is it possible to hurt yourself by meditating?

[Vajrahridaya]

 

I see a much brighter future of the world. Eventually, hopefully soon, technology will make life much easier for everybody (not just the rich), and people will be able to have much more time to focus on dharma.

 

Only if it becomes symbiotic and stops acting like a giant mosquito, because the Earth will reach out and swat us off if it's creators don't make a huge change.

 

I hope as you do Sunya.

[ralis]

Only if it becomes symbiotic and stops acting like a giant mosquito, because the Earth will reach out and swat us off if it's creators don't make a huge change.

 

I hope as you do Sunya.

 

Technology appropriately designed and implemented can have great value to make living more comfortable for everyone. However, the technological fix is not a Utopian world as portrayed in literature and movies. Take for example the internet. There are many benefits and associated problems. Even now the corporations want absolute control over what was seen as free cyberspace. Scams abound as well as free expression and news organizations that give different journalistic view points different than TV.

 

BTW, symbiosis has nothing to do with technology. Symbiosis describes interactions in biological systems.

Edited January 10, 2011 by ralis

[beoman]

This thread has been so awesomely hijacked =).

[adept]

This thread has been so awesomely hijacked =).

 

Yet again.

[Vajrahridaya]

BTW, symbiosis has nothing to do with technology. Symbiosis describes interactions in biological systems.

 

Technology and biological interactions can be seen as somewhat similar if you could use some creative interaction with your thought process. You have absolutely no poetry in your bones and are waaaaay too literal in your interpretation of everything thus you have a hard time seeing connections in the abstract.

 

For instance, they have already implanted microchips into quadriplegics brains in the successful attempt to help them move a computer curser with the use of their thought waves. The microchip merged with the brain of the patients forming a symbiotic level of communication, instead of treating the microchip like a parasite and rejecting it, the brain embraced it.

 

Maybe I should start another thread... "Are cyborgs the future?"

[ralis]

Technology and biological interactions can be seen as somewhat similar if you could use some creative interaction with your thought process. You have absolutely no poetry in your bones and are waaaaay too literal in your interpretation of everything thus you have a hard time seeing connections in the abstract.

 

For instance, they have already implanted microchips into quadriplegics brains in the successful attempt to help them move a computer curser with the use of their thought waves. The microchip merged with the brain of the patients forming a symbiotic level of communication, instead of treating the microchip like a parasite and rejecting it, the brain embraced it.

 

Maybe I should start another thread... "Are cyborgs the future?"

 

Technological systems are not biological. Symbiosis is a relationship that benefits both biological systems. Technology does not benefit from us, unless you think a computer chip is alive.

 

https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Symbiosis

 

I wish you would stop taking liberties with language and use appropriate terms in context.

Edited January 10, 2011 by ralis

[ralis]

I would like to add that in addition to harmful physical side effects of meditation, psychological side effects can be just as harmful.

[Vajrahridaya]

Technological systems are not biological. Symbiosis is a relationship that benefits both biological systems. Technology does not benefit from us, unless you think a computer chip is alive.

 

I think it has the potential to, and it is created from life, or an extension of life. I don't think it is alive in the sense that biological systems are, some being sentient like us, and others being insentient like plants. I think computers have the potential for sentience and self evolution in theory and possibility? Technology is made of the same elements as we are, except organized differently, with less complexity, but this could change as we first evolve technology ourselves into self evolving technology in the future. I'm sure all it takes is finding the right codes and all of a sudden, technology could become sentient, in a different way than we are I think, but who really knows... do you?

 

Also, I am using the term symbiosis in a creative and poetic sense when it comes to technology. This is called, "poetic license" and like I said, I find that you lack creativity and poetry in your thinking process. This I think is the major contributing factor to your misunderstandings concerning Buddhism and your ideas that anything you can't readily make sense of in your material based logic, is superstition.

 

For someone with some creativity, who is not such a hard liner literalist, they can see what I mean by symbiotic and non-parasitic technology. You just have to think poetically for a second and expand your capacity a bit.

