We few, we happy few, we band of brothers, sisters and all

[Apech]

6 hours ago, Yueya said:

 

As I said, I’d prefer to leave off with what I’ve already written. That comment of Apech’s has plenty of background context from other discussion on this forum. My response was based on my overview of the whole situation, including other comments by Apech, and also my perspective on what spiritual practice entails. I stand by what I wrote. But I know from previous interactions with Apech we are on very different spiritual paths. Hence, what is right for each of us is different. I’m content with the path I’m on and I assume Apech is likewise content with his path. Of overriding importance for me is that I come here for connection and do not like it that I’ve stirred up conflict. Now that I have, I’m wanting to diffuse the situation but without surrendering my perspective. 

 

Mine is a path that resonates with Jung’s insights. With that in mind here is a Jungian overview of the fairytale in question. I’ll leave it open to everyone to interpret for themselves what it means in relation to Apech’s post. To my reading, Questionmark already has a strongly developed yang (masculine) side with her powerful intellect and needs support in valuing her innately strong yin (feminine) sensitivity to subtle energy flows that she revealed in her OAD topic and elsewhere.  Rather than giving this support, I read Apech as trying to squash it.  (My apologies, @questionmark and @Apech for giving this mini-analysis without your permission. I make no claims that it is right, only that I’m being honest about what I feel. I stand open to being corrected by both of you.) 

 

 

 

Thanks, I watched most of the video and I have to say that this kind of analysis seems to replace 'literalism' with another kind e.g the king is the Self.  Well to me the king is God the Father not the self, for instance.  Also the princess in the story is very girlie, disgusted by the frog, ungrateful and manipulative - as well as not seeming to be able to act for herself.  To me, and I accept this is my opinion only, this seems to be un-affirming of positive yin qualities.  The frog of course is an ancient 'symbol'  of primeval chaos energy (see Ogdoad ) which is essentially phallic.

 

 

[Apech]

@mrpasserby scrambled ahead, clearing a way through the undergrowth, the other's following in a straggly line.

"Zero! Zero!" called out @steve-on-the-internet.

"Where the hell did he get to?" worried the cat.

They hadn't seen him for hours.

The bushes in front parted and @mrpasserby reappeared breathless.

"Come and see what I've found!"

They followed down to the bank of a wide river.  All they could see was a pile of cut branches.

Then @mrpasserby began pulling them to one side, one by one.  Beneath was revealed an elegant boat, with now faded but once brightly coloured planks in white, blue, yellow and red.  A large steering oar at one end and a small square sail.  By the prow large eyes had been painted.

"My goodness!" said @questionmark.

One by one they climbed on board.  The hull shook and swayed, then settled.  On a plank near the stern someone had carved the name Diamond Cutter.

@dwai was the last to board but he made his way to the prow and stood looking out at the wide river.  He hushed them with a raised hand.

"Listen!" he said.

They listened.

From far away, then dancing nearer, there seemed to be the sound of muffled cymbals and bells ... and then the resonant sound of a lute ... then a chuggling laughter which broke and died away in a moment.  The cat turned his sharp ears this way and that.  Was that singing?  A horn? The music died to a hush.  They held their breath.  Then in a new surge wind rustling dried leaves and a thousand birds singing.  The sound of joy and of sadness, the call to a distant home, soft melancholy, sweetness, pebbles clicking gently together, the splash of falling water.

Each of them was cast into a reverie - each in his or her own but somehow mingled and shared.  They thought of sunsets at sea, tired limbs from a long days hike, a cosy fire, biscuits and tea ... the lights of home seen from the hill, of welcome and kindness.  Then slowly back to the boat, the river, the present time.

@dwai knelt down and cupped his hands in the water.

"Don't drink," said @steve worried for his health.

But @dwai stood and held his hands above his head letting the water fall all about him in a spray of sunlit gold.

The troupe gasped at his tall figure cloaked in light for an instant like some ancient god.

"Bloody hell " said @Nungali , peering over the side ," it can't be, can it?"

But @dwai turned and nodded.

"Yes," he said, " we have found the Saraswati."

 

 

 

[old3bob]

and yet the troops were also feeling a little cramped on the boat and decided to take a break back on land where Kenny stopped by to sing a song of Zen to all of them while they were still manifest....

 

 

and for those that may have never come across the saying before: 

 

“Before I had studied Ch’an [Zen] for thirty years, I saw mountains as mountains, and rivers as rivers. When I arrived at a more intimate knowledge, I came to the point where I saw that mountains are not mountains, and rivers are not rivers. But now that I have got its very substance I am at rest. For it’s just that I see mountains once again as mountains, and rivers once again as rivers.”    Qingyuan Weixin

Edited February 12, 2022 by old3bob

[Geof Nanto]

5 hours ago, Apech said:

 

Thanks, I watched most of the video and I have to say that this kind of analysis seems to replace 'literalism' with another kind e.g the king is the Self.  Well to me the king is God the Father not the self, for instance.  Also the princess in the story is very girlie, disgusted by the frog, ungrateful and manipulative - as well as not seeming to be able to act for herself.  To me, and I accept this is my opinion only, this seems to be un-affirming of positive yin qualities.  The frog of course is an ancient 'symbol'  of primeval chaos energy (see Ogdoad ) which is essentially phallic.

