doc benway

My dad also has dementia. When mine develops, my plan is to forget to stop meditating! 🧘🏻‍♂️

All good points. I agree that meditation does point us to that thought free experience and then tries to extend it. And the dzogchen path is a unique approach relative to taking our samsaric experience as the path itself. My main contention was the idea that we can or should “permanently” silence the inner voice. I think that is a myth but, of course, I may be wrong. I’ve met with some very advanced masters, none of whom would say that they are totally and permanently thought free and emotion free. That said, their relationship to that inner voice is very different than ours. Thoughts come, thoughts go, emotions come and go, and leave no trace, no karma. One Bönpo master once admonished his students, “I even go to the toilet different than you!”

Very similar argument to saying Covid19 is just like the flu.

I like it, the Pathogen in Chief! 🤮

I stand corrected! 😌

I suspect you’re right about the 5,000,000 number but I do think you’ll be buying a book you don’t want to read!

Inspired by McLean, here is the original version of Killing Me Softly With His Song by Lori Lieberman: Here is the story of how it came to be written: https://www.nytimes.com/1997/03/02/arts/l-the-true-source-of-killing-me-softly-836680.html

Do you have a cough or shortness of breath? Any known or suspected exposure to someone who may be infected? If you are feeling better and not short of breath you will likely be fine. Secondary pneumonia is the biggest threat, symptoms are worsening cough, fever, and shortness of breath. I agree with anshino23 and ralis, best to self-quarantine until you feel completely back to normal and fever is gone. No work, no school, minimize contact with others. Call before going to doctor's office, urgent care center, or ER.

I recently provided an excerpt from an important Bönpo dzogchen teaching in the lerner's thread on dawg's realization. One point being made in that thread is that the objective of meditation is the complete and permanent silencing of the inner, samsaric voice. This is a common and serious error on the tantric and dzogchen paths. I thought it worthwhile to share the excerpt here: Self-originated primordial wisdom is the base. The five poisonous mental afflictions are the dynamic energy. Chasing after them is the way you are deluded. Viewing them as deficient is the error. Leaving them as they are is the method. Freeing them into vastness is the path. Non-duality is the realization ~ from The Twenty One Nails

Most of what you've posted from Dawg are basic methods and principles of the Buddhist path. All solid advice. What is posted above is misleading and, I suspect, conjecture or simply misguided. The objective of meditation is not permanently silencing the inner voice, at least not on the tantric and dzogchen paths. We certainly do need to first notice the voice consistently, then work towards reducing the noise so that we can connect more with the underlying silence, the stillness, the openness, which are characteristics of the nature of our mind rather than only its content, which is our usual life experience. While we live as humans it is not possible, or even desirable, to silence it completely as far as I can tell. Thinking it is completely silent is often a sign that we're not fully aware of its presence in us, it can be extraordinarily subtle and wily. The objective of meditation, at least on the path I follow, is to recognize the voice for what it is and to dis-identify with it by realizing a deeper, purer, more comprehensive and pervasive reality of who we are, of our full potential. We can reach a point where the voice comes and goes and no longer interferes with a deeper realization of being. First we find that on the cushion and, if we are diligent enough, we can find that in every moment. The voice naturally becomes progressively less noisy, less omnipresent, less of a driving force in our lives, but is never gone. It is an important and valuable part of who we are, of the human condition. To strive to silence it completely and permanently is not the path, that is an error, at least in the teachings I follow. Here is a brief excerpt from an important teaching called the 21 Nails which points this out. It is actually a critically important point in dzogchen practice. Self-originated primordial wisdom is the base. The five poisonous mental afflictions are the dynamic energy. Chasing after them is the way you are deluded. Viewing them as deficient is the error. Leaving them as they are is the method. Freeing them into vastness is the path. Non-duality is the realization.

Hi Anand, I suggest you sit with your questions and share your conclusions, if you like. Best, Steve

Perhaps ask whoever instructed you to do so...

Of course, that is their perception. I'm not sure I fully understand your question. Projection is not a conscious attempt to do anything. If you are asking if it is an intentional act the answer is no. Projection is a subconscious defense mechanism in which we are unaware of or actively denying a tendency or pattern in ourselves and attributing it (projecting) to someone else. If someone here is acting like a bully but calling the victim of their abusive behavior a bully, unaware or in denial of their own behavior, that is projection. Does that answer the question?

On contact, bee-less Concerned with self, open to New ways of being

Kinda? I hope you're doing well old friend!

All feelings change, none are permanent... Have a delicious breakfast

No words my friends... I can’t express my feelings any more than has been done I send you my love and prayers... 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

Hi Anand, It most certainly does feel that way. Our path and progress seem to determine, however, to what degree the stimulus is perceived as “outside.” At risk of derailing this wonderful thread, I’ll simply suggest - outside of what? Not really looking for a finite answer. It’s a question best left as it is. The answer changes with time...

🥰 As I read this most wonderful essay, I copied a section I found particularly relevant. Upon completing the essay, I felt perhaps best not to post it but instead urge all to read the entire thing. I then scrolled down to see your next post above and so I am obligated to post my original excerpt which still resides in RAM... “The most blatant manifestation of projections is in self-righteous political convictions—"isms"—and in passionately advocated theories, such as scientific preconceptions. As soon as tolerance and humour disappear, we can presume that projections have entered the picture. When we notice that someone is reacting with disproportionate affectivity in a discussion and begins to give in to the temptation to discredit his opponent, there are grounds for suspecting that he is projecting something on the opponent or his theory. If we have the useful habit of paying attention to our dreams, we will see that we often dream about such opponents. This gives us the signal: "Something about this opponent lies within myself." Even if only others are projecting, it is difficult not to be drawn in ourselves. Since affects and emotions are extremely contagious, it requires tremendous courage not to lose our level-headedness in group situations, as every group moderator or discussion-group leader knows.“

I don’t have the time to read this post right now but will come back to it as soon as I’m able. Thanks for alerting me. I’m looking forward to reading it carefully.

This reminded me of your recent posts on death and decay - https://strangeremains.com/2015/03/06/the-beauty-of-decomposition-in-japanese-watercolor/?fbclid=IwAR3G0YPBQ3PyAgqvuI1y4qdvxo_29Y8UfBihdu4-W_-8dJISW2wHcwPArdw

Be more alert? Did you notice my response to Cloud Hands? The 13th posture I was referring to is 中定. The 5th step I was referring to is 中定. I was not referring to specific postures from a taiji form, I was talking about 中定, which is often referred to as the last of the 13 postures or 5th of the 5 steps. Does that help?

Yes, I think it’s reasonable to say that zhong ding is a part of every taijiquan posture. What do you mean by “just these two?”

In 1978, one of my closest friends was diagnosed with a brain tumor. He had a massive surgery to remove it which left his hands and arms weak. At the time, Peter Gabriel had just left Genesis and went on tour to promote his first solo album. We were huge Genesis fans. I bought an extra ticket to Gabriel's show and visited my buddy at Johns Hopkins hospital. I told him it was his if he could get his ass out of the hospital in time, the show was 2 weeks away. Sure enough, we made it to the show together. Last night I was going through some old stuff and came across a cassette recording of that concert, along with some other very nostalgic recordings. I can't upload my recording but thought I'd post this here. It's video of a German concert from the same tour. In memoriam of my dear departed friend Perry: