Taomeow Posted Sunday at 11:45 PM 5 minutes ago, liminal_luke said: Great point about the all-too-often forgotten yin side and the importance of darkness. I take it on faith that the word "enlightenment" refers to a real phenomenon, but I´ve never much liked the word -- or the endless fractious discussions that spring up around it -- perhaps because the emphasis on light feels so one sided to me. In a similar vein, what´s with our cultural overemphasis with going up? Seems to me it´s just as important to go down. Like yin and yang, I think one begets the other. If you wanna go up ya gotta go down; wanna go to the light, find the darkness. Very true. Also... In taiji, we always go slightly back before any move forward -- it sort of helps gain the correct vector, along with "stitching together" the move forward with the previous one -- which was also forward so if you "stitch" forward to forward you can't get a seamless move! And after a turn to the left, a turn to the right follows, and then if you still need to keep going to the left you go slightly to the right first. And of course opening and closing alternate -- opening is akin to light/yang/expansion, closing, to dark/yin/contraction... and they interchange continuously. (One hallmark of bad taiji is when they don't, and the practitioner remains "too open" or "too closed" without minding this rhythm.) Sorry... couldn't resist a taiji example -- "everything" philosophy is therein, it so happens that all questions are answered there... including those one hasn't thought of asking. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nungali Posted Sunday at 11:46 PM An action that takes us away from the light ; Constructing 'migrant cages ' 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BigSkyDiamond Posted yesterday at 12:24 AM (edited) non-duality goes beyond both light and dark. it is before any polarity. polarized thinking is unbalanced, just as mood swings are unbalanced. black and white thinking is problematic. Edited 23 hours ago by BigSkyDiamond Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
old3bob Posted 11 hours ago 12 hours ago, BigSkyDiamond said: non-duality goes beyond both light and dark. it is before any polarity. polarized thinking is unbalanced, just as mood swings are unbalanced. black and white thinking is problematic. duality has a valid place in the grand scheme, I'd say the unmanifest is better left to the unmanifest. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stirling Posted 7 hours ago Some of the posts on this thread are pretty thinly veiled references. If it continues we'll be locking this thread. Deep thanks to those of you who are refraining. - Mods 1 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cobie Posted 6 hours ago (edited) Brings closer to the light: 無為 (wu2 wei2) not stage-acting (i.e. being myself, which is equal to being one with the Dao). Takes away from the light: 為 (wei2) stage-acting (i.e. going against myself e.g. to be socially acceptable). Edited 3 hours ago by Cobie 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sherman Krebbs Posted 4 hours ago Turn off your computer and phone, go outside, and enjoy the sunshine. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BigSkyDiamond Posted 2 hours ago (edited) 8 hours ago, old3bob said: duality has a valid place in the grand scheme, I'd say the unmanifest is better left to the unmanifest. polarity thinking, polarized thinking in daily life is not intrinsic nor is it inherent. it is a choice. and it is problematic. Humans in daily life can choose to not engage in polarized thinking. Polarized thinking is a cognitive distortion. "Cognitive distortions are ways that we distort reality in our thoughts, making it out to be worse than it needs to be or truly is. Polarized thinking limits our perspectives, causes unnecessary stress, and hinders personal growth." source, article "Thinking in Extremes: A Guide to Overcoming Polarized Thinking" Edited 2 hours ago by BigSkyDiamond Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cobie Posted 2 hours ago (edited) (Google) A single vocal cord may struggle to produce the necessary vibrations for certain notes, pitches, and vocal styles, making singing more difficult. Νana Mouskouri has a congenital deformity, causing her to have only one vocal cord that works. Edited 1 hour ago by Cobie 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nungali Posted 46 minutes ago 1 hour ago, Cobie said: (Google) A single vocal cord may struggle to produce the necessary vibrations for certain notes, pitches, and vocal styles, making singing more difficult. Νana Mouskouri has a congenital deformity, causing her to have only one vocal cord that works. Are you saying Nana cant sing certain notes pitches and styles and finds sinigning difficult ? I thought she was renown for being a good singer ? Now, we all have vocal cords and a single windpipe . but some birds have the division in the windpipe , from the two lungs a little further up , as if they had two windpipes , result ; - birdsong brings us closer to the light . 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
old3bob Posted 38 minutes ago 2 hours ago, BigSkyDiamond said: polarity thinking, polarized thinking in daily life is not intrinsic nor is it inherent. it is a choice. and it is problematic. Humans in daily life can choose to not engage in polarized thinking. Polarized thinking is a cognitive distortion. "Cognitive distortions are ways that we distort reality in our thoughts, making it out to be worse than it needs to be or truly is. Polarized thinking limits our perspectives, causes unnecessary stress, and hinders personal growth." source, article "Thinking in Extremes: A Guide to Overcoming Polarized Thinking" Jesus Christ.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
old3bob Posted 31 minutes ago are these guys common? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
old3bob Posted 30 minutes ago 7 hours ago, stirling said: Some of the posts on this thread are pretty thinly veiled references. If it continues we'll be locking this thread. Deep thanks to those of you who are refraining. - Mods but true which should count there? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites