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Hey Mal BEWONDERMENT - What a beautiful word you have thought up! Here's one for you, as a return gesture: "The SPECTRUMATIC nature of the spiritual path is such that words are often less than adequate to describe one's innermost relationship with it, let alone attempt to share this intimate knowledge with those whom we have absolutely no relationship with". Permit me to share a few words for reflection taken from a book i'm currently reading. I think it is quite relevant in this thread. If any one reading this finds it totally off-subject, i apologize in advance. This reflection is taken from *The Heart Treasures of The Enlightened Ones* by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche (pages 46/47) - "If your actions conform with Dharma, you will antagonize everyone; If your words are truthful, most people will get angry; If your mind is truly good and pure, they will judge it a defect. Now is the time to keep your own way hidden". (page 46) "The mouth is the doorway of sin. Words tumble out of our mouths with the greatest of ease, yet the consequences they bring can be far-reaching and heavy. Most ordinary conversations are mainly expressions of attachment and animosity. If you speak too much, you will run into trouble, just as a parrot ends up in a cage. So give up unnecessary chatter". (page 47) If you like this, i thank you for accepting its wisdom. Otherwise, please forgive this old fool who knows nothing. Cheers everyone! @Marblehead - Murphy's Law in reverse... hehehe - me can relate to that!!

"Even the TAOst taste that little bit better when it is made in total mindfulness" (The essence of a Taoist way of life? Hehehe....) Laughter precludes accidentally serious life-views....

COEXIST. It is not very apparent in this thread. Looks more like *America's Got Talent* bootcamp. Sorry for this negative input. But this thought stayed with me for the 3 times i checked in here. It does sound a little strange - guys who find V's writing so objectionable, yet who persistently read his posts and offer helpful advice. Hmm, it does create cause for wonderment laced with bewilderment!! Have a good one - the weekend, Halloween...life! CT

Hey there 160lb, 34 yr old, San Fran guy - Keep up the great posts mate! Please dont be upset with criticisms. If we truly live with the belief that somehow we are all connected in some way, and that others have been our mothers and fathers at some point, its not very hard to let things flow as they are. Taking it personally, especially words thrown up on forums, sounds like you have allowed yourself to a good *doing over* and the funny thing is you dont even know these folks from adam! If its truly your aspiration to be a realized master of Dzogchen, then have the mental grace to allow for such *attacks*. Even the Buddha had his share of antagonists! If i were you i would use this as a great opportunity for transformation - remember the story of how the mongoose can transform the snake's poison when bitten? If it really bugs you so much, use the *energy* to heighten your Tonglen practice - i find that quite useful most times. Be thankful for those who appreciate your efforts - keep the focus brother! Cowing to the Tao, CT

Thank you so much, Marblehead - for the welcome you showed a couple of days ago, and for the interest in my post. Much appreciated. I have been following most of your recent writes - i find them very practical, down-to-earth, and the best thing i noticed is how you always get across as a nice, humble and warm kind of person. Thats really worth mentioning here, with due respect to LeonBasin, as this is kinda like his territory! Cheers mate!

Maybe, just maybe, one of the better yardstick for self-observation, to see if we are genuinely living up to our own expectations, be it as a Taoist, or Buddhist, or what ever -ist one chooses to be, is to remove oneself from our familiar and comforting surrounds for a period of time (somehow 3 months come to mind - the basic timeframe recommended for those who are determined to venture into doing *serious* retreats) and then reflect on this question - Am i living life as a +++ist now, in this unfamiliar, fearful, strange and sometimes hostile environment? Perhaps go into the forest by yourself (like some of the monks in Thailand do) or find some deserted island to set up *home* for 2 maybe 3 months? Or simply live in a cardboard box off the streets, like some homeless vagabond? Its quite a challenge, and does take a fair amount of grit and determination. However, the outcome may just surprise you!! Perhaps, exposed to such raw conditions, we are more able to observe our perspectives and priorities reflected in a myriad of differentiating circumstances, and if at the end of our *adventure* we are to find that our values and beliefs have remained steadfast, and have nurtured and sustained us thru this period, then we would have gained transcendent insight into this self-inquiry. Whether we *succeed* or not is not that important. What is, is the act of removing oneself from one's comfort zone, and begin a whole new (albeit temporary) side-path. We may be amazed, and transformed, by what we may encounter on this little sojourn. Thank you for reading, and pondering.

Hey Trunk! Thank you for mentioning the bindus. Not sure what it/they is/are, but will certainly have a dig somewhere to see what you have alluded to here. Have a good day.

Hello again LB! You said "It really resides in the mind" - a slight agitation i had with this, hence the question, does it really reside in the mind? I am interested to hear where you have come from in this regard. (Would it be helpful to consider that the Tao that can reside *somewhere* is not the real Tao? ) Sharing is really cool LB. If not this forum would not have taken off! Personally, i tend to adhere to, and promote simplicity as a sustainable platform for spiritual cultivation, be it in intentions, thoughts, words and deeds. It seems to be a good way to travel, and after a few years, one can actually observe the gradual dissipation of all 'sense' desires. This i say from personal experience. I had, at the start of my path, thought that i have an immense need to accumulate as much *knowledge* as i can to arm myself for all the trials and challenges ahead, but i was completely fooled! It is actually how much *knowledge/rubbish* we can discard that really counts! Once we have this understanding firmly habituated, we can have the courage to let go of everything, and... flow. Could this be what is meant by Spiritual Warrior-ship? Please share your thoughts on this. Thank you.

Hi LB! A similar thought crossed my mind a few years ago. Spoke to some friends and one recommended a book by Marsha Sinetar called *Ordinary People as Monks and Mystics*. Found it quite relevant in this context. Personally i do wonder if it ever can be a defined 'life' - there are many out there whose *Tao* resides deep in their hearts, and have no apparent external marks, so to speak. At the other end of the spectrum, i have personally observed and met many whose outward displays are impeccable, but are so far away from being the genuine article! Perhaps you have had similar observations? Regards, CT

Hello Inedible! Indeed you have observed well! However, may we consider that when one is at the point where false appearances no longer arise, all the *talk* possible becomes irrelevant and insubstantial? Moreover, there are just too many things that gets in the way of liberation, in fact, for one who sees not perfection from the beginning, every *thing*, no matter how profound or insightful, will simply create yet more get-in-the-way things? Isnt this the norm? This is merely my own limited understanding. Your views?

"Fundamentally our experiences as experienced are no different from the Zen master's. Where we differ is that we place a fog, a particular kind of conceptual overlay onto our experiences and then make emotional investments in that overlay, taking these experiences to be *real* in and of themselves" - The Wanderling

Greetings everyone! Thank you for accepting my intro! Have enjoyed browsing through some inspirational and some not-so inspirational thoughts and wisdom proclamations, some pretty original and others not so, yet, all made for interesting *mind* gymnastics so its all good! Hence the dive! Looking forward to an exhilarating gasp of air upon resurfacing then! May all be well, as well can be. Regards, CowTao

Trailmaker and Marblehead - thank you both for the welcome! @ Marblehead - i am following your thread (descartes) with much interest. Keep it up!