Stosh

2 hours ago, redcairo said:

Apologies for not being on the same page.

Sometimes messages aren't the best way to deal with complex topics, for sure. :-)

 

Peace,

RC

43 minutes ago, Marblehead said:

But if you think we all are created equal you need to go back to school.

 

That's not what is implied , its that, the sun , in being actually non-judgmental ,,conditions more fitting to just behavior is fostered.

Yeah , that illustrates nicely , In order to be in this big society , one has to generalize sentiments about respect and concern , to people we not only might not care for, but don't really know. We have to tolerate intrusions all day long by virtual strangers , whose interests are unaligned with our own. Rely upon folks who we never see , avoid threat from any quarter. 

Life is different than what we evolved to live like. 

3 minutes ago, cold said:

I think one loses their innocence in small and large ways along the path to wisdom.

It, innocence is replaced with awareness, if we are lucky.

I dunno bout that being lucky , it is the trade-off we tend to make though , and while that happens we think we get better,, I just really don't know that its true. Its like the thing where a society trades it's primitive origins for modern societies I phones, and plumbing,, there's that which is lost . So we live our high stress lifestyle , grind through our 8 hour workday , and don't know the folks up the block. 

48 minutes ago, cold said:

 

"probably a better, " in what way?

I suppose I understand less confusion with age, for me age has shown me I don't know as much as I thought I did

 

 

 I don't know about following ones fear, rather agree with getting to know ones fear(s) getting to know all about ones fears.

I think I was more idealistic , I was rather quiet , and well behaved , and instead of putting the negative where it belonged, I think I blamed myself firstly. 

Getting older and wiser , putting blame where it belongs , isn't really all that noble in comparison. I guess its the virtue called innocence. 

2 hours ago, Marblehead said:

See what telling the truth will get you?  Fired.

 

But really, women and men are different.  Not only physically but emotionally and spiritually as well.But there at a lot of women capable of careers in technology and science.  However, there are some men who should stay home and be Mr. Mom.

 

 

"The sun shines equally, on the wicked ,and the Just"

I learned that , while I expected profound changes from what I consciously learned ,  such stuff had relatively little impact on what I have done or become .

Of more impact , was The 'just getting older and gathering experiences' ,it has changed my opinions , 'behind the scenes' .

Looking back to my youth as far as I remember it , I was probably a better,, but more confused,, person. 

Great point, which I totally agree with. 

Me like Captain Obvious ,  

My 'Captain Obvious'  quote ,  -Affirmative Bigotry, is still bigotry .  

1 hour ago, Gunther said:

Don't think, that's not fair, you have to reply instantly without mind 😀😀

Ordinarily thats my MO. but Im trying to improve.

8 minutes ago, Gunther said:

The pendulum lends itself to a good metaphor regards non duality, Zen:

Good intentions/actions either way create more momentum. Raising awareness means climbing up the pendulum shaft, thereby reducing the gap between the extremes. Finally reaching the fulcrum you are at the eye of the hurricane, nothing moves😀yet life goes on

Interesting, I'll need to consider that one for a bit. Very good.

11 minutes ago, Gunther said:

Note that the good intentions, or bodhisattva concept are just that. A concept that works within. It is you who benefits not the world or sentient beings. Of course if it works and you are liberated you would have made the world a better place. After that enlightened action would be different. Namely, just balancing the opposite forces if needed, not pushing the pendulum into one extreme. The middle way.

 

Eh... I can't be too enthusiastic about that view of pursuing self  liberation  as actually being compassionate  , but don't mind me.

A person is correct ,that they count as a proper end consumer of well-being , and they Are 'In the world'. 

Nor is any intentional effort to balance the pendulum of the universe needed since it trends that way on its own. 

As I see it Effort has to be made to push a baseline above equilibrium and keep it there. Siddhartha could've just left everybody to resolve their own issues , and said "I gots Mine , Jack" but is not reported to have had such an attitude. 

2 hours ago, Gunther said:

Don't know equate, but they are inherent within each other. That means you can't increase the one without the other. So the universe is exactly perfect as it is. (Cosmos)

Maybe worth pointing out that the mess our planet is in is created by those trying to make it a better place. Sorcerer's apprentice😀

The road to hell is plastered with good intentions 😀

Well that is oddly quite true , about intentions being problematic at times.

But I don't think one should just do away with good intentions ,,,  such as your own propensity to emit positive energies.  People may be our own worst enemies , but we are the only choice in sentient friends. Both Taoism and Buddhism appear to me , to encourage restraint, rather than full retreat. 

1 hour ago, ralis said:

 

It would help if you quoted your responses to whomever.

I suppose , but it was written in a way that left that open to interpretation for anyone , so that if you were to decide not to 'buy into' the idea , I would have a handy recourse,, since it really shouldn't be a point to argue with. IMO.  The alternative is to say that the relative power of some groups, shown in the historical record , is that some people do not measure up , to others , which I think is more insulting , than to say that the culture did not advance as quickly for various reasons. ( Like availability of resources , trade -contact with heterogeneous groups ,  in some cases continual warfare ,and disease due to high population densities. )

Really,  its just far fairer to just go a head and call a stone age culture , a stone age culture , than it is to say peoples themselves, are inferior. 

