The real problem with this whole thread is the fact that those who believe in said "love" however they define that relation can not provide evidence to support those beliefs. Yet at on the other foot those who believe that such beliefs are "delusional" becuase of the lack of physical evidence are commiting an error themselves. They can not prove beyond a doubt that the said belief is not indeed reality. I would remind them in particular that the absence of evidence is not in any way the evidence of a absence. Essentially it makes this whole debate/discussion trivial and meaningless. just something to think about ... You can love the whole and yet never see it. Ones mind can be given to compassion and yet never have been touched by it. That is the power of love for better or for worse. May we all be granted the wisdom to understand that.

Honestly this really just semantics. EFT is no different from reiki, Qi quong, Tai chi, or what we Taoist call Chi Kung, or any of the energy work and medicine whose roots lie in eastern shamanism and vedic practices. Western culture and medicine is still catching up to this and struggling to attach scientific terminology and names to ancient methods and practices of healing that work through what can best be discribed as Internal Alchemy.

If sanity is defined by what is normal i feel compelled to pass on this koan as it was onto me by my teacher.

" In a world of abnormalities who or what defines what is normal?"

just a thought to consider.....

I would know....I happen to currently live in one of those "warehouses of death." Eventually you realize that sanity is highly overrated. When you get down to it best any of us can do is make a go of it ( life that is) and then laugh about it in the end. Best i can figure anyways...

I find the level to which people who are not members of said "secret" society will reach for anything to associate organizations such as the Masons, Thule, Golden Dawn, Hermetica, Seele, and numerous other societies and organizations to evil completely absurd. True many of these organizations have pagan roots. But i would remind people of any faith to do some research. The entire concept of the "devil" and particularlly the idea of him having horns and a tail is a catholic creation. The church as it grew and tryed to absorb other cultures after constantine took each culture's pagan deities and myths and twisted them to be interpeted as of the "devil". A devil who looks surprising like the greek god Pan.....hmmmmm what do you suppose the agenda was there. Any person who has done their research would know that Lucifer, a cherub angel of Yaweh according to judeo-christian beliefs and the book enoch tryed to overthrow Yaweh but was cast down along with a third of the angels to earth where like many creation stories around the world repeat man was decieved by a great "evil" and lost their connection to the divine. Christians, Jews and Muslims call the story Adam and Eve. Greeks called it Pandora's Box. Babyloyians called it Gilgamesh. Taoist call it the Great Seperation. Point is every culture has its own story of the fall of man. You can't go around saying you are any different or better then other system of belief becuase of all the evil that occurs in the world. That is the point you are missing here, evil, sin, karma whatever you wanna call it happens to everybody and no one can use it to justify that their particular faith or belief is better then anyone else's. Arguing that becuase bad or "evil" things happen in the world is a legitimate reason to believe something completely ignores the responsibilty of the said believer to use logic and reason and to provide evidence to support their beliefs.

What is insanity?

lets see where to start on that one....

1. Doing something constantly over and over and hoping to get a different result.

2. Believing that you know something when the knowledge is in its own state subjective.

3. Trying to convince others that something they believe is fundamentally flawed.

4. Conforming to social/political norms and thinking that it is in everybody's best interest to do so.

5. Judging others on how you perceive their actions make you appear.

6. Thinking your entitled to something.

7. Thinking that you or a organized group of individuals to whom you belong are the only ones who are right.

8. Ignoring problems, crisis, or dilemmas in the delusional hope that they will go away or not get worse.

9. Shirking responsibilty on to others with things go wrong and trying to take credit when things go according to plan.

10. Trying to explain or define what can not be explained or defined.

11. Thinking you are sane when you have not yet lost your sanity to know the difference.

Those are just few examples i can thingk of.....

Its called Gladiatus, kinda of a online browser based rpg quest and fighting game i thought it was neat and you guys might wanna check it out here is the link:

http://s8.gladiatus.us/game/c.php?uid=60017

I am not exactly sure how you are making that kind of observation from when i was asking that thread stay on the topic of Taoism. Perhaps you might clarify that for me. Isolation is sometimes a choice individuals make, i will grant you that. Yet i am sure you will agree there are those who have had isolation subjected upon them by a natural course of events or by other people's choices. Case in point: I am due to my health forced to live alone in a nursing home. My having diabetes and other related health problems is by no means a choice of mine nor the circumstances and events that keep me where i am. These "walls" as you suggested are by no means a figment of my mind and anyone who would suggest otherwise is out of touch with reality.
One must recognize that water in a puddle is water that is separate from from flow. Just because i am of the same substance, i.e "water" does not mean that i am connected to the stream or the ocean. Those like myself "stuck in puddles" must therefore in act the principle of Wu wei. Practice non-action, wait, evaporate and then return to the flow or pray for a flood.

