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carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 105 (view)

Attention Geniuses: Focus your energy Posted: 10/28/2008 7:22:17 AM
The main premise is correct: there are many smart and creative people out there. Most of the problem isn't that. It's the part of society that blocks alternative energy sources. Big oil knows that they'll make more money the longer we have dependence on it. Not to mention that most inventors get little money for the invention. It takes a huge amount of money to contest patent violations and create lawsuits.

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 5 (view)

Mindfulness practice in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh Posted: 8/8/2007 4:27:02 AM
I know if you're in a rural community you may feel you're missing out. But honestly, most western Buddhists don't get it that well, as culturally we tend to want "enlightenment" as a way of getting rid of our problems, and so don't have full mindfulness because we want to get rid of things. I've been lucky enough to stay in Tibetan Buddhist Monasteries in India, and found the experience of Buddhism there so completely different than here. Thich Nhat Hahn is a very, very worthy teacher. There are mp3 files of him talking available online too.

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 8 (view)

The ouija board Posted: 8/8/2007 4:24:07 AM
The Ouija board is a prop for channeling. You can get very wise beings on the other side when you channel. You can also get those just interested in playing with you. So it's good to set intentions. Sanaya Roman wrote a good book on channeling. I do a little myself, though I'm not that great at it. In fact, the book "Messages from Michael" by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro was done mostly through the Ouija Board.

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 21 (view)

Is the Universe Infinite? Posted: 6/3/2007 8:28:20 PM
Ah, projection is wonderful! People tend to think only in terms of what they know of. So height, breadth, width, etc. But there are many dimensions (literally) we know not of and can scarcely comprehend. String theory says there's at least 12 dimensions last time I read it I believe, so it may have evolved since then.

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 15 (view)

What Is Spiritual Materialism? Posted: 5/8/2007 11:16:40 AM
I think we're in agreement here. If you go into a meditative state of awareness and look at what a craving is, really look at it without any preconceptions, I find for myself it's always related to that sense of lacking something. If you're already full, why would you crave? Of course, deep seated modes of perception don't usually change on the drop of a hat!

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 13 (view)

What Is Spiritual Materialism? Posted: 5/7/2007 9:29:58 PM
If materialism really is to be addressed, it will ultimately be addressed by letting go of any belief in lack in anything. Well, I suppose I can qualify what I said earlier by saying a FUNDAMENTAL lack. Yes, people can lack education, which of course is temporary. However, the difference is that perception of emptiness. Some people seek education from a place of fullness; they seek the knowledge and capabilities that mirror the inner state they already are in. There are also those who seek education to cover up some sort of perceived emptiness. For instance, there are those who seek a psychology degree because they feel a lack of understanding of themselves, or a lack of inner well-being. A degree in itself is just knowledge; it doesn't do anything in itself to necessarily remove that sense of lack, but it can be used as a buffer between the lack and one's daily awareness. Or the realization that there's nothing really to "fix" (i.e., nothing lacking) can bring a deeper sense of wholeness in itself. On the level of the world, of course there is lack, and comparison, and time, and all those things. These have their uses after all! There's enough written about duality that I don't feel I have to write a treatise on that myself. :-)

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 11 (view)

What Is Spiritual Materialism? Posted: 5/7/2007 4:58:10 PM
At the essence of all forms of materialism, spitirual materialism included, is the fear and belief of LACK. You perceive an emptiness and want to fill it. This lack can be of many things : Your own goodness, the perfection of the world, a community, a sense of love, your own self worth, etc. When it comes down to it, all of these things exist in abundance. Cutting through spiritual materialism is not about "fixing" anything, but rather about clear seeing of that which already is. Personal worth needs no justification; it is an absolute truth. Most spiritual paths out there have plenty of spiritual materialism in them, because they address the fears and beliefs of their members. This is fine; it addresses the perceptual state of the people in it. If materialism really is to be addressed, it will ultimately be addressed by letting go of any belief in lack in anything. Matthew

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 5 (view)

The Chat Game.... Posted: 3/18/2007 1:11:26 AM
Most women do not respond at all if they're not interested. This is usually simply because there are many guys sending bulk emails to lots of people, so women can be bombarded with 100 emails quickly enough. But if women do that, there's nothing wrong with men doing that. That said, it always is helpful to proclaim interest. Casual IM's and sitting back and waiting for the guy to ask the questions you want will often lead to ended communication. There's no subtext in online chats, no way for you to say "I'm interested" except by saying it. If you haven't actually said you're interested in getting to know the other person more, there's your answer.

