Integrating Presence

Cease And Desist Letter For Blog Post Referencing TM.org

As of the time of initially publishing on August 30th, 2022 this blog post foregoes judgements and/or conclusions; it’s simply to show the process of a cease and desist letter from a law firm in reference to that now essentially wiped blog post that only points back here along with multiple responses both to the lawyer involved as well as my attempt to forward our email exchange to anyone at tm.org only to be met with a response from the same lawyer who had gotten a hold of this attempt.

One might still be able to find this now removed blog post (and/or various locations of its contents) consisting mostly of publicly available internet material along with some words from me at/from various publicly available online archival services (and/or other online locations)

tm takedown email thread Download

Below is the email thread and exchange in regular text formatted for a blog post:

Re: FW: RE: Trademark Infringement – Transcendental Meditation

From: Josh Dippold <integratingpresence@protonmail.com>

To: Jason Sytsma <JRS@ShuttleworthLaw.com>

Date: Sunday, August 28th, 2022 at 3:28 PM

wow

——- Original Message ——-
On Sunday, August 28th, 2022 at 5:54 AM, Jason Sytsma <JRS@ShuttleworthLaw.com> wrote:

Josh – Thank you for removing the content.

Warm regards,

Jason

Jason R. Sytsma
Shuttleworth & Ingersoll, P.L.C.
115 3^rd Street SE, Suite 500
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
Phone: (319) 731-2216
Fax: (319) 365-8443
E-mail jrs@shuttleworthlaw.com

http://www.shuttleworthlaw.com

From: josh dippold [integratingpresence@protonmail.com]
Sent: August 27, 2022 9:17 AM
To: rfarley@tm.org
Cc: postmaster@tm.org
Subject: Fw: RE: Trademark Infringement – Transcendental Meditation

Wholeness Robert Farley and whom it may concern:

I’m forwarding this to you as your email is the only TM email address I could find. Please start at the bottom of this my email thread with a lawyer claiming to represent TM and forward this email to the appropriate parties please. After I sent my last email to this individual I received no further response from him. Due to the nature of what is mentioned herewithin I request a response from (someone from) the TM organization please

Boundless blessings,

josh dippold

integratingpresence.com

——- Original Message ——-
On Wednesday, August 24th, 2022 at 6:24 PM, josh dippold <integratingpresence@protonmail.com> wrote:

OK Jason R. Sytsma, if I may a little lighthearted joke before I remove this: so if I understand you correctly you’re saying, um, no bro, I’m a bigboy lawyerpants! Me and my people don’t like this josh so get rid of it or else! Neener-neener-neener!

Anyway you’ve basically just repeated yourself like a broken record, paid little heed to my intent and requests. I guess I could forward our exchange to “the Foundation.” Also, please check your first form letter at least partially seemingly spit out by a machine as it says “We expect you to comply with these demands on or before December 01, 2021” but now you’re saying “We insist that you immediately remove this webpage”. Which is it? The inaccurate date or the resending of initial insistence of removal by a time in the past at point of contact? Is any part of this email exchange non-human?

Other than calling on the phone to see if this Jason R. Sytsma is in fact a real living being, I obviously don’t plan to pursue this much further as such ridiculousness is not worth further time and effort

All the best,

josh dippold

integratingpresence.com

Sent with Proton Mail secure email.

——- Original Message ——-
On Wednesday, August 24th, 2022 at 9:42 AM, Jason Sytsma <JRS@ShuttleworthLaw.com> wrote:

Josh – I’m legal counsel for the Foundation and acting on their authority. You are using without authorization the Foundation’s Transcendental Meditation trademark to promote your own version of meditation instruction. The Foundation cannot allow you to continue to infringe its trademark.

The Foundation protects its trademark in this manner to ensure a uniform, consistency of practice. All those who seek information on the TM program deserve accurate information about the TM program. By restricting use of the TM trademarks to only trained, licensed instructors, the Foundation can ensure uniform instruction and consistency in outcome. For these reasons, the Foundation enforces its trademark against unauthorized users.

You are free to promote other forms of meditation with other names. You are not free, however, to use the Foundation’s trademark. We insist that you immediately remove this webpage, else we will be forced to consider further legal action.

Sincerely,

Jason

Jason R. Sytsma
Shuttleworth & Ingersoll, P.L.C.
115 3^rd Street SE, Suite 500
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
Phone: (319) 731-2216
Fax: (319) 365-8443
E-mail jrs@shuttleworthlaw.com

http://www.shuttleworthlaw.com

From: josh dippold <integratingpresence@protonmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, August 24, 2022 9:13 AM
To: Jason Sytsma <JRS@ShuttleworthLaw.com>
Subject: RE: Trademark Infringement – Transcendental Meditation

CYBERSECURITY WARNING : THIS EMAIL ORIGINATED FROM OUTSIDE OF SHUTTLEWORTH.
DO NOT CLICK LINKS, OPEN ATTACHMENTS, OR SHARE CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION UNLESS YOU RECOGNIZE THE SENDER AND KNOW THE CONTENT IS SAFE.

OK Jason Sytsma, is there any compromise here? Is there any other option other than removing the blog post? Have you relayed my changes to “The Foundation”? Also could you please let “The Foundation” know of the aforementioned questions please? Due to the nature of the material I request a reply from “The Foundation” about this directly please.

Boundless blessings,

josh dippold

integratingpresence.com

——- Original Message ——-
On Wednesday, August 24th, 2022 at 4:50 AM, Jason Sytsma <JRS@ShuttleworthLaw.com> wrote:

Josh – Your update is unacceptable. There’s no exception for “research purposes” that would allow you to infringe the Foundation’s trademark. We insist that you remove the page.

Sincerely,

Jason

Jason R. Sytsma
Shuttleworth & Ingersoll, P.L.C.
115 3^rd Street SE, Suite 500
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
Phone: (319) 731-2216
Fax: (319) 365-8443
E-mail jrs@shuttleworthlaw.com

http://www.shuttleworthlaw.com

From: josh dippold <integratingpresence@protonmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, August 23, 2022 5:42 PM
To: Jason Sytsma <JRS@ShuttleworthLaw.com>
Subject: Re: Trademark Infringement – Transcendental Meditation

CYBERSECURITY WARNING : THIS EMAIL ORIGINATED FROM OUTSIDE OF SHUTTLEWORTH.
DO NOT CLICK LINKS, OPEN ATTACHMENTS, OR SHARE CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION UNLESS YOU RECOGNIZE THE SENDER AND KNOW THE CONTENT IS SAFE.

Wholeness Jason Sytsma! I’ve updated the mentioned blog post with the following language:

8/23/2022 Disclaimer Update: This blog post is for research purposes only. I, nor this website, in zero ways intend to infringe upon the Transcendental Meditation trademark especially for competition as everything here and in real life is done on a donation basis with total income since inception being well under a few hundred dollars with expenses far exceeding that. Furthermore this blog post is to spark interest and encourage readers to visit http://tm.org to learn and find a teacher. I apologize for this oversight of not initially including such a disclaimer

Please let me know if this is sufficient to settle this matter.

