strawdog65

Ahhh..... You have a true Gladiator spirit. Peace!

Hi Marbles! I am still pondering ... is disagreement that is intent on causing disharmony, compatible with trying to adhere to the suggestions put forward in TTC? Can we be blatantly disagreeable, stuck within our own vanity, show no regard for our actions, and still be said to walk the path? I'm counting on you Marblehead to give me a very straight forward answer. You've never let me down. Peace!

Hi everyone! Such interesting ideas! While it is obvious that we can not actually change our history, it is entertaining to think about it. I always love a good time travel story, don't you? I would eliminate the dark ages. If we could have steadily made advancements through that period of time, without the death and stagnation of such a large proportion of the world, there's no telling how much more advanced the world would be now. Thanks for everyone participating! Peace!

Hi Jane! I humbly concede to being uncool, and undeniably wrong. I do believe my pwnage(whatever that means? ) is most definitely in the negative digits. Peace!

Plays on radio Evil lurks, in hearts of men. Known by the Shadow.

La luna et bleu. I would rather have gouda! Fat slice on triscut.

Hi TM! Please forgive me for asking... What are the Archons? Are they aliens? I looked up some stuff but, still not sure what they are where they come from. You've got my interest.... peace!

Pure light never fades Calling from across ocean. Blue light streaks skyward.

Ballet toes shatter. Muffled silence, snow banks drift. Endless sea of white.

Lyrical haiku. Scatman Crothers, Be Bo Bop, Distant tap dancing.

Chicken of the sea. Hen house on the ocean floor. What wax do I use?

Otis, Gold, and Aaron. I have been following this and agree that you all have valid points of view. The determining factor of how you as an individual choose to practice your accepted philosophy and actions, is at what stage you are in your life. I will echo what been said about having an outright dislike and almost disgust for any organized mono-theistic religion. It was how I felt for a long time, but it is not so anymore. A big part of the reason for my own change of heart, has been the realization that I am judging, I am using my own standard to say something is wrong to me. But who am I to say this thing is wrong for someone else? It is for them to decide what their "truth" is, and my judgment is not necessary or of use. Maybe it's an age related realization, I don't know. What I do know is, I have my own path before me which is my "truth", and that I don't care what others think of my beliefs. With this thought in mind, do you not see the utter futility of feeling such dislike for something you have no choice in? Our actions, our deeds in the society of mankind are much more important than our belief of a God. When people act of good conscience and contribute positive acts to the world they live in, it matters not what they believe. If you wish to live in a world, and search for what is wrong within it, you will always find what you search for. Acceptance is not giving up, it is knowing which fights to fight and when. Flow with what is now, and use the direction you are moving to make changes along the way. It is the wise use of your own flow of life, without the wasted effort of constant struggle. I think the middle ground (if there is one) is to accept religion for the good influence it can be on the actions of others. And to accept that your own perception of what is of no use, is no use to the person with a belief contrary to your own. Therefore, do what YOU will that is your path, but accept that the paths of others contribute as well, and should be accepted without judgment by you, because who are you to judge? No one is impartial, everyone picks sides, non interference and concentrating on your own path is what you can do. There is more than one path to the ultimate unifier that is Tao. Peace!

