rookie

Has anyone had any experience with this teacher?

I realize this is very late in the thread, but upon reading the name of the post I remember one of the final teachings of Jesus as "love one another as I have loved you" which is much harder and more profound. I can see in myself that I would fight and even go to war against this type of evil in the world. So I cannot resolve this in my life right now.

Hang on, Don't get your panties in a wad! This is no slam on Buddhism. I remember hearing this term used but I cannot remember where or exactly what it refers to. I am pretty certain it relates to the taoist perspective of certain buddhist attitudes and beliefs. Does anyone know where this originated and its original meaning? Thanks

really? sounds pretty delusional to me

Yes this sounds like an example of it. Do you know the time period?

This sounds pretty close to what I remember and have seen in some. I thought there was an historical reference to the usage. Maybe someone will come forward with it. Thanks.

Just to give you a little more perspective on this, God does not demand anything from a "Christian". Only certain sects, if you will, will require certain prayers and such. In the end, it is the hearts longing for the infinite, that can only be satisfied by "God" that is the true prayer. Sure it is ok to ask for things, help, healing, courage,..... And you can substitute "Dao" The One, Diving Creator, Whatever is responsible for the creation, your creation.....for "God". Even the Lords Prayer: and I am doing just parts here: Our Father who art in Heaven -- relationship is father to child Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven --the desire to be in harmony with Heaven (the way) Give us this day our daily bread -- acknowledge that we are fully dependent in being and forgive us...as we forgive -- no comment needed and so on not so complicated really. Just stay out of the trap of ingrained and rigid beliefs. peace

adept, I just want to say that you are right on. And be careful not to fall into the trap that "practices" will solve this. The practices can support your awareness of what is going on and your intended actions, but the awareness, the insight you already have is the key element. Retaining the awareness and your intention as you move through the day will lead to spontaneous actions at the right time, and these will mainly be internal as you see the whole movement and naturally do, or move with your intention for change, in this area. It is a change in being. peace to you. stay with it

There are lot's of meditation methods where one interacts with objects within awareness. But this I would not call the void. Maybe this is a case of semantics, When interacting with objects one also becomes an object.

I have always been taught that experiences and perceptions that happen in meditation are not to be focused on. Also, I am finding that any goal going in will backfire. It has been very interesting reading about these experiences, but I wonder if any of you have been given this advice for your practice? I do know the feeling and understand the desire to communicate about new experiences or a new "level" reached during meditation or practice. But the advice has always to leave them alone and pay no attention.

I see that you are trying use this analogy to get at something deeper, but the formulation is incorrect. "One" cannot travel at the speed of light. Only light can. So whatever speed one was traveling at would be less than the speed of light and one would see one's reflection. To be an effective koan I think leave the incorrect physics out of it.

So cat, have you tried this? looks interesting, but also "has the look" of one of those "just click here and for 49.99 all your problems are solved" type of thing LOL but seriously, have you purchased it and vouch for it?

Hi Marblehead, Some of your responses seem to indicate that you try to stay wholly within the realm of reason. Would you say this is true? I am not challenging your beliefs, I just find your responses interesting. I am not interested in changing your mind, but I have more questions for you to consider. If you endeavor to stay wholly within the realm of reason, how aware are you of the limits of reason and logic? Some of these limits that have been found by applying the method to itself I think are surprising, at first. I think a lot of young people are attracted to mathematics, or philosophy or logic because they seek some certainty in the world. Certainty like this can be found within the system itself, until you take it to the limits and find it is incomplete in an essential way.

I think it is wise to carefully consider a potential teachers qualities in depth, and err on the side of caution with anything that comes up. Have you considered asking him direct questions? Otherwise, I personally think that this kind of discussion about someone's state of consciousness to be rather a waste of time. By the way, I know nothing about him. I am turned off by the popular or "rock star" teachers that are so common. Life is my primary teacher you?

I wouldn't call that sad. Let me ask a couple of questions. Since it is a possibility in that it does not violate the most fundamentally correct known law of physics, if it did happen, would you be more likely to think you had spaced out for a second and missed something, or doubt that it had happened? This goes to how our expectations can condition our experience. Do you go so far as to doubt anything you have not seen with your eyes directly? For example, if you have never seen a Grizzly bear in person would you doubt their existence? How about a virus or the moon of Pluto? Just wondering how far you take it. Is the line drawn by utility? You see it is practical and utilitarian, not to mention necessary, to use the quantum mechanical models to design semiconductors. But no one has seen electrons tunneling through a potential barrier, just the effects of it.

Non, dude, buddy, it looks like you are making this harder on yourself. On the one hand, there is what happens, and on the other there is your interpretation of it. I suggest that your interpretation is making you feel worse and feeding a cycle. Breaking the cycle is needed, but hopefully in a way that makes your experience better, not worse. Since I don't know your personal situation, I just hope you are not involved in any substance abuse. If you are that should be number one concern. Also, if there are any suicidal thoughts, get help now, and there are free ways of getting that help. Assuming those are not present, I would suggest starting with something that would make you feel better, just right now, some experience that you like and can do without thinking about stuff. Sit in the sun. Talk to an old friend. Take a walk. Make a tasty meal. Go to a movie. Pet your dog, or get one. They are great at giving unconditional love and companionship. Try this for a few days. Look at yourself as another person, say you are an Uncle to yourself who cares about you. What does this young man need? What would you do to help someone like you, what would you do to help you looking at yourself objectively? (this will be my attempt at playing this role) I can tell you this. You need to be able to be happy alone, with yourself and by yourself, first. For a while, just work on having fun, being happy and healthy. Try to find some peace. There is only one thing you need to know about women right now. Most women rate kindness very highly as a necessary quality for a long term partner. But you must be reasonably happy with yourself before anyone healthy will allow you to be close to them. Then, once you are happy with yourself, and probably not thinking about it, a woman will gravitate towards you, and you can try it out, but don't think it is a one shot deal. This cycle will go on. If you cannot do some simple things that make yourself feel good, if your thoughts are always about what you do not have or cannot do, and you cannot break the cycle, then seriously go talk to somebody who can help with depression. Sometimes meds are better than depression for some folks. you need to make a change my friend this is the best I can do to help from here peace

