David Roel › Likes

From a review (http://tiny.pl/3vcx) - "Mind is embodied. Thought requires a body--not in the trivial sense that you need a physical brain to think with, but in the profound sense that the very structure of our thoughts comes from the nature of the body. Nearly all of our unconscious metaphors are based on common bodily experiences.Most of the central themes of the Western philosophical tradition are called into question by these findings. The Cartesian person, with a mind wholly separate from the body, does not exist. The Kantian person, capable of moral action according to the dictates of a universal reason, does not exist. The phenomenological person, capable of knowing his or her mind entirely through introspection alone, does not exist. The utilitarian person, the Chomskian person, the poststructuralist person, the computational person, and the person defined by analytic philosophy all do not exist.Then what does?" - William Harryman

"To meditate is not to empty the mind and gape at things in a trancelike stupor. Nothing significant will ever be revealed by just staring blankly at an object long and hard enough. To meditate is to probe with intense sensitivity each glimmer of color, each cadence of sound, each touch of another’s hand, each fumbling word that tries to utter what cannot be said. –Stephen Batchelor, from Buddhism Without Beliefs" - William Harryman from Bookmarklet

exactly David - and thangka meditations can be very powerful as well - just not my thing - William Harryman

the push ups look hard, the inverted rows are a breeze - William Harryman

"When the moderator reminded Cheney that Clarke had repeatedly warned the administration about al Qaeda’s determination to attack the U.S., Cheney snarkily replied, “That’s not my recollection, but I haven’t read his book.” In fact, it was Cheney who “missed” the warning signs, not Clarke. New York Times reporter Philip Shenon’s book, “The Commission: The Uncensored History of the 9/11 Investigation,” reprinted some of Clarke’s emphatic e-mails warning the Bush administration of the al Qaeda threat throughout 2001: “Bin Ladin Public Profile May Presage Attack” (May 3) “Terrorist Groups Said Co-operating on US Hostage Plot” (May 23) “Bin Ladin’s Networks’ Plans Advancing” (May 26) “Bin Ladin Attacks May Be Imminent” (June 23) “Bin Ladin and Associates Making Near-Term Threats” (June 25) “Bin Ladin Planning High-Profile Attacks” (June 30) “Planning for Bin Ladin Attacks Continues, Despite Delays” (July 2) Similarly, Time Magazine reported in 2002 that Clarke had an extensive plan to “roll back” al Qaeda — a plan that languished for months, ignored by senior Bush officials" - William Harryman from Bookmarklet

You can't really miss if you purposefully weren't aiming. - Todd Hoff

"You should not consider the mind to be that which reflects upon visual forms, sounds, tastes, and tactile sensations. Many people think that the mind is simply that which reflects upon what is seen and heard and is able to distinguish between good, bad, and so forth. Thus they regard the sixth sense, the intellect, to be the mind. But such views are just delusive thinking. Before seeing, before feeling, and before thinking: what is the mind? This alone is what you have to search for and awaken to. –Kusan Sunim, translated by Martine Batchelor, from The Way of Korean Zen (Weatherhill)" - William Harryman from Bookmarklet

"Comics featuring Donald are available at most German newsstands and the national weekly “Micky Maus”—which features the titular mouse, Goofy and, most prominently, Donald Duck—sells an average of 250,000 copies each week, outselling even “Superman.” A lavish 8,000-page German Donald Duck collector’s edition has just come out, and despite the nearly $1,900 price tag, the publisher, Egmont Horizont, says the edition of 3,333 copies is almost completely sold out. Last month the fan group D.O.N.A.L.D (the German acronym stands for “German Organization for Non-commercial Followers of Pure Donaldism”), hosted its 32nd annual congress at the Museum of Natural History in Stuttgart, with trivia and trinkets galore, along with lectures devoted to “nephew studies” and Duckburg’s solar system." - William Harryman from Bookmarklet

