Just a state of mind?

[Doc Stier]

I understand what you're saying and so does scott. What we mean is in the actual, real life sense, not the definitive.

Daniel:

That's what I mean as well. The definition of common usage for any word, including the word 'master', precisely describes its usual interpretation and significance of meaning in the real life, everyday language of speech and writing. This is exactly what distinguishes the commonly accepted meaning of a word, is it not?

Doc

[Scott R. Brown]

The concept of mastery or any other term for that matter is arbitrarily determined. Everything that is arbitrarily determined is inherently illusory. Meanings/definitions have a practical purpose. Words, definitions and concepts are tools we use to benefit us, to serve us, but what tends to occur is we start to serve the words. That is, we conform ourselves to the definition and therefore limit our experience. The definition of mastery is just a definition, it is NOT mastery. When we strive for mastery or consider ourselves a master we confine ourselves to the arbitrary definition. We begin to serve the definition rather that it serving us.

When we conform to arbitrary definitions we serve the word and our actions become contrived. In the end we actually lose whatever mastery we think we have achieved because inherently mastery is a state of mind or a condition of being.

[Scott R. Brown]

Hi Doc,

I did not consider your questions menial, only your response as rudely worded as your original questions. With each post you continue your poor attitude,

You are still not following your own advice to NJM.

To quote you, "Sometimes, it's better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open the mouth and remove all doubt!"

The more you behave like an impudent child the more foolish you appear.

I think it may be a bit late already though. If you continue with your rude attitude you may find few people willing to play with you and you will have to take your ball (poor attitude) and go play somewhere else.

Try to lighten up a little and take the chip off your shoulder.

Since you have already referred to me as your "Dad" (Yes, I know it was meant as an insult.) I will advise you to try behaving more like our resident 15 year old adult, Daniel ,and less like a typical 15 year old punk!

Oh yeah! I forgot to try to ameliorate the terseness of my post with superfluous smilies,

[Scott R. Brown]

Hi Daniel,

No worries, you are doing fine. I think at 15 you are ahead of the game.

Try not to be too concerned with the sour pusses of the world. Sometimes they are fun to play with, other times it is better to ignore them.

[Doc Stier]

Daniel:

I also think that you're doing well, and want you to know that I have no issues with you whatsoever.

Doc

[Doc Stier]

Scott:

Your comments to me come across as insufferably arrogant and rude, while insisting all the while that you are driven solely by altruistic motivations to help others. What a hoot! You're not helping me, in case this fact escaped you. I really don't care if you dislike me, disagree with me, or what your personal opinion of me is. I honor your right to whatever opinions you may choose to embrace. Nonetheless, I would greatly appreciate it if you would kindly cease and desist from your flawed, ego obstructed psychoanalysis of my personal character. It makes you look petty and vindictive, IMO.

News Flash, Scott! Your opinion is not Universal Truth for us all, but only your opinion, clearly based on your personal value judgements and your personal discriminations, which are obviously very biased. As such, your self-assumed 'authority' in using the word 'we' in your lecture style posts is misdirected, since your opinions do not represent those of everyone reading and posting here, but only represent your own egoistic thinking. I can tell that you are used to telling others how it is and what to do, always needing to be 'right' in every situation, and always needing to have the final say on every issue. Such tendencies are usually an attempt to conceal deep seated insecurities. This is further validated by the fact that you are clearly not at all comfortable with receiving similar input from others, especially when their opinions differ from yours. Thus, your style of communication merely makes you appear overbearing and obnoxious, IMO.

Example, you told me previously, didn't ask me, to stop responding to your comments if I didn't like what you were saying to me, which I did, but then you continue to perpetuate an adversarial interaction by making further rude and insulting comments. WTF, man! Give it a rest. Time out! Do you actually believe that by continuing to verbally assault me in this manner that I will eventually just roll over and accept your biased assessment of me as truth? Not likely, Bubba.

So, do us all a great favor by posting on the topics at hand, and leave the personal attacks out, OK? Let us simply agree that we disagree, and let this be the last personal, off-topic exchange in all threads that we both post replies on. Think you can do that, I'm betting that you can't, or will it be necessary for you to have the final word on this issue as well?

Doc

[Doc Stier]

".... is everything just a simple state of mind?"

Getting back on topic, in response to tai chi hermit's initial question quoted above, the following edited excerpts from Thought Power by Sri Swami Sivananda seem to be relevant and insightful.

"When a thought, whether good or evil, crosses the mind of a person, it gives rise to vibrations in the mental atmosphere, which travel far and wide in all directions. You are surrounded by an ocean of thought. You are floating in the ocean of thought. You are absorbing certain thoughts and repelling some in the thought-world. Everyone has his own thought-world.

