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August 03 An ordinary being, being ordinaryI was reading the thoughts of a buddhist friend of mine who I respect greatly. He was talking about a person's "cultivation" - which is basically their path to spiritual and personal growth. Cultivation could be a practice (like meditation), a religion (Christianity, Islam, or whatever), a school of thought, or what have you.
He stated:
Which started me thinking - Well... Don't I want to be an "ordinary being?"
So I wrote to my friend...
I'm thinking about what it seems to me what you mean by "ordinary being."
As usual I'm not contending with your statement. Rather I'm expressing something similar from a different perspective. Let me know what you think if you wish.
The more ordinary we are, the closer we are to our right way of being. As a newborn we are ordinary for a couple reasons:
1. because we haven't differentiated ourselves from everything around us 2. because we haven't learned that our actions can result in changes to what is around us, and we are thus in a state of acceptance As a newborn we haven't constructed all the dualist thoughts, opinions, preferences, habits, and such that separate us from being an integral ordinary being. And we are always ordinary underneath it all, we just cover it over with all the crap we learn. I should stop the train of thought there about the experience of a newborn, because I'm really thinking about being ordinary. Let me just express what came to my mind about being an "ordinary being."
Seems to me, there's so much focus on becoming "enlightened," or a "master." So much attention on process and practice - like taoism vs. buddhism as you point out. It's like we've replaced materialistic and ego desires and objectives with cultivation desires and objectives. Hence the dualistic concept of "enlightened" and "ordinary."
As a result, we are driven by the same attainment and achievement framework we've created - something a newborn doesn't yet have - and we've only swapped out motivators and objectives - materialism for enlightenment. We end up with a stagnated cultivation (that we cling to and espouse) focused on the process of cultivation rather than the objective of becoming ordinary (or enlightened, integral, a master, or what have you).
It seems that in all the attention on what we will achieve with cultivation, what a special person we will be, and how our cultivation practice is the only way to get it done - we lose the fact that we are actually attempting to become integral, natural, at harmony, content, and even blissfully "ordinary."
I don't want to be extraordinary - I just want to live right. July 21 Learning about Philosophical TaoismThis is simple advice for Western folks who are curious about Philosophical Taoism. Mainly because, for western type brains, it's often hard to get past the mysticism, and "enlightened" mental masturbatory language of many schools and practices of "Taoism." So blow off all the "masters" and "students" filled with false humility.
Instead, let's steal a little tip from verse 64 of the Tao te Ching, paraphrased as "A journey of a thousand miles begins at the spot under one's feet."
So you wanna learn about Philosophical Taoism? Put yourself together about twenty minutes a day, a few days a week, over a couple months, and...
Begin at - well... the beginning. Read several translations of the Tao Te Ching.
1. On the left side at the top, select "Merel 2" from "other languages." I say Merel because it is well aligned for a Western mind not familiar with Taoist Philosophy - and the alignment is neutral for the most part.
2. Read it. Yes, read all of it. It's just 81 short verses.
3. Select another English translation on the top right side. Now read it, and compare it to Merel.
4. Select another English translation. Read at least 5 translations. Why 5? Because it will give you a foundation to establish a good bullshit barometer when you find an interesting "teacher."
 5. When you find an interesting "teacher", "practice", or "school" - read chapter 38. Does the teacher or practice espouse any ritual? Does the "teacher" or "practice" require any belief? If yes - move on.
6. When you are confused, choose a chapter at random and read it. If still confused, choose another - and repeat until you are no longer confused. Or better yet - you'll be distracted from your original confusion by something new you didn't see last time you read the chapter. Most of the time when you're confused, you're just giving something too much importance anyway.
 Above all... enjoy the learning.
Now some "enlightened" Taoist practitioners might argue that the Tao te Ching is not the beginning. Don't listen to anyone who presents an argument with intention, including me. Thoughts (arguments included) are not reality.
 Peace and blessings,
Oh!... In a few months, when you've got a jolly belly full of the Tao te Ching, you'll be ready for a bit of Chuang Tzu. Don't try Chuang Tzu until you're "really getting" the Tao te Ching. You'll know you're ready for Chuang Tzu, if you laugh your ass off when you read it. December 22 See God? Me?Someone in a discussion forum - speaking to "athiests" including me - said, "I really don't get that you don't see God. I am however, praying that you do get to see God or at the very least, get to see what I see."
