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Well there's a problem here as we need to differentiate between one shared reality and a shared group reality! For sure the world functions reasonable well as we all accept the objective world. Now I'm not denying that isolated groups can have a different view of the world and that this view may even have mystical other worldly elements but is their reality more real or just different? In the mystery schools they often allude to the evolutionary streams which the sparks of consciousness travel as they fall. These streams are related to plants and animals so perhaps we should bear in mind that an individual totem as well as a tribal totem will play an important part in this "shared reality". Basically elements of their conscious experience are specific to them as a group and whereas an outsider may experience the prescribed effects of a substance but not understand them as being meaningful. I do believe that we share a holographic consciousness but that there are layers. So we can move from our ego-centric consciousness to a group consciousness and then to a planetary consciousness and so on. But lets get back to the question of whether these elementals are individual entities or just thought forms created by the individual or group. Whether beings of light, Buddha's or demons I still think they are figments of our imagination! Of course Jung would argue that they can be helpful as manifest aspects of our consciousness and perhaps even bridging the conscious and unconsious minds. So perhaps these ethereal beings serve a purpose by setting up a kind of dialogue between the dream world and the waking world? In that context I don't see a problem but it's when people give them sentience that problems may arise, we're talking split and multiple personalities together with psychotic behaviour. If there's nothing wrong then don't mess. Of course people have and will experiment with altered states but I think along with all the other mystical baggage it's not really of any value. What killed the cat?

Into the Lion's mouth Out goes another youth's dream Super Wizard Queen

Interesting.... A dream? A Story? A reality unknown?

I've long been perplexed by this shifting pathway; and, walking up the sliding, translucent, perpetually-rearranging blocks I often glance back with a sense of uneasiness and impatience only to be immediately calmed by the view. For although the path ahead of me rearranges itself unexpectedly before I can set foot upon it, the path behind me has become stoic, shimmering in the rays of sun that pierce down through still clouds, each willful step solidified into a million crystal-cubes. I wipe my forehead and drink from my canteen. I glance down at the dustless step under my feet, listening to the faint mechanics moving within, then shift my gaze to my bare toes. I wiggle them. They feel fine. DATE: 01/01/0001 I woke up in the pitch dark last night not knowing where I was. I cried out. It wasn't until sunlight faded in that I regained my composure. Despite the scare I'm going to continue walking. I've decided to add dates to my journal. If for nothing else then my sanity, I feel like I've been here for years... I know I'm ascending but not to where. I think I know why but it's a kind of silent truth; I can't put it into words. However I can articulate the immense remorse I feel when the stairway's cubes shift to become a descending path. It's an obsession. It feels like I've lost my way somehow. I just now realized: I have no idea how I got here. Date: 04/04/0001 I've been sitting here for a long time trying to work out how many days it's been. Why I forgot to document it, I do not know. Time seems to slip away or vanish here. Like a dream. I think it's been three months. Gone in a haze and somehow it doesn't even bother me. The days seem longer as of late. Brighter. There are less dips in the path though the inner workings of the cubes has grown to a deafening din. They shift in a DNA-like helix before me, only stopping the second I intend to step on them. I still can't remember how I got here. Can you tell me shifting stairs? Date:05/02/0001 Breakthough! The cubes seem to be in tuned with my mind-state... It's bizarre... The less I care about the dips the less they occur. I was lost in a dip for days... Obsessive depressed at my lack of progress and only falling farther. It was only when I let go of disappointment and entered a state of indifference that the path shifted. My mind now settles mostly on the nagging question of how I got here. And the more I think about it the more violently the spiral meshes. It's loudest when I try to ignore it. I must plug my ears just to hear myself think. Date:06/07/0001 I remember little of yesterday, save that I walked easily in silence. The sun was warm. The blocks slow and silent. I felt the breeze with my skin hairs. I remember the sensations... The details of things... I don't believe a single thought perturbed my climb. Date:06/08/0001 Rain is soaking my book as I write this. The staircase spirals downward at an even steeper angle. Illuminated with lighting flashes. It was so nice yesterday. Maybe I was wrong about my mind-path link. My doubt and disappointment seem to grow with the storm. I just want it to be like it was before. Date:8/16/0001 The geometric twister spirals down and up in a seeming inner battle with itself. I haven't been walking. Just sitting here thinking. I know I should give up this useless debating and get moving but the intensity of the stairway's dance is hypnotic. It feels familiar. I feel warm sitting in the rain watching. Date:08/31/0001 The storm is gone. Lazy orange skies. I feel better than ever before and feel no fear in saying that. The steps lead up. Fine. Beautiful. They may collapse any second. Fine. Beautiful. Each thought passes through me without snagging. I hope to see a bird. Date:09/24/0009 I've reached the summit. It's flat and wide. A platform of translucent squares above the clouds. My mind is pure. Sun reflects off of each cube. -- Some cubes have started to fall from the edges, tumbling away into the fog below. The rubic-serpent that was my staircase is gone as well, whisked away into the fog without me even noticing. -- It's silent. Only one cube remains beneath me. I remove my bandana and ring it out over the edge. I sit down and sip from my canteen: orange juice. I've never felt so unable to articulate something as pure and true as how I feel at this moment. I feel no desire to even try. This will be my last entry. All I will say is that I'm not afraid, everything is as it should be, and I no longer need to remember how I got here. I'm here... It's... Breathtaking. Oh my, you have to see this.