5 minutes ago, Gunther said:

Ok, I lean myself out the window😀:

The emotional content of the universe equals the number of lives. (Sentient beings)

But I could be wrong, not the sharpest tool in the box😀😀

Should I take it that you view it that sadness and happiness equate, and therefore there is no impetus to make the universe a happier place? ,( or that one should just have lots and lots of children). 

Just now, ralis said:

 

You still don't get it regarding my question that was asked of Windwalker. Your narrative posits no understanding of what Gendao or I was stating. You come off as a Social Darwinist.

My hint was for Windwalker in case he was going to play the "give people the- futile assignments -game".

That's where you assign tasks and invalidate any progress by saying No,  blah blah blah .,  (its akin to a straw man argument) . 

Whats a Social Darwinist? I like Darwin , and I can be social at times , is that the same thing?

( this is called the 'dick around with you for labeling me game') 

16 minutes ago, joeblast said:

meanwhile, evidence of more clinton malfeasance surfaces, just another on the heap that shows you that they concocted the russia trump story to cover their own misdeeds.

 

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-11-08/sabotage-hillarys-fusion-gps-operative-met-russian-lawyer-and-after-trump-jr-meeting

 

at what point does she get prosecuted

It looks like Russia was playing both sides against one another , and considering their competitive situation , it is not surprising that there is a link. This release doesn't appear to incriminate either campaign though. 

Hints, 1 when one culture kicks the others ass, 2 when the people Of the culture , leave it 

Done deal , proof is in the pudding , cultural anthropologists have an interest in promoting the cultures they study, as if they were as legit, as the ones they are not equal to.

7 minutes ago, C T said:

who can offer a satisfactory answer to that biggie will be some sort of philosophical genius i think

Luckily, you guys have access to one of those, so what did he say?

I missed it. but excuse myself because I am not a Buddhist. So here is a tidbit back, but I tend to be dull and blunt, Is the total emotional content of the Universe more important than the number of lives?

1 hour ago, Gunther said:

Either your attention is focused on something (spotlight) or it's like peripheral view. Not blurred but without anything catching your mind.

Just normal, don't know what you mean, there's nothing wrong with my eyes😀if I start daydreaming it feels odd, I don't like it and shake it off. I guess as you get older you are less fascinated with your mind. Same old, same old

The conversations here in this group are ok, but meaningless Smalltalk is unbearable and the mind goes dull. Even I'm not sure if this isn't meaningless as well

Expressing onesself as they really are, is generally an involving experience, immersive and powerful. But we dont always do it, sometimes for good reason, and at other times its a reflexive retreat  or indulgence.

You may not have real pressing questions, or they arent coming out. If youre really just an introvert because it feels like you will never really be able to relate in an understood manner.. you could get jaded. 

 Your input determines indirectly what might come back to you. I cant answer any of it , in a fashion directing you to a foolproof solution. But I would say, that by continuing to pursue that which does satisfy your balance, would be a motion in the direction of emptiness.

25 minutes ago, Gunther said:

Let me ask you something Stosh:

If I do sit down and meditate, I get very easily into an ecstatic state. So if I think about the suffering in the world my whole body starts to radiate streams of energy. Sometimes I think this is like sending loving or healing energy out. Then I think what sentimental nonsense and I don't bother. What say you, I appreciate your advise. Cheers

I think your second thought , not to bother, is one you should not heed. But not ignore either, it comes from a bummer mindset which could use some lookin at. 

It doesnt matter whether I think the sentiment has direct effect, as far as manifesting your life experience goes the gesture is valid. 

But offering prayers INSTEAD of directly manifesting, when you can do so is bogus. IMO

8 minutes ago, Gunther said:

What about it? They look nice😀

Well, aside from obscure definitions , which by their nature , are rudimentary and rely on agreed upon usage , I am asking about your experience. A small thing like a bug would it leap out at you? or would you be lost in your reveries. Its a means to determine where your awareness is at. So rephrased, ' would you be aware of even this tiny element in your surroundings , often overlooked, Or Would you be busy , and still overlook it. 

I recognize there are different types of meditations as they get defined , so the word really says little. 

Just now, Gunther said:

It's hard to say. I don't do anything really. The tell tale is that clear head space, and a sense of well being. And everything is very normal, ordinary, natural. No confusion. There are situations when you lose that presence for a short while, then you remember, become aware, that's all. Big deal😀😀

and about the grasshopper? 

2 minutes ago, Gunther said:

😀😀

Zen works it's way backward a bit like the 4th way of Gurdjeff.

You don't work with the body (fakir)

Or the heart, emotions (bhakta, devotee) devotion/prayer

Or the mind like the yogi, magician, (concentration)

But with the 4th body directly. Which is the Self, pure intelligence, intuition, awareness, conciousness.

Okay , okay, but then what is it You are doing? when you are sayyy .. driving a car. 

And 

by your definitions , if you sat on a nice park bench and you decided to put in a few minutes of Zen practice , do you hear the grasshopper at your feet ?