Boundless blessings,

josh dippold

integratingpresence.com

Sent with Proton Mail secure email.

——- Original Message ——-
On Tuesday, August 23rd, 2022 at 2:56 PM, Jason Sytsma <JRS@ShuttleworthLaw.com> wrote:

Dear Sir:

We represent Maharishi Foundation USA, Inc. (the “Foundation”). The Foundation holds the U.S. exclusive license for the registered service mark, “TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION”, U.S. Reg. No. 1,082,923. In connection with this mark, the Foundation is the exclusive source for educational services related to the teaching of a meditation program under the Transcendental Meditation® (TM®) trademarks in the United States.

The Foundation regards the “Transcendental Meditation” service mark as an enormously valuable asset. In order to preserve the integrity of this mark, and to maintain legal rights to it, the Foundation cannot allow unlicensed uses of this mark or uses of the mark in a manner that creates a likelihood of confusion.

We recently learned that you are using the term “Transcendence Meditation” to promote your own competing meditation instruction online at:

https://integratingpresence.com/2021/04/18/transendental-mediation-tm-mantra-variations/

The federal Lanham Act prohibits the use of any copy or colorable imitation of a federally registered trademark in a manner that is likely to cause confusion. You are using the Foundation’s trademark to promote your own meditation instruction. This constitutes trademark infringement

We insist that you remove immediately all reference to any “transcend-formative” words from your websites and advertising. This necessarily includes ceasing any further references to “Transcendental Meditation” or using “transcend” or “transcendence” when advertising meditation or other forms of instruction in personal development.

We expect you to comply with these demands on or before December 01, 2021, or contact the undersigned before that date and confirm that you are in the process of complying with our demands.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,

Jason R. Sytsma
Shuttleworth & Ingersoll, P.L.C.
115 3^rd Street SE, Suite 500
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
Phone: (319) 731-2216
Fax: (319) 365-8443
E-mail jrs@shuttleworthlaw.com

http://www.shuttleworthlaw.com

Quashing Gossip

Listen to the full unedited version of Quashing Gossip with or without the Wisdom App: https://join.wisdom.audio/WdQK

The description to this August 17th, 2022 Insight Timer live event and subsequent notes:

Pretty much all considering joining this already know they’d like to gossip less so let’s dig into some teachings to really drive home the importance of quashing our gossip as we interactively share questions, feedback, contemplate, reflect and explore solutions

Recently uncovered levels of shame so forgive me if any of this where notes written beforehand comes off as shaming
I’m obviously not beyond gossip yet but am more interested in events and ideas so I’m kind of like an alien overhearing gossip at cafes then observing, contemplating, getting insights and “downloads”. Glad for this though and not everybody tethered to devices.
I’ve been out of traditional workplace for awhile which is a different more dangerous dynamic
Not to take to other extreme of avoiding discussing uncomfortable occurrences or keeping secrets only to perpetuate harm
relationships built on gossip
enlivens life
compassionate potential in weird way
comparison / ego involvement
how much is reflective or indicative of the degree to which one values and validates one’s own life and behavior?
Seems so juicy, important, irresistible, but what is the intent and reasons for involvement, even if just talking about someone?
How much are we trying to control other people — via judgements and advice — and not wanting it to happen to us or avoid that we may still do the same thing?
Can and how much of (unusual/foreign-like) drama of others points out what’s missing or not understood about one’s own relationships? How much do we learn from what others are going through and how can we do so better without getting addicted to and fueling unhelpful drama?
What do we find idle chatter and boring? What do we find juicy? How much of our assessment is person specific?
How can societal importance on an event affect how related, or involved people are gossiped about i.e., extra chatter from a “news item”?
Recall a gossip session. Recall for a few moments what was:
- emotionally triggering
- emotionally amplifying
- a release, a relief
- gratifying and a reinforcement to repeat this and/or other gossip

Ways to master gossip

feel what’s happening in and to body
after identifying some of the unskillful, unwise, unwholesome, unhelpful aspects (we’ve explored) consider the choice to stop feeding them
“Don’t respond to drama and drama won’t respond to you”
Notice where the value and worthiness is, where it’s coming from or where and how value and worthiness is missing
How can life be enlivened in the moment, especially with (former) gossip pals, without always relying on external stimulus?
How can we identify what gossip games and programs, old and new are running? How can we develop new healthy habits to replace them.
Old fashion: Males bond more around shared interests. How can males gossip less around shared interests? Female tend to bond more around relationships. How can females gossip less while still deeply engaging in relationships? Perhaps being more absorbed into the present helps both
Identify common, easy to notice landmarks and reference points to help recognize patterns and traps when gossiping that shout, “hey this is now happening again. I see it and now can choose differently.” Then what are some of those better choices?
“What we notice about others is what we’ve already addressed in ourselves”
Talk to people not about people

Listen to the full unedited version of Quashing Gossip with or without the Wisdom App: https://join.wisdom.audio/WdQK

Audio: Quashing Gossip [Unedited]

Or listen via Insight Timer (app or website)

From Matt Kahn’s 2/27/2024 newsletter ‘How to Eliminate the Tendency to Gossip’:

Are you sitting down? Don’t worry, you’re the first to know. But you cannot tell anyone. You’re never going to believe what they did next! How many times have you heard the breaking news alarm blaring within your social circles as you hope you are near the front of the line to get the latest salacious update on who did what? In a world where many define trust by how ‘in the know’ they remain with the juiciest details of someone’s life, the tendency to gossip continues to pull on the fabric of a society that often prefers talking about one another over talking to each other.

Fundamentally, the need for gossip has a few levels of motivation. At its core, gossiping is intended to be a way for people to process their feelings or gain the support of loved ones during times of difficulty. The oversight that turns sharing into gossip is discovered in where our focus is placed. While it is natural to share details about our experiences, when the focus is too consumed on ‘who did what’ along with deciding ‘what do we think of them as a result,’ the healing power of processing halts in the face of personal judgment.

As a way of seeing through and eliminating the tendency to gossip and judge, it is important to remember emotional processing is most effective when the focus of your sharing is centered more on how you feel than on the vilifying of another. Of course, if someone has violated your personal space, it is important to let people that you trust know to help advocate for your well-being. While confiding in someone you trust about the abuses you are ready to be freed from requires talking about another person, there is a palpable level of intention that makes a cry for help a much different experience than talking behind someone’s back.

Even when the energy just needs to speak disparaging words toward the character or people associated with your wounds, it is of equal importance for those holding space for your process to witness your sharing without feeding anyone’s ego through reflections of judgment. When operating from states of unconsciousness, it is common to believe you are offering companionship to others in pain by adopting their enemies as your own. While you don’t have to degrade the value of a person who hurt someone you love, it is equally unhelpful to correct someone in pain, who may need to accuse, criticize, and condemn a character, in order to move the layers of emotional energy that guide them further through their own healing process.

