUT as long as they provide answers, they are killing the question at some level. There will always be conflict as long as there is belief. So religion kills the questions by providing answers based mostly on archaic writings of the "ancients" and the "master" and the "immortals" and whoever. Or by providing the "living word of God" or whatever, it doesn't really make any difference. The important thing is that the belief system says, stop asking the question, here is the answer. Stop inquiring. Don't look into yourself and into the world, accept this practice, this prayer, this meditation, this WORD, and then you don't have to be so afraid of what you don't know. And so religion also creates conflict because any answer or belief system must be finite and so must never be capable of providing the real answer (as if our brains could conceive of what that would be anyway). And conflict among humans invariably leads to exploitation and suffering, sooner or later. So religion strips us of the only real way of awakening - living the question. And then it creates polarization and conflict in the world between groups of people by teaching them that they are different from their neighbors (unless, of course, they share a belief system). Now what if, instead of looking for answers, we just accepted that the universe and we as regular humans are fine, just the way it is (we are), and nothing we can do can really change the big picture. No answers, just a level of comfort with and interest in the questions, the lack of knowledge, the uncertainty. And a level of acceptance that it is all OK and there is nothing "better" but being here, now, and enjoying the blessing of our life and awareness (with it's ups and downs, pain and pleasure). Is this real faith? Not a belief in certain answers that cannot be proven or that go against common sense, but a real acceptance of what is here that we can experience and participate in. Sorry to go on like this but it was stimulated, not by thinking about the Muslims and Jews and Christians and Hindus and so forth fighting in the world, but by seeing the conflict between Daoist and Buddhist (the most peaceful of religions!) right here on this silly little forum where we're all pretty similar and looking for more or less the same thing. It's fascinating and frightening. This is why I will never again define myself as an "-ist" of any sort. I am human and that is beyond any "-ism" and it will never be captured in any system of practice or belief. And it will never be improved upon by an practice or belief. Life is real, beliefs are illusion. Just my $.02... Thanks for listening... PS - and just for the hell of it, I'm going to answer my question anyway - I think that religion is inherently harmful. Humanity will never be at peace while it exists here on earth. Sorry for the gloom and doom, have a wonderful day!

Does grasping exist? Gaining hold, can one let go? Snowflake floating down...

Daoists uses the jian for a number of rituals - exorcism, a variety of blessings, and so on... and I believe that what is important is that the jian used for these purposes usually has been transformed into a talisman of sorts using inscriptions and perhaps other rituals.

Hmmmm, some would say the spiritual/internet addiction is a vice...

Please elaborate, what natives do you refer to and what data do you have regarding their cancer rates?

I own a Raven Studios jian and it is fantastic. It is very solid and heavy (not overly so but much more so than most wooden pratice swords) yet well balanced. It's designed for heavy contact. You may be able to custom order one out of peach wood although it won't be as durable if you plan to spar with it. Here is there link http://little-raven.com/RS/MA/index.html Good luck

Please take a moment and check out this site: http://chrisjordan.com/current_set2.php

My deepest condolences go out to you and your family, cold. I send you love in hopes that it will give you some small degree of comfort.

The brilliant Tuvan throat-singing ensemble, Huun Huur Tu, will be touring this Spring. http://www.huunhuurtu.com/tours.html I just ordered tickets to see them in March

Saw Huun Huur Tu yesterday - what an amazing peformance! They are incredible. The music is otherworldly. All kinds of stuff going on. If you ever get the chance to see them, you will not be disappointed!

That's a very superficial assessment. What is driving each group? If you explore the motivation, the thought process involved, there are very obvious and profound similarities - probably more than some would care to admit. That is incorrect. Many alchemical traditions focus a great deal of attention on physical and psychological health. The alchemical process can be long and demanding and requires a healthy organism to make the journey. Ultimately, the organism may be transformed and eventually discarded entirely, but the road to that point can be long.

I'll check out Loch Kelly, thanks for the suggestion. I understand what you're saying about the ambivalence. I feel a certain degree of disappointement, sadness, fear, maybe even a bit of anger, like I've been betrayed. It's very interesting to watch all of that. Yet, at the same time, there is this certainty that it is right, correct I mean... at least for me, now...