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11 pointsFor me, it's a bit about a belief many tribal people used to share -- every photo takes away some of one's soul. An indirect confirmation that there's something to it I see in the tragic or at least controversial predicament of many (oh so many) celebrities for whom having their images on public display is part of their job description -- actors/actresses, rock stars, politicians, etc.. Many of those who had "everything" an "ordinary person" might dream of -- fame and fortune and even love of millions -- wound up dying young, screwing up their lives with all kinds of toxic excesses, getting publicly eviscerated over this or that, or becoming grotesque caricatures of their own earlier selves. Does it have something to do with their incessant picture-posing? I don't know, but I definitely feel a certain truth to that. Would you believe that I only took one selfie in my entire life so far? And even that, by accident -- I was aiming for something else and snapped a pic of my reflection in the mirror instead, in a winery. I liked the accidental composition -- it looked sort of like a painting on the wall, so I kept it.
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10 pointsI think there's only one way and that is close observation over a long period of time (12 years is quoted in texts). Do they speak the truth? Are their actions consistent with their words? How do they conduct themselves? How do people around them, their close followers behave towards them and each other? This kind of thing. I have never known a good teacher who made any claims about their own enlightenment - usually they downplay their own abilities compared to their own teachers.
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9 pointsIts always here and effortless, So let things go their own way. Nothing needs to be understood, As everything has already been accomplished. The mind cannot bring you there, As it can't be improved upon. Relaxing through not doing anything, Nothing needs to be done. Unchanging stillness that contains the changing movement, If effort is needed to maintain it, it's not it. Awareness of the totality of the NOW, it 'just is', The 'just is', always is, effortlessly is, right now. Recognising the unchanging nature of mind, That has always been and always will be, You just sit.
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9 pointsNo, “they” don’t all love their guns. I hate guns. Guns are a cancer of society. Before anyone @‘s me, I am a former US Army Infantry Sergeant, and an expert marksmen, and have used all kinds of weapons.
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9 pointsI bow before thee sovereign lord , but ask what apart from labeling the chakras yin and Yang what is Daoist about this?
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8 pointsClaiming to be a "nobody" is fairly common in some spiritual circles. Lots of folks do it, including some who seem very much like somebodies by my (admittedly questionable) standards. Claiming to be "the biggest nobody" though -- wow, that's truly next level self-deprecating aggrandizement. I'm comfortable with my Bum name, Liminal Luke. I've had it for years and to change now would confuse people unnecessarily. Still, it's good to know that the title of Medium-Sized Nobody is still available.
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8 pointsHello, I just discovered the site via a post from Terence Dunn on Quora. My background is mainly in meditation with some qi gong. The qi gong I've learned is likely not traditional, as I understand that's the case with most of what is taught in the West these days. As I recall the teacher made no great claims about the style's origin, but perhaps that was just humility. I'm interested in learning an authentic style of qi gong in-depth, as opposed to an exotic calisthenics routine. I understand that this is an in-person endeavor requiring more than casual instruction at the local gym. If I'm going to put in the time, might as well be on the road to the right destination. I've studied Chinese and lived in China, as well as Japan, years ago. Although my abilities are rusty, I'm rapidly resurrecting them and planning to take the HSK 6 later this year. As a related part of that effort, I'm looking for a qigong tradition and teacher that I can have confidence in and commit to. I'd also like to supplement this with the study of Chinese medicine, so conversations and information about that are also helpful. Thanks for reading!
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8 points18 years ago @ 6:54 my son drew his first breath, and looked in my eyes forever shifting my experience of reality. Such treasure that out of this spinning universe i should have the unimaginable fortune to be his Dad.
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8 pointsA few years back my mom got breast cancer, received chemo, and began to wear a wig. It wasn't comfortable. On one occasion she found herself in a group composed entirely of wigged chemo recipients, so she made a sensible but uncommon choice: she took off her wig. My mom has never been a fashion trendsetter but her action that day sparked a small revolution. It wasn't long before everybody in that room went wigless. I don't know what happened next but I suspect the mood lightened. I suspect laughter rang out. Most of us are not receiving cancer treatment, but almost all of us, at least on occasion, wear metaphorical wigs. To me, this thread is an invitation to take them off. It feels better than I thought it would.
