GrandmasterP

I do dream seldom remember dreams but never have nightmares ( that I remember). Used to get real wake up screaming and covered in sweat nightmares back in the day as an enduring legacy from a nasty bout of malaria. Quite a common side effect of malaria apparently and can stick with you for years. Old boy in India showed me a trick that works for me and I've not had a nightmare since as far as I know. Certainly no screamy- sweaty ones.

That edition listed on Amazon is advertised as being in 12 volumes and that price appears to be for all 12. I have seen a 14 volumes set as well. The 14 volume edition could be the Indira Gandhi Foundation version. The blurb is interesting on Amazon. Sounds to be an old time Kashmiri Kali cult with some survival into today. Shades of the Thugees perhaps?

http://markdkashi.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5:the-tantraloka-project&catid=2&Itemid=101 More here and 12 volumes to buy! http://www.amazon.com/Manthanabhairavatantram-Kumarikakhandah-Section-Concerning-Goddess/dp/8124604983/ref=pd_sim_sbs_b_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=1DSWWYG20YBMBJ2QKEAC Happy reading. :-)

It is a confusing stew because we are all throwing in our own ingredients by way of labels plus attempted definitions of awareness. Such as what follows...... Awareness of life happening right now = Mindfulness ' Being life' = caught up with or 'entrapped' with life 'happening'. I do think there's a subtle difference between mindfulness as an awareness of the 'now' and some definitions of awareness such as your Vedanta example. Taking Vedanta as an example I need to be implicated in a knowledge of Vedanta, what the word means for one thing. That comes with baggage and before I know it , whilst I'm aware of Vedanta and its many blessings.. ' on the Vedanta path' as it were... I'm too busy north of my own neck with the Vedanta stuff to be mindful. Here , in this 'now' which is all that any of us ever have.

"Awareness of life happening is not 'Being life'. Predictably the state of awareness (Buddhist mindfulness) is easily forgotten or mislaid, or it can be overwhelmed by dream thinking or any powerful emotional situation, for instance. The glass box shatters and the place you seemed to be in seems lost again. The dream seeker either starts self enquiring again, for another boost, or it is realised that awareness is just another refuge from within the dream of separation. All of this is simply the expression of Being." ( Tony Parsons) That kinda works for me for 'awareness' and its discontents.

How are those cartoons to do with Buddhist discussion please?

It's not what we put into our mouths as food that matters it's what comes out as words. I reckon people are happiest eating the foods their mum cooked for them when they were kids. If it's anyone's karma to be born into a meat eating family no biggie, same for those born onto a veggie family. ' Converting' from what one was brought up to into something different is sometimes a symptom of 'dis'- ease with one's self or one's upbringing. Suffering is a constant and apparent escape routes from it look inviting. Take the escape route and when it's been taken, we're still the same person - eating a different dinner.

A good teacher is handy but not necessarily essential to have for any course of learning and development. There are some real shysters out there passing themselves off as gurus. Caveat Emptor.

Ketchup was extra. Five years in South India October/ November to the monsoon plus lots of travelling to outstations in various states. Fabulous time. We were looking at the effects of industrialisation on water tables. Beyond a certain industrial or touristic infrastructure hand dug wells tend to dry up. The tube well project was one of the outcomes. That's still going on.

Sounds good and word tends to get around anyhoo where you are. Healers best adverts are the people healed. Healers in our tradition cannot charge for their services although clients are free to make a donation to the centre if they choose to do so. If you are in the UK and offering healing paid or unpaid then, by law; you must have professional indemnity insurance. That is not expensive but it is essential. PM me if you would like a link to a competitively priced provider.

Anybody says I aint empathic gets a slap!

" Brian" Hope that helps.

Amazon have some but they are silly prices http://www.amazon.co.uk/THE-WISDOM-LAOTSE-Lin-Yutang/dp/B000RZERJS/ref=sr_1_sc_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1395697706&sr=8-2-spell&keywords=The+wisdom+of+LaoTse+by+Lin+Youtang

Well we're all empathising so far hence there's surely something in it. :-)

Moshe the dentist retired, bought a sailing boat and began calling himself Captain Moshe. Rachel says to Moshe's wife Ruth.. " So Moshe's a Captain Nu?" Ruth replies.. " To me he's a Captain. To the kids he's a Captain. But to a Captain!" Those who write these tests define the answers. You could only ever 'come out' as being in one of their categories as it is their 'test'. Other psychometric ( measuring 'mind') tests are available and each with its own agenda, as has this one.. If you wish to be an 'empath' and enact as directed by that link, then ; as far as they and you may well be concerned and within the parameters of their definitions... Then an 'empath' you shall be. Good luck with it. :-)

Turning 60 worked for me.

There's a Japanese zen sect that majors on 'sudden breakthrough' too but I have forgotten what it's called. They have as many, or more; 'denominations' in Buddhism as do the various brands of Christians. Each sect has its own means and methods. Maybe that's a good thing cos 'one size does not fit all' and people have different interests, abilities and tastes. Open mindfulness is happy mindfulness so whatever works for someone is what works for them. All success to your cultivation. I like to lurk on the 'academic discussion' thread on DW sometimes. Barely understand a word on there that's posted but it's interesting and humbling to see just how many 'experts' that there are out there. 'Beginner's Mind' here and that suits me because I am a profoundly lazy person.

What works for one cultivator may not work for another but FWIW this works for me. Observing the Qi moving dispassionately / mindfully without getting hung up on the 'how, where or why'. It seems to 'flow' better when I cultivate mindfully so as , hopefully; not to let my 'monkey mind' cause any blockages.

And a happy Monday morning to all concerned. The sun is shining, the birds are singing and spring has sprung. Life.'s too short for fallings out lads. If anyone doesn't like the way TTB is then there's a whole other world out there. Why 'curse perceived darkness' when you can light a candle? Anybody, by definition; who attempts to claim..." This isn't the Tao..but.... THIS IS." , has A: Got it wrong. and B: Failed TTC 101.

"I think we can derive motivation from many sources. " Yes, you are right.

That'd be the Rinzai zen sect Soto zen sect discuss koans much as we'd chat about the weather. Horses for courses really, we can do as we choose and discuss as we wish.

Vacuum cleaner billboard advertising a vacuum cleaner manufacturer read... " Nothing sucks better than a Dyson." Some wag's graffito beneath that test declared.... " Tanya does!"

I've worked near that temple . The incidence of Weil's disease is a huge problem locally.

Good call. Now we can compare it to your 'one'. :-)

+1 There's some good stuff in there. That 'Sermon on the Mount' for example. As fine manifesto for being in the world as ever there was. It's just a shame about the BS passages that some Xtians seem to major on.