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One technique is to force yourself to go to sleep in a specific position. You should choose something comfortable but not one of your usual positions. Resist the urge to get comfortable or roll over. It's not about falling asleep as you normally do when you're tired. You adopt the position and then stay as still and peaceful as you can. Do not give in and try a 'new' position. Try to stay alert and peaceful. Eventually your body will become so still that you will almost forget it is there. If you can do this for long enough you may suddenly realize you are dreaming. Do not panic or try too hard. Lucid dreaming is a difficult balance of give and take. If you accidently wake up you will be in the same posistion. Resist the urge to move. Stay completely still and you can reenter into the lucid dreaming state rather easily. This technique of waking-to-lucid state is good practice for intentional lucid dreaming. It teaches you the correct amount of 'letting go' and 'alertness' mind-balance required to enter into the lucid dream. It seems to be about intending. If you want to lucid dream you have to try. Going to sleep without preparation/intention only rarely results in lucidity. Also don't be surprised if you experience many dreams within dreams and a loss of reality while in the midst of using this technique. Ommmmmm.
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Lucid Dreaming: Gateway to the Inner Self Robert Waggoner is the best lucid dreaming book that I have seen in a long time. He takes the dreamer to advanced steps in recognizing the nature of lucidity and dream "yoga." I am not connected in any way with the author except that I am very enthusiastic since reading this book.
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T C (the meditator formerly known as Tao Cow) or someone made a comment somewhere I can't remember that got me intrigued in Lucid Dreaming. I practiced awhile back when I was in college, and it was trippy, but never in any depth, such as dream yoga or whatever it's called. If anyone has some good info regarding Lucid Dreaming, could you shoot it this way. I'd like to hear some other people's experiences regarding lucid dreaming as well, my only experience is being aware that I'm dreaming, I've never actually been able to change the outcome of a dream, but the idea that it's possible is interesting, so is the idea that one can learn more about themselves by delving and molding their subconscious mind. Aaron
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Once was when I was having an OBE, I saw my sleeping body. On another occasion I was walking down the road and saw myself laying on a grass verge starring into the headlights of the passing cars. On one occasion I was in a dream, lucid, and was outside my body whilst viewing myself as a priest in Victorian times, it was a bit like watching a movie but I was in it watching myself. I felt like a sphere of consciousness and what was even more strange was that I was sharing the consciousness of the priest so was kind of in two places at once as well as in a dream! As for your experiences, perhaps these people who are wheelchair bound have learnt how to have OBE's and have blurred their reality? I've heard stories about people in prison that learn how to lucid dream.
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A couple of articles which may point you in some sort of general direction, after which you might be inspired enough to explore further: http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma7/dreams.html https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http://www.alanwallace.org/awakendream.pdf&embedded=true&chrome=true "Cultivating the Way is very difficult for people. When you're very clear and aware (during the day), you say, 'I see everything as empty. I've put everything down. No problems, nothing matters to me'. You can become very nonchalant. But when you dream, its difficult to put things down. You have to dream, and then it isn't so easy to say nothing matters. A woman comes, and you lust for her; A man comes, it stirs up desires from deep inside you; wine comes, and you like it; things appear, and you want to possess or steal them; drugs come and you want to take them. And you think in your dream, 'Oh, not bad at all!' You find it hard to keep in control." - - Ven Master Hsuan Hua "Doing the practice of lucid dreaming, a practitioner learns to steer dreams from worse to better; a practitioner learns to turn bad dreams into positive dreams... One way to look at dream yoga is to trust that it is a practice that actually brings your wake-awareness into sleep-awareness. It is in your own interest to learn this. Going to sleep with a positive attitude by thinking of good people and Noble Beings is very important and is a way of practicing dream yoga." - - Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
