The Power of "Ignore"

[Coaster]

I disagree. IME with writing there is also an exchange of energy. The energy and intent is possibly more important than the symbols/vehicles for the transmission…..but i can't say that for sure.

I can read a post on this site, have an emotional reaction, feel that I want to reply... and then notice the post is from 2005.

 

The poster often is "banned" or long gone from the Forum... he might even be no longer on this Earth. The fact that some current threads have a "back and forth" gives one the impression that it is like a phone call, but it is not. Just read a controversial 2005 thread and you will see what I mean. You will feel the same, despite there being no real interaction with the writers.

 

I can read Plato or the writings of Julius Caesar, but there is no "exchange of energy" with them when I do so.

Edited November 15, 2013 by Coaster

[RiverSnake]

you are probably right oldchi, i am just lucky to be meeting friendly strangers. but how does one meet only 'enemies' ?

i guess was what i was objecting to.

symbols have a type of energy dont they? even a powerful type?

oldchi, do you somehow, subjectively perhaps(?) pick up on forum members energies?

I think as we grow in are practice, the body and intuition naturally tends to pick up on stuff, kind of like how martial artists can sense killing intent. Nothing you can really specifically talk about in any objective way.

 

A cool video on the topic, anyway who has read Path-Notes knows what this is :

 

My 2 cents, Peace

Edited November 20, 2013 by OldChi

[zerostao]

That is beautiful, but I don't think it is an instinct, I think it is a learned behavior.

while you very well may be right about this, i see you list sociology as interest, and maybe there is some accepted theory to back up your position? but couldnt it also be learned behavior to look at strangers as enemies?

children also have instincts and it seems that most have to be instructed to be wary of strangers.

[Coaster]

That's an interesting video. I am not a scientific materialist, so I have no reason to doubt, yet I can't help but note that the "guessers" ruin it as a demonstration. Of course it is a sign of the integrity of the video uploader that the guessers were included, but the obvious thought is that if so many people guessed wrong, why couldn't the correctly timed movements also be a guess?

 

In any event, lately I try not to be " TL; DNR" but one can work out for oneself that 100,000 years ago, when people lived in groups of several hundred, that those who trusted strangers who spoke a different language, ended up having their village burnt to the ground, and so we are not descended from them.

 

So, I should said "potential enemies" instead of just enemies.

 

As zerostao reminds us, every friend was originally a stranger. So, there are social cues as to whether someone is trustworthy enough to befriend. One reason why "interest groups" are so popular these days, is that they replace tribes in providing an indication that someone was "us" and not "them". If you join "NASCAR friends of Boise", then you are delineating that these people are your "tribe" and so they can be trusted as "us".

[Owledge]

@Old Chi

Trolls are only those with a primary motivation to cause opposition and emotional upheaval for their own pleasure. If someone is merely fanatic about his opinion and causes a commotion, that's not a troll, at least not in the strictest definition. Of course a zealot can derive fulfillment out of causing that kind of disturbance. Not sure whether the original definition of troll included that. Could be though.

The metaphor "Don't feed the trolls!" implies that you give them food for their activity.

Edited November 16, 2013 by Owledge

[Coaster]

@Old Chi

Trolls are only those with a primary motivation to cause opposition and emotional upheaval for their own pleasure. If someone is merely fanatic about his opinion and causes a commotion, that's not a troll, at least not in the strictest definition. Of course a zealot can derive fulfillment out of causing that kind of disturbance. Not sure whether the original definition of troll included that. Could be though.

The metaphor "Don't feed the trolls!" implies that you give them food for their activity.

That's correct.

 

If you are a Toyota fan, and you go to the Ford Forum and post "Toyotas rule, Fords drool!" that is a troll post.

 

If you are a Toyota Corolla fan, and you go to the Toyota Forum and fanatically post pro-Corolla messages, that is technically not a troll in the original sense.

[Owledge]

Not the best example maybe, since in the former case, you oppose something, while in the second case, you only express passion. But you can oppose something and not be a troll. The first case you mentioned could be considered a troll though. Either one who doesn't really mean it, but enjoys to see people freak out over it (purest definition of troll) or someone who is just drunk with pride and has a strong desire to voice that (arguably a troll).

 

What I don't like about debatable definitions of troll is that then calling someone a troll can become a rhetorical tool to try and invalidate someone's viewpoint.

 

I usually don't have a problem with trolls, since I don't act differently based on that. If I get into a habit of judging whether someone is a troll or not, I also get into a habit of invalidating viewpoints, and invalidation can cause someone to become angry an eventually act just like a troll. ... And manifesting negative beliefs through actions based on that belief is folly.

Edited November 16, 2013 by Owledge

[RiverSnake]

In continuance I'd like to talk about psychic self defense, martial arts and spirituality all in one post because they all have a similar principle in there practice. The principle being that it is of prime importance to be centered. For the martial artist the idea of being physically centered and rooted is emphasized most because if you aren't low to the ground you will get knocked over like tupperware. But still you need to be calm and collected in a fight and even during practice, otherwise you can mess up.

 

IME, the majority of people of the planet live in a heavily imbalanced and un-centered way. IME, the goal of spirituality....at-least in the first few years is to try and bring the mind, emotions and body back into homeostasis so that you can have some level of stability. Thus when we we learn to be in clarity then Shen governs, and Chi and Jing fall into line. However, the questions arises as to why from a natural, spontaneous, and full of light kid we become imbalanced?

 

IMO this is because we live in a society that is heavily unbalanced....and to be honest it seems like most cultures within the last 2000 years lived in a heavily unbalanced (emotionally, psychologically, physically...etc)way. As we grow up we are very open and are mind, emotions, body and character traits are picked up from our surroundings (parents, friends, family, society). Of-course these things also effect us esoterically as well. Our physical environment, emotional environment and psychological environment as we grow up leaves a very strong energetic imprint on us as a human being. These "conditions" are naturally something we have to deal with throughout life for better or worse.

 

But why am I writing this long-winded post? The point I wish to get across is that when we practice meditation we are consciously choosing to create a "space" within our lives for clarity and centered-ness and our goal is to continue to strengthen that space for our own benefit and the benefit of others. While our whole lives we have allowed ourselves to be unconsciously conditioned by family, friends, the media...etc....we are now taking our "space" into our own hands and thus taking responsibility for our lives and readily conditioning ourselves with our own vision.

 

This is where the topic of Psychic Self-Defense comes in. When we consciously create this space for ourselves and it grows and strengthens we also become responsible for what we allow into our "space". Things like lovers, family, friends, electronic devices, the land we live on (city, urban...etc)....these all have consequences for us and influence us in subtle and not so subtle ways. When "aware" of these things we must decide to consciously sift through the chaff and wheat and decide what positive and negative influences we wish to have in our lives. Some positive influences can in the long term be negative....some negative influences in the long term can be very positive for our long term growth as an individual......some influences you have absolutely no control over at this time. What's important is that you master aspects of your life that you are aware of and bring those into harmony with your life purpose and direction and also continue growing in mastery over your own sphere.

 

When we read books, when we read posts on TTB, when we deal with trolls and mudslingers we are to a certain extent allowing those people into are space and to influence us for better or worse. Although in the larger scheme of life it may be a small influence...it is still there and it can deeply affect the quality of ones life and it is still ones responsibility to consciously choose whom and what we allow into our lives and sphere. The Ignore feature is one way in which we can still read threads but consciously choose whom we allow into our "space". IMO this is a fundamental right and quality of a human being, being that we our both separate and a part of each other at the same time....this separation is also a fundamental quality of what it means to exist in the physicality of existence and is worth being aware of and respecting.

 

Some say that you can simply dissolve negative influences into light. I think this is likely....but is beyond my ability and the ability of the vast majority of people and therefore I do not think it is relavent to this conversation, but if some one would like to share there experience of this I would be happy to hear it. May this post find you well.

 

My 2 cents, Peace

Edited November 20, 2013 by OldChi

[Marblehead]

Was that the outline for your next book?

[RiverSnake]

Was that the outline for your next book?

No books planned for me, still way too green. Just blogging and practicing. What I wrote above can easily be found in many other sources.

 

My 2 cents, Peace

Edited November 20, 2013 by OldChi

[Coaster]

I'm happy for everyone to do what they think works for them...

The point I wish to get across is that when we practice meditation we are consciously choosing to create a "space" within our lives for clarity and centered-ness and our goal is to continue to strengthen that space for our own benefit and the benefit of others.

... but this is not the practice of meditation, it's the practice of psychotherapy.

 

Meditation is getting in touch with the universe, by temporarily letting go of everything specific. The latter includes friends, enemies, family, strangers, likes, dislikes.

 

When you ask Saint Hot Dog Vendor "Make me one with everything", he always replys "You already are."

 

Meditation is when you click "ignore" on everything.

[RiverSnake]

I'm happy for everyone to do what they think works for them...

 

... but this is not the practice of meditation, it's the practice of psychotherapy.

 

Meditation is getting in touch with the universe, by temporarily letting go of everything specific. The latter includes friends, enemies, family, strangers, likes, dislikes.

 

When you ask Saint Hot Dog Vendor "Make me one with everything", he always replys "You already are."

 

Meditation is when you click "ignore" on everything.

I agree with this to a certain extent. Still having ones discretion is important and IMO approaching union is a gradual process. Just cause your "getting in touch" with everything doesn't mean that there are not certain things that can be harmful and certain things that are healthy to you as a human being.

 

There are harmful and there are helpful energies, just as there is healthy and unhealthy foods....IMO ignoring this distinction is not a perspective that is grounded in our direct experience of reality and the fact that we exist in duality within a physical body.

 

Is being in an energetically toxic environment a like or dislike? It can trigger such preferences, but it effects you in some way whether you like it or not, which is why I say it is important to be aware of the "space" you put yourself in.

