DarthBane Posted June 30, 2010 Its just been my experience that in talking with people, you may have developed spiritually to a point. Then as has been my experience in a few different places on the 'net they ask who you teacher. Then they find anything they can wrong with those teachers. This leads me to believe there is no common brotherhood among Taoists, and that for the most part the great majority are fighting and killing each other. What does this mean? Why all killing and make dead? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WhiteTiger Posted June 30, 2010 I can't remember exactly what a Buddhist friend told me. So for lack of finding better words to put this in... Just because there is a distinction you find or figure out in someone or something that doesn't mean that is reason for that teacher not to be increadably good at what he or she teaches nor is that a reason they are an imperfect teacher. Â wt Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Moonbar Posted June 30, 2010 Wow Stig thats the comment of the year for me  So true & so well put, im gonna write that little gem down  Thankyou. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vanir Thunder Dojo Tan Posted June 30, 2010 the self taught are the only ones who hold credibility to the path they follow. Â Â I would liek to add to this "dont talk about teachers" idea. Â Â Dont talk about your teacher, for you are the one who is learning. Dont talk about whose teacher taught what, for the lessons cannot be shared, only practiced. dont talk about which schooling is what way, for it distracts from the participation of experiencing which way is which. Â Â So do not talk about the ones who try to bring the education up in our lives, for they are only trying to service the world and expand earth's awareness. Â Talk, instead, about what you have learned and how it has helped you, not where you got it from. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Martial Development Posted June 30, 2010 Two of a trade never agree. It's not a Taoist problem, and it's not a problem at all unless you take it too seriously. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Birch Posted July 1, 2010 Oh Sloppy, yah, you're out;-) Â But who says you needed a teacher in the first place? I'm sure you've got it by now ;-) Â The main reason (and from limited experience) I would now suggest a qi-gong teacher is because of what qi-gong does (there's a neat post on that by Stig hanging around somewhere right now) and if you do that wrong then yes, can have an effect - like doing swimming wrong, or yoga wrong or eating crappy food, or driving badly. Â Of course, you can try swimming, yoga, eating food or driving and figure out for yourself what works and what doesn't (which IMO is how many systems got formed and how the good ones get refined...)but IMO and experience it's worth finding someone who either knows what they're doing or has enough experience through trial and error to be helpful. Doing swimming wrong might get you drowned, doing yoga wrong can screw up your joints, eating crappy food can mess with your liver, kidneys, spleen and heart and driving badly can just get you killed, really. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RiverSnake Posted July 1, 2010 I've always enjoyed Taoist thought because it chooses not to take sides but rather says that every idea, whether it be political, social, or cultural is a peace of the Tao but not the whole. Â -I feel its always important to remember how small we are and how little we know when confronted with the whole. Â Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gerard Posted July 1, 2010 We are all at different karmic levels and we all must accept that whether we like it or not. In the end what matters the most is compassion due to the inherent nature of existence which is suffering. Deep down I feel a lot of sorrow for all sentient beings. Existence was never meant to be easy for us spiritual beings having a human experience, just learn and grow with each cycle. Nirvana is a nice state to be for sure and well worth the effort. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Seth Ananda Posted July 1, 2010 Â -I feel its always important to remember how small we are and how little we know when confronted with the whole. Â In a world where size can increase or decrease in scale endlessly, Big or small become irrelevant. Â I like to think we just are... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
C T Posted July 1, 2010 From a Taoist perspective: Â Teachers appear when beings feel inadequate... however, not all that teaches needs to manifest in human form. The odd time i have learnt more from a plastic bag than from the collective numbers of human teachers i have encountered.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites