In Your Humble Opinion - What three things should people on this board do/try?

[thelerner]

One I'd say, have a sacred component to your practice. Whether its staring at a sacred art.

One, in my case, a short Jewish prayer as a meditational/chanting device.

  (many years later, I've do this though its more Hermetic/Kabbalic then Jewish prayer)

 

Two, Quieting the mind.

Just observing it, asking the question-What will my next thought be?, Counting to 10 over and over

 

Three, have a life. A good life. Take time to enjoy yourself. Connect with people, they are your species

 

Michael

[...]

practice, practice, practice.

 

I know at least that that is my weak point. If we all just managed to sit down and practice for extneded periods of time... we would all be more evolved. What more can you ask for, than evolution?

 

practice is the most important thing.

 

How you practice and to what end.. are just details.

[Lozen]

[Yoda]

[Pietro]

Hmm, I would say:

 

diet. Explore and follow. I suggest to try Primal Diet, but it is not for everybody. But being aware of the effect of the food on your body, is for everybody.

 

inner dissolving. The outer is important, but if your inside are screaming, you can pretty much care less that your outside are really healthy. If you have no access to inner dissolving teaching you can probably go for the Vipassana, is close enough.

 

standing. hands by your side. Rise the hands only as they start to rise. Feeling the whole body, full body breathing, opening and closing the joints. It grounds, opens the channel, force in you a bit of discipline.

 

And Applying Getting things done (GTD) technique to empty your mind while you work.

 

oh, you said only three?

[Wayfarer64]

The three things I do relate well to those mentioned here already-But I realize they are extreme for many so I can not suggest their practice without lots of concideration first!

 

1) I created a non-profit organization- The Tenants Rights and Information Network -T.R.A.I.N.- to help tenants protect their rights from greedy landlords. I've taken on AIMCO -the largest landlord in the USA.

 

2) I got rid of my car and TV hook-up. I consciously live with as small an " environmental footprint" as I am able.

 

3) I walk and meditate as much as I am able to stay healthy and centered.

 

The three things I have found on the Tao Bums:

 

1) There are more ways to express what we search and seek for -than I would have thought possible before.

 

2) Personal passions and compassion exist in tension yet can find common ground in open-minded communication.

 

3) The world wide web is the best tool mankind has yet created to build a better tomorrow for everyone.

Namaste

[Ian]

1) Do at least one practice repeatedly every day, whether they want to or not. Minimum 100 days, preferably much much longer.

 

2) Accept, firstly, that in all genuine spiritual practice they are up against an adversary which is more intelligent, more cunning, and much older than they, secondly, that this adversary will never stop fighting because their success means its death, and, thirdly, that said adversary is what they think of as themself.

 

3) Give up, and keep going.

 

Still on 1), myself.

[lotusbud]

Great stuff here!

My choices would be:

 

1. Consider and treat everyone and everything as if they were your close relative or a close friend.

 

2. Have and work towards a clear, grand goal or project that will benefit everyone.

 

3. Practice persistantly. Gradually figure out how to practice 24 hours a day.

 

Ahhhhhh, one more,

 

4. Food: increase the quality and decrease the quantity. Eat less than it takes to make you feel full.

[Trunk]

1) I created a non-profit organization- The Tenants Rights and Information Network -T.R.A.I.N.- to help tenants protect their rights from greedy landlords. I've taken on AIMCO -the largest landlord in the USA.

 

2) I got rid of my car and TV hook-up. I consciously live with as small an " environmental footprint" as I am able.

 

3) I walk and meditate as much as I am able to stay healthy and centered.

Impressive.

[Yoda]

Great thread idea! I've thought about it, and I'd say that the first most important thing is to remember to follow your bliss and the second most important thing is to remember that doing so isn't always pretty... Some people can offer kind words or meditate, but some people need to steal their little brother's toy car then lie about it to their parents. By any means necessary, baby!

 

-Yoda

 

PS, pretty wild about running a non-profit sans a car thing! Mrs Yoda hates cars, she'll dig that. Everyone should click on Wayfarer64 to check out his art gallery... very cool!

[fatherpaul]

1.forget everthing you know

2.quit seeking

3.sit quietly

[Lozen]

I forgot to say prayer. Maybe I'd take out the good food one for that.

