Aetherous

Atheism means you believe/"know" there isn't a God or gods. Being labeled is always a strange experience, because it seems that a word can never sum up who we are, but atheist is literally what you're presenting as here. It has nothing to do with not accepting God...it has to do with thinking that the idea of God, or of gods, is only a myth. For instance, thinking that the Daoist immortals are mythical rather than real in any way. Or that a creator of this earth or even the universe is just a story.

Also...for your information, true logic can't disprove the existence of a God. It's been discussed at this forum in the past...these days I'm too busy to comb through the old Logic textbook and get into it. Really, I'm working like 70 hour weeks and also have a multi-hour daily spiritual practice.

Many people use the word "logic" without having any knowledge of its workings, aside from thinking it makes them sound more right when saying it. "Logic says that God doesn't exist"...oh really! I suggest the deep study of a textbook on Logic before making such claims, if you're really interested in being truthful and accurate.

Anyway, this whole thing would be better suited to a different thread that you could make. I'm sure people would respond. This thread is on the idea of the "kingdom".

So that is honest to the point of deception. Let me say that another way. No one is good- except the greens genie in the corner. But there is no green genie.

Ah, an atheist.

Man is fallible

Jesus was a man

Jesus was fallible

“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone." - Luke 18:19 NIV

It would be good to gather all of the quotes on the "kingdom" from the New Testament...if one of them continues to not make sense in relation to our definition/interpretation of the kingdom, then we know that the true meaning is something else.

For imagining you're sitting on a ball...feel as if you're sitting on a ball. For breathing out black negativity, visualize it happening...intend for, or believe that the negativity comes out with the color (but it's also important to know that it dissipates just after it leaves you so that it doesn't affect anyone else).

Of course I believe they can be more rested during waking life...but we all need a normal nights sleep.

What if their concentration causes them not to be tired? Do you still believe they should try to sleep?

 

In some sects of kundalini, the top of the head opens, and it is almost like absorbing energy from a different source, so these people are almost recieving more energy than normal people.

 

 

In response to your assessment, Some might argue that great masters live longer than everybody.

Yes they should still try to sleep and perhaps get treatments to balance their physiological condition.

I experience receiving energy through the crown and having more than others, and I get a full night because the human body needs it for optimal performance and lifespan.

Great masters live longer than others if they take care of their bodies...the ones who don't, I wonder why we would call them masters.

I think it's unhealthy even (especially) for masters to be going without normal sleep (go to bed fairly early, get a good 7-8 uninterrupted hours). Other threads have asked the question, "why do masters die young?" Well, this would be one reason, if it applied to such a person.

Often "masters" are the ones who are burning the wick at both ends. It's hard not to do, because society makes you burn one way, spirituality makes you burn another way, and then you're burning by doing entertaining things as well, and possibly also burning due to emotions etc.

A healthy body is a well oiled body. The lamp needs oil or else it will extinguish soon. When oil runs low, then the wick burns and then the life ends.

Getting little sleep is like running a car on low oil...it starts grinding, overheating internally, etc. Soon the engine will clunk out, unless it gets the lubrication it needs. So, nourish the body in healthy ways. To do this doesn't make you weak...actually weakness is a body that can no longer sleep normally. Just my view.

What i meant that Taoist paradise is here on earth, nature ,trees, birds ,cat's , and so on, when one is empty mind state he enjoy paradise .others mind is full of thoughts, words, so thy are out from Paradise.

I'm not even sure that idea is a part of Daoism...although it is pretty much true.

Who in Daoism says that we were in paradise but forgot...and what Daoist path recommends learning with words and knowledge to remember the paradise state?

These things might be assumptions that have no reality in Daoism.

Hmm, that's an interesting viewpoint. Do you reject centering on the LDT? This is the one universal method I have been taught across traditions. I find that centering helps me remain grounded and present. 

 

In my mind, our qi starts out fairly disturbed and scattered. Most people are so distracted that they seem unaware that they even have bodies unless they're sick. Concentration practices or qigong with forms is a way to re-introduce the energy body to a more spontaneous state. In the TTC Chapter 38, Laozi describes the degeneration of the Tao to virtue to kindness to justice to ritual. One might think that this also presents a ladder to return to the Tao: ritual, to justice, to kindness, to virtue, to Tao. Someone at the low end of the ladder might even reject ritual, and claim they are already spontaneous. 

 

Spontaneous methods appear to me to be about learning to flow. But without first being collected, what is there to flow? 

 

What do you think?

Nope I don't reject centering on LDT. I don't do it personally right now...the way that I center, or basically calm the mind, is by calm abiding meditation on an external object.

It's a tough question, because no answer is totally correct. There are always new problems that spring up from our solutions.

But a major thing I'd implement is exiling anyone who acts in opposition to the freedom and well being of others in any way (right now, as things stand, that would be a hell of a lot of people)...those people would not be permitted to return to the country for any reason whatsoever, and if they tried, they'd be executed the first time. They would also be subject to assassination if they attempted to harm the country or its people from outside of its borders.

