Buddhism & CFS

[Dreambirdie]

On my computer it just kept repeating... I didn't realize that until it had already caused brain damage...
Then I tried to close it and it closed BUT THE SONG KEPT GOING and I closed Firefox and it KEPT GOING and then I got really worried
but it finally died ten seconds later...

So thank you both very much.
<---(llama trauma)

To bring it back to Buddhism... Yes those obnoxious thoughts that keep going and going really are just another expression of "ego mind."

 

[Jody]

FISH HEAD FISH HEAD roly poly FISH HEAD..... WHAT A BLAST!

Thanks Dr Yes... for that wild and weird fish head song.

And Lucie--in case you didn't notice, we really needed a blast of humor around here.
Sometimes the most enLIGHTening thing is to just ROFLOL. As Jody-Llama has illustrated so many times.
THANKS JODY!

Eventually... we will return to our regular programming. Whatever that is.

Dreambirdie,

I'm delighted that you think I have a plan when I do these things ...

Am trying to remember, who had a thread going for awhile about fish heads ... jenbooks and ... ? Anybody remember?

Good ol' cfs brain ...

 

[Jody]

Well, NOW I did..

DB:


A COUPLE MINUTES??

On my computer it just kept repeating... I didn't realize that until it had already caused brain damage... Then I tried to close it and it closed BUT THE SONG KEPT GOING and I closed Firefox and it KEPT GOING and then I got really worried but it finally died ten seconds later...

So thank you both very much.
<---(llama trauma)

Dr. Yes,

It would be most impolite of me NOT to say, "You're welcome".

I do however think that your posting of that reprehensible Fish head clip was a bit ... extreme. Not to mention gross.

And ... the guy's suit didn't fit. And whoever made that clip had something stranger than cfs humming in his neural circuitry ...

All evening I'm hearing in my mind's ear ... a song about Fish heads.

Dr. Yes, you have succeeded all too well in your intended goal. Fish head trumps llama.

 

[fresh_eyes]

That's brilliant fresh! I've never thought of that myself but I'm quite sure it is right. Coooooooooooooool. Boy does that ever link Judeo/Christianity with Buddhism.

You know, interestingly, on that SAME retreat - I kid you not - a new guy got very angry at the teacher during one of the dharma talks, threw something at him, stormed out and left the retreat in a rage. We all spent the remaining days of meditation with our monkey-minds imagining him coming back with a gun and shooting us all. We laughed hysterically about it later - the retreat was silent, so of course each of us wondered if we were the only one having this thought.

It was very distressing, and also very illuminating with regard to our own reactions and our own minds. A great example of what folks were talking about on the other thread where you think you're signing up for one experience, but you get another, and you fight it until you realize that IT is actually the lesson you need. That's a lesson I find myself continually (and I mean *continually*) having to re-learn.

 

[MEKoan]

You know, interestingly, on that SAME retreat - I kid you not - a new guy got very angry at the teacher during one of the dharma talks, threw something at him, stormed out and left the retreat in a rage. We all spent the remaining days of meditation with our monkey-minds imagining him coming back with a gun and shooting us all. We laughed hysterically about it later - the retreat was silent, so of course each of us wondered if we were the only one having this thought.

It was very distressing, and also very illuminating with regard to our own reactions and our own minds. A great example of what folks were talking about on the other thread where you think you're signing up for one experience, but you get another, and you fight it until you realize that IT is actually the lesson you need. That's a lesson I find myself continually (and I mean *continually*) having to re-learn.

Another fantastic post! Many thanks, FreshEyes!

Re having to learn the lessons, even same lessons, continually... isn't it great that we have all the opportunities we need! That's kinda stunning really.

And, I love the fact that everyone has to continually re-learn... that it's a practice not a perfection; that's it's ok that I need to constantly remind myself to try to be conscious and mindful in order not to screw up endlessly and consistently.

I am so grateful for a system that just keeps giving me what I need and all I have to do is try to wake up! (That particular metaphor has special resonance for us.)

Anyway, thanks again FreshEyes for your marvelous observance of what is.

It's fascinating, isn't it!

 

[fresh_eyes]

Thanks for being here, Koan and everybody.

"Life is a good teacher and a good friend."
- Pema

 

[MEKoan]

"Life is a good teacher and a good friend."
- Pema

Oh yes!

 

[Dreambirdie]

Dreambirdie,

I'm delighted that you think I have a plan when I do these things ...

Am trying to remember, who had a thread going for awhile about fish heads ... jenbooks and ... ?

