How does one even start the Dao?

[Mithras]

This is more of a personal story, so read it if you please. I just supposed that entering this forum has been akin to jump and an acceptance to discover what I may not know.

In the past, I was very depressed and saw the world blandly. I would often consume movies, media, and video games. Really anything that gave me instant gratification or some noise to fill the silence. Of course, I would always feel conflict and would try to change since I knew it wasn't right for me. One point in that journey of change, I had looked into a book on internal alchemy, while I read the beginning with premature interest I quickly dismissed it as nonsense and continued through my tumbling.

At some point, I finally broke free of the tumbling and arrived at a destination. I realized that many of these modern activities are a haze that distort the peacefulness and the silence of reality, so I cut them out. There is no epic music playing in the background, no heroes to play as, and no grand ambitions. I also realized that desire and ambition will only cause misery, so I tossed them away as well. There is no need to go from A -> B, If I simply follow my true passions and desires then destiny will carry me to my destination. After all that, I can say that for once I am happy and content.

At this point, I will soon be 20 and will be heading back to college from a gap year in a few months. Yet while I've solved my issues and am at peace, for the world truly is beautiful, I cannot help but wonder about that time I read about daoist cultivation and dismissed it so easily. More so, in general I wonder if all the fantastical stories of the past were simply lies and legends as the modern world portrays them. I am not so skeptical, it is just that I am surrounded by people who would say I am insane to believe in them.

In all honestly, that is why I have approached this forum. I had found it by chance a few weeks ago by chance, and have since been browsing through it occasionally. It feels like a guilty pleasure, wrong and insane, but once again my curiosity comes to differ. 

 

While I am admittedly still skeptical, today I finally took upon the conclusion of approaching this forum, to see if I could uncover my doubts and find a way in the Dao. I do not know where to start or what to believe. To be honest, all these online courses and bad reputation just make me more anxious about it all. But while I can see the reality of the world, it would be a shame if I missed the mystical in it all.

 

For these reasons, I hope that this forum can guide me on where to start, perhaps even help me to find a teacher.

You have my gratitude for reading this. DM's and replies are appreciated.

[Welcomer]

Welcome to the Dao Bums.  A wonderful forum to learn, discuss and cultivate.  Below are 3 important sections: Our Rules, The Insult Policy and our 3 Foundations.  Before you join give them a read. 

 

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Welcome, I admire your point of view.  Its such a big world, it'd be bad to just live in the tic toc part, not when there's more.

[silent thunder]

Hey there Mithras.

 

Welcome to the Bums mate.

 

Some beautiful sharing of insight and intent in your opening post.  I share similar experience and have empathy with what you shared.

 

I'm a deep skeptic by nature and yet, in life, have encountered some paradigm shifting occurences that have expanded and shattered my former assumptions as to what we are and what is possible.  In most cases, I never found suitably foundational answers for my skeptic mind, but experience and acceptance of my inability to encompass it all has led to a place where I'm pleased to dance with questions that may never offer firm answers to stand on.

 

Lots of like minded folks here... you're in good company.

 

 

[Nintendao]

Well, @Mithras! When returning to college, you may wish to devote a moment each day, and imagine walking alongside the immortal scholar Lu Dongbin. His finely honed blade slices through a flimsy page, as easily as you have already seen through idle distractions. He well knows the dream of achieving alchemy can last a lifetime, conversely a whole career of worldly affairs can be dreamed in a single afternoon. Extreme austerity though, can become yet another indulgence. Do all things without ado, but still with an ever present joy, in the wisdom that behind there is a greater depth, propelling your destiny as smoothly as the ocean waves. Though froth and spray will arise on turbulent surface waters, to tempt the mind to tangle, they will dissolve just as quickly.

 

To study the classics is foundational. Look to the sages Lao and Chuang for comfort and perspective. Ponder the Secret of the Golden Flower when you are ready to reflect the light inwardly, and digest the Neiye to nourish your eternal heart.

[Master Logray]

It is rare for a young person to be interested in Tao. 