Since it is common to overlook the value of emotional companionship needed when holding space is invited, it can be nearly instinctive to partner up with others, in an attempt to become spiritual detectives intent on figuring out the motivations of another. Instead of focusing on ‘who did what’ or determining who was right or wrong, space holding is more so a willingness to be present for the versions of truth each person perceives, as it relates to the feelings that have surfaced to be healed. Even though people’s perceptions of reality can vary, shaped by their life experiences and internalized pain, it’s crucial to recognize that everyone has the inherent right to experience and navigate their emotions in their own manner, provided it doesn’t inflict harm on others, without being judged for the validity of their feelings.

Rather than fueling the fire of someone’s judgments or even trying to correct them, of fundamental importance when holding space is to honor how someone feels, no matter the narratives attached to each feeling or memory. In order to do so, it is important to resist the temptation to dig for information, even when the other person wants to give you updates, show you text threads, or troll someone’s social media pages in your presence. Instead, it is important to distinguish yourself as an ally of their soul and not an enabling haven for their ego to hide in. This occurs by maintaining a focus on someone’s emotional journey no matter how steeped in envy, jealousy, wrath, judgment, or rage they may need to be.

For example, let’s say a friend in pain says, “How could they have done this to me?” In all honesty, you can say, ‘I don’t know’ because the truth is, you don’t. You may have strong suspicions in one direction or another, but because you haven’t lived a lifetime in someone else’s shoes, you couldn’t assume to know anyone’s true motives without living out their history of pleasure and pain. Even when your intuition says, ‘I know exactly why,’ it is important to distinguish the ego’s belief in being intuitive from the true beauty of intuitive knowing.

When co-opted by the ego, you are likely to confuse the impulse of snap judgments with a sense of higher knowing—as if knowing why anything happened the way it did offers some degree of relief. Contrary to the ego’s ‘intuitive’ need to know, the soul’s version of intuition is knowing the right question to ask and the right things to say to help someone face themselves with supportive connection and compassion. In truth, relief is not a matter of knowing why, since there are always endless versions of why waiting to be answered. Instead, true relief is found in facing how we feel, whether in time spent alone or through the support of loved ones.

To help you deepen your ability to hold space by eliminating the tendency to gossip, please consider the following tips:

• Gossip is an unconscious way of feeling special. When we know details that others don’t, we are momentarily freed from beliefs in inferiority and fears of rejection by being ‘in the know’. Because gossip creates an energetic phenomenon known as ‘triangulation’, there is no redeeming healing benefit for any person involved when the sharing of feelings becomes the ridiculing or accusatory nature of talking behind someone’s back.

• To the best of your ability, choose to replace ‘what do I think about this’ with ‘how do I feel about it’.What you think about things is mainly an extrapolation of judgment that gives you no greater ability to feel or uncover the next most empowered steps you may need to take. It’s simply how the ego derives a false sense of power from the circumstances it has felt disempowered by. Since the ego doesn’t know how to make courageous decisions without making someone else an enemy to reject or avoid, you are better off focusing on your feelings, along with the changes in environment, relationship, or lifestyle that only have to be right for you and the journey you’re on.

• While you may be present when gossip ensues, trying to correct anyone’s behavior helps no one heal. In order to move from victimhood into empowerment, one must be permitted space to give words to their feelings. Gossip is a judgmental free-for-all where everyone engages in this expression with no one holding space for another person’s feelings. As this occurs, you can sit quietly and hold space for the emotionally-fueled sharing of others. Although, it is only helpful if it’s a space you willfully desire holding. Sometimes gossip can become so toxic that you may choose to remove yourself from the spiral of projection. When this occurs, you can politely excuse yourself without any need to correct the behavior of others, allowing it to naturally correct on its own as their healing deepens. This may help remind your inner healer that while you may be capable of space holding, it can only be a powerful gift to offer when holding space is a choice instead of an insistence or obligation.

When connecting takes precedence over correcting, we are able to hold space for the healing occurring in ourselves and others without adopting anyone’s narrative or creating energetic patterns of triangulation. Since the aim of personal integrity is to treat ourselves and others the way we wish to be treated, one of the best ways to heal lingering wounds of rejection, abandonment, and betrayal is to refuse playing that same hurtful role in someone else’s life. From this space of mindful compassion, the elimination of gossip becomes instinctive versus effortful and can occur for everyone’s mutual benefit.

Classic Images For The Five Hindrances

The five hindrances — sensual desire, ill will, sloth & torpor, restlessness & worry, and doubt — hinder progress in meditation and in our daily lives. These five shroud: clarity of mind, the capacity of mindfulness, wisdom, and concentration. This wikipedia table states how each are suppressed and during what stages of enlightenment they are eradicated:

	method of suppression	path of eradication
sensual desire	first jhana based on bodily foulness	nonreturning or arahantship ^[c]
ill will	first jhana based on metta	nonreturning
sloth and torpor	perception of light	arahantship
restlessness and worry	serenity	arahantship and nonreturning
doubt	defining of phenomena (dhammavavatthāna)	stream-entry

SN 46:55 contains the following similes:

Sensual Desire/Lust

Just as, brahmin, if there is a pot of water mixed with orange, yellow, indigo or crimson dye, and a man with good sight should consider his own facial image in it, he could not recognize nor see it as it really is. So too when someone abides with their mind pervaded with sensual lust, overcome with sensual lust…

Ill-will

Just as, brahmin, if there is a pot of water heated over a fire, bubbling and boiling, and a man with good sight should consider his own facial image in it, he could not recognize nor see it as it really is. So too when someone abides with their mind pervaded by ill-will, overcome with ill-will …

Lethargy, Drowsiness, Sloth, Torpor

Just as, brahmin, if there is a pot of water covered with algae and water plants, and a man with good sight should consider his own facial image in it, he could not recognize nor see it as it really is. So too when someone abides with their mind pervaded by lethargy and drowsiness, overcome with lethargy and drowsiness …

Restlessness, Remorse, Worry

Just as, brahmin, if there is a pot of water stirred by the wind, agitated, swirling, producing wavelets, and a man with good sight should consider his own facial image in it, he could not recognize nor see it as it really is. So too when someone abides with their mind pervaded by restlessness and remorse, overcome by restlessness and remorse …

Doubt

Just as, brahmin, if there is a pot of water that is stirred up, turbid and muddy, placed in the dark, and a man with good sight should consider his own facial image in it, he could not recognize nor see it as it really is. So too when someone abides with their mind pervaded by doubt, overcome with doubt …

The above quotes come via: Working with the Five Hindrances by Ajahn Thiradhammo https://forestsangha.org/system/resources/W1siZiIsIjIwMTYvMDEvMDgvMzMyeGhkZ3BqZl9Xb3JraW5nX3dpdGhfdGhlX0ZpdmVfSGluZHJhbmNlc19BamFobl9UaGlyYWRoYW1tby5wZGYiXV0/Working%20with%20the%20Five%20Hindrances%20-%20Ajahn%20Thiradhammo.pdf

Further metaphors for the hindrances

from Digha Nikaya No. 2:

