bax44

global warming, like "systemic racism" are emotional buzzwords and nothing more, to ellicit emotional reactions from people who need a cause to fight for to justify their victim mentality. https://www.cfact.org/2020/06/29/book-review-apocalypse-never-by-michael-shellenberger/ This guy , who was once involved with Obamas environmental committee, has seen the light and pretty much destroys the myth that we are all gonna die in the next ten years from the climate "crisis". He has recently been censored in a lot of left leaning internet hotspots(shock). The way to a cleaner, sustainable planet is not to eliminate fossil fuels and nuclear power, but rather to expand their use, especially in developing countries to bring economic growth and prosperity, the way such sources did for the developed world. This is one of the primary themes in the new book, Apocalypse Never, written not by a “climate denier” or “corporate shill.” Instead, author Michael Shellenberger is a 30-year environmental activist with street cred in various causes including saving California’s redwood forests and co-founding a “progressive Democratic, labor-environment push” in 2002 for the New Apollo Project, a renewable energy initiative that long predated the Green New Deal. He also is a Time magazine “Hero of the Environment.”

True.

How you enjoying the Marxist takeover, Karl?

staying inside with my face covered. You should too.

I wonder if they use the same amazingly accurate computer models for this impending doom as they do for the killer end of days virus.

Must be nice to push all personal and other responsibility onto one human in the whole universe. Either he’s the most powerful being in existence or there’s a lot of delusion in the air. im gonna go with option b?, Alex.

What appears on the outside to others as "backsliding" might be the person going through intense "trials" or life experiences that may be needed or actually furthuring the "process". and hopefully the person doesnt percieve it as going backwards or they might miss the biggest opportunities for growth. just sayin.

Pretty startling difference on the view of standing meditation on the first 2-3 pages of this thread as compared to the newer version.

I agree with this. It takes awareness and being very in tune with ones own body and patterns of resistance. Personally when learning from that book, there’s a lot of small details that didn’t “feel right” until much time of practicing. Again, I have nothing against having a good coach to check in with or learn from. This whole thing doesn’t need to be an “either/or” in my opinion. theres also different personality types, lifestyles, etc. one persons “enlightenment” might be being able to sleep better at night if they’re an insomniac. Another might be relief from chronic pain thus leading to more joy. These things are only quantifiable on an individual level , but I see a lot of terms and “levels” being referred to here as if those are the only benchmarks of any progress in this training. That is really absurd, and seems to be an ego game.

I never claimed to know anything spectacular about.. anything lol. That’s the funny part about the last page of this thread. I said “the way of energy is an amazing book on zz”(which to me an many others it is, and has had substantial benefits to people who use it as a self guide ) . zz is not my main practice, but over time even just practicing it 20-1hr or 2 a day it has had quite obvious and deepening benefits. That’s all I was implying, and Why my personal experience of this is being so doubted or ignored is quite bizarre. (This part I really don’t even care about, it’s just kind of peculiar). so, when I recommended the book and it was pretty much immediately looked down upon and quite arrogantly by some, I simply responded in kind. Your last paragraph is precisely why it was so obnoxious to me, because anyone who goes deep enough into this stuff realizes that they probably don’t “know” as much as they think they do,at least In an intellectualizing way. anyways , I guess I should’ve said, “FOR ME, the way of energy is a great guide to zhan zhuang, and has not harmed and has deepened and complemented my other practices over time”. Perhaps this would’ve avoided others assuming I was pretending it was the ultimate “how to” guide to “enlightenment “ lol. Who knows. Anyways ty for being respectful and I tried my best to answer likewise.

I’ve been exposed to a genuine training “system”,(although that could be a loaded word)so you’re actually wrong there. We just disagree. I can speculate as to the reasons why my book recommendation was met with such high weirdness, but ultimately it doesn’t matter to me anymore. Certain people in this thread claimed to be totally “right” and super advanced after I recommended the book. So, My bullshit meter immediately was triggered. once a person realizes that their own body/ awareness is the source of all these “high” concepts that get thrown around this forum all the time , it becomes rather silly to look at some of the stuff people believe in and go around in circles trying to validate these old beliefs/traditions to the bitter end. Blah blah blah these are all just labels and words someone gave you so that they could give you a spiritual equivalent of a black belt and keep you on the hook chasing a carrot. and I’m sure you take great pride in achieving all these, which is cool, I guess. But, sorry to say, I really could care less. Would it appease you if I said I stood 8 hours a day? What’s the benchmark In your view? What if if I said I practice 1 hour a day and along with other practices I do it has transformed me? Or does that not count because it wasn’t officially documented by some “master” somewhere 3000 miles away? Do i I not get the gold star?

