doc benway

The Web That Has No Weaver is a wonderful book!

Great point and subject for discussion. I once read a book that hammered this point home for me titled: The Question to Life's Answers: Spirituality Beyond Belief by Steven Harrison. The basic point being that questions are alive, full of potential, and can serve as our path. Answers are dead ends, rather than open us they close us to new and unexpected possibilities. In the tradition I currently follow, it is taken one step further. No need for questions, no need for answers, not even a need for curiosity. Conceptual and intellectual constructs are allowed to be as they are without engaging or following after the mind's activity and content. Just be... Leave everything as it is and simply be... In a sense, it is a form of curiosity disengaged from the discursive mind.

The new mod team has been active for barely a few days after an extremely long period of total neglect. Most of their time has been spent dealing with spamming and crude attacks, while trying to get familiar with the software, the change in relationship to our peers, the skills needed to try and moderator this board, etc... It’s telling to see the near instantaneous pushback and criticism from some members, and disappointing. It will take a little time for things to stabilize, for the new mods to get the hang of the position, and the old mods to readjust. Some here seem to expect overnight transformation. That’s not going to happen. People here will need to have a little patience, maybe even work with us to try to make the transition a little easier for everyone concerned. It’s not surprising that we are seeing some reactivity and tension and if it’s too much to handle, taking a break is healthy. Peace

No, when I ban someone it will not be ambiguous precisely Thank you! 🎯

That said, Mark's refusal to respond to a previous warning has just earned him a 1 week ban. That may be considerably longer pending investigation of his message to manitou.

Bye bye

Notice to the membership - The DaoBums has a new group of moderators, some new to the position and some coming back for an encore. The team includes Apech, Bindi, ilumairen, liminal_luke, steve, thelerner, and zerostao. Our intention is to provide an atmosphere conducive to open and civil discussion. We intend to abide by the guidelines previously set forth in the Rules and Use section and respect Sean's wishes regarding extreme right-wing politics. In these times of unprecedented stress and uncertainty, we have a wonderful opportunity to use this space to support each other as a caring community committed to personal and collective growth. We humbly ask for everyone's support and pledge to do our best to be fair and unbiased.

Trunk will be mostly in the background but around for support.

Mahamudra from the Kagyu tradition is very similar to Dzogchen, which is found primarily in the Nyingma and Bön traditions. Their methods differ a bit but the essence is comparable.

Yes, profoundly different although Internal Alchemy can mean a lot of different things. I practiced Daoist alchemy for about 12 years and it naturally evolved into what was essentially dzogchen practice. At that point I encountered my current teacher and embraced dzogchen in a more formal way. Much of Daoist Internal Alchemy practice (at least what I've encountered) is closer in nature to tantric Buddhist and Bön practice.

One excellent resource is my teacher, Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche. Today begins his 2 week summer retreat on the Seven Mirrors of Dzogchen, a dzogchen text by Drenpa Namkha, a Bön master of the 8th century. The retreat is being held online and would be an excellent introduction to dzogchen and his teaching style. He also offers regular free teachings on Facebook and online teachings through Ligmincha International and Ligmincha Learning. His teachings are a bit on the progressive side, a bit more flexible than the traditional presentation. Nothing in substance is lost but he presents the material in a manner that tends to be more accessible to Western sensibilities and lifestyles.

Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Yes, we plan to do our best to address whatever issues are raised. One thing to be aware of, the owner of the board is not fond of deleting or hiding posts unless they are abusive, insulting, spam, and so forth. With that in mind, we'll look at Jeff's PPD and make a decision about whether any material violates the terms of service and should be hidden or deleted. If anyone has made requests in the past that were not addressed, please repost or reach out to one of the staff and we'll try to help.

Nice article Like many things in Buddhism (and Daoism for that matter), this subject is intimate, personal, and must be rooted in practice. Conceptual categories and labels are limiting, belief is a trap. Faith, on the other hand, is very supportive.

My recommendation is to find a good teacher who represents a credible lineage. Then learn to be a good student.

Tibetans use the word rimé to refer to an “unbiased” approach to Tibetan Buddhism, giving each of the traditions equal respect and validity. Of course, it’s limited to Tibetan Buddhism but they were quite isolated from everyone else when it developed in the 19th century.

One of my favorites: Original Tao: Inward Training (Nei-Yeh) and the Foundations of Taoist Mysticism by Harold Roth. This is more of a theoretical treatment if you are uninitiated. If you are already a practitioner with some experience, there is much of practical value here as well. It is not a how to manual but a priceless resource, one of the earliest treatises on inner alchemy. The commentary is decent.

Not a movie and not enlightened but... Just finished Rectify, a beautiful, intelligent, and compelling drama about a man and his family facing his reintegration after spending 19 years on death row. It’s slow at times, a bit overly melodramatic, but also very emotionally charged and poetic. Highly recommended.

Thanks for sharing, what a trip!

Michoacán? Beer, acid, a helicopter, and the law? I’m listening... 🤣

I’m open to an open thread. Don’t know your feelings about plant spirits and the like, but I would cultivate respect and a deep sense of asking for guidance and healing in addition to the mushroom itself. It will reveal far more if we’re in the right relationship, IME.

Perhaps not germane to this discussion but I’m reminded of my teacher talking about the dedicated practitioner who had cleared nearly all karmic baggage (except for some old unresolved mommy issues). Standing at the threshold of liberation, the door to enlightenment opens and who is standing there but mommy, wagging her finger and saying, “You? A Buddha? Not yet little one...” ... or something along those lines. It’s easy to feel compassion for “all sentient beings.” A little more challenging when narrowing that down to those closest to us in life.

Can't tell if these are your personal feelings or a quote from someone else. Like many things, it has positives and negatives for me. The comments about a trickster or evil spirit which take the form of the soul can be a good description of its psychological and emotional effects on some. It can really take over one's life and desires, like the mythical lotus eaters. For me, not only does it not mimic meditation but it interferes with meditation significantly if used more than occasionally. It also changes my sleep and dream life profoundly. It can be an effective sleeping aid but has a negative effective on REM sleep and dream and does not provide as restful an experience as natural sleep. While I have always been an advocate for its decriminalization and normalization, I also feel it important to acknowledge the negative impact it can have on many, especially the very young.