Sensory Desires: Taking Out a Loan

Ill Will or Aversion: Sickness

Sloth or Torpor: Imprisonment

Restlessness: Slavery

Doubt: Lost in a Desert

Reminded of these similes via: https://medium.com/mind-cafe/buddha-describes-5-hindrances-that-may-stop-us-from-living-up-to-our-full-potential-42bcd7b21a30

Antidotes

vitakka (“applied thought,” “coarse examination”) counteracts sloth-torpor (lethargy and drowsiness)
vicāra (“sustained thought,” “precise investigation”) counteracts doubt (uncertainty)
pīti (rapture, well-being) counteracts ill-will (malice)
sukha (non-sensual pleasure) counteracts restlessness-worry (excitation and anxiety)
ekaggatā (one-pointedness, single-pointed attention) counteracts sensory desire

Other resources:

The Five Mental Hindrances and Their Conquest — https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nyanaponika/wheel026.html

https://www.amazon.com/Unhindered-Mindful-Path-Through-Hindrances/dp/0989833402/

Studying And Practicing With “The Iddhipāda-Vibhaṅga Sutta — An Analysis Of The Bases Of Power”: Unpacking Hindrances And Another Translation Reading (2 of 7)

The Beautiful Training (Precept) Of Non-harming

Listen to the full unedited version of this talk with or without the Wisdom App: https://join.wisdom.audio/kohr

While this August 5th edited live event is quite listenable there’s still a little bit of hissing background noise remaining. The portion about hunting and vegetarianism are also edited out although the wisdom app call-in is included. (I forgot to mention I’m not a strict vegetarian as I occasionally eat some cheeses with animal rennet and take some supplements with gelatin capsules. I did not go into the many more complex areas and nuances around food to consider such as environments, situations, cultures, time periods, etc., before drawing conclusions on this matter.)

The event description:

What does it mean to engage in non-harming? How does one practice this and why? Beautiful? Yes! How?

Three main categorial approaches:

What is harm
Importance
A beautiful training

Original notes:

Story: “how many times do you have to have the crap kicked out of you to feel love?” Then my example as acting out as a kid

: physical injury, especially that which is deliberately inflicted

: physical or mental damage : INJURY

: MISCHIEF, HURT

: physical or mental damage or injury : something that causes someone or something to be hurt, broken, made less valuable or successful, etc.

: to cause hurt, injury, or damage to (someone or something) : to cause harm to (someone or something
Various dictionary definitions of harm

like everything else this starts in the mind
lack vagina crown, C-section enlist harm from others, grateful for surgery though
how can men and women play less harmful games with each other? look at the content of many songs and media and folks around us

Areas of harm

obvious (to me):

(bodily) action [I forgot to elaborate on the Three Stooges]
emotion

not obvious (to me):

thought
speech

in between obvious and not obvious:

psychological
psychic

if all refrained from taking human life for one day
Theory: satisfaction of being conscious of decay /erosion /extinguishment not implying harm though I wonder if this is so unconscious that for some it takes the extreme of harm to realize (at times). [Also, to clarify around the cycles of decay and renewal I mean more of an entering into and remaining in more of a continually conscious/aware state of the cycles of decay and renewal.]
hunting
young girl and toad

Please quickly correct this: the sane response to the insane insistence and insane persistence of the insanity of war is being mental
— j dippold (@JJDippold) August 5, 2022

Death Contemplation And Meditation

foolish false power of harming. how can one not be emasculated by non-harming? refraining and restraint actually requires and displays more power and self mastery. martial arts.
even if there were no repercussions and consequences for killing how would it solve any of anybody’s issues or anyone else’s?
what is the intent for harming? How do some people get sexually aroused and/or use harm to compensate for sexual shortcomings?
righteousness and if those who say a higher power justifies harm how can this be proven and demonstrated other than shows of force that still can’t destroy truth?
how much can one harm by not walking away from certain people and situations? what is the strength needed for this like compared to harming someone physically? are there the equivalent of gyms and combat training for this? or just fools?
[Not mentioned: with all his powers and accomplishments the Buddha was not able to stop war]
truth can set you free. it can also destroy and not be destroyed itself so non-harm tempers its destructive side in particular the destruction that’s (potentially) unskillful, unwise, unwholesome

Speech

taking on what other say as who we are
hate speech term alternative
self-harm and self-hate
cycles of victim hating victimizer and vice versa
bridging hate to loving kindness, bodily, verbal, mental
feels harmful
often find out after saying something that it has been received as harmful. so is what was said harmful in itself or was it interpreted as harmful? either way finding out and taking reasonable measures to resolve not to harm in this way with this being again
brother and I raising our voices at each other and impressed my dad stepped in and I forget what he said to him but said I need to think before I speak. I immediately agreed
how subtle can this go?
Dharmic Strategies For Empaths

What if a player was forced to watch the full decomposition (maybe taking weeks) of every target they killed in ultra violent video games before being allowed to kill another?
— j dippold (@JJDippold) July 30, 2022

Importance

6th line of Dhammapada: ill-will can never overcome ill-will only non-ill will can. this is an ancient and eternal law
ethical base of non-harm
opposite
training instead of just thou shall not
insects
meat?

A Beautiful Training

beautiful?
even more beautiful to inspire others of non-harming
flowers
difficult to be in conflict if finding something beautiful
gift of safety

Title of this event inspired by the online retreat Dharmic Pleasure and Karmic Beauty with Gil Fronsdal

Audio: The Beautiful Training (Precept) Of Non-harming

Or listen via Insight Timer (app or website)

Four ways elucidated in the sutta below:

painful now and results in future pain
painful now and results in future pleasure
pleasant now and results in future pain
pleasant now and results in future pleasure

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. There the Buddha addressed the mendicants, “Mendicants!”

“Venerable sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

“Mendicants, sentient beings typically have the wish, desire, and hope: ‘Oh, if only unlikable, undesirable, and disagreeable things would decrease, and likable, desirable, and agreeable things would increase!’ But exactly the opposite happens to them. What do you take to be the reason for this?”

“Our teachings are rooted in the Buddha. He is our guide and our refuge. Sir, may the Buddha himself please clarify the meaning of this. The mendicants will listen and remember it.”

“Well then, mendicants, listen and pay close attention, I will speak.”

“Yes, sir,” they replied. The Buddha said this:

“Take an uneducated ordinary person who has not seen the noble ones, and is neither skilled nor trained in the teaching of the noble ones. They’ve not seen good persons, and are neither skilled nor trained in the teaching of the good persons. They don’t know what practices they should cultivate and foster, and what practices they shouldn’t cultivate and foster. So they cultivate and foster practices they shouldn’t, and don’t cultivate and foster practices they should. When they do so, unlikable, undesirable, and disagreeable things increase, and likable, desirable, and agreeable things decrease. Why is that? Because that’s what it’s like for someone who doesn’t know.

But an educated noble disciple has seen the noble ones, and is skilled and trained in the teaching of the noble ones. They’ve seen good persons, and are skilled and trained in the teaching of the good persons. They know what practices they should cultivate and foster, and what practices they shouldn’t cultivate and foster. So they cultivate and foster practices they should, and don’t cultivate and foster practices they shouldn’t. When they do so, unlikable, undesirable, and disagreeable things decrease, and likable, desirable, and agreeable things increase. Why is that? Because that’s what it’s like for someone who knows.