I've been doing similar, but not during dreams, but deep meditation on the cusp of dream. Therefore you do not have to be dreaming or lucid dreaming to be able to do creative writing. Its just hard to reach that sweet spot of deep subconciousness where the verses pop up instanteously and easily. Too much intent or desire will spoil the broth, too little and you will not get anything done. I think the trick is to be composing during waking hours so the intent is there, and not having to be consciously wanting it to happen (because that will spoil the broth) when you are deep in meditation, and it will bubble up naturally. Its not easy to be able to meditate down that deeply either, it takes loads of directionless relaxing practise. Another thing is that you have to very familiar with the instruments or language you are going to compose with, a mastery. I can do songwriting verse, but cannot translate the instuments because I am not an expert at translating music to componant parts, only get the basic sounds and rhythm. Amazing enough, not Mozart by by a mile though.

My opinion: you're trying too hard. I'm a musician myself, although guitar is my main instrument, not keyboard. When it comes to writing, I find I write my best music when I'm not really trying. For me, it's more about feeling the song out than consciously trying to write something. If there's an emotion or feel I'm going for, I might set that as an intent; but writing for me usually consists of playing with the sounds until something sticks - a lick or progression will catch my ear, and I'll jam on that for awhile until the rest starts unfolding. Writing music in my opinion is best done when you remove yourself from the process. The music can write itself if you let it. I might have an easier time with this kind of writing because I never learned much music theory. I'm not Eric Clapton or Joe Satriani, but I enjoy the music I write, and most of the people I play for seem to enjoy it too. Don't take it so seriously! Play around a bit. Beef up your technical skills if you want to open new avenues of exploration, but don't let the theory trip up your creativity. I've tried translating music from dreams into waking life, and it's never worked out well for me. Something that sounded absolutely awesome in my dream made absolutely zero sense musically in waking reality. Take that dreamtime creativity with a grain of salt - the rules are completely different over there, and the symbolic nature of events shouldn't be taken lightly either. Yes, I believe dreams can be a VERY powerful source of creativity. Perhaps learning lucid dreaming techniques would really help out your songwriting! But stressing about it is only going to get in your way, regardless of what you decide to do. And I think learning to develop the creative process in waking life will serve you much better as a musician than pining for the limitless power found in dreamtime. Just my two cents. Well, maybe five. It's a long post.