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 29 (view)

Why do guys call months after the relationship has ended? Posted: 3/18/2007 1:05:08 AM
It's amazing how many people simply assume the worst. All sorts of reasons around him being screwed up, wanting sex, all that. No one seems to want to admit that often the love in the relationship can persist. Not the romantic or sexual desires - but the appreciation of the other person for who they are. It's generally good to give it time to let the romantic/sexual part dissipate, of course. One of my ex's I had a good connection to, and I have some affection towards. I don't want to get back together or do anything more than chat, but I'm always surprised she's still angry at me simply because things didn't "work out". Doesn't really bother me - it mostly bothers her - but it's amazing how much support you'll get when you ask around for support in keeping a grudge.

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 11 (view)

Buddhism and meat Posted: 12/19/2006 1:21:26 AM
I'd invite everyone to investigate a macrobiotic lifestyle. Not dogmatically, but it has a wonderful philosophy and is very healthy while tasting good. Aside from "should I eat meat" I'd also ask "what's my philosophy to the animals killed for my foods" and "how much meat do I want to eat?". Most people require very little meat (varied plant protein is enough for almost everyone, really) and it's offered for almost every meal. Eating less meat is better for the environment, too. Being Buddhist implies more a philosophy of goodwill and consciously reducing suffering in the world. Tibetan buddhists eat meat (if you've seen Tibetan landscape, you know why - very practical reasons) but at the same time, they offer prayers and blessings to the animal. It's done consciously and with heart.

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 47 (view)

Is there truth? Posted: 12/14/2006 5:33:26 PM
Regarding truth, the commandments, and the bible, I thought it worthwhile posting this: > 1. Leviticus 25:44 states that I may possess slaves, both male and > female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A > friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not > Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians? Of course you can. However, "slavery" is an indelicate term and most Canadians would take offense if you were to apply it to them. "Indentured servitude" is a better phrase, and try to convince them that it only means that painless dental work is involved. Not theirs, of course. > 2. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in > Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair > price for her? Since your daughter--especially if a teenager--is no doubt convinced she is treated as a slave already, it is totally up to you. Interestingly enough, the price is inversely proportional to how much she complains she is treated as one. The more she complains, the lower the price. Sorry to have to tell you this, but you asked. > 3. I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in > her period of menstrual uncleanness - Lev.15: 19-24. The problem is > how do tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense. You can't, and it's most indelicate for you even to ask. Stay away from women, period. You can't compete, anyway. > 4. When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it > creates a pleasing odor for the Lord - Lev.1:9. The problem is my > neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I > smite them? No. Just tell them they are not invited to the barbeque the next time, and describe the sauces and various side dishes. They will then smite themselves repeatedly on the forehead for missing out, and you will not have to do any smiting at all. Since, by objecting to ritual sacrifice, they are now unclean, you wouldn't want to touch them anyway. > 5. I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus > 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally > obligated to kill him myself, or should I ask the police to do it? The police. If you approach an unclean one yourself, even to kill him, you will then be unclean yourself, and then you would have to be smitten. And not by love, either. > 6. A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an > abomination - Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than > homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this? Are > there 'degrees' of abomination? Of course. The highest degree of abomination, as we all know, is wearing a mix of fibers in textiles, such as a polyester-cotton mix (see also Leviticus). Second to that is wearing Manolo Blahniks to the beach. Also, thou shalt not wear miniskirts after forty. Especially if you are not Cher, and even she is suspect. In fact, she should be smitten right now. Mightily. Especially for that "Believe" song with the bad synth effect. > 7. Lev.21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I > have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading > glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle- > room here? There is no wiggle room; after all, there is Lasix. Please apply to the temple for funds, should you not be able to contribute your mite. > 8. Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the > hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden > by Lev.19:27. How should they die? Via deep humiliation. There is nothing worse than badly cut hair. Point this out frequently, until they are moved to smite themselves for their ignorance and go to a better salon. > 9. I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig > makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves? Yes. Just make sure the gloves are not also made of pigskin. Inspect all labels, just in case. Calfskin is good, but do treat yourself to cashmere if you can. It's worth it. > 10. My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev.19:19 by planting two > different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing > garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester > blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really > necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town > together to stone them? (Lev. 24:10-16) Couldn't we just burn > them to death at a private family affair, like we do with people > who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14) Both of them of course should die deaths of deep humiliation, especially your aunt, see priority of abominations above. However, it depends on what kind of crops your uncle is growing. Getting stoned is serious business. If his crops help him get stoned, he's doing okay. But make sure he shares. > I know you have studied these things extensively and thus enjoy > considerable expertise in such matters, so I am confident you can > help. > > Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and > unchanging." My pleasure. Any time. --Miss "Commandments" Manners

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 15 (view)

Where did religion stray off it's true path? Posted: 12/7/2006 10:01:02 PM
This is actually very funny. I mean, look at what a religion IS. It's a large group of people coming together for the purpose of ritual. It may be based on spiritual experience, but the religion itself is mostly ritual. It can be a ritual with great things inside it, like there can be many beautific, enlightened individuals in a church, but then it is those people that are wonderful, not the church. It's looking at the finger pointing to the moon instead of looking at the moon directly. Religion itself can give a great group high. To expect something more out of an organization alone is quite humorous to me!

