Melon Collie and the Infinite Sadness ............

[g8ina]

Morning

Only mentor in a guide sense, not studied with him, he died in 1976. Read some Watts, but not enough to remember it Don't get the llama thing, unless it's the Daily Lama you are referring to

I discovered Lin Yutang and the Tao in 1993 when I was away from home in Yeovil, doing my HNC full time. My landlady was a teacher and had a fascinating bookcase, books on all sorts of subjects. After the first 4 weeks I started feeling really homesick - we only got expenses or return tickets every 2 weeks, and I had no car so the train was the only way - so she gave me "The Importance of Living" to read.

Oh my word ! What a revelation ! When I finished the course and returned home for the last time, I started work fairly quickly in field sales, and started scouring the charity shops and bookshops for more Lin Yutang. I now have all but 3 of his English language books, most in first editions and duplicates too. But IOL is still my firm favourite, and it did change my life, literally. I got in Taoism, and have also collected loads of translations.

Interestingly enough, I was once invited to a spiritual church meeting by a friend of a friend, who I did not know, and he didn't know me - how's that work ? Well, he said that he'd had a message to invite a tall, dark David to the meeting, and when he told my friend, she associated me with that description ! So, me being forever open minded, off I went. The guest speaker was an old guy from Swansea, and as he did his "demonstration" he went from person to person, spouting the usual messages, all of which could have applied to me, or anyone for that matter, so I was on the point of leaving when he came to me. Apparently I had been "joined in spirit" on that very day, and the date was significant. He said he could see an elderly oriental looking man, with pebble lens glasses, smoking a pipe.



Oh, I thought, that's Dr Lin !

And a real honest to goodness shiver ran down my spine !

He blathered on a bit longer, with the usual platitudes, but I have to say I was feeling rather elated. When I got home I checked the date, and it was the 20th anniversary of Lin's death.

So, there you go ....

[melon]

How do you achieve these realisations within yourself D ?

As I think theres risk in reading others ideas and taking them literally for your own without " doing the work " and already seeing things for what they are yourself . ( Creating attachment as it were )

Also it is one thing to be aware of something at the time but another to be aware of it all times so it becomes integrated rather than just a reference.

m

[g8ina]

I sort of "fell" into the Tao, as easy as slipping on ice ! It instinctively just felt right for me.

The BIG thing is concerning an overall power in charge of the universe Some call it God, most religions agree that there is one supreme *being* that does it, with loads of different names but most agree there is only one. Most folk also now believe that this *one* is the same *one*, with (at least) Muslims, Hebrews and Christians all agreeing.

The problem for me is I cannot believe in a deity who is personal and listens and looks after everyone. "God" just doesnt work for me. To me, the thing that runs the universe, something like a software programme, is entirely impersonal and cannot be named. If it runs this and all the other multi-universes it must be limitless. If you name something, you define it, and if you define something, you limit it. Hence, I can't call it God, or Allah, or Buddha, and Yahweh, or Krishna etc.

Actually, Yahweh wouldnt be so bad as it literally means "I am that I am" - In the original Hebrew, אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה spelled entirely with consonants, yod he vau he. The Jews also called it Adonai (“My Lord”), or with haShem (“the Name”) in everyday speech. There's a nameless power, so the Tao isn't without precedent

The other thing with the Tao is that as "it" doesnt listen, prayer and adulation, praising and all that churchy stuff, to me is pointless.

Now I must state that this is the first time I've discussed my beliefs in an open forum, ever.

I also must state that I firmly believe in free will and "live and let live" - I do not knock other faiths or religions, each to their own. This post must not be viewed as an insult to anyone's beliefs. The comments above do not reflect the views of HEXUS or any of it's employees, affiliates and Moderators

Phew, that will do for now.

[melon]

I sort of "fell" into the Tao, as easy as slipping on ice ! It instinctively just felt right for me.

The BIG thing is concerning an overall power in charge of the universe Some call it God, most religions agree that there is one supreme *being* that does it, with loads of different names but most agree there is only one. Most folk also now believe that this *one* is the same *one*, with (at least) Muslims, Hebrews and Christians all agreeing.

The problem for me is I cannot believe in a deity who is personal and listens and looks after everyone. "God" just doesnt work for me. To me, the thing that runs the universe, something like a software programme, is entirely impersonal and cannot be named. If it runs this and all the other multi-universes it must be limitless. If you name something, you define it, and if you define something, you limit it. Hence, I can't call it God, or Allah, or Buddha, and Yahweh, or Krishna etc.

Actually, Yahweh wouldnt be so bad as it literally means "I am that I am" - In the original Hebrew, אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה spelled entirely with consonants, yod he vau he. The Jews also called it Adonai (“My Lord”), or with haShem (“the Name”) in everyday speech. There's a nameless power, so the Tao isn't without precedent

The other thing with the Tao is that as "it" doesnt listen, prayer and adulation, praising and all that churchy stuff, to me is pointless.

Now I must state that this is the first time I've discussed my beliefs in an open forum, ever.