Mendicants, there are these four ways of taking up practices. What four? There is a way of taking up practices that is painful now and results in future pain. There is a way of taking up practices that is pleasant now but results in future pain. There is a way of taking up practices that is painful now but results in future pleasure. There is a way of taking up practices that is pleasant now and results in future pleasure.

When it comes to the way of taking up practices that is painful now and results in future pain, an ignoramus, without knowing this, doesn’t truly understand: ‘This is the way of taking up practices that is painful now and results in future pain.’ So instead of avoiding that practice, they cultivate it. When they do so, unlikable, undesirable, and disagreeable things increase, and likable, desirable, and agreeable things decrease. Why is that? Because that’s what it’s like for someone who doesn’t know.

When it comes to the way of taking up practices that is pleasant now and results in future pain, an ignoramus … cultivates it … and disagreeable things increase …

When it comes to the way of taking up practices that is painful now and results in future pleasure, an ignoramus … doesn’t cultivate it … and disagreeable things increase …

When it comes to the way of taking up practices that is pleasant now and results in future pleasure, an ignoramus … doesn’t cultivate it … and disagreeable things increase … Why is that? Because that’s what it’s like for someone who doesn’t know.

When it comes to the way of taking up practices that is painful now and results in future pain, a wise person, knowing this, truly understands: ‘This is the way of taking up practices that is painful now and results in future pain.’ So instead of cultivating that practice, they avoid it. When they do so, unlikable, undesirable, and disagreeable things decrease, and likable, desirable, and agreeable things increase. Why is that? Because that’s what it’s like for someone who knows.

When it comes to the way of taking up practices that is pleasant now and results in future pain, a wise person … doesn’t cultivate it … and agreeable things increase …

When it comes to the way of taking up practices that is painful now and results in future pleasure, a wise person … cultivates it … and agreeable things increase …

When it comes to the way of taking up practices that is pleasant now and results in future pleasure, a wise person, knowing this, truly understands: ‘This is the way of taking up practices that is pleasant now and results in future pleasure.’ So instead of avoiding that practice, they cultivate it. When they do so, unlikable, undesirable, and disagreeable things decrease, and likable, desirable, and agreeable things increase. Why is that? Because that’s what it’s like for someone who knows.

And what is the way of taking up practices that is painful now and results in future pain? It’s when someone in pain and sadness kills living creatures, steals, and commits sexual misconduct. They use speech that’s false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical. And they’re covetous, malicious, with wrong view. Because of these things they experience pain and sadness. And when their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. This is called the way of taking up practices that is painful now and results in future pain.

And what is the way of taking up practices that is pleasant now but results in future pain? It’s when someone with pleasure and happiness kills living creatures, steals, and commits sexual misconduct. They use speech that’s false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical. And they’re covetous, malicious, with wrong view. Because of these things they experience pleasure and happiness. But when their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. This is called the way of taking up practices that is pleasant now but results in future pain.

And what is the way of taking up practices that is painful now but results in future pleasure? It’s when someone in pain and sadness doesn’t kill living creatures, steal, or commit sexual misconduct. They don’t use speech that’s false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical. And they’re contented, kind-hearted, with right view. Because of these things they experience pain and sadness. But when their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm. This is called the way of taking up practices that is painful now but results in future pleasure.

And what is the way of taking up practices that is pleasant now and results in future pleasure? It’s when someone with pleasure and happiness doesn’t kill living creatures, steal, or commit sexual misconduct. They don’t use speech that’s false, divisive, harsh, or nonsensical. And they’re contented, kind-hearted, with right view. Because of these things they experience pleasure and happiness. And when their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm. This is called the way of taking up practices that is pleasant now and results in future pleasure. These are the four ways of taking up practices.

Suppose there was some bitter gourd mixed with poison. Then a man would come along who wants to live and doesn’t want to die, who wants to be happy and recoils from pain. They’d say to him: ‘Here, mister, this is bitter gourd mixed with poison. Drink it if you like. If you drink it, the color, aroma, and flavor will be unappetizing, and it will result in death or deadly pain.’ He wouldn’t reject it. Without reflection, he’d drink it. The color, aroma, and flavor would be unappetizing, and it would result in death or deadly pain. This is comparable to the way of taking up practices that is painful now and results in future pain, I say.

Suppose there was a bronze cup of beverage that had a nice color, aroma, and flavor. But it was mixed with poison. Then a man would come along who wants to live and doesn’t want to die, who wants to be happy and recoils from pain. They’d say to him: ‘Here, mister, this bronze cup of beverage has a nice color, aroma, and flavor. But it’s mixed with poison. Drink it if you like. If you drink it, the color, aroma, and flavor will be appetizing, but it will result in death or deadly pain.’ He wouldn’t reject it. Without reflection, he’d drink it. The color, aroma, and flavor would be appetizing, but it would result in death or deadly pain. This is comparable to the way of taking up practices that is pleasant now and results in future pain, I say.

Suppose there was some fermented urine mixed with different medicines. Then a man with jaundice would come along. They’d say to him: ‘Here, mister, this is fermented urine mixed with different medicines. Drink it if you like. If you drink it, the color, aroma, and flavor will be unappetizing, but after drinking it you will be happy.’ He wouldn’t reject it. After appraisal, he’d drink it. The color, aroma, and flavor would be unappetizing, but after drinking it he would be happy. This is comparable to the way of taking up practices that is painful now and results in future pleasure, I say.

Suppose there was some curds, honey, ghee, and molasses all mixed together. Then a man with dysentery would come along. They’d say to him: ‘Here, mister, this is curds, honey, ghee, and molasses all mixed together. Drink it if you like. If you drink it, the color, aroma, and flavor will be appetizing, and after drinking it you will be happy.’ He wouldn’t reject it. After appraisal, he’d drink it. The color, aroma, and flavor would be appetizing, and after drinking it he would be happy. This is comparable to the way of taking up practices that is pleasant now and results in future pleasure, I say.

It’s like the time after the rainy season when the sky is clear and cloudless. And when the sun rises, it dispels all the darkness from the sky as it shines and glows and radiates. In the same way, this way of taking up practices that is pleasant now and results in future pleasure dispels the doctrines of the various other ascetics and brahmins as it shines and glows and radiates.”

That is what the Buddha said. Satisfied, the mendicants were happy with what the Buddha said.
Middle Discourses 46
The Great Discourse on Taking Up Practices

Crystal Gazing Contemplation / Meditation

Easy to remember shortcut for this blog post:
https://tinyurl.com/crystalcontemplation

Unlike the two crystals I mention using, or the cluster or matrix shown here, I suggest using only one easy to hold crystal starting off.

In order to tune in more deeply, it’s probably better to pause and extend the meditation to sit longer in silence with the crystal. Do so after the initial instructions during the allotted time period around the two minute twelve second mark before getting into the main contemplation.