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I have a problem with the typical translation of the opening: Legge: The sagely man does not occupy himself with worldly affairs. He does not put himself in the way of what is profitable, nor try to avoid what is hurtful; he has no pleasure in seeking (for anything from any one); he does not care to be found in (any established) Way; he speaks without speaking; he does not speak when he speaks; thus finding his enjoyment outside the dust and dirt (of the world)." The Master considered all this to be a shoreless flow of mere words, and I consider it to describe the course of the Mysterious Way Mair: that the sage does not involve himself in worldly affairs. He does not go after gain, nor does he avoid harm. He does not take pleasure in seeking, nor does he get bogged down in formalistic ways. He speaks without saying anything; he says something without speaking. Instead, he wanders beyond the dust of the mundane world. Confucius thinks this is a vague description of the sage, but I think that it is the working of the wondrous Way. Yutang: 'The true Sage pays no heed to worldly affairs. He neither seeks gain nor avoids injury. He asks nothing at the hands of man and does not adhere to rigid rules of conduct. Sometimes he says something without speaking and sometimes he speaks without saying anything. And so he roams beyond the limits of this mundane world. 'These,' commented Confucius, 'are futile fantasies.' But to me they are the embodiment of the most wonderful Tao. Burton: I have heard Confucius say that the sage does not work at anything, does not pursue profit, does not dodge harm, does not enjoy being sought after, does not follow the Way, says nothing yet says something, says something yet says nothing, and wanders beyond the dust and grime. Confucius himself regarded these as wild and flippant words, though I believe they describe the working of the mysterious Way. --- IMO, Confucius would NOT say this; all that he taught seems to suggest he would say the opposite. The traditional versions above make Confucius sound like a Daoist but then why would ZZ say he is wrong? I finally found a translation which makes sense to me. Eno: I have heard it from the Master that he regarded as wild and excessive teachings that hold that the Sage does not strive towards any goal, does not pursue benefit or evade harm, takes no pleasure is seeking for things and does not stick to the Dao; that when he is silent he is speaking and when he is speaking he is silent, and that he roams beyond the world of dust. But I regard these as the practice of the marvelous Dao. Now this makes complete sense: In this version, Confucius sees such thinking as "wild and excessive" which is what we would expect of him concerning the idea to 'not strive towards any goal'. It seems the construction of the sentence depends on where you put these words in translation; in this final construction, although these words are at the end of the sentence the translator sees them as belonging to the description of Confucius thought about the Sage. In the end, this is continuing the previous sections which seem to really call for 'relativism' over judgement; non-distinction of this and that. Here it goes further by saying it is all just a dream. It doesn't sound like basic philosophy but how to approach it without leaving philosophy behind?
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dreaming and not dreaming. speaking and not speaking. What do one do when one dreams, What do one do when one speaks, Confucius is portray as the Dreamer; so does Master Timid Magpie. Dreaming has its boundaries; to dream is to set this boundaries to dream is to see this boundaries to dream is to be this boundaries not-dreaming no boundaries not-dreaming not to set boundaries not-dreaming not to see boundaries not-dreaming not to be this boundaries so such is with thinking, speaking, wording. just temporary boundaries, meanings are temporary. thus it is useful to know the unknowing. thus it is harmful to don't know the knowing.
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You are right. Today I am myself, whatever that is. Or perhaps I am still the butterfly dreaming that I am this whatever being. But I know this: I, whatever that is, am having a smoke and drinking some hot coffee right now. I don't think butterflies do that nor could I logically explain why a butterfly would dream of doing such things.
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from Victor Mair's "Wandering on the Way: Taoist Tales and Parables" "I have heard from Confucius," said Master Timid Magpie, inquiring of Master Tall Tree, "that the sage does not involve himself in worldly affairs. He does not go after gain, nor does he avoid harm. He does not take pleasure in seeking, nor does he get bogged down in formalistic ways. He speaks without saying anything; he says something without speaking. Instead, he wan- ders beyond the dust of the mundane world. Confucius thinks this is a vague description of the sage, but I think that it is the working of the wondrous Way. What do you think of it, my master?" "Even the Yellow Emperor would be perplexed by hearing these things" said Master Tall Tree. "How is Hillock capable of understanding them? It seems that you, too, are overly hasty in forming an estimate. You're counting your chickens before they're hatched, drooling over roast owl at the sight of a crossbow pellet. "Let me say a few careless words to you and you listen carelessly, all right? The sage can lean against the sun and