I do see God - though I see God in a different way and with a different name. I see the Dao. I see the Dao in everything. I am after all Panentheist.
God is the Dao. The Dao is unmanifest potentiality of everything that both transcends and is everything. The Dao is also the manifest, this universe that we find ourselves both part of, and perceive as experience outside ourselves.
Because everything is the Dao, we should respect everything, we should accept everything, we should always behave with integrity and express ourselves in right actions.
So I may not see what you see, but I do see God. I see God everywhere, and I am moved. I feel God in everything - and occasionally I cry for the joy and the beauty, and I also cry for the pain and the wars.
Can you see God?
Blessings to you all this holiday season. I love you all.
September 28 The Latest News - Heart HealthyI keep getting the same questions over and over from friends, family and co-workers, so I'll try to make this story short and tell everyone at once. I've been having chronic chest pain since July 2nd (basically all summer long). I was always tense in my back and shoulders, feeling grumpy, and I was always tired and falling asleep - even in the middle of the day sometimes.
I was in the emergency room at the hospital in July. The doctors did all the tests including the stress test running on the treadmill. Everything said my heart was very healthy. There is one more test they could have done, a surgical procedure called an angiogram, but everything looked like I had a healthy heart. I also exercise and my diet is pretty good, so their was no urgency.
The testing also showed my cholesterol is OK, but triglycerides (blood fat) are very high. I went on a zero fat diet for 5 weeks and lost 15 pounds. Unfortunately I lost muscle weight too because I can't work out. The triglycerides did not change so something, not diet, keeps my triglycerides extremely high. I'm on medication to deal with that.
Two weeks ago I started getting the chest pain just sitting around. I pressed my doctor for an answer and he scheduled an angiogram for September 26, two days ago. This is where they put a thin noodle kinda thing in your artery in the leg, and put it all the way up to your heart. They can take videos of the blood flowing around the heart.
They found I had one blockage in all three of the coronary arteries. One blockage was 99% - almost no blood was going to the right back portion of my heart. So my heart is very healthy, but it was suffocating.
Through all the tests the doctors have said my heart muscle is in really great shape. My EKG shows that I had a minor "silent heart attack" with no permanent damage between August and two days ago. This plus the restricted blood flow is why I was getting chest pains just sitting. But the heart muscle is undamaged and still in great shape (thank goodness).
The doctors opened the 99% blockage in one artery with the angiogram snake thing at my heart and put a stent (like a tiny spring steel cage) in the artery to keep it open. They will possibly do another angiogram in about 10 weeks to check and maybe open the other two less troublesome blockages.
So now my heart is healthy, and it can breathe. I have to take medication for a while, and take it easy for only one week. Basically, with the blockages taken care of I'm perfectly fine. The doctors say I'll be in better heart health than I've been in a couple years and I should start exercising again soon. As for me, I have a lot of energy and feel great since yesterday afternoon. I'll be back at work on Monday, without falling asleep at my desk, haha.
That's the whole story for now. If you have any more questions let me know.
Peace, September 04 The Inevitable - 必然Someone I know and respect is dying. He knows he has maybe a week or less left in this life. He meets this certainty with acceptance. He acknowledges and thanks his friends for touching this life. He is a philosophical Taoist as I am. He is at peace, and so he is immune.
I am reminded of something I wrote maybe two years ago.
You are loved Paul.
Peace,
--
唐仁汉 August 11 Taoism - Practicing the Arts vs. Living the PhilosophyOk, I will not deal with religious or spiritual Taoism here because it's a whole different animal. And I'm not at all into it - so I'm not qualified to comment on it.
Understand that I started my exposure to Taoism through a Taoist doctor (vitalizing Taoism) with Traditional Chinese (TCM). I tried the Taoist arts like tai-ji-chuan and read some of the Yellow Emperor's Classic on Medicine. Then finally I began studying the Chinese classics (philosophical Taoism) like Tao te Ching, I-Ching, and etc.
