C T

icicles hanging from behind the moose's bum its a wee bit cold... the thought of hanging i-cycles is quite bemusing

All proper mantras have protective powers. Some will resonate with you more than others... find one that 'speaks' or moves you internally in an almost emotional manner - believe in, and use your own intuitive feeling in the process of determining which one 'suits' you, not depending so much on what others say the mantra will do. Ultimately, you will find one that will answer your longings, and the search ends. There's no need to hoard mantras - contrary to what some people may say, they are not spiritual 'bling'. A useful site for info on Buddhist mantras - http://www.visiblemantra.org/mantra.html

There's some interesting/helpful clips on YT. Search 'Empath Protection' . Personally, if i feel an 'attack' coming, mentally i just go into 'giving' mode... transfer whatever accumulated merit to the attacker that he or she will swiftly be released from whatever is binding him/her, or i will breathe in whatever negativities being released, and breathe out healing light that intends for the oppressed to be free of all fear, anguish and ignorance. Tonglen, imo, is the most powerful practice for overcoming this predicament of yours. The more good you are willing to exchange by taking in other's negative energies, the more merit you will accrue. In the process, one becomes fearlessly open... nothing will want to harm you then.

Drugs dont work.

http://www.redicecreations.com/article.php?id=1722 http://www.exoticindiaart.com/mandala.htm http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/advanced/tantra/level1_getting_started/meaning_use_mandala.html

There are those who live a relatively god-like existence, where every little whim gets fulfilled. To these people, suffering is almost an alien concept, until change happens, and change it must. Which is why the Buddha taught the fundamental truth of impermanence. Most of us take this term rather superficially, which is disappointing, because there is so much freedom to be had from its deeper realization.

Learning to develop a compassionate heart is like learning to make anti-venom ~ with a heart directed by compassion, even the most poisonous impulses can potentially be neutralized. This does not mean we have to purposefully put ourselves in harm's way just to prove how compassionate we are, but with the right awareness, it will give us the confidence to know that sometimes, in life, there will be moments of despair, moments which may necessitate traversing dark avenues ~ in these trying times, with compassion as our companion, we need never lose confidence in our own abilities and wisdom, nor fear those of others with shady intents and ignoble motives.

post self-destructed.

http://www.yogichen.org/cw/cw35/bmapp1.html

I dont doubt CYL's mastery, but i do have reservations as to the accuracy of the above statement. Its like a statement from a 12 yr old kid... my dad can hold his breath for 10 minutes, hence he is invincible... same sort of drift. I have seen a few 'meditation masters' in my time - the younger ones may sometimes sit full-lotus, or, if they are practicing specific sets of esoterica, they would, otherwise 9 out 10 would opt for the half-lotus, which is just as efficacious. Many times the question of the relevance of the full-lotus have been asked, and the answer would come that half-lotus would do the biz. Some, due to size, find it impossible to adopt even the half-lotus ~ then what? Are they doomed never to become meditation masters? Hardly. There are countless factors involved in determining how one sets about to reach meditative expertise. I think people trap themselves into certain beliefs and then find themselves having to defend same so much so that they no longer can remain open to other options. This is a humongous shortcoming which many practitioners and so-called spiritual masters become prone to, due to the simple refusal to see things in a larger context. A teacher who's truly open, who has gone beyond the mundane, will allow all who come to him/her to bloom in their own unique way, and will not limit people's already conditioned thinking by setting up more limits with more conceptual traps.

Brother David Steindl-Rast for Pope? ...anyone? "Everything is a gift. The degree to which we are awake to this truth is a measure of our gratefulness, and gratefulness is a measure of our aliveness." "People who have faith in life are like swimmers who entrust themselves to a rushing river. They neither abandon themselves to its current nor try to resist it. Rather, they adjust their every movement to the watercourse, use it with purpose and skill, and enjoy the adventure." "Monastic contemplatives have staked out a clearly limited area to be transformed by contemplation: the monastery. Lay contemplatives face the challenge of transforming the whole world." "One single gift acknowledged in gratefulness has the power to dissolve the ties of our alienation." (notable quotes from Br David S-R)

How was your 'out time', Hemptiness? Welcome back... hope you are recharged, rejuvenated, realigned, and rebooted. I have no comments presently. Just want to pop in this link for consideration. As with all reads, take some time to weigh the contents. No conclusions have to be drawn now, nor in fact at any point, because to do so would defeat the fundamental reasoning put forth by the teacher/writer. All that's required is to note the contents and look deeply to see if there is some truth contained within. If there is, well and good, if not, thats well and good too. http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebdha268.htm happy holidays y'all!

Conduits are necessary. Religion may or may not be one of them. Although dwindling in numbers, there are still individuals who devote themselves to good works out of religious piety, and through this, find the connection they need in order to reach some degree of spiritual realization and become instruments of peace, hope, joy and fulfillment for others. Its not so much by what means, but how these means are encapsulated and integrated into one's day-to-day living that matters. We ought not to discount the efficacy of devotional practices.

'ey, don't ever put yourself in the path of an oncoming express locomotive simply to find out your limitations or discover your strengths, or if death by choo choo is really the final threshold, oki doki?

