manitou

I wasn't going so much for the courage on the dead animal thing as the awareness. Actually, I do have a couple facing death stories as a retired cop, and they're not related to dead animals.

Thanks for the TaoBums reference - interesting thread. Are you able to read the records in a recognizable form?

This was an interesting thought about the AR that I just noticed on a website - "An example of one who many claimed successfully read the akashic records is the late American mystic Edgar Cayce. Cayce did his readings in a sleep state or trance. Cayce's method was described by Dr. Wesley H. Ketchum who for several years used Cayce as an adjunct for his medical practice. "Cayce's subconscious...is in direct communication with all other subconscious minds, and is capable of interpreting through his objective mind and imparting impressions received to other objective minds, gathering in this way all knowledge possessed by endless millions of other subconscious minds." Apparently Cayce was interpreting the collective subconscious mind long before the psychiatrist C.J. Jung postulated his concept of the collective unconscious. A.G.H.

I just had another thought. One thing you could do would be to make your particular work space yours. (If this is just a short-time job this wouldn't make sense, because it would take a while to work up). Make something subtly different about YOUR desk, your area. Maybe a red throw rug and a small muted gold gong? Or water? A place where the Tao would flow. This would become a natural attractant over time, the energy would flow in the direction of love and wisdom. Also, kids would love to hit the gong once in a while - it would just bring a nice different kind of life force to the entire work location. Another thing that would make you more comfortable with the douches is to find something to like about each one of them. If one guy's a chronic smartass, you could admire him for his mental focus and witticisms, try to separate that aspect from the actual remarks. It won't do a thing for them, but it should keep you in a lighter place. The problem of the pack of wolves that jumps at you when you walk into a dealership is just horrible. It's intimidating to the customers, and no one in their right mind actually thinks those smiles are real. As one whose tastes run to the Tao, I can just imagine how much of a fish out of water you are. Your natural inclination would be to not compete, to allow. There's got to be a way that you can be successful without having to join the pack. I certainly wish you well.

I'll bet there's actually a way you can have some fun with wu-wei in the car selling business. Also, please don't think for a moment that people actually like those assertive douche bags. I went to buy a Jeep last month and physically stepped around the A-holes and walked straight up to a fellow sitting at his desk and finishing up some paperwork, just because he looked mellow and relaxed. We bought the Jeep from this guy. You could have some fun with the Be Here Now mindset and the Not-Doing. I'll bet you could really turn this thing around if you let the Tao flow. Just make sure you put the mindset on before you walk in every day. Renew it again at lunch.

I mentioned recently on another thread, I've been waking up in the mornings repeatedly to a vivid dream where I'm reading ancient scrolls and modern textbooks right in front of my eyes, but I can't seem to understand the words in any understandable sequence. Someone mentioned that it might be somehow tapping into the Akashic records. I'd like to know more about it too. Or someone also said it could be remembrance of a prior life. Either way, it's odd.

Also, from a more shamanic perspective, a shaman will use death as an advisor, as Castaneda would say. I kind of hate to admit this, but I've actually taken to picking up good-looking road kill and placing it off the road and back into the cycle of life - someplace where the vultures and crows can get to it. (Mind you, I don't pick the stuff up if it's too ugly). I do this for the very purpose of getting closer to actual death on a more real basis. I find that the practice has taken some power of the fear of death away from me. I can actually feel the difference. It's also a way of participating in nature and I believe it has made me a little more sensitive to some things, hard to put into words. It's also a way of being considered the town loon.

Lin Yutang's version, the last lines: He who embraces this Tao Guards against being over-full. Because he guards against being over-full, He is beyond wearing out and renewal. (Then he has a footnote on 'over-full,' and it indicates 'self-satisfaction, conceit'.) This seems to go to having the ego at one's disposal, having tamed it. We all need some ego to stay out of the oncoming traffic.

On occasion when sex gets tantric, there is a golden ringing place that feels like pure energy. It is as though the body has decomposed and lightened to the point of pure light. As wonderful as this is, it also feels very close to death. This experience is also shared with my husband; it happens to both of us at the same time. It just feels like you're in a current of being that is the Source. If this golden place is part of the death scenario, it will be a wonderful experience. I actually think death might be one of the best experiences of our lives.

Smooth skin, warm to touch. He doesn't notice I'm here. I'll take myself home.

