Samuel

I confess, my "practise" was just the entranced study of the TTC, because that was all I had, or rather, could find on the net at first. My first copy of it was one I found posted online and printed off myself, in tiny print so that I didn't use up all the ink. I suppose that is one of the positive things about modern life; it makes the spread of these teachings so much easier. Any other positives? (before I completely hijack the thread with nostalgia?)

Ridiculously true, I think. I began my practise when I was in comprehensive school, (high school for those across the pond, I think). Before practise I was describe by people I went to school with as "one grumpy motherf..." you get the idea. If I had to stop practise, I'm not saying that I would revert to that, but it'd be hellish difficult not to react to some situations with the same temperament as a wolverine.

I agree, music is fundamentally important! Music is one of the most important things for me, personally, because it's the closest I come to no-self-ness; when you're really grooving and singing and going fast with the fast bits, slow with the slow bits, quiet with the quiet bits and really yowling with the louds bits, well, that is the best bit of music for me. 'Cause it doesn't matter if it's off key or outta tune, or awkward jerky movements, or hell, even if you don't know the words; so long as you're really feeling it, and there's no tomorrow or yesterday, or dishes, or assignments or people to worry you, only the singing and dancing and the music. Anyone else enjoy music like that?

Thanks for the responses, guys. The Cleary Taoist translation has come up quite a bit in my research on the interwebs, and judging by what you say about personal practice, Harmonious Emptiness, is probably more what I'm looking for. I like Cleary's other stuff anyway, so I think that's probably what I'll check out first. Is there any reason that you particularly like the Richard Wilhelm version, Xiejia? I have to admit, the stuff I've seen about it on the net is mixed at best; what do you think of it? I'm a pathological scribbler, so there's no worries on the journal front! Thanks again =]

Much love to you too! My posting here is sporadic at best, but I'm always flicking back and forth from day to day or week to week. There's been some pretty unhappy vibes in places lately, relative to how it was when I first started lurking. It's nice to see some love floating about. Maybe we can get some more going in this thread? If it's ok with Arab, (I don't wanna hijack his thread), why not post what you love about TTB? That sounds corny as all hell, but I'm like that. Much love, dudes and dudettes. Sam

"Where are you?" Who's asking? Or how about "Now"? I love koans. Some of them to me, sound like unfinished jokes. "What is the sound of one hand clapping?" "To get to the other side?" "If a tree falls in a forest, does it make a sound?" "Two in the front, two in the back!"

Hello Folks! I'm looking to incorporate some study of the I Ching into my practice and want some suggestions from people who're long time oracle consultants or students as to which translation(s) are good. I have two at the moment, that got me dabbling, years ago; the Brian Browne Walker translation, which is short and definite, and the Stephen Karcher, Rudolph Ritsema translation which I picked up cheap, spontaneously, and is the exact opposite of the BBW translation; wordy and vague. I'm not sure about either of them at the moment, I'm still testing the water. Since I've no one else to talk shop with, I'll ask you lot; what preferences for an I Ching have you got? What's your fave and why? What about practise? Current practise for me is a daily hexagram and meditation on its implications. Since I'm pretty much DIY'ing it, it'd be nice to know how other people study the I Ching, if you're willing to share. Hope you're all enjoying yourselves and your practice, Much Love! Sam

Thank you. To be fair, it's completely in our favour to view things dualistically occasionally, like in terms of dangerous and not dangerous! We'd not have got far from the plains if we'd never been able distinguish between different thing (Is that rattlesnake P.O.'d or does he want me to pick him up?) I wonder if there's a way of living with a non-dualistic view and surviving? Or maybe we have to have one or the other and keep going, warts and all!

Sorry, I didn't mean to present it dualistically; but as mutually arising, like yin and yang. To define one group of something you have to have another group of something to create the boundary. What I was trying to say, (note to self; no more late-night posting), was that to have 'friends' you have to cherish your 'not-friends' as much, since it's by their contrast you create your friends. Other wise everyone is just 'people'. Which they are anyway, but we will insist on playing with our tags. XD It's like Daoists and non-Daoists. When someone says "I'm a Daoist" they create a mutual boundary with non-Daoists. They both require the boundary to exist as whatever it is they've chosen to exist as. But since everyone's a part of the Dao, is there a difference between the two or is it all in our heads? I'd like to get to the stage where I can stop having friends and not-friends and just have people! Maybe one day.

Don't you have to have "not-friends" if you want to have friends? 'Cause if you don't distinguish between not-friend and friend, you only have people. I suddenly think we need to have less one group or another group and have more people. If you see what I mean?

One of my favourite songs, playing at the moment: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOH_mioL3TU

bad poet riff-raff makes me make a poem gaff, start it all again!

I agree that there is an objective reality, but until people begin "treating or dealing with facts without distortion by personal feelings or prejudices" (From your definition of objective...and by 'people' I include myself), doesn't that mean that they will only be able to experience a subjective reality? It's like have the blinds down when it's light out. You might know it's light out, but until you can lift the blinds, you can't actually see that it's light out. So how do we get the blinds up? Is it by consciously choosing to be objective in every instant, (a mammoth task perhaps), or is that what meditation was designed to do, by promoting mindfulness and awareness of the moment? Allowing ourselves to experience the objective moment, rather than sitting in the subjective one, caught up in the names, memories and feelings that get stirred up when we see things/people/places?

Strong rope, a soft touch, Your life is a tethered kite, The breeze shows the Way