manitou

I know that lots of folks embrace the idea that learning to meditate by intentionally omitting thoughts is a bad one. I've heard that from more than one person. But this is exactly how I was taught to meditate - first, to focus on a candle or something (this is 40 years ago), and when a thought arrived, gently push it away with an imaginary feather. I kept doing this over the years, and I can go into no-thought at will. However, I am having real memory issues, sometimes losing a thought while I'm talking. I don't know if the meditation had anything to do with that, as I come from an Alzheimer's family. And I haven't found that my ability to think or cogitate or figure stuff out has been affected, when focused on something. My thinking now remains in the abstract most of the time. Or sometimes no thoughts at all, just being. And what I do know is that I no longer harbor negative thoughts (okay, maybe Trump) - I have control over them. We get to think about what we want to think about. If at all. I think the value of following your thoughts in meditation is great. I think evaluating those thoughts and seeing where they come from, or whether specific traits get in your way or are causing unbalance. This would be a great tool for the inner work that's required for clarity. (In my particular case, the introspection I needed was enabled by the 12 steps of recovery. The process continues to this day). If a situation comes to mind during meditation, and it's a situation that's far from congenial, the best thing to do is to look at your thoughts (or your indignation) and try to see exactly what part you're playing in the situation. They and only then, when we are honest with ourselves, do we break down the barriers to clarity. It might hurt a little at first, but this passes soon and the revelations become welcome visitors. Apologize when needed.

I'd love it if you'd expound on this a little. I think I know where you're coming from, but I'm not sure.

Wow, chef. That looks incredible. Do you travel? Would your family mind?

I view money as stuck energy. Takes energy to make it, takes energy to spend it. While it's in your wallet, the energy is stuck. I have found that the most unlikely thing happens when you're liberal in spending it for good purposes. The money always seems to be there.

Channeling

Shaman

I woke up from a nap and I saw what you mean here. When there is no drama involved it is completely a matter of preference.

It's not even really rejection -- I feel like it's exercising the right option. And when in doubt as to what to do? The first thing to consider is doing nothing. All that comes along is then handled with love.

What he is calling merit, Castaneda would have called impeccability. It's impeccability of spirit, impeccability of our actions and thoughts. When you find yourself getting into an argument, for example, the 'impeccable' thing to do would be to look at your own part in the argument, look at your own attitudes, and if necessary, make an apology for anything hurtful you may have said. Impeccability might be bending over to pick up a piece of trash on a public street rather than bypassing it. Impeccability is also when you realize that your own thoughts, at any given moment, may be less than enlightened. It's what CT said: Once the conditioning has left us (this takes quite a while), then the field is set for clarity. It's all about removing your prior conditioning and attitudes, beliefs. It is then that clarity is achieved.

They're best when they're cooked on upside-down trash can lids. Tamales de pina are da bomb.

I would say it's always darkest before the dawn. I would do nothing, just watch. Allow it to realign your path. Perhaps you are transcending dogma of any sort. The universe knows best, and if we take our hands off things, they align perfectly. If you ask me, the past four years have contributed to exactly what you describe.

What a dichotomy. Enlightenment is total acceptance of conditions, knowing that everything is going to be okay ultimately.

chamois

I'm feeling it on this inauguration day.

Yeah, lol. That pretty much says it -

Thank you. That's just what it feels like this morning.

maybe the 2 flus got married

I see people as alive or not alive. I'm pretty sure realized ones can see other realized ones as well. 15 years ago I had a kundalini awakening. I had no idea what was happening. I was at a coffee house the next day and a lady came up to me, a total stranger, and said "I've got a book out in the car you've got to read." She brought it back, it was a book on kundalini rising. I read it that night and sent it back to her. All my questions and confusion were gone. How does a total stranger 'see' that which needs to be seen in another? It is a transcendental vision. Surely you've had those experiences, my woke friend. People 'recognize' me and I recognize them. Somehow, it doesn't take but a couple words coming out of their mouth and it's 'felt' immediately. Kind of like the tumblers of a lock sink into place.

This thing needs handrails! Skateboarding on the sidewalk, Treacherous indeed

You edited for enhancement? What did you enhance? It's 8 words.

"no one is above the law"

LOL. That's why I asked you if you ate it daily. I thought you caught it the first time

I have a theory. I understand the need to give the vaccines to the people who are the most vulnerable. But it seems like the probable spreaders will be the last ones to get it. It's like if you want to chop down a tree, you don't start by plucking off the leaves. You have to go for the trunk. Of course, the leaves are the most vulnerable to whatever comes along. But if you don't chop down the trunk you will just have a leafless trunk. I think there should be a split on this. Maybe give half the vaccines to the most vulnerable. But also give half to the movers and shakers that spin in and out of social contact. Like attacking it from two directions. Sure, the old folks are safe, the way we're doing it. But I think they should be thinking ahead too by trying to stop the growth. That won't happen by vaccinating everyone in retirement homes.

LOL. Everywhere. All Time and Space are ours.

I think the life of servitude comes in varying degrees. I don't think that servitude necessarily means 'serving' by doing good or holy actions. I try to practice from a place of love, where each and every contact with another is a reflection of who I know that I Am. As to union with god, this is the realization that we are, in fact, god experiencing itself. And I think it really only wants to enjoy life.