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 37 (view)

Does Truth Exist, in the Spiritual meaning of the word, Truth? Posted: 12/7/2006 9:51:07 PM
I would say that anyone interested in this topic should find a good translation of the Tao te Ching. Lao Tsu's philosophy was very much based on Truth (I would say Jesus' approach was based on Love). The realization that they both talk about essentially the same process and being state brings one a lot closer to understanding the essence of either teaching. But the first statement of the Tao te ching is "The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao". So essentially, anything you can communicate in any form is not Truth as a whole. It is only an infinitessimally small part. One can't tell Truth to others, but an experience of it is possible. To experience a large Truth, seek to embrace the opposite stance. If your current truth is that people should always behave politely, for example, start accepting those that are rude and see the perfection in it (and the learning in their process) as well. When one reconciles apparent opposites, what's left is simply Love; Love is the highest Truth there is.

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 5 (view)

What should I do? Posted: 10/24/2006 9:44:24 PM
Why not just say all the things you just said? That you're attracted to him, but don't want to make the next 4 years a mess, so you want to really consider his feelings and not make him uncomfortable. If you feel a direct attitude might make things uncomfortable, just slip him a note. Make it casual, make it no big deal, and make it so it would be comfortable for him to say no. If he's shy he may be grateful you made the first mood. We're all virgins once!

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 43 (view)

Phone numbers in the first message! Posted: 10/23/2006 10:13:35 PM
I for one have no problem giving out my #. What's the worst that could happen? Pay to have it changed if someone starts stalking you? You could be stalked even if it took you 6 months to give them the #. The timeline makes no difference. I for one totally agree with what Dan says. I certainly don't give out my number on the first email. But life's short and I'd rather find out quickly if there's a connection or not. Quickly, but respectfully; asking for a phone number immediately is a little pushy. 20 years ago, you met face to face, so you already got a "vibe". Now you don't get much of one online, especially when you get a short, skimpy profile that doesn't say much of anything. The people who I've seen on here that wanted to email and chat online for an extremely long time (as in months) generally seemed to be people who let fear govern their life. Yes, shit happens, reverse lookups happen, stalkers happen. Statistically, it's very unlikely, but you're more likely to attract them by creating a field of fear anyway. Personally, I write a profile that really says something of me, give a link to my blog, and assume the person will read it if they want to know more of me. After that, I don't see the point in writing long emails just to satisfy someone's "rules". It's more fun offline. They can see who I am from what I've written, and I'm not interested in people too rule based anyway. '''

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 2 (view)

Some believe that our souls choose to come to Earth. Posted: 10/2/2006 12:59:46 PM
First, I tend to be more multi-faith, so some of the terms like "God" and "Heaven" could definitely use more spelling out and more universality. That being said, if you look at great spiritually evolved persons, from christian saints to hindu gurus, the consistency is that they're saying that we are in heaven, but we create our sufferings by our attitude (and our negative beliefs and lack of forgiveness). As in the great metaphor in Genesis, we all fall from heaven when we eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil - that is, split off parts of the world and ourselves and label some "Good" and some "Evil". To live simply in love to all creation, without judgement, is a state filled with joy. That being said, all 'negative' experiences can be great lessons on positivity.

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 21 (view)

Do christians have the right to impose their views/values on the larger society ? Posted: 8/4/2006 1:46:03 PM
There's great interfaith organizations that work wonderfully in making sure that spirituality is present but is respectful of all faiths. This seems to be the best of both worlds. I went to a weekend retreat with the local Vancouver interfaith society, and was very impressed with the level of compassion with the members of ALL religions - and all the major ones were. I don't think ignoring issues of spirituality in schools or even politics is the best way - I think teaching tolerance and universality offers the best of both worlds.

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 7 (view)

Jehovah's Witnesses keep coming to my door. Posted: 7/6/2006 2:47:11 PM
I don't mind them coming around, and I like having spiritual discussions, but I prefer to have them with open minded people. They're trained to speak in a gentle, non-intrusive manner, and listen, but they're not open minded. They're here to sell their religion - because it's part of their religion to do so. They do it because they're supposed to, not usually because they want to. I usually find it funny when they don't know how to respond to me. When they start with a "have you noticed that the world is going downhill, more crime, more violence, ...." I respond with "actually, by all studies, the amount of people killed by war has gone down year after year for 50 years, and violent crime has done the same - we're actually in a very safe world comparably, though the media doesn't portray it as such". They haven't been trained for that response, and they get the deer in a headlight look. :-)

