Aaron

Hello DC9, You shouldn't try and avoid your negative thoughts or feelings. Does that make you feel better? The fact of the matter is that you're misunderstanding the purpose of empty mind meditation. It's intention is to make you more aware of how your mind works and to still your mind so you can become more aware of what's happening in the world around you. When it comes to negative emotions you don't use empty mind meditation or techniques to avoid them, rather you use a different method of meditation, one I refer to as Mindful Meditation. Mindful meditation is when you take one thought and trace it back to its source to find the cause of that thought. It's not easy to do unless you've accomplished empty mind meditation to a certain degree, but it can yield very useful information regarding the state of your negative feelings. So the point here is address your emotions, don't try and be rid of them. Meditation is not about becoming a mindless automaton, but rather understanding your role within the universe on a deeper level. Here are some good techniques for dealing with negative emotions... Determine why you are feeling the emotion. Ask yourself what you can do about the cause of the problem. Do what you can to solve the problem, if you can't do anything about it, then what is the point in worrying about it? If you are condemned to death, is it better to worry for the last hour of your life or just accept that you will die and make the best of the time you have left? I hope that helps. If you need more instruction on Mindful Meditation, I would be happy to share. For more information regarding empty mind meditation, check out my personal practice thread, I have a guide there. Aaron

Buddhism is just as destructive as Christianity or any other religion when it comes to self-image and perception of self. If one is seeking individual realization, Buddhist would probably be the last place I'd suggest they look. The notion of suffering and dharma are just as damaging as the notion of sin. In both religions there is this notion that there is something that is wrong and needs to be fixed, when in fact there is NOTHING wrong with anyone, except what they perceive to be wrong, and those perceptions are not real, only misunderstood. Suffering is a necessary part of life, without it we could not have enjoyment. To give up enjoyment, empathy, and the relationships one can attain with their fellows in order to be free of suffering, is not only selfish, but idiotic in my own opinion. Aaron

Individuality is the perception of one's separation from others. We are born as individuals and most of our childhood is spent being taught that we aren't. Of course there is some truth to this, in fact we are no more the same than the strand of hairs on our head are all the same strand of hair, however this doesn't mean the strands of hair aren't us, just as this doesn't mean we aren't not a part of a greater whole. The problem with individuality lies in the idea that we aren't a part of something greater, that we should strive to be separate, for whatever reason, when in fact we should strive to understand our place within the whole, how in fact we are the whole. As children we understand this because we understand our role as a child and our parent's role as the provider. We understand we are not mommy and daddy, but we also understand we are a part of the family and the family is an entity unto itself. When one part of the entity suffers, we suffer too. Just watch any child whose mother is sad, more often than not, without provocation or moral impetus, they will try to find out why their mother is sad and make her feel better. Individuality is not the separation of the self from others, but the role one plays when interacting with others. That's the key to understanding the difference, it lies within the knowledge that we have a purpose within the whole of society and that purpose does not separate us from it, but makes us a greater part of it. So as one develops their individuality in a healthy manner, it doesn't cause them to feel distanced from others, but rather it makes them feel more of a part of the society than before. One can see this in nearly every aboriginal people still alive today. The man, the hunter is not separate from the tribe because he is a hunter, rather he has a role to play as a provider, just as the woman, the caregiver, is not separate from the tribe, rather she plays a very important part in raising the children and providing for the other needs. I think this notion of individuality has screwed up much of what is normal. Woman want to be soldiers, steel workers, hunters, and CEOs, mostly because we don't recognize the importance the role of mother and caregiver are. We minimalize its importance, making it seem like it's a bad thing to be. Just look at how most people (many of them women) view the stay at home mom. She isn't looked at with admiration, but rather as some kind of throwback to a bygone era. They snicker and wonder about her abilities, whether she is capable of making it in the "real world", never understanding that she is more of a part of the real world than they are, because she is ensuring that her family is cared for, rather than paying a day care to do it for her. So if you want to really examine individuality, then take a look at how we've destroyed the natural way in the hopes of fairness and equality, never realizing that fairness and equality doesn't stem from being able to do what everyone is else is doing, but rather in accepting each person's role in the community as valuable. If we could ever do that, I think much of this hoopla about individuality would be wiped away and people could begin to live their lives with dignity and a sense of community. Aaron