The more concentration on a part of the body, the more stagnant and disturbed your qi becomes...whereas if you do no method, then your qi normalizes. Have barely any focus on the areas, and don't feel the need to spend a lot of time at each one, just a little bit and then move on...if you really insist on using such methods. Play with energy, don't try to control it...qi follows where the mind goes, no need to wait for it or try to feel it. Just my view.

What is your purpose in strengthening the inner thighs?

Regardless of what your past and memories are...what matters is how you're living today, and what you want for your tomorrow. Is your life today going to lead to that tomorrow?

We all choose our paths through life...our choices can either be in line with what we think and say we want, and what prevents suffering for ourselves and others...in other words, more conscious choices. Or it can be not fully conscious choices, which cause us to experience further problems in life.

Totally agree about Limitless. Any ideas about the significance of calling that drug "NZT"?

On the contrary, I've actually done the research

So have I.

See how much you care, and how little you believe me? That's similar to how I feel when you say that. It's not a discussion.

Neither of you would trust any sources I provided nor respect any analysis I offered

That's an assumption, and just so you know, it's a false one about me. There are no sources that I absolutely disrespect and distrust.

and, frankly, I don't care whether your paradigms get shifted.

Yeah it's not such a big deal.

The difference being that I research everything (it is an illness, you see) while you openly refuse to research anything that is in conflict with your pre-conceived and emotionally driven notions.

Saying "go research it" is not an argument, or something that anyone would ever listen to. If you have evidence to prove your points, feel free to share it, and then people can actually research what you suggest and come to their own conclusions.

I would say the same to you...

You should research it on your own, then. Pay particular attention to the impact on minority youth and on immigrants. 

I won't, because it's nonsense. I don't mean to be rude in being blunt...just saying. Keeping the minimum wage at poverty levels is what keeps workers of any class at poverty levels, and if you're earning a living wage of course you won't need any assistance.

You are aware, I trust, that increasing the minimum wage actually has the effect of pushing more people into poverty and onto government assistance, right? This is, in fact, the intended purpose despite the feel-good rhetoric its political supporters espouse.

I'm not aware of that being true at all.

The problem is that government regulation cannot actually do any of the things you describe. We currently add many pages of new regulations each day -- if regulations made problems go away, we shouldn't have problems anymore. Instead, by trying to regulate a dynamic system with an unknown number of variables, we simply create new problems, create new opportunities for abuse, and create job security for an ever-growing bureaucracy (not to mention lawyers...)

Government regulations would absolutely do the things described.

Being averse to government regulation of any type is a political philosophy, and is not based in reasoning. It's just lumping all "regulations" into the bad category...not all are bad, except in libertarian type political philosophy.

Yes there are a lot of unknown variables, and it's not like there would be no problems for anyone, but the key variables are known and the effects would benefit everyone. Economics is simple, despite what the ones who put us where we are want us to believe.

By the way, in terms of American politics I'm all about less government and more freedom. But not when that means our dollar is destroyed and our country with it.

After you finish reading the current set, come back and tell us whether you really think more federal regulations is the solution:http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/browse/collectionCfr.action?collectionCode=CFR

It's about economics, not politics.

America just needs to create regulations...laws that protect the dollar from practices which hurt it.

Don't allow American jobs to be outsourced, limit imports so that we create more jobs for those things here, have restrictions on businesses causing inflation by charging more than reasonable prices, make the creation of small businesses an easier process, and especially help the ones that will be most beneficial to the economy. Furthermore, we need to always maintain the minimum wage at a living wage level that reflects the current value of the dollar.

Money can have a snowball effect...if people don't have sufficient money to spend, they won't buy from local businesses, and those businesses suffer, causing less people to work and the area has even less money. A downward spiral all caused by citizens not having enough money in the first place.

But it can go the reverse way...if people have good paying jobs, they have extra money to spend, which means local businesses prosper and can hire more people (demand is up = supply must go up, so help must also increase), as well as maybe pay them more than the minimum (especially if there are labor unions), which means even more money for people and spending locally. The upward spiral.

The only problem with this type of economic theory is that businesses will spike their prices when demand is up, and cause inflation, basically making the dollar worth less. But I already said, we can protect against inflation by simply restricting this greedy practice.
 

American made products are known for their quality compared to other places. This means our exports can be highly valued, in addition to be worth buying for us. American quality of life is known to be better than most of the world (or at least it has been in the past). We can improve both of those things even more with laws that protect the dollar. We should not value the freedom of corporations so much that we allow them to destroy our country, and the freedom of its people.

When you're doing well, paying off your debt is a breeze, and you have no reason to incur more.

A practice that calms the mind...for 15 minutes a day, pick something in nature to look at. When the mind wanders, bring it back to the object. Try to extend the times that you're only paying attention to the object with the mind not fluctuating elsewhere.

A healthy lifestyle...go to sleep very shortly after it gets dark out every night, eat 3 balanced meals a day, exercise akin to more than an hour of walking daily, stay well hydrated with pure spring water.

Calm and healthy...a solid foundation for other stuff.