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 76 (view)

Are we God? Posted: 6/25/2006 7:31:21 PM
The idea of God brings up how each person sees the world. Is it a punishing, demanding place? That's like the God of the old testament. Is it a loving place, but we're children and at the mercy of something? Or we the co-creators of our world. I, like so many others, like the greeting "Namaste". It means "I honor the atman within you". Atman is the universal oneness that is God. So it's like saying I honor God who's within and also within me - we are one. Now if that's not a good manifestation of the love that Jesus taught, I don't know what is! http://blog.myspace.com/carrotwax (my blog)

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 3 (view)

Nothingness and the art of Universe Maintenance Posted: 5/6/2006 10:41:04 AM
"Now I am going to tell you something. I don't know what heading it comes under, and whether or not it is relevant here, but it must be relevant at some point. It is not anything new, but I would like to say it. There is a beginning. There is no beginning of that beginning. There is no beginning of that no beginning of beginning. There is something. There is nothing. There is something before the beginning of something and nothing, and something before that. Suddenly there is something and nothing. But between something and nothing, I still don't know which is something and which is nothing. Now, I've just said something, but I don't really know whether I've said anything or not."

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 31 (view)

Question for religious people Posted: 5/4/2006 5:02:53 PM
Well, there's a whole lot of intuitions, beliefs, and understandings going into that. From what I know, souls only fully incarnate in bodies when the intellectual center is fully developed. (actually, the intellectual part of intellectual center, which deals with abstract thought, imagination, and conceptual understanding). But there's a lot of questions people may have in terms of what the intellectual center means. Animal souls are definitely souls, and no worse than ours - but they are "hive souls". Meaning, there's not nearly as much separation between members of the species. There's also a lot less choice available as there's hardwiring going on - animals without the intellect available are governed mostly by instict. But it's been observed in various animals that a different member of a species "learns" or reacts to something that another of the species has. Specifically I remember a study of a large school of fish - both sides of the group, miles across, reacted pretty much at the same time.

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 89 (view)

Catholics, Mormons, JW's, Christian Scientists Posted: 4/26/2006 10:57:25 PM
Well, I was raised a Christian Scientist, and like pretty much everyone nowadays, I left it in my teens. It's a dying religion, and within 20 years any churches you see might be gone. (there's evidently no one in my local one under 60 who goes now) To say that this religion doesn't have anything to do with Christ is a dismissive argument - I'm assuming based mostly on prejudice, if there's no facts to back it up with. It's certainly on a different tact than most protestant religions, though. In fact, you can sort of say it has a bit of a new age flavor it it. "Practitioners" - people who aid people in healings, have modern equivalents such as energy workers, Reiki healers, etc. And there's scientific basis that in a number of cases "miraculous" cures happened. There's also documented cases of dogmatic individuals refusing to see conventional doctors and dying, or their children dying. So it's a mixed bag. The people I knew weren't that dogmatic and saw doctors; it was complimentary. But yes, the bible is holy in Christian Science, though there is another book written by the founder, Mary Baker Eddy. [note: Mary Baker Eddy never actually wanted a church set up] A lot of "standard" christians take exception to christian science relationship with Jesus. Jesus is simply an excellent example of how to live - called "the wayshower". No dying to save our sins, no literal son of God, none of that. Just someone who showed us a better way to live - and it's up to everyone to practise that. Personally, I find that makes a lot more sense.

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 88 (view)

Please Tell Me HOW to Cook Rice! Posted: 4/21/2006 5:47:11 PM
I pretty much always use a rice cooker to cook rice. The good ones are very easy to clean and have removeable parts to be easily put in a fridge or in a dishwasher. But as a side note, I've been on a macrobiotic diet over the last month (basically, no dairy, no wheat/gluten, no meats other than seafood, and no white rice), and I have been eating a lot of brown rice. It takes longer to cook but my body feels SO much better. The standard white rice is sort of like empty calories.

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 9 (view)

Artificial Sweetener Cleared of Cancer Link Posted: 4/21/2006 5:37:29 PM
Before accepting the result of any study that clears artificial sweeteners of causal links, I'd want to know who funded the study. There's a LOT of ways to fix results of studies, and these unfortunately go on all the time. If it's a manafacturer of aspartame doing the study, unless it was being looked over all the time from a good non-profit with clout, I wouldn't believe a word of it. If you look at the history of Aspartame, it would never have been approved without the backroom dealing of ... guess who ... Donald Rumsfield.

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 33 (view)

canada's gun registry getting pricey Posted: 4/20/2006 5:18:43 PM
There's a hidden agenda behind this policy. Yes, the gun registry was implemented very inefficiently. However, now that it's running it only takes 15 million dollars a year to run. It's accessed 5000 times a day by police officers, who find it invaluable. Compare that with the passport office at 80 million/year, and you get an idea how small it is to keep around. It is a valuable service, and I don't see why it shouldn't be kept around if the annual cost is so low.

