silent thunder

For me, abundance is a state of being not a manifestation of things, or a pride in the lack of them. It is an awareness of and an appreciation for the natural flow of the conditions of the now. Abundance is about being aware of and connected to the flow of life while remaining unattached/non-grasping to objects/things. My experience of reality manifests according to my state of being and the conditions of my perception in the now. Life is abundance (good and bad).

Incomprehensible. Outside my sphere of reality. Fucked.

All things have their place in Tao. Sometimes moves like the raging waters of the Tsunami. Not all non-action is non-violent.

The obsessive preoccupation with taking pictures is a symptom of this mindset. The desire to save a moment so it may be savored later, as it was missed in passing...

I'm still routinely stunned that there are neighbors I've lived next to for 5 years and still haven't learned their name. They just would rather be left alone and I understand and respect it. But it's just so alien to me. I'm a gregarious guy. I really thrive on making connections. It's like manna for me. Australians and New Zealanders never cease to amaze me with their openness, genuineness, humility and humor. Followed closely by the Irish and Scottish. I was a bartender in NYC for a few years and had a lot of these tourists roll through my bar. I have stacks of business cards of places to stay based on those brief connections. It's amazing how a simple, direct, open conversation can make such a lasting impact even decades later. For all their trials, I love living in the big cities that are filled with the mash of many cultures.

It seems to me that this is the preeminent epidemic of our culture. Following, following that carrot. Just get that degree, just get that job, just get that promotion, just get that gal/guy. Moments and miracles flowing by and always the eyes glazed over, searching for the carrot, with hunger in the belly. What a treasure it is to sit in a simple room, swimming in the laughter of family.

Fewer things allows more space for living. *bow of respect*

I know what you mean about the heat. I loved the Winters in Minnesota and New York. Living in the coastal desert has some good perks, but sacrificing Winter and Thunderstorms is a heavy price. My wife is such a trooper. A few times I've packed up the camping gear and headed to Utah for a big storm system just to get a solid thunderstorm. 130 days of sun in a row makes me twitchy...

I've had a couple growing up... Eventually went Kali on their ass and chopped em down... My current worship, Nature, breath-work, dream-work, living in love.

We have two seasons here, Summer and Summer is coming... I usually practice before sunrise or around dusk when I'm working. If I'm between shows, then I'll add a midnight and midday session, usually incorporating the beach or tree work at one of the local parks.

Welcome to the Bums! Five posts here and you will have access to the rest of the forums.

"Do No Harm." one of my favorites...

This one cracks me up. Don't know if it's real or not, but I wouldn't be surprised. I have few regrets this life, but one is that I drank that shit for my entire youth up to about 30. If I could go back and give myself some advice it would be, drop the soda and the dairy dude.

To believe that only the old and ancient ways hold truth is to close your eyes to the present moment. Samadhi is beyond religion or culture. There is nothing which is not Tao.

do you shave? do you buy used clothing? are the wrinkles happy or sad? use cream or don't.

Morality does not stem from religion. Religion is an attempt to explain morality.

I'm one who perceives all paths being valid. They all lead from and to source. The route they take and my value assessment of that state, is irrelevant, (except to me). Nothing is invalidated, wasted, lost or missed ever. It's patently impossible, in my perception.

For me it means that the Sage sees and works in the interest of the people even when the animus driven addicts are not aware of their own interests. The Sage occupies the center.

What bird is screeching? Fools talk while Sages listen. Whose voice is that now? The same thing applies to the incessant flapping of wings in the mind.

I'm surprised by the venemous, contentious and fundamentalist nature of the buddhist discussions I've read here. I just stopped reading the buddhist topics as a result. Problem solved, for me anyway. But I do wonder, where is the compassion and curiosity? My ignorance is blissful in this matter.

In those situations I use the word 'maintain'. It's like I'm trying to maintain my balance on a big wave.

Cutting out processed sugar and caffeine really had a stabilizing effect on my energy and moods. I dabble in the nasty sugar once in a while, caffeine not a bit.

...I love the wack-a-mole analogy. Wack-a-mole is what I did for yeeeeears with my inner voices and the old tapes of religion/family/school. I was and still am that guy in the car by himself having a full blown conversation with the inner voices. Usually explaining with gusto why they are irrelevant and need to shut the fuck up...

When I encountered the long dark, I fought it with everything I had, struggling against the current with a monstrous vanity. Stubbornly forcing myself to emptily perform my previous rituals until all inertia was absolutely spent and I finally just ran out of desire, utterly exhausted in body, mind and spirit. With no more ability to care I just dropped everything and completely surrendered. Came close to suicide twice. The process lasted a couple years in all. When I reached inertial bottom and settled into stillness, I gave in to it, I had no choice, no inertia, no love, no care, no truth. Just empty motions and lack of desire. Nothing had meaning, nothing could possibly matter. The slightest breeze could change my direction in these days. The tiniest suggestion of a friend or stranger could alter my course, yet no matter the course, the ship was empty and lifeless. Although it felt like complete surrender and I told myself it was, it was not, for I still had pride and despair. The despair of 'what is wrong with me? where did my love go? who am I? what am I?' And a pride that I could endure such despair and keep on functioning. Thankfully the long dark was more relentless than my pride or despair. On and on I plodded until finally in true exhaustion even the will to despair fell away. Where before there was despair at the loss of desires and connection to life, within this release, there was no longer even the energy to attach to despair. This was the fulcrum and pivot. The Yang within Yin. When I finally lost the inertia to spend on fear or despair, I encountered silence. Silence of mind, silence of emotions, emptiness of motion, no motivations, just empty actions and words. The silence I experienced was so complete. Silent body, empty mind. In the core of this silence I experienced something new. An underlying sound, like rushing water became apparent very far away and deep, within the silence... and it shook me awake. It was so profound and deep and utterly new, so foundational, beneath and beyond anything I had experienced in the realms of desire and identity. Once I became aware of this sound, this presence, it at once began to grow and fill my awareness. It grew into a roaring thunder that had it been an audible sound would have deafened me. It shook the walls of my awareness until there were no walls and when I looked out of my windowless self, the world I saw was not the world I had known. Trees I had walked by every day for a decade were seen as if for the first time. People, veritably glowing with energy in the simplest of exchanges and even the dirtiest situation had the shining aspect of brilliant connected life to it. The sense of it was like waking from a long dream. I am not enlightened. I am not awake. My long dark was exactly what I had been asking for and seeking. I've been blessedly shaken by the silent thunder and I'm so fucking grateful it's beyond words to describe it. The silent thunder awakened me to the connection. The deep underlying connection of all of it. Now I'm going to go have a piss and make some more tea... Much Love... edit: and of course... the above is all experiential and thus, illusion. But wow, what a ride! gratitude is a great companion

Well met and welcome!