[Uncle Fester]

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Edited September 28, 2021 by darebak

[Lozen]

I think I would change these every day. Like, for today, I would say 1) miso soup 2) random acts of kindness and 3) breathing.

[Wayfarer64]

Hey thanks for yr kind words!

I am still trying to find a better way to be me, and it hasn't been a smooth path-I feel I must remain in the warrior spirit to succeed in this world, because nothing is certain nor what it seems on every level. For me, the toughest fight has been with the demons within myself.

 

The car/tv thing has been easy for me- BUT any part of "the austere thing" - is just getting used to a way that works for you. I have been without a car and TV most of my adult life, with some periods when I had both-(but never a TV in my car)! I got as loose as any musician has been known to in the NYC Blues scene, which is not for light-weights! I am no pure path goody-two shoes... But I have mellowed out a hell of a lot over the years. I do not recomend my current (attempted) way to anyone who has not lived a full life -as I have.

 

This is my season to do good works and get myself centered. As was stated on another thread - I took care of my mom as she was dieing for a few years and now I can set myself to the Tao in my middle-age.

 

The Tao bums have been a great help to me the past several weeks in formulating my own priorities- which I guess is #4...

[Uncle Fester]

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Edited September 28, 2021 by darebak

[hagar]

1. Forget about practice

 

2. Take care of your knees

 

3. Take naps

[minimoke]

1.Preach what you practice

 

2.Practice what's inside you

 

3.Live life baby. When questions arise just remember the only answer worth anything is out there in a cornfield, a roadside ditch or sometimes smackdab in 'da middle of the road.

 

Bruce

[Guest sykkelpump]

This has really helped me a lot: http://meditationexpert.com/ebok/howtomeditate.pdf

[thelerner]

Lets be more concrete and dictatorial in what we would have others do.

 

Rid yourselves of ego, by serving me hand and foot, and prechewing my food.

Rid yourselves of desire, by giving me your possessions- or converting them into chocolate, then giving them to me.

Rid yourselves of .. actually the first two should be enough- for me..for now..

 

To be less dictatorial and more concrete, I'd say seriously try out a guided meditation series.

 

For those drawn to emptiness style I'd say Rawn Clarks excellent (and free) series of Center of Stillness and Archaeous series. (google Rawn Clark). Its a unique combination of deep silence and a unique approach to the elements.

 

For those drawn to Taoism, Minke DeVos excellent Tao Basics CD. 4 meditations complete with biaural sounds and sound effects leading through the most important elements of alchemical taoism. Microcosmic Orbit, Sexual Energy, Inner Smile (30 minutes) and Inner Energy. At around $15 its the best bang for the buck I can imagine. Look up Silent Ground.

 

For those more modernisticals here, I'd suggest Anne Wise's Higher Performance CD's. 12 guided meditations based on brainwaves, with specific meditation on visualizations, creativity and healing. She has some good books out too. Highly recommended for anyone interested in energetic healing.

 

Michael

[fatherpaul]

simple to say

 

hard to do

 

 

1. forget everything you know (but I know so much about meditation!)

 

2. quit seeking (but I'm just on the verge of finding the Ultimate Truth!)

 

3. sit quietly

 

 

its not so easy gents

try it

[Uncle Fester]

.

Edited September 28, 2021 by darebak

[freeform]

1. Pay attention! (to yourself - both inside and outside... to your family, friends and fellow humans... and pay attention to nature and be curious.)

 

2. Laugh! (I have a safety valve - if doing a practice makes me feel serious, I know it's not right for me... if something makes me feel that everything around me is funny, then I'm on the right track... also, make others laugh)

 

3. Love! (yourself as well as others... this is harder than it would seem... easier if you have no. 1 in place)

 

Now, pay attention, laugh and love all seems very simple... but these things always are. There is a world of complexity in each of those things... for example I see energy/body/mental practices as part of no.1... No.2 can be very hard sometimes, but that's when you need it most. No.3 is also difficult sometimes, but just like laughter , if it's difficult to love, then that's exactly what you need and knowing that is part of no.1...

[Trunk]

1.forget everthing you know

2.quit seeking

3.sit quietly

imo (and I bet in the opinion of many here), stillness practice is a major part of practice over all, and the culmination of preparatory work.

[footpad]

Be honest about what and who I am.

 

Be open minded to new ideas or to interpretation of old ideas.

 

Be willing to do whatever is necessary to live the tao.

 

Footpad