water and stone

[zanzibar]

I was going to post something long, personal, and disturbing here, but I decided against it.

A prime lesson in various Eastern systems of thought is the lesson of water and stone:  The ideal is not to overcome force with force, but to be like water.  If a fist hits stone, then the stone will injure the fist but the stone will itself be damaged, even broken.  It is best to be like water.  Water lets the fist pass through it, and when the fist leaves again, the water is unchanged.  In our human relations, to be as stone is to act with anger and fear, and to be as water is to act with understanding and compassion.

[Valbrandr]

Meh sounds a bit too passive to me .. No better or worse then anything I guess.

[zanzibar]

Meh sounds a bit too passive to me .. No better or worse then anything I guess.

I can see how some people might see it as passive and cold.  I think another way of describing it is paying attention to the long term benefits and costs as opposed to immediate gratification.

[Waylander]

AND

If you are like water, you get to be rain!  How cool would that be???

Whereas stones just kind of sit there...

Go Water

[LARAGORN]

ah Yes grasshopper...
     To be water is not to be passive but to be open to all that life is.....
A stone is a stone and will always be a stone, but water is forever changing. Water can be soft and soothing, it can be mist carried in the winds. water can be harder than Stone, and form the stone into any thing it wants.
     Water is everywhere and in everything, to be water is to have the knowledge of all things.

[zanzibar]

ah Yes grasshopper...
     To be water is not to be passive but to be open to all that life is.....
A stone is a stone and will always be a stone, but water is forever changing. Water can be soft and soothing, it can be mist carried in the winds. water can be harder than Stone, and form the stone into any thing it wants.
     Water is everywhere and in everything, to be water is to have the knowledge of all things.

I... hadn't heard that part of it.

[Kiern]

So...what, is there some kind of discussion topic here or are you just telling us something and expecting people to care?

There's no question...no point of debate...you just made a statement.

[zorbels]

Zorbels looks at the post above hers and wonders what the point of that was ......

ah Yes grasshopper...
     To be water is not to be passive but to be open to all that life is.....
A stone is a stone and will always be a stone, but water is forever changing. Water can be soft and soothing, it can be mist carried in the winds. water can be harder than Stone, and form the stone into any thing it wants.
     Water is everywhere and in everything, to be water is to have the knowledge of all things.

Very well put.

@zanzibar: well I am glad you posted that "Statement" as it is very true and inspiring. I think I will print out both your statement and LARGORN, and put it above my sink where I do dishes so that I can be reminded of this wisdom though out my day.

[Kiern]

Zorbels looks at the post above hers and wonders what the point of that was ......

The point of my post is very clearly stated, and if you would care to actually read it whether then just looking at who posted it, you might just see that I'm wondering if zanzibar is looking for a discussion on the topic or if he wants to just post it.  Sorry, but this isn't his personal "space" for posting such things, it's a public forum meant for discussion.  So I assume I'm missing the point of discussion.  And so I ask.  Is that ok with you?

[minetus]

its the water that shapes the stone or the stone that shapes the water?

i tink they mold them selves together..

stone can be soft has water, stone can fly up in the skys

[zanzibar]

So...what, is there some kind of discussion topic here or are you just telling us something and expecting people to care?

There's no question...no point of debate...you just made a statement.

Actually, what I was really hoping for was for someone to make an attempt at trolling by posting something both useless and inflammatory.  I guess it's a good thing there isn't anyone so juvenile on this board.

[Kiern]

So...what, is there some kind of discussion topic here or are you just telling us something and expecting people to care?

There's no question...no point of debate...you just made a statement.

Actually, what I was really hoping for was for someone to make an attempt at trolling by posting something both useless and inflammatory.  I guess it's a good thing there isn't anyone so juvenile on this board.

I ask a simple question, and all I get is posts telling me that I'm flaming you.  There's nothing belligerent in it, I want to know the point of your damn post so I can reply to it.  Sorry if I assume there's something more to your posts then a simple statement that has little to do with anything.

[zorbels]

Zorbels looks at the post above hers and wonders what the point of that was ......

The point of my post is very clearly stated, and if you would care to actually read it whether then just looking at who posted it, you might just see that I'm wondering if zanzibar is looking for a discussion on the topic or if he wants to just post it.  Sorry, but this isn't his personal "space" for posting such things, it's a public forum meant for discussion.  So I assume I'm missing the point of discussion.  And so I ask.  Is that ok with you?

Hmmm.. congrats on your obviously sour attitude. I have no idea where you got that I just looked at who was posting ... also where you got the idea I never read it. I don't give a monkeys behind why you posted what you did, I know just from reading it that you were trolling and poking at zanzibar. Admittedly my post was being sarcastic to yours kiern. Is that ok with you? Seems your ok with doing it to other people .....  

Oh zanzibar the next time you  want Kiern to skip over your post, heres a tip... just post in color. He stated in another thread that he wouldn't read a post in color (because people that post in color aren't people with opinions that are valid, their just attention grabbers *zorbels sarcastically states*), so there is one sure way to avoid him.

[Kiern]

I know just from reading it that you were trolling and poking at zanzibar. Admittedly my post was being sarcastic to yours kiern. Is that ok with you? Seems your ok with doing it to other people .....  

Oh zanzibar the next time you don't want Kiern to skip over your post, heres a tip... just post in color. He stated in another thread that he wouldn't read a post in color (because people that post in color aren't people with opinions that are valid, their just attention grabbers *zorbels sarcastically states*), so there is one sure way to avoid him.

You know me well.  I stated in the other post that posting in certain colors makes it hard for me to read and I don't appreciate straining to read someone's post, this is because I'm color blind so certain colors tend to fade into others.  Not to mention I usually am on here either after I just woke up or am going to sleep so my eyes are already burning.  So if it bothers me that much I'm usually going to skip the post.  Aendar posts in color all the time, and he's one of the few people I respect around here.

You questioned the point of my post, when it is very clearly stated.  And you didn't look beyond me posting it, as you said you know I was doing it for trolling.  I don't care about your reasoning, does that make my question false?  No.  If I were trolling you're just feeding me, when all I really want is an answer.  This kind of thing interests me and I like to discuss it, unfortunately there is aboslutely no room for discussion in his post...which is why I was trying to get one from him.  Be sarcastic to me all you want, but at least have a correct reason behind it.

[Karyuu]

People post a lot of little things that you can't really form a discussion around. Like "Wooo! I'm back!" and the thread becomes people repeating "Who are you?" or "Yeah, wb man." As long as they are civil and don't drag on and on beyond their "best by" dates, they're fine. Just like this.

People got something out of this thread - whether they agree or disagree with the 'philosophy,' so to speak, shared in the original post - it's something to talk about. Maybe that was the point? To share, and see where it goes?

Anyway, let's not get hostile on either side :}