tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31246093.post2480250277585721734..comments2024-03-28T12:29:39.157-07:00Comments on Graphic Firing Table: The Empty CupFDChiefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10607785969510234092noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31246093.post-83356571032246997712008-10-02T20:53:00.000-07:002008-10-02T20:53:00.000-07:00It is my great pleasure to interact here. Arigato...It is my great pleasure to interact here. Arigato Gozaimasu.Lisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08839236994990699117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31246093.post-66941353159754906462008-10-02T17:23:00.000-07:002008-10-02T17:23:00.000-07:00Lisa: "To me, enlightenment comes with laying the ...Lisa: <I>"To me, enlightenment comes with laying the burden down, not carrying the cross." "a change of heart comes by focus and observation."</I><BR/><BR/>Just one more reason you are among the wisest and most gracious of us. Beautifully spoken and insightful; <I>domo</I>.FDChiefhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10607785969510234092noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31246093.post-71251649283037608722008-09-30T21:21:00.000-07:002008-09-30T21:21:00.000-07:00p.s.--I think self-imposed trials can become a cru...p.s.--I think self-imposed trials can become a crutch which bars true enlightenment. All the regimens people perform to get there -- runner's high, psycotropic drugs, fasting, confession, chanting, sufi dancing, etc. -- seem unnecessary ritual.<BR/><BR/>Like the monks who can simply sit and lower their heart rate and body temperature, a change of heart comes by focus and observation.Lisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08839236994990699117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31246093.post-23657593888622948372008-09-30T21:16:00.000-07:002008-09-30T21:16:00.000-07:00I don't know that self-denial is necessary to enli...I don't know that self-denial is necessary to enlightenment, but frugality -- living without excess -- focuses the mind on the essential.<BR/><BR/>I think when in that state of simplicity, the fog of daily confusion clears. When distractions and chances for escape are lessened, clarity is there.<BR/><BR/>Maybe this is what the Buddha and many other have meant by "emptying," or Michaelangelo by removing the excess stone to reveal the figure therein. Chip it away through gentle removal, vs. suffering, and there is truth.<BR/><BR/>Sadly, many of us, yer humble writer included, must wear our horsehair shirt or chains and play the part of penitent before the futility of such a burden becomes obvious. To me, enlightenment comes with laying the burden down, not carrying the cross.Lisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08839236994990699117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31246093.post-75341726039394924882008-09-29T08:13:00.000-07:002008-09-29T08:13:00.000-07:00Chief,I like your sensei...very practical swordsma...Chief,<BR/>I like your sensei...very practical swordsman.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31246093.post-44649763051246053542008-09-29T04:44:00.000-07:002008-09-29T04:44:00.000-07:00For the record, since your post makes me smile, I ...For the record, since your post makes me smile, I only try these things long enough to know if the "suffering" is real or the result of some sort of imbalance. To wit, my sugar restrictions, while painful for a few days, have left me feeling much, much better, and the yoga is a must-do for me.<BR/><BR/>I guess I try these things to test my comfort levels, to try to understand if there are experiences I might be missing out on and habits that are worth questioning.<BR/><BR/>I remember a few hikes that challenged me to the core, that I never thought I'd survive, or some diving experiences that seemed like too much. In the end, I made it through and knew it had been worth the discomfort.<BR/><BR/>Trust me on this though, if the showers don't lead me to any new levels of enlightenment in the next day or two, they're history.Red Sandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00468789655058139527noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31246093.post-90595041061174913712008-09-28T23:42:00.000-07:002008-09-28T23:42:00.000-07:00Didn't Teddy Roosevelt take cold showers to build ...Didn't Teddy Roosevelt take cold showers to build up his stamina??? As a young man, Mao reportedly subjected himself to long bare-chested runs during the winter months in Hunan province. T.E Lawrence had a rigid diet, an exacting exercise program, and swam in the North Sea - and many say a bad case of masochism. Not sure any of them were seeking enlightenment - but they achieved more than most.<BR/><BR/>Many cultures attribute wisdom to those that seek out solitude and end up suffering the discomforts cold, hunger. They certainly have lots of time to think. <BR/><BR/>I have always sought warmth and comfort when trying to do the deep thinking. That never seemed to work as well as the brainstorms I would get on a solitary 10k run or on a cold all-night vigil. I know that too much meat or sugar never turned me into an Einstein. But then neither did anything else. Maybe I just need to grow my eyebrows longer.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com