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I'ved lived a few different places and none of them placed high importance on IQ, except when I was in school. But I've always lived in the US.

See when you combine a high IQ with a high emotional intelligence and humility and common sense, you've got a great thing going. So as far as these go? If we didn't place so much importance on I.Q., would it actually be of any importance? In my day to day life, I don't see anyone placing any importance on IQ. But that's just my experience. Can someone not be happy in life unless they are intelligent achievers in modern civilization? People can absolutely be happy in life without being "intelligent achievers". Most of us, however, do need to feel we're doing something worthwhile and productive (those words are different to different people) to civilization on some scale, to be happy. Do you place great importance on intelligence? Why? No. But I do appreciate it when I encounter it. If it's the person who's designing my car or the safety controls on a nuclear power plant, I think it's fairly important I can use a bunch of different examples, but I'll just say that different types of intelligence (some of which wouldn't score well on an IQ test) are important for different activities. So it depends on what you decide to do with your life. Does your experience with Taoism, Buddhism, etc have a bearing on your view? Yes. I don't think I judged based on IQ before, but my involvement with these things has made me even less likely to judge someone's worth based on their wit.

200 years ago you sometimes had to wear something over your nose to even be able to stand walking through a highly populated area, the smell was so bad. I agree about the BO. I'm talking about people who shower every two or three days at least, and don't have some sort of "condition".

Well I guess to start with, the results are only as good as the test. It definitely tells us something. People who score very low and very high are definitely people you would expect those relative scores from. In today's society, though I'm sure there's a better test, I think it is somewhat appropriate. But as far as a person's worth? No, it doesn't tell us anything about that. Personally, I'm as smart as I am. So I can't say whether being more bright or more dim would help or hinder my cultivation. I know that in conversation, I prefer quickness in those I talk to. There are conversations you just can't have with certain people... But I'll take a kind, upbeat, considerate person who's a bit slow any day over a real quick-witted highly-intelligent person who's an ass. And in my limited understanding, high intelligence doesn't help one bit with cultivation. It certainly helps with understanding some of the complicated and esoteric practices and theories. But do you need to understand those to reach enlightenment? I kind of doubt it, but I really don't know. In the professional and academic world, I think IQ tests are flawed way, but a way all the same to get some idea of what a person is intellectually capable of.

Hey his rv looks about the same size as mine! I'm actually a pretty big "fan". He was the person who got me into this stuff more "seriously", and even as I continue learning more and more, I can go back to Be Here Now and 99% of it still clicks.

I completely agree that there are a lot of people stinking up the air. I would much rather smell someone's BO than their stinky chemical perfume. And it's always disappointing when I wash my hands in a new bathroom and only realize too late the smell that's in the soap... I worked with too many women who could be tracked, room to room, by the smell they'd leave behind them. Probably due to where I lived, and the kind of work I did, it was pretty rare for men to be wearing anything. Most women didn't either. But they ones who did...boy that's annoying. Every now and then I'll find myself in a restaurant or some other public place and some guy or girl will walk in and yes, they totally ruin the atmosphere with their smell.

Yeah, otherwise known as "bone broth". Collagen. Good stuff.

I'll try to keep from putting too many concepts and theories here to keep it focused... So there are movements towards souping up the human race. Things like Bulletproof, all sorts of supplements, etc. Feeding super nutrients, fats and all that into us to boost brain function, energy, digestion, and extend life. And people get real into this stuff. Of course they do. Then there the traditional teachings of "enlightened" people from the past and present, telling us to eat a simple diet, avoid spices, basically to take in a bland, simple, light diet. That doing this allows your energy to move from the gross to the light, to feel subtle energies, to raise your vibration. Now obviously one of these is for health and performance, and one is for moving along in the process of enlightenment. But I know there are very spiritual people who feel that the first example is part of furthering human evolution and moving toward enlightenment. The prevailing attitude in our culture now in the yoga, qigong, martial arts health crowd seems to be to follow the first example. An all around kind of high-performance life. High performance body and high performance mind. What's your take? I know where I stand, and a few here probably know where my thinking on this stems from, but I'd like to see what other people think.

Yes I'm sure there's a lot of glue and other nasty stuff in most incense.

I drink tap water. We do have a filter it goes through first, but it's tap water. The last place I lived, I just put it through a Britta before drinking. And a lot of my friends just drink their water right out of the tap without even a Britta.

Some good thoughts. While it's a valid point, I'm not talking about people eating junk food plus supplements and thinking they're healthy. I'm talking about very health-concious people who are very concerned, like secretgrotto, about the right balance of fats, about certain "tonics", and alkali vs acidity in the body, about the idea of hacks in the "life hacker" style, where you're figuring out different ways things work and building a better you. Many of these people go against what mainstream society is telling them (though there are so many "main streams" today I don't know if we can rightly call anything mainstream), they're eating lots of grass-fed butter, locally raised meat, healthy oils etc. Seeing how their body works with gluten, and without it. Experimenting and researching. There are a lot mini revolutions going on in western diets, which re-thinking a lot of what we've been programmed to believe (thus the term "hack" that a lot of these people are using). I know what people are talking about with supplements instead of real foods, fads, scams etc. But I think a lot of people really are finding truth in some of the more recent trends, and are probably really experiencing health benefits. In comparison to, say, eating oatmeal in the morning. No nuts for extra health, no sweetener, even natural ones like raisins, no super healthy grass fed butter or ghee. Just oatmeal. Then maybe some nuts and fruit for lunch. A salad for dinner. Or just plain rice, with maybe some steamed veggies on the side. No spices, no additives. Done. Just as an example.