Oh YES Jody llama baby... The universe works its magic through your most masterful mother-ating... I mean moderating.
You are truly at ONE with the invisible genie at the heart of creation.

And this is not charm and flattery... I do REALLY mean it! Cuz as you know, I am not one for blowing smoke up anyone's butt. YUK!
Just the thought of that makes my gizzard quiver.

Which brings me to the CHICKEN FEET! Not fish heads! Jenbooks and I got into a chat about these a long while back... and as I recall I reminisced about
Baba Yaga (the famous Russian fairytale witch), who has a house that stands on chicken legs. http://images.elfwood.com/art/r/e/reuben/reubencdodd_baba_yagas_hut.jpg

 

[Dreambirdie]

where you think you're signing up for one experience, but you get another, and you fight it until you realize that IT is actually the lesson you need.
That's a lesson I find myself continually (and I mean *continually*) having to re-learn.

Hi FE--

What Koan said rings true for me too.

And also... there's that key concept again: FIGHT VS ACCEPT. It's an ongoing theme/lesson/meditation. The mind is such a slow learner.

 

[starryeyes]

Yeah.... I'm a slow learner... but I'm on the pollen path.

fresh wrote: - the retreat was silent, so of course each of us wondered if we were the only one having this thought.

lol!!

fresh continues: It was very distressing, and also very illuminating with regard to our own reactions and our own minds. A great example of what folks were talking about on the other thread where you think you're signing up for one experience, but you get another, and you fight it until you realize that IT is actually the lesson you need. That's a lesson I find myself continually (and I mean *continually*) having to re-learn.

That is so profound! I read something you'd written about that the other day but either you explained it differently here or it just didn't strike me as it did now. I've got to remember this concept. You appear to be very enlightened to me, my friend.

Dr. Yes wrote: that's exactly what Joe Campbell and others have made of it, too. Eden, in their view, was a metaphor for the Transcendent, which is beyond all distinction.

That's interesting. I like Joseph Campbell. He's enlightening to listen to.

Robin, Martlet and Jody, thank you for reminding us to be respectful of each other.

Koan wrote:.....as Buddha is to Hinduism.

Really? I didn't know that so I looked it up just now and found this site:

Buddha: The Refiner of Hinduism
Exploring Hindu-Buddhist Connections

http://hinduism.about.com/od/gurussaintsofthepast/a/buddha.htm

That's fascinating to me. Thanks for letting us know about that correlation.

Dreambirdie wrote: I had an interesting similar experience a few years ago during a biofeedback session. I noticed that when I just let my mind BE and do its usual dance of yes/no, right/wrong, hate/like, I tended to retain the alpha wave state much easier. When I began judging my thoughts or trying to stop the "BAD" ones, I went right into the beta waves each time. Very fascinating to witness it like this.

That is truly amazing and gives us tremendous insight into how our minds work. I'm so glad you're all here sharing your incredible experiences and insights.

Koan wrote: it's ok that I need to constantly remind myself to try to be conscious and mindful in order not to screw up endlessly and consistently.

That takes a huge burden off, doesn't it? That's one of the reasons I love Buddhism. I learned this concept through it but never heard it expressed in such a way that really relates to where I am in my mind and life these days. Thank you.

Dreambirdie referred to: Baba Yaga (the famous Russian fairytale witch), who has a house that stands on chicken legs.

That's a cool fairytale. I read it in Women Who Run With the Wolves.

 

[Dreambirdie]

Hi Tee--

Thanks for checking in with us. But the first two quoted boxes, regarding the retreat experiences, are Fresh Eyes. She's the enlightened one, not me!

I'm the one with the chicken legs... in more ways than one!

 

[fresh_eyes]

She's the enlightened one, not me!

Hahahahahahaha. Hahahaha! *wipes eyes* Well, only if enlightenment means beating your head against a wall, all the while asking yourself, Why does my head hurt? I just can't understand it, gee whiz, what's happening...Golly gee, who is doing this to me, who is hurting my head? Why doesn't everybody stop hurting my head! This is so unfair! And finally every once in a while getting a flash that IT HURTS BECAUSE I AM BEATING MY OWN HEAD AGAINST THIS WALL. And then in the very next moment forgetting it again.

 

[Dreambirdie]

Hahahahahahaha. Hahahaha! *wipes eyes*
Well, only if enlightenment means beating your head against a wall, all the while asking yourself, Why does my head hurt?