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8 pointsMy experience has for some two decades now been that what folks refer to as choice is actually conditioned response to stimulus that occurs beneath the threshhold of personality consciousness. After we process the conditioned response, if we analyze it, we then call this making a choice or a demonstration of free will. I do not experience free will or choice in local awareness.
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7 pointsDear Friends, I sense a certain bad temperedness has come among us. This thread is about unpopular opinions not unpopular people. Let's stick to ideas and not persons. Non-duality and kundalini suffer from those most pervasive and pernicious of effects which are popularisation and commercialisation. In the market places of the weird which we inhabit, kundalini has been devalued by being devolved to non-specific energy movements or even worse psychological effects, moods and so on. It is questionable for instance whether the most well known exponents of kundalini raising and kundalini syndrome and the like are actually dealing with kundalini at all. At the same time kundalini is glorified as a goddess in the more mystical among us - resulting in a completely confused view as to what it is and what it is good for. Non-duality is a perfectly sound philosophical view which underpins some of both buddhadharma and vedanta. It is useful to those practicing these schools because it allows an intellectual base which supports practice. It is arrived at through careful examination of the nature of reality - and not surprisingly there are a number of subtly differing views which can all be classed as non-dual while not fully agreeing with each other. It has nothing to do with the vague notions which pervade the internet these days - which are all basically monist or 'oneness' sales pitches, or the musings of people who have had 'experiences' and so on. They should be treated as non-serious. I trust my thoughts are sufficiently unpopular.
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7 pointsI feel like I've invented new facial expressions the further I read. I did not know my face could do that.
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7 pointsHello fellow Dao Bums! Andreas here, I am from Cyprus and live in Greece. I was always fascinated by spirituality, especially Buddhism and Daoism. New to the path of internal alchemy and trying to find a true form of Qigong/Neigong to get me started. Read about alot, really practiced so little! Hope to get to know lots of interesting people here, and looking forward
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7 pointsSince time immemorial, taoist qi and yi scientists have been noticing and recording similarities between time periods that fall under similar heavenly/earthly qi configurations (despite the yi factor which introduces irregular changes into regular periodic cosmic/earthly processes.) The "animal" aspect of each year repeats every 12 years, but the same "animal" (type or "phase" of qi named after an "animal" for convenience of remembering and discerning its manifestations in our realm) has five wuxing "subspecies" -- e.g. the Dragon shows up as a Water Dragon, then, twelve years later, as a Wood Dragon, another twelve years bring in the Fire Dragon, and so on. There's not as many similarities between dragons of different wuxing phases as there are between dragons of the same phase. And these come every 60 years (just like with every other "animal" in the cycle). So, the year of the Wood Dragon is most likely to share its type of qi with the previous one of 60 years ago. 1964. That was an interesting year. If you look at the events in history -- or, for those old enough to remember, in your own childhood -- you might get a sense for what's to come. There were many changes. Some were good, some bad, and some signified the beginning of an entirely new turn of events that would reverberate through ages. In China, that was the year of the beginning of the "cultural revolution." In the US, the year Lyndon Johnson was elected president and the war in Vietnam took a drastic turn toward escalation. In the USSR, a KGB coup ousted Khrushchev and installed Brezhnev. Brazil had a military coup that established a long dictatorship. Japan, with the jaw-dropping modernity of its 1964 Tokyo Olympics facilities, made an entrance onto the world scene as a new economic superpower. The Beatles who were not getting all that much attention before their 1964 American tour became a "superpower" in their own right. To name a few. Buckle up folks...
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7 pointsOn the one hand, there is no way to tell if someone is enlightened, or not. We may think we know but that is all projection. An enlightened master could lead us to believe whatever they feel is prudent in any given set of circumstances. On the other hand, anyone claiming they’re enlightened is not. Period. My opinion only, of course. Fake masters have a lot of tells. They tend not to show any vulnerability or admit mistakes. They often claim their way is the only or best way or that they know what’s best for others. They like fancy titles but don’t share who bestowed them, they often don’t reveal their lineage or teacher(s). They tend to talk more than listen and often like fancy clothes and trinkets and other external paraphernalia, often appropriated from other cultures, that helps sell their package. Their prices are often exorbitant compared to others. Their behavior outside of the teaching environment, how they treat others for example, especially when criticized, is often a dead giveaway. They tend to talk down about other styles or teachers, even about their own students. They like to put themselves on a pedestal and enjoy adoration. They get defensive and evasive when challenged. These are some things I’ve observed over the years in people who proved to be, or that I concluded (right or wrong) are fake or bad news.
