Lost in Translation

I really don't know. I've studied so many paths and forged a few of my own. It's all one big mess in my head now.

If you find yourself in southern California then make time to visit Lu Mountain Temple in Rosemead. It's just a small neighborhood temple, literally on a plot of land between houses in an everyday neighborhood. They have the '10,000 Buddha Relics', which are sharira, sort of pearl like stones that form from the cremated remains of spiritual masters. I've been there a half dozen times. It is very powerful.

Prawn with candied walnuts - my favorite dish at dim sum! Welcome!

I think this is very important, most important. If we flip this 180 and look at creation from a soul perspective then witnessing life (the idea of living) is truth, but actually BEING alive is, well - look around... People spend lifetimes asking why we live, why we have freedom, why we have choice, and love, and pain, and suffering. It's the being that matters, not the thinking. But the being is so immersive we forget why we are here. Thank you for reminding us.

I love his web site! It's so 1997. The colors are fantastic! There is a fine line between genius and lunatic, and I can't tell which side this guy is on...

This seems oddly appropriate...

Left equals bigger, more powerful central government. Right equals smaller central government with greater emphasis on local government or individual accountability. Taken to the ultimate extreme, Left equals all-powerful central government with zero personal liberty. Taken to the ultimate extreme, Right equals anarchy. USSR or Walking Dead. It's your choice.

I'm sorry to see Wayne go. I had never heard of him before this thread but he seemed like one of the good ones. I bought his book and am reading it now, just to see who he was and what he had learned.

Here’s an excerpt from B.K. Frantzis that excellently describes fear while meditating. The emphasis is mine, not his. “Then it happened: an all-consuming, paralyzing fear seemed all at once to invade every cell in my body. My tai chi movements slowed dramatically, to what felt like an inch an hour. Sweat began immediately to pour out of my groin, legs, hands, face, back, my entire body. The fear grew exponentially. My nerves and energy channels felt as if they would shatter - my very right to existence was being stripped away for no apparent reason. I knew that if I kept practicing there would be nothing left of me in a few seconds. The fear was absolutely irrational yet real beyond belief, alive, vibrant, terrifying. I stopped practicing the tai chi and ran down the hill, praying hard that this terror would leave me. And suddenly it did.” B.K. Frantzis Relaxing Into Your Being Energy Arts, Inc. Publications 1998 P. 173. Chapter 8: The Deeper Challenges of Taoist Meditation

This is actually not uncommon. My understanding is that the ego self is fighting to survive against what it sees as a mortal threat. I had a similar experience about ten years ago. While meditating I was gripped with terrible fear and felt cold wind running down my back. I told myself I was alright and tried to push through. The more I pushed the worse it got until I had to leap up, turn on every light I could find, turn on the TV... It was several years before I worked up the courage to return to daily meditation.

Imagine having a similar conversation about gravity. Falling is bad, and not falling is good. What you are asking is basically why won't the sovereign being catch me whenever I am about to fall.

If an all-powerful being made its presence explicitly known, one third of the people would prostrate themselves before it, giving up their free will and begging to be told what to do; one third of the people would flee in fear; and one third would go crazy, suffering and dying in the most horrible ways. Simply put, we're not ready. So the divine powers do what they have always done, acting behind the scenes, working without taking credit, and allowing those among the people who choose to seek them avenues of approach if they are sincere in their efforts.

Yes.

I think equating compassion to religion may be causing confusion. Perhaps it's better to say "Compassion: a choice for all?".

I just spent fifteen minutes struggling to write something that would add to this. I got nothing. IMO Tolkien is almost always appropriate. “I pass the test”, she said. “I will diminish, and go into the West and remain Galadriel.”

I don't know, as long as it's not that clown from the Stephen King book...

True. Learn well.

Hi Zephyr, Never underestimate the value of sitting in silence. Call it prayer. Call it meditation. Whatever you like. Set a timer. Fix your intention. Focus on your breath. Let your thoughts come as they will. Acknowledge them. Put them away. Return to your intention. Tao is patient. In time it will begin to reveal itself. Welcome!

While you are at it, make sure to grab a copy (or three) of the I Ching and learn how to use that. The oracle is absolutely amazing once you start to really use/understand it! [Edit] I forgot to mention, years ago I came across a DDJ translation called "Dynamic Tao and Its Manifestations" by Wayne L. Wang. It's not the most poetic translation but I found it to be very insightful - definitely worth taking a look if you can find it.

Hail to the King, baby.

Neutral Good - Gandalf Burger!

Hi Amy, Drifting can be a good thing. It's quite liberating. I'm also new here and have been pouring over many old threads, some from as early as 2009. There is a lot of good information to be found on TDB. Welcome!

This sounds like a revelation, the kind that you may experience while deep in prayer or meditation.

Um,... not exactly. It's more like these.

Here's a pic from sunny St. Joseph, Mo. We had clouds before and rain after, but caught a fifteen second break during totality.