moon and tuck the universe under his arm because he melds things into a whole, Sets aside obfuscation, And is indifferent to baseness and honor. The mass of men are all hustle-bustle The sage is slow and simple. He combines myriad years Into a single purity. Thus does he treat the myriad things, And thereby gathers them together. "How do I know that love of life is not a delusion? How do I know that fear of death is not like being a homeless waif who does not know the way home? When the state of Chin first got Pretty Li, the daughter of the border warden of Ai, she wept till her robe was soaked with tears . But after she arrived at the king's residence, shared his fine bed, and could eat the tender meats of his table, she regretted that she had ever wept . How do I know that the dead may not regret their former lust for life? "Someone who dreams of drinking wine at a cheerful ban- quet may wake up crying the next morning. Someone who dreams of crying may go off the next morning to enjoy the sport of the hunt. When we are in the midst of a dream, we do not know it's a dream. Sometimes we may even try to interpret our dreams while we are dreaming, but then we awake and realize it was a dream. Only after one is greatly awakened does one realize that it was all a great dream, while the fool thinks that he is awake and presumptuously aware. "My excellent lord!" "Oh, thou humble shepherd!" How perverse they are! Both Confucius and you are dreaming, and I too am dreaming when I say that you are dreaming . This sort of lan- guage may be called enigmatic, but after myriad generations there may appear a great sage who will know how to explain it and he will appear as though overnight . "Suppose that you and I have a dispute . If you beat me and I lose to you, does that mean you're really right and I'm really wrong? If I beat you and you lose to me, does that mean I'm really right and you're really wrong? Is one of us right and the other wrong? Or are both of us right and both of us wrong? Neither you nor I can know, and others are even more in the dark. Whom shall we have decide the matter? Shall we have someone who agrees with you decide it? Since he agrees with you, how can he decide fairly? Shall we have someone who agrees with me decide it? Since he agrees with me, how can he decide fairly? Shall we have someone who differs with both of us decide it? Since he differs with both of us, how can he make a decision? Shall we have someone who agrees with both of us decide it? Since he agrees with both of us, how can he make a decision? Given that neither you nor I, nor another person, can know how to decide, shall we wait for still another? "Whether the alternating voices of disputation are relative to each other or not, they may be harmonized within the framework of nature and allowed to follow their own effusive elaboration so they may live out their years. What does 'harmo- nized within the framework of nature' mean? I would say, `Right may be not right, so may be not so. If right were really right, then right would be distinct from not right, and there would be no dispute. If so were really so, then so would be distinct from not so and there would be no dispute. Forget how many years there are in a lifespan, forget righteousness . If you ramble in the realm of infinity, you will reside in the realm of infinity ." Penumbra inquired of Shadow, saying, " One moment you move and the next moment you stand still; one moment you're seated and the next moment you get up. Why are you so lacking in constancy? " Shadow said, "Must I depend on something else to be what I am? If so, must what I depend upon in turn depend upon something else to be what it is? Must I depend upon the scales of a snake's belly or the forewings of a cicada? How can I tell why I am what I am? How can I tell why I 'm not what I'm not?" Once upon a time Chuang Chou dreamed that he was a butterfly, a butterfly flitting about happily enjoying himself. He didn't know that he was Chou. Suddenly he awoke and was palpably Chou. He did not know whether he was Chou who had dreamed of being a butterfly or a butterfly dreaming that he was Chou. Now, there must be a difference between Chou and the butterfly. This is called the transformation of things.
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I remember scenes from that first video. Maybe a movie I watched or maybe a dream I had.
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Section G Qu Quezi asked Chang Wuzi, saying, 'I heard the Master (speaking of such language as the following): "The sagely man does not occupy himself with worldly affairs. He does not put himself in the way of what is profitable, nor try to avoid what is hurtful; he has no pleasure in seeking (for anything from any one); he does not care to be found in (any established) Way; he speaks without speaking; he does not speak when he speaks; thus finding his enjoyment outside the dust and dirt (of the world)." The Master considered all this to be a shoreless flow of mere words, and I consider it to describe the course of the Mysterious Way - What do you, Sir, think of it?' Chang Wuzi replied, 'The hearing of such words would have perplexed even Huang Di, and how should Qiu be competent to understand them? And