Rara

Lol! (I say this because I actually did)

Cool Thanks for this!

Thoughts? The concept of this video is Tao in a nutshell.

A friend if mine just came back from Malaysia and showed me pics too. Wow!

Another thank you from me! I too am a musician and it's a big part of my career. My practice or misunderstanding of the Tao almost made me lose interest. But then I was getting sad...and I knew I was wrong. It just took time for me to snap out of my silly thoughts. A blessing that you would post this today...my enthusiasm for my work only came back recently so this post is just what I need to see.

I saw a documentary where Sun Tzu was hired to fight a war, but was asked by the king to prove his ability first. He was to train the king's daughters to fight, as they had never known anything other than a life of luxury and the king realised it would be an impossible task. Sun Tzu began giving instructions and the girls just giggled. So, understanding that if he didn't get results first time, there must be something wrong with his instructions, he sliced one of their heads clean off with a sword. Now they took him seriously and trained. Seems quite brutal...not very Taoist. But pretty smart and he had to do his job. So very Taoist. But why would a Taoist become a war strategist in the first place? Maybe this is just a myth, I'm not sure... As for Zhuangzi, I really like the book. So elaborate, entertaining and very thought provoking. It confused me a lot because at first, I wasn't sure if he was being self-contradicting or not in places or not. Maybe he was...as to make the point that he has all the answers. And there are many...especially the ones he hadn't spoken about!

So I find this to be my confusion. After spending a lot of time "practicing Taoism" and finding it difficult to practice or WANTING to practice all the things that are perceived to be a daily Taoist ritual (chi breathing meditation for example), what you have identified is that Taoists don't HAVE to do anything at all? The importance being that one knows what they are and lives life as true to that as possible. Some might become monks, others more casual every day folk....while all along just knowing that we just make up a segment of the Tao anyway, so it doesn't really matter...?

Hi CD...I invite you to elaborate on this as I'd like to know why you call Chuang Tzu a Taoist. I'm just going by what I read from a "student" POV. I read that he wasn't as "Taoism" came later (and the word Tao isn't even used too much by Chuang Tzu's character within the book) But I would like to hear more from you!

Training to do a natural thing. exactly. Because the Tao (or at least part of the practice) is to return to the true nature. And we do this by doing Qi Gong or meditation? Really, this is quite dogmatic...I can vouch that meditation makes me feel calm and see things with more clarity. It helps my focus and enhances my ability to handle my stress...life under pressure etc. Fantastic...but when I'm training for more energy or enlightenment etc...now that's risky, right? I don't have an answer for the last part of this but what I do say is that yes, there seems to be some missing info in all of this. I mean, breathing as a baby, to be perfectly honest, I don't remember. So if someone tells me that this is the way to liberation as an adult, I would be taking their word for it. On the flip side, what I do remember is being a toddler...and what happened? Certain things tickled my fancy so I naturally liked them! Teenage Mutant Ninjas Turtles. Chocolate. Wrestling. Power Rangers. The list goes on. Or maybe that was all part of the evil marketing super plan I hope this thread doesn't drive me insane. I hate looking at both sides of the coin. Makes me want to choose one as right and the other as wrong!

There is a fair amount of acceptance that not every one will dig a product. So there is this "target audience" idea which I'm sure you're aware of. So the advert might not do anything for you , if you decide to watch, I dunno, the superbowl one night anyway, you land yourself in a situation where you see this Pepsi commercial regardless. You might like NFL, but not care for the adverts. I'm the same. It's strange, I work with such brands but don't really give a shit about them when I'm out of the work place. In fact, there is somewhat a bit of resistance in me. I hate advertising, but I happen to do it very well and fall into these types of jobs haha. So now the question becomes more in depth. Because, we get to the nitty-gritty of it all. We're stating the obvious that the stereotypical sports fan will be a bit out of shape as they sit in the crowd or at home with a Pepsi and a burger. But what about those that don't? Again, we all have likes within our likes. I watch WWE...I like the acrobatic nature of it...and the silly drama keeps me amused. But I hate elements of it. Like the uber-patriotism or the backstage politics. The thing is...I don't know why. But as I mentioned before in our similar conversation...I don't know why a murderer likes to murder. Does he get the same satisfaction that I get at a live WWE event? Is the nature of that emotion exactly the same? Maybe some people do make themselves sneeze and get off on it. You never know!

