liminal_luke

Deci, You clearly have a lot of valuable things to say. In spite of some occasional no doubt "wimpy" snarkiness on my part, I'm glad you're here. Like many I don't understand all that you write (I'm special that way too) but I do understand some, and even what I don't understand I sometimes find startlingly poetic. It just seems incongruous to me that your otherwise beautiful writing is studded with insults. Suppose you know for certain that a particular person really is a wimp, as you say. Unless that person has asked for your feedback and is likely to be receptive to it, what good does it do to say so? Liminal

Lately, I find myself writing more about other posters than practices. It's so easy to get caught up in the mini-social world of taobums, spending time reacting to other people and then dealing with other's reactions to me. There's always someone saying something offensive, and constructing elaborate intellectual takedowns can become quite the hobby. The question, of course, is whether that's really a good use of my time. Beginning to think maybe it's not. Unlike in "real" life, the edit button allows us to take back--to an extent--words spoken in haste that don't reflect our best selves. Mostly, I think that's a good thing. Liminal

Yes, actually two. Pointing towards the non-dual nature of reality as it exists beyond concepts, and bashing Marblehead. Liminal

Most of my clothes are hand-me-downs from more fashionable friends who like me in spite of my taste.

Some thoughts... Eating draws us into relationship with the outside world. Like all relationships, it can be free and easy or fraught with difficulty. Metaphorically, the stomach and associated meridian, reflect our willingness to enter into relationship with the earth and earthly (ie dirty) experience. Can we digest--stomach--the experiences of our lives? Can we efficiently absorb into our being nutrition from the outside; can we then let go of what's not needed? I think this prospective provides a useful lens with which to look at questions of diet. What does our choice of foods say about our relationship with the earth element within our bodies, and the larger Earth outside of us? Do we welcome the inter-relatedness with the Earth that having a body requires or does it seem problematic? Liminal

You're suggesting the insult policy not be enforced because members ought to be tough and take their verbal blows like men? As if that was some kind of mark of character. Well I don't like it. I want to hold to the policy as written, not because I am some sort of wuss, but because holding ourselves to a high standard of civility fosters the kind of productive interchange of ideas that makes this forum worthwhile. Allowing a wild west free-for-all, on the other hand, leads to, well, this. Liminal

While I disagree with Icedude's (rather crass) take on the TTC, he'll hear no objection from me on that score. It's a book and he's free to think whatever he likes and say so. Call a member stupid, on the other hand--now those are fighting words. (And no he doesn't get a free pass for giving the insult some convoluted syntactic spin. "I'm sorry if it makes you appear stupid"--please.)

We're very sorry, but after much consideration your application for a diploma has been declined. Please accept this new edition of the Tao Te Ching with our apologies.

It's against the rules to use a proxy? I suppose it does add a certain cloak-and-dagger element that might arouse suspicion, but there's lots of good reasons to use one. Here in Mexico you can't sign up for Hulu or watch certain youtube videos without it. And, I'll be honest, in those rare moments when I'm not cultivating (ahum), I like to watch me some English language reality TV. Liminal

Just as an aside: this thread, to me, really exemplifies TTB at it's very best. No snarkiness at all. Just someone honestly reaching out for assistance with an open heart (interestingly), and being given genuine assistance in the same spirit. Refreshing.

Oh, what did I do to get sucked into this one? Clearly the time has come to stop posting on Taobums and start cultivating. Liminal out.

No, not mod squad. Not necessarily anyway. Interpersonal consequences.

ExaltedRonin.... If you like to challenge people, people will feel challenged. Just sayin'. That doesn't mean there's anything wrong with your personal style. If that's how you want to be, that's the way you get to be. Just understand that there will be consequences. Not everyone will want to be challenged the way you want to challenge them. Not everyone will pass your test, or even be interested in taking it.

Exalted Ronin, Is this really true? If so, I think it goes to the heart of the conflict you've been experiencing. As far as your suggestion of allowing people to post their allegiance to a particular sect or school on their profile....well, I don't see what harm it would do. On the other hand, there's lots of places where you can post that information already if you like. Lots of people have their interests listed right underneath their name, and people see them with every post. Others have external links with every post that allow people to see, well, whatever you'd like them to see if they are willing to click. I find that when bums want other people to know their practices and point of view, and are willing to stick around for any length of time, people tend to get the picture. Take, for instance, BaguaKicksAss. Pretty much everyone can tell you at least one of her main interests. (Hint: it starts with a "B") Liminal

Spotless, Thanks for the finger technique. Just tried it and could feel tension leaving my body. Each finger felt different, I'm assuming because of the different meridians involved. Very nice. Liminal

