Ninpo-me-this-ninjutsu-me-that

Ever so slightly politically incorrect literature from yesteryear..... for big game hunters and prey alike...... just kidding! Don't pelt rotten fruit at me quite yet. When doubting your male or female role in modern society first ask yourself 'what would Mills and Boon' do?

Actually Yoda, I'm a bit confused, I had assumed those stats were world wide, then I looked at Immortal Sisters and hers are for the U.S, were they world wide or U.S.A based? Ya, I put that down a long time ago in one census, I still haven't received my lightsaber in the post though! Bloody post office.

I have to say Agape thanks for the first of the morning laugh for me when I read the thread title. Having said that I don't think it's totally a worthless argument, but I can see your main point is with a frustration with females and your expectations of them. As someone else mentioned women haven't exactly had the options over the last few thousand years so it's kind of a bit difficult to judge on the creativity side. The other point is though, there is a big difference between female/feminine and feminine goddess. This is where spirituality gets mixed up. There are many women I don't consider feminine, not that I think they need to be, there are others who are feminine who are not the goddess either(and I don't mean goddess as in hot)yet like to bang on and on about the goddess and feminine energy whereby in my view they are anything but feminine but simply 'feminist', again nothing wrong with that, but there is a difference. Expressing like a 'bish-bash-bam!' feminist is not feminine or the goddess energy, it's a misplaced 'my cocks bigger than your cock' male attitude, but you can't blame anyone for fighting back, someones gotta do it to pave the way for equality and rights for those in the future and now. Having said that I do suppose 'Shiva' the creator/ destroyer could be mentioned in contrast. Going back to mainly the first page of this thread and a few of the concerns about women....... You gotta stop expecting women to be perfect.... your socially conditioned view of the perfect woman. It certainly wasn't your fault, you expect perhaps a lot more out of women than they can deliver...... ie. virginal/filial mother type. Women are born into their condition having to be expected to live up to this, yet, who told you women were not allowed to enjoy sex, and as much sex as they like. Society insinuated it to you. Christianity and the media gave this ideal of the 'perfect woman'...... and they have had to try to live up to it.... sometimes against their own urges. Men in their younger years want that from women, because it is the part of themselves they have lost, purity in the physical and emotional sense. It's unreasonable to expect so much from them. They are not perfect, sad, but true. It was a sad day when i realized that. I wish they were, then I wouldn't have to bother working on my own crap, and I could just see/live perfection and purity through them. It wasn't their fault either, the whole alpha male thing, yes it's true in their younger years they are often attracted to those qualities, but that is conditioned in their psychology through the media and societies expectations of them ie' married and having babies and being a mother. It's not their fault no more than it's your fault for wanting a hot 'piece of ass' that only ever wants to service your johnson, and no one else's. But it's not on really. A human is a human is a human. Stop seeing the ideal, just see the human with needs and decide if you want to fulfill those needs, if you think it's worth it. Stop thinking male/female. It's limiting to yourself and others. Play the game if needs be, then when you get the ONE, all social expectations aside, drop the game. Do make sure you drop 'the game' after though, what was it, 'PUA', as it gets rather soul destroying afterwards. To them and you.

Well, I think you answered the whole sage thing right there. Funnily enough there was a quote I was thinking of in relation to the sage issue and in general It's one I have really found to be true and your quote just reminded me of it. I don't know where it's from exactly, it is supposed to be Daoist and relates to the concept of wuwei: "If you sit beside the river long enough you will watch your enemies float by". The meaning being incorrect action results in their own demise, so no action is required in the grand scheme of things. When I first read it some years ago I didn't quite understand it, but over the years I've really seen that one in operation. That quote for me has been one of the most useful in my life(when I can live up to it not easy some times )

Ya, very interesting. I'm surprised Buddhism has just pipped Christianity there. What exactly does it quantify 'traditional Chinese folk beliefs' as though? That could just mean some people practicing Qigong, many old people in China do, but that's not the same as Daoism necessarily right? That phrase could be so wide. Did the article have any further explanation?

