We are developing the social individualist meta-context for the future. From the very serious to the extremely frivolous... lets see what is on the mind of the Samizdata people.
Samizdata, derived from Samizdat /n. - a system of clandestine publication of banned literature in the USSR [Russ.,= self-publishing house]
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Samizdata quote of the day For the last couple of weeks I’ve been trying to treat my setback at work as a chance to contemplate things like The Transient And Illusory Nature Of Material Things and Attachment As The Root Of Suffering – the bits of yoga that actually matter. And today I did a fairly intensive backbending practice – perhaps not the best possible idea in the circumstances. Backbending has a tendency to be emotional-turmoil-inducing at the best of times, let alone at the end of a weekend spent brooding on the Cruelty Of Fate. Even today, though, the peace that comes from just watching the breath going in, watching the breath going out, was there eventually. Even if it was only for the last four or five breaths of a two hour practice, that’s enough.
– Alan Little just breathes
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WTF? Who is Alan Little and why do I care that he is bending over backwards to breath?
I saw Hugh Romney, also known as Wavey Gravey (member of the Hog Farm and Ken Kesey’s Merry Pranksters- For those of you who have seen Woodstock the movie, he is the one who orders up breakfast in bed for half a million people) on the Danny Baker show many moons ago.
God knows why Baker had him on as nobody in Britain has the foggiest who he is.
Anyway he had a great quote relating to “the transient and illusory nature of Material things”
He was telling Baker about the fire in his New York apartment that destroyed a few Warhols, the typewriter Dylan wrote Highway 61 on. Precious things…
Danny said “Wow I bet that was a pisser! eh Hugh?”
He replied-
“Stuff comes and stuff goes. That is the way of stuff”
I use that a lot. Kinda Zen.
Consider this: Those of you who are skeptical of this sort of thing without ever having ever done yoga might also consider that you would be just as skeptical about the descriptions of an orgasm if you were a virgin.
Those of you who are skeptical of this sort of thing without ever having ever done yoga might also consider that you would be just as skeptical about the descriptions of an orgasm if you were a virgin.
That’s all good and well, but this post is a little off topic for Samizdata, is it not?
I didn’t think anything was offtopic here…
Try hyperventilating for 2 or three minutes and then stop. Make sure you are lying down if you don’t want to fall over.
Attachment as the root of suffering. Well, until all yoga practioners and others who believe this silly idea give up marrying and having children, I might take them at their word.
I prefer the Buddhist idea of the joyful participation in the suffering of life! Sh*t happens, but burdens shared are smaller and joys shared are increased. That’s part of our purpose here…to be with each other through it all.
I do yoga but the philosophical ideas are nutty. To avoid assisting someone else because it will mess up karma, while the caste system causes such suffering and reduces human dignity and freedom, and claim that yoga is so wonderful…well, I don’t buy it.
Stuff rusts and gets moths and thieves take it. So what? Even the Bible says so. Enjoy it while you have it, until it’s mothy/rusty/stolen, then get more stuff as needed and/or desired. Otherwise you’re causing suffering and starvation among the producers of the stuff who can’t make any sales. The new stuff is fun, because the features are better and the prices have come down and your income has gone up, so it’s not a big strain on your budget.
If you’re done with your stuff, don’t hoard, pass it along to someone else who can use it. Have a yard sale (if you need the money) or donate it to the Goodwill (if your time is more valuable and you need the tax deduction instead LOL). It helps keep your house uncluttered, more spacious in feel, and much easier to clean.
You can comprehend that without stretching and breathing. You can stretch and breathe without engaging in silly quasireligious philosophy.
Consider this: Those of you who are skeptical of this sort of thing without ever having ever done yoga might also consider that you would be just as skeptical about the descriptions of an orgasm if you were a virgin.
You’ve assumed virgins have never had an orgasm; have you heard of an orgasm producing activity called “masturbation?” LOL
Kentuckyliz:
You know what I meant about orgasms.
You don’t, however, seem to understand the meaning of “attachment is the root of suffering” nor do you understand Buddhism.
Buddhism is essentially Hinduism with all the Indian cultural paraphenalia stripped away, so they have the same idea about attachment being the root of suffering. Joyful participation without attachment removes oneself from the suffering.
I don’t know where you got the rest of that rant from.
And I note with interest your statement that Hinduism and Buddhism are “quasireligious”.
Seems a bit parochial to me.