It all depends on what kind of alchemy you practice, there is philosophical and psychological alchemy. There is spiritual alchemy.
As a Taoist i practice internal alchemy. What you refered to is external alchemy. Alchemy is the magic or process by which one thing transformed into another. Every form of alchemy follows the same basic rules and principles and the all lead to the "philosopher stone". 1# In order to create something of equal or greater value must be lost. #2 That which is above is also below. #3 In order to transmute something to its highest quality you must refine out the impurities. Even Issac Newton was an alchemist. Where do you think he got the idea that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction? In Taoist Internal Alchemy, the philosopher's stone is Ultimate Unification with the Tao or Source for lack of better words. In order to do this we refine the energy(chi) in our bodies and refine our hearts, minds and then ultimately our soul. The same is true in Kabblahistic (Jewish Mysticism) Alchemy or why the buddhists are trying to reach nirvana. People who achieve such things and still existed in mortal form for a period were called saints, holy men and women, sages, hermits, angels and yes to those who feared them witches and wizards. Alchemy is all around you my friend, you have just but to look, good luck

Oh sorry if came off as critical, dogmatic or casting some heaven forbid judgement on the way you practice Abra, that was sincerely not my intent. I am probably the biggest advocate of spiritual and philosophical freedom. I was just saying for the posteriety of those who would follow in your footsteps that such clarifcations may have been needed. The books, the texts and the knowledge from them is all that remains to pass on to others seeking to carve their own path. I guess that is why i am so detailed in my research and practices. I in no way meant to judge or criticize you. Can you forgive an old soul for lacking the verbal eloquence to state clearly what i intended when i was trying to suggest said clarifications.

May the wind be with you..

ok in my honest opinion this resonance of which you are referring to me sounds alot like Universal Chi, basically the energy that flows through the human body, the philosophers and martial artists of the east have been teaching about it for thousands of year. However I don't think that people who function between 8-30 Hz are going to be anymore elightened then they already are. Energy flows through cycles just as it has for thousands of years. Our we any better than our ancestors were? The answer is no. Each individual is responsible for their own intellectual and spiritual awareness. This energy has resonated since time began and flows through us as it always as. Just becuase the energy resonates at a certain level doesn't determine whether our children will be super intelligent, have special powers or be spiritual leaders. It is their destiny to decide, not some frequency or divine construct. Free Will and Choice determine these things just as they have lead the way in humanity's developments and evolution. Just my thought is all....

Oh by the way Abra.. here is how i divide my info and knowledge up.
i know its kinda silly but i like to color code things....

Red: Western Elemental Magic.

Blue: Eastern Elemental Magic.

Yellow: Divination

Brown: Animal and Fimiliars

Green: Herbalism, Homeopathic, or Medicinal

Orange: Alchemy and Chemistry

Purple: Geomancy

Teal: Meditation, Martial Arts, Energy work

Black: Protection, Talismans, Amulets,

Silver: Intuition, Empathy, ESP

Gold: Astral Travel, Dreams, Spiritual Essence Work

White: Theurgia, Holy or Divine magic, Ceremony

Thats the way i like to arrange things when doing my studies, practice and research. I know it seems rather lengthy but i find it rather useful for referencing specific knowledge.

Chakras

Diet
Herbal Medicine
Physical Exercise - includes Yoga etc.
Feng Shui
Art and Music
Color, Sound and Crystals
Aromatherapy, bathing, clothing and general hygiene

This may not make sense to anyone else, but overall this organization is precisely what I needed. I now have 3 notebooks, one for each main topic, Witchcraft, Shamanism, and Chakras. And I can now organize my path and know precisely where to go to store or retrieve information on any particular topic.


