My latest, greatest attachment!

[Encephalon]

[Protector]

You can restrain yourself instead of others restraining you, otherwise that's not training

[thelerner]

The quality of the board comes and goes, ebbs and flows. Different people like different things. I'm sorry to see you leave, you've been a good thoughtful contributor. But you're doing it in a very dismissive way. Sniff, sniff you're not as good as you used to be, so I'm leaving. No doubt accurate, but not tactful.

[C T]

Once again, your interesting contributions will be missed.

 

Your lovely little Princess and wife will certainly appreciate this.

 

 

 

All the very best, Scott. Must say that personally i think 6 months is quite lengthy. Nevertheless, i find your resolve admirable.

[Encephalon]

The quality of the board comes and goes, ebbs and flows. Different people like different things. I'm sorry to see you leave, you've been a good thoughtful contributor. But you're doing it in a very dismissive way. Sniff, sniff you're not as good as you used to be, so I'm leaving. No doubt accurate, but not tactful.

 

I think you're right. I should have been more precise. What I feel like I'm doing in here is the equivalent of going into Big Bob's BBQ and demanding that they improve and expand their vegetarian entrees. I've reconstructed my spiritual life on secular grounds, where agnostic Buddhism and Taoism figure prominently, but it's impossible for me to find common ground in here on those wavelengths, and I don't want to be belligerent with people who deviate from my path. But it's gone both ways too; I was ridiculed for narrow-mindedness for insisting on the validity of my mere five senses when I failed to take someone's UFO experience as fact.

I had a faith-based outlook until I lost my faith at 36, so I am obliged to respect where people are in their own particular stage of development, and I don't think I've performed that task too admirably. "Who the fuck am I?" is a question that seriously needs to be asked of me.

The only thing else I could add is that I am prone to addictive behavior, and in the absence of drugs or alcohol consumption, it's easy to use online bickering as a destraction. Notice I did not request a permanent ban, just another one of my cooling off periods.

 

I thank you for your sincere points.

Edited October 27, 2011 by Encephalon

[Nanashi]

Big Bob's BBQ needs to expand their vegetarian entrees.

[lazy cloud]

I recently came off a break myself. Obviously, I am not a long time member of this forum. I do agree that involvement on this forum (0r any forum)

could become an attachment and very time consuming. I am also a father of an 11 year old son and have 30 years of Tai Chi Chuan and 20 years of

PaKua Chang experience.

 

Even in the "best" of times here,, If it takes quality time away from family or cultivating,, That time cannot be replaced.

Having said that,, I do enjoy my visits and limited posting here. I have found real Gems and Nuggets of Highly Useful Knowledge here.

I also enjoy viewing posts and exchanges from the different schools of thought and from beginners and masters alike ((and all levels))

I also understand the struggles of Teachers, the Enthusiasms and Trials of Students.

 

TTB IS for a multitude of reasons, a highly useful place, to at least, check in occasionally at.

[Aaron]

It’s funny, and a little humbling, how the slightest event can trigger a lucid realization that seems so forceful you have to wonder how it could’ve remained buried within your subconscious for so long. Ah, but there’s the rub… part of the human experience.

 

Just yesterday I realized that I am attached to TheTaoBums, but not the way it is now. I want it, need it, demand it to be the way it was three years ago, when I first discovered the site. The place was crawling with serious practitioners who were only too willing to dispense their knowledge to those who posed serious questions. The occasional basket-case would wander in but they never seemed to last long. There was still a bit of right-wing bullshit, New Age buffoonery, superstition and metaphysical masturbation but nothing like today’s forum, where we now have an endless torrent of UFOlogy, creationism, and pseudo-science that seems to be taken more seriously than basic empirical studies about anything.

I’ve successfully let go of metaphysical attachments of any kind. I am completely at home with my critical thinking and my secular humanism, in all its magnificent ambiguity, and no longer feel tempted to replace awe and mystery with irrational explanations or religious fairy tales. I have meaningful work and a new daughter to take care of, so I really have no business or time being in here.

 

It’s no longer a source of joy for me, either. In the absence of the population that I learned to love, most of whom have moved on or who rarely post at all, I’m falling back into a pattern of confronting the stream of posts that don’t deserve a response. How lame is that? Part of this is because I am naturally confrontational when it comes to matters of the mind, but it also stems from the awareness that my own sloppy thinking and gullibility in my earlier adult years left me vulnerable to manipulation by people in authority, and I can’t stand seeing it displayed by others. I’ll never forget the joy I felt in the summer of 1996 when I drove home to California from Maharishi International University, in Fairfield Iowa, signed up for night classes at the local junior college, and started to cultivate my spiritual life along secular lines. Taoism has been a natural path for me, and I am grateful for all the Bums who were patient with my questions.