Hello everyone. I've been doing a lot of introspective thinking, and thinking of my life and why I am the way I am. One of the big things in my life was the way in which I was raised. My parents were of the very old school type. Mother, Italian. Father , Polish-russian. Both born in america during the 20's and raised during a time that was full of segregation and the mindset that people who are different from you ( white/american) are to be derided. Being brought up with prejudice, and not having any other role models to see the wrongness of their actions, my parents were not model parents when they had me in 1965. The civil rights, the race riots, all of it was current events, and this made race even more of an issue. I was born into this time, I was raised by two parents that were equally wrong. This parental influence I believe is one of the most damaging ones possible, and the effects are life long. Speaking from my personal experiences, my mother was bad, but my Father was a Bastard. He had a derogatory word or term for every type of person you can imagine, no matter their color of skin, their beliefs, or just their station in life, he had an equally insulting and graphic word for all. Being brought up with such influence has effects. For me there were basically two choices open. ( i'm sure there are many more but in my teens, I was only aware of two.) 1. You can take what is said and believe it because it's what your parents believe and therefore why would it be wrong? Take it and incorporate those ideas and concepts of hate and prejudice into who you become as you mature. Of course taking it as truth as you mature leads to becoming what your parents were. If they were obstinate, unfeeling, uncaring of others in the world and only out to satisfy themselves, you could pretty much look forward to the same. The question about doing this is... at what point, age, life experience, do you either see the lies and prejudice for what it is (Hate), or do you blindly continue on that path because of the mentality that "if it was good enough for mom and pop it's more than good enough for me!". Even if that path leads to diminishing your own capacity for unconditional Love to ever become part of your life? It took me until I was 17 to finally say something, and to accept the consequences of saying I did not agree or believe as my Father did. Or 2. Take what is said and use it to see if what's being said has any truth behind it. Like a wake up called to yourself. Of course even doing that, it can not negate the baggage of my formative years being around such a terrible influence. I had to become not only aware of my thoughts, but actively look for ways to break free from the imposed structure of what I was told to believe all through my youth. For me this meant Listening to all people, watching their actions, and only lastly paying any attention to their differences from myself. And trying to see those differences as good because they were different, different is not bad, it is only different. I had to purposefully push myself to interactwith all kinds of people, so that I could see what they were about without the bullshit handed to me by my father. Because of my abhorrence for my own fathers beliefs the world was opening to me. I went and lived in California. While living there for 6 years I met some of the coolest most open people of my life, and I treasure those times. I went and lived in Hawaii, I met some of the most spiritually diverse and open people of my life there. Hawaii is a place where there is a lot of cross cultural sharing of ideas and cooperation in daily living because of it. Besides that, Maui is a very special place in my heart and will be forever. Then I moved back to california again. Years of experiences, years of living outside of the box I was raised within. The living, the traveling, all the changes within myself, and still the head of the past rises. Demons from the past are always with you it seems. You always take your problems with you no matter what. People talk about never "being able to go home again". Well the home that is within you is always there right below the surface, and the only way to change it is to do something. Thinking back about my Father, I am uncomfortable. He was a large (because I was small) man, ever imposing, always seemingly on the verge of exploding those veins that stood out on his temples, and always seething with anger with that red face of his. I guess you can see why he was a scary guy. Even so, I would once in awhile work up the stupid courage of the 7 or 8 year old boy I was and ask him why he said those things about those people. And he would always glare at me and say pretty much the same thing. "They deserve it, because thats what the hell they are, you dumbass." His glare always seemed to make me sweat, even in winter. ( or maybe that was the thought of being hit later on.) I could never understand how he could say such bad things about people who he didn't even know personally. I would as him how it was that people of whatever color or group could all be so bad. But this is what he insisted and to not think the same made me a stupid dumbass of a boy. You have to understand, that to disagree with his view was entirely personal to him, and it usually meant getting hit. When my sister and I were young he would slap us or use the 3 ' wide leather belt that hung in the hall closet just for its easy access in case it would be needed. (That belt hung there all my life until I threw it away after he died.) When I was older he would just smack me in the head or punch me, of course always glaring and telling me "there's more where that came from". So there was no arguing with my Father, at least not as a young boy. What finally freed me from this mentality, was when I was 17 I told my old man face to face ( I was now about a foot taller than him) that he was full of shit and so were his shitty beliefs. And that if he ever hit me again one of us would not survive it. That was the last time my Dad and I had a confrontation or argument for that matter. A year and a half later, he was dead. My Father died from the sudden unrestrained onset of ALS also known as Lou Gehrigs disease. It is a neuro-degenerative disease, that destroys your ability to move and use your body. It usually starts at the lower spine and works it's way up to the brain stem. You end up in a wheelchair, unable to speak, or control your yourself. Usually there is massive weight loss as well so weakness and utter frailty is common. It is progressive and usually fatal within 3 years. The doctors told us that we had to try to understand what he was trying to tell us, because even though he could not properly form words with his mouth, he was speaking, and his intellect was still complete inside of his ravaged body. It was hell watching him deteriorate month by month, and I felt for my Mom, because when we could no longer understand what his noises and grunts meant, he would try and sometimes succeed in biting us. It was like trying to take care of a vicious animal. I believe that by the end my father had probably lost his mind, and there was nothing left, except a wish for death. It was fast, humiliating, and a merciless way to die. Looking back now, I can say I wish I could remember my Father in a positive way, and not that image of an angry emaciated man doing his best to lash out at everyone and everything from his wheelchair. Even Monsters deserve a better death than that. I'm sorry for running on and getting in to all of this.... I am tempted to just delete it all... and put that skeleton back in the closet. Afterall he will always be there, till the end of my days. Its been 27 years for me since he left this world, that eminently hateful man, my Father. His influence, his example has made me the obstinate bastard that I sometimes am. It's only when I think back to his influence that I can clearly see his face. Most times I just see the animal in the wheelchair. I can and do blame him for what He was. But I can also thank him for what I am not. 27 years after his death, and I think I can finally forgive him. Thats a good thing, because as I get older, the face I see in the mirror looks more familiar everyday. But thanks to him I am a very different man. -------------------------------- This was very difficult for me to write. Very emotional, but necessary. It has given me a fresh view... of why I am. Please , if you have something to share, please do so. Steve