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7 pointsI would start with someone claiming enlightenment as an easy red flag. The best way I think though, is to observe the community around the master, and trust your intuition. 🙏
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7 pointsNot snakelike at all. From some of your previous posts, I gather that you don't place much faith in therapy, but the directness of your presence combined with the coziness of the setting -- comfortable chair, hot beverage, tissues, woodstove -- makes me want to come over and tell you all my problems. Count yourself lucky we're living on far away continents.
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6 pointsI´m sorry to hear that, Steve. This is a painting my mom did of a bowl that was broken and repaired with gold leaf. She painted it after having gone through chemotherapy, at a time when she too felt a little broken. I think she needed to know that in our deepest selves we are not shattered by the things that happen to us; painting the bowl helped her feel her own wholeness. I´m reminded of a quote from Hemingway: The world breaks everyone and afterwards many are strong in the broken places. Nobody wants to be betrayed and few of us want to betray. Nobody wants to discover that someone or something they trusted didn´t deserve their trust. And yet it happens all the time, even among spiritual teachers. A part of me thinks it´s a necessary thing, a part of the way things work in this dimension, though of course it never feels that way when it´s happening. I believe you too will emerge "strong in the broken places." Take good care...
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6 pointsMy experience here, and elsewhere, is that while I sometimes feel like people are referring to me with posts or comments, it's far more likely that they are referring to something going on in their own lives. That tendency to assume we are the object of someone's comments or expression is normal and natural but usually inaccurate and leads to unnecessary conflict. On retreat, someone once told my teacher they were blown away by how he seemed to talk to them so directly about their specific conditions and problems despite speaking to such a large and diverse group, and multiple other retreatants agreed. His response was that he is never speaking to anyone in particular, and doesn't really know anything about our individual lives, but that if we feel someone is talking to (or about) us then they are! Meaning it is something that is reactive and needs attention in us and something we should pay some close attention to. But it really has nothing to do with the other person. Zhuangzi's empty boat parable touches on this for me.
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6 pointsI went by my intuition and when I found him it was clear after we looked each other in the eyes. before that I met a woman that seemed to get her 'greatness' from pushing down on others, i found her abusive and left. a guy that smelled of sexual predation, i did not start. a guy that was so swollen with his feeling of self importance i did not give him another glance. Memory from the first time I visited the dojo, these people are all very nice, calm and well-behaved, the place is very clean, has a nice vibe. And apart from a strong feeling of Yes, this is were i should be, that teacher showed and told some thing that ring true to me. I think its only reasonable that payment is asked, he has to feed his family and those that work for him. He has to pay for the large facility, the energy to keep it all warm et cetera. totally normal to me, I do not work for free either. But these were reasonable prices, like when you would do chi gung, tai chi or karate elsewere you would pay for the lessons too.
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6 pointsThe health of a tree is revealed by the condition of its fruit. Echoing Apech, observation and time will reveal what is pertinent.
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6 pointsUm actually it’s 2024 now, chakras can identify as whatever gender they want to be
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6 pointsWe disciples have much to learn from the teachings of the venerable grandmaster who has now returned. I stay in deep silence under the master's e-presence and trust that one day he will reveal to us such secrets, though I worry we may not be ready yet.
