TzuJanLi

Greetings.. Hi 3B: Thank you for the discussion.. we differ in our understanding of 'isness', it seems.. "That which truly IS", 'is' in relation (time/space) to its absence.. that we can relate to 'that', establishes the actuality of individuality.. what we are describing is indescribable without 'mind', and with mind there is the challenge of discerning actuality from imagined stories 'about' actuality.. for that purpose there is the natural function of intelligence and 'feeling', and of mind, and.. in order to discern actuality from imagination and illusion i 'feel' the resonance, and i sense the naturally reasonable and plausible understanding of what is actually happening.. You state: "the stilling of time(s) space(s) and related things is a mastery of and also a compassionate detachment from same yet if to some degree a particular individuality-identification-relationship is still in force at that point then same is not enough to fully inform or free",..but, in the absence of the observer/individual that experiences/reports the experience, no information is realized or passed between whole and part, and between parts.. it is possible to still the mind, attain clarity, and experience the nature of reality.. i can 'imagine' stilling time/space, but i cannot apply reason and plausibility to that as an actuality.. we might imagine that time is still, but when the imagining ceases the actuality is that there has been an interval/duration between beginning the imagining and ending the imagining, time has continued, regardless of any belief to the contrary.. The practice i have found most revealing is to set aside those thoughts. ideas, beliefs, 'knowings' that cannot stand-up under the scrutiny of reasonable and plausible relation with what is actually happening right here, right now.. when the mind is still and clear, when there is no influences from beliefs and preferences or fears, what remains constant and consistent in that 'now' presence? If it is not self-evident, if there is no example other than belief/concept/idea, set it aside.. carve away what isn't consistent with what is actually happening, don't discard it just quarantine it, there may be new information/experience that reveals unforeseen relationships.. there is more mystery and potential in what 'is' actually happening, than our imaginations are are capable of conjuring, but.. i find so many people blurring the lines between reality and fantasy simply because that's what they 'want'.. let that go, too.. when we can let go of belief and knowing, and be present as a clean slate upon which 'now' reveals its 'isness', we will have experienced liberation.. Yikes!! i didn't intend to ramble so much, it just happened.. Be well..

Greetings.. Someone else mentioned it, and it bears repeating as trust is essential.. the fact that a placebo works, and that the placebo effect is well-documented, eliminates external agents as the only catalysts for healing, and points directly at the power within as an operative agent for healing.. there may be energetically charged differences of terminologies that influence the discussions about 'energetic healing', but the preponderance of actual evidence points to the actuality that healing can occur from within the person's presence and without assistance from external supplementation.. From my own understanding, all that is physical is 'energy' manifesting itself as form, shape, and mass.. the form, shape, and mass that energy manifests is a function of vibration/frequency, which is regulated, consciously or unconsciously, by the consciousness and intention of the observer(s) and/or experiencer(s).. much of what we understand as 'reality' exists as a conditioned consensus agreement that sets specific vibrations/frequencies consistent with the knowledge and beliefs held to be 'true' by the observer(s).. and, those that understand the implication of this relationship between energy and consciousness can creatively shape their reality in alignment with their intention, to the degree they actually believe it.. this is where healing happens, sometimes referred to as "the power of positive thinking".. people can consciously alter the vibration/frequency of energy and manifest healing changes in themselves and/or others, in direct proportion to the degree they actually believe it will happen.. there's the trick, it's easy to 'say' you believe, but the proof is in the the change you manifest.. So yes, it is possible to heal energetically consciously/intentionally, but.. the focus, the clarity, the understanding, that allows it happen often takes great dedication and practice, or.. in the case of those beautiful rare people, immediate direct healing happens with unconditional and sincere trust in that process.. I wish you the very best, and success in your intended result.. Be well..

