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I would make sure that Genghis Khan's son Ogedei did not die in battle so he could overrun Europe and spare the world of Christian televangelists. I'd also make sure that the Great Khan Mongke lived in order to overrun Muslim Asia, sparing the world of the idea that 72 hot virgins anxiously await the souls of martyred suicide bombers.

Uh.... not exactly. They may be goals, but they can't be the purpose of life because life itself is imbued with unhappiness, struggle, limitations, anguish and failure. Life is not only these experiences, but it has been defined as tragedy since the Greeks and defined as suffering since the Buddha first uttered the First Noble Truth, but you don't have to be a scholar to figure this out. You just have to have escaped the steady drumbeat of Sweetness and Light that is the sound of New Age Punditry. Or, you can ask any one of the 3.5 billion people in the world who live on $2/day or less to comment on happiness, freedom, and success. I'm sure you'll get an interesting answer. Cheers!

I understand the 'transcend moral and cultural relativism' part of your argument, but living in accord with the Tao is not a transcendence of ethics. I think the argument can be made that living in accord with the Tao is the pinnacle of ethical behavior inasmuch as unethical behavior is not tenable in a state of oneness. I suspect that your intuitive grasp of Tao is more refined than your formal understanding of ethics, to your credit. I think most of us would agree that there's plenty of inner work to be done before this becomes a pressing concern, yes? I know we're all budding cognitive scientists in here, but since you argue that all our opinions come from an external source, what are your sources of information?

I don't believe it would be entirely foolish, given that the Eastern traditions, in spite of their archaic origins, place a premium on mindfulness while the Abrahamic tradition, especially Islam, remains trapped in their superstitions. I just finished 'The End of Faith' by Sam Harris. He tried to take a stab at why this dramatic distinction between the east and west, mindfulness and faith, unfolded the way it did, but had to concede that a thorough explanation would require a huge undertaking.

The alternative I posted is for Step Two; I'm not the author. It is used by other groups as a tool for actually facilitating simplicity. How exactly do you qualify a Higher Power as distinct from the individual?

I was moved to chime in here. (I was hoping to honor my self-imposed ban from TTB until 02/11 but this is a subject that is dear to my heart.) Thanks for starting this thread. As has already been said in here, the 12 Steps are just fine as they are for a certain temperament, but are in need of some revision for a lot of good reasons. Just one revision, as you stated, is the moralistic tone AA takes toward alcoholism, when in fact it has more to do with suffering. In Buddhist parlance, addiction is attachment run riot, attachment to that which obliterates the pain of suffering. I like your revisions. There are many others that have been published, mostly by the Buddhist Recovery community but there are a few showing up with Taoist titles too. With regard to step two, a tough one for many, my favorite wording is -- We came to believe that a power greater than our own ego could restore us to sanity. This opens up the field to include those who have an affinity for a traditional western monotheistic tradition but also includes all that is within us minus our egocentrism: our sense of awe and wonder, our hopes and dreams, aspirations, and ecological awareness with the totality of life. My own path makes abundant use of Buddhist psychology because of its explanatory power, but I am most definitely Taoist when it comes to my Higher Power. George Lucas made talking about the Tao almost sound foolish after he turned it into "The Force," but the Tao really was his model. Thanks again for starting this thread.

Good to be back, thanks!

I'm trying to connect my nei kung practice, and my ongoing study of anatomy and physiology, with my mental and emotional experience. So I'm going to finish "The Natural History of the Senses by Diane Ackerman. And I guess I'm going to actually finish three other titles similarly linked: "Music, the Brain, And Ecstasy" by Robert Jourdain, "The Web of Life" by Fritjof Capra, and "Music and the Mind" by Anthony Storr. Trying to make my guitar practice a spiritual path as well (and chicks dig it). Before bed, The Dhammapada and The Miracle of Mindfulness. Ongoing - One Breath at a Time: Buddhism and the Twelve Steps by Kevin Griffin and The 12-Step Buddhist by Darren Littlejohn.