you, moreover, are too hasty in forming your estimate (of their meaning). You see the egg, and (immediately) look out for the cock (that is to be hatched from it); you see the bow, and (immediately) look out for the dove (that is to be brought down by it) being roasted. I will try to explain the thing to you in a rough way; do you in the same way listen to me. How could any one stand by the side of the sun and moon, and hold under his arm all space and all time? (Such language only means that the sagely man) keeps his mouth shut, and puts aside questions that are uncertain and dark; making his inferior capacities unite with him in honouring (the One Lord). Men in general bustle about and toil; the sagely man seems stupid and to know nothing. He blends ten thousand years together in the one (conception of time); the myriad things all pursue their spontaneous course, and they are all before him as doing so. How do I know that the love of life is not a delusion? and that the dislike of death is not like a young person's losing his way, and not knowing that he is (really) going home? Li Ji was a daughter of the border Warden of Ai. When (the ruler of) the state of Jin first got possession of her, she wept till the tears wetted all the front of her dress. But when she came to the place of the king, shared with him his luxurious couch, and ate his grain-and-grass-fed meat, then she regretted that she had wept. How do I know that the dead do not repent of their former craving for life? Those who dream of (the pleasures of) drinking may in the morning wail and weep; those who dream of wailing and weeping may in the morning be going out to hunt. When they were dreaming they did not know it was a dream; in their dream they may even have tried to interpret it; but when they awoke they knew that it was a dream. And there is the great awaking, after which we shall know that this life was a great dream. All the while, the stupid think they are awake, and with nice discrimination insist on their knowledge; now playing the part of rulers, and now of grooms. Bigoted was that Qiu! He and you are both dreaming. I who say that you are dreaming am dreaming myself. These words seem very strange; but if after ten thousand ages we once meet with a great sage who knows how to explain them, it will be as if we met him (unexpectedly) some morning or evening. Since you made me enter into this discussion with you, if you have got the better of me and not I of you, are you indeed right, and I indeed wrong? If I have got the better of you and not you of me, am I indeed right and you indeed wrong? Is the one of us right and the other wrong? are we both right or both wrong? Since we cannot come to a mutual and common understanding, men will certainly continue in darkness on the subject. Whom shall I employ to adjudicate in the matter? If I employ one who agrees with you, how can he, agreeing with you, do so correctly? And the same may be said, if I employ one who agrees with me. It will be the same if I employ one who differs from us both or one who agrees with us both. In this way I and you and those others would all not be able to come to a mutual understanding; and shall we then wait for that (great sage)? (We need not do so.) To wait on others to learn how conflicting opinions are changed is simply like not so waiting at all. The harmonising of them is to be found in the invisible operation of Heaven, and by following this on into the unlimited past. It is by this method that we can complete our years (without our minds being disturbed). What is meant by harmonising (conflicting opinions) in the invisible operation of Heaven? There is the affirmation and the denial of it; and there is the assertion of an opinion and the rejection of it. If the affirmation be according to the reality of the fact, it is certainly different from the denial of it - there can be no dispute about that. If the assertion of an opinion be correct, it is certainly different from its rejection - neither can there be any dispute about that. Let us forget the lapse of time; let us forget the conflict of opinions. Let us make our appeal to the Infinite, and take up our position there.' The Penumbra asked the Shadow, saying, 'Formerly you were walking on, and now you have stopped; formerly you were sitting, and now you have risen up - how is it that you are so without stability?' The Shadow replied, 'I wait for the movements of something else to do what I do, and that something else on which I wait waits further on another to do as it does. My waiting, is it for the scales of a snake, or the wings of a cicada? How should I know why I do one thing, or do not do another? Formerly, I, Zhuang Zhou, dreamt that I was a butterfly, a butterfly flying about, feeling that it was enjoying itself. I did not know that it was Zhou. Suddenly I awoke, and was myself again, the veritable Zhou. I did not know whether it had formerly been Zhou dreaming that he was a butterfly, or it was now a butterfly dreaming that it was Zhou. But between Zhou and a butterfly there must be a difference. This is a case of what is called the Transformation of Things.'
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I read that when I woke up this a.m. and thought I was having a bad dream.