Greetings.. I'm unaware of the capacity for you/me/we/us to experience "that is not of mind or in any way dependent upon the mind where the powers of sorrow and or death can reach".. at best, we have the capacity to suspend the mind's active thinking processes and experience liberation from attachment such that the imagined powers of sorrow and death do not influence the 'now' experience.. sorrow and death happen, any power they have is granted by the experiencer, and the 'still mind' suspends the effects of 'powers granted'.. this realization can lead to a liberated peacefulness.. We/us/Life and the common medium of mind ARE 'That which IS', happiness, sorrow, and transformation/death ARE 'That which IS' experiencing its own existence.. it is our attachment to the desirability between contrasting principles within that experiencing that distorts our relationships with existence.. rather than attaching to particular 'stories about' what is actually happening, suspending the thinking processes that animate those 'stories' allows us to see/experience what is actually happening with clarity.. It is that Clarity that informs us of the actuality of our relationship with 'That which IS', and.. in the absence of the mind's active manipulation of our awareness of experiencing/existing, the resonance between our individuality and our holistic wholeness is manifested as a natural fluid dynamism, unhindered by the conflicts inherent with 'minding'/thinking.. this is the wisdom of practices that train and encourage the 'still mind' perspective.. Be well..

Greetings.. I'm not implying 'actual self' is "of mind", but is revealed through mind as the understanding those 'words' evoke.. mind is the common medium through which what 'is' is revealed, it is also the vehicle of imagination, so.. 'actual self', being possessed of its individualized portion of the unified collective mind, can be confused by illusions created in its own private mindscape or by the collective mind.. actual self, as i understand it, is 'That which IS', whether manifested individually or collectively, and.. each manifestation shares in a common collective mind according to its level of awareness.. mind is the common medium/interface through which 'That which IS', experiences its existence.. Be well..

Greetings.. 'Who' is it that loses themselves, and 'who' is it that finds themselves again? Self is always present, collectively and/or individually, the mistake is to label the 'still and silent self' as 'no-self'.. there are intervals during which we perceive and experience with still and silent clarity, the awareness of those intervals is due to the presence of self.. the concept of no-self happens in the mind of the actual self, understanding this process is preferable to attaching to beliefs 'about' this process.. Be well..

Greetings.. The only 'worthy escape' i am aware of, is the escape from attachment.. Be well..

Greetings.. Yeah, those abstractions are a necessary component of conversation.. the trick is sorting out those that are based on reasonable and plausible assertions/evidence/guidance, from those that are imagined or that are invented to defend beliefs.. Be well..

Greetings.. I sense that the relationship between 'me' and 'That which IS' is like the relationship between an ice-cube and the ocean, or between a snowflake and water.. the ice-cube and the snowflake are both unique manifestations of the same essence.. such that we exist as 'part' AND 'whole' simultaneously, and which we experience is a function of where we place our attention, being aware that it is possible to experience both at the same time, with clarity.. Be well..

Greetings.. Awareness is the vehicle through which 'That which Is' is informed of its existence.. from wikipedia: The "awareness becoming aware of itself", is an imagined solution for unfulfilled desires of special knowledge.. there is no awareness apart from 'That' which is aware.. Mind is the common medium through which awareness reveals existence to that which exists, it is through the clarity of a 'still mind' and the unconditionally sincere curiosity about what is actually happening that you/me/we/us/Life realize our relationship with ALL of 'it'.. Be well..

Greetings.. No "anchor", that is fixed and stagnant.. let go of all beliefs and knowings, liberate yourself.. when you can see clearly, there is no conflict and everything happens naturally.. Be well..

Greetings.. I observe little internal skill.. the videos illustrate a fair level of physical awareness..the teacher in the video, consistently loses connection/root with the issued 'force'.. I was just at Nick Scrima's 15th annual ICMAC tournament in Orlando as a judge in Fixed Step PH and Moving PH, and.. of the approximately forty competitors in the ring i was assigned to, maybe three had well-developed 'internal skill'.. there was a match between a +/- 120 lb man vs a +/- 240 lb man, in the moving division, and the lighter man prevailed under overwhelming physical presence.. yes, it was a physical struggle, but without internal skill, too, the raw physics greatly favored the heavier competitor, everyone was appropriately impressed.... In other matches, i was pleased to see some well developed 'sung' skills, but.. over-all, the general direction is moving toward physical force rather than a balanced mix of internal/external.. Be well..