I also must state that I firmly believe in free will and "live and let live" - I do not knock other faiths or religions, each to their own. This post must not be viewed as an insult to anyone's beliefs. The comments above do not reflect the views of HEXUS or any of it's employees, affiliates and Moderators

Phew, that will do for now.

be careful you'll almost become as popular as me , if you keep talking like that

I agree 100 % In some ways ( esp the whole church congregation thing ) I even find God's more believable than just one, but I also think the original meaning has probably been " edited " too as there is a lot of similarities between early religion ( Christianity ) and stuff like Gnostics .

It gets even more interesting when you look at their beliefs in the demiurge sense because in essence that could be perhaps seen as TAO too.

" Although a fashioner, the demiurge is not necessarily thought of as being the same as the creator figure in the familiar monotheistic sense, because both the demiurge itself plus the material from which the demiurge fashions the universe are considered either uncreated and eternal or the product of some other being, depending on the system. "

But you still havent told me how you integrate all this, do you meditate for example , who do you " self remember " to stop identifying when around others so on ? ( you can pm if ur too worried to say here )

m

[g8ina]

I do guided imagery meditation, I use the "action thru inaction" and the water way, everything finds it's own place and level, Im also a bit McCawberish in that repect too.

As for the rest of it, may path has been developed since 1993, I do try and keep to it, but I do have tendencies to blow my own trumpet a bit too much, instead being the sage who keeps his trap shut, one of my few self identified failings. In a way, you could consider me to be christian, with a small c, ie, all the good things but not the God thing.

Quite simplistic really.

[melon]

I do guided imagery meditation, I use the "action thru inaction" and the water way, everything finds it's own place and level, Im also a bit McCawberish in that repect too.

As for the rest of it, may path has been developed since 1993, I do try and keep to it, but I do have tendencies to blow my own trumpet a bit too much, instead being the sage who keeps his trap shut, one of my few self identified failings. In a way, you could consider me to be christian, with a small c, ie, all the good things but not the God thing.

Quite simplistic really.

Interesting ... why do you choose that form of meditation ,does pain interfere with the others ?

It sounds almost identical to my writing and poetry process.

I must admit though the other sort was more profound / exhilarating but since I developed neuropathy / gotten worse i cant do it something thats been thorn in my side for yrs )

I even started to manage to use it to reach a state of lucid dreaming briefly and can well understand why someone would choose to remain there in that state given how disappointing this reality is compared to that one.

The whole desire to get back there has had me looking at many options to deal with this physical problem, heres the latest if your interested.

And another tune to tune into..



I think I prefer the remix even more.. I will need to use it for my Endor Playlist

m

[g8ina]

Yeah, electronic acupuncture that isnt it

Cross between acupuncture and a TENS The theory is sound, but not tried it, just my normal TENS and a heat jacket (LIDL's, £12 !!)

Musical mediation would include stuff by Shakti, Bach, Scarlatti, Pink Floyd, Yes("Awaken"), Enigma, and my fave relaxation piece - Wendy Carlos "Sonic Seasonings" - track - "Fall", VERY early example of what we now call ambient. Natural sounds of the sea shore plus very gentle synths flute tones. Wonderful.

Dreaming ? I don't reach REM state very often as part of Fibromyalgia, so dreams are just a dim memory these days.

[g8ina]

Tried to find Carlos' Sonic Seasonings, but it's not in youtube...

[melon]

Tried to find Carlos' Sonic Seasonings, but it's not in youtube...

Thrash Bongo Banging

Try this one on .



m

[melon]

Yeah, electronic acupuncture that isnt it

Cross between acupuncture and a TENS The theory is sound, but not tried it, just my normal TENS and a heat jacket (LIDL's, £12 !!)

Musical mediation would include stuff by Shakti, Bach, Scarlatti, Pink Floyd, Yes("Awaken"), Enigma, and my fave relaxation piece - Wendy Carlos "Sonic Seasonings" - track - "Fall", VERY early example of what we now call ambient. Natural sounds of the sea shore plus very gentle synths flute tones. Wonderful.

Dreaming ? I don't reach REM state very often as part of Fibromyalgia, so dreams are just a dim memory these days.

I tried some supplements said to bring it on but my body chemistry doesnt appear to agree with it so it just keeps going wrong..

You ever tried though mindmachine , mask things ?

Another song to keep the blues in the sky where they belong..



Feel like Im made out of bloody glass

m

[watercooled]

I was expecting something more like:

[melon]

I was expecting something more like:

great album ... thats where I stole my thread title of course !!

Funnily enough it was also an album I used to use regularly to go into meditate or trance state... used to have this retreat I went to , smoking beagle operating the elevator n'all

badly miss it

m

[Verve]

Tell me if it's true
That I need you, you are changing
I've seen this world before down on this floor
It is hurting me

All I want is someone who can fill the hole
In the life I know
In between life and death when there's nothing left
Do you want to know?

[melon]

_____________________________________________________

m

[melon]

Better to be dead to the world than to ourselves, than spend it in repentance for everyone else _________________________________________________________

[melon]

I wish I felt like a girl that glittered , these days I feel more like a turd that someone forgot to flush