What do you think the forum can do to attract some quality teachers?

[Brian]

 

 

 

Dear Brian,

 

Thank you so much for applying for TaoBums accreditation. The Tao Bums relies on enthusiastic support from people such as yourself. Every application is treated with all the care and empathy we can muster.

 

I regret to say that at this time your application is unsuccessful. The panel after careful consideration decided that you are just not good enough. In fact your submission was one of the most vague and pointless we have received for a very long time.

 

Please do not be put off by your complete failure at this juncture and feel free to apply again.

 

Wishing you all the best.

 

The TaoBums Assessment Team.

 

 

Awesome!!! Thank you! I have printed this Official Certificate of Non-Accreditation and attached a little gold-foil seal and framed it.

 

 

Of course, then I threw it in the bin with the others but it was fun while it lasted.

 

Seriously, though, I don't even know what happened to my university diplomas! Wife may have stuck one of them in the garage, perhaps.

[SonOfTheGods]

I would be willing to bet, everyone here is a teacher.

 

Life is school, and we start out as students.

 

Experience teaches.

 

Upon learning said experience, you are now a teacher, of it.

 

My greatest lessons, came from those with no diploma, nor certificate.

 

 

I watch my Chihuahua and Rottweiler play tug-of-war with their rope toy.

 

Do you know the lessons I learn, just from watching that?

 

 

The things we seek to learn, we already know.

 

You do not learn them, you remember them.

 

 

Your teacher, your god, - is internal.

 

Look how close the word "Learn" is to "Earn"

 

All for free.

[Captain Mar-Vell]

...

We don' need no steenkin' diploma's!

 

Ha ha ha.

...

[Captain Mar-Vell]

...

Rather than working towards a diploma, you would be better off doing just what you wanted all day every day without a care in the world.

 

Seriously.

 

But you too scared ta try.

 

Scaredy cat.

 

On edit.

 

I teach dao utterly spontaneously, naturally.

 

I express dao since it is my very nature.

 

If it is alright with everyone, I would humbly offer my contributions as Zen Master.

 

I think I'm turning Japanese.

 

 

Lovin' da wink!

 

Ouch!

 

If anyone has any complaints or comments let me know please.

 

Thank you very much.

 

I simply hope and pray to Good God to be of humble service demanding nothing in return.

 

I just offer a begging bowl.

 

I now devote my time to this teaching endeavour.

 

/me bows most humbly before god and his peers.

...

Edited April 8, 2014 by Captain Mar-Vell

[Captain Mar-Vell]

...

Call me Rev Blue Jeans.

 

/me cackles

 

...

[Captain Mar-Vell]

...

I do obeisance to Sweet Sophia.

 

She got me here!

 

/me bows most humbly before the Ultimate Feminine.

 

I seek to bring benefit only.

 

Capiche?

...

Edited April 8, 2014 by Captain Mar-Vell

[Captain Mar-Vell]

...

I offer my begging bowl here.

 

If any seek to offer me payment for the humble services (110% Krazy Wizdom Tea chi ng) of inestimable price that I give freely, please pm me.

 

Of if any seek private tuition in any form of Yoga whatsoever.

 

Please pm me.

 

/me bows most humbly.

...

Edited April 8, 2014 by Captain Mar-Vell

[Yascra]

 

Dear Brian,

Thank you so much for applying for TaoBums accreditation. The Tao Bums relies on enthusiastic support from people such as yourself. Every application is treated with all the care and empathy we can muster.

I regret to say that at this time your application is unsuccessful. The panel after careful consideration decided that you are just not good enough. In fact your submission was one of the most vague and pointless we have received for a very long time.

Please do not be put off by your complete failure at this juncture and feel free to apply again.

Wishing you all the best.

The TaoBums Assessment Team.

 

Lol

 

Reminds me so much of the words with which I was kicked out off my Organic Chemistry final examination. Just that the guy doing so left out the part with being polite.

