Stigweard

SKFOCL = Slaps knee falls off chair laughing

OK I'll bite just for the fun of it Prove that I am not enlightened.

In the Aramaic Language and culture that Jesus taught in, the terms for "sin" and "evil" were archery terms. When the archer shot at the target and missed the scorekeeper yelled the Aramaic word for sin [khata]. It meant that you were off the mark, take another shot. The concept of sin was to be positive mental feedback. Sin is when you are operating from inaccurate information and thus a perceptual mis-take. When you become conscious and aware if the results of your inaccuracy you have the option to reconsider what you have learned and do as they do in Hollywood, "do another take." By the way, where the arrow fell when it missed the target was referred to as evil. The Meaning of Sin and Evil

You are very right and I was to the best of my ability trying to follow exactly this process, allowing Todd's perception to erode some of my fixations. You may have noticed that I have a certain amount of attachment to speaking clearly and being understood. More self-importance to resolve obviously Thank you for your point of view, I am not sure whether you meant to do it but it very much mirrors what I was trying to communicate. Sobriety

Sorry Todd it seems you have missed my point entirely and gone off on your own tangent. Your insistence that "I am making a mistake" and that "you know it and I don't" is rather irksome (my own attachment to having people understand me I'm sorry) when you haven't even bothered to explore the implications of what I am suggesting. My example of the spiritual and mundane was a poor one I admit ... and yes I am totally in accord with you that they should not be considered seperately at all. Again apologies for a poor use of terminology. However, my direct experience reveals that there are indeed significantly differing perceptions and views of the world that can be achieved. These 'points of perception' are very much a bandwidth available to us and once a new 'frequency' is attuned then a completely different perception of the world is assembled. In saying this however these differing views or perceptions are in fact merely facets of the one perception and that our predeliction is to integrate these frequencies into one. And yes I agree it is the awareness having those perceptions that is the true source. You are disagreeing with my finger pointing to the moon. Chop my finger off and see the moon.

Graci ... can this be pinned please?

This is from "The Workbook for Spiritual Development of all People" by Master Ni, Hua-Ching: Yen Hwei asked, "What is the essence of purification? I beg to know." The teacher replied, "You begin by concentrating on the ears. Do not listen with the faculty of hearing, but with your mind. What ears can hear is meaningless sound. Then listen, not with the mind, but with your energy. What the mind can hear is changeable phenomena. Only chi does not objectify things, but is receptive to all. Then there is only the true path which exists in the great void. To be empty-minded is the essence of purification."

Thanks for this fos, just to extend and corroborate... Personality of course comes from person arriving from the Old French persone "human being" which you have correctly revealed comes from the Latin persona "human being," originally "character in a drama, mask," possibly borrowed from Etruscan phersu "mask." What is interesting is that this may be related to the Greek Persephone. Maybe just a moot point

We can talk about the road leading to infinity and the road leading back from infinity (i.e. the 'result' so to speak). In my experience this is how it works. We have cycles where we enter a merging with the oneness and then we cycle back out again. This is what shamans do, they journey into the otherworld for their people and then they come back to communicate what they have experienced, traditionally through song, dance, art, etc. ... in our case here it is the words we post here at TaoBums. In my own cultivation there are phases when I am profoundly connected; cycles where all my life circumstances support my spiritual progression; cycles where my consciousness is more subtle, more sublime. Then I have cycles where I am heavily involved in my own controlled folly. I find the art is to be mindful of the cycles and not fight them. When my life is mundane I allow it to be mundane when it is more spiritually focused I allow it to be so without attachment. How do you meet the Dao? To try and do so creates seperation between you and Dao. I know the details of my path that has brought me to my particular vantage point overlooking the infinite void. I articulate that as susinctly and as clearly as I can so that I can help others to their own particular path of insight/wisdom/power, and also so that I can get the mirroring response from the good folk here for my own relflection ... much like a bat finds its way in the dark.

Indeed.

Yes, thank you for posting this. Anyone reading Carlos' books are advised to do so with extreme caution and discernment. The Toltec model can be a useful reference point to help organise our thoughts and awareness, and to that end it does so most admirably. My main practice, however, is predominately Taoist as I believe the Taoist tradition is both more holistic and is available to us in an infinitely more complete and functional format.

IMHO Enlightenment is a very practical path. Excuse re-emphasising a point but the etymology of 'enlightenment' may indeed provide us a pragmatic approach. We seem to talk about the road to get to enlightenment and then we can talk about the effects of enlightenment but quite rightly we stumble when we try to wrap words around what enlightenment actually is. I guess the description you settle on is whatever 'sings in your heart' and gives you impetus to cultivate. As long as one is mindful that the description is not 'it' then progress can be made.

HAHAHAHAHAAA .... my bad ... aren't our minds sly things ... I have declared a difference between you and Lin and gave my preference to Lin. I really am sincerely sorry. Please forgive me and do ignore my self importance. *bows and leaves the room to make some chai*

Actually ... by admitting that you yourself have not experienced 'it' automatically disqualifies you from passing judgement on who has or has not experienced 'it'. SJ makes claims of an experience and says that it is 'it' yet the TTC tells us that the 'one who knows speaks not, whilst the one speaks knows not.' So by the mere fact that Lin refrains from describing 'it' and says that 'it' cannot be put into words automatically gives him the higher probability that he actually has experienced 'it'. ROFL aren't we funny critters PS What, by the way, is the 'it' we are talking about? .... hehehe

Ok good good ... I'm glad we are on the same page. I would been inclined that "states that arise of the mind" are the Tonal rather then being merely influenced by the Tonal. We may have a different meaning to the term "state", so ... Question: When you say "states of the mind" or "mental states" what exactly are you meaning by the term "state"?

Hehehe Castaneda was a wild ride but in terms of books I find Theun Mares to be much more lucid and practical. Sorry don't know much of Merilyn Tunneshende.

Ain't that the absolute truth ... hang on no it's not they're just words ... wait ... thought I had it for a moment ... nope ... sorry ... it's gone Hahahahahahaa Aren't we just so humorous with our controlled folly. Thanks Mat

From a Taoist perspective Matrix Energetics is conforming to the old formula: Where Yi goes Qi follows, where Qi flows Jing follows. In Taijiquan this is why so much focus is given to developing a clear, directive intent. With all the 'neural pathways' for the physical movements well internalised throughout years of training the practitioner needs only send their Yi, their intent, in a direction and the Qi and body automatically follows. It is also why when I send my Yi to my finger tips my hand becomes full of Qi and then moments later the extra blood flow brings warmth to the area. Just so, with a clear intent on the state a being you want your Qi and Jing will naturally follow. So theoretically Matrix Energetics is sound ... the results on the ground is the real test however ... Of that I have no knowledge or opinion.