 

But, it’s time to move on…again. Timothy Ferriss, author of “The 4-Hour work Week” says that online chatting is a massive time- and resource-sucking black hole, and I have to agree. So, Mods, another 6 month suspension, please?

 

Thanks.

Scott

 

I'm just trying to see if I read this right, are you essentially saying, it's your way or the highway? Are you just going to keep leaving and coming back until everyone suits your own method of behaving? That seem very immature to me. The fact of the matter is you can't change people, you can only change yourself. If you're finding that the only reason you come here is to bicker, then the problem is yours, not everyone else's. You are being very dismissive and your later retraction doesn't diminish that. If this is the reason you're leaving, Then let me remind you that where ever you go, there you are. If the problem really is you, and you are the one that needs to decide this, then you can run away, ban yourself for six months, and essentially shrink away into the abyss and nothing will change, because you're still there.

 

And please don't use addiction as an excuse, it's silly. Yes there is a bit of mental masturbation that goes on here, but perhaps you need to discern when you need to interact with others and when you don't. I think what you're doing here isn't resolve, it's just running away from your problems, rather than facing them and making sincere change. I have my issues with you, but in the end I do wish you the best, so if you decide to leave fine, but if I'm one of the reason you're leaving, then just tell me you don't want me to talk to you and I will do that. Take away the enlightenment and heartmind stuff and essentially my goal is still the same now as it was when I first started recovery, to try to do the right thing, so if this is the right thing for you, then I will abide by it.

 

In other words don't leave on my account, or anyone else's, but rather because you sincerely feel this is in your best interest.

 

Aaron

Edited October 28, 2011 by Twinner

[Seth Ananda]

I'm just trying to see if I read this right, are you essentially saying, it's your way or the highway? Are you just going to keep leaving and coming back until everyone suits your own method of behaving? That seem very immature to me. The fact of the matter is you can't change people, you can only change yourself. If you're finding that the only reason you come here is to bicker, then the problem is yours, not everyone else's. You are being very dismissive and your later retraction doesn't diminish that. If this is the reason you're leaving, Then let me remind you that where ever you go, there you are. If the problem really is you, and you are the one that needs to decide this, then you can run away, ban yourself for six months, and essentially shrink away into the abyss and nothing will change, because you're still there.

 

And please don't use addiction as an excuse, it's silly. Yes there is a bit of mental masturbation that goes on here, but perhaps you need to discern when you need to interact with others and when you don't. I think what you're doing here isn't resolve, it's just running away from your problems, rather than facing them and making sincere change. I have my issues with you, but in the end I do wish you the best, so if you decide to leave fine, but if I'm one of the reason you're leaving, then just tell me you don't want me to talk to you and I will do that. Take away the enlightenment and heartmind stuff and essentially my goal is still the same now as it was when I first started recovery, to try to do the right thing, so if this is the right thing for you, then I will abide by it.

 

In other words don't leave on my account, or anyone else's, but rather because you sincerely feel this is in your best interest.

 

Aaron

what a bunch of Blah Blah... this is just you having a dig, as you have issues with Encephalon.

He is leaving because it has gotten boring here more often than not, and he does not enjoy it as much as 3 years ago. Fair enough. Three years ago was like a TTB golden age. So many good threads, conversations, so often. When I would load up, every thread on a page would demand a look. Now Its lucky if one in ten look remotely interesting.

There are so many more younger people {nothing against them}, really really boring pseudo intellectuals, passive aggressive know it alls {with almost no experience}, new age fluff heads, Right wing fascists, and others who sound like they need serious medication...

Now there were always a few, but...

 

The senior people here with a decent chunk of practice/experience under their belts, used to post regularly in very engaging ways, but most post far less now days if at all. Now it seems the few seniors who do post regularly are nearly all selling something, and nothing against that either, but it does change things a little...

 

Good luck to Encephalon!

TTB's may swing back a bit {hopefully} but probably not.

No one needs to stay somewhere that no longer serves them...

This isn't some emotional black mail attempt, he may have just outgrown his need to be here...

 

Blessings!

Seth Ananda.

[Birch]

what a bunch of Blah Blah... this is just you having a dig, as you have issues with Encephalon.

He is leaving because it has gotten boring here more often than not, and he does not enjoy it as much as 3 years ago. Fair enough. Three years ago was like a TTB golden age. So many good threads, conversations, so often. When I would load up, every thread on a page would demand a look. Now Its lucky if one in ten look remotely interesting.

There are so many more younger people {nothing against them}, really really boring pseudo intellectuals, passive aggressive know it alls {with almost no experience}, new age fluff heads, Right wing fascists, and others who sound like they need serious medication...

Now there were always a few, but...

 

The senior people here with a decent chunk of practice/experience under their belts, used to post regularly in very engaging ways, but most post far less now days if at all. Now it seems the few seniors who do post regularly are nearly all selling something, and nothing against that either, but it does change things a little...

 

Good luck to Encephalon!

TTB's may swing back a bit {hopefully} but probably not.

No one needs to stay somewhere that no longer serves them...

This isn't some emotional black mail attempt, he may have just outgrown his need to be here...

 

Blessings!

Seth Ananda.

 

Seth, I do agree that no-one needs to stay anywhere that doesn't serve them...until maybe they've gotten to a point where they can effectively serve others? It's a gray gray gray area. Even getting to that point where one can serve without it being fraught. Of course if a given TTB teacher/practitioner is off teaching folks and doing stuff generally that effects the people in the world and they don't have time for such a forum then no worries.

 

But then I do wonder about motive. Hell TTB's is IMO/IME one of the few open, free (as in non-paying) non-cult forums for practices 'out there' (if there are others that are not affiliated nor cult-ish please do tell :-))But I think there is a problem if pretty consistently folks who get to 'certain levels' determine that a) there's nothing left to learn at TTB's and maybe no-one to teach and c)they'd be better off elsewhere

 

I'm sorry to see Blasto bugger off as I like the man:-)

[Aaron]

what a bunch of Blah Blah... this is just you having a dig, as you have issues with Encephalon.

He is leaving because it has gotten boring here more often than not, and he does not enjoy it as much as 3 years ago. Fair enough. Three years ago was like a TTB golden age. So many good threads, conversations, so often. When I would load up, every thread on a page would demand a look. Now Its lucky if one in ten look remotely interesting.

There are so many more younger people {nothing against them}, really really boring pseudo intellectuals, passive aggressive know it alls {with almost no experience}, new age fluff heads, Right wing fascists, and others who sound like they need serious medication...

Now there were always a few, but...

 

The senior people here with a decent chunk of practice/experience under their belts, used to post regularly in very engaging ways, but most post far less now days if at all. Now it seems the few seniors who do post regularly are nearly all selling something, and nothing against that either, but it does change things a little...

 

Good luck to Encephalon!

TTB's may swing back a bit {hopefully} but probably not.

No one needs to stay somewhere that no longer serves them...

This isn't some emotional black mail attempt, he may have just outgrown his need to be here...

 

Blessings!

Seth Ananda.

 

 

Hello Seth,

 

My reply was actually meant to be an amends, which means I understood I might have done something wrong and tried to do what I thought was right in that instance. As fellow 12 steppers (Me and Blasto), a lot of what I said is based on the things we learn in the program about dealing with others, if you haven't been in the program you might miss that.

 

So first, don't assume that you know what's going on, just because you see things happening. Second, don't dis the young people, they're our future. You should be thankful they're here and participating and showing a desire to learn. Third, I certainly hope you weren't including yourself in that list of knowledgeable people or is whining and complaining a sign of knowledge in the Yoga/Qigong/Energy practice world? Keep in mind I'm not claiming to be knowledgeable about anything but my own experience, which I'll gladly share with the old, young, inexperienced, and experienced alike.

 

In regards to interesting topics, perhaps you've been staying away from the Buddhist section, but I've yet to see a thread in there that wasn't great. Maybe you just need to look around a bit more to find where the hot topics are.

 

 

Aaron

 

edit- As a side note, this isn't meant as a knock against Blasto, but in the year and half I've been coming to the site, he's left and come back four times, never staying more than a month, that's part of the reason I made the comment that people aren't going to change, that maybe what needs to change is himself.

Edited November 2, 2011 by Twinner

[Friend]

Edited November 16, 2011 by Friend

[Seth Ananda]

Hello Seth,

 

My reply was actually meant to be an amends, which means I understood I might have done something wrong and tried to do what I thought was right in that instance.

 

Oh so starting with this is you making amends?:

"I'm just trying to see if I read this right, are you essentially saying, it's your way or the highway? Are you just going to keep leaving and coming back until everyone suits your own method of behaving? That seem very immature to me."

 

 

Second, don't dis the young people, they're our future. You should be thankful they're here and participating and showing a desire to learn.

Wow, you really told me! perhaps if you read the actual post before responding, [your usual tactic] you would see I wrote in brackets, after mentioning young people:

"{nothing against them}"

 

Third, I certainly hope you weren't including yourself in that list of knowledgeable people or is whining and complaining a sign of knowledge in the Yoga/Qigong/Energy practice world?

Actually I was. That may sound arrogant or conceited to you, but I have 20 years of intensive practice and experience that I draw on... I was fortunate to be able to follow my path full time as well, for many many years... well I guess I am proud of my few achievements!

