3bob

Part of Taomeows description of people struggling in China reminded me of seeing people struggling in India, so many countless hard working and good natured people !! People with very little or even no material possessions yet having life shinning in their eyes and simple joy and kindness in their hearts (of Namaste) amid an almost unbelievable hustle and bustle taking place in the cities... It's true that such spirit can be found all over the world yet when we (or many in the "west") who are commonly locked behind steel and glass doors of our cars going to and from work, along with keeping our noses to the industrial grind stone at the sacrifice of enriching culture and close connections to the earth, then its no surprise that some our humanity also gets ground away.

as all time and space returns to Mystery so to will all souls, (btw. we never really left)

for another string but there is Krishna and Arjuna on the battle field....

although it could be added that in a sense an alignment to truth is owned by such rare beings since they have gone beyond the point of possible inner falling or of being turned to anything less...

true power is not owned by the one it flows through, and neither is the related fearlessness that comes with such power.

ultimately there is only one source of energy, energy that is and goes through countless transformations into various forms, with that being said one could then extrapolate that spiritual darkness is spiritual light twisted into such - thus untwist it and what do you have since it can't really be lost? In this way I'd say darkness is not a lack of light but a twisting of it.

formula's for this and that or trying to put everything in its correct conceptual box? (suggest considering chapter 20 of the T.T.C).

mind will be in fear of some kind or at some level until it fully accepts its place as servant to indomitable Spirit.

Perhaps check the Upanishads for, "the small lotus of the heart"... for the "Self" does not rise or fall in consciousness. I'd say non-duality is also alluding to love beyond love and hate, joy beyond joy and sorrow, being beyond being and non-being, life beyond life and death, etc... (thus the limits of the dualistic tool of mind to define and categorize can only reach so far but not pass)

..."a dog stuck in a cats body" - that's a good one

"they" say everything is perfect since at an eternally occurring moment it can be no other way, further and moment by moment energy plays out in gross and subtle forms since it cannot do otherwise (thus not able to break any elemental laws of itself as it plays out) so how to stop one's individual train or not be a leaf in the winds of various energies? Some have made that journey and left behind records and traces of how they did it...

some guys go bald with a razor...so they will look more like a "macho guy" including getting an array of gnarly tattoo's to further enhance such an image, problem is many can't get rid of their beer bellys or foul mouths - as for the legit guys that may also look that way in part or to 'x' degree no problemo here.

a similar thought crossed my mind about me trying to get back to him, quite insightful of you.

btw, the neighborhood cats don't give the mice or the wild rabbits around here much chance. Btw2, why some guys don't respect cats or even hate them is revealing of their poor programing as a kid or other flaws per my observations.

doesn't the nine lives thing mean one life with nine near death saves...

one could be to give that other string a break... and if you don't like football there are lots of other alternative's for a Sunday afternoon -enjoy.

there must be a lot of study on, "Zen and the art of field goals"

...and Denver won out in a tough place to boot, thanks to the football gods. (who btw. work overtime in the remote healing arts for banged up players)

then again better football or certain sports than getting into various types of trouble

speaking of violence one might wonder why certain Buddhist leaning countries and some their people get so involved with extreme martial arts like muay thai boxing (without pads or helmets)

of course you can't prove anything along such lines Karl - and a true mystic does not try to prove anything either, but they do have first hand experience which you deny.

Karl, Your use of the term "mystics" is way off to the point of you being an 'fanatic' about it - with fanatic being a more correct term or generalization along such lines. Btw, if you have problems with Mystery and or mystics then why in the hell do you continue insulting the idea of mysticism in a spiritually/mystically biased forum? (after you have stated your pov so many times here)

The T.T.C. mentions being a good steward for the world at the end of chap 13... thus why in the hell are some readers and students of the T.T.C. and wandering around quasi-nihilistic like?

see Bill Murray in, "Ground hog day" for some ideas.

the "why" can not be put into a box either... lots of aspects can be talked about (and also gained and lost) but will not quite satisfy beyond all doubt faith is a factor in going beyond all doubt to indestructible unity, unity that IS satisfied and which supports its children of diversity