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6 pointsAnother post from me about the shadow self. I liked the article below, I looked up shadow self today because that’s what I’m engaged in a lot of the time. Last night I was being drenched in unpleasant feelings and I reminded myself after an hour or so to just feel the feeling, accept it, stop trying to quell it or hope it will just let up, and I thought of rumi’s guesthouse poem. All of that was enough for me to open to the feeling, and after another half hour or so I was able to go to sleep. Before sleeping, maybe half asleep, I saw a very large black slug crossing a road, this morning I was thinking surely this was my shadow self, in all its fearsome reality, a great big slimy black slug, and today I have to process the idea that this too is me. Reading a good article like the one below helps me to do that, and I thought I’d share its succinct advice with the bums. ARTICLES, CARL JUNG, PSYCHOLOGY Carl Jung and the Shadow: The Hidden Power of Our Dark Side December 17, 2015 Carl Jung is famous for formulating the concept of the shadow, the portion of our personality which, through the course of our life, is relegated to the darkness of the unconscious. The Nature of the Shadow While Jung is known for bringing the concept of the shadow to public awareness in the modern day, this aspect of ourselves has long been recognized as a ubiquitous feature of human beings. In 1886, before Jung made his mark, Robert Louis Stevenson created the now famous story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. In his story Dr. Jekyll represents the respectable part of one’s personality, but when he transforms into Mr. Hyde, his shadow personality gains dominance over him and wrecks havoc on his life. Although the shadow is an innate part of the human being, the vast majority of us are willfully blind regarding its existence. We hide our negative qualities, not only from others but from ourselves. To do this we often criticize and condemn others to ensure our focus does not fall on our own faults and destructive tendencies. We go through life with a false air of moral superiority and a belief that while others act immorally and destructively, we ourselves are wholly virtuous and always in the right. Making the Shadow Conscious Some aspects of our shadow are the product of our evolution. We contain, like all animals, instincts for sex and aggression that we tend to repress in order to adapt to the social mores of the day. Some aspects of our shadow are the product of our upbringing. Personality traits and impulses that elicited fear or anxiety in our parents or teachers, for example, caused them to punish or criticize us; and so we reacted by repressing these characteristics. We put up psychological defenses to ensure they were not allowed expression, and thus these characteristics were repressed into the unconscious. As all humans have a shadow, what differentiates us from others is the degree to which we are conscious of it. When our shadow remains unconscious, it wrecks havoc in our life. Repressed contents do not merely disappear, but rather they function independently of our conscious awareness. In other words, the shadow has the capacity to override our conscious ego and take possession of our being, exerting control over our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. When this happens we can be unconsciously driven into hard times, all the while remaining ignorant that these troubled periods were self-imposed, and not the product of bad luck or fate. The unconscious control which our shadow can exert upon us also accounts for the self destructive behaviors so many individuals struggle with and are unable to control despite consciously knowing they would be better off not engaging in such actions. Many addicts are driven by their shadow, which accounts for the internal “war” which exists within them. One moment they tell themselves they are going to give up their addiction and live a clean life, and the next moment their shadow overrides their conscious ego and they enthusiastically seek out the next drink, “hit”, or sexual release. As Robert Louis Stevenson notes in his book The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, man is not one, but truly two; he has a conscious personality and a shadow, each of which often battle for supremacy within his mind. In order to avoid being the victim of “shadow-possession”, we must become conscious of our shadow qualities and integrate them into our conscious personality; accepting them with open arms not as abhorrent aspects of our self, but as necessary and vital parts of our being. Toward this end it is useful to realize that the task in life is not to become perfect, but to become whole. And as wholeness entails both good and evil, light and darkness, the achievement of wholeness in personality development requires we assimilate our shadow into our conscious personality. However, as Jung alludes to in the above quote, this is extremely difficult. Most cannot and will not admit that deep down they are not wholly virtuous, selfless, and good human beings, but instead contain selfish, destructive, amoral and immoral impulses and capacities. Most would rather deceive themselves with a blind optimism about the “goodness” of their nature, which is why most remain fragmented individuals who are ignorant of their inner depths. The Hidden Power of the Shadow What is especially interesting is the idea that the shadow contains not just destructive aspects of the personality, but also potent, creative, and powerful capabilities. During our development certain traits and impulses were condemned by our family, peers, and educators, not out of care but out of envy, fear, ignorance or jealousy. Our proclivity to abide by social expectations also caused us to repress talents, innate abilities, and impulses which if cultivated and developed had the potential to make us more effective beings in the world. For example, it is becoming more prevalent today for psychologists to diagnose individuals who question authority and show signs of extreme