silent thunder

No need to project your personal experience onto the world. Some aspects of deep philosophy and esoteric content require time and rumination to bring understanding. Some also require more life experience, so revisiting these texts over time will reveal more as one's depth of engaging in life expands and deepens. There were aspects of the DDJ and the Chuangze that were utterly mysterious in my teens and 20's. And now in my mid 50's the relating has broadly shifted. In 2012 my subconscious gave me a strong imperative of deep study of the DDJ which I listened to and undertook in depth amd sincerity. I took a dozen versions and spent several days/up to a week with each verse reading and rereading, sitting with it and ruminating on it throughout my days until I could rework it in my own words comfortably and fully. It was rather intense what arose at times and what stood out in my neighborhood and daily life while engaging in this process. Aspects of my neighborhood and relationships that lay beneath the threshhold of conscious notice due to familiarity suddenly drew focus and would reveal insight into what was pertinent to the intention set by consciously seeking the meaning behind the words. It was a paradigm shifting process and while some verses of the DDJ spoke to me on first reading in my teens, by the end of my nine month playful engangement, the text had seeded and grown in mind and heart and the flower bloomed full for me. I ended up further refining my prose version of daily vernacular into haiku form... spending another few months refining and synthesizing each verse again into the minimum possible words to simplify and convey meaning. It was a year of intense revelation and joyful discovery of self and how i relate to others and environment. So I would encourage anyone struggling with relating to the text but drawn to it, to gather several translations and try putting them into your own language as sincerely as you can... it's sure to broaden and deepen your relatability, or at least fill a few enjoyable afternoons and evenings with some classic poetry.

One of the things I most miss, having moved and living in the Southern Desert is the ability to go roll in the snow, or ice stream flop after a sauna. Sounds like you had good fortune with your trainers/teachers. It really seems a time like no other for Westerners and access to many modes of legit training. If I were to/felt I could reasonably return to a hard art formally, it would be Aikido. Elegant, direct, effective is how I describe what I've witnessed about it.

Welcome to the Bums.

Benebell Wen is fantastic! I've been a subscriber for a couple months now and am working my way through her archive. She seems a potent scholar and one of the more resonant and effective bridges/presenters of classical chinese to western modern modalities that I've encountered. I just received her translation of the I Ching before an unexpected trip arose. I look forward to returning so I can delve in with focus. But she is a gem. Her insights and scholarship are deeply impressive. I was particularly impacted by her sharings of the Guan Yinzi and of the Dragon culture of her Father's side of her family.

Much appreciate the illustrations added to your sharings. Exponentially more is communicated. Thank you for sharing.

Releasing identity bound aspects of self is often a focus and goal in spiritual pursuit. But when it becomes a tool of punishment for demonizing anyone still diplaying identity, it's worthy of push back and consequences. And there's been the scent of that demonizing implied in some posts here. Clever hiding behind 'all perspectives are equal' is bullshit in some cases... understandable in others. Ice cream? Sure. Pedophelia? Not so much grey area. Transgrnder? Guess we're exploring that here and now in thus topic. As always context and inferred intention are pivotal. Always free to share your opinion. Never free from potential consequences however...

The JKD was widely varied and focused. On practical street applications of fundamentals. The Shao Lin 5 Animal (with Wing Chun)side was the foundation. Training has been Paramount to my quality of life now. Particularly in the rehab from several years of being semi crippled/walking with a cane. Peace friend.

Best day to start training is just like the best day to plant a tree... twenty years ago. Second best day is today. Don't let the past keep you from the present I say. That said... I started a bit late in life according to some @15 in a Korean style, Chung Moo Quan, but the foundation has served me well. When my wife and I graduated University and moved to NYC from the Midwest, I met and studied with one of Bruce Lee's first generation students/inner door and trained in a combination of Jeet Kun Do and Shao Lin Five Animal. When I left NYC for Los Angeles in 2000, I transitioned from hard martial arts to internal, due to a severe physical issue (nearly had my left foot amputated) that prevented hard style training and when recovered, returned to play my former forms as able to this day, though my emphasis is internal as I move on toward my 60's. Jump in the pool I say and enjoy the process wherever you are. It's an age like no other with many avenues to many styles available no matter where you are. Welcome to the Bums mate! st

and for blue eyes... the boy and his wolf.

woman: as within so without

For Maddie. woman waking

Because they're comfortable with a certain level of transphobia and probably aren't aware of it, or are clever enough to cover it with well chosen speech? Asking for a friend.

Live in the mystery.

Wow. Just wow.

Your fear filled bigotry is showing... Reported

The tonal quality of these strings under his fingers... it's like liquid audible light!

Maam this is the Arby's drive thru...

Now I know what Nissa does on Summer vacation...

Have shared before, but this one bears revisiting regularly...

We have a pair who nest and brood in the eaves above our bedroom window. We wake to them every morning during the season. It's bliss.

For me, it's nigh on every conversation I've ever participated in. And the process of discerning context in any book, particularly those of an esoteric or philosophic focus. Semantics, personal and socially conditioned meanings of phrases and terms... is a constant dance of trying to gauge intended meanings of the speaker/author or translator. Context is always so crucial... particularly where only text is involved. Body language and vocal cues lend so much subtlety that text struggles to convey for me.

Stunningly beautiful moment...