[moment]

12 hours ago, Nintendao said:

Well, @Mithras! When returning to college, you may wish to devote a moment each day, and imagine walking alongside the immortal scholar Lu Dongbin. His finely honed blade slices through a flimsy page, as easily as you have already seen through idle distractions. He well knows the dream of achieving alchemy can last a lifetime, conversely a whole career of worldly affairs can be dreamed in a single afternoon. Extreme austerity though, can become yet another indulgence. Do all things without ado, but still with an ever present joy, in the wisdom that behind there is a greater depth, propelling your destiny as smoothly as the ocean waves. Though froth and spray will arise on turbulent surface waters, to tempt the mind to tangle, they will dissolve just as quickly.

To study the classics is foundational. Look to the sages Lao and Chuang for comfort and perspective. Ponder the Secret of the Golden Flower when you are ready to reflect the light inwardly, and digest the Neiye to nourish your eternal heart.

 

I am not disagreeing with you here. Golden Flower is awesome and I appreciate the link you have provided.  I just want to add that @Mithras needs to lay a solid foundation in this pursuit, without skipping steps and keep a continous PUBLIC (as opposed to PM) question and answer dialogue here on TDB as @Mithras progresses.

Edited May 24, 2020 by moment

[moment]

On 2/10/2020 at 1:15 PM, Mithras said:

This is more of a personal story, so read it if you please. I just supposed that entering this forum has been akin to jump and an acceptance to discover what I may not know.

In the past, I was very depressed and saw the world blandly. I would often consume movies, media, and video games. Really anything that gave me instant gratification or some noise to fill the silence. Of course, I would always feel conflict and would try to change since I knew it wasn't right for me. One point in that journey of change, I had looked into a book on internal alchemy, while I read the beginning with premature interest I quickly dismissed it as nonsense and continued through my tumbling.

At some point, I finally broke free of the tumbling and arrived at a destination. I realized that many of these modern activities are a haze that distort the peacefulness and the silence of reality, so I cut them out. There is no epic music playing in the background, no heroes to play as, and no grand ambitions. I also realized that desire and ambition will only cause misery, so I tossed them away as well. There is no need to go from A -> B, If I simply follow my true passions and desires then destiny will carry me to my destination. After all that, I can say that for once I am happy and content.

At this point, I will soon be 20 and will be heading back to college from a gap year in a few months. Yet while I've solved my issues and am at peace, for the world truly is beautiful, I cannot help but wonder about that time I read about daoist cultivation and dismissed it so easily. More so, in general I wonder if all the fantastical stories of the past were simply lies and legends as the modern world portrays them. I am not so skeptical, it is just that I am surrounded by people who would say I am insane to believe in them.

In all honestly, that is why I have approached this forum. I had found it by chance a few weeks ago by chance, and have since been browsing through it occasionally. It feels like a guilty pleasure, wrong and insane, but once again my curiosity comes to differ. 

 

While I am admittedly still skeptical, today I finally took upon the conclusion of approaching this forum, to see if I could uncover my doubts and find a way in the Dao. I do not know where to start or what to believe. To be honest, all these online courses and bad reputation just make me more anxious about it all. But while I can see the reality of the world, it would be a shame if I missed the mystical in it all.

 

For these reasons, I hope that this forum can guide me on where to start, perhaps even help me to find a teacher.

You have my gratitude for reading this. DM's and replies are appreciated.

 

Welcome and I hope you find what you need here.

[Mithras]

Huh my account was actually approved. That's awesome

Edited May 28, 2020 by Mithras
Moving some info to the next post over for understandability

[Mithras]

On 5/23/2020 at 11:01 AM, Nintendao said:

Well, @Mithras! When returning to college, you may wish to devote a moment each day, and imagine walking alongside the immortal scholar Lu Dongbin. His finely honed blade slices through a flimsy page, as easily as you have already seen through idle distractions. He well knows the dream of achieving alchemy can last a lifetime, conversely a whole career of worldly affairs can be dreamed in a single afternoon. Extreme austerity though, can become yet another indulgence. Do all things without ado, but still with an ever present joy, in the wisdom that behind there is a greater depth, propelling your destiny as smoothly as the ocean waves. Though froth and spray will arise on turbulent surface waters, to tempt the mind to tangle, they will dissolve just as quickly.

 

To study the classics is foundational. Look to the sages Lao and Chuang for comfort and perspective. Ponder the Secret of the Golden Flower when you are ready to reflect the light inwardly, and digest the Neiye to nourish your eternal heart.