Actually abra i think you sort of have two seperate categories in this system of organization of yours, I think you are grouping Eastern shamanism and mysticism together with what might be considered by most western pagans as green magic and or healing and medicinal magic. As a Taoist and someone who practices eastern methods, i think a you would do better to clarify some things and divide the category into Eastern Shamanism and Homeopathic or Medicinal magic. Feng shui is actually better known as Geomancy and has nothing to do with traditional western medicine or magic. Similar forms of geomancy in the west correlate to the use of ley lines and the natural energy channels across the earth's surface. Western magic also uses only four elements where as eastern magic and medicine correlates to five elements. (west):Earth, Fire, Air and Water while (east) Earth, Metal, Water, Wood and Fire. Some occultist make the mistake of claiming spirit or soul as a fifth element in western mysticism to try ans correlate eastern and western magic. The fallacy in this is realized when the spirit/soul is recognized in both systems. The west would have five elements and the east would have seven. In Taoism there is Hun and Po. A Heaven spirit and a Earth spirit that resides in each human, the Yin and the Yang that the essence of the soul. In fact the western compass is reversed when compared with the east. Western astrology is based on the eliptical cycles and the eastern calendar and astrology system is based on the lunar cycles. Eastern medicine and martial arts differ in great detail to its western equivalents. Acupuncture, Chi Kung, Tai Chi, and meditation encompass working with Ki,Chi or Qi as it sometimes called in the body in way that strengthens, heals and sustains the three treasures of the body. (jing) the life force or generative chi that is stored in kidneys and reproductive organs. (Chi) or the universal energy that flows through the human body along the meridians.(Shen) which is the spiritual essence which resides in the upper dan tien, aka the third eye.
Ironically the seven chakras in hinduism are aligned among the meridian that goes from the top of your head down your center to the sacral point and then back up the spine to the top of the head. This is known as the microcosmic prime meridian and is just one of twelve primary meridian channels in the body. Western medicine is still stuck treating sickness with herbs, manufactured drugs, radiation and surgery. These methods are considered drastic in eastern medicine and are refered to only as a last resort. When you compare east and west magic you will also find such clear distinctions.
Throwing Herbalism, Diet and Nutrition, Eastern Mysticism, Medicine and Magic and there western equivalents together under the heading of "Chakras" can be very confusing and perhaps misleading to those studying such arts. That is just my opinion, not trying to be critical or anything.

That is quite an assumption on your part. You first assumed that isolation is something one chooses. You then assume that I create obstacles for myself as well as others. You suggest being like water. I would kindly remind you that water is yin in nature, receptive and yeilding. It does not choose anything but merely flows and resides within that which it is allowed. Does not water exist in isolation itself sometimes such as puddles, holes, caves and wells? just a thought

The mayans believed that there were four ages or worlds before this one in which we are living in. The calendar is like a precise astronomical clock. It seems alot of people feel safe in assuming that when the this calendar cycles through that something horrible will happen. I would remind people that when clocks, calendars, seasons and cycles end that new ones begin. When fear and panic pushes aside reason and sense that is when humanity is trully at risk.

There can be only one.
<reaches for his tachi....>

Yeah guess the saying the broken become masters at mending rings true. I am a painter and illustrator myself though i have yet to use those skills in the production of a deck myself. Art offers up many rewards to those who claim it as a passion and hopefully your friend will find as i have found that it has many healing elements to it as well.

The moon and the hermit go well together and if they reflect your energy I would say that you are a person who is very interested in the secret knowledge and maybe the occult, although perhaps a bit spooked or maybe just fascinated by it.






Thats actually pretty close, I research and study in arcane, occult and spiritual knowledge. I don't fear as my parents would of had me believing. I try to strike a balance in most things, Faith and reason, Existence and non-existence, knowledge and understanding. Guess it is what drives me, trying to get the answers, find the truth as it were. I was afflicted with diabetes so my friends were always few and limited. Where i didn't have friends i turned to books, research and finding out why. I find most of my studies leading me into the eastern esoterics in my life. I tend to rely more on the eastern system of the I Ching for consultations but that has not hindered my research of others. People say i tend to be more philosophical in my ways then spiritual or scientific but i find that helps me maintain a balance in my thinking and beliefs that suits me well.

This deck is one that me and my friend Darla designed for our own use. We added two cards so the deck has 80 cards total. The two cards we added are the Dark Magician and the Dark Priestess. They are warning cards.

The Dark magician warns that someone is either very angry at you or wants to do you harm. (or even may be practicing dark magic against you.) The Dark priestess warns that there is a spy in your circle whose loyalty is not with you.

The rest of the cards are a standard deck with traditional meanings. Over time, some of those cards have taken on extra meanings.



That's awesome there are still some purists out there that claim the decks can't be modified or changed but I try explain the use of symbolism throughout faiths,the occult and divination systems and how this continues to change and conform over time throughout the systems and centuries. Sounds like a really neat variation.
I would have to say my personal favorite is the Hermit. I remeber the first card that was ever drawn for me was the Moon, shows up constantly in my own personal readings. I not sure if it is trying to indicate people betraying me constantly in my life, or the factor of the esoteric,the occult and the unknown which is a constant as well. Perhaps both but those two themes are always in the readings. Pretty strange huh?

Thats what this is about silly, salvation. I am just stating when it comes to convincing people to believe in this you have to be willing to try and resovle their questions. If you are unwilling to do that then stop going around preaching until you get the knowledge, wisdom, and actual spiritual backbone to do so. It is not about the whole physical evidence arguement. I am saying that faith is not a reason to believe something. Emphasize the "reason" in the last sentence there. Non-believers need reason and logic in order to be able to conclude whether or not they should have faith in a religion. Just a thought...