haha... the first poem I ever published was called "the skin of trees". Aaron

Hi Kate, I think you're missing my point (not the point, just to clarify) which is that we should allow our children to grow up naturally. There are lessons they should learn, potty training comes to mind, but in regards to philosophy and religion, don't fill their minds with all that crap! Let them grow up to be who they want to be, don't tell them there's something wrong with them or that they NEED to do this or that in order to cure an imaginary flaw, rather love them, care for them, and provide the support they NEED and in so doing you can allow them to become who they should be, rather than who you want them to be. Children aren't possessions and shouldn't be treated as such. Oh and be aware of what they're learning in school, in many cases all the hard work you do at home can be and is reversed there. Aaron

Winniepooh_Ank, I wanted to address some of the issues you seem to be having in regards to other people's comments in this thread. I am also going to do this by staying on topic. You are closely following religious Taoist doctrine, which very few of the members of this thread are knowledgeable about. In that light, what you are saying is actually Taoist, but not actually philosophical Taoism. The notion of sin in religious Taoism comes from the incorporation of other religious beliefs into the Taoist tradition, in particular folk lore, Buddhism, and Confucianism. So yes, for a traditional religious Taoist there is sin in Taoism and you do pay for your sins by spending time in hell, no joke to those who might not be aware of this. In fact sin plays a large part in hybridized sects of Taoism, such as I-Kuan Tao. Now with this being said, any action that contradicts Wu-Wei would be considered sinful and also any act that is considered sinful would not be Wu-Wei (in religious Taoism). I think the problem you are having is that you are stating your truth and others are stating their's, and neither are willing to admit that it doesn't matter for spit. Now in regards to being insulted, no one actually insulted you, they just questioned your arguments and you took insult. Taking insult doesn't warrant moderator action, only directly insulting others does. You allowed yourself to take offense and thus insulted others (committed a sin by the way and thus generated negative karma) and hence your actions required to the intercession of the authorities that be. In the future I would suggest not allowing your emotions to get the best of you or your time here will be short lived. Aaron

I wanted to ad that there is no difference between Eastern and Western religions, in fact their purpose, socially speaking is the same. Religion is such a strong part of society because intrinsically it facilitates society's mores and values. These mores and values ensure that each individual is a part of whole and doesn't question what occurs in society unless it deviates from what is taught to be the norm. In my opinion it is not a school or teacher's responsibility to teach morality or spirituality, but rather prepare a student for their adult life. That means that their purpose is to prepare students to excel as adults by teaching them the sciences, mathematics, and how to read and write so that they can use these skills in their future life. The sad fact is that many teachers use their position to propagate their own agenda. They use history, literature, philosophy and the arts as a way to push morality and social values, when in fact these things should be taught by the parents, not the government. In that light, as a free society, we should never intervene in the parent's care of the child in this regard, unless it poses a risk to the child, emotionally or physically. In other words if the parent's moral teachings are abusive, then we should intervene, if only because the child cannot intervene on their own behalf. With that said, it would be nice if people could see the indoctrination they receive for what it is, but in most cases it is so thorough that we rarely question our beliefs in what is right or wrong. Capital punishment, corporal punishment, bigotry, racism, and greed are all intrinsically linked to our education. The fact of the matter is that the children of today will be the adults of tomorrow. We have the opportunity to raise our children as individuals, but we can never do that so long as we believe that children are intrinsically sinful or that somehow they are born with a deficiency that requires moral and spiritual guidance to correct. If we simply taught are kids to not base their actions according to a moral compass, but rather how their actions effect other people, we could not only teach them to be beneficial to their community, but also allow them to grow up as they should and not as we choose them to be. Aaron edit- By the way Kate, that's lesson I was talking about, that we need to learn to recognize the capacity of each of our actions, and in so doing we can learn to live in harmony with others.