self reliance as being pathological, suffering from a condition they call “anti-authoritarian” (see an article by Bruce Levine here). Individuals who are too self-reliant in our increasingly collective and dependent society are viewed by many as a threat. They are lone wolves amidst a flock of sheep, and they are attacked and ridiculed by the herd because of it. This is just one example of many regarding how our socialization into modern society handicaps our development. The bottom line is that with our higher energies trapped, labeled by others and our conscious ego as negative and bad, our growth can become blocked, and life, a wasteland. For the sake of our personal development, we must, therefore, become more aware of our shadow and open our mind to the possibility that maybe we are not so friendly, righteous, and moral as we think. We must consider that perhaps there are unconscious aspects of ourselves driving our behavior “behind the scenes”. We must look down into our depths and realize that our conscious ego is not always in control, but is often overtaken by the power of our shadow. Once we become more aware of these dark aspects of ourselves, we must honor them and find a way to integrate them into our life. In failing to do so, one will become weak and scattered. One cannot serve two inner drives without dissipating his strength and energies. The shadow must become a part of one’s conscious personality. Is there a “Technique” to Integrate the Shadow? As Jung notes in the passage above, there is no general technique to integrate the shadow. Our shadow is unique, and thus, to integrate it requires we adopt our own unique approach. No matter the approach we adopt, to properly integrate our shadow it is necessary to behave in ways which run counter to the mores of society and our own conscious moral compass. Most of our shadow qualities, after all, were repressed into our unconscious because we believed they were unacceptable, either socially or according to our family or peers. A common technique in shadow integration is to find a healthy, productive, or at the very least, controlled outlet for either repressed aggression or sexual urges. Another is to ignore customs one thought to be superficial or pointless, but previously conformed to in order to fit in. Another is to pursue a passion despite all those around you pressuring you otherwise. These tactics can help us separate ourselves from the expectations and “conforming-eye” of others, and allow us to look within, without judgment or condemnation, to discover who and what we really are. If we can find a way to negotiate with our shadow, and allow it to “live” in our conscious personality rather than repressing it, we will not only attain a more secure sense of selfhood, but also more knowledge about what it is we really want in life. We will be more capable of ignoring what others think we should be doing, more able to deviate from the masses, and thus more prepared to commence on a path to fulfill our own personal destiny. The shadow, as Jung mentioned, is the doorway to our Self. The many dare not descend into their depths, but this is exactly what we must do if we are to become who we really are. Visit our curated Bookstore RECOMMENDED BOOKS
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6 pointsCollege days, out at Gazos Creek above Santa Cruz, letting the wind play harmonics on the guitar strings: Learned to play this in the college days--Fahey was so weird, but such a strong alternating thumb beat.
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6 pointsI was an actor throughout my teens 20's and early 30's. My wife and I participated in myriad stage productions, but toward the end for both of us it tended toward film and tv. When it got to the point where we were getting big and the agents were pushing in (she was simultaneously up for two principle roles with Woody Allen and FF Coppola which she declined), we both had a potent realization and walked away from performing at that point without a backward glance and pursued another passion that wouldn't involve giving up anonimity in public or force either of us to be known to a wide group of strangers. Far more impacting than any of the reactions to images, videos or photos shared of me were the interactions and the loss of privacy I began having on the street with perfect strangers who approached me with intensity and passion regarding a performance they had seen and wanting to express and explore the connection we shared through their experience. Due to the impact of some performances, people felt they knew me on a level and had a personal connection to me so they would freely reach out, touch, hug and expect a level of intimacy that with some of them (and given my intense empathic nature) was horrifying and incredibly invasive for me. While many of the interactions were pleasant and joyful... I soon realized that given my nature, I would be ostricized from my own life by a certain level of not being able to remain unnoticed. anonimity is blissful freedom. and the authentic connections here act as fuel for the furnace of cultivation, not a detraction. I adore seeing all your faces and the images you choose to share to represent your mood or some facet of your character!
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6 pointsIt's really amazingly magickal this place to me. Rather than meet in person and share tea and conversation the old fashioned way... We meet here and coalesce at the Dao Bums Lounge. We just each provide our own teaand sundry but our presence is shared and the connections are authentic. We share here, in a slightly more virtual but no less effective manner of a digital gathering place. Though when occasion presents, I do love to meet Bums in the flesh to share a hug and analog conversation when possible. I've been marked, triggered, awakened, softened, inspired, awed and blessedly engaged in authentic connection here more times than in most other settings I frequent. A true blessing and a treasured shared home space this seems to me.
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