"Sometime ago Mr. Mikaylov who contributes frequently to this magazine, while granting that some of the phenomena I was describing and the critique of intellectuals steeped in theory but short on praxis had a certain validity, threw out a challenge by simply asking me: what exactly needs to be done? I gave a short answer with Whitehead’s statement that theory without praxis is sterile and praxis without theory is blind, but I recognize that such a statement remains pitifully inadequate to the challenge of that simple question. I’d like to give a more thorough answer by analyzing, as best as I can, the current situation and then suggesting some things that we citizens can do hic and nunc without waiting for President Barack Obama to perform miracles and walk on water. To expect miracles in politics is to be eventually sorely disappointed!" - William Harryman from Bookmarklet

"Welcome to the world's first free online internet videography archive presenting Buddhism and related comparative religion and philosophy themes. Please search for topics or browse through the tabs for themes. These movies are approximately ten to twenty minutes in length and provide an effective audio-visual means to explore the world of religion and philosophy with special reference to Buddhism" - William Harryman from Bookmarklet

looks like a cool film about a very interesting man - William Harryman from Bookmarklet

"In an interview with the Shambhala Times (newsletter of Shambhala International) David argues that “Buddhist meditation gives a way of working with mind and making situations more workable because you’re able to have space and detachment. What meditation is not so beneficial for is actually exploring the situation or feelings themselves.” He says mindfulness-awareness is a wonderful tool for taming the mind, and in so doing can “relieve some of the pressure of emotional conflict, neurosis—but that doesn’t mean that it allows the source of those conflicts to be resolved.” We know this: the Buddha taught the value of insight, not just sitting with a calm mind. Says David, focussing is one discipline that creates a setting where fresh insight can arise. Read the entire interview with David here, and check out the article David wrote on this topic for the Shambhala Sun. Let’s hear from YOU, SunSpace readers: What does meditation allow you to explore or touch in to? What (if any) other... more... - William Harryman from Bookmarklet

Hm, mindfulness allows you to view yourself as you go through the hundreds of experiments life runs on you everyday. In each experiment you see how you react to events, what feelings occur, and the result of your actions. This isn't just sitting in blissed out stupor. It's how you really come to know yourself. - Todd Hoff

"In order to have compassion for others, we have to have compassion for ourselves. In particular, to care about other people who are fearful, angry, jealous, overpowered by addictions of all kinds, arrogant, proud, miserly, selfish, mean —you name it— to have compassion and to care for these people, means not to run from the pain of finding these things in ourselves. In fact, one's whole attitude toward pain can change. Instead of fending it off and hiding from it, one could open one's heart and allow oneself to feel that pain, feel it as something that will soften and purify us and make us far more loving and kind. The tonglen practice is a method for connecting with suffering —ours and that which is all around us— everywhere we go. It is a method for overcoming fear of suffering and for dissolving the tightness of our heart. Primarily it is a method for awakening the compassion that is inherent in all of us, no matter how cruel or cold we might seem to be." - William Harryman from Bookmarklet

"We begin the practice by taking on the suffering of a person we know to be hurting and who we wish to help. For instance, if you know of a child who is being hurt, you breathe in the wish to take away all the pain and fear of that child. Then, as you breathe out, you send the child happiness, joy or whatever would relieve their pain. This is the core of the practice: breathing in... more... - William Harryman

this is the Buddhist version of how Christians pray for those who are suffering or in need - William Harryman

"Sustainability is inherently static. It presumes there's a point at which we can maintain ourselves and the world, and once we find the right combination of behavior and technology that allows us some measure of stability, we have to stay there. A sustainable world can avoid imminent disaster, but it will remain on the precipice until the next shock. Resilience, conversely, accepts that change is inevitable and in many cases out of our hands, focusing instead on the need to be able to withstand the unexpected. Greed, accident, or malice may have harmful results, but, barring something truly apocalyptic, a resilient system can absorb such results without its overall health being threatened." - William Harryman from Bookmarklet

I think that we're going to need to prove that we have a resilient civilization if we're to avoid a dark age. - Nathaniel Thurston