Greetings.. You/me/we/us/Life are the occasion of 'That which IS' experiencing itself through itself as you/me/we/us/Life.. we are independently functioning versions of 'That which IS', interconnected/entwined in the 'Macro-Cosmic' experience of self-awareness evolving.. Be well..

Greetings.. Too many people are attached to the 'packaging', and miss the 'stuff'.. Be well..

Greetings.. Just let go.. let go of beliefs and knowing.. be still and quiet, see/experience what is actually happening.. when 'that which is' is seen/experienced without the distortions of beliefs and knowings all else resolves into clarity.. when 'that which is', 'isness', is seen/experienced, that which is 'you' will adapt into resonance with what is actually happening.. this cannot happen while 'you' are attached to beliefs and knowings.. letting go is liberation, and liberation is frightening to those still attached to beliefs and knowings.. Be well..

Greetings.. We enter the 'mindless' state more than we usually realize.. like when we hear instrumental music that captures our 'attention' without engaging the thinking processes, being aware that 'words' distract the mind's awareness in some greater or lesser ways.. or, when working on some project where the mind goes still and we 'feel' the process happening, often a physical endeavor.. The issue is balance, mind/no-mind.. Be well..

Greetings.. Tao, the 'Way'.. the 'way' things 'are', 'isness'.. specific 'ways' can be named, but.. there is a deeper more fundamental 'way'.. What? trying to relate religion and Tao"? well, there is the 'way' of religion, MLM (Multi-Level Marketing) comes to mind, but.. that's just the 'way' of my mind.. Be well..

Greetings.. Apologies for not reading the whole thread, as i am fairly certain my understandings have already been expressed, so this is just to add another perspective.. it is my experience that 'Internal + External' is a more complete awareness/understanding of the options available to a person in a position that could benefit from such understanding.. i have trained in both Internal and External systems, and i favor Internal, probably because i have the external structure which easily adapts to a more effective process.. i have only found a very few purely Internal practitioners, having no traditional external training, that can also fight well.. I was introduced to Taiji practice as a therapy for an injury to my back while practicing external Kung Fu.. it was not 'my' idea, Sifu made me go practice with the 'old slow people', but.. within three weeks i was experiencing heightened awareness of form and function in my external training, finding that Taiji principles enhanced my external work.. soon, i was finding that external experience revealed internal purpose and internal structure's remarkable enhancement of the power ratios.. I sense that the differentiation between internal and external does more harm than benefit, where a more complete perspective would overlook the quarreling that arises from the distinction.. then, training and practice would naturally evolve into the most effective and efficient process that produces the desired result, and.. more than the problems that arise from the internal/external differentiation, i sense that it is the differences of intended results that is the most fundamental issue of conflicting beliefs.. but, that is simply one person's perspective.. Be well..

Greetings.. Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.. After enlightenment, tend fire, make coffee.. Be well..

Greetings.. Nice!! Thanks, yes.. More to my point, though.. that there are concepts/beliefs that will inevitably lead to contentious discussions, and those topics repeatedly resurface, and.. often, it is the same cast of TTB characters, repackaging the same discussions from the previous cycle of 'enlightenment-type' concepts.. I favor Chuang Tzu's approach of telling stories that illustrate the practical application of particular concepts.. i have had the good fortune to have befriended a 'Zen Taoist' who is articulate and possesses great clarity.. frequently, my friend will describe a situation in story narrative and conclude with a 'koan-like' question or statement that points directly at the 'essence' of the practical application, without trying make his understanding become mine, too.. I find this so much more holistic than the bickering normally associated with these sorts of topics.. I'm wondering, if there is anyone willing to share a story that illustrates their understanding of enlightenment, without describing enlightenment or using the usual linguistic weapons.. just a story that suggests to the story-teller an example of an enlightened happening.. Be well..

Greetings.. We simply Live.. beyond that accurate description, there are subjective personal preferences, and.. sacred/divine number schemes are among the least probable actualities.. when you can observe/experience with a still and silent mind, you are closest to what is actual.. Be well..