he he he, I like it surrender is maybe not so good of a word maybe sort of lost it for a while, or forgot to take it along? maybe the computer didn't load all the programs on waking this morning, until a memory made you "snap out of it" and come to your senses, or step back into your full suit of beliefs.... anyway, it doesn't matter if you buy it, one has to do something with their time and debating these things is as good a game as any here is another game..... is it possible to be in a state of pure perception? not looking at the model nor living through it, not manipulating the model trying to produce a desired outcome? this reminds me of something I read or heard but I don't remember where..... If you do not use your thoughts, memory, emotions, associations, perceptions, attention,.....who are you? what happens then? hmmmm

Very beautifully said. To approach this (dare I say) "knowing" requires looking past any beliefs or expectations of what it. I would say this; there is a knowing that is not conceptual, is not of the thinking mind. The thinking mind lives in its closed space, its island, and it can only respond with awe when it gets the sense that there is something beyond it, where it cannot go, that it cannot touch. But there is something that can apprehend this, yes? I have already used too many words here. The mind, conceptual mind, will never resolve this. I suppose that makes it an interesting and possibly fun game that it can play forever, ...... or not

Regarding the experience of the chair, what is known, or expected, I want to point out that the best current model of the physical universe does not disagree with your experience or expectation, but it also allows the possibility of completely different experiences or interactions with the same two objects, being your butt and the chair LOL. Consider this simple experiment. Take a smoothly rounded bowl and hold a marble against its inner side about half way up. What do you think will happen when you let go of the marble? I should roll back and forth across the inner surface of the bowl, right? Most probably so. But what would you think if it seemed to jump out of the bowl and rolled out across the table and then across the floor? Would you believe your eyes? or think something must have acted on the marble? There is a probability predicted by quantum mechanics that the marble will "pass right through" the wall of the bowl and continue on its way with the same energy it had before when on the inside of the bowl. This could happen without adding any force or energy to the marble. In fact, this is the way electrons act in semiconductors a very large amount of the time. The probability for the marble is vanishingly small because its mass is so big, so you will probably never see it happen, but it could happen. But you and I would probably not believe our eyes. So you (we) are conditioned to believe and therefore expect that our butt will safely land on the chair every time and call this "true" or known. In reality, it is only a belief or an expectation. We also tend to think of science as true. But science is really only about building a model that correlates well with observations. Then we believe it is true (well most seem to), until the next bit of evidence comes along that doesn't fit with the model and then the models are revised and this game continues over and over. For now, most people will say that quantum mechanics is true.

I want to point out that there is plenty of room for intuitive thinking in science. It requires a great deal of creativity to come up with a new theory or a new experiment or experimental method.

I was wondering about seasonal qigong practices. Does anyone do anything different in different seasons intentionally? How about diet? Like, are you building and strengthening the water-kidneys now? Just wondering if someone does this if they could share what it is, or point out some good references. Thanks in advance

Very interesting to see the do more and do less themes Here are mine 1. Stay in touch with that space or place within where nothing more is needed 2. Relax and take care of today what you can do today 3. Be kind No regrets. It is all movement in now. Have had good women, and not so good for me women in my life, and have a really good one now Thanks for starting the good topic

AWESOME!!!! I can feel them from here LOL Where is this from?

I think you have hit on a really good point. Inner cultivation is a continuous process and noticing the things that work against that is a fork in the road. What do you choose? Scattering your energy and attention? or attending to inner cultivation. You know this is a really good post because it brings out that ongoing choice. It applies to everyone. What do I come here for? Not all the academic, theorital discussions. Those have become more and more a part of this board. Just as you say, I find all the mental learning to be distracting and draining rather than building. Guarding the one in daily life doesn't happen for me when the mind is engaged in learning. I remember when I first joined this was a very lively place. Lots of viewpoints and much more open discussion of personal practice. I remember more colorful characters too, and people with more experience. I miss that. I am not sure why it has all happened, but the community has become more monolythic, if you knwo what I mean. And very tame. A lightning bolt is very cool and fun every now and then LOL So I come here to see what is going on now and then. And I will reply to a post if I find it interesting, like this one. I guess I am going to repeat that the thing I find most valuable is the sharing of personal experience. I find this community much more mental and theoretical. I guess I am much more a reality, experience based cultivator rather than an abstract thinker when it comes to this. So thank you for your sharing your experience of what is happening for you with this board.

The high desert of the mountain west, with the mountains, rivers and canyons. Finding spots where nobody has been, for a while at least. But especially red rocks, and big rocks....nourish the soul How do you insert a picture here? Do you have to use the url link thing? so put your pic on a webpage first? edit: the avatar pic is a view of the back side (west side)of the Maroon Bells