doc benway

It most certainly would. I can be a bit literal, even naive at times. 👶🏻

Now I’m confused, I thought I now have your mandate to speak for everyone... 🥳

Perhaps

Maybe it’ll even eliminate all sarcasm!

What is the point of so much projection and animosity?

We refers to the DaoBums community as a whole.

Yes, quite a lot lately. Without moderation, some people here tend to indulge in throwing tantrums, bullying, trolling, insults, even threats on occasion. The loudest, most obnoxious voices trample and often silence those that aren't interested in wasting so much energy on fighting. Rational discussions give way to emotional venting and ridicule. It can be ugly. Bringing some moderation back will help.

PS - I feel like my posts have been clear, what don't you understand?

To phrase it in a way you may find familiar, WTF gave you that idea?

Yes, my perspective of the collective. It’s really all I have to share.

Our collective, no one in particular, though you are welcome to fill in the blanks as you see fit.

My love and support go out to you @sean Sorry we can't simply take care of ourselves here, seems like we need a stick from time to time. Thanks to @Trunk for volunteering to take out the recycling. Hopefully we'll be able to minimize our carbonated footprint and leave both of you be most of the time.

I put less stock in the details than in the lessons of such story-telling. Not much different than the bible or any other form of ancestral teaching. Stories abound about our masters, our ideologies, etc... Very hard to really pin down the who, what, when, and where; many seem archetypal. The why is what counts for me. There are usually good lessons to be had regardless of the details.

It sounds like a Ueshiba story but Dobson's teacher was Ueshiba and he was already training at that point. I would think he would have mentioned him by name if it was him. The other I might guess is Gozo Shioda. Another possibility is Funakoshi Sensei, not aikido, but the inspiration of several such stories... although not sure if he was in Tokyo or Okinawa at the time.

And Alex Grey

And Monteverdi

Rumi The guest house This being human is a guest house. Every morning a new arrival. A joy, a depression, a meanness, Some momentary awareness comes As an unexpected visitor. Welcome and entertain them all! Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows, Who violently sweep your house Empty of its furniture, Still, treat each guest honorably. He may be clearing you out For some new delight. The dark thought, the shame, the malice, Meet them at the door laughing, And invite them in. Be grateful for whoever comes, Because each has been sent, As a guide from beyond.

Maybe I’ll even be around to meet them...

Who knows, maybe it’ll get me my first gran? ❤️ 🙏🏽

For sean, wishing him good health and gratitude for our little playground

My young uns are still seeing their ❤️ers. Can’t stop em, don’t wanna isolate myself. Gotta draw the line somewhere.

Meditation, both formal and in day to day activity Qigong Internal martial arts

It's wonderful to see all of the different opinions and experiences shared here. In my opinion, Daoism is flexible enough to embrace and support all of us and our various proclivities and opportunities. For the peasant in the fields (or nowadays worker in a factory) who has neither time, education, or opportunity, there can be simple religious rituals, beliefs, and prayers offering profound support. For the intellectual, Daoism provides a philosophical and scientific framework that is extraordinarily sophisticated and comprehensive. For those suited to physical training, there are wonderful practices and methods; and for those more suited to inward investigation, superb methods of inner work. Not unlike Buddhism, where there are '84,000' teachings to address all possible needs, Daoism lacks nothing and can provide anyone with support and guidance. My own teacher is from Taiwan and identifies as Daoist. He spent the majority of his life as a practitioner and teacher of martial arts and is strongly devoted to the deities and rituals associated with martial arts and his martial and meditation lineages. He utilizes methods of divination and geomancy when called for and is even a bit superstitious. He is very proud of his Daoist heritage and considers the highest possible objective of a Daoist to be personal transformation through inner work. He has little interest in philosophy and little regard for those who focus on theory over experiential practices. Consequently, my own approach to Daoism has been primarily experiential, meditation being my primary connection. Other practices are very supportive - taijiquan, xingyiquan, baguazhang, and qigong; but secondary. I have very little connection to or interest in theory, religious ritual, geomancy, divination, etc.. Not saying this is better or worse, good or bad, just how I have happened to connect based on my personal proclivities and opportunity. The beauty of Daoism for me is that through personal practice the labels and definitions of Daoism fall away and dissolve into truth, and that truth is not distinct from the truth pointed to by other Daoist paths or unrelated traditions.

"Why waste all this time in the clouds if you can dwell in the sun?" ~ His Holines the 33th Menri Trizin Lungtok Tenpai Nyima Rinpoche