liminal_luke

That people can be rude? I see the whole process of baby-making as a kind of external alchemy. Pregnant women, the as yet unborn, newborns -- all these beings potentially inhabit and draw energy from deeper dimensions of reality than are otherwise commonly accessed. This is inherently fascinating and draws people´s attention. That is what I think.

This is a beautiful story and what makes it beautiful, in my opinion, is the woman´s life-affirming choice. But what if instead of choosing to have her son the woman was forced to give birth? That would be a very different story. For me, being pro-choice is not about being pro-abortion. It´s about respecting other people. It´s about not assuming that everybody else ought to live by my values. It´s about giving people the freedom to make their own decisions about their own lives.

On second thought...

I suppose I could speculate. I´ve never gotten a woman pregnant nor been pregnant myself so I´m not sure how much my speculation would be worth. Several men here have related their personal stories of grief around abortion and I in no way want to discount those experiences. Nor do I want to discount the fact that for many women (perhaps most?) abortion is likewise a wrenching decision. Still, I continue to think that women who want to have abortions should have the legal right to do so. The OP wondered what opinions people on the board had and I presented mine. Perhaps I should of instead linked to the recent conversation we´ve had about that topic? I´ve said my piece and I think I´ll stop here. Those who wish more details on my view are welcome to plug the word abortion into the search button and my posts on the topic are sure to pop right up. This is such an emotional topic for many. I´m not sure I´d be doing anyone, least of all myself, any favors if I was to continue to participate in an argumentative back-and-forth.

When faced with a choice of horrors, it´s usually best to choose the least horrific -- and sometimes that´s abortion. Or at least there are people who have thought so in the past and will think so in the future, and far be it from me to judge them.

Perhaps you need a 2nd chance? (Or a third, fourth, or fifth...etc) If so, you´re certainly in good company. Lots of people like to make it appear that they´re more successful than they really are so I hope you won´t get fooled into feeling bad about yourself because of social comparisons. It´s also possible that First-Place Winner status wouldn´t make you as happy as you might think, even if you were suddenly to magically achieve it. People say to take things a day at a time, but that´s often too ambitious. Can you enoy the present moment? Better yet, can you be present for this present moment -- no matter how it feels? Be a winner at that. That might be the only winning that really counts anyway. LL

Agreed. I´ve learned a lot from legitimate criticism here over the years. As you note, however, the critical impulse can go dreadfully wrong. There´s a world of difference between I disagree and here´s why and I disagree you stupid idiot. Unfortunately, the latter is very common, though usually not as explicitly worded as I´ve put it. Many people here are very skilled denigrators, very subtle They come on like judgy ninjas, always careful to stay just out of the reach of moderation, vague enough to claim that their attacks have been "misunderstood." Theoretically, it´s possible to learn from these people, too. Some very evolved folks (you may be one of them) can listen to the arguments of curmudgeons and trolls and find the gold. Generally speaking, I can´t. Once I get that someone is criticizing my character -- not just challenging my thoughts but actually criticizing my character -- it´s game over as far as learning from the conversation goes.

Whew...I´d hoped that I could simply make the point that I didn´t actually say something you said I said and leave it at that. Since I´d rather this thread not turn into an in-depth examination of my writing style or character (fascinating though that conversation might be) I´ll bow out so that anybody so inclined can continue to talk about cannibalization.

You originally said that I said I was a moral scourge. That´s quoting. My only objection here is that I didn´t actually say that. Now if you interpret my words to mean that I think that about myself (and am hoping someone will "deny the allegation") then that´s a different matter. That wouldn´t be my take on it, but interpretation is a subjective thing and we all interpret each other according to our worldview and perceptions. I´ve no argument with any interpretation you´d care to make. (I´ll leave the question of whether I believe the words I write for another day. Suffice it to say that I often say things in an ironic way, or in a way that I hope will be perceived as humorous, and don´t always expect to be taken literally.)

Twitter seems like a fitting place for short caustic comments. It seems to work for a certain president anyway...

LIT, Moral scourge is a great phrase, isn´t it? It has more of a deliciously nasty bite to it than the more tepid term, moral scold. I love that you´re embracing moral scourginess so wholeheartedly. Perhaps you could start the opinion column you suggest in your PPD?

Stosh... Please don´t misquote me. I raised the question of whether I was a moral scold. I did not say that I was one. There´s a big difference. I often talk about myself in a self-deprecating way. It´s part of my personality and an aspect of my writing style, how I express myself. If it´s your opinion that I´m a moral scold, that´s fine. You´re welcome to say so. But please don´t say that I said that about myself. I raised the topic as a question. In the OP, Lost in Translation (an inveterate moral scourge) says: None of us came here to tear each other apart. I encourage everyone who reads this to spend some time in reflection on this matter. -- Looks like we´re back on topic. LL

It doesn´t matter I suppose -- and I´m being a little nitpicky here -- but when it comes to my own assessment of myself I like to be exact. I raised the question of whether or not I was a "moral scold"; I did not make an out-and-out attribution. Here´s the exact quote I believe you are referring to... Have I become that most annoying of characters -- the moral scold?

