liminal_luke
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Everything posted by liminal_luke
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Elitom (supposed breatharian) outed as Perv-predator -
liminal_luke replied to voidisyinyang's topic in General Discussion
Void`s posts don`t make a lot of sense to me personally so I tend to skip over them. Still, he does appear to be a very practiced guy who knows a lot. I`m glad he`s here. If people benefit from his perspective -- and I think some do -- that`s all for the better. @WHITEROOMENERGYMINE1 probably wasn`t reading Void`s posts, now several years old, when he was talking about his infamous "orgasm at a distance." I like what @freeform said above about cultivation magnifying base desires and can easily imagine that`s what happened to Void. It would be nice to get some historical perspective from @voidisyinyang on the whole "orgasm at a distance" phenomenon. Does he feel in retrospect that it was wrong? Does he feel contrite? Perhaps Void has already made such a statement and I missed it. If so, I`m prepared to let bygones be bygones. Let the person without pervy feelings throw the first stone. (With regret, Luke sets down his rock.) -
Research suggests that tibetan buddhist monastics are much more scared of death than average
liminal_luke replied to Cheshire Cat's topic in Buddhist Discussion
This is my impression too. In particular, the idea that one ought to be willing to shorten one`s life in order to lengthen someone else`s doesn`t jive with my understanding of Buddhist kindness. Here`s a quote I like by Buddhist meditation teacher Sharon Salzberg... You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere. You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection. -
Research suggests that tibetan buddhist monastics are much more scared of death than average
liminal_luke replied to Cheshire Cat's topic in Buddhist Discussion
Most people, with the possible exception of Tibetan Buddhist monks, simply arenĀ“t very aware of the extent of their fear of death. ItĀ“s impossible to simply ask people about their fear of death and get anything like a cogent answer. For instance, I prefer to deal with my fear of death through denial. Despite a great deal of evidence to the contrary, I plan to become a quick study in the field of Daoist alchemy and live forever. Should researchers ask me if I am afraid of death, IĀ“ll appear much more evolved than all of those scaredy-cat Buddhist monks -- but itĀ“s all a front. If anything, I think the study suggests that the monks are unusually aware of their feelings and not scared of sharing them openly. Could it be that Tibetan Buddhist monks think that fear of death is nothing to be afraid of? ItĀ“s a little like asking people if they can empty their mind of thoughts. Newbies sometimes think they can; practiced meditators know itĀ“s not so easy. I can see the headline now: Business Executives Beat Out Monks in Quiet Mind Contest. It takes a bit of meditative skill even to be aware of the presence of thought. Unlike the average Tibetan Buddhist monk, I can go off on a thinking jag and not even realize IĀ“m having win-the-lottery fantasies until the meditation bell rings thirty minutes later. But even if the studyĀ“s conclusion is correct and Tibetan Buddhist monks are especially afraid of death, that finding is a bit beside the point as far as their practice goes. More scholarly Bums can feel free to correct me, but I donĀ“t think the point of Buddhist practice is to eradicate feelings. My understanding is that Buddhists can be as happy, sad, angry and fearful as the rest of us. The trick is to relate to these ongoing human emotions in a spacious way, recognizing their impermanent nature, and generally getting on with things. -
Elitom (supposed breatharian) outed as Perv-predator -
liminal_luke replied to voidisyinyang's topic in General Discussion
First Sean said no more rightwing bullshit. OK, fair enough. But now it looks like we`re cracking down on perviness too? Jeez, Louise. At this rate the forum will soon be limited to clear-thinking spritually-minded types who want to discuss philosophy and help each other out. It`s like Giuliani cleaning up Times Square. Enough already. Sign the petition and save the last of our pervy voices. Together we can make the forum safe for squalor. (Just in case it`s unclear, the above is meant tongue-in-cheek. People shouldn`t mess around with other people`s energy psychically without permission, perhaps especially if such messing around is for the purpose of nonconsensual erotic jollies Those who do are poorly positioned to police the perviness of others.) -
Daoism as a Practical Philosophy
liminal_luke replied to Cloudwalking Owl's topic in Daoist Discussion
IĀ“ve never been able to read about philosophical principles, Daoist or otherwise, and apply them to my life. Perhaps other people can do this? If I want to embody the principles of Daoism in my life I have to practice a Daoist art and hope the principles seep in -- and out! -- through osmosis.- 182 replies
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Many people choose to "rest" in a box after death, too.