The Arts (vitalizing Taoism):
Practicing the arts at first makes us more perfect (assuming there is a thing or state of "perfection") at the art. As the practice becomes internalized and automatic we start to get a sense of it's deeper impact on our sphere of physicality - the movement of qi in our bodies and space, our energy boundaries, other people's energy and boundaries, and etc. Eventually we actualize the changed perception to integrate and harmonize our sphere of physicality more fully with our environment. One day this thought of "Holy Cow! That's how it works." springs into our head - not because we know how it works, but because we can sense the holistic working. The next realization is that we have the ability to integrate and harmonize our sphere of sentience and behavior as well.
For example, regarding vitalizing Taoism and Taoist Arts. I am going to a Taoist TCM doctor now for a physical issue. My ability to sense the change in energy flow when I get acupuncture today is hugely different from the first time I received acupuncture. The first time I was mostly aware of the pin pricks where they pierced me. Now I am mostly aware of the "gates" opening and qi movement changing in the meat of me, the change in character of my exhaled breath, of the excess (previously stagnated) qi escaping with my breath.
Taoist arts can open our eyes to a different way of experiencing and actualizing our interface with our environment.
The Way (philosophical Taoism):
I believe it's possible to start with the philosophy, or mindful living, though I didn't do it that way. There is a parallel with the arts in that we have to practice. To do it, we have to understand that we are creatures of habit, but not simply reactive creatures. Then we need a threshold of understanding of how to live in accordance with The Way so we can begin to change inappropriate habits and habitual responses. This takes the 24/7 vigilance of an internal coach, because doing it part-time only gets it partly done. As we practice and get better, as our sphere of sentience becomes more integrated and harmonized with our environment, then the internal coach can step aside. One day, we finish a day and realize the coach never stepped in. Then the "Holy Cow!" realization springs to our head again. That's when we've stepped from living mindfully to actualization. Occasionally we will still need the coach to step in, and the coach should be on call 24/7. The realization here is knowing that our mind-energy can be directed and experienced in a completely different way then how we are taught.
For example, our reaction to stresses and stimulus is different. Stress doesn't translate directly to high blood pressure - instead, the cause is accepted, and the response is appropriate and tuned towards creating harmony. Insults or things that infuriated us before become humorous because we know that even our perception of self and everything is only perception and mostly irrelevant to here and now.
So assuming someone started with philosophical Taoism instead of vitalizing Taoism; when our sphere of sentience becomes integrated and harmonized, I suspect it would be impossible to ignore the fact that our sphere of physicality could be similarly transformed.
Taoist philosophy also opens our eyes to a different way of experiencing and actualizing our interface with our environment.
Putting it together:
Put it all together, and you come to the understanding that the arts (practices) and mindful living (philosophy) are both very powerfully transformational when practiced and actualized. But they each have their place. I wouldn't use acupuncture and herb teas and I wouldn't break into tai-ji-chuan in a business meeting to deal with an insulting or abusive person. I wouldn't use philosophy to deal with a physical issue like an injury or illness. We should understand and use both as is best for our spirit, environment, and whatever is happening in the here and now.
One is not more powerful or better than the other. But the conscious application of one versus the other, right paddle or left paddle, changes dependent on where our personal cosmic kayak has currently drifted. June 13 World Naked Bike RideI saw the World Naked Bike Ride by chance in San Francisco last weekend. It was quite funny actually. There was a group of about 100 people, mostly on bikes. There was one fellow on roller skates wearing a top hat.
There are so many prudes in the U.S. - but in San Francisco everyone was pointing, laughing, and smiling as far as I could tell. We need more cities like San Francisco.
A friend, her daughter, and I went to SFMOMA - San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
   We walked down the street for lunch. On the way back to SFMOMA I was taking a photo of an old church with a new building behind it.
 That's when we saw the cyclists and the skater (I blurred the part that might offend some people).
  Here's a pic of my friend's daughter in the museum. I liked the stripes on her top matching the stripes on the pavement outside.
 Sorry about the quality, I was just using a camera in a Treo phone.
May 02 Hope - 盼望I told a friend today, who recently broke up...
Isn't it funny how we hang on to hope longer than we hang on to lost love.
Funny, but I think it is a good thing. We have to be hopeful - because hope eventually looks to the future.