Thoughts are living things. A thought is as much solid as a piece of stone. We may cease to be, but our thoughts can never die. Every change in thought is accompanied by vibration of its mental matter. The stronger the thoughts, the earlier the fructification. When thought is focused and given a particular direction, and in the degree that thought is thus focussed and given direction, it is effective in the work it is sent out to accomplish.

Thought has tremendous power. Thought can heal diseases. Thoughts can transform
the mentality of persons. Thought can do anything. It can work wonders. The velocity of thought is unimaginable.

Thought is a dynamic force. It is caused by the vibrations of psychic energy on the mental substance. It is a force like gravitation, cohesion or repulsion. Thought travels and moves.

What is this world, after all? It is nothing but the materialization of the thought-forms. Everybody is experiencing the power of thought unconsciously to a greater or lesser degree.

[Scott R. Brown]

Hi Doc,

Your comments to me come across as insufferably arrogant and rude, while insisting all the while that you are driven solely by altruistic motivations to help others.

I have pointed out to you your rude behavior towards others and patiently tolerated your rude behavior towards me. It is not arrogant to defend those who were not rude to you when you attacked them without provocation. It is not arrogant to point out that you are guilty of the very behaviors you accuse of others. I have been patient with YOUR “insufferable” behavior. When both Daniel and Chris so thoughtfully apologized to you, you responded with more derisive comments. You need to grow up and change your attitude.

You are the arrogant one to come onto a BB where you have no established rapport with anyone and begin to deride and ridicule others in an unjustifiable manner. Please name for me any other social environment where your form of conduct is approved. Go play golf with three other men you do not know and treat them in a derisive manner and see what kind of response you receive. Try it with a bowling four-some or better yet go to a MA school and start ridiculing the participants you know nothing about. What response do you suppose you would receive?

The arrogance is yours when you believe you can come into a social group you know nothing about and behave derisively to those who are established members of the group without receiving any negative consequences.

I am straight and to the point now because your foolishness and arrogance will not allow you to understand kind and gentle admonitions. You are reaping the consequences of your own childish behavior.

I would greatly appreciate it if you would kindly cease and desist from your flawed, ego obstructed psychoanalysis of my personal character. It makes you look petty and vindictive, IMO.

I am not trying to help you! I am protecting the social environment from you, a bully who thinks he can storm into an established social group and be derisive to well-known and well-liked members. I am unconcerned with whether I look vindictive of not. Children require negative consequences or their inappropriate behavior tends to continue. You are acting like a child so I am treating you like the child you are. The fact is you will not be allowed to be rude to those you do not know without consequences. I am happy to take that responsibility for others if they are not inclined to do so for themselves.

If you would like me to desist then grow up and act like an adult. I gave you the chance to let it go by responding to your questions on this thread in an appropriate and detailed manner regardless of your rude undertone. The rudeness of your responses has indicated that you wish you continue and not let it go. So you are reaping what you sowed.

News Flash, Scott! Your opinion is not Universal Truth for us all, but only your opinion, clearly based on your personal value judgements and your personal discriminations, which are obviously very biased. As such, your self-assumed 'authority' in using the word 'we' in your lecture style posts is misdirected, since your opinions do not represent those of everyone reading and posting here, but only represent your own egoistic thinking. I can tell that you are used to telling others how it is and what to do, always needing to be 'right' in every situation, and always needing to have the final say on every issue. Such tendencies are usually an attempt to conceal deep seated insecurities. This is further validated by the fact that you are clearly not at all comfortable with receiving similar input from others, especially when their opinions differ from yours. Thus, your style of communication merely makes you appear overbearing and obnoxious, IMO.

LOL!! Nice try Doc! I have been here for about 6 years. I have an established rapport with the other long standing members. They know me and understand my personal style. You know very little about me other than you know I will not allow your childish behavior to go unanswered. I do not need to qualify my comments to those who know me. They understand me and I understand them because we have known each other for years. We have had the opportunity to qualify ourselves to each other over many years of conversations. We have established relationships. We accept each others comments and perspectives based upon mutual understanding and respect that has grown over time. We understand inherently that each persons perspective is unique and to be respected accordingly because we have established rapport. You do not, so your comments continue to demonstrate your inept social ability.

How long have you been here???

3 days, and you have already managed to be rude to 4 or 5 people. What school did you attend or whose master's knees did you learn at that taught you to earn respect in the manner you are using?

You have no established rapport with anyone here and your opinions of me are meaningless. I am reflecting to you your own ego-centric personality and you do not like it. If you do not like it then begin with yourself and let me worry about me.

Well then, why am I worried about you, you may ask? Because you have attacked some and behaved derisively towards others with no reasonable cause. These individuals are people I know and respect. When others have attempted to apologize you follow up with more derisive comments.