 

Another bit of poetic thinking. There is cubic thinking and there is spherical thinking.

[Vajrahridaya]

 

I wish you would stop taking liberties with language and use appropriate terms in context.

 

I wish you would open your heart mind, and get more creative in your thinking process and understand poetic license.

 

From Wiki:

 

Artistic license (also known as dramatic license, historical license, poetic license, narrative license, licentia poetica, or simply license) is a colloquial term, sometime euphemism, used to denote the distortion of fact, alteration of the conventions of grammar or language, or rewording of pre-existing text made by an artist to improve a piece of art. An example of artistic license is if a visual artist decided it was more artistically desirable to portray St. Paul's Cathedral next to the Houses of Parliament in a scene of London even though in reality they are not close together.

 

ralis,

 

I would say that you are more of a cubic type of thinker, abiding entirely by conventions. Which has it's place... but also has it's limitations and is kind of a bondage for you I think.

[Vajrahridaya]

Example:

 

Parasitic technology would be, coal burning, and nuclear and the oil industry.

 

Symbiotic technology would be that powered by wind, running water and solar energy.

 

I say symbiotic because it doesn't contribute to the destruction of bio-systems and it would benefit because we'd still be around to make it and give it new birth as a contributing factor to the mutual existence of humans and technology itself.

 

The parasitic technology will both destroy bio-systems and humans, thus it will destroy the possibility of it's own renewed existence as when we die, so does it cease to have a creator.

 

Unless we create self evolving technology?? Then it might outlive us and out evolve us? That's just the sci-fi freak in me talking though.

[ralis]

Example:

 

I say symbiotic because it doesn't contribute to the destruction of bio-systems and it would benefit because we'd still be around to make it and give it new birth as a contributing factor to the mutual existence of humans and technology itself.

 

 

 

 

 

Any technology can cause problems for various biosystems. There are always trade offs. The idea of a pure nonpolluting technology is an illusion.

 

I really like your judicious use of hyphens. Goes well with your version of poetic license.

Edited January 10, 2011 by ralis

[Sunya]

Any technology can cause problems for various biosystems. There are always trade offs. The idea of a pure nonpolluting technology is an illusion.

 

There's a lot of progress being made in solar capturing technology. If really efficient solar technology is created, then solar panels can be put into deserts like Taklamakan or Sahara, or in the US in places like Utah and Arizona where there's not much happening except rocks and sunlight. In theory, this would power the world, but then we'd need ways to store it and transport it.

 

I certainly think future technology can be nonpolluting. The human mind is vastly creative, but thus far we have yet to see how pollution effects us. There has been a duality between people and world, and that illusion is crumbling slowly. I wouldn't discount human ingenuity or the technology that we can create for our needs.

[Vajrahridaya]

Any technology can cause problems for various biosystems. There are always trade offs. The idea of a pure nonpolluting technology is an illusion.

 

I'm not sure, as it's an ever evolving dynamic.

 

I'm optimistic.

[ralis]

There's a lot of progress being made in solar capturing technology. If really efficient solar technology is created, then solar panels can be put into deserts like Taklamakan or Sahara, or in the US in places like Utah and Arizona where there's not much happening except rocks and sunlight. In theory, this would power the world, but then we'd need ways to store it and transport it.

 

I certainly think future technology can be nonpolluting. The human mind is vastly creative, but thus far we have yet to see how pollution effects us. There has been a duality between people and world, and that illusion is crumbling slowly. I wouldn't discount human ingenuity or the technology that we can create for our needs.

 

I agree in part. What concerns me is when the solar panels are deteriorating, the landfills will be used for disposal. Unless there is recycling.

 

I am an optimist in regards to future clean energy sources. However, I am not so optimistic when it comes to greed and the continuing throw away culture we live in.

[Vajrahridaya]

I agree in part. What concerns me is when the solar panels are deteriorating, the landfills will be used for disposal. Unless there is recycling.

 

I am an optimist in regards to future clean energy sources. However, I am not so optimistic when it comes to greed and the continuing throw away culture we live in.

 

I'm glad there are a few things we can agree on.

