rakushun

I believe that is the mandala offering hand mudra. I think it suppose to represent mount Meru.

Vajrahridaya, Vajrasattva: thanks for answering. I find comparative religion to be a very interesting topic. Olofi is a new one to me, I'm going to have to do some google searching on it. Just did some White Tara chanting last night and it was very blissful. Vajrasattva, you should start a new thread letting people know of your shaktipat tomorrow, that way people who are not checking this thread won't miss out on it. I'll try to tap into your generosity tomorrow. Namaste friends.

Vajrahridaya, Is Brahman the same entity as the GOD taught by Jesus? In order words, different names for the same thing or are they different beings? Thanks!

Really good information, I'll definitely put this into practice. Hmmm, should it be a different story? Cheers!

Very true indeed for the thus-gone-ones. But for those us who are still stuck in duality world, the silence places seem the most conducive for making progress. Your point does help to partly open up my eyes to seeing past the heaviness that I have attached to my own reality. But for now, I will try to limit unnecessary "wrestling" until I get a taste of that non-dual treat.

LOL! You are right, it is ironic. But don't the paradoxes usually approach closest to the Dao? Wrestling is daoist when the participants are willing and able. Also, My comment was more directed in general where I see on the forums a lot of unnecessary huffing-n-puffing wrestling by self-labeled daoists, buddhists, etc. The wording in your post just reminded me of that contrast. You are cool in my book Lucky7strikes. I've always picture the daoist as sitting on a tranquil mountaintop, sipping on soothing tea, and enjoying the vista. This wrestling in the mud business seems much too strenuous and more apt for the worldly folks. Just curious, and by no means intending disrespect: have you achieved non-dual conscious awareness? I myself have not done so. Cheers!

To wrestle with anybody, whether Daoists, Buddhists, or purple people seems very undaoist to me. The notion of struggling also seems to miss the mark of the daoist path. Just a sharing from the mind of a dirty beginner. Be well!

sifusufi and Marblehead, thanks for the welcome. Cheers!

Hi John Zen, If you wish to have mastery over lust, I can only offer to you what has helped me. You wrote that you "can't help but stare at every beautiful girl that walks by", but that is not true. You have a choice and you chose to stare. It is your desire to savor their surface beauty that you are choosing to indulge in. When lustful thoughts arise, just let them take their course and they will eventually disappear. The KEY is to not dwell in those thoughts and not to be an actor in the scenes in your thoughts. Dwelling in them give those thoughts life and will trigger more thoughts along the same lines. When you see a beautiful girl about to enter into your view, consciously do not make eye contact. Look away or down at the ground if you have too. At the end of the day, tally up how many times you were able to do this and how many times you have failed. You will stumble and lose some of these battles, but with consistent practice you will get better at it. Once you get good at this practice, you will be able to see the beauty that is beyond the superficial/surface and will get a clearer taste of how the mind truly operates. All is mind, all is impermanent. Good luck John Zen!

I'm here to be of help with the little bit of knowledge that I've somehow managed luckily to stumble upon. My path has for the most part been in christianity and has evolved into a contemplative, esoteric focus, where developing the true love towards God and all people is so much more important than petty legalism. Recently, I have found the wisdom in buddhism to be of very high quality and meshes really well into the practice of love that Jesus recommended. So now, I have a life time to realize the wisdom that is innate in all of us. Cheers! rakushun