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 67 (view)

How about that tax cut for the wealthy Posted: 4/20/2006 5:14:19 PM
Nice stereotyped responses. Sarcasm is cheap, but even the most reasoned and impassioned responses cannot live up to if faced with closed minds. There's numerous studies on the illusion of how "free" america is, how much opportunity there truly is, and how the life of illegal immigrants is tough indeed.

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 378 (view)

dating an overweight person? Posted: 4/19/2006 10:03:05 PM
I don't think I would, but it's not just about that. Most overweight people who've been interested in me have always given me the intuition that the extra 'layer' on them is a protective one. That it's a way to keep out touch on one level, even if everyone needs it on another level. I always strive for simplicity and integrity in a relationship. If I feel there's any automatic protective barrier (and fat can be, but it's not the only one - putting on masks is another big one) then I'll pass. I don't want connecting in any form to be a struggle, only a joy. I find those that can simply give themselves the alone time they need and feel confident to say no when a touch doesn't feel right, even from a loved partner very attractive. This isn't to say there aren't physical things like thyroid conditions that exist, but it's the impression I've consistently had.

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 59 (view)

The Authority of the Bible Posted: 4/19/2006 1:44:52 PM
I'm of the opinion that the written teachings of anyone, once the teacher has passed away, fall into the realm of literature and should be treated as such. Meaning, everyone validates (or doesn't) each sentence on their own, and all responses are valid. This applies to Jesus Christ (who didn't write anything) as much as Buddha, Muhammed, Lao Tsu, Krishna, Zarathustra, etc. Jesus was an incredible powerful teacher, bringing what I'd call the Logos to bear. The legacy he left was more the disciples and the people involved. The actual bible we know of came into being long, long after the original teaching. In fact, I would say in general, that a large emphasis on a text as "holy" occurs only after the original spirit of a great teacher has been lost.

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 9 (view)

firefox 1.5 Posted: 4/18/2006 12:11:07 PM
Clearing cache, clearing cookies, and starting in safe mode don't fix the problem. Gone through every setting in Firefox and reduced security for this site. Still can't log into POF with Firefox. Yes, I know it's very strange. I suppose I could uninstall and reinstall. Or try a different browser - anything but IE.

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 59 (view)

Does anyone speak tounges, if not what do you know about it? Posted: 4/17/2006 11:41:23 AM
Hi, Carrotwax, I actually did that when I was younger, I was a monk in my past life, I see your when accessing my past life memories that usually is in english, or in a riddle of english, here is a weird question, when I died and came back does that mean my soul was reincarnated in to my own body, or is my life already a past life? I know these weird questions when someone dies and then reincarnated into another body, then to the person living it would be a past life memory.=) Thanks for your advice I'm not sure exactly what you mean. But you can readily verify the life you are living is totally the current one! Past lives are just that, past lives. They had a very different personality in them, too. But because the "core" of you carries on, getting new experiences, there's some sort of memory. The two main influences are trauma / "unfinished business", and on a more positive note, skills and understandings that are useful to you now. There's been some studies hinting that a good number of child prodigies are "picking up where they left off" in a past life. Also, just because you had a past life doesn't mean you're necessarily able to gain info on it. My immediate past life was in Germany, living through the second world war. It wasn't that pleasant, so it's understandable why I have no facility with German as a language! On the other hand, I have a friend going through a tough time who is strongly attracted to Judaism and finds great peace there. She's oriental, which looks rather strange at the synagogue! She's drawing on a past life that was very peaceful, sort of as an anchor for the tough times she's having now.

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 1 (view)

firefox 1.5 Posted: 4/13/2006 8:09:20 PM
Ever since I upgraded to firefox 1.5 (at 1.5.0.2) now, I cannot login to POF. I have to use IE for that. Yes, cookies are enabled for this site and no other site has this problem. I don't have a super-secure privacy setting. When I used to have an older firefox version everything worked fine. Anyone else having this problem?

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 7 (view)

Does anyone speak tounges, if not what do you know about it? Posted: 4/13/2006 3:25:45 PM
It could simply be a way of accessing past-life memories that are important for you. People have been known to remember all sorts of things from past lifes (that have no other explanation anyone could think of, that is), including languages. And if you're fairly church going, read up that reincarnation was a fundamental part of the church for the first 200-300 years. If it is a memory, memories come up for a reason. It might be good to explore past-life regression - at least to see if that's what it is.