[thelerner]

Tidal power is amazing. The power is not just huge, but predictable and relatively easy to tap. They've been doing some small trials in New York and are about to begin a major Tidal Power Project. Here are some notes:

 

"Back in 2006, Verdant Power started testing tidal-driven turbines in New York City's East River. Since then, the company has installed six battle-tested turbines that have generated electricity for several nearby businesses.

 

Now Verdant wants to take the next step and build the nation's first grid-tied, full-scale tidal power plant.

 

The company recently filed an application with federal regulators that would allow it to install up to 30 tidal turbines in the East River. The turbines would generate about 1 megawatt of electricity, representing just a fraction of New York State's potential tidal power, estimated to be anywhere between 50 to 500 megawatts (PDF).

 

Most coastal cities are sited along estuaries (thanks to the transportation opportunities they provided back in the pre-planes, trains and automobile days), which are often ideal places for harnessing tidal power. Since the electricity-hungry population is right next to the source of energy, tidal power could also prove valuable to areas of the country that are having trouble meeting their energy demand, referred to as "transmission congestion." Taking a look at a map of congested transmission lines in the Mid Atlantic, for example, reveals numerous coastal cities that could benefit from some locally-generated, renewable electricity. Finally, tides are incredibly easy to predict, unlike wind and sunshine, so New York City can bank on twice-daily power-generating tidal surges through the short and narrow East River.

 

The thought of turbine blades spinning underwater might raise concerns over the welfare of fish and other aquatic life, but it turns out that the East River turbines have been fish-friendly. Water is much denser than air, so tidal turbines can move slowly yet still generate as much energy as rapidly spinning wind turbine blades high above the water's surface. That slow movement means that instead of entering a real-life bass-o-matic, fish have an easy target to avoid. In fact, while conducting a two-year study of the impacts of the tidal turbines on a surprising abundance of East River fish, analysts did not see a single instance of a fish being struck by a rotating blade. It turns out that the larger migrating fish simply avoid the blades, and smaller local fish only venture out from their shoreline nooks and crannies when the tides are changing - exactly when the currents are too slow to spin the blades."

 

This looks a winner for the near future. It may turn out there are 1,000's of potential Niagara Falls all across the world waiting to be tapped.

 

Michael

[Vajrahridaya]

 

This looks a winner for the near future. It may turn out there are 1,000's of potential Niagara Falls all across the world waiting to be tapped.

 

Michael

 

Wow! That's awesome! Thanks for sharing that.

[Sunya]

Indeed, very cool.

[Ninpo-me-this-ninjutsu-me-that]

My god this is a fast moving thread...it's like a page every 3 minutes!

 

I've been trying to get to the end and ask Rainbow about the point on the base of the feet, and what it represents as I've been feeling a spinning motion in this area on both feet recently.

 

I'm not sure Rainbow will get to see this question at this rate so if anyone can chime in then please do so. Thanks in advance.

[三江源]

My god this is a fast moving thread...it's like a page every 3 minutes!

 

I've been trying to get to the end and ask Rainbow about the point on the base of the feet, and what it represents as I've been feeling a spinning motion in this area on both feet recently.

 

I'm not sure Rainbow will get to see this question at this rate so if anyone can chime in then please do so. Thanks in advance.

 

hello ninpo.

 

that point is called 'bubbling well' as well as "yongquan" so it sounds as though you are feeling yours bubbling at the moment. it could mean your energy is very full, simply.

 

More likely you have some groovy socks on at the moment, and they and your footsole are getting it on down there and are mildly exhibitionistic.

[Ninpo-me-this-ninjutsu-me-that]

hello ninpo.

 

that point is called 'bubbling well' as well as "yongquan" so it sounds as though you are feeling yours bubbling at the moment. it could mean your energy is very full, simply.

 

Thanks Cat, it does come and go, which is like my energy really (not so good at the conserving part)!

 

More likely you have some groovy socks on at the moment, and they and your footsole are getting it on down there and are mildly exhibitionistic.

:lol: ..... less of the mildly please.