Well Marblehead...... your answer kind of throws me two ways a bit so I've thought about it for a bit:blink: The sage reference and the part about it not being a good idea to control the instinct. These two parts make it a bit difficult for me to kind of come to a conclusion in my own mind(that's my problem by the way, not a problem with your explanation). I can agree that it's probably not a good idea to control the fear instinct, but it doesn't stop me wanting to (the problem with my own lack of wisdom I would suggest). I find it most annoying on occasions where by all my logical views there is nothing to fear, and a high possibility of no resulting damage, yet still fear, unreasonably kicks in; It's like I mentioned before, there have been other times where the possibility of physical damage is far greater, yet sometimes that hasn't bothered me in the least, and I have come away unscathed(relatively). So, this kind of goes back to the 'where's the logic to fear' question. I understand it's a survival instinct, yet as a survival instinct it can be too strong, and I might add, sometimes misplaced. I do agree with the training aspect, but it still seems to have a logic all of it's own, if it can indeed be called logic. I can't fathom it.......having just read a part of your post again I more clearly noticed your reference to fear sending blood and oxygen to the brain and muscles, so I guess that's part of it, but it doesn't quite explain the levels of fear to me, it doesn't always seem in proportion to the actual situation. As for the sage would intervene I'm not so sure...... is it wise to? I have been involved in that exact situation before and I after having intervened 5 minutes later they were going at it again, partially it seemed to be the female goading the male to do something. Kind of made me wished I hadn't bothered actually. Domestics are a bit of a nightmare really. I've known others who have gotten involved only ending up with the female trying to scratch the guys eyes out who had just saved her from a beating! I think the sage might well keep walking unless he hears the word "Help!", It might be wise to, not socially acceptable or preferable perhaps, but the sage should be beyond that(or should he?). Is it the sages' job to protect life? Or does the sage view everything in a detached manner regarding it as some kind of natural order of things....not natural in the normal view of things but in a sages' wider perspective? I don't know, I'm confused about it myself. I think we've stumbled into a difficult area. ps. I wasn't angling for a war story, only the wisdom gained from the experiences

I like both of your 'arts of work', I feel they are indicative of the souls journey out of the morass of personality into the more rarefied areas of spirit, as is expressed in both pieces by a central point of focus representing the self, in Biffs, a pile of steaming poo and in Zazazas' a tiny off center point of clear white. The confusion surrounding each point can be seen by the many intersecting lines and colors, seemingly suppressing each representation of the personality as it seeks clarity. My work on the other hand is exactly a pile of steaming poo; you will notice strong influences of Warhol and confectionery feature strikingly. I will leave the interpretation to others as 'art is in the eye of the beholder'. I call it Tic-Tac-Tao.

I see what your saying, ignorance creates fear and education eradicates it, that's true. But I guess the kind of fear I mean is actually in conflict, facing an opponent, violence....that's kind of a different fear, it's sudden and cannot always be prepared for. For example, everyone would like to think that if a certain situation happened they would certainly act, lets take as an example a man seen hitting a woman in public, most people in their own minds would definitely say they would intervene....but, actually, it's impossible to know how you will react until your actually in that situation....sure, everyone will tell you they would act.... but the truth maybe otherwise, even though they don't know it. When the situation occurs many actually freeze. I'm sure you must have seen your fare share of people who were considered brave turning to jelly when the stuff hit the fan, and otherwise someone who in general was not considered much of a specimen turn into some kind of God of war(your gonna have to forgive my silly God of war reference)when it actually came down to it... so, my point kind of is, where's the rhyme or reason, how can fear in confrontation be so random, how can one day it not effect you at all even when the chances of physical damage are far greater than on other days when the chances of damage be much less. Where's the logic, or is there? How to deal with sudden shock fear, fear of bodily harm? I guess that's my question that I didn't make clear Marblehead.

Ya, that's the thing I found too.... to repress or express, neither is so simple, although repression does work for a while, but like you said, it eats away inside when not expressed. I kind of found that in actual fact, the spiritual/personal path, whatever that may be actually hits a point where your'e no longer the socially accepted 'Mr Nice guy', because to face the negative inside, truly face it, is to accept it and become one with it, this means on the odd occasion you will directly tell someone, in no uncertain terms to '**** off', people don't always like you for it, but it seems part of the true self that doesn't care about social mores. Children don't give a damn about social mores, they'll poo in the middle of the room and laugh about peoples reaction. I'm not saying we should all poo in the middle of the room, but I think Taoism 'strips down' rather than 'adds to' if you get my meaning. It's finding the balance between self expression of emotions and societies mores. I think your tree whacking method or releasing it through exercise might just be the middle ground that's needed..... better out than in as they say. I'm never sure if I buy the whole smiling Guru thing, a fully integrated individual must have stripped down at some point and unless he wants to regress the odd negative must come to the surface, and must be expressed to some degree, there are countless stories of Zen masters(not to get all Buddhist on you)who displayed childish actions of chucking stuff at their students, and these were enlightened individuals by all accounts, I know some might say it was a specific lesson, and I'm sure it was, but I think part of the lesson was what you were saying possibly elsewhere, to directly 'be' and 'express' yourself. So, you've told me a really good method for balancing and yet not repressing anger, so what about fear? That's gotta be a different method????

