finding the path?

[3bob]

How can we find the "path" without walking it, regardless of what anyone else proclaims about it?

 

Granted some scouting can be done, and general information gathered but that only goes so far; for instance and using an analogy: we can scout out food sources and information about them but until we actually eat we remain hungry and or get weaker.

 

We often like to extrapolate on (or fill our minds with information about) the 'path to enlightenment' or whatever but have often taken only limited steps out of the "ten-thousand" to reach its hairy threshold...  

 

Good walking to us all.

 

 

[3bob]

btw, I feel that Mr. K. gave out some dubious double-talk comments about a pathless path or land...

 

which I believe only applies after one has actually finished walking the very long walk and path (through all realms of the mind where they then end up moving so very fast (or quickened) that they are standing still everywhere at once ;-) - thus his was often abstract double-talk like so much else that is presented out there.

Edited January 27, 2017 by 3bob

[Bubbles]

after one has actually finished walking the very long walk and path

Finishing the walk? I very much doubt that. People who believe they have done this are really lost in their arrogance- despite all the *false humility* they display.

[3bob]

 it's not a belief - with the "mind" being part of or with time and space - anyway one can find many pointers alluding to the end of the long* walk through the realms of mind, follows is one of the shortest of them from the T.T.C., Chap 43, 3rd line:  "Only Nothing can enter into no space".  So if you want to write off the T.T.C. for yourself as being arrogance that is your right but I suggest not leaving such a karma turd on the path for others.

 

* which in another sense only takes the blink of an eye.

Edited January 27, 2017 by 3bob

[beingnature]

Always loved the sentence: Start by doing little and then doing less and less until everything gets done..

[Bubbles]

There must be a misunderstanding: you seem to talk about Mr K, not about the TTC author.

There is a world of difference between them.

Mr K. had several luxury cars, wearing silk shirts and cashmere pull overs, and he left a lot of brainless disciples (he who kept saying he had no disciples) who parrots his books and are ready to bark through the fence whenever someone talks about a path, a teacher, a practice 

The TTC author is unkown, letf nothing personal and disappeared without claiming it. A lot of Taoists have teachers, follow paths and have practices, don't broadcast themselves, and don't make a living with the pathless path.

Who really knows here anyway what is the void? These are TDB: lots of talks.

[Marblehead]

Finishing the walk? I very much doubt that. People who believe they have done this are really lost in their arrogance- despite all the *false humility* they display.

 

We are not finished until we are dead, either physically or mentally/soulfully dead.

[Marblehead]

Always loved the sentence: Start by doing little and then doing less and less until everything gets done..

 

Yes, but we must be careful with even this.  This has been the root cause of many people being forced to live on the streets, being treated with less respect than is given a feral dog or cat.

[3bob]

Bubbles,

Umm, I did mention dubious and double talk as methods which I thought Mr. K. used quite a bit later in his life, namely the whole anti-guru, guru thing (compared to earlier when he personally recounted his "mystic" experiences and I think did compose some gems)

 

Good point about a lot of Taoists not broad-casting themselves!

Edited January 28, 2017 by 3bob

[3bob]

as you've heard me say before MH, it is death that dies-the old hard nut to crack!

[Marblehead]

as you've heard me say before MH, it is death that dies-the old hard nut to crack!

 

Yeah, we still have differing opinions regarding this concept.  It's allowed by nature.

[3bob]

will death come to claim no-thing, or is no-thing out of its reach? 

Edited January 28, 2017 by 3bob

[Marblehead]

will death come to claim no-thing, or is no-thing out of its reach? 

 

Good question.  Before the beginning there was no-thing.  So working backward logic, seems that no-thing is beyond beginning and end.

 

Therefore Tao is eternal.

[beingnature]

To Marblehead: Yes thats true.I think its meant more as a change of state of mind/consciousness and not so much a change in thinking and living.And it can be related directly to meditation.At first you start by doing little (watch your posture, breathing... etc maybe focus on some points and so on) later if you have learned to let go or UNLEARNED to hold to something, a lot of things start happen on their own until we maybe get to the point when there is no seperation between practicing and living life complete spontaneously.I would recommend the books of dschuang tsi and lie tsi to everyone who is interested in daoism because they break a lot of stereotypes asosiated with sages.

[awaken]

The path is always there.

 

But you don't want to walk.

[Marblehead]

The path is always there.

 

But you don't want to walk.

 

Oh, I have walked it Sweetheart.  I have even had to run a few times.

[Bubbles]

Oh, I have walked it Sweetheart.  I have even had to run a few times.

 

Mr Marblehead, you really have your ways with ladies!

[Prasanna]

I think finding the path is more a grace of God than a conscious choice on our own. I say this because, in the world, many lead their life the way they want but never get into a conscious seeking of the truth and realities of life. According to Hindu belief, the path is for those who have understood the limitations of worldly living that is more of sensuality and materialism. Some are alert and understand that their quest of truth needs a different direction than mere sensual indulgence and materialistic aggrandizement. Such people endeavour into the spiritual path trying to know what exactly is the real cause behind their life and experiences. For such seekers also it is grace of God or what some call good luck due to past karmas that propel them into the quest of truth and realities of life. this is how a great Buddha or or a great Ramana Maharishi or a great Jesus Christ came into existence.

[Prasanna]

One more thing that I like to add is, even if we want to pursue a spiritual path, we need minimum experiences of life to pursue that spiritual path steadfast and with understanding.

[Marblehead]

One more thing that I like to add is, even if we want to pursue a spiritual path, we need minimum experiences of life to pursue that spiritual path steadfast and with understanding.

 

I actually liked your post after editing out (in my mind) those concepts I don't hold to.

[roger]

I think finding the path is more a grace of God than a conscious choice on our own.

 

That's how I see it.

 

A friend of mine once said that spirituality can't be contrived.

 

Sri Chinmoy said that one's progress is entirely the result of grace.

 

The main thing is that everything is happening perfectly, life is unfolding as it should, and our choices are not made consciously (although they appear to be), but on a deeper level of our being.

 

An example is planning. Sometimes you plan, and then never end up doing the thing you planned to. Other times, you don't plan at all, but do something because you know in your heart it's the right choice.

 

Our plans and intentions often have little to do with the direction our life takes.

 

It happens as it's supposed to.

[Prasanna]

That's how I see it.

 

A friend of mine once said that spirituality can't be contrived.

 

Sri Chinmoy said that one's progress is entirely the result of grace.

 

The main thing is that everything is happening perfectly, life is unfolding as it should, and our choices are not made consciously (although they appear to be), but on a deeper level of our being.

 

An example is planning. Sometimes you plan, and then never end up doing the thing you planned to. Other times, you don't plan at all, but do something because you know in your heart it's the right choice.

 

Our plans and intentions often have little to do with the direction our life takes.

 

It happens as it's supposed to.

Namaste,

 

It is a matter of time and sincerity in spiritual pursuit that every seeker will get to this understanding. Otherwise it means still that ego sustains without total surrender to the supreme Reality. That way one needs further refinement of their personality when engaged in the spiritual pursuit. Nothing to worry about. 

 

Pranam.

[wstein]

You find the path, walk the path, leave the path. Or maybe you wander around lost never finding a path. Either way, eventually you let go of the training wheels and get on with the pursuit of spirituality ... find your own way, express who you are. Walking where so many others have been that they built a path does not lead you to yourself.

[Marblehead]

You find the path, walk the path, leave the path.

And leave no tracks if you can.