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 72 (view)

Reiki, faith healing, laying of hands, accupuncture, accupressure,do you believe in them? Posted: 4/13/2006 2:01:30 PM
Oh, by all means, Reiki works, shamanism works, accupuncture works. Standard medicine works too. The question is always: who does it work best for? Unforunately a stereotype of any type of healer (standard doctors included) is that they proclaim their method will work for you and not know anything about other methods so that they can't refer. We have a very dysfunctional medicinal society here where most styles don't talk to other styles. Energetic healing works for people more open to it. Many, many people aren't. They require something physical, tangeable, something explainable. Energetic healing is also more long term - it shifts energy, or qi, around, such that the body is more able to heal itself. It's rarely associated with miracle cures (though there have definitely been some), but often associated with better quality of life. I myself am very energetically open, participate in channeling groups, have energy work on me done on a regular basis, and have noticed much greater joy since I started that. Is it solely because of that? No, but it definitely contributed.

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 27 (view)

Conflict in Iran Posted: 4/11/2006 7:44:22 PM
Well, here's what's underreported in the media: "The proposal of Mohammed ElBaradei, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, to place production of fissile materials in the hands of an international agency, to which states could apply for legitimate uses; and the Fissile Materials Cut-off Treaty (FISSBAN) called for in a UN resolution of 1993. The U.S. would never accept ElBaradei's proposal. In fact, the only state to have accepted it, to my knowledge, is Iran, in February 2006 (unreported in the Western press, to my knowledge)." - Noam Chomsky Noam Chomsky, no matter what else you say about him, is not at all known for skewing facts, unlike some politicians and writers we all know! This proposal, if implemented, would make me feel a hell of a lot more safe than if Iran marched to US demands. The vast majority of all threats to use nuclear weapons are still done by the US, the only country that has actually used any.

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 3 (view)

The deeper meaning of the Tarot Posted: 4/9/2006 3:06:13 PM
It's a great way of letting your own intuition come forth, and it really depends on how attuned you are to the deck. There's huge variations in the different Tarot decks, of which there are a lot of. Different decks work for different people. I rather like the Mythic one, but I've made my own cards (not Tarot cards) for a similar purpose. The symbolism in the Tarot also has deep routed cultural influence - a lot of the concepts go back to Greek mythology.

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 6 (view)

the power of good...... Posted: 4/9/2006 3:03:29 PM
Well, in the Bible, the whole Adam & Eve metaphor has something very important. They fell from Eden by eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Before they learned the concepts of "good" and "evil", everything was simply wholeness and part of God's creation. I think we're all striving in some way to get back there. But as for the power of goodness, just look at the life of Gandhi. Being good & full of love to fellow human beings utterly consumed him, and yes he was immensely powerful. One philosophy which I adhere to can be summed up as "Truth is the highest Good, and Love is the highest Truth."

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 33 (view)

what is meditation Posted: 4/3/2006 9:00:15 PM
How about "meditation is better than doing nothing...." or (from Zen Judaism), "Breathe in, breath out. Breathe in, breath out. Forget this and achieving enlightenment will be the LEAST of your difficulties!". But (somewhat) seriously, meditation is simply the process of becoming attuned to that which you already are. There's no great "rules" about it, as everyone is different, but as we all have similarities, there will be similarities in "true" meditation for different people. That said, I like to differentiate between concentration and meditation. Concentration is when you focus attention on a particular thing, such as a candle flame or breathing, or perhaps a visualization. Meditation is more paying attention to the whole in a deep listening state. Both are extremely valuable, and it's fairly important to be able to do both...

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 10 (view)

Where Does Temptation Come From? Posted: 4/1/2006 12:18:27 AM
"Tempation" is another one of those loaded words, especially considering all the guilt attached to the world from the western collective christian heritage. For instance, all of the following could be considered "temptation" : A completely human, natural desire, such as desire for a mate. Someone else's idea of what you should do, that really doesn't match with your own spirit's. Your own genuine idea of what's right, which doesn't match with the culture's. A misplaced desire - for instance, a desire for avoidance of something, which could manifest in addiction. And there could be others, too. I would suggest that it's really more beneficial to see inside, really see, as it is, without labeling or interpreting, what each desire we feel is. And to see it without guilt. Once we actually see what's going on, doing the "right thing" is so much easier! Sometimes the only problem is our own judgement. And yes, there will always be times where we see what's going on and feel it's right to abstain.

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 33 (view)

France Social Sucess or Social Failure Posted: 4/1/2006 12:00:21 AM
I'm aware of what you say, but also aware that this is a question of emphasis. I put media emphasis in my comments because it is such a huge influence, to the point where it is extremely rare to find someone wanting to truly check out facts, being able to recognize unbiased research and not associated with some think tank, etc. Yes, of course, if you raise minimum wage then theoretically, some businesses go under. I say theoretically because in a couple studies I know of that examined the effect of minimum wage, there were NO BUSINESS THAT WENT UNDER strictly because of the increase. None whatsoever. While some thought they might, the positive effect on the economy seemed to create more money coming in, keeping all businesses afloat. Obviously there would be a limit to this - making a $30/hr minimum wage would definitely create problems. However, the minimum wage now is so low in comparison to the past. In constant dollars, the early 60's minimum wage would be more like $14/hr, which is more a living wage. But this was an example, and a digression on France. I'm not blindly pro-socialist movements over there - France does have its own problems. They quite rightly say that there are some problems caused by lack of flexibility; the problems that come with firing anyone (very easy to get sued) means companies don't want to take risk in hiring people. However, the current proposition wasn't a balance, it was simply trying to take away all security for those under 26.

