Otis
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Everything posted by Otis
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Certainly play has little to do with a coherent and specific methodology; it is the alternative to it! Bear cubs learn to hunt, by starting to play fight with each other. This does not complete the training, but it is the tantric way to grow. Even when they accompany their mother on the hunt, they do so with no goal of catching the prize; it's just a time to pretend you're a hunter. At some point the hunt play must ignite all the way into making a kill, but all the preparation is built through play and modeling. Many animals build and maintain their skills through play, but only man has methods, systems, traditions and duty. IMO/IME, man is born with all the equipment and ability to grow and mature; and only needs to surrender to those systems, in order to exercise and activate those growth systems (a mature model, like an awakened teacher, helps as well). The surrender cannot happen through will and method, because those are accumulation, the opposite vectors from surrender. But neither does the surrender = apathy, because there is no growth there, either. So growth may come from surrendering through joyful, meaningless dance and play, trusting the built-in systems to guide me.
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I keep getting attacked on the internet what do i do?
Otis replied to mewtwo's topic in General Discussion
I think the internet is the perfect place to get attacked! Where else do I get to experience all of the inner alarms going off, while there's absolutely no actual threat? That's part of why I have my little sword fight club at the beach; to experience battle without real threat (but of course there's still the risk of pain and bruising). It's a chance to practice being calm and joyful, even when someone is trying to hit me. If I ever lose my smile, while in combat, then I know I've lost my center. Before Tao Bums, I used to post on a Zen group, in which I was very often attacked, from all sides. What great training that was for me. Rather than fight back, I'd double-down on trying to be as clear, honest, and articulate as possible. Of course, at times it stung; that's just part of the risk of living. But that sting allowed me to practice surrendering offense at the attack. That's a great gift that was given to me. -
This is part of why I talk about play so much, because there is no necessary method to play. It can simply be an exploration of fascination. I trust, from my experience, that my fascination is evolved to lead me toward discovery. It is my best teacher (although, of course, my conditioning has contaminated my view and ability to follow that fascination). Play, IME, is allowing that spark of fascination to dance. It is letting go of the "right way", and instead finding whatever way is calling me, right now. Perhaps that's my "side door". Play is the centerpiece of my practices, like parkour, dance, etc. My aim is not to do a particular thing, or to appear a certain way, but rather just to empty myself, and be moved along joyfully by the intersection of where the world and I meet. I have been trying to make play and dance my connections to all of my life, as well, surrendering goals and thoughts about what I should be doing. Of course, it's harder to find that balance in the world of work and money. My mission for the last few years has been exploring play with other grown-ups, and some kids, and capturing it on video. One example:
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Hee hee. I have a hard time expanding it, because none of it makes any sense to me. That's the tricky bit about this exercise! I made a bunch of assertions above, but no argument, because I can't think of an argument that works. BTW, I only threw Buddha in there, to "kitchen sink" my assertions. So feel free to just tear apart what I wrote, ignoring the Buddha bit. Or start me off with a pro-"knowledge of Truth" argument, and I'll do my best to defend it.
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I think you're asking excellent questions, Cat Pillar. You are paying attention to what ails you, and that is, IME, a path of liberation. The "phantom sensations" as you call it, sound very useful for listening to the state of quiet, that is under the state of agitation. For me, there are two important forms of meditation: yin and yang. In one, I pay attention to the clarity and ease that beckons me towards it. In the other, I listen to the anxiety and pain that bind me. I see no reason to ignore either. One leads me forward, the other clears the path. Best of luck.
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My solution to this problem is basically to ignore method. Method seems to me to be the opposite of emptiness, the opposite of dependent origination. Method seems to be all ego, all outside-in. So instead, I try to eschew my own theories of causation, when possible, and just make my practices about following what flow wants to do. I allow it to make the choices, and I do my best not to seize on any images or stories. And that has led to many great results (and some not as great ones), but of course, I can't really draw a valid causal relationship, with a sample size of one. So I keep on reminding myself that "I don't know", and continue to move forward (backward?) with faith. (I say backward, above, because "not knowing" is like walking backwards. It's trusting that my system understands the path well enough, that I/my ego doesn't need to be actively trying to figure out the road "ahead").