Okay, okay then... so by this definition I really AM enlightened. Thanks for the clarification.

 

[starryeyes]

Hi Tee--

Thanks for checking in with us. But the first two quoted boxes, regarding the retreat experiences, are Fresh Eyes. She's the enlightened one, not me!

I'm the one with the chicken legs... in more ways than one!

lol Thank you for correcting me. I went up to my post and changed it.

 

[Dr. Yes]

Hey peeps,

I'm glad to see the virtual sangha lifting off again. Unfortunately I'm too fried to join in just now; I seem to be having a few more health problems (the latest being an eye infection, apparently viral...did you know you can get a "cold in the eye"? ) But I am more than content to recline and enjoy all of your thoughts through my other eye.

And just to tie up a loose end or two...

FISH HEAD FISH HEAD roly poly FISH HEAD..... WHAT A BLAST!

Thanks Dr Yes... for that wild and weird fish head song.

You...you mean you actually enjoyed it?? You weren't supposed to enjoy it...

(Jody):

... the guy's suit didn't fit. And whoever made that clip had something stranger than cfs humming in his neural circuitry ...

Actually, one of the 'creators' starred in the old TV show "Lost in Space"... and actors Bill Paxton and I believe Sissy Spacek appear in "Fish Heads".

And what suit didn't fit? Oh...you actually think I watched that thing. Good heavens, no! I'm no masochist.

All evening I'm hearing in my mind's ear ... a song about Fish heads.

I'm sorry Jody, but it wasn't my fault, Dreambirdie started all this with her llama song..and she liked both of them -- DB's not playing with a full deck, I tell you.


---

 

[MEKoan]

I've always had a bit of a thing for Billy Mumy. He was in a show in the 70s (when he was in his 20s) called Sunshine that I just loved.

I enjoyed both videos, too, actually. Sometimes, almost no short term memory is a state to be cherished

I did find all those once sentient fish heads more than a little disturbing, though. And, I thought about how much ecological issues have changed since that song - it is now almost quaint in a post environmental disaster kinda way.

I have to go back and find Sissy!

Aum

 

[fresh_eyes]

I'm glad to see the virtual sangha lifting off again. Unfortunately I'm too fried to join in just now...

Rest up, little gibbon...

 

[Jody]

Oh YES Jody llama baby... The universe works its magic through your most masterful mother-ating... I mean moderating.
You are truly at ONE with the invisible genie at the heart of creation.

And this is not charm and flattery... I do REALLY mean it! Cuz as you know, I am not one for blowing smoke up anyone's butt. YUK!
Just the thought of that makes my gizzard quiver.

Which brings me to the CHICKEN FEET! Not fish heads! Jenbooks and I got into a chat about these a long while back... and as I recall I reminisced about
Baba Yaga (the famous Russian fairytale witch), who has a house that stands on chicken legs. http://images.elfwood.com/art/r/e/reuben/reubencdodd_baba_yagas_hut.jpg

LOL

Mother-ating. I like that.

I know you're not one for flattery. I am a bit concerned that your cfs brain may be slipping a cog though ...

Yes, the chicken feet ring a bell. (There's a visual image to be avoided) but I'm sure there was something about fish heads ... no? then it's my cfs brain ...

And what kind of legs would a dreambirdie have, if not chicken legs? I ask you.

 

[Jody]

(Jody):

Actually, one of the 'creators' starred in the old TV show "Lost in Space"... and actors Bill Paxton and I believe Sissy Spacek appear in "Fish Heads".

And what suit didn't fit? Oh...you actually think I watched that thing. Good heavens, no! I'm no masochist.

I'm sorry Jody, but it wasn't my fault, Dreambirdie started all this with her llama song..and she liked both of them -- DB's not playing with a full deck, I tell you.---

Bill Paxton and Sissy Spacek, huh? I am almost tempted to go back and check them out cos I didn't recognize them ... almost but not quite.

I think DB's got her own deck ...

 

[Dreambirdie]

Mother-ating. I like that.

I am a bit concerned that your cfs brain may be slipping a cog though ...

Yes, the chicken feet ring a bell.

And what kind of legs would a dreambirdie have, if not chicken legs? I ask you.

Yes, mother-ating. It works, doesn't it?

BTW, a dreambirdie would have flying feet, smaller than chicken feet, with toenails painted deep magenta.
As for my cog... whatever that is... my cog clogged off long ago. And my deck is under reconstruction.

And here's a KOAN--=--the sound of chicken feet ringing a bell. Aum!

Meditate on that!