Hello Jetsun, This is what I've been pointing to for awhile now. It's interesting to see how many people actually feel threatened by these kinds of topics. The fact of the matter is that you have hit it right on the nail. None of us were allowed to become who we should have been, but rather were directed to what others wanted us to be. Part of the problem lies within our concept of morality and ceremony as Lao Tzu pointed to first. It's only when we can recognize this and begin to let go of what we've been told we are, and instead become what we actually are, that we can really experience freedom of individuality. thanks for posting this topic Jetson, Aaron

Hello dc9, I think I might be able to offer some advice in this regard. I have suffered from insomnia now and again in the past, it's not fun, but sometimes what we think might work is actually the worst for solving the problem. First you must recognize that insomnia is more often than not caused by stress. One thing you might want to consider is minimizing the stress in your life. This is really the best solution, but it's not like you can just say, "I'm not going to feel stressed anymore" and your problem will be solved, so instead you might want to consider addressing what's causing you stress, understanding what you can do about it and taking some steps to solve it. If you can't do anything about it, then why stress yourself out over it, let it go, if you can. Now that probably wont work, but you can give it shot, if it doesn't then this will help. First, stay away from stimulants in the afternoon, in other words, no sugar, red bull, coffee, etc. Second, try and set a routine that you use before bed, not something that just takes a few minutes, like brushing your teeth, but maybe reading a chapter in a book or (gasp) meditating. What this does is set your body into a natural rhythm that allows it to understand that you're ready for sleep. Also, try to maintain a normal sleep pattern. Don't go to bed at different times each night. This is an easy way to screw up your sleep pattern and one of the reasons a lot of people believe they suffer from 'insomnia' when really they're suffering from not being tired enough to sleep. The most important thing is not to force it. Even if you have to be to sleep or you're not going to get enough sleep the next day, don't stay in bed laying there waiting to sleep. It rarely works and it's a waste of time. Get up and do something, preferably something that will help you get to sleep, perhaps more meditation. Now a good sleep meditation is actually the exact opposite of what you're talking about, don't be 'aware' so much as let your awareness go. Don't focus on anything, let your thoughts come and drift away. Breathe regular deep slow breathes. This will help to slow down your metabolism as well. Some things I don't recommend, drinking alcohol before bed or taking sleep medication, since even the 'non-habit forming' meds can still become habit forming to a lesser degree. If all else fails, just remember that this too shall pass. You won't have insomnia forever and often times when something like this happens it's our body and mind letting us know something is wrong. Again, if we address what's wrong, then our body's won't need to make us aware of it and we'll find sleep returning in no time. I hope that my suggestions help. Aaron

it is certainly 1 of my favorites. Aaron

good luck buddy, I hope you get a lot out of it.

So when I was younger, still idealistic and a bit of a wild child, I really adored Hunter S. Thompson. I thought he was a role model, someone that chose to live his life by his own rules, rather than have it dictated to him. Of course what I realized later on was that he was as fearful and delusional as nearly everyone else I've known. We have within our grasp the capacity to live in harmony with everyone that surrounds us, yet we choose not to, not because of what we've been taught, but our unwillingness to give up what we've been taught. Racism, bigotry, religion, and sexism, are all things we learn, they have no basis within reality. They are concepts that we've been taught and rely on in order to justify our fear and uncertainty regarding our existence and actions. Death is perhaps the most widely used tool to spread this propaganda and the reason the notion of heaven and karma is irrational and harmful. We will all die and it's really not that scary. The fact of the matter is that we place too much emphasis on this life, that somehow it's sacred, but it really isn't. Life and death aren't sacred, they're a cycle that allows new life to come. If no one died, there would be no need for children, now that would be sad. We should appreciate life and death for what they are. In regards to death, I believe, unequivocally, that I am the universe. To clarify, just as the bacteria in my stomach are me, I am the universe. My purpose is here, but if I pass the universe doesn't pass, but in the same way, the bacteria, the blood cells, the anti-bodies moving on their own accord in my body are me, even if they're not directly under my control. If one antibody dies, does that mean I am dead too? No, my consciousness exists still, just as when I pass the universe will continue to exist and the unfathomable consciousness of that universe will continue to exist. I am in fact going to survive for as long as this universe survives, maybe not in the form I'd like too, but I will still exist. Everyone of us is here to learn a lesson. In order to learn that lesson we must give up everything we know and start from scratch. Like a small child seeing a butterfly for the first time, we must be able to appreciate the wonder of that butterfly for what it is and not what we can get out of it. That's how religions manifest and how fear and loathing propagate, it's a desire to control the unknown, to rationalize it, to give us an answer, to control death. Well I'll let you in on a little fact, none of us have control and if you think you do have control, then you're crazier than I am. Aaron