I was trying to organize a reading plan about the convergence of consciousness and ecology but decided to reread Joanna Macys The Dharma of Natural Systems: Mutual Causality in Buddhism and General Systems Theory. This was her dissertation and its actually a lot of fun to read, and I cant remember any significant departures from what an orthodox Taoist would say about interdependency and non-duality. The following is part of the preface of the book. If it inspires anyone to join me in a reading, send me a PM. Preface Encounters between modern Western thought and ancient Asian philosophies figure among the more fruitful features of the twentieth century. Buddhism, with its reliance on direct experience and its sophisticated, psychological analysis, offers particular rewards to Western inquiry. It reveals remarkable relevance to a major shift occurring in contemporary thought and science the shift toward a dynamic, systemic, process view of reality. In my own encounter with Buddhism, which started a quarter century ago among Tibetans in India and continued with doctoral studies in the West, the teachings which I first found most compelling point to the process nature of the self. They reveal the self as a changing, fluid construct created by the dynamics of mind. Through attention to these dynamics, without recourse to supernatural entities or absolutes, these teachings explain the suffering we create, the traps we fabricate through fear and greed, and the possibility of liberation from them. I apprehended this at first through the doctrine of anatta (no-self), aided by instruction in Vipassana or insight meditation. Later, in my studies of the early texts, I realized the extent to which this perspective on the self arises within a more comprehensive view of reality. The contingent nature of the self and the consequent spaciousness and workability of experience is, I soon learned, grounded in the radical interdependence of all phenomena, set forth in the Buddhas central doctrine of causality, paticca samuppada, or dependent co-arising. In this doctrine, which the Buddha equated with the Dharma, or saving teaching itself, everything arises through mutual conditioning in reciprocal interaction. Indeed the very word Dharma conveys not a substance or essence, but orderly process itself the way things work. This fact was initially obscured to me because of the tendency, evident in all major religions of the last two and half millennia, to posit metaphysical absolutes as source of value and goal of spiritual life. Even in Buddhism, at various points in its history and despite the original teaching of dependent co-arising, supraphenomenal levels of reality came to be postulated, with consequent value distinctions between the realms of mind and matter. Furthermore, perhaps because a hierarchical view of reality and its concomitant, a one-way linear view of causation, is endemic to mainstream Western thought, it led many Western scholars, as I point out in Chapter 3, to ignore or distort the distinctive meaning of paticca samuppada. It took me a while, therefore, and some dogged study of early texts, to realize that such a hierarchical view of reality was not true of the early teachings of the Buddha. No aspect of reality, even nibbana, the cessation of suffering, is separate from dependent co-arising. Not only suffering but liberation from suffering unfolds according to the Dharma of mutual causality, without the necessity of supraphenomenal absolutes. I was struck by this radical departure from the one-way causal notions that imbue much of both Western thought and Hindu philosophy. This recognition was aided by general systems theory, which I encountered some eight years after meeting Buddhism. The systems view of reality as process, its perception of self-organizing patterns of physical and mental events, and the principles it discerned in the dynamics of these natural systems struck me as remarkably consonant with the Buddhas teachings. Like the doctrine of paticca samuppada, systems theory sees causality as reciprocal, arising from interweaving circuits of contingency. Furthermore, because general systems theory draws its data from contemporary physical and life sciences, it reveals this kind of causality at play throughout the observable universe. This helped me discern in the early Buddhist scriptures the breadth and import of paticca samuppada. Systems theory cast light on the Buddha’s distinctive teachings about the relation of mind to body, the relation of past actions to present choices, and the relation of the self to society and nature. Conversely, I also found Buddhist teachings illuminating the import of systems concepts.

I've been reading this book called "How to Soak Sweet, Cuddly, Soft Things in Love" by Antoine Meriwhether. Anybody read it? I think it'll help me get along with all the fluffy creatures of the world, and be a nicer person online. What are my chances?

I'm confused. I dunno if this is related to Taoism or not, but my masturbation is not what it used to be since I put the Holley four-barrel on the old ladie's 383. I think it has to do with the electronic choke conversion kit. I start thinkin' about stuff - ya know - sex and all - and before you know it I'm trying to imagine if I should just cough up the extra for the chrome fuel line or let ride as is. She's sucking down lot's of fuel these days... maybe I should get one of them Smart Cars? Please help.

I've lost count of the number of times I've boldy declared to be taking my leave from TTB, only to jump back into the breach a few days later. There is clearly something of value here and I've learned a great deal about myself and my practice, thanks to so many of you, but it's pretty clear that I've developed an unfortunate dependency on Net time and it is squandering my productivity. I could have finished a screenplay in the time I've spent in here looking for bones to pick over. So, I've asked Mal to "suspend" me from this board, effective Monday. I've tried to summon the willpower to perform this task on my own, but my addictive personality siphons this energy away, so I might as well just make a concession to reality, ask for help where I need it, and get to work. A 50th birthday has a sobering effect on how one spends their time. Father Time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JIRUVZimhg

The burden of proof falls upon those who are making the claim. This is a basic axiom of informal logic. If I expect you to disprove the existence of the invisible quartz oracle hovering over my head, then I am quite mad.

My family's next move will be to an eco-village. Nothing else makes any sense unless you have the $$ to live independently. www.ic.org Thanks again everyone for the fine support. Mal will be in here anytime to shut me down.

You're very welcome.

Yeah, but you failed to mention the decisive role that Santa Claus plays in this scenario. Posts like these make me wanna run to the medicine cabinet, mix the bottle labeled "Purgative" with the bottle labeled "emetic," and chase it all down with a tall, cool Budweiser.