 

 

 

Thank you for your courteous reply, Apech. As far as I'm concerned, that's a good way to conclude this discussion.

[Nungali]

8 hours ago, Apech said:

 

Yep.  When I write these little tales I just start with an initial scene which interests me - in this case the cat lazing under a tree - and then from there the rest just basically writes itself.  There's certainly an intention to amuse, entertain and to play off different things happening on here (like the TOAD business) but I don't calculate it.  I felt by the end it was more about the inertness of the masculine and the self assertiveness of @questionmark if anything - which is why I was confused by @Yueya's objection. 

 

The whole purpose of the thread itself is to refocus us as a little band of fellow travellers on a journey of some kind, to try to get back to the lively, funny energy that used to be here and make posting a bit of a joy and not a turgid repetitive bad tempered dispute.

 

 

 

“The best laid schemes o' cats an' men. Gang aft a-gley”.

 

[mrpasserby]

On 2/12/2022 at 8:04 AM, Apech said:

@mrpasserby scrambled ahead, clearing a way through the undergrowth, the other's following in a straggly line.

"Zero! Zero!" called out @steve-on-the-internet.

"Where the hell did he get to?" worried the cat.

They hadn't seen him for hours.

The bushes in front parted and @mrpasserby reappeared breathless.

"Come and see what I've found!"

They followed down to the bank of a wide river.  All they could see was a pile of cut branches.

Then @mrpasserby began pulling them to one side, one by one.  Beneath was revealed an elegant boat, with now faded but once brightly coloured planks in white, blue, yellow and red.  A large steering oar at one end and a small square sail.  By the prow large eyes had been painted.

"My goodness!" said @questionmark.

One by one they climbed on board.  The hull shook and swayed, then settled.  On a plank near the stern someone had carved the name Diamond Cutter.

@dwai was the last to board but he made his way to the prow and stood looking out at the wide river.  He hushed them with a raised hand.

"Listen!" he said.

They listened.

From far away, then dancing nearer, there seemed to be the sound of muffled cymbals and bells ... and then the resonant sound of a lute ... then a chuggling laughter which broke and died away in a moment.  The cat turned his sharp ears this way and that.  Was that singing?  A horn? The music died to a hush.  They held their breath.  Then in a new surge wind rustling dried leaves and a thousand birds singing.  The sound of joy and of sadness, the call to a distant home, soft melancholy, sweetness, pebbles clicking gently together, the splash of falling water.

Each of them was cast into a reverie - each in his or her own but somehow mingled and shared.  They thought of sunsets at sea, tired limbs from a long days hike, a cosy fire, biscuits and tea ... the lights of home seen from the hill, of welcome and kindness.  Then slowly back to the boat, the river, the present time.

@dwai knelt down and cupped his hands in the water.

"Don't drink," said @steve worried for his health.

But @dwai stood and held his hands above his head letting the water fall all about him in a spray of sunlit gold.

The troupe gasped at his tall figure cloaked in light for an instant like some ancient god.

"Bloody hell " said @Nungali , peering over the side ," it can't be, can it?"

But @dwai turned and nodded.

"Yes," he said, " we have found the Saraswati."

DBs crew boat launching time:

After chopping his way through the underbrush @mrpasserby finally came to a large body of water. He stood there for a time wishing that he had a way for himself and his DBs friends to cross the waters and get home to the DBs tavern. Suddenly a old acquaintance popped up near the edge of the water he immediately recognized the princess from India who had helped him when he was young. She said: because the ethereal item that you lent to us for use and safe keeping is still serving us well in our temple, I will in tribute, provide a boat big enough to transport you and your friends where you need to go. Mrpasserby yelled thanks, and hobbled off to gather up all of his DBs friends, so they could load into the boat and so they took off toward the DBs tavern on the other side of the waters.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 27, 2022 by mrpasserby
deleted overshare

[steve]

When @mrpasserby arrived at the clearing, he found his companions engaged in taijiquan practice.

Some were in a group moving slowly through forms, others engaged in pushing hands, a few scattered about immersed in qigong and zhan zhuang. @Apech and @Nungali were involved in a lively randori, their knees and bottoms smeared with mud... 

[Apech]

2 minutes ago, steve said:

When @mrpasserby arrived at the clearing, he found his companions engaged in taijiquan practice.

