Best Of
Re: What we are doing right?
When I do something wrong, I'm also doing something right,
For whatever I do at the time will always shed some light.
Right and wrong are relative, they shift with every clue,
In every stumble, I find grace, and learn something new.
Shoshin1
Re: Quotes - discussion
It’s interesting, but it speaks to goals as well. The number of actual winners is small, but the number who idolise winning and wish to be winners themselves is much greater. It is almost a default in our society, especially in America, where a big part of Donald Trumps appeal is to be seen as a winner.
When I effectively ended up retiring at age 40 I was confronted by this, that when you let go of this goal suddenly most of society becomes uninteresting to you. It’s as if you discover that your own interest has been secretly largely in a form of power and self-expression through power, and that giving that up has removed a driving force that has shaped your actions.The winning mentality had entered by the back door that self-expression created.
This was really when I found out that I had been on the wrong track; that entertainment was largely dissipation but could be redeemed though what it had to say about larger ideals, but that games as a medium was largely unsuited to this. Which was when I became interested in writing.
Jeroen
Re: What we are doing right?
I stopped putting sugar in my tea. I usually have 4 cups on workdays and 2 on days off. For many years I had used Truvia sweetener, but a couple studies now have shown that it increases the clotting effect of blood in higher doses and I have a stent from an old accident. I tried allulose with monk fruit for a bit, but it was pretty expensive and would make me slightly nauseous sometimes if I had tea on an empty stomach. So I switched to sugar, which wasn't as sweet. I was away from home but brought some tea with, I couldn't locate any sweetener when I made it in the morning so I went ahead without it and it was fine. I never really drank it for the taste anyway.
It hasn't been that long, but I seem to have noticed a decreased desire for sweets and I think craving in general has been down. I think this move is likely related in some way to my recent stomach virus/food poisoning incident.
I was also persuaded by this Kurgesazt video to start buying more ethical meat (non torture meat). However, unlike the price claims in the video I'm finding all except beef to be about twice as expensive. I don't make meat a center piece of my meals and I'm not living paycheck to paycheck. But the extra cost isn't minor and is felt, so there is an internal struggle related to continuing.
person
Re: No Buddhist Quotes
"I've met many winners in history whose faces looked disgusting. Because I read you hatred and loneliness. Because they were nothing but winners and to become one they had to kill and subdue. But there is another race of men that helps us to breathe, who has always placed their existence and freedom only in the freedom and happiness of everyone, who finds the reasons to live and to love even in defeats. They, even if they win, will never be alone. "
— Albert Camus, "The Duty of Freedom"
Jeroen
Re: No Buddhist Quotes
“Having to be right has to do with faith - with, again, beliefs that we don't even know we have. Beliefs make the mind fragile and vulnerable. But when you get everything right in examining your mind it gradually becomes milder and malleable like moist clay. Asking yourself questions is the moisture that softens that hardness, that makes that rigidity relax.”
— Jon Bernie
Jeroen
Re: Quotes - discussion
"I've met many winners in history whose faces looked disgusting. Because I read you hatred and loneliness. Because they were nothing but winners and to become one they had to kill and subdue. But there is another race of men that helps us to breathe, who has always placed their existence and freedom only in the freedom and happiness of everyone, who finds the reasons to live and to love even in defeats. They, even if they win, will never be alone. "
— Albert Camus, "The Duty of Freedom"
Felt the need to say a few words. As an examination of the poles of human existence I find this accurate and encouraging. I've argued to people who want to join the military for noble reasons (to protect others) that being a peacemaker is noble as well.
What I wanted to say though is the thing that bothered me a bit about the quote. It's that it is very polarized and dualistic. The majority of people exist on a spectrum somewhere between those two poles. The world isn't divided up into saints and sinners.
person
Re: From the non-dual book pile…
I’ve been exploring the non dual book pile a little more, and have settled upon a book called Ordinary Freedom, by Jon Bernie. Judging from a little paging through it, it’s going to make a worthwhile read. They are all short excerpts from spoken teachings during satsangs and at retreats, collected in a book of 200 pages or so.
I just wanted to touch on the first excerpt, where Jon defines enlightenment as ‘being here’. I thought it was a beautiful phrasing and very true. He goes on to say, just be here and observe, you don’t need to analyse or make right or examine or explain, enlightenment is what remains when all those drop away.
He says, becoming conscious means letting go of all control. That's why meditation practice can be useful for our physical body that is conditioned to control, defend and hold. Meditation can let you see where the holding happens. You sit, and stop, and note what is physically, emotionally, energetically going on. The physical body is a great mirror.
Off to a good start.
Jeroen