waysider

You might just be on to something here. I do think dogs, as well other animals, have an "authentic self" and a "conditioned self" (ie: identity) Domestic cats, for example, have a "true self" that is born with the desire to stalk and kill prey. It's born into them. Ironically, though, they don't quite understand this behavior to be linked to survival. That's where conditioning comes into play. The mother cat not only helps the young ones to hone their skills, she teaches them that their quarry is a source of food and necessary for survival. If those lessons are missed, the cat will grow up to be one that hunts and kills but doesn't quite understand it's supposed to consume its bounty. There are oodles of similar examples in the animal kingdom. I suppose they are most obvious in domesticated breeds. The recent tragedy involving a chimpanzee attack underscores this premise. As much as the owner tried to modify his behavior into one that suited her liking, the chimp eventually reverted to his "true self". Now, of course, it's a good deal more complex with humans because, not only can we think and reason, there are so many more varied and widely diverse examples of humans than there are of chimpanzees, or tabby cats, or snow leopards. So, yes, in a sense, you might say we are denying dogs the opportunity to be their true selves.

It doesn't sound familiar to me.

How about his "revelation"regarding the original sin that he decided to share with us in CF&S? I think about those times when, in the middle of a teaching, he would pretend that God was whispering in his ear. It makes me want to barf. What a shyster!

SUPER CHIKAN

Reckless discharge---no malice intended. Potentially tragic, none the less.

The Way insisted we deny our genuine "self" and adopt an "identity" that was TWI created, as if it were our "self"---- one that was focused on selling PFAL, Everyone was supposed to be the same. That's not real. Each and every one of us is unique in our own special way. We were encouraged to suppress that reality with the concept of likemindedness. Here we are now, decades later, exploring places that were once off-limits. Sometimes we agree. Sometimes not. But, it's tempered by a voice that speaks from a place we continue to explore as if for the very first time. And it's OK.

I got a feeling these more aptly depict what VPW had on his mind.

It was a money making scam. Period. The video cassette players (not recorders) became a fixture of the TWI A/V equipment inventory in about 1972 or 1973. That may not be an exact date, but it's close. I remember shopping for a used car in about 1973 or 1974. One of the requirements I insisted on was a trunk that was large enough to transport the video tape player (not recorder). At one point, VP made a "prediction/prophesy" <_< that someday every home in America would one day own a tape player (not recorder). Wouldn't you know it? Not long after that, he "made it available" for anyone interested, to make a special purchase of a Beta player for the mere cost of $800.00. That's a bundle of money here in 2009. Just think how exorbitant it was in 1979 or so. But, hey, you could be the first on your block, "dontcha know"? There was no "revelation" involved. He used his MOG status to promote the con. I, of course, wasn't making anywhere near the kind of money needed to get in on this "special" deal. I did know some people who got sucked in on it, though. VPW must have laughed all the way to the bank. What a huckster.

I can remember wading hip deep in the creek behind Ohio limb HQ and removing rocks. Yes, rocks. When I exited the creek, I had to stop and remove the leeches that had decided I was their buddy. What benefit, in Heaven's name, could have possibly come from that nonsense, other than the limb leader solidifying his position as "alpha dog"? What a useless exercise in futility! The whole two year program was like that.

Anyone who has ever taken music lessons knows that the rests have just as much value as the notes. Sometimes what you DON'T play is every bit as important as what you DO play. There are occasions when "less" is really "more".

Let's face it, when your from a place with a river that has a history of catching fire because of all the pollution, it's hard to be offended by this stuff. http://www.clevelandmemory.org/SpecColl/croe/accfire.html "The Cuyahoga will live in infamy as the only river that was ever declared a fire hazard." - Congressman Louis Stokes :)

'nother concept to ponder. "Self" is who you are deep down inside, at your very core, before factoring in experiential shaping. "Identity" is who your "self" has become BECAUSE of experiential shaping. (At least in part) When the two clash, the results are not always pleasant. For example, consider a person whose real "self" is that of an artist or poet but whose "identity" has been defined by years spent working in the family's plumbing business. Maybe this explains why people in the '60s were so intent on discovering their self before settling on an identity.

Just make sure your undies are all properly folded and your socks are all stored facing the same direction. You just never know when some pipe smoking lunatic will sneak in for a mid-day inspection. <_<

BINGO! WHEN I WAS YOUNG

Nope. Same era, though. My faith was so much stronger then. I believed in fellow men. And I was so much older then.

This pe-dates Springsteen.

Tommy Castro

I smoked my first cigarette at 10. And for girls, I had a bad yen. And I had quite a ball.

I have not watched this. I'm simply posting the link in reference to the initial post. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XK1pnCldKZI

Take the time to Journey to The Center of the Mind.

Here's hoping all you Mommies/Grandmommies have a wonderful day.

TWI taught that the real you was a spiritual creation that was equal to the "Christ in you". Were were nutso hippie kids---what did we know? :lol:

ROA was Farmer Vic's cash cow. He brought that calf into this world and knew exactly what it needed to stay healthy. He knew exactly how to milk it for maximum production. When Farmer Vic "bought the farm", the feeding and care directions were either lost or misunderstood. Hence, the cow succumbed to an inevitable demise.

Be it ever so squalid, there's no place like home. (So many fond memories of my childhood there.) Here's a salute to Boston from 1966. DIRTY WATER

That's an amazing piece, Mstar. The subtle piano undercurrent supplies a perfectly intriguing aspect to the whole.