Tao Speaks: Re: An Unforced Response Has Occurred.

Re: An Unforced Response Has Occurred.

Posted by Nina on 6/18/2009, 7:02 pm, in reply to "Re: An Unforced Response Has Occurred."
96.229.138.X

: Indeed we all have individual understandings
: of what 'cultivation' means and entails,
: Nina--and therein lies much of the
: 'friction' experienced on these dao-focused
: boards, imo.
:
: Of course I have a practice. Only dead
: people don't have practices.
:
: My practice, however, doesn't involve
: 'cultivating the dao,' as 'cultivating the
: dao' is--for me--a non sequitur. In the
: same sense that it would be a non sequitur
: to say that my nose cultivates my face.
:
: I understand cultivation as the proactive
: attempt--the effort--to further the natural
: processes that define and shape
: me--intellectually, emotionally, and
: spiritually.
:
: As I read Laozi, I'm reminded that I'm best
: off when I allow nature to take its course.
: Best off when I stop trying to improve the
: universe--'universe' understood as being
: both internal and external to me.
:
: Steve
:
:

I see, Steve.

For me, "allowing nature to take its course" requires a bit of cultivation.

Let's say.......
I wake up from a bad dream - a really bad dream - in a state of panic. At first I need to look around and see that I'm safe in my bed. Then I might try to psycho-analyze the dream. Eventually I'll fall back asleep. I think the whole process is part of cultivation. I'm not trying to improve the universe - just my perspective of it?

I agree with you...... I don't feel a need to "cultivate Dao." That sounds like it's a plant you have to water and pull the weeds from. :-)

I cultivate myself. Does that work for you?

158

Message Thread:

An Unforced Error Has Occurred. - Butcho 6/17/2009, 5:24 pm
- Re: An Unforced Error Has Occurred. - Nina 6/17/2009, 6:59 pm
  - Re: An Unforced Error Has Occurred. - gar 6/17/2009, 7:19 pm
    - An Unforced Smile Has Occurred. - Nina 6/17/2009, 8:06 pm
      - Re: An Unforced Smile Has Occurred. - Butcho 6/17/2009, 9:25 pm
        
        swinging smile - yijing qian dragon on 4th leve 6/18/2009, 1:01 am
        
        Re: swinging smile - Butcho 6/18/2009, 6:45 am
- Re: An Unforced Error Has Occurred. - gar 6/18/2009, 7:21 am
- Re: An Unforced Error Has Occurred. - Steve 6/18/2009, 10:44 am
  - An Unforced Response Has Occurred. - Nina 6/18/2009, 11:07 am
    - a recurrent force of nature - Lian Dao 6/18/2009, 3:16 pm
    - Re: An Unforced Response Has Occurred. - Steve 6/18/2009, 3:48 pm
      - TTC 16 - Lian Dao 6/18/2009, 5:06 pm
        
        Re: TTC 16 - gar 6/18/2009, 5:27 pm
        
        reason is treason - Lian Dao 6/19/2009, 4:02 pm
        
        Re: TTC 16 - Nina 6/18/2009, 7:21 pm
        
        subject to conditions - Lian Dao 6/19/2009, 3:55 pm
        
        Re: subject to conditions - Nina 6/19/2009, 6:36 pm
        
        nobody likes a smartarse - Lian Dao 6/21/2009, 6:37 am
        
        Re: TTC 16 - Steve 6/18/2009, 8:45 pm
        
        secret of the flower - Lian Dao 6/19/2009, 3:47 pm
        
        Re: secret of the flower - Steve 6/19/2009, 4:38 pm
        
        Re: secret of the flower - Lian Dao 6/21/2009, 6:46 am
        
        Secret of Happiness - Nina 6/19/2009, 7:09 pm
        
        Re: Secret of Happiness - Lian Dao 6/21/2009, 6:51 am
        
        Re: Secret of Happiness - Nina 6/21/2009, 6:23 pm
        
        Re: Secret of my success - Lian Dao 6/22/2009, 2:43 pm
        
        Re: Secret of my success - Nina 6/22/2009, 7:32 pm
        
        helter skelter - Lian Dao 6/23/2009, 10:24 am
        
        Re: helter skelter - Nina 6/23/2009, 8:16 pm
        
        Re: secret of the flower - ren ying 6/20/2009, 2:12 am
        
        Re: secret of the flower - Lian Dao 6/21/2009, 6:56 am
      - Re: An Unforced Response Has Occurred. - Nina 6/18/2009, 7:02 pm
        
        Re: An Unforced Response Has Occurred. - Steve 6/18/2009, 8:10 pm
        
        Re: An Unforced Response Has Occurred. - Butcho 6/18/2009, 9:21 pm
        
        Re: An Unforced Response Has Occurred. - Steve 6/19/2009, 8:38 am
        
        Re: An Unforced Response Has Occurred. - Butcho 6/19/2009, 10:27 am
        
        Re: An Unforced Response Has Occurred. - Steve 6/19/2009, 1:32 pm
        
        Re: An Unforced Response Has Occurred. - Butcho 6/19/2009, 2:34 pm
        
        Re: An Unforced Response Has Occurred. - Steve 6/19/2009, 3:12 pm
        
        Re: An Unforced Response Has Occurred. - Butcho 6/19/2009, 9:16 pm
        
        Re: An Unforced Response Has Occurred. - Steve 6/19/2009, 10:03 pm
        
        An Unforced Scream Has Occurred. - Nina 6/19/2009, 6:50 pm
« Back to thread

Post a Response

Your Name:

Your Email:

Subject:

Message:

--Previous Message-- : : Indeed we all have individual understandings : of what 'cultivation' means and entails, : Nina--and therein lies much of the : 'friction' experienced on these dao-focused : boards, imo. : : Of course I have a practice. Only dead : people don't have practices. : : My practice, however, doesn't involve : 'cultivating the dao,' as 'cultivating the : dao' is--for me--a non sequitur. In the : same sense that it would be a non sequitur : to say that my nose cultivates my face. : : I understand cultivation as the proactive : attempt--the effort--to further the natural : processes that define and shape : me--intellectually, emotionally, and : spiritually. : : As I read Laozi, I'm reminded that I'm best : off when I allow nature to take its course. : Best off when I stop trying to improve the : universe--'universe' understood as being : both internal and external to me. : : Steve : : : : I see, Steve. : : For me, "allowing nature to take its : course" requires a bit of cultivation. : : Let's say....... : I wake up from a bad dream - a really bad : dream - in a state of panic. At first I : need to look around and see that I'm safe in : my bed. Then I might try to psycho-analyze : the dream. Eventually I'll fall back : asleep. I think the whole process is part : of cultivation. I'm not trying to improve : the universe - just my perspective of it? : : I agree with you...... I don't feel a need : to "cultivate Dao." That sounds : like it's a plant you have to water and pull : the weeds from. :-) : : I cultivate myself. Does that work for you? : : : :

Optional Image URL:

Optional Link Title:
Optional Link URL:

Notify me by email of all message replies.

By posting, you confirm that you have read and agreed to be bound by the board's usage terms.

"The Tao is basically utterly open. Utter openeness has no substance. It ends in endlessness, begins in beginninglessnes".
-Li Daoqun ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Webmaster: zentao00@yahoo.com