Protector

Hi Just cruising by here

Taoism has wizards in it, sometimes as a profession. Not exactly wizards but more like normal priests who have abilities and do spells. Some spells are cast using charms called Fu. These yellow papers with strange texts on them, mostly prayers and stuff that doesn't seem to do anything. In The Forbidden Kingdom Jackie Chan was trying to summon rain using one of these Fu. Didn't work out. It's like a profession and takes a lot of studying. If you want to do it for powers then you might not get what you expected. I only know one guy who does it and it's working out for him, and another guy who just makes endless videos on youtube and it's not working out.

There's a place that you can go to, And it's never very far. Famous people you can live through, If you don't know who you are. Why, there's so much to live up to, Expectations are so high. I'm not crying, it's my contact, There must be something in my, eye.

Everybody knows that Tao is the true shape of flax seed without the bag pfffffffffft

OR is not out yet and it's already old news. What I think is even cooler is augmented reality like with google glass. aaaaaaaaah why is this stuff not out, yet

one day

My biggest problem is that the long-discussed-living-in-the-nature-thing is not going to help the environment but the ones living it will be hurt the most instead. If the pollution keeps increasing, farming on your own land who-knows-where will be difficult. If before the Earth gets destroyed we become pure beings of soul without bodies, then living in the mountains would probably a better idea if you know for sure. But I don't think there is any real proof of that and just lots of arguing. The better way of saving the Earth would be done by people with lots of money and the scientists that they pay. I'm writing a cyberpunk novel, it's taking a long freaking time by the way, and I think the future would be more like that.

Glad you're with me on this, finally someone is listening

In my day, I induced so many crazy forum rules like character cap and post a day limit on one forum so this is nothing errrrrrrrrrrr

Count his teeth ...no, wait

There are a many reasons for joining monasteries. Some do it because of old age and having nothing to loose, others join from the young age. Some feel the call and join because they feel like it's the right thing to do or no one else will. Very selfless reasons that could be described in the most simple terms as wanting to serve. The biggest lesson divinity and God can teach at monastery is selflessness and humbleness. But then you guys, wanting to isolate yourself from the society, improve yourself for self's sake and stand above others. Respecting other monks for having similar goals and shunning the rich. Do you think when monks beg for food they feel superior to the ones giving them food, or that they are glad that they live a better life then the ones behind the door? Can't be a very good monk with such an inflated ego at this point. This is not improvement, this is making the rest look worse to make the self look better. Don't have to have a big ego by thinking big about yourself, it's enough to think little of others. "Evil materialistic people walking around with their souls drained of everything, I'm better because I have a hut." Two people with same jobs, money, empty lives, and same education can stand on different levels spiritually as long as their minds are open, you said yourself that you can't see the other way. My Tao is too deviant from yours, so it probably should disappear and make way to your popular opinion. To quote Buddha, "I'm awake"

I had an argument going once and if no one stops me I MIGHT DO IT AGAIN!!!!!!!!

Suddenly... in Protector's mind awoken a memory of an episode of Clone High where all the kids started smoking raisins to get high and to protect the kids all the adults started building a wall and to knock down the wall the hippie kids used the power of love but that didn't work because love is just an abstract concept that can't knock down stuff then he posted the video because he could't resist and the thread would end right there otherwise http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymqkFKADcn4 The song is awesome, too RAISINS ARE FROM HEAVEN NOW WE'RE RAISIN HELL

In my professional opinion... nah But it would probably be fun to read later

Took a nap and now I don't care hurrrrrr What else is there to say? I'll wait for inspiration and then poke some more

It's selfish to think that the world belongs to one person and that person is responsible for its well being, or anyone to think that actually hmmm People have spiritual needs, too. At first they don't realize it, but after consuming everything from food to intellectual property, they yearn for more. They don't know what that more is, yet, but they want it still. Before they were on the path they didn't know that that feeling even existed, but they want more spirituality like it's a thing they can buy. With that new hunger they want to go to meditation seminars, buy candles, get lessons, become something. Then they get lost and look for others with similar interests to tell them what to do and then you get the communities. That's when all these people sing the same song of "society being evil", "money is evil", "these people are hurting everybody" and so on. The first spark that started this came from the self and it could have been enough with just a new way of looking at the world that could make it even more beautiful. But it suddenly becomes evil. There's no need to go all the way out to feel happy, it's enough to have nothing, happiness is self-made. It's alright to have your own small community of like-minded people, even though you get the idea about how great your future is going to be from others in their communities with their grassy hills and trees. Thank you, hippies. Way to raise the bar. But know what could work just as well? The Internet The rest is easy, you're as free as your mind is. You can stand anywhere in the world, as long as you have something underneath your feet, close your eyes and you can be anywhere you want. If you open your eyes and see ads on the buildings, stressful people, and corruption everywhere, then you won't be free even if you do leave society. ch48 The system is not what it seems ch29 it's even kinda easy to fight it ch36 if you feel like it ch43

These are all the things that stops a person from being a part of society, if you say all that to a random person on the street that is. If someone wants to get healed, they go to a doctor. Qi gong is also just a means and not the way, just like meditation.