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Some people emit heat, is this chi related?
liminal_luke replied to Scholar's topic in Daoist Discussion
My mom knits a mean scarf, but ya, other than that women are inferior to men in every conceivable domain. Fortunately, chivalry is not dead and many men take the time to explain things to the fairer sex that they might not otherwise understand. We also open doors. When needed (not in your case, ilumairen) some of us throw protective punches. These kind avuncular types are colloquially known as "manplainers" and even in our modern day, when kindness so often seems on the wane, weĀ“re on hand to answer questions. YouĀ“re welcome. LL -
Ordained Daoists are not that uncommon, at least not here on the forum. Cloudwalking owls though? Now that`s something really special.
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Loveherbs, IĀ“ve got the feeling that you are ashamed of your porn usage. I bet that shame around watching porn is a bigger problem than the porn itself. You are not a bad person. Really. Watching porn might get in the way of other things you want to do in your life but it doesnĀ“t make you a bad person. All the advice about 12 step groups and such is good but sometimes focusing on the "problem" just makes it bigger. You could become a professional porn addict, a recoveree with a busy meeting schedule. This isnĀ“t so bad and many people have turned it into a viable spiritual path. But itĀ“s also possible to just do something else. When youĀ“re in the grip of porn it probably seems next to impossible to put it down. Do something else though and I think youĀ“ll find the spell is broken. Bottomline, sex just isnĀ“t that important. OK, well itĀ“s sorta important. But there are so many other things to do in a day and when you start doing them sex will stop being the be-all-end-all. Go for a walk. Talk with a friend. Then, if you go back to watching porn afterward, donĀ“t beat yourself up about it. The time you spend watching porn doesnĀ“t cancel out the good you did when you werenĀ“t watching porn. You are more than your porn usage.
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Tao of Conscious Awareness. or why so much importance placed on 'conscious awareness'?
liminal_luke replied to silent thunder's topic in General Discussion
If IĀ“m remembering my Freud correctly, the whole point of psychoanalysis is to "make the unconscious conscious." The parts of the psyche that hide behind the childhood couch tend to cause trouble for the other parts; life runs smoother when all our subpersonalities come out into the light of conscious awareness. Conscious awareness is important for more than just mental health -- we need it for our physical health too. Thankfully, we donĀ“t have to consciously command the heart to beat to stay alive (most of the time) but it is possible to become much more aware of our bodies than we customarily are. Awareness begets good function. Just as the parts of our mind play nice when each part is "seen" by our larger SELF, so too the parts of the body. Much sickness results from a lack of communication and cooperation between our various physical parts. (IĀ“m making the usual distinction here between mind and body and saying conscious awareness fosters the health of both. In reality, thereĀ“s no difference. The mind is the body; the body is the mind. But there are two doors into the temple and some people find one entryway more convenient than the other.) Of course all this is just preamble to the crowning spiritual jewel of consciousness: awareness of awareness. This is a topic better addressed by Bums who are, umm, aware of such things. Not me. People tell me that awareness of awareness is important and I believe them. Postscript: awareness of awareness of awareness of awareness... -
IĀ“m so happy to hear youĀ“re feeling better, TTDB. Whatever youĀ“re doing thatĀ“s working, keep on doing it!
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Keep it short -- get read. Cultivate the siddhi of brevity. Almost as good as lighting fires with your chi.
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@Yang So sorry to hear about the suicide of your sonĀ“s girlfriend. ItĀ“s probably been 30 years since my dadĀ“s suicide and I still think now and then that maybe I could of prevented it somehow. Of course his suicide wasnĀ“t my fault, just like the suicide in your family isnĀ“t your sonĀ“s fault. IĀ“m not telling you anything you donĀ“t already know. Indeed, it sounds like youĀ“re fiercely aware that itĀ“s not your sonĀ“s fault. Still, I hope you donĀ“t mind me repeating the obvious. My mom said it was so weird after my dadĀ“s death -- everybody came forward thinking "what if"...what if theyĀ“d made that call or said something different or reached out somehow. The truth is that my dad was going to do what he was going to do. I donĀ“t think there was anything anybody -- least of all me -- could of done about it.
