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Post by Reefs on Oct 10, 2024 5:22:58 GMT -5
Whoa dude, toadally understandable, who has patience for existential questioners with that going on? Said a Hail Mary. Googled how to pray a full Rosary, and found this. Learn somethin' new every day. Best of luck, dear sir! Appreciate the prayers. We've been very lucky so far. A few close calls with tornadoes yesterday. Lots of rain. At one point 2 inches fell in 20 minutes. Luckily I live in a community that was built to handle that kind of rain event. And all the power lines are underground so we never lose power. Regardless during the heavy rain our screened back porch was filling up with water and the wife and I were busy bailing it out for a couple of hours, a good workout. Milton's eye just passed over. It was eerily quiet for awhile. The wind is starting to pick up again, the back end of the hurricane. More rain. Perhaps more bailing. We've been up all night. Like I said, we were lucky. Folks just to the north of us are getting rainfall measured in feet. They're on the dirty side of the hurricane. It's funny how the mind struggles in times like this. Eventually adrenaline kicks in and the mind, the thought engine, is seen for what it is, just an unnecessary appendage, quite superfluous. I've lived thru a couple of super typhoons. Not fun. The noise of the wind and the rain, impossible to sleep, and then no power, the flooding... Based on my experience, being close to the eye doesn't necessarily mean that the storm is going to wreck total havoc, and being further away from the eye doesn't necessarily mean that you are lucky either. Really hard to predict what's going to happen. Stay safe and good luck! |
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Post by stardustpilgrim on Oct 10, 2024 6:17:11 GMT -5
Whoa dude, toadally understandable, who has patience for existential questioners with that going on? Said a Hail Mary. Googled how to pray a full Rosary, and found this. Learn somethin' new every day. Best of luck, dear sir! Appreciate the prayers. We've been very lucky so far. A few close calls with tornadoes yesterday. Lots of rain. At one point 2 inches fell in 20 minutes. Luckily I live in a community that was built to handle that kind of rain event. And all the power lines are underground so we never lose power. Regardless during the heavy rain our screened back porch was filling up with water and the wife and I were busy bailing it out for a couple of hours, a good workout. Milton's eye just passed over. It was eerily quiet for awhile. The wind is starting to pick up again, the back end of the hurricane. More rain. Perhaps more bailing. We've been up all night. Like I said, we were lucky. Folks just to the north of us are getting rainfall measured in feet. They're on the dirty side of the hurricane. It's funny how the mind struggles in times like this. Eventually adrenaline kicks in and the mind, the thought engine, is seen for what it is, just an unnecessary appendage, quite superfluous. We were at Ocean Isle Beach that morning when Hurricane Hugo was headed our way. We home schooled so we always went after Labor Day for the better rates, and it's nicer, cooler. We went to look at the beach one last time, there were already 4 and 5 and 6 foot waves, then headed home, I think we were cut short one day. The drive takes about 4 hours. When we went home we decided to go to Eastland Mall. People were acting very weird. People were huddled around in small groups, kind of whispering. Finally we asked what was going on. We didn't know, Hurricane Hugo was headed right for Charlotte, we hadn't heard. It was still a category 1 hurricane when it hit Charlotte, it was early morning, still dark. I know because the wife said, go check on Jesse, our dog. He was fine, snug as a bug in his dog house. We had to keep him chained, because he learned to climb the fence and go over, we had a leash law. So when I went to check on him, he followed me back toward the house, and then stood there in the pouring rain at the end of his chain, facing our house, he wouldn't go back into his dog house. But you know, when wife says jump, you jump, or else he would have stayed dry. We had no damage, one pine tree down, one pine tree, about 8" in diameter leaning on the house. We were out of power for 4 or 5 days. Some people, individual houses, were out of power for a month. I know because all the boss did for a month was help people get their power back on. We ate well for a day or so, or 3, as everybody had to cook their meat or it would spoil. So everybody grilled out, and you invited the neighbors to eat the extra. ...For years, in fields or at the edge of woods, you could see downed trees everywhere. I always tried to find common ground with ZD, so I came up with an image for thought, abstract thinking. Abstract thinking is like the wake of a boat. He said, yes. In the teaching the lowest part of the 'thinking center' is called the formatory apparatus. It is said the formatory apparatus can only count up to two, it only knows yes or no. Gurdjieff was endlessly creative in describing people. One of his expressions for invariably new people stuck in the formatory apparatus, he would tell them, You tail of dog. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ On TV now they are showing Clearwater, Florida, just dawn. Some cars are covered with water, so the water is still 4-5 feet high. Keep us informed... |
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Post by zazeniac on Oct 10, 2024 9:56:18 GMT -5