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 27 (view)

France Social Sucess or Social Failure Posted: 3/31/2006 4:37:20 PM
To say that Socialism created problems in France is really, really looking at the surface and taking what multinational media corporations feed you without questions. France's version of "socialism" - which is not true socialism, but rather a balance of capitalism and a good guarantee of worker rights and safety nets, worked extremely well until the mid 70s. At that time the international financial and banking system changed. There was much more emphasis to international trade - in the sense of trade that is the "race to the bottom" that those who protest the IMF and WTO know and love. What's going on now is the power behind the scenes in the European Union is trying to push for the "race to the bottom" internal to the EU as well as externally. So let's get rid of all these safety nets. People know quite rightly that if rights are scrapped for those under 26, it won't be long before they go for other demographics as well. There's a lot of awareness now in terms of what the trends are, which means people can see what's going on well before wealth inequality gets to extreme levels, such as the 3rd world or the US. The irony is that most people here in North America, because of media entrenchment, fight what would honestly help them. For instance, all independent research shows that increasing minimum wage actually HELPS small business and the economy. Why? Because when people have disposable income, coming from a real living wage, it goes back to the economy. If all the money goes to corporate ownership, then it will mostly stay there and not be circulated. And when the economy is booming, everyone is better off. So I for one am totally against the laws, but we'll see what plays out.

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 4 (view)

Apostacy in Christian history Posted: 3/27/2006 9:23:56 PM
To say there "has to be a right way of understanding the scripture" is really going along the lines that's created denominations, fractions, frictions, and conflict. No, there isn't. There's just the way people understand it - each person reads it, and gets their own understanding, perfectly relevent to them. Some people don't relate to it, and that's perfect too. My favorite scripture that relates to this is the Tao te Ching. It's famous opening is "The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao." In other words, anything you can put down in words will not even be close to the magnitude of what truly exists. Jesus didn't write the new Testament; it was not even written until years after his death. Jesus taught about Love, and I tend to think that anything that promotes Love, including interdenominational harmony and understanding, is more in lines with what he taught than anything based strictly on words in the bible.

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 26 (view)

What are Indigo Children? Posted: 3/23/2006 5:31:16 PM
There have always been children more evolved than parents, who see closer to the essence of things, who are more sensitive. Just because someone came up with a new name doesn't mean this "category" of children didn't always exist. If it helps people be more aware of sensitive children and that many children can teach their parents an awful lot, then this is a very positive step. To make a whole religious ideal out of 'indigo children' - even though that's not what people say they're doing - is both silly and counterproductive.

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 6 (view)

No longer able to search by interests with advanced search? Posted: 3/11/2006 12:48:27 PM
Quite frankly, I am no longer interested in this site without good search by interest functionality. Even clicking on my interests on my profile isn't that good. They likely took it away because it could have been a CPU drain. Searching is expensive, and it's much easier to maintain good indices in the database on restricted ranges such as age, sex, location, etc. But for the discerning person it's really the reason I liked it here in the first place!

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 11 (view)

Alien abductions and demonic possession Posted: 1/11/2006 9:58:38 PM
Well, the most common explanation I've heard is that most abductions involve the "grays", who have bred out their capability for emotionality earlier in their evolution - and supposedly as a consequence affected their ability to reproduce. They are taking genetic samples to as to help their own species get back what they lost. Not sure what I believe until I speak to an alien myself, but the people who claim to have talked to the "grays" (and there are supposedly other alien groups out there, of which bigfoot is a benevolent one) say they're not in general bad, but they have gone over the line at times. I'm quite sure the government knows more than they let on which is nothing at all, but I don't know how much that is. There's a formal movement to declassify UFO information in the states - forget what it's called. Demonic possession is another area. Keep in mind that what we call schitzophrenia today would have been called demonic possession in another era. I think we'll get more appropriate thoughts as to what other 'possessions' are at a later date. Which isn't to say they'll fit current scientific thought, but it won't be so fear and magic based.