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Thanks for this! This is an old thread but eerily relevent to where I am just now. IĀ“m still with my partner, heĀ“s still struggling, IĀ“m still struggling with his struggle. I like the idea of acknowledgement. It feels so much more doable than acceptance to me too. My mind sometimes rails against the very idea of acceptance; part of me is not at all sure that itĀ“s a good idea. But acknowledgement? How could acknowledging the truth of whatever situation I (we) find ourselves in be bad? ItĀ“s not. OK, acknowledgement it is then.
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My mental-health challenged partner told me tonight that if heĀ“s going to heal he needs to start from a place of accepting his disease. This in direct opposition to my approach which is one of fighting. I donĀ“t like his problems (and even less how it effects our relationship and me in particular) and am not in any way OK with it. But I was nevertheless impressed with the wisdom of what he had to say. To heal from an illness do we have to accept it first? Is the feeling of "wanting to get rid of the illness" a form of hostility? Is fighting for health contrary to this kind of acceptance or aligned with it?
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One simple way to release suppressed emotions is simply to stop doing the things we habitually do to suppress them. For me, itĀ“s chocolate cake. Anything addictive (even, say, internet forums) can suppress emotions and when the addictive behavior stops the emotions will come bubbling up. Common addictive behaviors include the obvious biggies like alcohol and drugs but also television, gambling, sex/porn, shopping, food, social media, etc. Even excessive busyness and work. Instead of addictive indulgences try a solo walk in nature. Writing in a journal. Meditation. My experience is that these things bring me closer to my emotional self.
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Oh boy! With this question you`re really opening the proverbial can of tuna. Opinions on diet here on the forum range as widely as in the so-called real world. You`re sure to hear from the vegetarian/vegan crowd. I favor a more paleo-esque approach myself -- eliminating grains, sugar, and vegetable oils like corn and canola. I believe fatty meat is a nutrient-dense food that most people need and not the culinary bogeyman it`s often made out to be. There`s good information about this approach here: https://marksdailyapple.com/blog/. @Taomeow recently suggested the idea of simply eating foods made by human beings and avoiding foods made by corporations. I think most people would drastically improve their diets by following this one rule -- whether they otherwise gravitate toward tomatoes or rib-eyes.
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Reveal Weird Stuff About Yourself Thread
liminal_luke replied to Sebastian's topic in The Rabbit Hole
@dwai What kind of guy worries about overdoing it in the gym because his growing biceps might interfere with "internal power"? What kind of guy asks internet strangers to tell him who they are without thinking? (Or at least I think that was the exercise. I repressed the exact language because it was just too bizarre to contemplate.) No worries about your oddness, friend. You are not even a little bit lacking in the weird department.- 119 replies
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Tao of Conscious Awareness. or why so much importance placed on 'conscious awareness'?
liminal_luke replied to silent thunder's topic in General Discussion
I know, right? Silent Thunder has written before about doubt as a positive virtue but heĀ“s really digging deep this time. In my book, ST is the Bum King of conscious awareness. ItĀ“s as if Tutankamon awoke from the dead, joined us here at TheDaoBums, and started a thread asking whatĀ“s the point in owning a little gold. -
Tao of Conscious Awareness. or why so much importance placed on 'conscious awareness'?