I think the concept of meekness goes to humility.

I find that very question comes up more the older I get. I'm in my mid-60's now and in a more comprehensive position to look backward than I was, say, 10 years ago. The way I've interpreted my own life, in retrospect, is that at some point in time I decided to search for the truth, to be a seeker. Because of this, my path branched off from the traditional. I started going to Manley Hall lectures in the 1960's. Once that set in, I realize now that there was a subtle shift in my path. I think something activated, something very subtle and deep inside; but I see now that this path has taken me over hill and dale in some pretty strange ways. I look back now and do have some regrets. I wish I had had at least one child, I never really wanted kids. But my path just didn't take me through the traditional family setting. Often I didn't know I was on a path at all. I look back and see years of alcoholism, and yet today I realize it too was part of my path, as it took me to the steps to recovery which cleaned out my psychic innards in a way that wouldn't have happened if I hadn't worked the steps. I think the conclusion I've come to is that It lives inside me; I'm a part of It. It seems to know what It's doing, so I don't think I'll question it much longer. I compare myself to my brother and I pale in comparison to what he has accomplished in life. His life is so full....and in a traditional way, he has done everything right. In comparison, I have not much to show for my years, but on the other hand my inner life is full; my brother hasn't yet noticed that he has an inner life. Do I look at his life with envy sometimes? I must admit that I do. Does he look at mine with envy? Yes, because I seem to have nary a problem in his eyes. So we're both looking at the grass on the other side of the fence. It's easy to forget just how much anxiety and confusion many people live in; people who don't value the inner. The fact that you do value the inner is what's put you here. Can you look back at a time when you were clueless and at the mercy of anything and everyone that came down the road? When you couldn't control your reactions, in fact you were your reactions. I'm guessing that's no longer the way it is with you. At yet, here we are on this discussion group website. We're not here because we decided to become a Taoist yesterday (actually, does anybody here even call themselves that, particularly the Westerners? Seems like we all got here from somewhere else). We're here because we've been seekers for a very long time, whether we've known it or not. I think we're right where we're supposed to be. Thank you for the nice, honest topic.

Thank you so much. A wonderful new year to you too.

I think it would be nice if we kept a chain like this up so that we can take a whack at actual real life situations, applying the concepts of the Tao. Please feel free to comment on this situation or add one of your own to the mix. Situation 1: The Sage's mother is losing it from Alzheimer's and her mother has been the family trustee forever. It was taken out of the Sage's mother's hands by the Sage's brother most recently, a good qualified fellow and an attorney to boot who handled the legalities himself. The Sage was a little baffled that the brother didn't tell the Sage that he was doing this, although the Sage had previously moved out of state and away from the whole friggin situation. Now the Sage notices that the brother is getting a bit cocky and incommunicative about financial things involving the trust, but the Sage is awfully far away and really isn't in a position to do anything effective anyway. Kind and gentle friends, What Would The Sage Do?

They're almost koan-like. I agree that we wouldn't know what the Sage would do, but I do figure there's a Sage living inside all of us, even if it's still covered up. I really don't see anything wrong with guessing What The Sage Would Do because it's a comparison on everyone's take on Right Action.

Could someone explain to me how a guest is 'exacting'?

Comparing my own physical reactions to seeing each photo; The baby of course was love; I could almost feel my heart chakra open. There are no habits of personality present in the eyes yet. The woman was sorrow; my heart reached to her The intense man was almost like a jolt when I got to him; there is much power and self-confidence in his eyes and yet there is almost a hint of cruelty. His power jumps out at you. And the last...aaah. There were no habits of personality. He is at peace. He is at One. Interesting thread, Girard -

My feeling about all of this is so simplistic it borders on stupid. Looking at this planet with a really long lens, is there any reason on earth we humans can't find a way to make sure everybody here has something to eat and basic access to a medical clinic, at least? Would that be so very difficult to do on a world basis once we put our global mind to it?

That's an interesting take on the situation. It wasn't a very good situation, after all. I think there's something to this idea of WWTSD?, but I think the questions need to be more complicated. I never realized how difficult it is to come up with something out of thin air (like the above spider thing). Apparently I don't have that kind of imagination that 'creates' scenarios, like a book. It's really hard to squeeze an original scenario out. Not much of a manifester, I guess! Actually, I'm not sure the sage would be arachnophibic (sp?) anyway. If a true sage is in harmony with nature would he still have an irrational fear of spiders? I don't know, maybe he would. But if the sage were afraid of spiders, your meditation idea would either kill him or cure him. Actually, I think that's the way I'd do it too - grab the bull by the horns.