First thing, the first page of this thread is really disappointing. The speaker in this video made it a point to mention how we divide ourselves by pointing out people's differences, and here you are making fun of the guy because of how he speaks, very childish and mean. Second, I never got anything that seemed to me to indicate he had an agenda with this message, but rather he was just pointing out his observations. I've made the same observations he has, maybe not as subtly, but I see them. Think about this, what do your children learn about in school, well what to think. They think that capitalism is a good thing, because they're told it is a good thing. They think that Christians are good and Muslims are evil, because they learn this from their parents, not the news. Most of the things we believe are not our own ideas, but ideas that we have been BRAINWASHED into believing. That's what this guy is saying, but I get the feeling no one wants to hear that, then they might have to question their ideals and we can't have that. Aaron

Over the past few months my opinion regarding Lao Tzu's meaning when he was referring to the Sage has changed. In the past I believed that Lao Tzu was referring to the sage as a man of wisdom and when he spoke of the sage, it wasn't as a ruler, but as an example of a ruler. Recently, after further examination, I have changed my opinion, in fact I think that the sage that Lao Tzu was talking about were the Sage-Kings of old, not Sages in general. The reason I changed my mind, wasn't simply because I read an interesting article concerning Sages and kings and decided that it bore some merit, but rather because I reread the TTC without any preconceived notions of what a king and sage were and found that in nearly every chapter in which a Sage is mentioned in the TTC, he is referred to as a leader. My belief now is that the TTC is a book written for the rulers of Lao Tzu's time that uses the Sage-Kings of old as an example for how the rulers of that time should lead their people. I've believed that the TTC was written as an example for rulers for quite some time now, but it wasn't until recently that I changed my opinion about who Lao Tzu was referring to. For those interested in discussing this topic, I would ask that before you do so, that you reread the sections of the TTC that refer to the sage and examine those sections within context, not just the line that mentions the sage, but the whole passage. What I'm sure you'll find is that the sage being referred to is not a run of the mill sage, but the Sage-King of old. Now keep in mind that this makes sense, because at the time the TTC was written the people's idea of a Sage was that of a ruler. In fact it's our own preconceived notions of the sage that leads us to believe otherwise. Again, clear your mind of preconceived ideas and reread the passages and I'm positive you'll come to the same conclusion. In fact more often than not you could substitute the word Sage-King for Sage and it would make absolutely more sense. Aaron

I'm not particularly driven by ego on this, but rather by the fact that he has caused so much harm in the past and he's shown no indication that he's improved, in fact his nihilism seems to have grown in strength. Before he indicated he was going to harm women and himself, now he's indicating he's going to harm anyone that he sees as being a "demon". This is the kind of person that ends up shooting people at their school, or walking into a mosque and killing everyone in sight. What he's saying is not a joking matter, he is unstable and poses a serious risk to himself and to those around him. Sadly those closest to him most likely have no idea how delusional and dangerous he is. Minimize if you must, but I really pray he gets the help he needs before he harms someone. Aaron edit- The things that disturb me the most is that he's very specific in the type of harm he's going to cause others, rip off their faces for example. This is indicative of someone who's fantasized about doing this type of harm to someone else over a prolonged period of time. His behavior in the past, in particular his posting of nude female corpses and his comments regarding killing women who tried to seduce him, indicate he has a strong hatred for women. His obsession with right and wrong, and his black and white perception of the world, as well as his belief that he is supernatural and that he has been given the divine duty of killing others is indicative of someone suffering from extreme delusions of grandeur, in fact he may be schizophrenic or bipolar. If I knew who he was, I would contact the local police force right away, because he is a serious risk to others. I hope I'm wrong, but I fear I'm not.