It’s because they know it’s really your body and awareness that does the work. As you can see from this thread, the more interference coming from supposed control freak traditionalists the worse off you’ll be. Look at the panties getting ruffled over a simple book recommendation. Next thing you know you’ve got a live action role player going off on tangents about dragon psychosis and all sorts of weird shit. Ahahaha.

Supposed “teacher and master” apparently has time to laugh at my posts literally minutes after I get done writing. how cute. but also revealing,

I agree with some of what freefotm says in that yes I feel like zz an individual ideally should have some experience relaxing and releasing tension ahead of time. But- including myself I know a few others who practice zz all by themselves(maybe they had occasional lesson in the beginning) and have no such issues being described. again, not saying they can’t happen. You can have problems walking across the street. Seems to me the mind especially in the west loves to overcomplicate and sees things through this prism of always having an end goal. Ime zz is like one of the most harmless and beneficial practices from a risk /reward perspective.and this whole thing of spiritual practices being a “minefield” and dangerous, people talk like this practice like that is crazy to me, and again I think it stems deep down from the need for “safety” in this culture. if people want to make it this staggering prospect that learning individually is that frowned upon, I think it’s just preconceptions and biases getting in the way. I feel like intentions might be good in some cases, but in others I think it’s just another opportunity to “show off” how much they know , like a game of spiritual one upsmanship.

Honestly from what I’ve experienced recently in this forum, no. But I’d be happy to share with you through message if you’d like.

Yes. You could pm me if you want.

Nothing worse than spiritual "professionals". Yes I think that theres definitely a place for guidance and teaching, Ive already said that. people can get into trouble of course but thats why he says to proceed slowly, as in anything, you dont get better by rushing. The fact though that a book recommendation can be so thoroughly denegrated by people here who apparently feel the need to puff their chest out about how advanced they are is pretty gross. furthermore, anyone who claims to be "right" about things such as this and comes across as dictatorial in their pronouncements is someone who has the potential to do far more damage to someone than any amount of sloppy zhan zhuang.For instance the way earl grey came across was offputting enough to instinctively go in the other direction. I highly doubt someone who really knows the score would present themselves in such a manner. Newsflash: human bodies know how to naturally stand. They may have forgotten due to the nature of the culture.But,This isnt something like rocket science. Given time and patience an individual learns to make micro adjustments and relax more fully into the stance,letting go. Its an intuitive process. Theres also tons of people who have practiced this stuff mostly solo and make great progress. The way its being presented here as being impossible or whatever is totally disingenous. Let me guess, Youre a "teacher", right?

He uses the 20 min as a beginning recommendation Of course it’s not meant as a permanent thing, lol. He also makes it clear the first two poses are just for beginners, before getting to the more advanced exercises. You know one guy in the history of the universe huh? Who’s keeping track of this stuff? Who benefits from keeping this ridiculous type of belief alive? Anyways cool. Like I said this stupid belief that people can’t do anything on their own and need a more “enlightened “ being to hold their hand the whole way is childish and beneficial usually to only one party. I never said teachers weren’t useful, but ultimately everyone’s on their own, as it should be. Lots of insecurity in here over this book lol. Why is that.

Right. That’s what I thought.

There is no angst lol. I simply recommended the book and for whatever reason that caused a resident guru to take offense and go on the offensive and used it as an opportunity to let everyone know how advanced he was. i don’t proclaim to be super advanced or a master or enlightened but I disagree with you. I think if someone followed the recommendations in there diligently it could take someone as far as the want to go. (I’m not sure how we are quantifying this, but in my experience it’s the real deal). Simpler is sometimes better. of course having a teacher is great too if you can find one. But I’ve never understood the people who act like no one can do this stuff on their own. It reeks of arrogance to me, and makes person feel like they “need” a more “advanced” person.. (usually to the more “advanced” spiritual persons benefit- aka financially ) Not always true.

Uh huh. lol.

Says the guy who spent 4 posts over explaining himself In relation to a book recommendation. cool story, bruh.

Some of you here really make some very strange connections and insinuate things that aren’t even remotely relevant. Because I said the book was a great way to learn standing meditation diesnt equate to worshipping it. You might need to get off the computer, I think. Lol. only on this forum could a simple book recommendation be over analyzed and turned into something that it isn’t.

Haha ok. Well you’re allowed to have that belief. But that’s all it is. But I guess if it helps you to feel not equal and superior that’s cool, I guess. i could care less about any of that really. Something either works or doesn’t . The book flat out tells how to progress if you do the work, and that’s really all I’m interested in, personally. if others want to overcomplicate it for themselves then they can have at it.

Not sure what the eye roll is for. Seems to me You have a real “need” to be right don’t you? I read the book and have pretty much just followed it as my guide and it’s been invaluable. Wether you like it or not, there are people who are capable of learning these things by themselves and listening to their own bodies as opposed to “experts”.