There you go. Deciding to love. Whatever that means in any situation. Just always take the high road if you can, and try to be thoughtful of others. I think the more years we do this mindfully is how Life files the buttons down. Twinner, that was one astounding piece of writing. That was beautiful, and I couldn't agree more with all of it.

SITUATION #4: The arachnophobic Sage The Sage goes to a motel out in the desert but finds a mama spider with her hatching babies in the shower stall. He is arachnophobic through no fault of his own, when he was young someone put a spider down the back of his shirt. He certainly doesn't want to kill the spiders but also he wants to sleep without fear. He could change rooms but if he calls the manager he knows maintainance would probably kill the spiders. Would a sage even be arachnophobic? What would his night look like?

Songs, we're kind of doing hypothetical situations about What Would The Sage Do, and hopefully we've finished with the first one. I'm still dusting off. As to this one... Well, this is where the rubber meets the road. Character is what you do when other people aren't looking. Can we make the sage a guy this time? The sage has peace of heart because he lives right action. Anything less than total honesty he wouldn't be the Sage. The money part of it is unfortunate for the Sage, but if he is impeccable and his intent is right, something surplus will probably come in from the other direction anyway.

It seems that there's a journey into personality that must be taken in conjunction with the increasing meditative abilities; to fully realize our part in each and every argument, every exchange. Not being a Buddhist, I don't know if meditative technique at the levels that are discussed on this site have a mechanism for seeking the blockages within - most surely there is. If one is truly seeking enlightenment, I think this internal-delving process goes on throughout our whole lives. There is always more inner work to be done - if we're in awareness of our defects, it makes it all the easier and more expedient to get rid of them, if we're willing. At some point, life becomes the teacher. It ceases being a cerebral learning experience. When one gets to the point where he takes full responsibility for all his actions and realizes that he has manifested exactly what he's got - whether we're talking about living situation, wife, kids, poverty, wealth, happiness, whatever - this is the other side to enlightenment. If I've manifested an argument with a friend (I don't care whose fault it was, I still manifested an argument) I must take the personal responsibility to find out exactly what part I played in all that. Sure, my first response will be to blame her. I should ignore the first response. I should wait for the second response where the situation can be transcended and ego doesn't get in the way. Then, and only then, when I can see my own part in this can I find the defect that is still there. A button that hasn't been fully filed down yet. Or as it says in the Tao, to be simple as the uncarved wood; no sharp edges, a dull sword. If people are pushing my buttons it's because there are still buttons there that need to be addressed and removed. What we want to shoot for is to be a clear tube with no buttons at all. Can this be done through meditation and book-learnin' alone? I don't think so, but maybe I'm wrong. After doing this for a whole lot of years, I think my current master's name is One Day At A Time and the situations I can get myself into. On any given day I can see exactly what my innards have manifested. If there's strife, I've manufactured it somehow, even if I don't want to see it. Personally, I believe this is where the rubber meets the road on any of this spiritual stuff. Simple but not easy. And it takes a lifetime. Unless one's behavior and intent is already impeccable, then all the above stuff is moot.

This is also why the Sage points at the moon. All any master can do is point the way. The real knowledge must bubble up from within, the secret knowledge that can't be put into words. I don't think there's any way to force it out of anybody. It either bubbles or it doesn't. The ladder of external knowledge does have a top rung; I'm of the opinion that the sooner we find our own top rung, the better. After that, it's about finding the truth through your own personality, weeding out any ill intent, being willing to admit that we have defects; whether it be through Christianity, Buddhism, psychiatry, or the local AA club - the road to true self knowledge and ultimate enlightenment must include a foray into the depths of self. It's this passage, combined with the external knowledge, that will produce the total merger of the One.

This seems to fit - it's a poem I just found in an old box. THE DETECTIVE A detective, I, Born into my nature the love Of piecing together A puzzle. For years my talents given to the City Poking into nooks and crannies And solving the crime. Dark and frightening alleys I walked with trepidation, Sinister deeds and black hearts The pieces to my game. The City behind me, I no longer empower a jury of twelve To determine Truth. My only jury has become The ringing assent of my own heart.