I think you're right - William Harryman

Holy crap William! This looks like it takes crazy balance and strength! I am so going to try this even though I think it is far too advanced for my current physical condition. I guess if it is I'll make it my goal. - Jenny Morman

start with no DB, just hold your arm up and get through the movement until you get it down, then add a little db - if you break it down the way he does in the video, it's much easier - William Harryman

Okay. I'll give it a shot. A legitimate shot. - Jenny Morman

"The LT became angry, “That’s bullshit, this area has been cleared. Charlie hasn’t been in the AO for days,” the LT then ordered them continue on with the mission. Against my father’s better judgment he continued to lead the patrol deeper into the jungle. Within a few minutes they walked right into a heavy ambush. Beau had been right. The patrol was pinned down and had to fight their way out of it. They were able to break contact with the enemy and pull back to safety. However, during the firefight, a soldier in the squad took a bullet to the lower stomach and was bleeding fast." - William Harryman from Bookmarklet

"It’s time to go a little further with an intelligent discussion about “The Secret,” Secret followers, and the claim that if you want something in life, all you have to do is manifest it and create a vision board. After all, this website has a lot of spiritual content and is even known to challenge spiritual materialism. The Secret and it’s principles need to be addressed. I’ve heard a lot of heated debates about The Secret, but Stuart Davis calling the movie/movement “spiritual narcissism” in his latest blog post pushes this debate even further." - William Harryman from Bookmarklet

"Throughout, The Secret conflates ego (the frontal structure, personality) with Self (an unbounded, unlimited reality which transcends but includes all qualities). In doing so it engineers an unabashed Spiritual Narcissism. Ego is God. The vicissitudes of your ego, its preferences, its unresolved cravings, become the vestments in a regressive ritual. See? It's MAGIC. You caste a spell, voila', the Universe responds. Cuz you're God. Why exactly an entity that IS everything would need more is not clear, why a Divine Being that is all powerful would need to appeal to another power is perplexing, but.. To cement this Kosmic Delusion, The Secret hypnotically repeats "The Universe" and "Your thoughts, your feelings" until the two are braided into a phantasm that places your Ego squarely in the Center of Reality, in control of all that comes in and out of being. What do you want to do with your Divine Power? Free all sentient beings? Awaken every sister and brother from the Dream? Dissolve the source of suffering? No. You want cars. And girlfriends, and boyfriends, and a new red bike and a big new house." - William Harryman from Bookmarklet

the best criticism of The Secret I have ever seen - and much needed - William Harryman

"Jello, doughnuts, French fries, soda and candy bars are not the typical foods you think of when you envision healthy eating, right? The odd thing is that’s what most hospitals serve in their vending machines and cafeterias. Have you noticed that? These junk foods are rather the foods you might serve a patient if you want them to be a repeat customer." - William Harryman from Bookmarklet

"A couple of years ago, I stumbled on Bertrand Russell’s “The conquest of happiness,” published in 1930. Being a Russell fan, I looked forward to reading it, hoping that the old Brit had anticipated some of the things that make the science digest these days. I was not disappointed. I now offer a brief summary of Russell’s ideas relying mainly on quotes from his book (page numbers are in parentheses). See for yourself how you respond to his ideas. I hope you will find them inspiring, but perhaps you will find them trite, reactionary (e.g., note the gendered language of the day), or undone by modern empirical research." - William Harryman from Bookmarklet

"For six months, the men that participated in the study took monthly injections of testosterone in their buttocks. After that time, most of the men had very low sperm counts. However, the testosterone injections failed to lower the sperm count in about 5 percent of the men. If the injections were successful, the men continued to take them for two years. However, many of the participants dropped out over time, so only 733 actually completed the trial. Also during the trial, the sperm count rose again for just over 1 percent of the men, and there were nine pregnancies during the two years. Overall, after the first year of the study, there was 1 pregnancy for every 100 men that participated. At the end of the second year, the pregnancy rate was fractionally higher at 1.1 per 100 men. Condoms, when they are used perfectly, have about a 2 in 100 pregnancy rate a year." - William Harryman

cool exercise! - William Harryman

"Hey, Mr. Five Pull-Ups: Here's how you can double your reps in just a few weeks." - William Harryman