liminal_luke replied to silent thunder's topic in General Discussion
IĀ“ve been reading a lot of psychologist Rick Hanson on the web lately (https://www.rickhanson.net/get-started/). His big theme is that we can actually change our brains by "taking in the good" -- spending a minute or so on a regular basis letting positive experiences sink in. He says that if something good happens to us (or we make something good happen) we can use conscious awareness to really bask in the feeling, even briefly, and this basking will actually change us neurologically. Say you want to develop the quality of grit, to become mentally stronger and more resilient. You might spend a minute or so bringing to mind times in the past when you stuck with something difficult, when you felt determined and undaunted. Then, whenever you succeeed at anything difficult throughout the day (maybe you resist eating donuts a "well-meaning" coworker brought to work) really take a moment to appreciate how you used to will. Take that sense of efficacy into your body. This works with any quality we might want to cultivate in ourselves -- the sense of being cared about, feeling safe, appreciating beauty, and so on. Rick Hanson says itĀ“s not enough to have good experiences and move on. To change ourselves we have to take a short break and appreciate the positive happening. This is an application of conscious awareness. -
Reveal Weird Stuff About Yourself Thread
liminal_luke replied to Sebastian's topic in The Rabbit Hole
Maybe thatĀ“s what itĀ“s called. Not sure. It was at the Insight Meditation center in Barre, Massachusetts. They used to have a 3 month retreat there every fall, maybe still do. It was one of the most difficult things IĀ“ve ever done and also one of the most fulfilling. I kind of sucked at it, broke all sorts of rules. After about a month of silence, I walked into the small town nearby to buy a slice of pizza, a very unvegetarian slice. Not recommended. I anonymously submitted a question complaining about the no-masturbation rule that was addressed in an evening dharma talk. Towards the end, I even (gasp!) started reading books. Another no-no. For all that, the experience goes down as a milestone in my life.- 119 replies
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This is a great point. To my mind, anger (and other emotions) are always legitimate. Which isnĀ“t to say that the target of your anger necessarily deserves your scorn. Maybe they donĀ“t. But if youĀ“re angry, itĀ“s not for nothing. ThereĀ“s always a good reason. The reason may be something physiological, biochemical or neurological, or it may be related to something in your past. Rest assured though: there is a reason and itĀ“s a good one. As Chi Nei Tsang teacher Gilles Marin says, emotions are not rational. Emotions simply are and they need to be validated. If you can, donĀ“t be angry at your anger. DonĀ“t approach anger as if it was an enemy combatant to be eradicated. Difficult emotions like anger respond best to gentleness and curiosity. Bring as much open awareness to your anger as you can muster. Feeling angry doesnĀ“t make you a monster; it makes you human.
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Reveal Weird Stuff About Yourself Thread
liminal_luke replied to Sebastian's topic in The Rabbit Hole
I want one of those cute raccoon prizes so I guess I better dig deep and come up with another story. Many years ago, I attended a three month silent vipassana retreat. (No, thatĀ“s not the weird part.) We were instructed not to talk to each other at all except for necessary communication during daily chores. We could, however, anonymously give each other little treats, usually chocolate, by placing things on someoneĀ“s meditation cushion when they werenĀ“t there. Someone gave me a teddy bear -- I had no idea who -- and I decided to regift it. There were about 100 of us there at the retreat and by amazing coincidence (or weird karma?) I ended up giving the teddy bear right back to the person who gave it to me. We talked at the end of the retreat and it turned out that heĀ“d regretted giving up the teddy bear as it was personally meaningful to him, so he was especially pleased and surprised to get it back.- 119 replies
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Classical Taoist writing isnĀ“t my thing so no literature recommendations from me. I would like to say though, that if you feel like a noob, well, you must be doing something right. Noobs are famous for "having their cup empty" -- being ready and open to learn. ThatĀ“s so much better than being a cup-full expert. Also, noobs tend towards humility, to my mind the most Taoist of the virtues. So...if youĀ“re a noob and you know it clap your hands. You deserve the applause.
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HI Funnerfun, I second MarkernĀ“s suggestion of using the liver healing sound to cleanse anger. There might be several systems of the healing sounds but the one IĀ“m familiar with is from Mantak Chia. Master Chia has many detractors here on the board but I think the very basics of his system -- inner smile, healing sounds -- are very good. He says that when the liver energy is unbalanced it manifests as anger; the liver healing sound transforms the anger into the energy of kindness. There are books by Chia about the six healing sounds on Amazon as well as Youtube videos. In my experience it can take awhile for the sound and posture to make a difference, many more repetitions than the 3 or 6 usually recommended. Another more cathartic method comes from the somatic body-mind practice of Zapchen. HereĀ“s a video of Zapchen practitioner Laura Lund demonstrating how to deal with anger.