Some were in a group moving slowly through forms, others engaged in pushing hands, a few scattered about immersed in qigong and zhan zhuang. @Apech and @Nungali were involved in a lively randori, their knees and bottoms smeared with mud... 

 

hang on a minute!

[Nungali]

39 minutes ago, Apech said:

 

hang on a minute!

 

Nah  ......   no mate ,   I'm not gonna hang on to   that  ! 

[steve]

 @Apech had been gaining the advantage over @Nungali with a rarely  seen, and questionably legal, wrestling hold. He was uncharacteristically and only briefly distracted by @mrpasserby’s unexpected return when the ever vigilant  @Nungalitook the initiative. The friendly competition was over in a matter of seconds….

 

Spoiler

 

 

[Apech]

3 minutes ago, steve said:

 @Apech had been gaining the advantage over @Nungali with a rarely  seen, and questionably legal, wrestling hold. He was uncharacteristically and only briefly distracted by @mrpasserby’s unexpected return when the ever vigilant  @Nungalitook the initiative. The friendly competition was over in a matter of seconds….

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

 

 

[steve]

@steve cowered beneath a huckleberry bush, trying to catch his breath. The power of the shape-shifter’s gaze had sapped him of all creative energy. “I’ll be good, I’lll be better “ he croaked. “Please!”

The cat slowly morphed back to human shape and the group collectively shrugged, carrying on as if nothing unusual had transpired…

[zerostao]

TDB is known for our unique cats, not to be confused with unique rabbits

Spoiler

how do you get a unique rabbit?

You 'neek up on it.

how do you get a tame rabbit?

tame way, u neek up on it.

 

the next box will be more on topic and more enjoyable to review

 

Spoiler

 

 

z himself is out on a new road with a big cat, what type of kitty it is remains to be determined, their destination, yet to be determined

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

[Nungali]

5 hours ago, steve said:

 @Apech had been gaining the advantage over @Nungali with a rarely  seen, and questionably legal, wrestling hold. He was uncharacteristically and only briefly distracted by @mrpasserby’s unexpected return when the ever vigilant  @Nungalitook the initiative. The friendly competition was over in a matter of seconds….

 

  Hide contents

 

 

 

Well, that just plain silly  .... if me and Apech had a fight it would not look like that at all ,  and his  low tactic would not work .

 

Because I been practising iron ball Quigong   ..... you start small , then work your way up ;

 

 

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

[Cleansox]

15 minutes ago, Nungali said:

 

 

Because I been practising iron ball Quigong   ..... you start small , then work your way up ;

 

 

 

  Hide contents

Not too small to hang on to? 

[Nungali]

12 minutes ago, Cleansox said:

Not too small to hang on to? 

 

 

Well     ....... I've never had any trouble .

[Apech]

15 minutes ago, Nungali said:

 

 

Well     ....... I've never had any trouble .

 

me neither

 

Edited February 13, 2022 by Apech

[Nungali]

Pssst ... Apech ,  have you noticed, all of a sudden , everyone else left ?

 

I wonder why  ? 

 

 

 

 

[Apech]

30 minutes ago, Nungali said:

Pssst ... Apech ,  have you noticed, all of a sudden , everyone else left ?

 

I wonder why  ? 

 

 

 

 

 

Why? I was just getting the drinks in :

 

[Apech]

But then .....

 

[Bindi]

Quote

There was a time when smaller was considered better, and the testament to that sentiment can be viewed in some of the world’s greatest museums. If you’ve ever wondered why classical statues—meaning those of the Greek and Roman varieties—are so modestly endowed, the answer lies in societal views on penis size in those eras. The Greeks believed small penises were a sign of intelligence and cultural distinction. Big penises, conversely, were regarded with disdain, a signifier of a lusty, bestial, lowly sex-ogre with animalistic cravings.

 

[steve]

Thanks to the gods!

🤓

[Nungali]

 

 

3 hours ago, Bindi said:

 

 

Indeed !

Apech is soooo Barbaric !   

 

Putting pics up of a penis  .....

 

 

without a   kynodesmē   !    

 

 

..... disgusting !   

 

 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kynodesme

 

 

 

 

[Apech]

9 minutes ago, Nungali said:

 

 

 

Indeed !

Apech is soooo Barbaric !   

 

Putting pics up of a penis  .....

 

 

without a   kynodesmē   !    

 

 

..... disgusting !   

 

 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kynodesme

 

 

 

 

just for clarification it is an Egyptian statue of the god Thoth as a baboon from the new kingdom maybe 1300 BC perhaps.  So it doesn’t need pink bow.

[steve]

25 minutes ago, Nungali said:

Putting pics up of a penis  .....

 

 

without a   kynodesmē   !    

 

 

..... disgusting !   

 

You can dress ‘‘em up….

but don’t take ‘‘em out!

 

Spoiler