The future is the place from which new love arises.  February 24 Dao De Jing, 49th Chapter - 老子:第四十九章
Today I was asked to define what I mean when I use the word "respect." That's a fair question - so let's give it a whirl.
My definition of the word "respect" is based on Chapter 49 of Laozi's Dao de Jing. By my understanding of Laozi's Dao de Jing, the 49th chapter is "The Golden Rule" stated in Taoist terms.
Respect is simply acting in accordance with "the ethic of reciprocity" or "The Golden Rule."
The same thought has been expressed in many ways over centuries:
February 03 First Recording - It's Alive!Well, it took me long enough. First I had to get my computer and a new Audio Interface to talk to each other nicey-nice. Which took a week.
Then I did some testing just of regular audio and sample clips. I found out the Master Out potentiometer was messed up, as well as one other multifunction switch. I returned the t.c.electronic konnekt 8 audio interface - great reviews, lousy in person. I don't give electronics a second chance.
I dished out a few more bucks to get a Yamaha GO46 FireWire audio interface. I like Yamaha equipment. It worked flawlessly from the start and does 192 bit sampling of audio inputs.
I did one or two silly tests, then took a deep breath and made the first decent recording on my new digital audio workstation.
No excuses, it's me in my beginner Irish Whistle player fashion:
• Playing a new style (all Delrin head) Reyburn Low G;
• Recorded on a single Audio Technica AT2020 Condenser Microphone; • Through a Yamaha GO46 FireWire audio interface; • Using Sonar 6 (with a smidge of reverb post effect). Here's the recording
http://www.beancurdturtle.com/Whistle/Dawning01.mp3 Time to dig into the tutorials and books and learn Sonar 6.
January 27 Feeding My FancyDid you miss me? Maybe not. Ok - likely not.
I was doing something selfish...
 So what did I do? I fed my fancy - my selfish interest (how sad - and how nice). That means I bought something I've always wanted. I have a rather huge tax refund this year from both the Federal Government and State of California...
 I've been ordering, receiving, and incorporating goodies into my cyber-cauldron. I now have a completely loaded Digital Audio Workstation (DAW). Well actually I just added what I needed to my already pretty awesome workstation - what I needed to record music with really good quality, and mix it down to what I want it to be.
My interests - well, other than my loves, like my son, family, and friends - are my silly fish, Chinese language and philosophy, and music. I LOVE good music. I have a brother who plays rock music and sings, I have another brother who sings, and I sing (when I'm not too shy) and I play the Irish Whistle - and I am a tech geek who can figure out how to record and produce music - I think. He-he.
So I will show you what I have been working on for a week.
 Ok, it's only about 80% done. I still am waiting for the sub-woofer that goes with the studio monitors and the full version of Sonar Studio Edition (the Digital Audio Workstation software). Then I have to learn the stuff. lots of stuff to study.
Heck! Maybe I'll even be able to share a simple recording sometime soon. In a week, month, maybe 90 days or so.
 Wish me luck... kisses...
Don't blame me for my freakish posting - blame good freakin' wine. Andretti Family Winery Zinfandel Primativo Blend. Who'd guess a racecar driver would be the genesis of a kick-b*tt Zin blend.
Love y'all! January 04 I Lost my Pets on New Years DayI was sleeping in and busy all day, and didn't go on the patio. I finally went out on the patio after dark and immediately noticed my pond was a disaster.
It looks like this (and I cleaned it up a little already): 
It is supposed to look something like this: 
I ran into the house and grabbed a flashlight. I took the broken plants out of the water. I searched every hiding space - all my fish are gone. I was stunned. I was out on the patio late New Year's Eve with a glass of Port, chatting with a friend. People were on the patio admiring the pond and the goldfish.
I've had the small pond several years, and three of the fish for a couple years. Needless to say, I'm terribly disappointed and sad.
We never see any predators around here. But there's a creek nearby - and I've been told that an occasional raccoon is spotted hanging around the creek. I guess a raccoon wandered by early this morning and did what they do naturally. I can't really blame the predator - but I do feel bad for my fish.
Here's a pic of my original three fish, plus a new fish (named Donald Trump) at the bottom left - from April of 2006: 
A couple more from April of 2006:  
One from June of 2006: 
The last pics I took were in November:   
The last pic is of Donald Trump - he was my favorite: 
I'm going to miss the little guys. December 21 Dao De Jing, 80th Chapter - 老子:第八十章
I don't celebrate
I don't celebrate Ramadan.
