Melanie

Ah I see, that part was what I couldn't see when invisioning the process, I was trying to think how to do it with the hammer I was thinking it was like a folding technique around a stone or something

That explains the copper in it then, nice use of material, how did you get the ends to fuse though. I recently redesigned an old ring I had made to turn it into a pair of engagement rings.

Nice, has a very good raw and seemingly unfinished quality to it. Its kinda the reverse of usual art and jewelry principal where the more you work on it the less it looks like it was worked on. What metal did you use, its interesting how the patina they got from the hammer blows.

Oh no I wasn't looking for anyone to say its ok to eat a fish I just felt like sharing a personal reflection on the topic. I am fully aware that I kill and maim countless plants and that being vegetarian doesn't not exclude you from having the maintain life through death and destruction. Just I never have a moral issue with killing a carrot. I feel that its the plants nature to be aware of its sacrifice in the process of life. So no I don't have nightmares of plants screaming possibly due to an ascuded view of the situation considering I view it as the sentient life is unaware of being killed for food while the appearingly unsentient is aware of itself being used for food.

Lol I see what you mean but no I'll leave the meats to you for now at least. The cow farmers in the town I live haven't convinced me yet that Bessy doesn't feel pain or have a soul so I'm pretty good about turning away the offer of a big bleeding stake. As for the fishy's pain and soul I'll just have to honor there sacrifice on my own and try not to repeat it anytime soon.

Welcome to the group, also like the name its kinda epic sounding like what you name mmorpg character

Well correct me if I'm wrong but in the stories of the Buddha siddhartha wasn't one of his first sermons spoken to deer. Also one of his students was an elephant, so it's suggested in Buddhism that animals can become enlightened. Then there are animal species that have special energy cultivation techniques for example I have been learning qi cultivation from my tortoise friend/pet Wujing.

I understand not making much as an artist, what medium do you prefer? I use to sculpt but lost most of my tools now I paint.

Welcome to the group, I look forward to discussing with you, what kind of films do you make?

If it's happened once before, its bound to happen at least a third time you could try to insight it to happen again or you could wait for it to happen naturally Either way I am certain that the next time will be even more vivid and your mind will be better prepared to receive the message.

To Marblehead, that one is really nice, it has a nice balance to it and its yellow. Yellow is my weakest color so it could be a fun challenge, and of course if it turns out good I'll share it and let others see how it turned out.

Marblehead do you have a favorite lily so far, I know all of them are beautiful but if you do would you allow me to make a painting of it. I haven't done a flower painting in a while and was thinking after I complete some of my bigger projects it'd be nice to do a flower painting. So I'd like to get your permission first to make a painting of one of the flowers you share, if you say no its ok I would not want to ruin the integrity and memory of any flower without its permission. If yes, then please tell me what one would be suitable and I will most likely have it painted in a week or two Thank you, both for your possible permission and for sharing the flowers with us.

Ooh July 30th's is very pretty

My path has led me to many teachers. Teachers who are unaware they teach and even less aware of what they teach. But despite this I have found no master and I was wondering your opinion on this. I have read that masters will cross your path when it is time, but my path has lead me to a town that I am unable and unwilling to leave for a while and my intuition tells me that there is no Taoist master in this town. This does not mean I have not come across masters in my life, as far as I'm aware I have crossed paths with two Taoist masters and one Buddhist master but I did not ask for guidance from them, each time they smile, I smile, we bow our heads then continue on our paths. My current teachers are the people and animals of this town as well as the weather and the land. I also am learning from my partner, her kitten, our friends, and my friend/familiar Wujing (a tortoise who is teaching me a lot about Qi cultivation). These and a copy of the Tao Te Ching are the center of my Taoist study at this time, I had other books but they got left when I moved. So I guess my question would be this. Should I be concerned about my studies and practice since I lack a master to guide me, should I be actively searching for one or is it always better to just go as the path leads? Can enlightenment be obtained without an official guide?