@Nintendao Thanks for the reccomendations. I'll check it out if Yoga Vasistha starts to fail me

 

 

On 5/23/2020 at 11:57 AM, moment said:

 

I am not disagreeing with you here. Golden Flower is awesome and I appreciate the link you have provided.  I just want to add that @Mithras needs to lay a solid foundation in this pursuit, without skipping steps and keep a continous PUBLIC (as opposed to PM) question and answer dialogue here on TDB as @Mithras progresses.

@moment Thank you for your concern. A foundation is truly very necessary and I spent the months before this cultivating in confusion till I could find one suitable for me. Yet I can hardly say whether my foundation is much of one, there are many times while I read the scripture that I forget my understanding and all I can simply do is reread. It is a difficult process for me to examine. Still, thank you.

 

On 5/20/2020 at 2:56 PM, silent thunder said:

Hey there Mithras.

 

Welcome to the Bums mate.

 

Some beautiful sharing of insight and intent in your opening post.  I share similar experience and have empathy with what you shared.

 

I'm a deep skeptic by nature and yet, in life, have encountered some paradigm shifting occurences that have expanded and shattered my former assumptions as to what we are and what is possible.  In most cases, I never found suitably foundational answers for my skeptic mind, but experience and acceptance of my inability to encompass it all has led to a place where I'm pleased to dance with questions that may never offer firm answers to stand on.

 

Lots of like minded folks here... you're in good company.

 

 

@silent thunder Hello! we know eachother from another place. You may know me as Naveed Chaudhry

 

 

On 5/23/2020 at 11:31 AM, Master Logray said:

It is rare for a young person to be interested in Tao. 

@Master Logray Indeed, it is an enormous blessing for me to be here.


Otherwise thanks everyone. Lately I've been mostly secluded and studying the scriptures, mainly Yoga Vasistha; I can say that I am close to the truth, I understand Infinite consciousness, I experience no cravings, and I know that I am not the body yet it drifts away like a spark in the wind; Constant study of scripture and thinking on it is all I can do, yet I am having trouble. I know that all this effort is for something effortless, as how much do I need to strive to be what I am? Yet my greatest issue comes with letting go. Life goes on though, no worries; I'll keep trying at it.

I'd like to give my greetings though to everyone, hope people are doing well. If anyone has any tips regarding the topic of Ignorance and letting go I'd love to hear it. Otherwise, now knowing that I'm approved on the forum, I'll hop in and off from time to time.

P.s I mainly first started the spiritual aspect of the journey in February, funny how these 3 months to myself made me ask many of the questions I had for others to myself; blessing in disguise I'd say

Edited May 28, 2020 by Mithras
concise-ness

[moment]

3 hours ago, Mithras said:

@Nintendao Thanks for the reccomendations. I'll check it out if Yoga Vasistha starts to fail me

 

 

@moment Thank you for your concern. A foundation is truly very necessary and I spent the months before this cultivating in confusion till I could find one suitable for me. Yet I can hardly say whether my foundation is much of one, there are many times while I read the scripture that I forget my understanding and all I can simply do is reread. It is a difficult process for me to examine. Still, thank you.

 

@silent thunder Hello! we know eachother from another place. You may know me as Naveed Chaudhry

 

 

@Master Logray Indeed, it is an enormous blessing for me to be here.


Otherwise thanks everyone. Lately I've been mostly secluded and studying the scriptures, mainly Yoga Vasistha; I can say that I am close to the truth, I understand Infinite consciousness, I experience no cravings, and I know that I am not the body yet it drifts away like a spark in the wind; Constant study of scripture and thinking on it is all I can do, yet I am having trouble. I know that all this effort is for something effortless, as how much do I need to strive to be what I am? Yet my greatest issue comes with letting go. Life goes on though, no worries; I'll keep trying at it.

I'd like to give my greetings though to everyone, hope people are doing well. If anyone has any tips regarding the topic of Ignorance and letting go I'd love to hear it. Otherwise, now knowing that I'm approved on the forum, I'll hop in and off from time to time.

P.s I mainly first started the spiritual aspect of the journey in February, funny how these 3 months to myself made me ask many of the questions I had for others to myself; blessing in disguise I'd say

 

Which Scriptures? You've read them all, right?

Edited May 28, 2020 by moment

[Mithras]

Well a Sutra or two, and a lot of references but by scriptures I mainly mean Vasisthas Yoga. It will likely be the only thing I study for a while. I guess I just say scriptures though as habit because they refer to the teachings in Vasisthas yoga as scriptures