I don't celebrate Christmas.
I don't celebrate Hanukkah.
I don't celebrate Kwanzaa.
I don't celebrate the Winter Solstice.
What I do celebrate is the best wishes, the kind thoughts, the good will, the yearning for peace and hope for the future so many cultures share and express as we pass through this season.
I wish you all health, joy, peace, prosperity, and a joyous celebration - whatever it is you celebrate - in this holiday and in the coming year.
Love you all. No, Really! I do.
Spread it around a bit, -- Daniel November 26 Dao De Jing, 38th Chapter - 老子:第三十八章
I was writing in a forum where the subject was originally "What is important in life?" and somehow ended up being a discussion about sex. Someone commented that I seemed to be enthusiastic about sex and I answered:
Then someone, who I believe is from Taiwan and a Religious Daoist challenged me with:
I've had this question asked of me before. Usually it's asked by people who are only familiar with Religious Daoism and not philosophical Daoism, or asked by Religious Daoists.
The challenge reminded me of the 38th chapter of the Dao de Jing. In this chapter Laozi directly addresses the subject of ritual, rules, and all the things that fascinate us humans - and distract us from our natural selves.
So, even though sensuality has little to do with ritual and rules, the false belief that we should deny ourselves sensual pleasures has everything to do with ritual and rules. Here is how I answered:
The goal is to live naturally and with harmony, in the world. We are born into this life as humans. To spend all of our lives attempting to escape this fact is unnatural and a huge waste of energy.
We don't need to deny ourselves sensual pleasure - or bind our behaviors to ritual and rules - to experience our own humanity and live balanced and rightly.
Does that make sense? October 29 Dao De Jing, 5th Chapter - 老子:第五章
The other day I was told by an acquaintance (who happens to be Chinese) that Chinese are dishonest and good liars because of the influence of ancient the Chinese concept that "I always should behave kindly, both to good people and to bad people." I had to disagree - being a good liar comes from habitual dishonesty, not from ancient Chinese philosophy.
Believe it or not, the thought and behavior, "I always should behave kindly, both to good people and to bad people." comes originally from a Daoist concept. But it's not about kindness. As originally intended, this appearance of "kindness" to everyone is not really deception. The original concept in Daoist philosophy is to treat all people impartially, not to treat all people kindly.
If in your heart you treat everyone impartially (be they good or bad people), and your nature is calm and accepting - it will appear superficially that you are being kind to everyone. This is not deception, it is not lying.
If you feel someone is unfair, unkind, or insulting, and you respond with kindness at the surface but feel something different in your heart - it will also appear superficially that you are being kind to everyone. And in this case it is deception and lying.
My interpretation of this Daoist concept is - be impartial (not necessarily kind). In good circumstances, you will be expressing kindness from your heart. But in bad circumstances, it's OK to speak your mind and defend your beliefs, feelings, country, family, and self. Express yourself impartially, because doing so with anger, insults, or unkindness is a waste of energy and emotion, and dilutes your effectiveness.
Thinking pragmatically, there are bad people - it is not always possible to respond with kindness from your heart. But it is possible to be impartial, respectful, and fair in all cases. It's certainly not easy to remain impartial always - but it is possible. August 23 Dao De Jing, 1st Chapter - 老子:第一章
The first time I read the Dao de Jing I was very mystified(想法是多云的). This did not happen because the basic ideas of Philosophical Daoism(古老道教) are difficult. It happened because the ideas are foreign to the way Western minds are taught.
We Westerners are taught to examine(验) everything, categorize(类别) everything, find a purpose(目的) for everything. This is almost the opposite of the basis for Daoism. Understanding Daoist philosophy requires a complete shift of thought(移流派) to knowing that everything(万物) has no relevance(相关性) - no relevance, unless you conceptualize(想像) it in relation(联系) to something else. And individual things become more concrete(实) when conceptualized in relation to their opposites(对面).
