tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67743414816297778862024-02-20T06:10:09.863-08:00Taoist AdventuresCoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10034046270561597298noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6774341481629777886.post-70177955071555505052012-07-15T17:35:00.000-07:002012-07-15T17:47:17.299-07:00The Tool-kit for making peace. Part 2An ancient verbal retelling of a story from the Cherokee Indians tells us a story of violence and kindness.
<blockquote>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><em>An elderly Cherokee Native American was teaching his grandchildren about life...<br>
He said to them, "A fight is going on inside me, it is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves.<br><br>
One wolf is evil -- he is fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, competition, superiority, and ego.<br><br>
The other is good---he is joy, peace, love, hope, sharing, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, friendship, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.<br><br>
This same fight is going on inside you, and inside every other person, too."<br><br>
They thought about it for a minute and then one child asked his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?"<br><br>
The old Cherokee simply replied: "The one you feed".</em></span></blockquote><br>
<br>
If we meet Confrontations with the virtues of Non-violence, we then take up a higher moral ground.<br>
Many famous people of peace have said this in different ways: <br>
<Dl>Jesus,
<br><dt>"If someone strikes you on the cheek, offer him the other one as well."Luke 6:29</dt></dl><br>
<br>
<br>
<dl>Buddha,<br>
<dt>"The Buddha was sitting under a tree talking to his disciples when a man came and spit on his face. He wiped it off, and he asked the man, “What next? What do you want to say next?”</dt> </dl><br>
<br>
<br>
<dl> Lao Tzu<br>
<dt>"If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading...Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love."</dt></dl>
<br>
<br>
What the old Cherokee was saying when he had said, " The one you feed," is that if you meet violence with non-violence you inspire the other person to take a second look every time, and every time there after. This compassion will shake any hierarchy and give a pause in time for which some silence, space occurs.<br>
<br>
<br>
"Not meeting anger with anger...We won't give them violence because we are taking care of our anger..."<br>
Michael Stone.Coryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10034046270561597298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6774341481629777886.post-86273345950287318462012-07-14T16:35:00.000-07:002012-07-14T16:35:10.919-07:00The Tool-kit for making peace.<b id="internal-source-marker_0.535319589311257" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The first in a series of posts about how to make a tool-kit for peacemaking situations. This is being pulled from past life experiences including personal life, from strife to starving; to things learnt at the level of College classes. Especially those of Social Psychology professor, Mark Stambush. As well as The Sociologist professor Steven McGuire. These two people were essential for me to even stumble across any of these ideas. </span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The first item in one's tool-kit is to have a Beginners Mind:</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Beginners Mind</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><blank.< span=""><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Page</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> After</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Reading</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Once</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Blank is</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Page's core</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> After</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Reading this statement</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Once or twice</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Blank is</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The Essence of this</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Page's core</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> After</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Reading this statement</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Once or twice</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> or thrice</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Blank is</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The Essence of this</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Page's inner self, its core</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> After the deduction, and ascertaining of thoughts, While</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Reading this statement</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Once or twice</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> or thrice</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Or four)</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Blank is</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The Absolute Essence of this</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Page's inner self, its core to break all stereotypes due to ramifications of the mind,</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> After the deduction, and ascertaining of thoughts, While</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Reading this statement with vigor and disdain towards</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Reading it Once or twice</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> or thrice</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Or four)</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> [or 5]</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Blank is</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The Absolute Essence of this Universe's revolving star system with infinite number of revolutions, while all of them are spinning around this page's inner self, its core to break all stereotypes due to ramifications of the mind to clutter and raise the self native of the ego to interlude on the misshapenness of the paraphrasing astonishing blasphemy of the befuddled dim minded individuals...</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After the deduction, and ascertaining of thoughts due to spinning interconnections of relationships and correlations, While reading this statement with vigor and disdain towards the amount of time it now takes to read this passage maybe reading it once or twice</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">or thrice</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Or four</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">or 5</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></blank.<></span></b><br />
