I met a tao bum!

[awake]

I didn't meet one of literal thetaobums.com members. However, I was fascinated at a bus stop yesterday.

 

I had just finished smoking (have since stopped, though I don't know how long that will last) and was trying to quiet my mind.

 

This homeless man came from across the street, came into the shelter, and said something about the weather to me. I think I nodded.

 

I became very afraid of him, because he looked quite "nothing to lose-esque" with his tattered pants, shirt, 5-inch-long white beard, and very dirty feet, as well as the fact that he was moving quite erratically. I thought of him as "a crazy homeless guy."

 

I continued with him there, trying to still my mind. Then I began to notice something very strange and very fascinating. He would only make one of these movements when a thought came into my mind.

 

It may have been a coincidence, but within half a second of any thought that came to my mind, he would move, sometimes they would be accompanied by a brief sound, though incomprehensible. Otherwise, he would be still. I noticed, the more a thought stream began to erupt, rather than just a single thought, the more he would string together movements, and the more erratic they would become.

 

I quickly noticed this, and it helped me I think a lot in realizing the stillness between thoughts. At first, he would just make random twitches, then, his movements changed to kicking the air behind him. Later on, during the last part of our encounter, he would turn 360 degrees around fully in a circle every time I had a thought.

 

I remember one particular time when I was beginning to identify with a particularly heavy thought, he made a very loud sound, and his whole body twitched.

 

I had seen this man before, on the bus, as he did get on when he left my presence (very notably was still spinning, while walking, and waiting beside the bus behind the others to get on it), and when I had seen him, he had his fingers on either of his temples in an outstretched way (think Mr. Burns' "excellent" hands, but outstretched more as if holding a large ball). Anyway, he did the same thing when he got on this bus, and I noticed he had no money to pay the driver with, he just let him on.

 

Each time I've seen him, after he left, I wanted to ask him "What do you know?" I'm pretty sure the answer would've been something like "Shhhh." but the thought of asking him only occurred to me after he left.

 

Now, I am just 17 years old. What does this say about the nature of our thoughts, when he could sense mine?

[Aetherous]

You should talk to him and be like "are you really stopping my thoughts?" It would make for an interesting conversation!

 

If he turns out to be some sort of master, then just hang out with him on the street! Bring him food!

[awake]

I don't know if thats what he was doing, that is an interesting perspective on it though. Him reacting to me was definitely helping me notice my thoughts. Especially if they were in such an environment (I suppose in relation to the stillness I am trying to cultivate) so as to create that kind of reaction in him consistantly.

[goldisheavy]

Good stuff! Ask him what lineage he belongs to, and if it's not some famous lineage, tell him to go screw himself. Just kidding! Just kidding! Don't kill me.

 

Why don't you bow to him next time you see him. Just a slight nod of your head is enough as a sign.

[SeriesOfTubes]

doesn't surprise me at all.. sometimes certain mentally ill people seem to have major psychic avenues wide open and may have different sorts of astral attachments, though I doubt he was conscious of what he was doing..

 

I once conversed with this guy at a coffee shop patio who was nice but a bit deranged. we were talking about how this certain area in minnesota is sacred ground (which is true in that it was a neutral meeting place for several native american tribes historicly) he then goes on to say how the whole area is secretly owned by the russians.. I pretty much left the conversation at that and he gave me a readers digest magazine for some reason.

 

so over a year later I pulled up to an intersection and saw him sitting at a bus stop, he looked at me and definitely didnt recognise me but seemed to be sizing me up a bit..

 

remembering what his deal was, I projected the thought towards him: "Im not one of the russians." right then he instantly sprung to his feet and gave me a firm military hand salute.

 

[Unconditioned]

I had a similarly odd experience while doing an open eyed meditation last night. My fiance's laptop was on the coffee table and it has a blue light that goes on every time the hard-drive works. After about 5 minutes of breathing meditation I noticed that the light came on with ever inhale and went out with every exhale... I thought it was coincidence but it was the exact same rhythm for another full minute or two. I even tried slowing my breath down and it was right on queue.

 

Now the question is, was it me influencing the light or the light influencing me. I'm going to err on the side of logic and say the light was influencing me but it was pretty intense none the less.

[Mal]

[Aetherous]

But it can be predatory universe so just make sure you play safe.

 

Very good point.

[Fire Dragon]

I had a similarly odd experience while doing an open eyed meditation last night. My fiance's laptop was on the coffee table and it has a blue light that goes on every time the hard-drive works. After about 5 minutes of breathing meditation I noticed that the light came on with ever inhale and went out with every exhale... I thought it was coincidence but it was the exact same rhythm for another full minute or two. I even tried slowing my breath down and it was right on queue.

 

Now the question is, was it me influencing the light or the light influencing me. I'm going to err on the side of logic and say the light was influencing me but it was pretty intense none the less.

 

 

Ohhh, her laptop is either a sage or a lunitac!

[Cyril]

doesn't surprise me at all.. sometimes certain mentally ill people seem to have major psychic avenues wide open and may have different sorts of astral attachments, though I doubt he was conscious of what he was doing..

 

I once conversed with this guy at a coffee shop patio who was nice but a bit deranged. we were talking about how this certain area in minnesota is sacred ground (which is true in that it was a neutral meeting place for several native american tribes historicly) he then goes on to say how the whole area is secretly owned by the russians.. I pretty much left the conversation at that and he gave me a readers digest magazine for some reason.

 

so over a year later I pulled up to an intersection and saw him sitting at a bus stop, he looked at me and definitely didnt recognise me but seemed to be sizing me up a bit..

 

remembering what his deal was, I projected the thought towards him: "Im not one of the russians." right then he instantly sprung to his feet and gave me a firm military hand salute.

 

 

Funny you mention that though, because I just noticed the exact same thing with my laptop here (but minus the coffee unfortunately).

 

As for the original topic, I can't say that I've met too many people that could potentially stop my own thoughts - though I have met a person who could somewhat figure out what I was going to do the next day; so I guess.

If you ever run into that soul again, ask him if he really knows that he can stop thoughts It would be interesting to see his reponse if he does indeed know what he's doing.

[awake]

I went today to a nearby Buddhist Meditation Center, and saw him walking near the path I was taking to get there. I was already late, so did not stop to talk to him, but it seems he does "live" nearby.

 

I look foreward to seeing him again.

[Cyril]

Living somewhere near a buddhist meditation center? Who knows, maybe he gets some energy from being near the center for extended periods of time

[Aasin]

This man sounds interesting although I'm a bit skeptical at the moment. I'm thinking this may all just be in your head. Further observation is needed. Keep us updated!