Appreciate the prayers. We've been very lucky so far. A few close calls with tornadoes yesterday. Lots of rain. At one point 2 inches fell in 20 minutes. Luckily I live in a community that was built to handle that kind of rain event. And all the power lines are underground so we never lose power. Regardless during the heavy rain our screened back porch was filling up with water and the wife and I were busy bailing it out for a couple of hours, a good workout. Milton's eye just passed over. It was eerily quiet for awhile. The wind is starting to pick up again, the back end of the hurricane. More rain. Perhaps more bailing. We've been up all night. Like I said, we were lucky. Folks just to the north of us are getting rainfall measured in feet. They're on the dirty side of the hurricane. It's funny how the mind struggles in times like this. Eventually adrenaline kicks in and the mind, the thought engine, is seen for what it is, just an unnecessary appendage, quite superfluous. I've lived thru a couple of super typhoons. Not fun. The noise of the wind and the rain, impossible to sleep, and then no power, the flooding... Based on my experience, being close to the eye doesn't necessarily mean that the storm is going to wreck total havoc, and being further away from the eye doesn't necessarily mean that you are lucky either. Really hard to predict what's going to happen. Stay safe and good luck! Yes. The back end was the worst of the wind. We're good now. Just a little cleanup. Thanks. |
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Post by zazeniac on Oct 10, 2024 10:01:20 GMT -5
Appreciate the prayers. We've been very lucky so far. A few close calls with tornadoes yesterday. Lots of rain. At one point 2 inches fell in 20 minutes. Luckily I live in a community that was built to handle that kind of rain event. And all the power lines are underground so we never lose power. Regardless during the heavy rain our screened back porch was filling up with water and the wife and I were busy bailing it out for a couple of hours, a good workout. Milton's eye just passed over. It was eerily quiet for awhile. The wind is starting to pick up again, the back end of the hurricane. More rain. Perhaps more bailing. We've been up all night. Like I said, we were lucky. Folks just to the north of us are getting rainfall measured in feet. They're on the dirty side of the hurricane. It's funny how the mind struggles in times like this. Eventually adrenaline kicks in and the mind, the thought engine, is seen for what it is, just an unnecessary appendage, quite superfluous. We were at Ocean Isle Beach that morning when Hurricane Hugo was headed our way. We home schooled so we always went after Labor Day for the better rates, and it's nicer, cooler. We went to look at the beach one last time, there were already 4 and 5 and 6 foot waves, then headed home, I think we were cut short one day. The drive takes about 4 hours. When we went home we decided to go to Eastland Mall. People were acting very weird. People were huddled around in small groups, kind of whispering. Finally we asked what was going on. We didn't know, Hurricane Hugo was headed right for Charlotte, we hadn't heard. It was still a category 1 hurricane when it hit Charlotte, it was early morning, still dark. I know because the wife said, go check on Jesse, our dog. He was fine, snug as a bug in his dog house. We had to keep him chained, because he learned to climb the fence and go over, we had a leash law. So when I went to check on him, he followed me back toward the house, and then stood there in the pouring rain at the end of his chain, facing our house, he wouldn't go back into his dog house. But you know, when wife says jump, you jump, or else he would have stayed dry. We had no damage, one pine tree down, one pine tree, about 8" in diameter leaning on the house. We were out of power for 4 or 5 days. Some people, individual houses, were out of power for a month. I know because all the boss did for a month was help people get their power back on. We ate well for a day or so, or 3, as everybody had to cook their meat or it would spoil. So everybody grilled out, and you invited the neighbors to eat the extra. ...For years, in fields or at the edge of woods, you could see downed trees everywhere. I always tried to find common ground with ZD, so I came up with an image for thought, abstract thinking. Abstract thinking is like the wake of a boat. He said, yes. In the teaching the lowest part of the 'thinking center' is called the formatory apparatus. It is said the formatory apparatus can only count up to two, it only knows yes or no. Gurdjieff was endlessly creative in describing people. One of his expressions for invariably new people stuck in the formatory apparatus, he would tell them, You tail of dog. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ On TV now they are showing Clearwater, Florida, just dawn. Some cars are covered with water, so the water is still 4-5 feet high. Keep us informed... We're good. Very lucky. Tornado hit yesterday blocks from here. We're certainly thankful it missed us. The really heavy rain and wind stayed just to the north of us. |
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Post by stardustpilgrim on Oct 10, 2024 12:21:49 GMT -5