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Fun conversation from www.gnostic-community.org
Aaron replied to John Zen's topic in General Discussion
I must be a tantric master then, because I've never had a wet dream in my life, even when I was chaste for a few years. (I happened to be in a cult that told me all the things you're telling everyone here, which is one of the reasons I'm telling people that it's bullshit. I also learned that the easiest way to ensure devotion is to reinforce guilt, that's the reason for all of this.) Transmutation... call it what you want, but it's just a method that's supposed to diminish lust, which doesn't work. Do you think only a few monks are practicing these things? From my understanding it's like prison in those places, the higher monks choose the younger monks and the younger monks can't say no and they have no place to turn to for help, because if they go to the head monks or higher ups, they'll be admonished or accused of lying. This happens in Christian monasteries too. The fact that the same sordid tale pops up wherever large groups of men get together and live secluded lives tells me that it's a pretty normal occurrence, that sex isn't just about procreation, but perhaps about recreation as well, and that when you remove the chance for voluntary sexual intercourse, then the strong will force themselves on the weaker to achieve it. Come now, when you hear the same story over and over, throughout different institutions, religions, denominations, cultures, and geographic locations, don't you think you should admit to the pattern and try to find a way to fix it? (Keep in mind that in prison you aren't allowed to masturbate, it's considered self abuse and you can be criminally charged for it... do you see the pattern? Am I the only one that can see this?) Aaron -
Everything & Nothing - Chapter 1 TTC - Tao
Everything replied to Everything's topic in General Discussion
Ok, completely forgot the initial post. Here's my new way of putting the experience into words. I think it feels like this: The more things I want to do, or intent, the more things are left undone. So in order to leave nothing undone, I intent nothing and everything at all times is done at the same time. It seems that if I die in my dreams with something that is left undone, I'm emmediatly reincarnated. Yet, my intention to not get reincarnated reincarnates me to, maybe. Not sure. Its just a dream anyway, but still feels familiar to me. When I have absolutely no intention in waking hours, I seem to still have intention. Infact, I seem to have all intentions all at the same. It doesn't seem dualistic to me. It more like a unified concept where everything and nothing are the same. Then when I return to my dual living, I feel like I need to wake up, but I can't do it anymore. Or can't not do anymore. -
-k- said: I came on to add one thing to my last post to say that floating around in the center of the compass refers to keeping a subtle consistency in watching over one's thoughts and feelings in the midst of everyday ordinary conditions— this is the conditions I refer to, and also the illusion. We live in a dream. Our own dream. It's ok! There is no other dream (for each individual)— it is the nature of the created. It's just that the nature of perception is uncreated. This is what is us, and that is what we do with this light, unawares. It's just the way it is. But we can avail ourselves of the light, because it is us. Why? Because in this light is not only dreams of our making, but mystery upon mystery, not to mention a key to participating in everyones' dreams with awareness, objectivity, sagacity and delight. Here is the other point I wanted to add: it's in Lao Tzu chapter 16 "…preserve the utmost quiet; as myriad things act in concert, I thereby observe the Return.", can illustrate preserving a subtle concentration in the midst of the conditions one finds oneself in. The perspective of inner quiet affords the delicate sensitivity to observe the return. We breathe; alternating in succession, it is called respiration. Seasons do it, the waves coming to shore do it. The source of our universe does this and the living aware energy (potential) does this. Our own functions are modeled after this alternating rhythm. In the evolution of situations, we call this cycles of yin and yang. When breaths of potential return and you sense it~ that is called observation. When you observe the breath of creation, you gain a bit of detachment, as well as intimacy in your relationship with the world, because the nonpsychological aspect of perception is spiritual. So, floating around in the illusional, conditional ocean of our situation means we conduct ourselves with flexibility. Keeping to the center of the compass denotes the still, quiet perspective necessary to maintain equipoise within the evolving situation/condition/illusion enabling us to sense breaths of potential. It's not "out there" …it's you. As one learns to enter the mystery, the connotation of "illusion" and "conditions", loses it's ominous aura. It's just the nature of the beast. But the dragon has a pearl which we can steal.❤ ed note: added— "enabling us to sense breaths of potential. It's not "out there" …it's you."
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I see the Sage as an enlightened being. You can tell from the three treasures he possesses: (yutang, again)...Never be the first, Never too much, Love. The way the sage got to that point was to go internal. He had to master the ego to never be the first. We are born competitive creatures, from the moment the first sperm hit the egg. His ego had to be subjugated in order for him to be satisfied with letting others 'be the first'. This awareness alone is FANTASTIC to remember in everyday life! Never be the first. How often that will rub up against us! In traffic? Waiting in line? If you think about it, the reason we get antsy waiting in line or in traffic is because we think our particular itinerary is so very important, and all others around us are like a sub-cast. But the Sage knows that inside each and every other being is Himself at the bottom, the flame of awareness that's within everyone. Our time just isn't any more valuable than anyone else's time. The Sage realizes that 'all time and space are his', if he stays in awareness. Things will be perfect when he arrives; all people who are supposed to be there will be there, much as in a healing ceremony. Serendipity is our friend. Never too much. Western society teaches us just the opposite. Accumulate the stuff and Achieve the Dream. This is ultimately, baloney, if happiness and contentment are what one seeks. Our nature is such that we always want 'more'. Our nature is such that we never seem to reach contentment with the position we hold, the money we make. More would always make it better, supposedly. The Sage has learned differently. Once he realizes Who He Is (his god-nature or however you want to say it) he is able to surrender the need to be first and the need to accumulate bigger and better. And Love. I think this word says it all. If the Sage can stay in awareness of Love at all times, then all his dealings with everything reflect Love, and he is generating no new negative karma for himself for future working through. He makes no judgments of people as 'good' or 'bad'; rather, he sees each human as someone who has something to give, no matter how small. I think the concept of the Sage and the realization of the Buddha nature are the very same thing.