Originally Posted 11 October 2009 - 08:51 AM This is another section taken from The Complete Book of Chinese Health and Healing, by Daniel Reid. Hope it helps. SIGNS AND SENSATIONS As you enter into the regular practice of sitting meditation, you may begin to experience certain signs and sensations that indicate that you are making progress. These sensations occur only when the body is still, the mind is clear, the emotions are calm, the breath is tuned, and energy is flowing smoothly and strongly through your channels. You should not expect these signs to occur, nor try to force them to come or go; just be aware of them when they happen. Furthermore, not everyone will experience the same combination of signs and sensations. They vary according to each individual, your level of practice, the time of day, prevailing astral conditions, and the surrounding environment. Here are the most common sensations experienced by meditators at various stages of practice: The Eight Sensations These are physical feelings caused by the enhances flow of energy through parts of the body normally deprived of sufficient energy, including sensations of warmth, cold, itching, motion, lightness, heaviness, slipperiness, and coarseness. They may be felt in any part of the body, especially the extremities. Make mentally certain that they are not being caused by adverse environmental energies, such as a cold breeze or direct sunlight, or by incorrect posture, such as leaning too far in one direction, or by cramped legs. If this is the case, make the necessary adjustments in your posture and environment, and then continue meditating. If the sensations are caused by internal energy circulation, dont worry about them; just let them run their course. Rocking and trembling Already mentioned above, this sensation can take several forms head rocking forwards and back or side to side, torso trembling, limbs shaking, etc. Often it will be experienced as a trembling in the lower abdomen, an indication that the Lower Elixir Field is filling with energy and a sign that energy is ready to enter circulation in the Microcosmic Orbit. Gurgling abdomen As energy fills the Lower Elixir Field and circulates in the minor channels of the abdomen, it can cause gas and fluids in the intestines to move, resulting in gurgling sensations in the gut. Often this will be accompanied by sensations of heat in the stomach. As the abdominal channels open up with continued practice, digestion and bowel functions will improve and gurgling sensations will gradually disappear. Lightness This feeling usually occurs after you have activated the Microcosmic Orbit. Your entire body feels light and airy, almost as though it were nothing more substantial that a cloud. This is caused by the total elimination of all stress and tensions in the body, mental tranquility, energy flowing freely through the channels, and smooth, finely tuned breathing. Clear light If you manage to achieve a deep and stable meditative state of mind, you may suddenly feel as though your body has completely dissolved and your energy is merging with the surrounding environmental energy in a mist of clear light or white cloud. Everything solid dissolves into emptiness. This is a very pleasant state and a good sign of progress, but it you try to cling to it by focusing attention on it, it will promptly disappear and ordinary sensations of physical solidity will return. So if it happens, dont get excited, just remain cool, calm, and clear, and let it be. Abdominal and kidney heat When your meditation progresses to a more advanced level, you may experience intense sensations of heat in your lower abdomen, as though it were filled with red-hot coals, and/or hot streaking sensations in your kidneys, as though boiling water were pouring through them. The lower abdomen and the kidneys are the primary seats of primordial energy, and extremely hot sensations here are signs of progress in internal alchemy. Supernatural powers These signs occur only at the most advanced stages of practice, when the primordial spirits innate powers are fully awakened and brought under conscious control by the mind. These powers include clairvoyance, whereby the adept can see the future unfold as a natural order of events proceeding from the past through the present into the future, grand visions of the universe, communication with incorporeal spirits, and the ability to read other peoples thoughts by tuning into their brain waves (ESP). These signs are a clear indication that the adept is on the brink of enlightenment and is able to project conscious awareness beyond his or her physical body.

Yep. I've had my wrist slapped in here, only once, and it didn't fit the criteria of abusive language, imo. I guess that's a pretty good record, given that I've unloaded on people in here on more than one occasion (which is probably why it's time for me to leave and reflect).

I think next Valentine's Day would be a good stretch. That'll be my 2-yr TTB anniversary.

The instructions I got were pretty clear; soft focus straight ahead, abdominal breathing, and mindfulness of your interior state. Vipassana is great, although I've practiced the dissolving method and recited positive affirmations in sequence with my breathing. I've even cheated and cued up Netflix documentaries on Buddhism and Asian themes when I needed help, but that's kind of a betrayal of the spirit of the discipline and I don't make a habit of it.

No! No! No lurking!! That would betray the spirit of the exercise! I wanna make $$$$$ and get the hell out of LA!

Blotter acid, circa 1979? Great stuff!

I've come to believe that our speech patterns evolve over time, reflecting our changes of consciousness. My wife, who is 18 years younger than me, makes this clear. We were both shy as kids and spoke little. Then we began to speak up for ourselves and the word faucet got stuck open. This is followed by the ability to speak with precision and mastery. Then there comes a period of refinement and an ability to say more by speaking less. If you take Taoism and Buddhism seriously, you'll eventually value the ability to express compassion above all, and to practice the tenets of Right Speech, cultivating the willingness to abstain from any harsh speech at all, even if it may be true. I'm not there. I'm constantly wondering why the hell I don't put my fucking keys in the keybowl and avoid the fucking shitstorm of looking for them every time I have to go out and deal with all those assholes on the Los Angeles freeways. Feels good now. Eventually, it may not be so deeply satisfying, and I'll be content with silence.