manitou

What an idiot I am on the computer. Sorry for the gigantic picture when you click on it. I think I shoulda cropped --

I finally gave up and just drew the thing. I've never tried to attach anything before - hope it works.

Yes - it was online, but I don't know where. The synchronistic thing about the Washington Monument is that the darn thing is sinking. I'll take another foray today on the twitterbox and see if I can find it again. it was really astounding - I can't believe I can't find it.

Everything - I admire how you're able to get so very deep within yourself with your own questions. Sexual identity is something I've struggled with my whole life - I'm female but was brought up to be the first son. As far as I can tell, sexual identity is nothing more than a mix of memories of our past. Sometimes sexually (or any dynamic with my partner) it's as though I'm the male (I'm the one who has to keep the household, bills, etc together) and he's the female. Other times that switches, and in my mind I become the daughter and he becomes the father. Or I become the mother and he becomes the son. It's a mindset in our heads, and it comes and goes. It doesn't seem to be fixed - it seems to change and morph all the time. Sexually, I could go either/or. It almost doesn't matter. It seem to me that those of us who are motivated to walk the path we walk, at this level of engagement, have often had very unusual backgrounds - the kinds of background that squeeze us onto taking this rather unusual path. We look inside over and over, looking for answers - and they're there. But I go along with the 'take one day at a time' thing for your answers, not forcing them. Enjoy. Male or female, enjoy the sexual energy. It is the energy of life, there is no Good or Bad about it - it is kundalini energy wanting to express itself. If you find you're up for a little experimentation, do it without compunction. Perhaps you are outgrowing and questioning the structure you were given as a child. Very best wishes to you, Everything -

Bumpin' my own topic. Maybe someone'll bite?

I withdraw my comment. The couple times Joe and I have fallen into tantric sex (accidently, but the tantric presence lasted for about a month) there was no movement required at all - it was a complete merger and blissful as you describe. And everything was fair game, no hangups, no differentiation....

Has anyone ever thought to ask the female if she's wanting five hours of pounding sex?

It seems to me that a good comparison would be the Buddhist meditation on non-attachment. The more we meditate on our nature, the more we learn why we are the way we are. It inevitably takes us back through memories where we see our own tendencies starting, flourishing down the road. I've found that a simple and daily way of going in to self is to check my own motives for doing things, on a daily basis. To look at my own selfishness and make attempts to turn the huge boulder of selfishness around. To try and get out of the mindset where it's All About Me. And to understand that I have each and every character defect known to man, most likely....there's no shame in that, it's our condition. Until we make the decision to change it. Some people are forced onto the path of self-discovery by the trouble they've gotten themselves into in their physical existence - in my particular case it was alcoholism - but any of the destructive crystallized patterns will work. To recover from these horrible patterns requires an emotional and mental ass-kicking that does the job in a short amount of time - or at least sufficiently that the person is able to stay away from booze or drugs. for this, the steps of recovery were invaluable, in my case. I didn't even realize I had character defects prior to the necessity for my own recovery. But once the process is initiated, the process of looking within and coming to the conclusion that we are indeed imperfect (easy enough to say about someone else!) the process, once it's started, takes over from there. I no longer 'work the steps' in any sort of organized fashion (after 30 years of doing this) but rather the Grand Inquisitor is always sitting there on a ledge and ready to tell me when I am acting purely out of self-interest or selfishness. It's just a continual dynamic that goes on and on...

Surfing Buddha - is there any way you can paraphrase the point of the video without folks having to watch 2 hours of it?

In order to HAVE the relationship we want, we must BE what we want. If we jump into a relationship before we are truly self-realized, then 'It' will use the relationship as a continuation of your own personal growth. The relationship may be a rough path to a particular realization - but the relationship path can aid with self-discovery in a big way. We now have another person to consider - their wants. Whereas previously it was only Our wants that were important. Having a serious relationship is a one-day-at-a-time journey into self, if we take it seriously. If we use the relationship only to Make Ourselves Happy, then it's destined to fail. If we use it to learn to live with another human and consider their needs at least 50% of the time, then this is a big step toward our own liberation.

