UnbornTao

Don't jump to conclusions or intellect, but contemplate, while not knowing what it is: What is the object? A direct experience is needed.

@Thought Art You took that chi segment personally. By invention, it is likely meant that it isn't something "stumbled upon" as an objective occurrence (like a rock), but as a conceptual overlay on experience, just as mind, language, martial arts, culture, etc. For example, what was your experience of chi like before you heard of the concept (externally) and adopted it? Doesn't it exist as a rather abstract distinction? That it is invented doesn't have to undermine its value and contribution, which is mentioned in the video. That doesn't have to take away from one's engagement in it. Also mentioned is that it is healthy and useful, so why would one get depressed about it and stop "doing" it because of its constructed nature? That's the "insanity" that was brought up. Obviously, this point is easier to see with physical objects. Does this mean that we have to stop using forks (metaphor for inventions)? A bunch of stuff is invented in our world. We live as though they are objective realities even though they are constructed. That is, they don't exist by themselves but by our own activity.

Definitely.

Maybe that's the observation we are supposed to make (that we don't truly know what it is directly), and bask in that, contemplating what the object is as itself. We perceive it. We hold feelings about it. We think about it. We refer it to ourselves. But what is it? Something to look into.

Trying too hard to logically make a decision here might not be the best approach. Your mind can find good reasons for both. Which one do you like the most?

@Keryo Koffa I was simply pointing to our experience of these things, hopefully in an attempt to deepen it (the experience). Thanks

Does he like pets? What about adopting a dog for him? Maybe help him introduce new and interesting hobbies into his life in order to add variety to it. You could suggest cooking a meal together, learning to play the guitar, among many other activities, to open new avenues for communication and deal with this dilemma down the road. This could help guide him towards a more positive life direction, to start with. In a sense, it'd be adopting an indirect strategy rather than a direct one.

That's good, and also what would coming from a grounded experience look like? We certainly distinguish, albeit sloppily, a thought of an apple from our perception and feelings about it. Which is which? It's late, might elaborate tomorrow.

Stop avoiding pain A few consequences of avoiding pain: Numbness, decreased sensitivity and awareness Lack of profundity Childishness Growing shadow Weakness and fragility Loss of presence and vitality Addiction Reduced capacity for wisdom Therefore, embrace pain and contemplate it: What is it, fundamentally? What is the distinction "ouch!" in your experience? What function is it serving? Can you notice how you might be conceptually superimposing "stuff" onto the sensation? What is the relationship between what you do and the degree of pain that you go through? Does willingness to look into your suffering reduce its impact somehow? A few suggested practices for you to start looking into your experience of discomfort, hence pain: Cold showers Semen retention Fasting Intense meditation Exercise Stretching Doing nothing, sitting alone in a room, for several hours Eliminating an addiction

Sounds about right. Always talking about beliefs... So annoying. On another note, there's also the influence of beliefs, in that they are not recognized as such and so are taken to be true in themselves. Some may be justified and valid, too.

Tell Peter to record the audiobook himself. Or else we'll keep suffering.

@Leo Gura Thanks Leo, appreciate it.

Something

To whom is it not convincing?

I was nitpicking. However, isn't a belief not an experience of what's true, but a thought about something? The truth is found in our conscious awareness or recognition of some dynamic, condition, event, subject, fact.

I mean, no belief can be true.

It's fine, relax and reconsider your career path. You can simply switch to a different path and let go of your old expectations. That, or transform the way you approach your study so that better results can be achieved.

@Javfly33 Notice that people go live in caves to get enlightened. Once that's done, they often come back to "ordinary" life, whatever that may be for them. Transcending something doesn't mean you stop engaging in it; you're just free to generate it or not. Gautama still ate, talked, gave lectures, socialized, etc. Jesus might have had intimate relationships, too. Enlightenment didn't mean their lives had to turn out a certain way. So remember not to exclude the laundry (mundane life) from being enlightened. What are relationships? What is communication? What is language? What is desire?

Why do you think "enlightenment" is separate from ordinary life? How you live is up to you.

Is that a true statement? How do you know it's everyone? Granted, politics is based on manipulation, but this is not the same as lying. Someone like Bernie Sanders, for example, seems to come from a place of sincere service and integrity, regardless of potential factual errors he might make, biases he holds, mistakes he makes, etc. Do you expect politicians to be Plato or Aristotle— idealized "honest" individuals? "Less of a liar" can also be seen as less deceived than the opponent, which is a move in the right direction, especially when the difference in degree is so staggering between them. The "truth" isn't a fantastical place or fixed destination, which you seem to think; it's just what is, at any level.

@Inliytened1 Trump is the epitome of pathological liar.

––Franklin Merrell-Wolff