Jainarayan

That's what I thought. After the deities partake and bless it, we share in it. I know it would be disrespectful to pour it down the drain. I didn't see why it would be any different in Daoism, I just wasn't sure. Thanks.

Nice video! I've recited it in Tibetan and Sanskrit. I didn't know about reciting it over the rice. You learn something new every day. In fact, I really don't say anything when I feed the wildlife. Maybe I should.

I understand. In trying to go into it a little more I may have given the wrong impression; for that I apologize.

This doesn't look New Age to me as its source: Prana (प्राण, prāṇa) is the Sanskrit word for "life force"; in yoga, Oriental medicine, and martial arts, the term refers to a cosmic energy believed to come from the sun and connecting the elements of the universe. The universal principle of energy or force, responsible for the body's life, heat and maintenance, prana is the sum total of all energy that is manifest in the universe. This life energy, prana (प्राण) has been vividly invoked and described in Vedas. In Ayurveda, tantraand Tibetan medicine "praṇā vāyu" is the basic vāyu (wind, air) from which all the other vāyus arise. Though like many other concepts from the east, it has been co-opted and over-used by New Age followers, and its original usage changed. Like 'karma'... everyone throws 'karma' around, but 99% of the people who use it have no idea of its real meanings (several of them). And 'om', we can't forget 'om'.

It might be your dharma, path or duty, to be available for someone to turn to. It can and should be what you make it, hopefully positive from negative. Doesn't Taoism say don't overthink, do what seems right, "throw it against the wall and see what sticks"?

Analogous to prana also. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prana Lots of cross-pollination, as I call it, between eastern philosophies.

I'm inclined to see it as a migration also and have always done so, but not a mass migration. Rather, a slow trickle or relocation, as most of the spread of the PIE peoples were. This especially considering that there's been no major influx of newer genetics into south Asia in > 10,000 years, actually closer to 40,000 years. That's the clincher. We tend to think of migrations coming in waves, not unlike the immigrations to the US in the early 1900s. Remember, the timescale he is talking about is on the order of millennia, not years or decades.

No, Dr. Kazanas explains this in detail with a map: 1. PIE (Proto-Indo-European) language and culture did not originate around the Black Sea as commonly accepted, but rather in the Bactrian area of central Asia. From there it spread west into Europe and northwest Eurasia. 2. A small group of travelers easily moved south into the Indus and Saraswati valleys and became the Vedic civilization, which is extremely ancient and created the Rigveda around 4000 BCE. The Rigveda has no mention of anything found in the Harappan civilization, such as urbanization. Rigvedic cultural was pastoral and older than the Harappan civilization, which I think grew out of the Vedic peoples. 3. From there, that group spread out east and west, to the Gangetic Plain, and to the Iranian Plateau, for several reasons, climate change being one. That means that Vedic Sanskrit is older, not co-eval with Iranian, and is older than the Harappan civilization. So this partially supports the Out of India Theory, which should probably be called the Out of Indus Valley Theory. The Harappans may have spoken ancient Sanskrit, but it wasn't written. He starts to give an explanation at about 1:23. By extrapolation one can support the idea of indigenous Indians.

This was outstanding!

Are you suggesting we're too smart for our own good!?

I read it easily, but I have Asperger's. I don't know if that has anything to do with it.

Is this a case of being outside the body as if (in this plane, this world) one is physically looking at a different person, or is it a feeling of being on the outside looking in, as in a reflection in a mirror or glass, almost that you are an illusion to yourself? Did that make sense?

I think it's good to make comparisons, because to me, it underscores that there are universal truths. They just have different names, as the rest of my signature says. Not to mention that they are different examples of the same concept, the "in other words" to explain something.

Not to mention that when people quote Jesus to try to make a point that he was no saint (no pun intended), the quotes are taken completely out of context viz. the time, place, setting and understanding of his audience, situations they had first-hand familiarity with. Jesus was the king of metaphors and parables, par excellence. So much that even his disciples sometimes didn't get the lessons in the parables and metaphors. You can't take a lot of what he said at face value.

Globe, stuffed with garlic and grated cheese, and steamed. I thought I'd come back as a poison mushroom, work my way into my sister-in-law's spinach salad and give her liver failure. But for that thought, I'm sure I'm coming back as an artichoke.

There's a Buddhist prayer that's easy to say, but hard to practice: If I have harmed any one in any way, either knowingly or unknowingly through my own confusions, I ask their forgiveness. If any one has harmed me in any way, either knowingly or unknowingly through their own confusions, I forgive them. And if there is a situation I am not yet ready to forgive, I forgive myself for that. For all the ways that I harm myself, negate, doubt, belittle myself, judge or be unkind to myself, through my own confusions, I forgive myself.

