Marblehead

Hi Pabrew, Welcome! May you enjoy your time here. Be well!

Yes, that's the one but the original was Chinese and much more descriptive. Thanks. Be well!

Hi Kodak, Welcome! There are many Buddhists here. You should feel right at home. Enjoy your time here. Be well!

I can't find it right now but I have always liked the story about the Warrior and the Master regarding Heaven and Hell. Both reside within, or not. That is all. Be well.

Hi Fox, Thelerner's suggestion is good even though I do not practice it myself. It will at least allow you to see yourself a little bit. I can't offer any direct answers to your questions but I would like to say this: Once you get to the point where you no longer have thoughts like "I should have done this instead of that" you will be at peace with your environment. I know it is very hard remaining positive when your surroundings are negative. But remember, you are not trying to change the world or anyone else; what you are trying to do is find inner peace. (Acceptance) Happiness is a tricky concept. I think that if you find inner peace you will at that moment have happiness. But don't expect some over-powering, exhalting sensation of ecstasy - those are rare, IMO. But when you start finding moments in your life where nothing moves you do do something I think you will be in a state that can be called 'happy'. Be well!

Hi Applecart, Welcome! May you enjoy your time here. Be well!

Hi All, Yes, I have always preferrred the word "harmony" over "balance" when talking about virtue. Our balance will constantly change as a result of the externals in our life. But if we can harmonize with those changes we will be doing (or not) the right thing (for us) regardless of the outcome. Peace & Love!

My thought, for whatever it is worth: The most important thing is 'don't forget to live.' Be well!

Today is my first visit to the site and I decided to join y'all. I consider myself a philosophical Taoist and hold to no religion. (Yeah, I guess I am an Atheist.) I enjoy discussions of any subject I have at least a little knowledge of.

To the best of my understanding there is nothing in Lao Tzu's or Chuang Tzu's writtings that could be understood as suggesting that there is an (individual) afterlife. And there is nothing to suggest a place called 'hell'. It is only after the formation of the Taoist religion that these concepts were introduced. And yes, I believe that much of it was built upon ancient Chinese folklore. Be well!

Well, I'm straight so I won't have much to add to this thread but you guys and gals go ahead on, Okay? Be well!

I can't help with this but I did want to mention that I saw a TV documentary a few weeks ago concerning this. The Chinese government has invested in the temple to make it a grand tourist attraction. (But, it is my understanding that the monks are staying true to the Buddhist/Taoist concepts of Shaolin.) Be well!

Yea!!! We get to talk about nothingness, cycles and reversion!!! Yes, nice post Stigweard. No-thing-ness reverting to thing-ness (something from nothing) and then reverting back to no-thing-ness in continuous cycles: birth - life - death - rebirth. Very natural indeed. I should note here that I do not hold to any of the religious aspects of Taoism (nor any other religion) so I'm not talking about reincarnation. I am talking about "re-use". (The total essence of what I am will be used over and over again.) And I agree that we should understand the natural processes as well as we can so to allow ourself to live according to our individual capacities and capabilities. And this includes taking care of our body and mind so that we are able to ward off all the sicknesses that the human animal is subject to. "universal spontaneity" I love this concept! I was first introduced to it by Wayne L. Wang in his "Dynamic Tao" where he defined "Tzujan". In my mind this is the nature of Tao - just doing what it has to do - nothing less, nothing more. Yes, nothingness is the time for rest. The time between being this and that. During our short time in this manifestation we individual manifestations should seek out our times of nothingness as well - the times of resting between doing this and that. Be well!

Hi Stigweard, Interesting view. I had to read it three times because I am listening to Uriah Heep right now. (Hehehe.) Yes, "te", I think, is an important concept when discussing subjects such as this. So, if the subject is looked at from the whole, that is, if looked at from the point of Tao, there is no "discriminating virtue". Like Mat said, "The sun shines on all" and I will add, so does the rain. However, when I get too much sun I seek shelter; when it rains I seek shelter. That is my personal "te", my natural virtue, if you will. This brought to mind a quote from one of the "Kung Fu" films: "A man cannot do what his conscience will not allow." I will suggest that our personal 'te' is limited by our instinct of survival. That is to say, I can do anything (with very few exceptions) as long as it does not interfer with my instinct to survive. So, to be nice to someone who is constantly trying to kill me would not be in my best interest. Nor would be being nice to someone who constantly causes me to loose my inner peace. We each have our own set of personal virtues. Tao has no virtues (is totally undiscriminating). So we each must live our life according to our natural 'te'. And I agree, if we live according to our 'true nature' we will, because of our 'te', spontaneously respond (or not) to all conditions in our life in the most natural manner (doesn't matter the results). Be well!

Hi Mat, Hence, my understanding of the term undiscriminating virtue is to apply kindness without partiality. The sun shines on all etc etc. Something to me that I feel is worth trying to cultivate I wouldn't even want to try to argue against this because, afterall, it is the ideal. I like your words: awakening wisdom I recently became attached to (sorry, Hehehe) the word: Awareness And I agree that there is nothing wrong with trying to be kind to those who are not kind. But for me, if that person continuously tries to misuse and abuse me then it really doesn't take me very long to discard that person as being something that is not useful in my life. (But I am not suggesting that it is not useful to Tao.) Yes, I know, Tao and the Sage refuse nothing. I am not either. But compassion, for those worthy (my judgement) of such, I have. And I do practice unattached charity (giving). Be well!

Hi Anton and Alexander. I can't help you with your goal but I can welcome you to the board. Welcome! Best wishes on finding a travel companion. Be well!

Hi Taotheway, Welcome! Enjoy! Be well!

Hi 7-7s, Welcome! Yeah, there is a lot of wisdom to be found here. Enjoy! Be well!

Hi Mat, Yes, I agree. But then we have to come back to the "real world" where we need make distinctions, we need, IMO, to judge (each according to itself, not by some other criteria), to select this or that. Yes, in the big picture all things are just as important as everything else. But as we break things down to our own world (our space) there are some things that are useless to us on our journey so we discard (or avoid)those, and there are other things that are useful so we hold to them (but only for their usefulness). I think that to be totally undiscriminating in the "real world" is to invite disaster. Be well! I like that! Be well! WoW! You are a frisky witch! Hehehe. Be well!

Hi Jacob! Welcome! I am sure there are many here who will offer suggestions regarding your practice. Ask away! Be well!

Hi Zijan, What a wonderful post! (Of course, the reason I think it is wonderful is that I feel almost exactly as you do.) At this point yours is the only post to this topic I have viewed. I must go back to the beginning now and read all the other posts. Be well!

Hi Freeform, I do agree with what you have said. I wonder though, in SereneBlue's case, learning that the upward movement can be dangerous might be presenting a psychological blockage to effective movement. It is my understanding that if it has to be 'forced' then it is not natural. The mind needs to be unblocked. (If you feel I am off base here please negate my post or simply disregard.) Be well!

Yeah, I almost decided to try walking a path of a mixture of Buddhism and Nietzscheism (I just made up that word) but decided to try walking the Taoist path instead. Be well!

Hi Hammer! Welcome!! Be Well!

Hi Kip, Very nice. I would like to caution though, that the Manifest is just as real as the Mystery is. The light post is still there even though I didn't see it because I was watching some pretty lady walking down the sidewalk. Peace & Love!