http://www.centertao.org taoism, taoist thought, buddha, yoga, tai chi, shakuhachi, Sat, 06 Mar 2010 20:58:07 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en There are a lot of people out (mostly students now, I think) protesting against spending cuts in education. This state, California, as well as the country as a whole, is massively in debt. However, all that I hear are frantic cries for: no more spending cuts and no more ... http://www.centertao.org/blog/2010/03/06/why-not-protest-to-raise-taxes/ ≈≈≈ Click Here for Translation and Commentary ≈≈≈ http://www.centertao.org/blog/2010/02/28/chapter-of-the-week-40/ First, consider this quote from "Slime Mold as Master Engineer" on research reported in Science News: "The slime mold has no central brain or indeed any awareness of the overall problem it is trying to solve, but manages to produce a structure with similar properties to the real rail network…" ... http://www.centertao.org/blog/2010/02/26/self-integrity-slime-and-karma/ One of the main themes in Buddhism is the 'extinguishing of self' through 'enlightenment'… or is it the other way around? They seem to go hand in hand; are they are the same thing? I find that asking such basic questions on word meaning beforehand helps me when pondering life. ... http://www.centertao.org/blog/2010/02/21/a-how-to-for-extinguishing-self/ ≈≈≈ Click Here for Translation and Commentary ≈≈≈ http://www.centertao.org/blog/2010/02/18/chapter-of-the-week-39/ [caption id="attachment_2323" align="alignright" width="250" caption="Eligible bachelors"][/caption] There is a curious thing I notice in the life of my two sons. They are not chasing girls like I was at their age. They aren't gay either, so what gives? I look back on my youthful lust and see a disconnected lad looking ... http://www.centertao.org/blog/2010/02/13/significant-others/ [caption id="attachment_3085" align="alignleft" width="200" caption="Leaving Meiji park after yoga"][/caption] After settling down in Tokyo, I began going the humungous Meiji park to do yoga in the morning before work. While standing on my head and watching people walking off in the distance, I noticed something very odd. The people had ... http://www.centertao.org/blog/2010/02/04/toy-headstands-and-apes/ ≈≈≈ Click Here for Translation and Commentary ≈≈≈ http://www.centertao.org/blog/2010/01/29/chapter-of-the-week-38/ It seems my mind is always tempted to look toward 'tomorrow', whether 'tomorrow' is five minutes from now or five week from now. I reckon it is the hunter gather instinct that is driving this, for I see it occurring in everyone I know. We are always jumping out ... http://www.centertao.org/blog/2010/01/28/the-future-takes-care-of-itself/ Of the two, students are obviously the most important consideration. After all, teachers can lead students to water, but thirst determines whether students drink. Thirst is the weak link. As chapter 41 puts it, When the best student hears about the way, he practices it assiduously; when the average student ... http://www.centertao.org/blog/2010/01/26/teachers-and-students/