Also, please only use the notes below after doing the meditation at least once. It’s provided here as a quick reference if desiring to put any of this to memory instead of having to re-listen

Studying And Practicing With “The Iddhipāda-Vibhaṅga Sutta — An Analysis Of The Bases Of Power”: “Psychic Powers,” Practice Combinations And Miscellany (6 of 7)

Article shortcut: https://tinyurl.com/basesofpower

Series introduction:

While I reference some non-Buddhist material most everything in the notes and podcasts for this series on The Iddhipāda-Vibhaṅga Sutta are solely my effort to relate considerations, questions, experiences, explorations, suggestions, interpretations and practices involved and associated with this sutta.

This series comes via seven categories/blog posts/podcasts:

In more detail, the four Iddhipāda — sometimes translated as bases of psychic power, basis of psychic power, bases of power, base of spiritual power, wings to success, paths of accomplishment, accomplishments, or roads to power — are:

chanda: desire; enthusiasm; purpose; wish
viriya: persistence; energy; effort; will
citta: intent; consciousness; knowing mind; mental development; devoting mind to; heart-mind
vīmaṃsā: investigation; inquiry; discernment; discrimination; reason; interest; intelligent curiosity; [(perhaps a new contribution, or for chanda:) balanced and helpful enthrallment, fascination]; feedback and fine tuning, adjustment; learn from doing; circumspection

Along with aiding our even mundane accomplishments and mastery, perhaps the Iddhipāda play a significant role in approaching will — the way one decides on and initiates action — and at the core of The Iddhipāda-Vibhaṅga Sutta is an analysis of will along with instructions for its training, development, and use.

“Psychic Powers”

The specific powers enumerated here are repeated in various suttas
childhood fascinations with superpowers now mainstreamed by Marvel and DC movies
In somewhat modern parlance these are sometimes labeled: Clairvoyance, Clairaudience, Psychokinesis, Levitation, Telepathy, Invisibility, Precognition, Teleportation, and a type of bilocation but not just two places at once but materializing multiple versions of oneself then transforming them all back into one.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_psychic_abilities
- https://integratingpresence.com/2020/12/20/supranormal-or-so-called-psychic-powers-in-the-buddhist-pali-cannon
Prohibitions on public display of psychic powers for monks:

When the four bases of psychic power have been developed and cultivated in this way, they wield the many kinds of psychic power: multiplying themselves and becoming one again; appearing and disappearing; going unimpeded through a wall, a rampart, or a mountain as if through space; diving in and out of the earth as if it were water; walking on water as if it were earth; flying cross-legged through the sky like a bird; touching and stroking with the hand the sun and moon, so mighty and powerful; controlling the body as far as the Brahmā realm.

[Integrating Presence note: beginning of portion perhaps left out of this sutta but included in others where the psychic powers are repeated with the same language:]

With clairaudience that is purified and superhuman, they hear both kinds of sounds, human and divine, whether near or far.

They understand the minds of other beings and individuals, having comprehended them with their own mind. They understand mind with greed as ‘mind with greed’, and mind without greed as ‘mind without greed’. They understand mind with hate as ‘mind with hate’, and mind without hate as ‘mind without hate’. They understand mind with delusion as ‘mind with delusion’, and mind without delusion as ‘mind without delusion’. They understand constricted mind as ‘constricted mind’, and scattered mind as ‘scattered mind’. They understand expansive mind as ‘expansive mind’, and unexpansive mind as ‘unexpansive mind’. They understand mind that is not supreme as ‘mind that is not supreme’, and mind that is supreme as ‘mind that is supreme’. They understand mind immersed in samādhi as ‘mind immersed in samādhi’, and mind not immersed in samādhi as ‘mind not immersed in samādhi’. They understand freed mind as ‘freed mind’, and they understand unfreed mind as ‘unfreed mind’.

They recollect many kinds of past lives. That is: one, two, three, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, a hundred, a thousand, a hundred thousand rebirths; many eons of the world contracting, many eons of the world expanding, many eons of the world contracting and expanding. They remember: ‘There, I was named this, my clan was that, I looked like this, and that was my food. This was how I felt pleasure and pain, and that was how my life ended. When I passed away from that place I was reborn somewhere else. There, too, I was named this, my clan was that, I looked like this, and that was my food. This was how I felt pleasure and pain, and that was how my life ended. When I passed away from that place I was reborn here.’ And so they recollect their many kinds of past lives, with features and details.

With clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, they see sentient beings passing away and being reborn—inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place. They understand how sentient beings are reborn according to their deeds: ‘These dear beings did bad things by way of body, speech, and mind. They spoke ill of the noble ones; they had wrong view; and they acted out of that wrong view. When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell. These dear beings, however, did good things by way of body, speech, and mind. They never spoke ill of the noble ones; they had right view; and they acted out of that right view. When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.’ And so, with clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, they see sentient beings passing away and being reborn—inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place. They understand how sentient beings are reborn according to their deeds.

[end of portion perhaps left out of this sutta]

When the four bases of psychic power have been developed and cultivated in this way, they realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life. And they live having realized it with their own insight due to the ending of defilements.”
[Please reach out with any corrections and suggestions for my inclusion(/guesses) of expanding/extending/filling in the omitted redundant text indicated by “…” from:]
Linked Discourses 51
2. Shaking the Stilt Longhouse
20. Analysis
https://suttacentral.net/sn51.20/en/sujato

57. 5. He resolves with knowledge (§48): when he has accomplished these things consisting of the planes, bases (roads), steps, and roots, of success (to supernormal power), [387] then he attains jhana as the basis for direct-knowledge and emerges from it. Then if he wants to become a hundred, he does the preliminary work thus, “Let me become a hundred, let me become a hundred,” after which he again attains jhana as basis for direct-knowledge, emerges, and resolves. He becomes a hundred simultaneously with the resolving consciousness. The same method applies in the case of a thousand, and so on. If he does not succeed in this way, he should do the preliminary work again, and attain, emerge, and resolve a second time. For it is said in the Saíyutta Commentary that it is allowable to attain once, or twice.

58. Herein, the basic-jhana consciousness has the sign as its object; but the preliminary-work consciousnesses have the hundred as their object or the thousand as their object. And these latter are objects as appearances, not as concepts. The resolving consciousness has likewise the hundred as its object or the thousand as its object. That arises once only, next to change-of-lineage [consciousness], as in the case of absorption consciousness already described (IV.78), and it is fine-material-sphere consciousness belonging to the fourth jhana.