I'm unwaveringly convinced that because of my actions in this life I will be reborn as an artichoke.

Absolutely... that's why I don't subscribe to the concept of māyā, illusion. That .38 bullet ain't no illusion. If I don't survive, there's no time to hate the shooter. If I do survive, while I'm recovering, I can meditate on it.

And... it's not necessarily about trying to talk about the Tao itself, but our relationships and place in it and with it and each other.

I haven't read through the whole thread but I can relate to trying to love enemies and not hate people. I have a sister-in-law whom I had not spoken to (civilly) in two years, for reasons I need not go into here and now. Suffice to say my not forgiving her, though I told myself I forgave her, was doing me a great spiritual disservice. I can't say I forgave her nor not-forgave her, but it is what it is. We mended fences, as it were, though things will never be the same: I found out that trying to help an injured scorpion will still get you stung, and it takes only once to learn. I have to accept that she is like the scorpion, and I have to tread carefully to help her and not get stung. But I'm certainly not going to step on the scorpion... it does what it does (then I run my ass to the ER for a shot of anti-venom ). Some days are harder than others to see us in other people... the "us" being part of the Tao, Brahman, God, Jesus, our buddha-nature, or whomever or whatever one believes in (or not). Right now I'm reading Living Buddha, Living Christ by Thich Nhat Hanh. He says that when we forgive and love our enemies, they are no longer our enemies. If someone really wants to let go of the anger and hate, they will. It takes work, no doubt. The Buddha said that there are only two ways to get to the other side of a river... swim or row in a boat. The far bank will not come to you no matter how hard you wish it or pray for it. Again, sometimes easier said than done. So, that's my take-with-a-grain-of-salt take on it.

In Dec. 2010 I had 3 lumbar micro-discectomies. I've always been inflexible, with tight hamstrings, glutes (no jokes about being a tight---, I get that enough ) and hips. Knees don't go anywhere near the floor. It probably comes from years of weight lifting and not stretching. I can't sit on the floor cross-legged for more than 15, 20 mins. at the most without my feet going numb and tingly. It's a particular problem in temple when I've been sitting too long, and now it's time to stand up... I've almost fallen. A stretch I was given to do (but of course, I don't) is to sit on a chair, one leg crossed over the other, then lean forward and feel the stretch in the glute and hip, then reverse for the other side. Ultimately I'm supposed to touch my knee with my nose. Yeah OK, as if! Btw, I sit at a desk all day, but I have a box underneath that I put my feet up on to try to keep my legs stretched. I've asked elsewhere about learning t'ai chi ch'uan but was told it's really not possible to learn on your own. There are no studios in my area that I can find. So when all is said and done, getting that background out of the way, does anyone have a recommendation for alleviating all this, and whether qigong or t'ai chi ch'uan is the better option, and how to go about learning?

Oh, I know soreness from the weight room! I actually kind of enjoy it... weird, I know. Yep, you're right about being tensed. I had that happen in temple one night. I was so tensed because I'm so inflexible, and trying to sit on the floor cross-legged, that I started sweating really bad. It was an isometric workout. Once I get comfortable and familiar with the surroundings, it will come naturally and I'll be more relaxed. One thing I pride myself on being is a quick study, and quick to adapt.

Thanks for the tips. Then I will definitely practice. I can even do some at work in my cubicle or in the fitness center. I don't know if it was because there were a few of us that were beginners, but you are right, there were no leg lifts. It was arms and shoulders, and foot movements on the floor. They were simple movements. He said that next week there would be some different gentle and beginner movements. I think he varies it, but there was nothing difficult today... unless you have no grace or balance like me. He found it somewhat amusing, but not in a mocking way. He actually made it worse for me because I'd start laughing. After the class he stayed for at least 1/2 hour telling us stories of his past, very colorful character. I really like this man.

I had my first tai chi class this morning. The instructor is Mongolian, 67 years old. He said the style is Wu, but I don't know the difference between these two articles http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wu-style_t'ai_chi_ch'uan and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wu_(Hao)-style_t%27ai_chi_ch%27uan unless I am missing something obvious. This is probably of no consequence, except that I like to understand and "own" a subject. Regardless, the class was fun. The instructor is very genial, patient and friendly. He was actually enjoying coaching us newbies. Not only am I inflexible (for now) I'm about as graceful as an ox. I was soaking wet and already beginning to feel sore. I'm going to try to remember some of the movements and practice during the week. I don't know if that's a good idea. I won't have a coach to correct me from forming bad form, but it's worth a shot. I'm looking forward to next week's class.

Sheesh! Dishonesty and sleeziness runs amok!