Yes it is. If you had told me any of this twenty years ago I would've called you nuts, but now, after some contemplation, I can see the actual intent, rather than my desired intent, in the text. It's amazing how clarity works. Aaron

hello grandmaster, anyone who has read Tulku's post in the past, can see the similarities in nearly every one of his personas. The title of this thread is nearly a give in that this is Tulku. he has a specific way of speaking, in fact we all do. If one pays attention to these similarities they will be able to recognize that the author's name may have changed but the author hasn't. Tulku was 1 of the most destructive members on this forum that I have ever encountered. His obsession with absolutes and tirades about sex, family, and morality were not only twisted, but also indicative of a sick mind. If anyone doubts that this is Tulku let them come forth now, but I think most of the members that knew him in the past, know that this is who we are speaking to you now. He was banned not because he was beneficial to the community, but because he was harmful and offensive. his post of naked corpses was one of the most offensive things I've ever seen on the internet. if I'm wrong, then I'm wrong. But if I'm right and I do nothing, then I am causing harm to the community by doing nothing. That is the reason why I am so adamant about the moderators taking action now. I understand your intent, but since you have never experienced this person in the past, you have no idea the harm he can cause. Aaron

again, you have no idea what's going on here so it would be best if you stay out of it. I know you are probably bored and have little else to do but insert your own business into other people's business, but this is something that has happened before and I am addressing the issue quickly before it gets out of hand. Aaron

I'd suggest that you learn more about what's going on before you make comments like this. It's not about hurt, Sunlover is most likely clinically insane. Tulku, whom I'm 99.99% sure Sunlover is, once posted pictures of naked corpses, he also advocated suicide and killing woman that tried to seduce him. Tulku was a sick individual with the great potential to harm others or himself. Aaron

Unless you want to spend the rest of your life in the confines of a cubicle, I'd suggest you think of something else. I have serious doubts that you would enjoy being an office manager, or marketing manager for that matter. My suggestion is that you look into something that you enjoy doing and invest your time in that. Monetary wealth means very little if you're not happy. Work will take up nearly a third of day, make sure that third is spent doing something you like, or at the very least can tolerate. I would suggest trying to find a PhD program for psychology or maybe look into teaching. The world is always in need of teachers. Aaron P.S. I think you were actually looking for someone to steer you clear of an MBA, if so Joe and I have given you that, so now you can start looking into something you think you might enjoy.

I think there are a lot of ignorant people that cling to religion out of fear, but I don't think it's safe to say it's fed upon by weak minded fearful fools, but rather devious immoral men use religion to support their own agendas. Aaron

This is my quote of the day. Very nicely said. Too many people seem to miss this point. Aaron

"Sunlover", I don't want to be too critical of you, because obviously people have been in the past, which I'm guessing is one of the reasons you have such a low self-image of yourself, and why you're superimposing it on others in order to minimize your own self-loathing, but things like this come to a head if you don't address them. I've told you this in the past and I'll tell you again, not out of anger, but compassion, you need real psychological help. If you don't talk to someone and address these delusions they'll only get stronger as you grow older. My suggestion is to talk to a school counselor or ask your parents if you can see one, because you really need to talk to someone so you can get the help you need. To the mods- We know who this is, how long are you going to wait to take action? Just compare the syntax, methods of expression, and general voice, and you'll see that we're dealing with someone who seems to be unable to stay away from this place. Giving him a soapbox isn't helping, it's just going to make him worse. Aaron

welcome back Tulku. it's nice to see that you've been able to get around your ban.

Taoism may have evolved into a school of humanism and naturalism, but that wasn't Lao Tzu's intent, in fact he was warning against these sorts of things, for anytime a school evolves to support a specific idealogy, then it becomes muddied with ceremony and morality. Naturalism, as you explain it, seems to be saturated with morality, i.e. living a "natural" life is moral and good, not living one is immoral and bad. It's important to realize that Lao Tzu was advocating that we return to a state of our original nature... To understand this lets read a more accurate translation of the last part of chapter 64 of the Tao Te Ching by John C. H. Wu... Therefore, the Sage desires to be desireless, Sets no value on rare goods, Learns to unlearn his learning, And induces the masses to return from where they have overpassed. He only helps all creatures to find their own nature, But does not venture to lead them by the nose. Hence the Sage doesn't command or direct people, but rather points the way and allows them to find it on their own. He does not advocate Tai Chi or Qigong, nor does he advocate strict dogma, rather he advocates FREEDOM, for within freedom there is the opportunity for each of us to return to our original nature. So I would suggest that you not use the TTC to justify your own view of the how the world is, but rather look at it objectively, by unlearning what you've learned, so each line is fresh and new, it is then that you'll be able to see what each line actually means. Aaron