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 9 (view)

Best way to lose weight and get healthy Posted: 1/5/2006 11:27:30 PM
Good suggestions! Few things to add: 1) Don't go whole hog and deny yourself all treats. An example might be that if you like chocolate (who doesn't), allow yourself the kind that is at least 65% cocoa. Cocoa itself is very healthy (and does wonderful things to women's brains!) - it's all the sugar that's not. 2) Don't rush losing weight. The important thing is learning to live a more healthy lifestyle. Pounds go off naturally then. If it's only a pound a week or every two weeks, that's still good. 3) Learn to make vegetable friendly food taste good. If you learn that healthy food can taste amazing, then your reasons for eating crap fall apart. I've always liked good asian cooking - they've had 2000 more years of practise cooking for vegetarians. Most people could learn to double their spice rack!

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 126 (view)

Do you want kids or not and why? Posted: 12/30/2005 9:58:48 PM
I've looked at UN population trend data, and find significant hope in that the population of the world will quite possibly start DECLINING within 30-40 years. 'Bout time. Yes, so many problems we have, whether it be wars, environmental problems (well, almost all environmental problems) are directly related to overpopulation. But as for me, I have no inclination to have kids. I'm not dead set against them, but I can't really see myself ever having them. 1) You're locked into living your life for them for 20 years. 2) It's much more messy ending a relationship that plainly doesn't work if you have kids. 3) I don't see much personal growth for me in having kids. 4) I don't think I would do the planet any favors. 5) I have a lot of inner contentment and have none of that all-too-typical desire to 'fill' discontent in some way. Some people do get a lot of growth from having kids, and great, so be it. But I still see a lot of people having it because they vaguely feel something is missing, and think the next step must be to have kids. On the other hand, I always greatly appreciate those parents who have done the introspection to gain wisdom BEFORE having kids - what a gift to those kids that is!

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 50 (view)

Canadian election Poll updates. Posted: 12/27/2005 8:10:14 PM
Actually, the NDP in my province (BC) put an internal poll out on whether they should distance themselves from the unions - the majority said yes, so that's what they're doing. I don't know what difference that will make, as there's a lot of overlap there. The overlap isn't always bad - both unions and the NDP are concerned with getting the basic wages and working conditions better - but sometimes the NDP has overlooked some very negative aspects of some union leaders, and it would be good to have that change. One basic problem with unions is that the best natural leaders and managers in a union can tend to get promoted to management - thus the union is left with the dregs. ;-) BC did a referendum on a Single Transferable Vote last year, which got a majority but didn't get the 60% required. It would have been great to see - having a system in which every vote counts. But as for this election and this system, I basically try to notice which party leader (and candidate in my riding) has the most integrity. Duceppe (The Bloc Quebecois) leader actually seemed to have integrity (I listened to the French debate), though I of course disagree strongly with the separation policy. Probably adds to him being popular in Quebec. Jack Layton also seemed to have integrity, though he is trying to not alienate people with too strong a leftist vision - which of course can alienate leftists. The entire conservative party seems to lack integrity, and the Liberals are hit and miss (usually miss, though there are some good canditates).

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 5 (view)

dating my love one with a different religion Posted: 12/23/2005 9:06:26 PM
I've looked into the more mystical, universal element of all major religion, and I can say that there is common ground in everything, if the focus is on bringing as much compassion and love to the world as you can. If you focus on the differences, as fundamentalist movements do, then there's nothing that will work. Even for people of different sects of the same religion!

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 8 (view)

How can any human enter into something with no beginning and no end? Posted: 12/23/2005 9:03:24 PM
Here's a quote I value a lot (seriously). "There is a beginning. There is no beginning of that beginning. There is no beginning of that no beginning of beginning. There is something. There is nothing. There is something before the beginning of something and nothing, and something before that. Suddenly there is something and nothing. But between something and nothing, I still don't really know which is something and which is nothing. Now, I've just said something, but I don't really know whether I've said anything or not.'' It's 2500 year old Taoist scripture atributed to Chuang Tzu. No, it's not a joke - in fact I consider it a very good explanation - but I find it very helpful to remind myself just how much of the universe we can understand by our rational mind alone. Things like eternity and the ever present "now" are like that. But it does make me laugh!

carrotwax

Joined: 6/24/2005

Msg: 31 (view)

Voo Doo Curses and the Like Posted: 12/19/2005 4:51:13 PM
Christians are childern of God what makes you think you can do something to one of his? He does love to protect his own In a similar way, He protects His own from being blown up in war or mugged on the street? It's a similar type of thing, you know. Actually, some Christians have a good method : the power of positive thinking. Striving to love your neighbor, including those who would "curse" you, seems to have a great power to not have negative vibes attach themselves. There've been a few stories of people coming out of concentration camps that tried to practice this that were transformed into remarkable human beings, just from following this practise on their watchdogs. Now if all labelling themselves as Christians would actually try to practice Jesus' teachings - that is, love and unconditionally accept all beings - we'd have a very different world, wouldn't we?

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