Hello everyone! Some thoughts, some questions, some ideas for living. If it makes sense to you great, if not it's ok if you think I'm full of shit, it's my life either way. Lets discuss some of this stuff, I look forward to it! Please feel free to tell me what you agree/disagree with. How does a Taoist live in the world? What are the things that make a person a Taoist? Is a person who unknowingly acts with Taoist principles, but has no knowledge of what Toism is, a more natural Taoist then say someone that has studied and learned to be a Taoist? To take the child like mind of, Curiosity, intense happiness, intense saddness, innate empathy, and simple needs such as; food, shelter, warmth, and feeling safe. Do these simple qualities make up a natural Taoist? To be one with Tao and make no distinctions of good or bad, does one need to become more like a simpleton? With all of the education and knowledge we gain, and the stretching of our intellect, are we not placing more stumbling blocks into our path of being more in tune with Tao. Like, to know you are one with Tao, in the acknowledgment and recognition, you end up losing what you thought was there. To look and say "there is Tao" pulls you out, and away from it, you have left the flow of it by the fact of pointing to a manifestation, and have stopped flowing, in that moment. To return is to not be conscious of what is Tao, but to exist in that moment and just BE. Humans have such incredible intellect. Such a need to explain the WHY of all things. What is the explaining of why in regards to Tao? Is there not only what is? Is not why absent in the doing and happening of our lives? Does the fish swimming in the stream, ask why the stream changes direction? Or does the fish naturally change direction as well, using the flow of the water to aide him in his journey? Is not the living within whatever constraints we face, the order and way of Tao? Is not the only reason we humans try to change everything to our will, not just our own judgment of what we desire to have? Or what we believe we deserve? Do not our desires for what we perceive we should have cause us to fight against the natural flow of Tao within our lives? I am not at all suggesting that we should live our lives like a happless leaf floating wherever the current takes, without any goal or meaning other than that. I am suggesting that rather than constantly struggling and fighting to have our lives conform to our desires, we should practice flowing with our life's natural direction, more so than trying to force it's direction. This means letting life have a more natural flow, and letting our actions take part in being a positive influence in the creative force behind that flow. Flowing with things as they happen, and accepting what comes into our life with the realization that many things come into our lives by our past actions, and they will effect the future flow of our life. Making changes, accepting mistakes we've made, changing course with the flow, and realizing that all things are in a sense impartial, what can happen will at some point. Bad things happen, The Tao is impartial, we are its strawdogs, we can only flow within its constraints. I guess the point I'm trying to make is, live life as is most natural to YOU. But do your best to not attach yourself to your desire of what you believe should be. Have more acceptance in life, and less contempt, things in life may not be want you want them to be.... they just Are. It is a strong urge within us to fight , to try to change things, especially to survive. But it is part of flowing with Tao(to me) to accept what happens along the way without judging it to be right or wrong, because you desired something else to have happened in it's place. To me, this is the best way of reconecting with Tao in our everyday lives. Peace!