When i read this, suddenly i recalled a line from Hotel California - "You can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave!" Hahaha! In truth, there's nothing to give up, brother Seth. After all, do you really think that there really is a solid self that took on any path called Buddhism? Hence, what is there to give up? Who gives up what? All the wisdom you have gathered can never be taken away from your stream of being... What there was for a while was a certain coming together of causes and conditions which produced the temporal adjustments you needed to make in order to further establish your spiritual alignment, and that was all. Its just coincidental that most of what you needed seemed to flow to you temporarily from the Buddhist teachings, but remember, the central theme in Buddhism is Impermanence... so no tears, but lets rejoice in your aliveness, in your role as a father, in your devotion to compassionate works, and in your ability to adapt and learn and then let go when you felt it was time. After all, another prominent teaching the Buddha taught, which you are evidently putting into practice here, is letting go of clinging. When we have reach the point where we have internalize this 'non-clinging' view, and that we never can possess anything ultimately, only then can we taste freedom. So, no tears, no regrets... at the end of it all, when we can look back on life and say, "Wow, what a ride its been...", at that stage, we will know with certainty that the more we are able to shed and to discard, the swifter will we be free of the fetters which very often starts off not as hindrances but rather as steps to a kind of relative salvation. Yet, once we have moved up another rung, of what use is looking down to try and re-trace our steps? I will always be grateful to have found friendship in you, Seth. Best of everything always, CT

The Buddha's Dhamma does not point us toward an all-embracing absolute in which the tensions of daily existence dissolve in metaphysical oneness or inscrutable emptiness. Rather, it points us toward actuality as the final sphere of comprehension, toward things as they really are (yathabutha). Above all, it points us toward the Four Noble Truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the way to its cessation as the liberating proclamation of things as they really are. These four truths, the Buddha declares, are noble truths, and what makes them noble is precisely that they are actual, undeviating, and invariable (tatha, avitatha, anannatha). It is the failure to face the actuality of these truths that has caused beings to wander relentlessly through the long course of samsara. It is by penetrating these truths exactly as they are that one can reach the true consummation of the spiritual quest: bringing an end to suffering. Spiritual seekers still exploring the different contemplative traditions commonly assume that the highest spiritual path must be one which posits a metaphysical unity as the philosophical foundation and final goal of the quest for enlightenment. Taking this assumption to be axiomatic, they may then conclude that the Pali Buddhist teachings, with its insistence on the sober assessment of dualities, is somehow deficient or provisional, (ultimately) requiring fulfillment by a non-dualistic realization. For those of such a bent, the dissolution of dualistic tendencies in a final unity will always appear more profound and complete. However, it is just this assumption that i would challenge... I would assert, by reference to the Buddha's original teaching, that profundity and completeness need not be bought at the price of distinctions, that they can be achieved at the highest level while preserving intact the dualities and diversity so strikingly evident to mature reflection on the world. I would add, moreover, that the teaching which insists on recognizing real dualities as they are is finally more satisfactory. The reason it is more satisfactory, despite its denial of the mind's yearning for a comprehensive unity, is because it takes account of another factor which overrides in importance the quest for unity - this 'something else' is the need to always remain grounded in actuality. (Bhikkhu Bodhi)

Dont know either, but thanks all the same... enjoyed the insight and the pics very much. Some of the features of these people are so alike the Chinese - its fascinating! They have their own sacred ground called Eagle Canyon (see pic 11) - if you look at the rock formation on the right, the one just out from the shaded hollow beneath the trees, tell me if that does not look like an eagle with the eyes and beak so prominently etched out? If i were to glean some sort of tale from this, i'd say the eagle is looking protectively over its young (that small piece just below the eagle's beak). Looks like an ideally serene spot to spend a couple of weeks in retreat!

The writer calls it a Brief, but this is the most comprehensive guide (that i have seen so far) on the practice of WG Qigong: http://dyqg.blogspot.com/2006/03/briefs-ofwild-gooseqigong.html

Some places you might want to check out when you have the time: http://www.harrowwriters.org.uk/ http://www.ukdirectory.co.uk/Library/Category703456.html http://www.islington.gov.uk/leisure/HobbilesAndInterests/ In recent years there's been a surge in interest in the most casual of all pastimes... walking! And i know there are plenty of groups who meet regularly to indulge themselves in some serious rambles in the downs and valleys, along ridges and up the hills, and it literally costs nothing to participate (with lots to gain in fact) : Directory: http://www.ramblingclubs.com/ramblingclubs.php/London/44/2/

This is hardly a complaint ~ far from it. You ought to give yourself a pat on the back for having the courage to face certain existential truths about where you're at at this stage in your life. Not many teenagers are even remotely interested in doing such investigations, let alone make the kind of admission which you have done here. Having lived in London for a few years, i know where you're coming from, but because its London, it means there's immense potential for you to find groups which do the things that you are keen in. Since you have not specified what your interests are, there's no means to recommend you specific centres where you can hook up to share your time in, but i know for a fact there are numerous Buddhist sanghas dotted in and around the city which would have no hesitation to welcome you into their daily practice and activities, which are opportune moments for you to open up, reach out, and make some solid friendships. Of course, Buddhism may not be your thing, but then again, if i was the head of one of these sanghas, i would have no problem welcoming you in even if you have no interest in the Buddhist path. A true sangha never discriminates. The only thing preventing you from delimiting your infinite potential is your own attitude and habitual responses. Its not very hard to investigate deeper to see where you can instigate change, and then do the necessary, step by step, to make the change a reality. From your post, i'd say you have already laid a pretty sound foundation, so well done! And lastly, dont do drugs, and dont drink, as admirably encouraged by Bums here who have been there, and returned battered and bruised to tell the tale so that others may know how to make informed choices better, so kudos to these guys.

Yeah, odd isn't it? Contributing to the betterment of humanity is hard work.

plus plus plus! + + + Not underestimating 'small compassion'.... i like that!

I dont visit this section of the forum much as i have no affinity with Taoism... kinda found this Link unintentionally so i thought it could be useful to my Tao hermanas and hermanos. http://wayist.org/ttc%20compared/indexchp.htm

Really? Good for you. I am sure the world is blest by your aspiration.

Not really... i am suggesting you are free to exercise your right to like what you want and assert this right, but remember, while you do, take into account that others obviously have the same rights, but some may choose to exercise them in a more transcendent/skillful manner.