<blockquote>
<b id="internal-source-marker_0.535319589311257" style="font-weight: normal;"><i>Back to Blank.<br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beginner's minds are always more listening.</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When listening If you cloud your mind with inner dialog then</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You have too much on your mind about yourself to really help someone in need.</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Some Gather their thoughts in groups</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Some in meditation</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After obtaining the beginner's mind it is easier to come up with “non violent” strategic questions.</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A blank mind also allows for sympathetic messages.</span></i></b></blockquote>
Coryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10034046270561597298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6774341481629777886.post-80677773654340333312011-07-01T04:02:00.000-07:002011-07-01T04:02:32.507-07:00The Memoirs of a Wind MasterThe jet stream encompasses the globe.<br />
<br />
Lets rotate the jet stream so we have a top down view of it from the North Pole.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC0xYwqHoCV67MpBBE5gPzFBy2ra_skGVXqZgKgyyRF5q8Wg3F78cpV6-FoXszLc3sXpb88p4VQW65J0_AmQDCmVMkNl8FGIRaVfB8Pvwc_TYYte40tCd2vgv6ExDUMQHoUIaaF_I4BHA/s1600/FULL+CIRCLE.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC0xYwqHoCV67MpBBE5gPzFBy2ra_skGVXqZgKgyyRF5q8Wg3F78cpV6-FoXszLc3sXpb88p4VQW65J0_AmQDCmVMkNl8FGIRaVfB8Pvwc_TYYte40tCd2vgv6ExDUMQHoUIaaF_I4BHA/s320/FULL+CIRCLE.gif" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Which is the symbol in Chinese for heaven. Ironic that this circle that symbolizes Heaven emulates the wind? It also emulates the globe.<br />
<br />
<blockquote><h1 class="subject" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><i>“Perception is the editor of reality.”</i></span></h1></blockquote> The challenge for the day: Think in different perspectives. It opens up new pathways for compassion, and modesty that were never thought possible.Coryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10034046270561597298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6774341481629777886.post-65805366430966076012011-06-30T07:03:00.000-07:002011-06-30T07:05:45.272-07:00The essence of TaoTh<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">e essence of Tao is emptiness.</span><br />
<blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">He who, while living an apparently normal life, experiences the whole world as an emptiness, is a Jivanmukta. None is afraid of him; he is afraid of none.</span></i></span></blockquote> Emptiness may seem like a void, an unimaginable circumstance unto which individuals may seemly perceive that they have fallen into a trap, a never ending limbo of sorts.<br />
<br />
or<br />
<br />
One can view it as a chance to bide and patiently be alive until the next wave of action is needed.<br />
<blockquote><i>You name an object a bowl not because of the clay that you decided to make it out of, but the empty space in the middle. </i></blockquote><b>From great emptiness comes great potential energy</b>. If one were to watch a wave it has to ebb before it is able to flow,or it would just stay still in the current.<br />
<br />
So if you feel like you are in limbo-just take a break relax. Your wave is coming back soon.Coryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10034046270561597298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6774341481629777886.post-55620195346734967972011-06-28T20:56:00.000-07:002011-06-28T20:56:04.092-07:00TaoismTaoism is something that can be defined in the undefinable characteristics that it embodies. The first chapter of the Tao Te Ching says<br />
<div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"></span><br />
<blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><i>The Ineffable, about which is spoken, is not the eternal Ineffable </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><i>A name for the Unnameable, is but a name</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><i>The Unnameable is what makes everything what it is</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><i>By naming things you divide the Indivisible</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><i>Only one who gives up all his desires can experience the Indivisible</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><i>One who still cherishes desires, will experience only dissension</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><i>Both will see the same reality, but experience it differently</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><i>One who goes from the false reality into the other,</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><i>Will pass through the narrow gate and receive the secret of true life</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><i>by: Anon.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br />
</span></blockquote> I could write A bunch of mambo jumbo about random sages and the likes, yet it would feel incomplete. A mere shell of the capabilities of what this blog can do. So I created a blog in the life of a Taoist. This blog will tell some of the story and other meditation techniques, as well as how to be a Taoist on a daily basis. Little by little.<br />
<blockquote><i>A Journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.</i></blockquote>The first challenge is to watch a pet.<br />
<br />
That is it.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Hints</span>:<br />
<br />
<ol><li>Don't try to predict the animal!</li>
</ol>Just watch it go through it's day and relax when it wants to and be excited when it wants to. When its inert nature that is actively displaying itself you are watching The Interconnected Way Making of the Symbian being(s). Tao.<br />
<br />
Namaste<br />
</div><div></div>Coryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10034046270561597298noreply@blogger.com1Muskingum, Ohio, USA39.987643020991406 -81.76300086328126339.781988020991406 -82.03443586328126 40.193298020991406 -81.491565863281267