[Trunk]

~~~ admin statement ~~~

 

The question i asked was "How can the TTBs attract more quality teachers to the forum?"

Answer: Emperor-Reversed

-The Emperor generally refers to intense masculine energy and leadership. The ability to use ones will in order organize and direct hot energy. However, this card was in reverse. When the Emperor card is balanced it represents powerful but selfless service to the community and the world at large. When it is imbalanced it represents the desire to contain power for oneself and to subject others with our own Will.

Pretty accurate card. Though I might vary some on my interpretation of it.

The mandala of a "school with teacher", aka "classroom" has its pluses and minuses. Pluses: There is a level of focus (of learning everything you can from a certain point of view) and devotion within that controlled mandala that can be very beneficial for learning, and for the progression of certain spiritual dynamics. Meaning, if the teacher has a lot of light going through them and if students focus devotion on the teacher/lineage skillfully, the spiritual process can be ignited in students. It's a sacred process that deserves its own space. Minuses: The focus only on one point of view can diminish other valid points of view as well as hide flaws of the view presented. Power can also be abused; people who are otherwise competent adults tend to roll over for teachers. Teachers have human foibles, as we all do and with their extra influence over others those personal flaws can have very strong negative influences over individuals in a group, and over a group as a whole.

It is very important that classrooms exist, and that the teacher rules (provides the organizing principles) those classrooms. It's important that students "go to class" and get the most out of those environments as they can.

The mandala of "egalitarian ability to speak", aka "cafeteria" also has its pluses and minuses. That's TTBs format. I won't belabor a description of +'s and -'s because you're all here and I assume you know.

Those are two *very* different discussion formats, and are necessarily separate and are, in some ways, kind of remedies for each others' weaknesses.

TTBs will *never* cater especially to teachers. Never treat them differently. TTBs will *never* create a special area that is google searchable in which teachers get more control.

The closest thing that we'll do is that members have the option to gather interview questions from the community, submit them to a teacher, and get a list of responses... present in a post or as a pdf. ... but someone need not be a teacher to have that done... any member can do such an interview of anyone of their choosing.

 

Admittedly a level playing field can be a bit rough sometimes for a teacher, but that's the nature of this environment. It was actually created as a kind of haven away from teachers. ... but they are as welcome here as anyone else, equally. If all teachers were as low maintainance for staff as, for instance, ZenBear - then the only limitation on the number of teachers that TTBs could hold would be hard disk space.

- Trunk

~~~ /admin out ~~~

[Harmonious Emptiness]

Just did a divination on this topic. I love divination

 

The question i asked was "How can the TTBs attract more quality teachers to the forum?"

 

Answer: Emperor-Reversed

 

[....]

 

 

Sometimes the best teachers here are good questions.....

[Apech]

~~~ admin statement ~~~

 

 

Pretty accurate card. Though I might vary some on my interpretation of it.

 

The mandala of a "school with teacher", aka "classroom" has its pluses and minuses. Pluses: There is a level of focus (of learning everything you can from a certain point of view) and devotion within that controlled mandala that can be very beneficial for learning, and for the progression of certain spiritual dynamics. Meaning, if the teacher has a lot of light going through them and if students focus devotion on the teacher/lineage skillfully, the spiritual process can be ignited in students. It's a sacred process that deserves its own space. Minuses: The focus only on one point of view can diminish other valid points of view as well as hide flaws of the view presented. Power can also be abused; people who are otherwise competent adults tend to roll over for teachers. Teachers have human foibles, as we all do and with their extra influence over others those personal flaws can have very strong negative influences over individuals in a group, and over a group as a whole.

 

It is very important that classrooms exist, and that the teacher rules (provides the organizing principles) those classrooms. It's important that students "go to class" and get the most out of those environments as they can.

 

The mandala of "egalitarian ability to speak", aka "cafeteria" also has its pluses and minuses. That's TTBs format. I won't belabor a description of +'s and -'s because you're all here and I assume you know.

 

Those are two *very* different discussion formats, and are necessarily separate and are, in some ways, kind of remedies for each others' weaknesses.

 

TTBs will *never* cater especially to teachers. Never treat them differently. TTBs will *never* create a special area that is google searchable in which teachers get more control.

 

The closest thing that we'll do is that members have the option to gather interview questions from the community, submit them to a teacher, and get a list of responses... present in a post or as a pdf. ... but someone need not be a teacher to have that done... any member can do such an interview of anyone of their choosing.

 

Admittedly a level playing field can be a bit rough sometimes for a teacher, but that's the nature of this environment. It was actually created as a kind of haven away from teachers. ... but they are as welcome here as anyone else, equally. If all teachers were as low maintainance for staff as, for instance, ZenBear - then the only limitation on the number of teachers that TTBs could hold would be hard disk space.

 

- Trunk

 

~~~ /admin out ~~~

 

Emperor reversed ...exactly.

[Trunk]

Emperor reversed ...exactly.

 

Correct.

TTBs, by it's essential structure, is a haven away from the "Emperor reversed" quality that is an inherent weakness/danger in the classroom format. (Not sure if that's exactly what you meant, Apech, but that's my meaning.)

... but, TTBs structure has it's own weaknesses, and the classroom format is a remedy for the weaknesses of TTBs format.

 

Also, as traffic has increased on TTBs, TTBs has become a more desirable target for Emperor Reversed power plays. If TTBs made special sections, rules, for teachers:

- on the negative side, we'd be inviting dynamics of a magnitude that would destroy this community.

- on the positive side, it wouldn't do justice to what the private mandala of classroom is suited to deliver: focused learning and spiritual transformation.