Before you jump up and down, please note I have no delusions about being a master of anything...

 

In regards to interesting topics, perhaps you've been staying away from the Buddhist section, but I've yet to see a thread in there that wasn't great. Maybe you just need to look around a bit more to find where the hot topics are.

Sure... I created the poll that led to that subforum coming into being, and started a bunch of the threads in there, to try and get more quality discussions happening along areas I am enthusiastic about... what is your point?

 

Seth.

[Aaron]

Oh so starting with this is you making amends?:

"I'm just trying to see if I read this right, are you essentially saying, it's your way or the highway? Are you just going to keep leaving and coming back until everyone suits your own method of behaving? That seem very immature to me."

 

 

 

Wow, you really told me! perhaps if you read the actual post before responding, [your usual tactic] you would see I wrote in brackets, after mentioning young people:

"{nothing against them}"

 

 

Actually I was. That may sound arrogant or conceited to you, but I have 20 years of intensive practice and experience that I draw on... I was fortunate to be able to follow my path full time as well, for many many years... well I guess I am proud of my few achievements!

Before you jump up and down, please note I have no delusions about being a master of anything...

 

 

Sure... I created the poll that led to that subforum coming into being, and started a bunch of the threads in there, to try and get more quality discussions happening along areas I am enthusiastic about... what is your point?

 

Seth.

 

Seth,

 

Don't make it painful to talk to you mate. For god's sake you don't have to poke your finger into every pie that comes along. Since you left for Ruthless Truth and came back you've been acting like Lone "freakin'" Ranger... just give it a rest. The world doesn't need you to save it. If Encephalon/Blasto wants to reply he can. Oh wait, could it be that you're just attacking me again? It seems like, if anyone is going to jump down my throat (or any of the none elite newbies that dare to touch the toes of the established order) more often than not it'll be you that does the jumping.

 

I really had no idea you've been practicing for nineteen years either, I thought from what you've shared about your level of experience that you started a few years ago. I too started practicing awhile ago I think 1991 or 1992. I didn't do Qigong, Yoga, or anything quite as exciting, rather I read a passage from the Tao Teh Ching and just sat and meditated for 30 minutes to an hour each day. It was boring I guess, but I'm a madman for ritual so once I started it was like trying to go to bed without brushing your teeth.

 

Anyways, hopefully your new Kangaroo Jack method of communicating is a passing phase, because you definitely seemed to have a greater depth of compassion awhile back than you have now, but the same could be said for me. I still get the stinking suspicion that your comment has less to do with Blasto and more to do with your feelings towards me or at the very least a misdirected anger at yourself.

 

Aaron

Edited November 2, 2011 by Twinner

[Seth Ananda]

Seth,

 

Don't make it painful to talk to you mate. For god's sake you don't have to poke your finger into every pie that comes along. Since you left for Ruthless Truth and came back you've been acting like Lone "freakin'" Ranger... just give it a rest. The world doesn't need you to save it. If Encephalon/Blasto wants to reply he can. Oh wait, could it be that you're just attacking me again? It seems like, if anyone is going to jump down my throat (or any of the none elite newbies that dare to touch the toes of the established order) more often than not it'll be you that does the jumping.

 

I really had no idea you've been practicing for nineteen years either, I thought from what you've shared about your level of experience that you started a few years ago. I too started practicing awhile ago I think 1991 or 1992. I didn't do Qigong, Yoga, or anything quite as exciting, rather I read a passage from the Tao Teh Ching and just sat and meditated for 30 minutes to an hour each day. It was boring I guess, but I'm a madman for ritual so once I started it was like trying to go to bed without brushing your teeth.

 

Anyways, hopefully your new Kangaroo Jack method of communicating is a passing phase, because you definitely seemed to have a greater depth of compassion awhile back than you have now, but the same could be said for me. I still get the stinking suspicion that your comment has less to do with Blasto and more to do with your feelings towards me or at the very least a misdirected anger at yourself.

 

Aaron

This is a fair enough response...

To me it looks like your opening statement was attacking Blasto, {who I consider a friend} and as you pointed out, when I get uppity, it is over people attacking my friends. This habit of mine goes well back past my brief RT involvement, and is just another thing I have to learn to drop... Sigh..

Just a damn hard year... Awesome for growth, not for much else... {being slightly over dramatic lol, but gruelling is a great word for much of it...}

 

And to be honest, I find your communication style very trying sometimes. That does not mean there is a problem with it, it may just be me, but the people who piss me off most are the ones who don't 'seem' [to me that is] to read peoples posts properly before typing a long response...

 

Anyway this is just another chance for me to drop my over protectiveness of friends...

 

Peace.

 

I have 7 day retreat starting this weekend with Changling Rinpoche, so hopefully I'll chill out a bit more...