Some further thoughts on that hawk that ilumairen and/or Pilgrim may or may not want to shoot. Let´s suppose we decide it´s virtuous not to interfere with nature. According to this worldview, a hawk gets to be hawkish. Living creatures often appear violent but all beings are entitled to act in accordance with their nature. OK, fine. Now here´s the question: are human beings not also part of the natural world? If a Bum sees a hawk about to eat a smaller bird and wants to protect the smaller bird, well, I figure that protective impulse is also a natural one. Can we take this attitude of non-interference and apply it to our own behavior? To the behavior of other human beings? Should we?

Interesting! I´ve been reading lately about the benefits of "inclined bed therapy" and thinking of giving it a try. Any tips? https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2018/02/15/inclined-bed-therapy.aspx

Thanks for sharing some about your personal experience, Rene. Many prefer to remain more hidden, but I always appreciate it when Bums share stories from their lives; it´s nice to get to know people. Your story reminds me of a Zapchen coach I used to work with. She told me of a past relationship that she had with another woman, and I always assumed she was a lesbian but later found out that wasn´t the case. It was just that she had a strong energetic connection with another person who was physically female and just decided to go with it -- in spite of the fact that she was generally attracted to men. Personally, it´s hard for me to imagine doing something analogous though I admire her flexibility and openness to life. Stosh is correct that I´ve long "played for the other team." I awakened to my gayness around the age of twelve and have more or less stayed the course (although there was one interesting occasion when a female massage client of mine suggested we trade erotic bodywork). While perhaps not the most masculine guy in the world, I´ve always felt like a man. I don´t relate to the desire some gay men have to paint their nails and wear big wigs. I wish my apartment was tastefully decorated and that I had better taste in clothes. Alas, that´s not the case. I´m a gay man trapped, stylistically speaking, in a heterosexual man´s body. What amazes me is how different people are from each other. There are so many different ways to relate to our sexual selves, to relate to our maleness and/or femaleness. Everybody has their own story.

Reading Stosh, it´s easy for me to imagine him as a hungry hawk in a past life. Perhaps he met up with a previous incarnation of ilumairen sitting on her medieval front porch, and she shooed him away in a (misguided?) attempt to protect some daintier creature. Centuries later, the conflict continues in a radically different guise.

As a resident gay dude, I should probably hold off writing that technical manual I´ve been mulling over on heterosexual sex positions. I am, however, a human being and don´t live on an all-male clothes-optional tropical island. I was raised by a mother and women continue to play key roles in my life, so I´m not entirely ignorant of male-female dynamics. Anyway, I´ll continue to share my perspective from time to time, wise or foolish though it may be. My words are like the rain: you generally can´t stop a downpour but with a little planning you can avoid getting drenched. May I suggest a sturdy black umbrella made by one of my favorite US companies, Ignore Inc..

What is a teacher? Someone who can assess a student´s spiritual progress and make specific recommendations tailored to their particular level? Someone with a wide knowledge base about qi gong and spirituality in general? Someone self-realized (awakened) to the point where their very presence radiates spiritual energy that ready students can pick up? or just.... Someone whose learned something valuable and is willing to share with others? Several here have mentioned honesty. Honesty is the best insurance against fraud. Nothing wrong with teaching something without being a Daoist Wizard as long as you don´t mislead people about your own abilities and knowledge. I started to learn piano from my elementary school teacher when I was in third grade. She was great. She knew the basics and was happy to pass them on for a fair price. When it was clear that I was serious and had absorbed what she had to give she sent me to another teacher. That´s the way it should be.

Announcing the First Annual Trump Talk South-of-the-Border Cookout. I can´t wait to try Ralis´s enchiladas with authentic New Mexican Hatch chiles and Thelerner´s enchiladas with mole. Kar3n, can you bring one of your summer salads?

Wheels within a wheel I am so over James Bond It`s a good song though.

This is a great antidote to a certain kind of spiritual greed I`ve sometimes noticed in myself -- my feeling like I had to learn some certain practice. There`s a saying that I`ve heard from Zapchen teachers that I like...everything is possible, nothing is necessary.

I am still hungry though the cheeseburger is gone. Where are you my love?

Tact is the ability to tell someone to go to hell in such a way that they look forward to the trip. Winston Churchill