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And at the least, it's just an idea. ~~~ Lies and truths - fading away, waiting to die The dream you thought was truth and the fart that made you cry Edit: p.s. Sinfest.. _/\_ re Bushido quote (-:
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Chuang Tzu, Translation by Lin Yutang, Chapter 2 On Leveling All Things "Those who dream of the banquet, wake to lamentation and sorrow. Those who dream of lamentation and sorrow wake to join the hunt. While they dream, they do not know that they are dreaming. Some will even interpret the very dream they are dreaming; and only when they awake do they know it was a dream. ..."
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I saw a young couple and an old couple on the streets.
thelerner replied to tulku's topic in General Discussion
I was thinking of you. I've been practicing dreamwork. There is an Itunes podcast called Dream Yoga. It looks at dream work from a Magical White Lodge perspective. Its not a path I'd take; its austere, demanding and has White Lodge Magicians in dream time that will help worthy practitioners who follow the method. The end goals seem similar to what you've expressed to be yours. You might want to check it out. Yours Michael -
dream, so mares aren't scared to be where I am, how's that sometimes a horse pie
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not now my head hurts like two bull goats, colliding dream, so mares aren't scared
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Yes I feel the same way. Patterns of good energy might manifest in your dream as Jenny or an angel or your deceased dog etc.
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i have not received the dvd yet, cool that you ordered it too i will keep you updated, i am excited about it. She was in my dream last night again, i was trapped, kidnapped by some nondescript cabal of evil chinese people who wore red and black and had me in their compound. There were egyptian style pyramids there and a lot of hitech stuff, and a general feeling of corruption and negativity throughout. They wouldnt let me go, but i kept hiding from them so they couldnt find me. After a couple days i found a small door in the back of a bathroom and as i was about to go through it, Sifu Jenny was there. I was scared cause i thought at first she was evil and they ahd finally found me but she just watched me. I went through the door and there was a crawlspace and she came through after me. In the peace of that safe place i realized i had a cell phone and as i texted my friend to say "i am kidnapped, help, tell the authorities" i woke up. It was a really long dream, it was like it wouldn't end until i gave it permission to end. btw for those interested, i am not thinking that these manifestations of Sifu Jenny are actually Sifu Jenny as she might dreamwalk or manifest according to her own free will. But i do think that they are patterns of energy that contain information that the universe is telling me, so i listen to them as such. good omens
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yeah, i think it was not Her, as in she saw my name on a list of DVD orders and thought "now i must manifest to this person in dreams!" as much as it was either a subconscious part of her, or just a projection in my own dream. hahaah dreams are not logical so i do not apply logic to them. I don't pay too much attention tho so we end up agreeing
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It's NOT a misunderstanding. He knows he is NOT speaking for Max as you say. He did accuse me of theft. period. what is the mystery here? He knows he is NOT speaking for Max. Yet, when I confronted him about speaking for Max without authorization about Sifu Matsuo, Scotty said... "Regardless of what Max or others may say" and then continued to spout his opinion as fact... what is the mystery here? The nebulous world of the internet with it's intellectual arbitraryness is the devil. I am convinced it will be our undoing. The logic or lack thereof here is really baffling to me. There really is something about internet based thinking that is so contrary to what happens face to face. There is a sense of isolated narcissism that breeds on the net that never gets challenged from behind a computer screen. None of these events would have occured in organic face to face contact. We all know it. Yet we try so hard to protect this alternate universe with it's arbitrary laws of personal conduct and hold on to our right to spew our uncensored thoughts that in real life we would censor because of the immediate consequences that would energetically happen from being face to face. Things do matter. Words do matter. It is an illusion that our words and action have no consequences ONLY ON THE NET. This is a perfect example. No one and I mean NO ONE who has trained in Kung Fu and had to use it in real life situations would EVER dare to say that someone can learn self defense by themselves. The difference between training solo and training with a teacher whether it be qigong or kung fu or building a house (assuming the teacher is legit) is that the teacher HAS BEEN THERE and knows the difference between self referential fantasy and the real world. We need to get out of our heads... It's cramped in there... Nothing left for me to say then... Scotty called me a liar and a thief and it's OK. It's just his opinion. Witch saw max in a dream and said he stole her soul and therefore it really happened. Anyone who wants to reach me can email me... I need a looong break from this place...