The problem is yours Doc. You are socially inept. You are childish and immature and have a serious lack of understanding of social etiquette.

Example, you told me previously, didn't ask me, to stop responding to your comments if I didn't like what you were saying to me, which I did, but then you continue to perpetuate an adversarial interaction by making further rude and insulting comments. WTF, man! Give it a rest. Time out! Do you actually believe that by continuing to verbally assault me in this manner that I will eventually just roll over and accept your biased assessment of me as truth? Not likely, Bubba.

Nice try again Doc! You did respond to my comments in your now typical derisive manner. Your response was clearly rife with an undertone of derision. You got what you asked for. If you do not like it tough; Grow up and act like an adult then!

So, do us all a great favor by posting on the topics at hand, and leave the personal attacks out, OK? Let us simply agree that we disagree, and let this be the last personal, off-topic exchange in all threads that we both post replies on. Think you can do that, I'm betting that you can't, or will it be necessary for you to have the final word on this issue as well?

Once again nice try! I gave you the opportunity to let it go when I replied to your questions in a thoughtful and reasonable manner and you chose to respond with more derision. I gave you the chance when you asked Chris to keep on topic on your other thread. I responded by posting my response to him on a new thread. Once again your reply following Chris's was derisive.

The problem Doc is you! You continually choose to behave in a childish manner even when others give you the opportunity to act like an adult. It is your own choices that create the responses you are receiving.

If you wish to let it go then why didn’t you take the opportunities when they were provided you? Could it be because of you own ego-centric preoccupation? I think so.

If you truly wish to let it go, then demonstrate it now. This is your chance to display some adult behavior. I tried to give you the opportunity, but you didn’t respond with maturity. Try responding with maturity now and you will get what you want. If that is REALLY what you want.

If you do not want to be treated with the derision you treat others with then treat others with more courtesy and you will receive courtesy in return.

[Scott R. Brown]

HI Doc,

Thank you for proving my points so well!

[Scott R. Brown]

I'll continue to post where an when I like as I am so inclined.

If you don't like it feel free to go somewhere else to boost your inferiority complex!

[Doc Stier]

HA! HA! HA! I knew you couldn't do it! You just can't resist keeping it going, can you? You need to always have the final word, right? Makes you feel powerful and in control, doesn't it? Well....nice try, boy, but no cigar once again!

Save your aggressive macho bravado for whomever it is that you bully back home. To me it's nothing more than totally pathetic entertainment....the Mighty Scott, self-appointed defender of the weak and defenseless. What a hoot! Talk about delusions of grandeur....sheeesh! In all likelihood, that's not anyone posting on these threads. The weak and defenseless folks are the peeps silently lurking in the background, afraid to post anything on any thread for fear that some jerk like you will criticize and berate them for not agreeing with you. Get a grip, man.

I am duly advised as to how you feel about me, but I think that I can live with that. I'm very certain that I can get along just fine without your esteemed approval. I don't know you well enough to invest so much time and effort into negative interaction with you, and I don't want to know you that well. However, since you feel so strongly about all of this, I'll concede to making an effort to stay out of your way, and won't reply to any of your posts on any topic. I ask you to do the same for me. Fair enough? It's time to bury the hatchet and move on, Scott. OK?

Doc

[Scott R. Brown]

HI Doc,

Thank you for proving my points so well!

I'll continue to post where an when I like as I am so inclined.

If you don't like it feel free to go somewhere else to boost your inferiority complex!

Instead of erasing your inappropriate posts, or re-ordering them how about simply acknowledging your errors and apologizing to those you were rude too.

[Doc Stier]

Oh, c'mon, Scott. You know that I could never prove anything to you, because you already know it all, and only see and hear what you're looking for. But that's OK. I'll add you to my prayer list.

Please be advised that I will continue to post on this forum when and where I choose to. If you don't like that, please feel free to go elsewhere with your poorly attempted intimidation tactics. I'm beginning to feel kinda sorry for you.

Doc

[Scott R. Brown]

Hi Doc,

Nice job at taking the high road and letting it go! I am pretty sure that is what you said you wanted. Or do you plan to erase that post too without apology? Yet another opportunity to demonstrate you want to move along wasted by your ego.

Of course I knew all along you wouldn't let it go. It was all empty posturing as I anticipated. You do not fool me and you are not fooling anyone else.

Once again you were given the opportunity to act like an adult and yet you continue to respond as a child.

I welcome your posts. It isn't your posts I have a problem with. I have not been critical of any of your strictly informative posts, yet anyway!

So feel free to post all you want. Just understand there will continue to be consequences when your rude conduct is unjustifiable.

[Doc Stier]

Whatever, man!