I think when people talk about the ego as a negative thing, it's because it's a hurdle to their growth. It's hard to see something through eyes that aren't ours - to place ourselves in the space of someone else and see through their eyes. Your point is well taken as to the ego itself being a spiritual achievement; no doubt man is the only animal who has fully developed it (although I've seen some pretty egoistic stallions, bulls, and dogs too). But IMO cutting through, sidestepping, or transcending the ego is necessary for us to get to the bottom of who we are. To keep ego in check we must constantly examine our own motives for doing or not doing a thing. If it's for our own aggrandizement, this only serves to reinforce our ego even further. If instead we are acting out of compassion for others and place ourselves in a secondary position, then one day at a time the ego is trimmed down to size and we can actually see around it. Spiritual splendour, yes! The ego appears to be a device for It to break through; apparently it's a necessary part of the process... Thanks for your evolved post!

My ears have been ringing for 40 years, high pitched. No medical problems Im aware of, but maybe there's a kidney issue I'm unaware of. I'm thinking it probably came from years on the shooting range. I've just taken to living with it. I perceive it now as the audible life stream, the constant reminder of Who we really are. It actually fits in very well with a Here Now mindset, if you look at the audible ringing as the continuation of what came before and what comes after. I just finally embraced it.

Hi Jack - I watched the first 15 minutes - does the film posit that there will be a mass collective awakening at some point?

If it helps memory, Im going to do it to....

Arfing brilliant

The Song of Push Hands was beautiful Taomeow - thanks for posting that. The economy of motion is beautiful, like a flowing dance. Less is more, it appears. I've never involved myself in martial arts but have wanted to in the past -- but back when I used to have to be able to fight at the drop of a hat (cop) there developed intuitively an understanding of economy of motion combined with throwing off balance and surprising the perpetrator. Back then, when I went through the academy, they didn't have the fusion of East and West yet when it came to training - it was still all baton and handcuffs. thankfully, one instructor changed all that on the LAPD - he introduced the martial arts into police training, and things have improved greatly as to police preparedness. I remain in awe of the cumulative knowledge on this website. Thanks again -

As it say in the TTC: I alone am muddled and nebulous

The soft overcomes the hard?

As I think about the concept of children in regards to spirituality, the metaphor of becoming As a Child in our own way of being is of huge importance. Those masters who teach us to become as a child are telling us to cease the judgment, to look at the world through the eyes of innocence and with the pure joy of being. Children, until they learn otherwise, don't put people into categories, have formed no opinions. I think the saints all have this in common - seeing the world through the eyes of innocence; seeing people for what they are and accepting them. This seems to be the essence of the child.

I quickly took a look at his blog - I would be a little put off by his focus on Evils in his work - who's the decider on what that is?

Really interesting. What's astounding to me is how the mosquito manages to pull itself away from the drop before it hits the ground. Talk about Will....

GeoBall - I really enjoyed your music. It sounds slightly reminiscent of Cirque de Soleil - the wildness, the buildup - you are very talented. A beautiful blend of that which is light with that which is heavy. Thank you for posting that

bankei - I got onto your link and was surprised by the last paragraph. I have a side of me that could totally do this, a monasterial existence. But another side says to merge back with life, even the parts I've previously transcended. I am curious - is this your current way of being? Partaking of no sensual pleasures? I would be really interested to talk to one who truly follows this mindset. Or maybe this paragraph pertains solely to the intent to not return as another incarnation? For me, energy arose, Unbinding was clearly seen. There's now no way I could partake of sensual pleasures. Having followed the holy life, I will not return.

I don't know what a fire mudra and fire vector are, but the whole concept is absolutely fascinating! What an incredible observation, Taomeow - and what's a wuxing phase? I'm always amazed at how intelligent the body is, the unconscious mind. the symbolism it comes up with in dreams to get something across to us is phenomenal - and the fact that the unconscious body would be able to figure out and concoct a way of flying in the dreams (involving a petroleum product, no less!) is just wonderful. If this is really the case, I'm just in awe....