steve

No judgement of what others choose to post but I spend so much time noticing and voicing the negativity of my environment (be it internally or externally) that I’m going to restrict myself only to sharing gratitude in this thread.

Welcome back! I hope you find what you are looking for.

No video but I’ll share a martial misadventure. I made my first pair of nunchaku around age 14 and taught myself some moves. I got pretty good with the little buggers. One day I was really in the groove in my back yard, missed an over the shoulder flip, whacked myself hard in the jaw and knocked myself flat on my back. It was a great lesson in their effectiveness!

It's pretty intense the first time the lights go out...

I’m grateful for the 100 year old Martin guitar I lucked into last year for a very fair price. It needed a little work but sounds and plays great. Also grateful for my meditation cushion. It’s had to put up with my bottom for quite a few years!

Nureyev I saw a lesser known artist (Mel Tomlinson, friend of my brother) dance this part and literally transformed into the faun. It has stayed with me for 30 years.

I debated whether to post that. The cheeks are a little risqué but her flow is just sublime. PS - happy to remove if anyone finds it objectionable (feel free to PM)

There are differences and there are similarities, between cultures, between families, between individuals. We can focus on either but it is important not to focus on one or the other exclusively, otherwise we restrict our potential. Texts do not rely on commentaries, people rely on commentaries. Zhuangzi is capable of speaking across millennia, bridging language and culture, communicating very directly and personally. We are the ones that need to be open and prepared to hear what he has to say. Certainly there are challenges but when you hear what he is saying, you know. When he speaks of the archer going blind when he is more focused on the prize than the act of releasing his bow, I know exactly what he is saying, as does every soccer pro who ever missed a penalty shot, or golfer that missed a 2 foot putt. When he speaks of the ambiguity of waking and dreaming, the sudden feeling of uncertainty, of mystery and possibility is unmistakable and pure. No need for commentary or cultural translation. While I agree that there is value in cultural and linguistic coloration, subtlety, and precision, it is not an all or none proposition. I think you are selling yourself and others short, especially the old masters who wrote down these profound lessons. There is a reason why these teachings are held so dear that they are passed down for hundreds and thousands of years. They are not limited to any particular scholarly, linguistic, or cultural tradition. They are able to express something deep and valuable, and not only to a limited few but to anyone, anywhere potentially. And the meanings, very much like poetry or other forms of art, are not restricted to a particular perspective. No one can claim complete authority over the meaning of profound spiritual texts or art. In part this is because what we need from a teaching as individuals is not necessarily an answer or a piece of information; what we often need (some may say always) is something that loosens an obstacle or a blockage in us, allowing the truth that is deep and hidden, but always already present, to shine forth. Profound spiritual lessons are not so much like learning a new mathematical equation or grammatical rule, it is more like being guided to a feeling of coming home to something very deep, very certain, very supportive and nourishing; and it often feels like waking up from a long to dream to something you somehow knew all along.

If we do not read and speak Chinese, our only option is to read translations. Fortunately, there are many translations available in a variety of languages. Even if one does speak and read Chinese, that is no guarantee of an accurate or better understanding than someone dependent on translations. All we have to work with is what our karma provides and that is not limited to fluency in any particular language. There are many other variables that affect our understanding, our ability to connect to a teaching. All we can do is work with what we have or work to improve our circumstances and conditions if we don't find them satisfying or supportive.

When we know, we know. Words don't get in the way. When there is uncertainty or doubt, words can be as much an obstacle as a guide.

Some neo-swing... And a little shuffle!

I know why...

I love this performance! The music is sublime, the lyrics like a Rumi poem, the dancers on fire, and Yousou N’dour...

One of my favorite dance moments in film!