Hahaha. What is real? Remember Zhuangzi's tale of the butterfly. Real is returning to the Source, the final awakening, until then enjoy your dream. ................ Good techniques are offered in this page: http://obe4u.com/?page_id=14

No one gets a free ride in a world free from destruction and death if even one soul has to pay for all the sins of humankind. Especially if that one soul is an archangel. Look at the world now. It is still the same world as before despite the recent upgrades. In fact, you can even say the level of corruption in this world is worse than 2 years ago. Do any of you really think that humanity should get a free ride from the 2012 Armageddon? Dream on. Humanity will never change until they have experienced the worst death and destruction beyond their wildest nightmares. Only then would humanity change. Otherwise they would forever be mired in the mara's game of sex, procreation, wealth-building, power-grabbing.

The more lucid and aware you are in real life the more lucid your dreams will be. As for waking up in dreams i found many useful techniques in The Tibetan Yogas of Dream and Sleep...though i personally never went that deep into the practice the book is definitely fertile ground for practice.

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.

अथ योगानुशासनम् ॥१॥ atha yoga-anuśāsanam ||1|| Yoga in the here and now: an introduction to the study and practice of yoga ||1|| योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः ॥२॥ yogaś-citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ ||2|| When you are in a state of yoga, all misconceptions (vrittis) that can exist in the mutable aspect of human beings (chitta) disappear. ||2|| तदा द्रष्टुः स्वरूपेऽवस्थानम् ॥३॥ tadā draṣṭuḥ svarūpe-'vasthānam ||3|| For finding our true self (drashtu) entails insight into our own nature. ||3|| वृत्ति सारूप्यमितरत्र ॥४॥ vṛtti sārūpyam-itaratra ||4|| Lacking that, misconceptions (vritti) skew our perceptions. ||4|| वृत्तयः पञ्चतय्यः क्लिष्टाक्लिष्टाः ॥५॥ vṛttayaḥ pañcatayyaḥ kliṣṭākliṣṭāḥ ||5|| There are five types of misconceptions (vrittis), some of which are more agreeable than others: ||5|| प्रमाण विपर्यय विकल्प निद्रा स्मृतयः ॥६॥ pramāṇa viparyaya vikalpa nidrā smṛtayaḥ ||6|| insight, error, imaginings, deep sleep, and recollections. प्रत्यक्षानुमानागमाः प्रमाणानि ॥७॥ pratyakṣa-anumāna-āgamāḥ pramāṇāni ||7|| Insight arises from direct perception, conclusions, or learning that are based on reliable sources. ||7|| विपर्ययो मिथ्याज्ञानमतद्रूप प्रतिष्ठम् ॥८॥ viparyayo mithyā-jñānam-atadrūpa pratiṣṭham ||8|| Error arises from knowledge that is based on a false mental construct. ||8|| शब्दज्ञानानुपाती वस्तुशून्यो विकल्पः ॥९॥ śabda-jñāna-anupātī vastu-śūnyo vikalpaḥ ||9|| Imaginings are engendered by word knowledge without regard for what actually exists in the real world. ||9|| अभावप्रत्ययालम्बना तमोवृत्तिर्निद्र ॥१०॥ abhāva-pratyaya-ālambanā tamo-vṛttir-nidra ||10|| Deep sleep is the absence of all impressions resulting from opacity in that which is mutable in human beings (chitta). ||10|| अनुभूतविषयासंप्रमोषः स्मृतिः ॥११॥ anu-bhūta-viṣaya-asaṁpramoṣaḥ smṛtiḥ ||11|| Recollections are engendered by the past, insofar as the relevant experience has not been eclipsed. ||11|| अभ्यासवैराग्याभ्यां तन्निरोधः ॥१२॥ abhyāsa-vairāgya-ābhyāṁ tan-nirodhaḥ ||12|| The state of yoga is attained via a balance between assiduousness (abhyasa) and imperturbability (vairagya). ||12|| तत्र स्थितौ यत्नोऽभ्यासः ॥१३॥ tatra sthitau yatno-'bhyāsaḥ ||13|| Assiduousness means resolutely adhering to one's practice of yoga. ||13|| स तु दीर्घकाल नैरन्तर्य सत्कारादरासेवितो दृढभूमिः ॥१४॥ sa tu dīrghakāla nairantarya satkāra-ādara-āsevito dṛḍhabhūmiḥ ||14|| Success can definitely be achieved via sound and continuous practice over an extended period of time, carried out in a serious and thoughtful manner. ||14|| दृष्टानुश्रविकविषयवितृष्णस्य वशीकारसंज्णा वैराग्यम् ॥१५॥ dṛṣṭa-anuśravika-viṣaya-vitṛṣṇasya vaśīkāra-saṁjṇā vairāgyam ||15|| Imperturbability results from a balance in the consciousness, and when the desire for all things that we see or have heard of is extinguished. ||15|| तत्परं पुरुषख्यातेः गुणवैतृष्ण्यम् ॥१६॥ tatparaṁ puruṣa-khyāteḥ guṇa-vaitṛṣṇyam ||16|| The highest state of imperturbability arises from the experience of the true self; in this state even the basic elements of nature lose their power over us. || 16|| वितर्कविचारानन्दास्मितारुपानुगमात्संप्रज्ञातः ॥१७॥ vitarka-vicāra-ānanda-asmitā-rupa-anugamāt-saṁprajñātaḥ ||17|| This absolute knowledge is engendered incrementally by divination, experience, joy, and ultimately the feeling of oneness. ||17|| विरामप्रत्ययाभ्यासपूर्वः संस्कारशेषोऽन्यः ॥१८॥ virāma-pratyaya-abhyāsa-pūrvaḥ saṁskāra-śeṣo-'nyaḥ ||18|| The other state of insight, which is based on persistent practice, arises when all perception has been extinguished and only non-manifest impressions remain. ||18|| भवप्रत्ययो विदेहप्रकृतिलयानम् ॥१९॥ bhava-pratyayo videha-prakṛti-layānam ||19|| Some people are born with true insight, whereas others attain it via a divine body or oneness with nature. ||19|| श्रद्धावीर्यस्मृति समाधिप्रज्ञापूर्वक इतरेषाम् ॥२०॥ śraddhā-vīrya-smṛti samādhi-prajñā-pūrvaka itareṣām ||20|| And then there are some for whom trust, determination, memory and divination lay the groundwork for insight. ||20|| तीव्रसंवेगानामासन्नः ॥२१॥ tīvra-saṁvegānām-āsannaḥ ||21|| The goal is achieved through intensive practice. ||21|| मृदुमध्याधिमात्रत्वात्ततोऽपि विशेषः ॥२२॥ mṛdu-madhya-adhimātratvāt-tato'pi viśeṣaḥ ||22|| This practice can be light, moderate or intensive. ||22|| ईश्वरप्रणिधानाद्वा ॥२३॥ īśvara-praṇidhānād-vā ||23|| The goal can also be attained via submission to the concept of an ideal being (ishvara). ||24|| क्लेश कर्म विपाकाशयैःपरामृष्टः पुरुषविशेष ईश्वरः ॥२४॥ kleśa karma vipāka-āśayaiḥ-aparāmṛṣṭaḥ puruṣa-viśeṣa īśvaraḥ ||24|| Ishavara is a special being that is unaffected by the obstacles of the spiritual aspirant (klesha), specific actions and consequences (karma), or recollections or desires. ||24|| तत्र निरतिशयं सर्वज्ञबीजम् ॥२५॥ tatra niratiśayaṁ sarvajña-bījam ||25|| Ishavara is unmatched and is the source of all knowledge. ||25|| स एष पूर्वेषामपिगुरुः कालेनानवच्छेदात् ॥२६॥ sa eṣa pūrveṣām-api-guruḥ kālena-anavacchedāt ||26|| Ishvara is each and every one, and is even the teacher of the first ones; he is unaffected by time ||26|| तस्य वाचकः प्रणवः ॥