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I think that panic is horrible for injuries, especially in the immediate aftermath. It's very easy to make the situation a lot worse. So, at the very least, calming one's self should be very beneficial, for making the right decisions afterward. Thankfully, I have never yet experienced such a traumatic injury. When I do get minor injuries, though, I immediately stop everything, if possible, and immediately put my awareness on the injury. Again, at the least, it stops continuation of the injury, via neglect or anxiety. Whatever the mechanism, I find that the (minor) injuries that I don't do this with, tend to last a lot longer, for days sometimes, whereas the ones I do attend to, often fade within minutes. Not at all scientific, but I have witnessed this many times.
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Here goes my opposite argument: One can know the true nature of reality, through direct intuition. The scientific method is fine, for wrestling tiny details, but true spiritual knowledge can bypass things like repeatability, rigorous testing, etc. This is not just belief I'm talking about here; this surpasses belief and viewpoint, and goes straight to a deeper space. It is like a sudden window opens up, and reveals the hidden truth. How do I know? Because I heard it from my original mind, and it's never wrong. How do I know that? Because I heard it in an out-of-body-experience, and its never wrong. How do I know that? Because every word that arises from my OBE is in complete agreement with (my understanding of) the words of the Buddha. How do I know that my understanding of the Buddha's words are correct? Because when I read those words, there is an icy chill of recognition that goes through my spine, and I am suddenly transported into the collective mind, I feel larger than I have ever felt before, and I see that part of the Buddha is alive in me, so I see what he sees. How do I know that these assertions are true? Because when I am one with the universe, everything is clear, and the scales fall away. (Etc. ad infinitum). (Anyone with an opposite opposite view want to challenge my ironclad argument?)
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Excellent, Aaron!
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My point was: we do not know that the sun will rise tomorrow. We only know that the probability is very very high. Illusions arise from mistaking my model, for what's real. Magic is the act of stepping outside of the model, not that of stepping outside of what's real. What's real, by definition, cannot be circumvented, or it wouldn't be what's real. If "reality" seems to be sidestepped, it just means our idea of what's happening, or what's real, is wrong. Magic tricks are most easily played upon the certain.
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Excellent OP, Steve. I'm in 100% agreement. Every word.
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Hi Desert Eagle, I can't tell you what's going on for you, of course. But I've spent years freeing my own shoulders, and what you're saying matches a pattern I've seen in myself, many times. After some extensive/intensive new exercise or stretch, the habits of certain muscles shift out of their ordinary balance. Some fibers release, as their habit becomes less distinct. And other fibers go into spasm, a muscular form of low-level panic. That spasm can last for a while, especially if I don't keep that area active. When I do keep the affected area active, then the panic doesn't stay. If I stretch and play with the fibers in spasm, then they lead to new release. I have to remain diligent, in activating the irritated parts, and not allowing myself to tune the sensation out. If I were experiencing what you say you do, I would immediately get that part activated, and make my meditation about that. How does the shoulder want to move? Where is there resistance? Where flash points? (Only questions; allow my body, rather than my ego, to decide my pace and my vector). Where is the "delicious stretch"? Where is the cutting edge, wherein pain and pleasure become non-distinct? If I can find the pleasure in the activation of the injury, then my attention flows there naturally, and the healing speeds up, exponentially.
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This is really great, Manitou. Making amends sounds like a really powerful practice. I think Outi (the girl I named myself after) was the one person I've been most faithful to, in making amends. Because she would not use my amends against me, but would appreciate my apologies, I've felt it very easy to come clean and say sorry. And I'm spoiled by that now. I don't want to have a relationship, in which I'm trying to hold on to power, or to deceive my partner. I've done that in the past, because it was all I knew. But now I've experienced that the relationship that grows from honesty and sincere apology, is so much more enjoyable. And being trusted is worth the discomfort of sharing uncomfortable truths.
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Nice OP, Aaron. I think the principle you mention is important, not only in our affective response to the world, but also in the way we make meaning of the world. What I derive from this experience = a truth? No, it only equals a viewpoint, a way of looking at things, a point along the spectrum. And if I step back from each question, in a meta- fashion, I see that the spectrum itself is another illusion, another point along another spectrum. And so on. The spectra themselves are just metaphors for describing difference. The mathematics of phenomena, both physical and behavioral, is statistics. Nothing is certain; everything is probabilistic.
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My (opposite) argument: I disagree. The "system" is a toxic environment, that is designed by profiteers and politicians to rob your power. Because it is rotten to the core, no growth can take place there, and one must escape into solitude (preferably into some non-American, non-European country) and find a guru, as soon as possible. Only through solitude and/or an environment of great peace, can we find ourselves and achieve liberation. (note: this exercise is so very )
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These are excellent observations. I don't try to learn too much about those metaphors, precisely because I don't want to be contaminated by concepts about that which I already experience. Instead, I just enjoy and explore the experience/sensation itself, and allow it to lead me into practices that my body wants, rather than practices that I tell my body to do. IME, as long as I humble my concepts, and am faithful to my body's wishes, then there is no set-back, only new liberation.