 

On both sides of it, it would be unsuitable to mix.

[Ish]

How to spot a quality teacher?

 

These days anyone can say the right words.

 

Even with so called "extraordinary" experiences - it still does not mark a high quality individual, spiritually or otherwise.

 

Gotta be careful.

Edited April 8, 2014 by Ish

[Bubbles]

I was passing by and saw this thread so I thought I would just leave this tip to attract quality teachers:

 

"For where two or three are assembled in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

Matthew 18:20

 

[Trunk]

How to spot a quality teacher?

 

Part of it is a matter of experience.

Different teachers have different things to offer, both good/bad.

Savvy students, who have been around, learn to spot what are the opportunities to learn, what to be careful to avoid - in any school. This is true in any school. And in each of us as individuals. Pobody's nerfect.

[GrandmasterP]

I was passing by and saw this thread so I thought I would just leave this tip to attract quality teachers:

 

"For where two or three are assembled in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

Matthew 18:20

 

That simply does not work.

Did you ever see the real Colonel Sanders in any single one of his many fried chicken restaurants?

Edited April 8, 2014 by GrandmasterP

[Brian]

That simply does not work.

Did you ever see the real Colonel Sanders in any single one of his many fried chicken restaurants?

I did!

 

Long, long ago...

 

Edited April 8, 2014 by Brian

[GrandmasterP]

" If you meet the Colonel on the Road. Kill him."

 

( Foghorn Leghorn Sutra : Ch 247, verse 59b).

Edited April 8, 2014 by GrandmasterP

[Ya Mu]

Teachers come on here and see insulting shit like this allowed [ Dorian Black, on 08 Apr 2014 - 16:44, said:

"Wow, Shifu Lomax' Chi Powers must be at the same level as this guy's...

...or maybe I should rather say that the suggestibility and delusion of his clients / "students" are at the same level as Yeung's!"

 

- and leave without registering and never return. And teachers like Santiago and Mike Denny were a valuable asset to this community. I spent a great deal of time attempting to promote TTB to my peers and they laughed at me with the usual comment being that as long as insults are allowed they would have no part of it. And the thing is, out of 17,000 plus members there are only a very few bad apples that have been allowed (consistently) to do this. Most of the posters here, and I have met quite a few of them, are extremely nice people. Personally, I am hoping that this becomes a thing of the past and more serious practitioners will participate; this site has the potential to be a really awesome info site and source of Taoist & Buddhist teachings.

An equal playing field, yes I am all for it and have always been. A biased playing field? Not for that at all. Allowing posts such as I posted above where over 50 members of this forum were directly insulted, is not something that will encourage serious practitioners.

[BaguaKicksAss]

PS the member who made that comment was put on temporary suspension and the thread was locked. Rather quickly too.

[Ya Mu]

PS the member who made that comment was put on temporary suspension and the thread was locked. Rather quickly too.

And if it is dealt with appropriately, and without bias, and deleted, it would probably go a long way to encourage the topic of this thread.

I have never given up attempting to promote this website; if everyone would look at the big picture, the many thousands of people who cruise this site through searches would be much more likely to stop and stay awhile. Really simple, actually. If a person stops at a friend's friend's house and the friend's friend insults people who are in the conversation there, they are much more likely to not stay nor wish to come back. On the other hand, if everyone speaks face to face with a positive attitude, they are much more likely to come back to visit.

[beyonder]

What is there to teach if the goal is ataraxia?

[Harmonious Emptiness]

A lot of people here, including myself, can be very strong in their opinions and sometimes a bit of passion is necessary to get the message across, which can easily lead to people ducking out of an intense exchange and not wanting to get into one in the first place.

 

There's insults and then there's insults though, so it's difficult to distinguish. Some things are just playful, some things are so wrong it's hard not to provide the right info without being seeming a little condescending, and some insults are like subtle micro-agressions meant to debase and ridicule the other interlocutor.

 

It's these last ones which are like mosquitos that need to be swatted down.

 

 

This is a Taoist forum after all. I think when there is a pest problem, Taoists do what's necessary.

Edited April 9, 2014 by Harmonious Emptiness

[Aetherous]

Teachers come on here and see insulting shit like this allowed ...

- and leave without registering and never return.

 

Those are the ones we students try to avoid...the ones who, for instance, lack understanding of people. Or who basically can't "keep it real" on the level playing field.

 

Not to say that disturbing insults should be acceptable here.

 

It's a good sign that you've lasted so long, Ya Mu.

 

The lotus blooms in the swamp.

 

[MooNiNite]

the quality teachers are deep in the forests of china and other regions. we would have to hire a helicopter to drop laptops down on them, and direct them to the tao bums.