Fire dragon, bright Glowing in the clouds at night, Serpent of the sky.

To make my own storm. Black smoke belches into sky, Fire dragon, angry.

Wind reunites us, Zephyr dances on mountain, Thunder and lightning.

Hi Steve. Thanks for the supportive comments. I know I am far from alone in having such skeletons. I think that when the time is right this stuff will come out whether we want it to or not. Usually if you try to contain it, it can destroy all your relationships, and your life in general. I feel lighter after facing it and letting go. Thanks again to everyone for participating. Peace!

welcome!

The open range of thought, Coyotes practice mute stillness Tumble weed, my friend.

Thanks Manitou ...I'm happy that you feel it in the simple surroundings of our lives. What's palpable in our everyday, is the difference we make just by our change in perspective. Hey If Snoopy is in my back yard.... does that make me Charlie Brown? I don't even own a yellow shirt! LoL Peace To You!

These halls have no walls! My ceiling, sky overhead, Buffalo grazing.

Good morning manitou! Thank you for your greatly introspective words and feelings. I too am at the place in my life where I am finally seeing the truth in accepting what I have in my life, and stopping the endless cycle of needless desires. There are necessities and then there are the needless desires of things you tell yourself you must have to be happy. Being and feeling that contentment of accepting what you have in your life right NOW, to me has been very liberating. Stopping yourself from these desires, is very freeing. It has allowed me to really find myself in the moment, and live that moment to moment life where I am appreciative of the smallest things, and feel little hurry in dealing with people and problems that would have made me want to run before. The slowing down and putting yourself there in the now, is like giving yourself permission to be kinder, gentler, and take time to really "see" the people all around us, the periphery people especially. When we push and hurry we communicate to others that they are not worth our time because we are more important then they are. We limit ourselves from taking the moment to connect with really seeing that person and feeling any compassion or empathy towards them. We do this to ourselves. Slowing down the moments, knowing it is ok to show others we are "interested", creates a flowing of positive action and reaction within us and our lives. I have felt such a difference in my life because I have made this shift in my own perceived importance and sense that I am always hurrying to do what? My work will be done, and I am far from important, so why should I not make time to listen, to let others know "I really see" them? Think of it as an everyday type of continual "validation" as we go thru our day. We are saying, yes, I see you, and you are valued. I work a 5 day a week full time retail job, and I can say it is possible to instill these concepts and ideas all through ones day. Actually they are essential to me now, because they have allowed me to leave my feelings of contempt for the workplace behind me, and in their place I now see calmness and acceptance. The change in perspective has changed my life. If I am feeling unhappy, I begin to think to myself, "what is it that I think I should have in this moment?" and "Why do I feel like I desire this?' Which brings me to the understanding that this moment is just as I am experiencing it... and nothing more than that. And it is my "desire" for this moment to be something else that has generated this feeling of unhappiness. If I am fully experiencing this moment, why would I be wanting anything other than what is right here before me? This happening, this moment is it's own own completeness, as is the next, and the next. Being in the moment is not to question what's transpiring, is not to point and say I want something else. But it is to be so fully into what is happening, that you are conscious of nothing else. When that happens, you are flowing with whatever, and whomever you are with, content because for you time has stopped, and all there is in the universe is right there in front of you, that happening, that moment, nothing else. You become that moment. I hope I am making some sense. I just know it to be true from what I have experienced. I've been told this is like a state of deep meditation, but I am talking about this taking place while you go about your day, and at work. It is not continuous for the whole day, but there are hours at a time where it is so. Peace!