२७॥ tasya vācakaḥ praṇavaḥ ||27|| OM is a symbol for ishvara. ||27|| तज्जपः तदर्थभावनम् ॥२८॥ taj-japaḥ tad-artha-bhāvanam ||28|| Repetition of OM (with this meaning) leads to contemplation. ||28|| ततः प्रत्यक्चेतनाधिगमोऽप्यन्तरायाभवश्च ॥२९॥ tataḥ pratyak-cetana-adhigamo-'py-antarāya-abhavaś-ca ||29|| Through this practice, the immutable self is revealed and all obstacles (antaraya) are removed. ||29|| व्याधि स्त्यान संशय प्रमादालस्याविरति भ्रान्तिदर्शनालब्धभूमिकत्वानवस्थितत्वानि चित्तविक्षेपाः ते अन्तरायाः ॥३०॥ vyādhi styāna saṁśaya pramāda-ālasya-avirati bhrāntidarśana-alabdha-bhūmikatva-anavasthitatvāni citta-vikṣepāḥ te antarāyāḥ ||30|| These obstacles (antaraya) (illness; inertia; doubt; neglect; sloth; desire; blindness; a lack of goals; irresoluteness) obscure that which is immutable in human beings (chitta). ||30|| दुःखदौर्मनस्याङ्गमेजयत्वश्वासप्रश्वासाः विक्षेप सहभुवः ॥३१॥ duḥkha-daurmanasya-aṅgamejayatva-śvāsapraśvāsāḥ vikṣepa sahabhuvaḥ ||31|| Suffering, depression, nervousness, and agitated breathing are signs of this lack of clarity. ||31|| तत्प्रतिषेधार्थमेकतत्त्वाभ्यासः ॥३२॥ tat-pratiṣedha-artham-eka-tattva-abhyāsaḥ ||32|| He who practices assiduously overcomes these obstacles. ||32|| मैत्री करुणा मुदितोपेक्षाणांसुखदुःख पुण्यापुण्यविषयाणां भावनातः चित्तप्रसादनम् ॥३३॥ maitrī karuṇā mudito-pekṣāṇāṁ-sukha-duḥkha puṇya-apuṇya-viṣayāṇāṁ bhāvanātaḥ citta-prasādanam ||33|| All that is mutable in human beings (chitta) is harmonized through the cultivation of love (maitri), helpfulness (karuna), conviviality (mudita) and imperturbability (upeksha) in situations that are happy, painful, successful or unfortunate. ||33|| प्रच्छर्दनविधारणाभ्यां वा प्राणस्य ॥३४॥ pracchardana-vidhāraṇa-ābhyāṁ vā prāṇasya ||34|| The goal can be attained through breathing exercises involving holding your breath before exhaling. ||34|| विषयवती वा प्रवृत्तिरुत्पन्ना मनसः स्थिति निबन्धिनी ॥३५॥ viṣayavatī vā pravṛtti-rutpannā manasaḥ sthiti nibandhinī ||35|| - Or by contemplating things and impressions, which promotes mental stability and consolidation ||35|| विशोका वा ज्योतिष्मती ॥३६॥ viśokā vā jyotiṣmatī ||36|| - Or by contemplating the inner light that is free of suffering. ||36|| वीतराग विषयम् वा चित्तम् ॥३७॥ vītarāga viṣayam vā cittam ||37|| - Or if what is mutable in human beings (chitta) is no longer the handmaiden of desire. ||37|| स्वप्ननिद्रा ज्ञानालम्बनम् वा ॥३८॥ svapna-nidrā jñāna-ālambanam vā ||38|| - Or through knowledge that is derived from a nocturnal dream. ||38|| यथाभिमतध्यानाद्वा ॥३९॥ yathā-abhimata-dhyānād-vā ||39|| - Or through contemplation (dhyana) of love. ||39|| परमाणु परममहत्त्वान्तोऽस्य वशीकारः ॥४०॥ paramāṇu parama-mahattva-anto-'sya vaśīkāraḥ ||40|| A person who attains this goal has mastery over everything, from the smallest atom to the entire universe. ||40|| क्षीणवृत्तेरभिजातस्येव मणेर्ग्रहीतृग्रहणग्राह्येषु तत्स्थतदञ्जनता समापत्तिः ॥४१॥ kṣīṇa-vṛtter-abhijātasy-eva maṇer-grahītṛ-grahaṇa-grāhyeṣu tatstha-tadañjanatā samāpattiḥ ||41|| Once the misconceptions (vritti) have been minimized, everything that is mutable in human beings (chitta) becomes as clear as a diamond, and perceptions, the perceived, and perceiver are melded with each other. - One builds on and colors the other. This is enlightenment (samapatti). ||41|| तत्र शब्दार्थज्ञानविकल्पैः संकीर्णा सवितर्का समापत्तिः ॥