Same here. My gf mainly keeps bugging me to get one

I swear that we have had a similar convo on a thread before...somewhere. We were talking about the exact same principle..."training" to do the natural thing. To which I remember MH ridiculing this idea...yet this is just how we have described a lot of Taoist behaviour. You just have taken it to the next level...good stuff! (again) Now I go away and think about the sneezing thing, because you're right. I fee great after a good sneeze...but I don't want to sneeze because of the process. The same goes for vomiting when feeling sick. No one likes the process but the relief afterwards is what is needed... Getting rich can be a very long, drawn out process for an entrepreneur...many quit because of the work it takes to get there. But those that reach the end love the end result. But not to get carried, away, I'm just starting to see some patterns now. Cool!

Hehe, I work in media/marketing...yes, I "people-watch". Roughly 90% of people I some across are switched off. It takes specific techniques to wake people. It also takes specific techniques to hit people's unconsciousness. In a twisted way, it's a bit like hypnosis. Psychology or whatever you want to call it. It's the same thing that thieves use...decoys, clever talk, manipulation. So yes, only someone who is actually conscious and aware of what is going on (aka mindfulness) will be able to not be a puppet, in this regard. Your meditation description, I'm sort of on board with actually. I actually scrapped a load of things you just described because found them to be utterly pointless...if done religiously! In a ritualistic fashion. Maybe I can elaborate but I don't know if this thread has quite got there yet and I don't want to turd on loads of other people's practice techniques. I like your last paragraph a lot. I've not thought about this myself. Good stuff!

Yup. Got it!

More memories! I grew up in Bromley, so went to Croydon a lot! I don't know the musician you mentioned though!

Memories! I first heard this 3 or 4 years ago. Do you happen to know its origins?

I like this. Ever seen those overly-obsessed women that are always stressing about looking young and fit? Gym goers that are so thin they look a bit ill, and many wrinkles despite being in their mid-late 40s? My GF is 31 and still gets ID'd to buy alcohol. She just laughs most of the day...I think that's a big secret. Keep that one to yourself ALA

Good question. In fact, I'm one who "suffers" from cat and dog allergies. But ever since the doctor told me I had to stay away and/or take anti-histamines, I thought NAAAAH. Interestingly I suffer less these days after just using affirmations to eradicate the symptoms. I'm not 100% better, but a hell of a lot better. Fascinating...my allergies triggered by fear? But what was odd was the unconscious being behind it all. I only discovered I had an allergy when I went to my sister's age 13 and started sneezing like crazy. I wouldn't say I was sneezing because I saw a cat present, because I had no conscious concept of allergies at that stage in my life. Quite interesting but I am almost convinced that we can train ourselves not to react to such things. But are you wondering if we can do this the other way around then? Sneezing on demand?

Not at all. The whole thing is completely subconscious. My example was hypothetical/ a generalisation of the stereotypical person climbing the career ladder. Or it could be anything....being a single parent or having troublesome neighbours. Basically, anything that generates unnecessary conflict and therefore stress. And I don't think things should be done to be admired. This is what the majority of the world do. Expectations - parents wanting child to be a rich and successful...so he or she put themselves through years and years of university or push them into a corporation experiencing stress after stress. Meanwhile, no one is reminding them to breathe...(again, using an extreme hypothetical example)

Well, we're not aware it's happening. So there is no conscious decision to defy until we are aware. Hence why we become practitioners of meditation, Qi Gong or whatever else.... Leading to...

Did a Yorkshire man write that?? I would say everything is relevant at this point. We've now got to the stage of The Phenomenon of Stuff Happening, Generally! But luck...some people get lucky a lot. Others not at all. The latter takes me back to my first post in this thread: Those that are simply switched off to it all. Aka, those who are not moving with the flow of their own natute. Aka the Tao. Ok I must get off the forum for a bit. That's my brain juice gone for the day!

Fascinating article. I need more time with this but thank you for posting!

Haha, I'm with you on that!

@Brian Yes, in fact, I tried to put over that there was no reason. Just patterns. It happens because it does...no one orchestrates it. I find it hard to put into words...but the best way I can think of is this. "I Have to exist right now. Me typing this HAS to happen" Can you imagine a world with me not existing/typing that? Yes, but it is only imagination. The fact still remains that I DO exist and DID just type that. Where did that option go to make a decision? I'm not saying that fate made me do it...but at the same time I'm on the Tao Bums writing stuff. I wouldn't say I'm here for a reason. But I would say I am here...because I slot in here right now. Just a jigsaw. I hope I'm making sense with my "supposed words"!

I had the tremendous family stress. In all honesty, I can't give you advice because fertility isn't anything I'm an expert on (I'm male and kid-free) BUT as far as being "too old" sounds like statistical/probability BS. One thing I can advise is that you learn that you shape your own reality. It is your decision to decide if you are too young. It begins in your mind...your belief system...your determination. That I can advise you on.