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I don't know any TCM, but I have a stretch that has been very successful lately in resolving shoulder distress, in the same area. Maybe it might be useful to you, as well. I stand facing a table or other surface, at about navel height. Bending at the waist, I rest my forearms on the table, and lean into it, so most of the weight of my upper body is on my arms. Then, gently, I allow my head and trunk weight to drop between my arms, which then puts the weight into the connection between shoulder blade and rib cage. I don't force this stretch, but allow the weight to fuel it. When my shoulder blades need to shift, I reach "forward" (parallel to the table top), to much sound of popping. (Popping is a side effect, not a goal). I spend some time in this mostly passive position, without forcing any stretch, just enjoying the burn, and am rewarded with a great deal of relief. Especially yummy in a steam room or sauna!
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This is a great hint. It suggests that you are aware of your anger, but only upon occasion. Are you tuning it out? If you can pay attention, not only to the source of the anger, but also to the process of "turning away" from the awareness of that anger, I think that will be very useful. Anger, IME, usually arises from wounds, possibly very old ones. Wounds heal through your patient, loving attention to what hurts. But if you have a habit of tuning out, then you rob the wound of the very attention it needs. Take care!
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I'm a huge fan of balance sports, especially parkour, breakdancing, and handstands. Barefoot hiking has also done a great deal to increase awareness in my feet and ankles, improve balance, and decrease the extra effort I use in walking. It's also very pleasing for my feet to get into the dirt.
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My dad was a minister (before he was a psych prof) and his dad, as well, so I originally thought that would be my calling. However, I've never actually been religious, and I shrugged off the idea of Christ worship in my pre-teens. I was a psych major, and someone turned me on to the Tao Te Ching in college, and both made big impacts on me then, but then I spent the rest of my 20s without much interest in spirituality or pragmatic philosophy. When I was 32, my life-long lower back issues came to a head, and left me in painful spasm for months. That's what really turned me around. A friend taught a Mind-Body Centering / Continuum class, which was designed to get us to really pay attention to sensation, and to surrender old patterns. Those principles have caught fire in me, leading me to authentic dance, deep stretch, improv play, and full physical exploration. I was not seeking any kind of spirituality or higher truth or anything. But as I started learning to explore my body, a good deal of epiphanies started to emerge about the nature of my mind. When I looked at Taoism again, and later at Zen, I saw many parallels, and believed they were talking about the same things, as I was experiencing. Most of the reading I've done since then has been at the recommendation of others in discussion groups. I don't take much of it literally, but I like the way that a constellation of perspectives (like those of you Bums) helps to triangulate and give context to my own experiences.
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Hey, if you can write the book, I don't see why you can't write a coupla capital letters after your name. I hereby give you permission to inflate your diplomas.
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One of the great things that talking on Taoist forums has done for me: it has forced me to examine closely, whether I could really justify making assertions about the actual world. Any assertion I would make, if I honestly examined it, would always rest, ultimately, on an unsupported assertion. Every single fact was a blind alley, based on some combination of assumption and hearsay, some appeal to authority. The only truth about reality that I think I can see clearly, is that I cannot see reality clearly. There are too many possible answers for any one question, for me to ever say, with any kind of authority, what is actually real. At best, I think we might say that truths are probability clusters, rather than specific points. What does truth even mean, when I only have experience? Experience is always (at best) just a reflection of truth. It cannot reveal truth, because truth is always bigger than the experience that arises from it. The experience is just a pattern in a brain.
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Forget the book. Get a 1-900 number. People can call you, whenever they need some permission.
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Breathing Through Diaphragm or Through the Stomach?
Otis replied to DalTheJigsaw123's topic in General Discussion
Why not explore all of the above? Meditate on how the breath massages the intestines, as the inhale opens the diaphragm, and pushes down the organs. Or sit in a steam room or walk-in cooler, and feel the breath in your sinus cavities. Practice breathing through one nostril at a time. Entertain yourself. -
I Opened my Kundalini, But I did it to Early!
Otis replied to DalTheJigsaw123's topic in General Discussion
I don't know anything about kundalini, but I love these two quotes: and