59. Now, it is said in the Paþisambhidá: “Normally one, he adverts to [himself as] many or a hundred or a thousand or a hundred thousand; having adverted, he resolves with knowledge, ‘Let me be many.’ He becomes many, like the venerable Cú¿a-Panthaka” (Paþis II 207). Here he adverts is said with respect only to the preliminary work. Having adverted, he resolves with knowledge is said with respect to the knowledge of the direct-knowledge. Consequently, he adverts to many. After that he attains with the last one of the preliminary-work consciousnesses. After emerging from the attainment, he again adverts thus, “Let me be many,” after which he resolves by means of the single [consciousness] belonging to the knowledge of direct-knowledge, which has arisen next to the three, or four, preparatory consciousnesses that have occurred, and which has the name “resolve” owing to its making the decision. This is how the meaning should be understood here.
Details about multiplying from Chapter 12 of Visuddhimagga — The Path of Purification

Could “Having been one he [a monk] becomes many; having been many he becomes one” be in any way related to reproductive ability yet being celibate? And if money is a symbol of power enabling the acquisition of multiplicity but monks are not allowed to handle or be directly involved with money, could this also play into this power? What about the opposite, those who aren’t monks, who aren’t celibate and who’s creational energy in entangled with monetary systems?
- These are obscure modern day considerations but to reiterate the aforementioned thread, how might the following influence this ability of having been one s/he becomes many; having been many s/he becomes one:
  - various modes of entanglement to/with monetary systems
  - buying a representation of influence (or maybe even the psychic power spells/charms mentioned in https://suttacentral.net/dn11/en/sujato https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/DN/DN11.html?
  - Money being an (inverted) symbol for reproduction
Not mentioned in podcast:
- how might mastery of this power of “having been one he [a monk] becomes many; having been many he becomes one” play into any kind of conscious choices for rebirth(s) especially during the last mind moment?
- (How) could the terms/notions of Servitor and Eidolon apply to “having been one he [a monk] becomes many; having been many he becomes one”?
- Also heard the term “transconventional powers” describe these or similar
Why gain (these) powers? Are they only for monks? Well, the Buddha advised training to attain them. One can summons the purported psychic powers as motivation for practice, especially wholesome desire. Don’t be afraid of, or dismiss (your) worth and spiritual power when it comes to this. The Buddha was very wise and helpful on so many things and he’s saying this is OK to practice and develop and the attainment quite possible. Furthermore, these or similar powers can address usually unseen influences to (acquire knowledge to) help alleviate suffering and/or contribute to less suffering.
scientific studies of past lives
The following passage for me clearly expounds empathy beyond just empathing feeling and emotions for the section: “He knows the awareness of other beings, other individuals, having encompassed it with his own awareness. He discerns a mind with passion as ‘a mind with passion,’ and a mind without passion as ‘a mind without passion.’ …..”
Why might some of these powers be harder to gain than others (at this time)? Could collective kamma, if that is a thing, play into this? Could developing certain powers be more conducive to certain eras than others? For example, intuition and the knowing of minds might be found more in today’s culture climate of valuing the (thinking) mind so much. Perhaps in other eras where the means and modes of physicality were more dominate the related physical developed spiritual/psychic powers were more prevalent? Or perhaps considering some claims of highly advanced prohibiting and controlling technology upon matter forms?
Also, how do the powers mentioned in the Iddhipāda-Vibhaṅga Sutta correspond with any accepted mainstream studies in scientific community establishments? What are the parallels? Today’s quantum science allows for much of this phenomena — like temporary replication and the phasing of particles to waves and vice versa — but only on the micro level. And especially when external technology is involved. When will the (popularly) established scientific community consider this scaling up?
What are the benefits of “With his hand he touches & strokes even the sun & moon?” Is this to be taken literally? Metaphorically could it mean influence in and from realms beyond our everyday reality?
How does perception play into everything here?
[As a further resource see the blog post Supranormal (or so-called Psychic Powers) in the (Buddhist) Pali Cannon which links to places in the Pali Cannon mentioning supranormal abilities or so-called “psychic powers” and also includes my earlier points and questions about all this from various angles]

Kindly Cutting Crap With Wendy Nash

[9/16/2022 UPDATE: Learn more about the new monthly “Meditation Q & A” with Wendy and I on September 29th at 7pm Central]

On July 10th, I spoke with Wendy Nash, meditation coach and forthcoming Integrating Presence cohost of the monthly series “Meditation Q & A” mostly about her background, PTSD, love, honesty, wise speech and open questions

Wendy’s bio:

Wendy Nash has a 4-year somatic psychotherapy diploma, her Bachelor of Psychology Honors thesis studied the effects of loving-kindness meditation on prosocial behavior and she’s been practicing loving-kindness and other meditations for almost 20 years. These inform her work with clients who are interested in learning how to integrate various meditation practices in daily life.

These qualifications and experiences have been profoundly positive on her wellbeing and relationships, and turned around the negatives of difficult early life experiences.

These formal qualifications influence how I coach people with meditation:
– BPsych with an honors thesis studying the effect of lovingkindness meditation (LKM) on prosocial behavior based on Tajfel’s Social Identity Theory and Fredrickson’s research into LKM.
– 4-year diploma of somatic psychotherapy
– Currently studying a 2-year diploma of Mindfulness & Compassion meditation teacher training through the Insight Meditation Institute.

Informal work:
– 20 years of meditation practices in different traditions and countries, mostly focused on lovingkindness but also insight (vipassana) because kindness has shown to be the key to mindfulness’s efficacy and it’s this that leads to better relationships and wellbeing.
– Personal psychotherapy to understand myself and others more clearly.
– Strong engagement with understanding what narcissism is, when it causes problems, when it’s useful and how we can integrate the unhelpful bits, and why we all have an ego (even fully enlightened people have an ego!).
– Communication skills, especially how to listen deeply and pay heed to question syntax.

More specifically, some of what we address:

Wendy’s acknowledgement of the often overlooked time and work involved in podcasting as well as honoring the elders where she lives
near enemies of compassion
we’re in it together is compassionate but not suffering along with
community protocol
involvement of word usage in listening
[Post chat comment: It’s important to initially forego self-censorship in order to evaluate if self-censoring would be helpful, skillful, wise, and wholesome instead of (automatically) defaulting to conform to prescribed, established, in-group, collective, peer group, etc. ideologies and parameters]
Wendy’s adolescence and background including complex PTSD, studying psychology, anger, tumultuous relationships, how reading a ‘Jesus loves everybody’ sign changed her life, wanting to know what love and like is and wanting that
How desperation leads to spiritual practice for some but not others
Not everybody is a willing party to change
The necessity of being both willing and able in relationships
futility of mentioning certain things to certain people
control as a belief
information instead of beliefs
Tempering brutal honesty and more reasons for/behind the name of Wendy’s site kindlycutthecrap.com
The lack of capacity to forget in/with PTSD
resolving trauma with EMDR, loving-kindness meditation, laughter and connection
Wise speech
Wendy’s work with clients to establish a meditation practice
Self-love
Self-honesty
Reverting to past patterning in challenging situations
Wendy’s moving truck breaking down and the ensuing political Q & A sessions with locals
How to ask open questions
[Post chat comment: I wonder if open questioning was more adopted and widespread less conclusions would be arrived at which has its own pros and cons]
Shifting and supporting language
[Post chat comment: While yes it is kind of annoying to have someone jump in and say they’ve done something similar then talk about themselves I wonder how much of this is perceived as establishing connection, validation, resonance, belonging and how much is unhelpful ego? And again, when refraining from doing this how much — skillfully or unskillfully — is deliberately being self-censored and held back from being expressed and shared perhaps due to clinging to a belief about how rigidly one ought to adhere to such a guideline?]
Open questions ending divisiveness
Human commonality of wanting prosperity
Shame, blame and separation
Owning ones emotions to address the tendency to use pejoratives about racists
Curiosity to discover underling emotions
Travel
Me wanting to preserve the question “why” to explore the mysteries and Wendy’s elaborating on the practical benefits of not using “why” instead using “how” and “what”
My noticing incongruence in some between racist speech and non-racist behavior

