Songtsan

I will definitely pick up those sometime then

this is a nice one: http://www.huanuosword.com/?product-256.html scroll down for various views and this one by Rich Chen: antiques: http://historum.com/asian-history/38919-chinese-swords-4.html

Are you being derisive of my creative squabbling!? Takes many years of undisciplined behavior to get to the level that I am at. You can't just wake up one morning and decide to waste time in this manner...

I am thinking that I will use the first two methods in the case of extreme passion and unbalanced views. For example I will make use of All is Mind when I find myself in extreme states of negative attachment - simply to remind myself to not be so negatively attached - to be open to those things I would rather not be open to. The refutation of all names/forms as not-self I will use when I find myself excessively positively attached or egomania influenced.. Otherwise the third method will be my modus operandi - which is essentially satipatthana although I will focus more on the source of awareness vs. its objects.

I don't - just for quick reference...

I worked hard to impress you with my lack of being impressed by you.

so far it seems that Madhyamaka is different than substantialism. I am reading that "Utilizing the Buddha's theory of "dependent arising"(pratitya-samutpada), Nagarjuna demonstrated the futility of [...] metaphysical speculations. His method of dealing with such metaphysics is referred to as "middle way" (madhyama pratipad). It is the middle way that avoided the substantialism of the Sarvastivadins as well as the nominalism of theSautrantikas.[4]" As far as my views assuming a lack of substance or essence - this is not what I was saying - I was saying that form is not substance but I was basically indicating without directly saying that Awareness or the spotless mind was the essence so I agree with substantialist views as far as the 'atman' - if you like to call it that - having an beginingless/endless/unoriginated essence. I am by no means a nihilist, I assure you. The above methods are NOT belief systems - they are attempts to get beyond belief systems and directly perceive essence using the spotless mirror of enlightenment. As far as things being insubstantial - it is nama rupa I refer to.

I am a fan of Naagaarjuna, but I will check it out upon your request. However - I am trying to avoid learning too much more philosophy as I am more concerned with ending fabrications - and more concepts are just going to keep me running in circles. I can always pick up more ideas later if I fail in my pursuits to end the fluctuations.

'You' are not anything regardless of how much you try to define yourself. The reality of 'you' that can be known is not the reality of you. Just stop thinking and everything will be visibly clear to your true eye.

That's confusing!

imaginations are terrible things....they create disharmony and discord. Be careful!

Yeah - it's exactly like the SAID principle I mentioned a few weeks ago. Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands...however, there is always a limit to adaptation which differs from individual to individual. Take me for instance! I am an ectomorph - 6' 6" and most of that is in my legs. So you know my circulation isn't the greatest. For me to do what some others might do would take even more practice and dedication. I know my weak areas, and as much as I always wanted to be able to do g'tummo, I don't think it's going to fly. I am however a strong believer in the Chinese medicine belief that one should be outside every day in the winter time especially for at least 30-60 minutes - to keep the system from getting too used to a particular homeostasis, which would cause undue stress to an individual if you take that individual out of said homeostasis and exposed them to conditions that were extreme to their set points.

The other day I walked barefoot in the snow to get the groceries out of the car making several trips. I stayed as calm and aware as I could and it was both invigorating and educational. Even after 1 minute my feet were mostly numb and burning...I can't imagine the control and skill a person like Wim Hoff must have to maintain circulation to his appendages for over an hour in ice.

aggregated stuff!

anything you can imagine!

its doable, but if you have a nice warm jacket you can use, then its pursuit is what I would call 'spiritual bling-bling' - i.e. wanting to have an ability just because it is cool and flashy. Unless you are already fully enlightened at all times and can afford to spend the extra effort on something unimportant in the long run. hehe that being so, I have always been interested in attaining it myself, but I currently have not the discipline.

I would rather dedicate it to 'all those who dedicate stuff for the benefit of other stuff' I am made of stuff!

kundalini can also make you hyper-sexual....

...with milk?

I am eating strawberries with pancakes and syrup and I dont care what anyone says!

yes, please! kisses...

I enjoy my darker sides, unlike some people, who pretend not to lol...I am partially evil and for love of evil (and good), I do not pretend! It's too cold out - seriously, it's like 15 degrees out and I dont have a camera anyways - besides, its been kind of slow around here lately, I am sure we could all use some drama to warm up things in our cold cold hearts - but I will take a break for now.

Let us name this, the "People who think that they are enlightening beings trying to school each other thread" ...but we can only lecture each other by using quotes!!!!!! Anything else will just degenerate into psychological warfare, which it will still be, but it will be more controlled if we use the words of others. I will start: "If, when giving a spiritual lesson you can hear yourself talking, sit down." There is a difference between telling a story and the story telling itself. To be a lover is to passionately enter the inside of reality. On the inside of things all is aflame. "Life is what you do with your emptiness." Fulfillment comes not from escaping, but from engaging. So watch carefully and you will see that a millisecond before you are moved to casual slander you touched a moment of emptiness in yourself. We exaggerate our accomplishments because we are afraid that our real story is insufficient to fill the void. Self-aggrandizement is pseudo-eros. A 'position' is something a Tathagata has done away with. This disciple of the noble ones considers this: "I am not anyone's anything anywhere; nor is anything of mine in anyone anywhere." And he remains independent, unsustained by [not clinging to] anything in the world. Objectification: The tendency of the mind to proliferate issues from the sense of "self." This term can also be translated as self-reflexive thinking, reification, falsification, complication, elaboration, or exaggeration. The categories of objectification stem from the self-reflexive thought,"I am the thinker," and include the categories of inappropriate attention: being/not-being, me/not-me, mine/not-mine, doer/done-to. The perceptions of objectification include such thoughts as "This is me. This is mine. This is my self." Just as water retains no constant shape, so in warfare, there are no constant conditions. Have no invariable seat. Life is not suffering; it's just that you will suffer it, rather than enjoy it, until you let go of your mind's attachments and just go along for the ride freely, no matter what happens. God is in the wealth that you enjoy.

Plus, you live longer if you eat less. See 'caloric restriction diets.'