Well I recognized the energy they possessed, I could feel and see there auras and energy as well as feel their serenity, these were all very high and impressive. There auras were strong enough that without effort on their part a person who isn't attuned to see energy could see it. I smiled and bowed in recognition of their achievement and progress as well as being courtesy to fellow travelers. I can only assume they did it back out of recognition of another traveler perhaps. We didn't stop for long because there was no need.

Lol thanks for the laugh PS love uncle Iroh

Lol, that's a thought that had not occurred to me, but definitely worth considering. Thank you everyone for your insight and views, I greatly appreciate it. <3

Oh no one in particular I was more just curious on the opinions others had on its necessity. I've at least twice come across books that felt like the author was yelling at me for not finding a master or being monastic. As for personal goals I dont really have one, other then polishing my intuition, compassion and understanding all of which I shall be cultivating for a lifetime. I actually enjoy the path I am on, while I use to want to obtain immortality and power I now desire neither. I meditate and cultivate energy mostly to renew the serenity that I enjoy and other rely on me having. As for online teaching, my web access at this time is a little phone that Skype doesn't work well on so I don't think online teaching would work that well. It seems I shall just continue with my personal practice and if a true need for a master arises I will either know or one will find me. I agree with what you and Sinfest say and shall take your advice to heart. Thank you. I'd also enjoy others opinions if they would like to share.

Hello and welcome to the group There is a lot you can learn here and please feel free to share if you have insight on something. You could joke though that Chi practices are an older school then their old school. Although I'm kinda curious how you put a taboo on energy practices.

Aw thank you for sharing all these beautiful flowers with us <3

Very well put and interesting to reflect on some of these line as well as the poem as a whole Thank you for sharing. <3

Although now that I think of it, rune casting might be the best balance between less ego, destiny casting, intuition, and broad readings. In runes each stone means its own thing and in its casting will tell a story like the cards do. But the drawing is guided be chance for then the unconscious mind which is where it does better then the cards at removing ego from the casting. Also the set could be easily made naturally, just by walking around river and streams picking up stones that speak to you, then with a hammer and chisel and good hands a rune set could be made. So in a few ways rune stones are better then tarot cards. I still personaly like the cards though but then again it depends on what method your energy responds to best.

Tao Te Ching Chapter 48 Pursue knowledge, gain daily Pursue Tao, lose daily lose and again lose Arrive at nothing My translated copy may be different, but if you are to lose daily you must also lose the mantras otherwise how are you to enter into nothing. Also I am aware of the slight paradox in using a mantra to talk about abandoning mantras but it is what it is.

Oops sorry it got posted twice

I have used both as well as several other fortune telling techniques. I prefer Tarot. The I ching is good but its very difficult to learn to read it without the book siting next to you and for me that seems to deter the intuition needed for good fortune telling. The casting of the fortune be it with sticks or coins seems too random for me, which can be a good thing, it takes ego and self out of the casting of the fortune leaving only destiny to tell what prediction from the book to read. Its also steeped with tradition and history and if you can attune the coins to your energy then they do start to respond and give more straight forward answers. As for doing readings for others you can do yes no answers or or give the cryptic poem like readings from the book depending on the situation, while with tarot it's always cryptic even with just a one card draw. What I like about tarot is all the cards are based on achitypes and that while learning what cards mean you learn what it association is to yourself, others and the collective unconsciousness. While some of the high cards names got changed over the centuries (due to Christian intervention) there meaning and architype stays the same. You don't need a book to tell you what the cards read after you've learned them you know it, your unconscious mind knows it and your intuition knows it. For the readings, the cards aren't as random as they may seem because if its the deck you always use its attuned to your energy but this can be bad in that your ego and self can still effect the cards being drawn. So you need to learn to clear your mind to get a fully destiny given reading. Then there's the reading itself, I usually just used a basic seven card spread, each spread of cards tells a story in relation to the question, you take into account cards reactions to each other and what each card means collectively and as itself affects the reading. I know that seems more complicated then the I ching, but it becomes easier the more you learn to trust your intuition and unconscious mind. I say all this but I haven't done a reading in months since my tarot deck I had since sixteen got destroyed by a hyperactive kitten.