So, in the first chapter, Laozi jumps right out with the fundamental concept of the Dao, or "the way." The Dao is the only thing that is real. Everything else - from simple thoughts to the blood in your veins - is manifested from the Dao. Even in the simple effort to understand what the Dao is - and what everything else is - by using language and concepts to define the Dao or the myriad things, we are separating them from what they really are.
When we stop categorizing, rationalizing, defining, and finding a purpose for everything. When we simply experience and accept life as we flow through it. Then we will become familiar with peace and have more harmony in life. Then we can know better what the Dao is, still be unable to explain it and also understand why it can't be explained.
Does that make sense?
August 19 Dao de Jing - 老子I've decided to start writing my thoughts on Laozi's Dao de Jing, Chinese simply call it Laozi (老子).
If you want to learn the mythology (神话) about the source of the Dao de Jing - don't ask me, click here - I'm not a philosopher(我不是哲学家). If you want to know something of Taoism - don't ask me, click here - I'm not a Theologian(我不是神学家). I am simply a Philosophical Taoist (受理古老道教). I read what Laozi(老子), Zhuangzi(庄子), and a few other ancient philosophers from China wrote.
For me, the Dao de Jing(第二章) is a good foundation(基础) to understand and live in this world. It is the source(主要来源) for my life rules(我的规则). My next entry will be about verse one of Laozi's Dao de Jing(老子:「道德經」:第二章).
I will give the simplified Chinese text(中国文本).
I will give an English interpolation(英语今译) from what I feel is the easiest translation for Westerners to understand - Peter Merel's work. Then I will give my thoughts for whatever they are worth. I hope you will give me your thoughts(写您的想法).
Necessary Definitions: 道 (dao4) = direction, way, method, road, path, principle, truth, reason, skill, 道教 (dao4jiao1) = Daoism - it is a way of understanding, accepting, and being.  Note: You will see I use Chinese Characters(汉字) through the writing - which will look like a bunch of squares to people without Chinese fonts on their computers. And I use them less as the writing continues. I do this because I know some readers speak Chinese first, and English second. Because some English words can be translated in many different ways, I try to provide clarification. There will also be some strange things like, "shift of thought(移流派)" where "移流派" means literally "Moves Class School" or in my mangled Chinese "change school of thought." But my purpose is to provide context to Chinese readers so the they can better understand the English, and the occasional cliche(滥调) phrase. I try to use the Chinese characters just one time. For all our lives, we are both caught and cradled in fate's net. Fate is both comforting and mischievous - why would I ask why? My Rules - 我的规则Be Honest (是诚实的)
When I live right I have nothing to lie about. When I tell the truth, I don't have to remember stories for future reference. But recognize that gentle semantics can be of value if brutal honesty will harm a good relationship. Be honest enough with myself to recognize when the rules should change. Be Trustworthy (是信得过)
I try to keep all my promises. If my friends need help (need not want) and I can give it, I do. It's simple; I want to trust the people in my life, so I need to be trustworthy. Be Sincere (是恳切的)
If I say it, I mean it. Report, and when things change, report again. Nobody knows where to walk if they don't know where they stand. Apologize when appropriate. Be Respectful (是恭敬的)
Honesty, trust, and sincerity are the behaviors - respect is the foundation. I will respect all life. I will respect all people until I see them hurt someone (or hurt me), or see them consistently break these rules. Be Caring (是关心)
I will care about my son, my family, my friends, my work, about many things. Caring is what brings depth and meaning to my life. Love easily – allow lots of space, and let go when appropriate. Be A True Friend (是一真实朋友)
I will build meaningful honest friendships and relationships. Anything less is a waste of time, and becomes an acquaintance or something less. Act With Integrity (是操守)
Life is huge and very long. The two most important events are birth and death – the rest is details. The rules are for the details. I don't break the rules for short term gain, or laziness – though sometimes rules can be bent when the details make it appropriate. And the rules can change if someone shows me they are wrong. Choose Quality Friends (有真正的朋友)
Young at heart, open minded, and intelligent, internationally diverse. This keeps my mind open, my curiosity high, my leisure time creative, and my conversation interesting. Choose Right Priorities (选择正确的优先权)
My son, my family, my partner, my work, my friends, and my rules. Accept Change (受理变动)
Recognize that life is constantly changing. When I don’t have control – don’t fight a tide that will drown me. |
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