doc benway

Not meant to be insults, not even veiled, just direct pointing out of your offensive, misogynistic comments. I don’t appreciate them and want to let you and the community know that.

Warning. Misogynistic trolls don't last long here. I suggest your "seeking" will soon lead you elsewhere.

We are no deeper or purer than those we denigrate... Yes "they" do... It is good to practice with a mirror

Similarly, I tend to classify SLD as a simple subset of LD. While there is certainly great merit in being able to turn LD into spiritual practice and ‘networking’ they are not necessarily more vivid or significant than LDs. Lucidity has varying degrees in dream and in dreamless sleep, as well as in waking dreams or visions. I think there is a continuum of lucidity throughout all levels of waking, sleeping, and dreaming states.

Snow Leopard, Himalayas

@old3bob - you should now have access

They are very specific and integrate well with other Bön practices (in particular the tantric and dzogchen practices). I suspect they can be a valuable support to non-Bön/Buddhist practices to varying degrees.

Yes They are from the Bön Mother Tantra

Daily meditation …disclaimer, for me this also means 9 breathings of purification and tsa lung, powerful energy practices. When I practice very consistently, it is almost as if time stops. I feel more youthful despite the occasional health issue, far more available energy and far more peaceful. Inner tension is a primary cause of poor health. With daily practice a domino effect occurs relative to diet, sleep, hydration, use of intoxicants, drive to exercise, and so on. Health issues and death of this body are unavoidable but can be far better integrated and allowed to move through. Wonderful to do what we can to prevent, ameliorate, and cure maladies. Equally (more) important is to find a healthy relationship to the one grasping at health and life when sometimes an alternate perspective is transformative or transcendent.

But it can happen that a phrase intended to indicate a state beyond concepts just becomes another concept in itself.... Chögyal Namkhai Norbu

Humans are idiots, for sure, and lots of other things too - loving, kind, scared, confused, conditioned, cruel, greedy, ingenious, awake… lots of things. Often my heart breaks… and often it soars.

I’d give Mak a wide berth…

I tried a little acting in college, helping theater/film friends with projects. Acting for me was FAR tougher than expected, especially on film. A little easier in front of an audience.

Hi Friend! No Yes Ego may be the closest thing to a me you’ve got right now, or not, that is for you to observe and determine with certainty. Can you or are you being something other than ego at times? If so make a relationship with that! That’s the ultimate source, the guru. Just some thoughts of my mind your thoughts jiggled… Dilemmas are the absolute best times to turn to the inner stillness and silence, to space. As the beautiful poetry of John Donohoe invites us… And if you want a point of departure for this new journey of soul, don't choose an intention, don't choose a prayer, don't choose a therapy, and don't choose a spiritual method. Look inwards and discover a point of contradiction within yourself. Stay faithful to the aura and presence of the contradiction. Hold it gently in your embrace and ask it what it wants to teach you."

Nice to see you DreamBliss, I offer my ear and hope you find a bit of healing and refuge here. 🙏🏽

芳ばしい and fragrant

Sailor

Just finished Midnight Mass on Netflix. It’s an interesting twist on a familiar theme, compelling but at times a bit long-winded. Nevertheless, my partner and I enjoyed it and there is a nice “enlightened” soliloquy in the final episode.

“The best thing you have learned from TDB?“ How attached I can be to my own opinions.

My experience is very similar. What I suspect is happening here is a consequence of the fact that when "visualizing" we are not engaging the "eye sense." The eyes are dependent on light and not active when the eyes are closed. The occipital cortex, which is engaged in interpreting and integrating information from the eye organ, is not as engaged - at least that's my belief. I haven't done much investigation into that piece. I wonder if studies are out there looking at that? Hence the difference between seeing with the eyes (eye sense) and seeing in a different way. Another way to explore and play with this is to visualize with the eyes open and lights on. One can see what is in front of the eyes and also "see" what one is visualizing. Yet another way to explore this is with prolonged practice in a dark room. This is the basis of the Tibetan "thodgal" practices in which one spends 49 days in an utterly dark room. There is no intentional visualization done at all. The idea is to rest fully in the meditative, Natural, state of mind. Over time visions arise but have nothing to do with the "eye sense."

I’ll add that trunk, ilumairen, zerostao, and dwai are a wonderful team. I hope they all continue to serve the community as they have for as long as they feel called and capable. They have a wonderful balance of views, all tempered by principles and empathy. I deeply appreciate their previous and continued service! 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽 💋💋💋

@Shadao Voila!

A demon may not be inclined to reveal their true intention so readily…

It’s Natural! A 90’s fav!