Nag Champa was my favorite for years. Now it's too pungent for me, but I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for incense. I like to burn it in new-to-me places. A new house, bedroom, vehicle. Even if you (or I) don't buy into any spiritual-cleansing property theories, a familiar smell and the act of walking around getting it in all corners/rooms etc helps me to feel comfy and at home. I haven't started using it in meditation, or health, because I prefer clean air for that

I like sandalwood... I think that's what's burning in all the Taoist temples I've been in.

I don't think society is, as a whole, quite as repressed as a person's imagination might make it out to be. If somehow all of society realized righteousness is an illusion? I guess that would mean the police, and military, too? Because they, and the threat of hell and stern heavenly father wagging his finger in disapproval from above is all that keeps a huge number of people from committing all sorts of crimes right now, today. And throughout history. Fear of punishment is really all that's kept quite a lot of people from hurting others. If that fear of punishment went away? Yeah, some hell would definitely break loose. But for a societal awakening like that happen, I would assume that other enlightening realities would have to come along with that realization. Like love and compassion. But sure, there'd be some Mad Max shit going on, too.

Pretty sure all Thermos lids are plastic, at least the ones that allow you to pour without taking the lid off. I don't think it would be cost effective for them to figure out that opening and closing pour contraption in any material other than plastic. Ah, gotta love these first world problems.

I think as long as we aren't talking hot liquids, I'd agree. I finally got a form to come up on their site asking for my info, so a local distributer could contact me...Googling didn't do much good except to see that it's listed on some local restaurant menus, so it's clearly around here. For now, though...I don't think I need to be buying water in individually packaged servings, when I have a good water filter in the house. But if I ever have an office or shop or something and want to put in a water cooler, I may revisit that..

it's hard to tell, but it looks like these have metal lids. I'd want to ask, or see one in person before buying one. It's hard to tell from the photo, but I think I have one of these. Mine has...actually a plastic lid, but otherwise it's some sort of enamel outside over a metal body with a lining of clay inside. Bought it in China...and I've wondered how exactly they get the clay to coat so uniformly on the inside, and stay in place so well. I'm guessing there's a chemical added in the mix somewhere. It's always been too low capacity for me to really make much use of it anyway. edit: details say materials for the glass mugs are glass and steel. Doesn't mention plastic but I'd still want to hold one in my hands before committing.

Hopefully people understand this without being told... But yeah. I've actually talked a few friends out of getting a dog when they were considering it. Look at your life...how much free time do you have? How often do you go out of town? Dogs are pack animals and sentient beings. Their entire life quality depends on you and what you do for them. If that life is laying around locked in the house or alone in the backyard while you're at work, then you head out for other stuff after work without them, they have a very very dull, boring, lonely existence. But back on topic...

Mine has an all plastic lid... I'll check into those travel mugs.. Yeah, one by one, it seems like all products are going for cheap and disposable. In some ways it makes perfect sense, in others it's really too bad.

Yeah I guess we just each need to decide where to draw the line. Exactly! Even the stainless steel water bottles like kleen kanteen have plastic lids. But I guess it's the lighter, thinner, soft plastics which are the real problem. And usually the water isn't in contact with the lid. A fully glass travel mug with a metal lid would be best. I think they make those... Last week I even bought a snapple, since it was in a glass bottle. Then I kept that bottle and refilled it with water the rest of the day.

I'm guessing if the Mountain Valley Spring Water "store locator" doesn't do anything when I enter my zip, that means they don't distribute there? Or maybe it's broken... That is the biggest issue...plastic. I was in central America last week, and I had to be really careful to specify a glass of water. The water out of the tap is perfectly drinkable, where I was. Usually they asked, but if they didn't, and I didn't specify, they'd bring me a plastic bottle of water. And of course the safe water out of the tap doesn't cost anything... Then there's the airplane! I found myself getting a soda or sugary juice, because I could ask for the whole can. If you get water, it's coming out of a plastic water bottle, poured into a plastic cup. And on the first flight I made the mistake of ordering coffee and thought "doh!" when they handed it to me in a styrofoam cup... Been too long since I flew, obviously. I got pretty dehydrated on the flight home, trying to avoid plastic and styrofoam. Anyway... What are people's thoughts on different cup materials, on taste? I'm completely ok with drinking out of stainless steel, but when I put my tea in a steel to-go mug, it has a totally different taste. I don't notice quite as much difference between ceramic and glass, but steel, definitely. Plus I was spoiled by living in the same town as a ceramic artist residency program, and it's pretty popular among the potters to make tea cups and tea pots, following in the tradition of the Chinese roots of ceramics.

Well I'm sure I'd been using boiling water, so that's a good place to start. Thanks.

I try. Back at home, there was good water, so I just had it in a Britta-style filter. On the road, I kind of just used whatever I had last found to fill my water jugs...sometimes municipal water, but often water from wells out in boonies. Which can be good or bad...I put it through one of these, so it wouldn't be too bad. Where I'm staying for the winter, we have a counter-top water filter I use for any drinking water/tea. What do you use?

For Taiwan oolongs, I go here: http://www.redblossomtea.com That's not to say it's the best or only place, it's just the best I've found. All my other tea comes from here: http://www.sevencups.com What's your question about gaiwans? Any brewing method will do. For years, all I did was put the tea leaves in a cup/mug/glass. 90% or more of them will sink to the bottom within a couple minutes of pouring hot water in there. Some teas can be stubborn and not sink...but for the most part they sink and get out of your way. Hotter water helps them sink. Just add more hot water when you're down to about 1/4 full. But there are all kinds of ways to brew. Teapots, gaiwans, infusers etc. Most gaiwans are pretty small...I try to look for the larger ones. Mine is 6oz, and it's slightly larger than average. Most yixing pots are pretty small, too.