I have a genuine question Marblehead, what about negative emotions? Now I don't mean if a person wants to have a bit of a cry or something. I mean how about violence? It's the emotion of anger seeking an expression. Do you recommend allowing yourself to feel that emotion but not acting upon it? And if so might it not just get worse and then suddenly explode? Or what? As we all know your a man much senior in years and experience of, quite possibly/actually death and fear(thats one of your favorite topic, I would be happy if you elaborate). So, I wonder if due to your experiences this gives you the ability to endure certain emotions and contain them whereas others may not be able to do so. You know how it is, when people are younger it's much more difficult, but as they get older many circumstances are relatively meaningless compared to somethings you may have experienced in you own life...so it probably wouldn't have much of an adverse effect on your emotions although when you were younger it might. So I guess my question is basically related to negative emotions, to just feel them or what, and if you do does it not effect you adversely, perhaps leading to certain actions which may not be for the best(for want of a better term). I know 'negative' is just a point of view, but you know what I mean. Anyway, feel free to elaborate a bit 'cos this question is really a bit of a stumper for me, to feel or not to feel....and how far to go with each one...or not(it would be great if you can use some examples from your life, I for one would be well pleased to hear about them).

lol

Fair enough...... but I was not referring to him or some half assed rehashed play system for Madonna.

Dude, take it easy, it was a joke. Read the tao of poo(h), it's natural. I'm only joking Drew. I enjoyed reading your article above.

Some stay up all night other things stay up even longer Juice loose about this hoose

He had to answer 'natures call' of course, even Daoist masters must go to the toilet sometimes, all be it in full lotus position. Nice info by the way Drew.

Quite. As far as I remember reading some years ago the human brain doesn't even have enough space to contain all the memories and then also be able to use the imaginative function. Below is an introduction to a science journal article where they are trying to hypothesize that 'memory' must have a magnetic function. Despite theoretical and experimental efforts to model neuronal networks, the origin of cerebral cognitive functions and memory formation are still unknown.* Recently, we have proposed that in addition to chemical and electrical signals, the cellular components of the neocortex (especially neurons and astrocytes) may communicate with each other through magnetic signals generated by themselves. This magnetic communication would be the ground of short-term memory. In the present paper, we propose that brain magnetite may be a component of the mechanisms, conserved during evolution, to detect and transduce magnetic fields generated inside the cerebral neocortex. Specifically, we propose a possible role for magnetite nanoparticles, distributed through neuronal and astroglial membranes, in perception, transduction and storage of information that arrives to the neocortex. *This is the usual scientific way of saying 'we haven't got a clue'. People are always saying that whole 'brains already been mapped line. Mapped, maybe, explained, no. See above.

I wonder who were the real gold diggers then...the archeologists or the women buried there All joking aside, it does make more sense if it was a female shaman, men have made a pigs ear out of the world really. It's a shame some of the world 'leaders' didn't have their mothers standing beside them in order to tan their hides when they got out of line. Having said that Hilary Clinton instills a fear of global nuclear war in me.

Man, David Carradine was only three years old when he died? How sad. Sorry. Couldn't resist the typo.

Ya, I know....but it never stopped the Dali Lama now did it, he's always making a wonderfully presented sushi set.

Incidentally I don't have any gas at the moment, It's leading me to a state I call unhappiness. If Marc Bolan would like to come over and whip up some sushi for me I think I may reach the happiness state again.

Very nice.

Were Bruce Lee alive today he would be 182 years old. Bruce Lee, also known as the 'King Of Cooking' thrilled millions and with his deft spatula displays, and sent many of us on the course towards Chinese philosophy, martial arts and of course, cooking. It is true to say he rather let himself go a bit when he did the T.V show 'Sammo Law' compared to Enter The Dragon, but it must be said he went hell for leather during the eighties peforming many death defying stunts in such films as Police story 1, 2, 3 and 11. His influence has been worldwide, and it should be said he was one of the first to put the odd Taoist concept in movies in the west. George Foreman himself wouldn't have been able to invent the 'greesy grill' were it not for Bruce Lees groundbreaking cooking skills. Let us not also forget his acting skills in the T.V show 'Kung Fu', where due to state of the art Hollywood prosthetics he was made to look just like David Carridine, although this did effect his Kung Fu skills rather badly due to restricted movement.......as can be seen. Were he alive today I'm sure he would have completed the Star Wars epic 'Game Of Darth', I also feel it was something of a liberty for him to be C.G.I'd into Terminator 4, But there you go. Let us not forget the wisdom in his famous phrases in the film 'Enter The Dragon' : 'Stop looking at my finger or you'll miss all the heathenly story', and the renowned 'Broads don't hit back!'......quite what it all meant I'm not sure, but it always sounded very wise to my young ears at the time. Let us, in times of confusion or trouble, ask ourselves first : 'What would Bruce Lee do?'. If the answer comes back 'Kick 'em in the head', then try again. Bruce Lee has just left the building He will be/is missed.