I'm against spirituality as a way of life, this thread greatly reminded me of that. Spirituality should be an aid, not the focus. Lots of people have enlightenment as their goal in life and that annoys me. They get so excited that they want to throw everything else away, but they can have both with no compromise. No need to become a monk, travel far away, or put years into it. I say, do both or it's not worth it. This commune thing is like that to me, plus it's way against Tao. Imagine you want to become a sage, so you quit your job, sell your house and move to the mountains. There you build a camp where you start a fire, store your food, make sure there's no one to disturb you, and meditate. Everything is perfect and how you envisioned. You meditated on your way there, you meditated when you thought of that, and you meditated before you thought of that. To fulfill your vision you had to destroy everything to rebuild your new you on top of it. It worked and you became a sage, monk, hermit, or something else. It has been done by many people before and they are doing fine, they are not a part of the society though. Another shame is gurus who are full time gurus, they have knowledge and guidance for many modern problems and can help people. It's a shame because they would be so much more powerful if they used it themselves. They would be gone now if they didn't follow they way and became visible to us. The knowledge is free and they are everywhere for everyone to see. The best example of a commune that is going against Tao is actually the Amish. They are self sustainable, nice, and happy. The reason that they are against Tao ,like other similar communes, is because they are on the path of destruction. It is very plainly seen in the "Meet The Amish" series, there are four parts and easy to find on youtube. Amish kids are, or some of them, allowed to leave a community for a while to decide to stay Amish or leave. Ideologies crash and Amish upbringing usually wins, but for how long? They are a very small bunch of people that doesn't agree with the rest of the world, all of the world. The time stopped for them centuries ago, they were normal for the world of the past, but the future will sweep them away. Anything can happen, all the kids could decide to leave or ideologies will stop matching the rest of the world so much that everyone could hate them. Somebody could manage the old fashioned one with nature life, but it wont be easy and so no one will follow and there will be no further survival in that, it's doomed. Tao is eternal, it's not in the past or the future or anything. Gripping to something and hoping that it will work, will eventually stop working and it's time to let go and move on. It's easier to go with the crowd and so everyone will. If you want to change things, fighting it is the hardest thing to do. The easiest thing is to lead the pack to change things. Run with it but run faster, wu wei, yo.

I just really hate the thought of the commune thing, everyone has some dumb reason for doing it and I don't like it. Meditation is not the goal or the way, it's a tool for the means. Chapters of interest 2, 5, 8, 9, 10, 17, 21, 22, 23, 27, 29, 30, 33, 35, 36, and that one episode of Daria with the hippies

Worst idea ever There's a preconception about what spirituality is and having a hippie commune is living up to the stereotype but sticking the word Tao on top of it. It's nice for the planet and all, but it's at the cost of loosing any spiritual progress made until that point. Living off land and trying to have the most simple living regresses a person to the basic survival needs: thinking about how to get food, making clothes to keep warm, thinking about how not to die. The first time real progress is made when a person has food, shelter, and all needs fulfilled. Then the mind could be clear to realize greater things in life and where that person stands. It can be realizing that all this time the search for luxury and entertainment was pointless and harmful to something or other, and leaving society to restore balance becomes a self-sacrifice. There are others who leave society for self improvement but that is a test to see that they don't loose themselves if they feel that they want to come back. Being away won't change their true self, though. Living simply and wanting other to leave the evil society is selfish. It's everyone's planet, and not just the ones who care for it. There were many great advances in science and civilization spread throughout the planet, it's a great force that influences everyone. Regressing back to the old ways is against the Tao and not something that will save the planet and society at large. But you know, if you want to do it, it's fine

Officer, I hardly knew 'er

Brings all the boys to the yard, doesn't it?

Now I gotta keep changing avatars to make everything hardcore

ughhhhhhhhhhhh kids these days... It's aaaaaaaaaaaaaooooooooooooooooooommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn then fading fading fading, and you can feel it only in your head as it goes up