@boy.... If by "take control" you are referring to gathering up the fragmented pieces of my being and integrating things so that everything works as a unified whole with my conscious self at the helm--if that's what you mean-- then I'm all for it. In fact, that's a pretty good summation of my motivation for my taobumming. Of course, it's a process. No shame in not being there yet. In fact, I'm pretty darn proud to know where I'm going and have a good working plan for getting there. Impish thoughts notwithstanding, I'm not a violent person. Not in any kind of sense that would interest the police or a triage nurse at the local psychiatric emergency ward. If you think otherwise, all I can say is that you're wrong. Liminal

At the risk of outing myself as a suicidal madman, I think the impulse Thus-Gone refers to is exceedingly common. Many of us, myself included, house a self-destructive little imp beneath an otherwise placid psychic surface. And sometimes that little imp rises to the surface and asks us to do harmful things to ourselves or others. What separates (I hope) people like myself, and perhaps Thus-Gone, from the ranks of the truly deranged, is that we don't ultimately listen to that impish urge. The thought "why not cut myself with the knife," remains just that: a thought. That's not to say that such an imp doesn't imply pathology of some sort. Certainly it's something worthy of our examination and curiosity. Perhaps a sign that all is not right under the hood. Fair enough. What it doesn't indicate, in and of itself, is a propensity to actual violence.

Hi Fer, More experienced cultivators than I will warn you (very shortly I imagine) against visualizing chi flow in the microcosmic orbit, and everywhere else for that matter. Me, I don't belong to the anti-visualization camp and believe it has it's place. Still, I wonder if it's the best place to start. Might I suggest movement? Movement can naturally stimulate chi flow in a way that is natural and organic. You might try, for instance, learning tai chi. If you're deadset on the microcosmic orbit in particular, there are particular movement forms that stimulate that channel, no visualization required. I believe Spring Forest Chi Gong has one posted on youtube. Other people can lead you right to it if you're interested. Another place to start is with standing which can also strongly stimulate chi flow without you consciously taking the reins and directing the show. If you'd rather start with a sitting meditation I'd recommend the inner smile. Gently directing smiling energy to all your organs. An underrated practice that is both simple and powerful. Liminal

I'm not sure the thread he's referring to, but suspect it has to do with Max and kunlun. I remember talk of the reverse orbit being one of the "secrets" of Kunlun, and that Kunlun is a water method. Liminal

Absolutely. I just hate those invaluable discussions too. Liminal

Thus-Gone, I think the kind of temptation you are talking about is very common. One of my best friends is afraid to walk across bridges because there's this part of him that fears he'd throw himself off and plummet to his death. The fact is, of course, that he'd do no such thing. It's just that so many of us have this pesky subpersonality (s) that would like to sabotage our conscious efforts. My advice is not to let that part of yourself derail your practice. If you activate your chi strongly enough to hurt yourself then you've activated your chi strongly enough to heal yourself. You might work with that part of yourself, establish a dialogue. When it comes up say hi and be curious. Say something like "oh yeah, there you are again this part of me that wants to hurt myself...how ya doin? " That part exists whether or not you do your practice, might as well find out what it needs. My two cents. Liminal

3Bob....Ah, I dunno. Co-opting is the way things change and adapt when brought to new cultural contexts. While purists may scoff, the results aren't necessarily bad. I'm living in Mexico right now, and know a thing or two about authentic Mexican food, and I can tell ya, it ain't the same as the "Mexican" cuisine in most restaurants in say, Portland, Oregon. For starters, when you go to a restaurant here in Zacatecas nobody brings you a complementary bowl of chips and salsa. And guys wouldn't dream of quaffing down margaritas with their meal. Just doesn't happen. Does that mean there's something wrong with chips and salsa accompanied by a nice margarita? Not in my book. It's much the same, I think, with western yoga. The arguably dumbed down stretching that passes for yoga in many gyms isn't the same as one might find in India, but that doesn't mean no good can come from it.

I got acupuncture needles directly from a friendly acupuncturist once. Not sure if he was acting according to the "rules" or not, but he was happy to provide in any case. Perhaps there's someone you know, or even someone on here, who has access and is willing. Just a thought. Liminal

Thanks CT for your posting about the philosophy of Karate. I suppose it's like anything, what you get mostly depends on the individual teacher--as pointed out my Nungali and Colonel Goji. The karate class here gets a rave review from a friend so I think I'll at least try it. Tai chi certainly has it's appeal, and if I knew of an excellent teacher here I might try it as well, but I think maybe there's something about karate that is more likely to fill the particular quality that's lacking in me right now. Perhaps choosing a martial art is a little like deciding what food would most nourish your body. When people are very balanced they spontaneously crave what's good for them. When they aren't so exquisitely balanced sometimes the tendency is to avoid the very thing most needed. We don't always want our broccoli, even when it would indeed be good for us. Right now, I suspect Karate is my broccoli. Liminal