We were at Ocean Isle Beach that morning when Hurricane Hugo was headed our way. We home schooled so we always went after Labor Day for the better rates, and it's nicer, cooler. We went to look at the beach one last time, there were already 4 and 5 and 6 foot waves, then headed home, I think we were cut short one day. The drive takes about 4 hours. When we went home we decided to go to Eastland Mall. People were acting very weird. People were huddled around in small groups, kind of whispering. Finally we asked what was going on. We didn't know, Hurricane Hugo was headed right for Charlotte, we hadn't heard. It was still a category 1 hurricane when it hit Charlotte, it was early morning, still dark. I know because the wife said, go check on Jesse, our dog. He was fine, snug as a bug in his dog house. We had to keep him chained, because he learned to climb the fence and go over, we had a leash law. So when I went to check on him, he followed me back toward the house, and then stood there in the pouring rain at the end of his chain, facing our house, he wouldn't go back into his dog house. But you know, when wife says jump, you jump, or else he would have stayed dry. We had no damage, one pine tree down, one pine tree, about 8" in diameter leaning on the house. We were out of power for 4 or 5 days. Some people, individual houses, were out of power for a month. I know because all the boss did for a month was help people get their power back on. We ate well for a day or so, or 3, as everybody had to cook their meat or it would spoil. So everybody grilled out, and you invited the neighbors to eat the extra. ...For years, in fields or at the edge of woods, you could see downed trees everywhere. I always tried to find common ground with ZD, so I came up with an image for thought, abstract thinking. Abstract thinking is like the wake of a boat. He said, yes. In the teaching the lowest part of the 'thinking center' is called the formatory apparatus. It is said the formatory apparatus can only count up to two, it only knows yes or no. Gurdjieff was endlessly creative in describing people. One of his expressions for invariably new people stuck in the formatory apparatus, he would tell them, You tail of dog. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ On TV now they are showing Clearwater, Florida, just dawn. Some cars are covered with water, so the water is still 4-5 feet high. Keep us informed... We're good. Very lucky. Tornado hit yesterday blocks from here. We're certainly thankful it missed us. The really heavy rain and wind stayed just to the north of us. Wow, thanks. |
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Post by laughter on Oct 10, 2024 16:24:31 GMT -5
Whoa dude, toadally understandable, who has patience for existential questioners with that going on? Said a Hail Mary. Googled how to pray a full Rosary, and found this. Learn somethin' new every day. Best of luck, dear sir! Appreciate the prayers. We've been very lucky so far. A few close calls with tornadoes yesterday. Lots of rain. At one point 2 inches fell in 20 minutes. Luckily I live in a community that was built to handle that kind of rain event. And all the power lines are underground so we never lose power. Regardless during the heavy rain our screened back porch was filling up with water and the wife and I were busy bailing it out for a couple of hours, a good workout. Milton's eye just passed over. It was eerily quiet for awhile. The wind is starting to pick up again, the back end of the hurricane. More rain. Perhaps more bailing. We've been up all night. Like I said, we were lucky. Folks just to the north of us are getting rainfall measured in feet. They're on the dirty side of the hurricane. It's funny how the mind struggles in times like this. Eventually adrenaline kicks in and the mind, the thought engine, is seen for what it is, just an unnecessary appendage, quite superfluous. Thanks for the update.  |
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Post by stardustpilgrim on Oct 19, 2024 11:14:28 GMT -5
I had been taught earlier that sometimes all that you have is your aim. I had been away for a long time, I had gotten sucked back into life. But I came up empty, and needed to get with it again. I went to see my teacher, who lived 2 hours away. I knocked on his door, a stranger answered, he doesn't live here any longer. So I called Bob. Bob gave me his number, it had an extension. I called, got a switchboard. I recognized the name. I hung up, found the address. I showed up at his door. He had had a family, moved from a 2,000 sq ft two story house to an efficiency apartment of about 300 sq ft. He came to the door, only one of two times I had ever seen surprise on his face. He said, this Work will eventually cost you everything. I said, understood. He said, you understand I'm not responsible for you? I said yes. He invited me in.
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"Q: Zen seems so stark. How do I bring my heart into the practice? My human heart.
A: Zen is stark, but no starker than many other spiritual practices that teach the death of the self as a way to awakening or salvation. Death of the self means to let go of all we hold dear, all our values, beliefs, opinions, and hopes that are built upon the illusory notion that "I am unique in the world". These include the belief in oneself as a loving person, as one who seeks the truth, and any other similar belief. It also calls for letting go of the self that wants to bring its heart into the practice. The question, "What is my face before my parents were born?" Obviously calls for this kind of sacrifice. It is, as TS Elliot affirms, a condition of complete simplicity, costing not less than everything". from What More Do You want? Zen Questions, Zen Answers by Albert Low, 2013. I found this book wandering the streets of Seattle almost eleven years ago, I chanced upon a Barnes & Noble, my last day in Washington. I think it may have been his last book. I bought it without even browsing, having read over half a dozen of his books. I was exceptionally surprised once, ordering a rare out of print book by Hubert Benoit, Let Go! (Theory and Practice of Detachment According to Zen), to find it was translated from the French, by Albert Low, yes, the same.
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