Wendy’s site: Kindly Cut The Crap

https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-nash

Audio: Kindly Cutting Crap With Wendy Nash

Or listen via Insight Timer (app or website)

Lawyering Down, Kundalini-ing Up With Kara Bitar

On July 21, 2022, Optimization Coach and Kundalini Yoga Teacher Kara Bitar and I spoke about Kara’s journey from high powered lawyer to ill health to healing to teaching and coaching:

I hold a J.D. from Duke University School of Law and practiced high-stakes corporate litigation at one of the largest law firms in the Southeast. I planned my whole life to be an attorney. I graduated summa cum laude from Siena College. I went to Duke University School of Law on an academic scholarship and then was recruited by and did accept a job offer at one of the largest law firms in the southeast. I had success at the firm, I was respected by my colleagues, I was on partnership track. I had everything I thought I wanted, everything I planned and worked so hard for – money, success, the beautiful home. Despite my success, I was unhappy. It was the hardest decision I ever made, but I eventually left the firm and left behind everything I had worked so hard for. I did not have a plan as to what my future would hold, but I wanted answers. Did success have to come at a price? Was living in states of depletion, stress and overwhelm just normal? Did we have to watch our bodies deteriorate? Was joy something that we experienced only in moments here and there? I took me a number of years, a lot of research and experimentation, and many dark moments. But I eventually found what I was looking for and transformed my life and I now help others do the same. I do this through Optimization Coaching, Programs I developed, and Kundalini Yoga.

I could have returned to the practice of law, but I now that I know we can live lives where we revel in ourselves and our own creativity, lives of fulfillment and joy – I have made it my mission to share how to do this with others.

As a former litigator I am well spoken and I am passionate about what I now do, which comes across in interviews. Some of the things I can share with listeners: my story; how one can live an Optimized Life, a life where one is fulfilled, abundant, and healthy, even in this high-pressure fast-paced experience; the benefits of Kundalini Yoga and how this practice can fit into even the busiest of lifestyles; and how everyone has their own unique gifts and talents and how when one knows these and utilizes these one can live in states of energy and abundance.

We also speak to:

the quest for finding answers about the possibility of feeling and experiencing life and self differently
feelings of guilt, failure and doubt
particulars of Kara’s early healing journey including much study and many modalities and irony of feeling worse

Kundalini yoga

I ask what is the kundalini snake and what do we do with it?
the immediate transformation of Kundalini yoga:
- especially in relational areas of life
- increased energy (for living), inspiration, worthiness, clarity of mind
- some of the mystery of the subtle energetic realms and science of how Kundalini yoga works
- insights on what did and didn’t work via retrospect and why
- [correction on video version: Abhidhamma hasn’t been around for thousands and thousands of years, Wikipedia says from 3rd Century BCE]
- what Kundalini yoga is including breath work, asana, sound currents, mantra, hand and eye positions, relaxation and meditation, kriyas to work on multiple levels including, emotional, energetic, mental, psychological, etc.

Optimization

Kara’s optimization programs in order to have such a different experience than states of overwhelm, monotony, grind, dis-ease, fear, worry and unworthiness by learning who you are and how to function
identifying, awakening and fostering unique gifts, talents, abundance, energy, thriving, the inner teacher/internal guidance
how to tame and direct the mind to serve us not the other way around
unlearning, deprogramming, dropping unhelpful beliefs
returning to the truth of who we are
the highly efficient and effective nature of Kara’s programs suitable for those still in the more regular work/career world
prioritizing knowing thyself to benefit self and others

https://www.karanicolebitar.com for sessions, programs, livestream Kundalini yogi

https://facebook.com/karanicolebitar

https://www.instagram.com/karanicolebitar

Audio: Lawyering Down, Kundalini-ing Up With Kara Bitar

Or listen via Insight Timer (app or website)

What Is Light? How Do You Know?

This podcast anonymously presents two simple questions I put to various folks, “what is light and how do you know?” The main content is all unedited except for the last response which I include the outtakes of on this/the blog post. There’s also audio snippets I didn’t record but grabbed from public sources. One other response I got (from a youngster) was something along the lines of, “light helps me see. [I know because] my eyes don’t fail me.”

Free dhamma book: A Manual of Light and The Manual of the Path to Higher Knowledge: Two Expositions of the Buddha’s Teaching by Ledi Sayadaw

The Secret of Light by Walter Russell [archive.org book]

Audio: What Is Light? How Do You Know?

Outtakes from the podcast “What is light? How do you know?”

https://overcast.fm/+AAOyB6DThOg/1:41:38 — Tracy Twyman on light and color

August 2022 Insight Timer Live Events: Non-harm Training; Quashing Gossip; Full Of Love; (Discerning) Deception

The Beautiful Training (Precept) Of Non-harming

What does it mean to engage in non-harming? How does one practice this and why? Beautiful? Yes! How?

Fri Aug 5 – 12:00 pm Central

Listen to the edited audio and see the notes for this event “The Beautiful Training (Precept) Of Non-harming“

Listen to the full unedited version of The Beautiful Training (Precept) Of Non-harming with or without the Wisdom App: https://join.wisdom.audio/kohr

Quashing Gossip

Pretty much all considering joining this already know they’d like to gossip less so let’s dig into some teachings to really drive home the importance of quashing our gossip as we interactively share questions, feedback, contemplate, reflect and explore solutions

Wed Aug 17 – 02:00 pm Central

See the notes for, and listen to the full unedited version of Quashing Gossip with or without the Wisdom App: https://join.wisdom.audio/WdQK

Full Of Love

Not full of cr*p. For those (interested in) practicing the Four Sublime Abidings of loving-kindness, compassion, vicarious joy/rejoicing & equanimity join this Mettāsahagata Sutta (SN 46.54) sharing where we penetrate into even higher release by examining various modes of repugnance & lack thereof

Fri Aug 26 – 2:00pm Central

Listen to the full unedited version of Full of Love with or without the Wisdom App: https://join.wisdom.audio/H6r5

(Discerning) Deception

Not so much specifics on how to directly discern deception but looking at the importance of doing so then going deeper and broader than the surface manifestations of deception along with a blast of categories and techniques to illustrate ubiquity while providing reference points for further study

Mon Aug 29 – 07:00 pm Central

Listen to the edited audio and see the notes for this event “(Discerning) Deception”

Listen to the full unedited version of (Discerning) Deception with or without the Wisdom App: https://join.wisdom.audio/HhKz