Apech

You could do better than govinda and his multi-dimensional wotsit and I think Leadbetter was a theosophist. Overall I was going to say don't learn meditation from a book ... then I realised I did just that my self (Concentration by Mouni Sadhu) ... but in hindsight it was a waste of time. Either: a) just sit and do some simple breath watching/counting which you can get from anywhere - and most importantly use this as a basis for exploring your mind; b ) go and see a teacher in person and get proper one:one instructions.

There are plenty of good Buddhist gags. Like the old one about why a Buddhist can't use his vacuum cleaner ... 'cos he lacks the attachment. Anyway most Buddhists I know are happy cheery types and great company. Tho' none belong to the NKD or FWBO and so on .. s maybe that's the secret to happy buddhing.

I think the creation of a monastic order can be understood as freeing people up from the trappings of what was a very tightly controlled society ... arranged marriages, strict behaviour and so on. Rather than taking away from people it gave them the individual freedom to pursue spiritual goals in life without the responsibilities of marriage, children, work to feed oneself and others and social duty and obligation. Nowadays in the west I am not so sure that it all means quite the same thing as we have come to understand the life of a monk as being about discipline and privation.

Ditto above ... please let me know why you want account deleted. We don't usually do this.

Being always wrong is something of an achievement. Most people are right sometimes just through chance.

I don't want to be medium I want to be average.

I think we might start to annoy the yanks if we keep on this theme ... maybe a new thread on animal coats?

The ladies don't complain.

Stoat, ferret, weasel we are all brothers under the fur.

A positive way of thinking about this is that what has happened is a opening up in you. She sounds like a flirty type and so probably nothing out of the ordinary has happened to her but she has operated as a target for your feelings. It is likely, and this is my experience that such feelings for her are in fact a precursor to allow you to feel this way about someone more appropriate. or to put it another way... wait for someone else to show up. If you stay open and true to yourself (and avoid bitterness or uncomfortability) this will most likely happen. I know this sounds like some kind of new age crap but it is my observation that this is how energy works in practice.

You say back pain ... how is your neck? Could be pressure on optic nerve from C2.

I saw this map ... it appeared in some British newspapers. I'm not sure thought how they allowed for the distribution of twitter use in drawing it up. But all the same its a sad thing that people still persist in racist views in 21 century. Somehow it seems instinctive in the human mind to condemn people who appear different in some way.

Oh I don't know! ... have you met Tony????

I wonder who is going to have the last word ... er, on the other hand I don't really care

@turtle That map is exactly the same pattern as the voting in the election! is that the point? seems to say that the US is still two nations.

need to ask sean then ... I've sent him a message

I got in ... first time ever ... try again?

Surely this is a gradual vs. sudden path debate. I reconcile this by saying that enlightenment is said to come of itself suddenly and (necessarily) without preconditions. i.e. it is not contrived or constructed by the mind >>> BUT there is a gradual path comprising a series of small steps (and a lot of work) ... each step being sudden. You can't just sit in a room vacantly waiting for something to happen BUT on the other hand you can't make it happen by effort of will.

Shame ... I thought more people might use it as a protest vote ... but I suppose most voters still thought they were being offered a real choice by obama-romney. Oh well ... I wish Obama well and hope he makes the right choices for the US and the world. I'd like to see him more friendly with us Brits but we have a rather weak/insignificant prime minister who I can't imagine is worth talking to TBH.

Well looks like Obama four more years. How many votes did our Gill Stein actually get?

I believe it may have been Lama Dongdroop who advocated visualising the dharma as a removal vehicle but to avoid Gelugpa teachings, he was taught this by his aged master, so he used to quote: "My old man said follow the van but don't Dalai Lama on the way ..." (joke for Brits only)

Was she attached to your bottom?

A cricket bat maybe ... no I mean a genetic hybrid between an insect and a flying mammal ...

Who's winning? Gill Stein?

Do you have the contact details for Lama Ploppy?