Greetings.. Between TTC (Tao Te Ching) and HHC (Hua Hu Ching)the styles and messages differ such as to imply different sources.. TTC remains a truly timeless document that offers a practical guide to daily Life, and equally practical guide to understanding human spirituality.. as a companion, the I-Ching, Book of Changes, is a remarkable study of human nature as influenced by the changes of Life's uncertainties.. The 'Trilogy' for my understandings of the principles, are TTC, HHC, and Chuang Tsu.. HHC seems oddly misplaced in the classics, to me.. Be well..

Greetings.. LOL.. How's the Noble Truths and Buddha Nature working for you CT? all i'm doing is reporting what i and other non-Buddhists see.. a consistent intention to steer nearly every substantive discussion toward your antiquated superstitions and self-righteous metaphorical destruction of common-sense.. there, preach on that for a while.. Be well..

Greetings.. What is NOT Tao? Why do people not make their cases with their peers, and a democratic result be obtained.. so, even in a forum based on Taoist understandings, special interests 'lobby' for their unfair share of attention? why do they bypass the court public opinion, unless their case is too weak.. Global Revolution is Tao in action, rebalancing the disproportionately distributed resources, and.. that is not to suggest there is not reward, positive and negative, proportionate to a person's willingness to contribute, further to the actuality of their contribution.. but, that it is without any ethical justification that anyone would take their excess from those that have contributed by being fitted into the social mechanism, and whose earning rates are controlled by the same social mechanism to favor an elite minority who pay and hire elected officials and public servants to insure that their elite social status, their power, and their wealth are secure from those whom they have manipulated to believe they have no recourse other than to beg for mercy.. History is clear, the elite and wealthy power-brokers conspire among themselves to control the global economies to their own advantage, at the expense of those that produce the goods and services from which wealth and influence are derived.. the elite power-brokers exploit the most valuable natural resource, people, and they extract the fair earnings of the people through corrupt and unscrupulous relationships with the representatives of those same people, representatives who, generally, create the illusion they are performing their duty to the people and the nation consistent with the laws they are sworn to uphold.. Their have been more people freed from death-row due to DNA evidence and recanted testimony citing government sponsored coercion, than have been arrested for contributing to the organized plundering of the US economy resulting in the severe and continuing recession that became public knowledge in late 2008, and has seen more than a half of the US liquidity vanish into the secrecy of of the elite power structure.. and, that elite power structure is so well funded and well connected, that it persuaded the government backed relief of the collapsing economy to given to them without enforceable guarantee or stipulation.. The continuing Great Recession which was revealed to the public in late 2008, became the vehicle through which the criminal acts of a public/private sectors conspiracy were cleverly marketed to the US and Global uninformed public, such that the thieves who caused the recession (by not acting sooner and with aggressive self-control), those same thieves were the recipients of more than a Trillion dollars of unsecured and unstipulated public (you and me, our) funds, other than to lend it back into the US market to stimulate growth and investment.. so, when your child tells you the baby-sitter was abusive and violent, and the nanny-cam substantiates the claim, why would invite the baby-sitter back AND give them a raise? Be well..

Greetings.. Seriously.. like everything else, chop it into finer pieces and soon only the butcher knows what's in the soup.. Life is a seamless whole, though seen from differing perspectives, it may appear fractured.. why is the title referencing 'Tao'? the micromanaging and baby-sitting is becoming daunting.. it's nice to know that the sun rises and sets on a fairly predictable schedule, it used to be nice to come here and know where the topics could be found.. ahh, yes, special interest groups and lobbyists will have their way.. The Global Revolution thread was one of the authentic discussions not oozing guru competitiveness.. it was nice to see people engaging Life (Tao), without the usual Buddhist intervention to save those that never needed saving anyhow.. Oh well.. some things are best left alone.. don't fix what ain't broke, and don't broke what don't need fixin'.. Be well..

Greetings.. Hi joe: I know 'it doesn't work', that's what i meant when said 'it's broken'.. Be Well..