 

We have to simultaneously operate from a state of separation and unity. When we move into a state that we experience that we are constantly in union with everything around us.....then we can operate from that state experientially rather than theorizing about it.

 

My 2 cents, Peace

Edited November 20, 2013 by OldChi

[Coaster]

I think that if you are such a fragile state of mind that you need "psychic self defense" then you should not participate in a Martial Arts discussion forum, where the avowed state of mind is competitive.

 

Sometimes we do need a "retreat" in order to heal, and I don't think that TTB qualifies.

 

The intersection of Martial Arts and Spirituality, and the effect of that intersection on TTB is itself a huge subject - which I am sure has been discussed before...

[Marblehead]

Sometimes we do need a "retreat" in order to heal, and I don't think that TTB qualifies.

The truthfulness of that caused belly laughs.

[RiverSnake]

Disaster, has its roots in happiness,

and happiness, lurks in disaster.

Who knows when this cycle will end?

Tao Te Ching quotes Verse 58

 

 

Happy Turkey Day to all the Bums out there.

 

My 2 cents, Peace

Edited November 30, 2013 by OldChi

[Marblehead]

You sure do think a lot.

 

Happy Thanksgiving back at you and every one and all.

 

Yes, this is about the only holiday I actually actually acknowledge that has true meaning for me.

 

To give thanks for what we do have and not concern ourselves with all those things we don't have. We can worry about those tomorrow.

[ShifuC]

This thread is of terribly low class and low vibration.

Why is it pinned in this forum? Are admins saying they are proud that members ignore each other on purpose?

Am I missing something here, is this some kind of joke?

[BaguaKicksAss]

This thread is of terribly low class and low vibration.

 

Why is it pinned in this forum? Are admins saying they are proud that members ignore each other on purpose?

 

Am I missing something here, is this some kind of joke?

 

Some members get pretty riled up about another member's posts, so it is a reminder that instead of keeping a thread going by a huge back and forth because someone got offended, to maybe just put the member on ignore, if they are bothering you that much.

[RiverSnake]

This thread is of terribly low class and low vibration.

Why is it pinned in this forum? Are admins saying they are proud that members ignore each other on purpose?

Am I missing something here, is this some kind of joke?

I have found it to be a very useful feature when I find a member consistently trolls the forum and never contributes anything of value. It helps scan through threads and really get to the meat of what's being said rather than having to scan through rant and raves of immature members. But then again maybe I am just an evil and low class bum in disguise.....seducing others to the dark side of TTB.

 

My 2 cents, Peace

Edited December 30, 2013 by OldChi

[9th]

Some people need training wheels before they can learn how to ride a bicycle successfully. It is the same idea with "ignore" functions. It is like cybernetic training wheels for people who are still learning how to cope with their own mind. Eventually they may be able to learn how to not be bothered by the manifestations of others, but until then they may need some helpful devices to make it easier.

 

Its certainly not evil, but its certainly not virtuous either. In reality, its just a lack of requisite psychic fortitude. In regards to practices of self-cultivation, it is a hindrance to be overcome. In regards to the average person who has no interest in self-cultivation, attempts to rectify this issue are not necessary.

[RiverSnake]

Some people need training wheels before they can learn how to ride a bicycle successfully. It is the same idea with "ignore" functions. It is like cybernetic training wheels for people who are still learning how to cope with their own mind. Eventually they may be able to learn how to not be bothered by the manifestations of others, but until then they may need some helpful devices to make it easier.

 

Its certainly not evil, but its certainly not virtuous either. In reality, its just a lack of requisite psychic fortitude. In regards to practices of self-cultivation, it is a hindrance to be overcome. In regards to the average person who has no interest in self-cultivation, attempts to rectify this issue are not necessary.

I think we have beaten this horse to death. I have my opinions which are at odds with yours. If you equate not being bothered by any kind of manifestation as mental fortitude then I guess I am severely lacking and need more practice. Though they are few, certain things that people say, do or write do bother/offend me......and I have no desire for them to be in my sphere....thus i remove them when I have the power to do so.

 

My 2 cents, Peace

Edited January 22, 2014 by OldChi

[Marblehead]

Yep. We each deal with our life situations the best we can. We each are different so we will deal with these situations in a way that is best for us.

[Apech]

 

 

ignore-ant at your peril.

 

 

ignore-ants is not bliss.

Edited January 22, 2014 by Apech

[Marblehead]

I used to have a lot of fire (piss) ants around my area but for some reason a couple years ago they were all replaced by sugar ants. Fire ants bite!, sugar ants don't.

[Apech]

I used to have a lot of fire (piss) ants around my area but for some reason a couple years ago they were all replaced by sugar ants. Fire ants bite!, sugar ants don't.

 

 

We have hundreds of different types of ant. Tiny minute ones to huge flying brutes. They eat anything, I saw a filed of potatoes destroyed by ants one year. I was amazed. Not that I'm anti-ant just a little antagonistic.