४२॥ tatra śabdārtha-jñāna-vikalpaiḥ saṁkīrṇā savitarkā samāpattiḥ ||42|| In conjunction with word and object knowledge, or imagination, this state is savitarka samapatti. ||42|| स्मृतिपरिशुद्धौ स्वरूपशून्येवार्थमात्रनिर्भासा निर्वितर्का ॥४३॥ smṛti-pariśuddhau svarūpa-śūnyeva-arthamātra-nirbhāsā nirvitarkā ||43|| Once all previous impressions (smriti) have been purged and one's own nature is clearly perceptible, then only the object of contemplation emanates light. This is nirvitarka samapatti. ||43|| एतयैव सविचारा निर्विचारा च सूक्ष्मविषय व्याख्याता ॥४४॥ etayaiva savicārā nirvicārā ca sūkṣma-viṣaya vyākhyātā ||44|| If the object of concentration is of a subtle nature, these two described states are known as savichraara and nirvichara samapatti. ||44|| सूक्ष्मविषयत्वम्चालिण्ग पर्यवसानम् ॥४५॥ sūkṣma-viṣayatvam-ca-aliṇga paryavasānam ||45|| An object can be subtle to the point of indefinability. ||46|| ता एव सबीजस्समाधिः ॥४६॥ tā eva sabījas-samādhiḥ ||46|| All of these states of consciousness are called sabija samadhi. ||46|| निर्विचारवैशारद्येऽध्यात्मप्रसादः ॥४७॥ nirvicāra-vaiśāradye-'dhyātma-prasādaḥ ||47|| If you regularly experience the clearest of the four aforementioned states known as nirvichara samapatti, then you are about to experience a state of absolute clarity. ||47|| ऋतंभरा तत्र प्रज्ञा ॥४८॥ ṛtaṁbharā tatra prajñā ||48|| - Then consciousness will be filled with truth. ||48|| श्रुतानुमानप्रज्ञाभ्यामन्यविषया विशेषार्थत्वात् ॥४९॥ śruta-anumāna-prajñā-abhyām-anya-viṣayā viśeṣa-arthatvāt ||49|| Consciousness is characterized by a special relationship to the object. This relationship exceeds the bounds of knowledge that is received and followed. ||49|| तज्जस्संस्कारोऽन्यसंस्कार प्रतिबन्धी ॥५०॥ tajjas-saṁskāro-'nya-saṁskāra pratibandhī ||50|| This experience gives rise to an impression (samskara) that supplants other impressions (samskara). ||50|| तस्यापि निरोधे सर्वनिरोधान्निर्बीजः समाधिः ॥५१॥ tasyāpi nirodhe sarva-nirodhān-nirbījaḥ samādhiḥ ||51|| Nirbiija samadhi is attained once even these impressions have become tranquil and when everything has become tranquil. ||51|| source: http://www.ashtangay...jali/chapter-1/)

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?

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.

I remember scenes from that first video. Maybe a movie I watched or maybe a dream I had.

I read that when I woke up this a.m. and thought I was having a bad dream.

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

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.

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.

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 (-:

dream, so mares aren't scared to be where I am, how's that sometimes a horse pie

not now my head hurts like two bull goats, colliding dream, so mares aren't scared

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.

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

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...

Nice dream! Yes good omen.