Renaissance Wisdom
"Believe in the individual
Learn to love learning
Help others achieve their potential
Be humble
Question everything
Know thyself
Believe in providence
Be courageous
Remember death (memento mori)
Seek eudaimonia, not happiness."
- Shane Sorensen, Renaissance Wisdom: How to Flourish in the Modern Day, 2022.
How to Live a Good Life: Advice from Wise and Respected Persons
Tao Te
Ching
Chapter Number Index Standard Traditional Chapter Arrangement of the Daodejing Chapter Order in Wang Bi's Daodejing Commentary in 246 CE Chart by Mike Garofalo Subject Index |
|||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
| 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
| 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 |
| 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 |
| 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 |
| 61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 68 | 69 | 70 |
| 71 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 75 | 76 | 77 | 78 | 79 | 80 |
| 81 | |||||||||
By C. P. Ong. Bagua Press, 2013. 366 pages. ISBN: 978-0615874074. VSCL. "This book diverges from traditional exposition on Taijiquan (Tai Chi Chuan) as it engages rather than shuns the role of muscles in elucidating the cryptic practice dictum of “using yi (mind) and not li (muscle force).” It centers on the core principle of Taiji balance—the balance of yin and yang, but presents the metaphysics of balance the way the body comprehends it, developmentally, through practice in the musculo-skeletal framework. In the process, the fog of mystique lifts, and the many abstruse concepts of Taijiquan become clear. Taijiquan training is physical at the initial phase, but the slow-motion exercise nurtures a meditative discipline of the mind. As it progresses, the soft methodology grows into one of building qi-energy, and then the practice becomes more internalized. The process fortifies the body with qi and cultivates a holistic balance of the organ systems. The book explains how the training methodology, in pursuing Taiji balance, leads to the development of a highly refined strength called neijin (inner strength). By incorporating the training of “silk-reeling energy” in Taiji balance, the practitioner develops the coiling power (chanrao jin) that underlies the magic of Taijiquan kungfu." Dr. Ong has a Ph.D. in mathematics from U.C. Berkeley. C.P. Ong is a 20th generation Chen Family Taijiquan disciple of both Chen Xiaowang and Chen Zhenglei. He has traveled with them, as well as with Zhu Tiancai, for a few years in their U.S. workshop tours.
. By Peter M. Wayne, Ph.D., and Mark L. Fuerst. Shambhala Press, 2013. 240 pages. A Harvard Health Publication. 
Back in 1985, I purchased a book titled “Zen Master Dōgen: An Introduction with Selected Writings.” Translation and commentary by Yuho Yokoi with Daizen Victoria. Weatherhill, 1984. Later, I read Moon in a Dewdrop and other translations and commentary by Kazuaki Tanahashi about Master Dōgen, the founder of Soto Zen Buddhism in Japan. These authors brought Dōgen to California for me ... a real Dharma treasure.
“The quality of our life
depends on what seeds we water in our consciousness.”
- Thich Nhat Hanh
I watered the seeds of wisdom from Dōgen for many years, tended to my garden of life, and reaped many fruits. I maintained correct remembrance of Dōgen's contributions.
One of the sermons by Zen Master Dōgen (1200-1253 CE), was “The Eight Aspects of
Enlightenment” (Hachi Dainin-gaku), written the year Dogen died. In this lecture, Dōgen tells the story of the
last sermon spoken by the Buddha Shakyamuni before he died around 400 BCE.
Here is an abbreviated
version of Dogen’s sermon:
“The various Buddha’s have
all been enlightened persons. Their
enlightenment is designated hachi dainin-gaku because it has eight
important aspects, the comprehension of which lead to Nirvana. It was the Buddha Shakyamuni himself who, in
his last sermon on the eve of his death, clarified these eight aspects.
The firs [important aspect]
is freedom from greed. This means to
forsake the five desires. Be a person of
few wants.
The second is
satisfaction. This means to be satisfied
with whatever one has.
The third is to enjoy
quiet. This means to lead a solitary
life, separated from all worldly disturbances.
The fourth is right speech,
considered speech, avoidance of gossip and useless discussions.
The fifth is diligence. The means to do good single-heartedly and
continuously. If you are diligent in
your practice of the Way, it will not be difficult for you to realize
enlightenment.
The sixth is correct
remembrance. This is also called the
preservation of correct remembrance, the word “preservation” signifying the
comprehension of the Law.
The seventh is the practice
of samadhi. Samadhi means
to reside in the Truth, in an undisturbed state of mind.
The eight is the practice of
Wisdom. Wisdom stems from enlightenment,
which is the result of having practiced the Law that one has heard and thought
about.
A person who possesses true
Wisdom is like a stalwart ship sailing across the ocean of old age, sickness,
and death; like a bright lamp dispelling the darkness of delusion; like a good
medicine for all those who are sick; and like a sharp axe used to cut down the
tree of illusion. The Wisdom resulting
from having heard, thought about, and practiced the Law can thus be used to
increase your merit in the Way. If a
person has come into possession of the light of Wisdom, he has the power to see
the Truth with his naked eyes. Such is
the nature of Wisdom.”
“These, then, are the eight
important aspects of enlightenment. Each
of these aspects has eight different functions, for a total of sixty-four
functions in all. In a broader sense,
however, these eight actually have an infinite number of functions, the figure
sixty-four being merely an abbreviated form of the latter. The Buddha Shakyamuni spoke the preceding,
his last teaching on the essence of Mahayana, around midnight on
February 15th. Thereafter, he
said nothing more, being silent until his death.”
Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness: Walking the Buddha's Path
"The eve of the New Year or Oidhche Shamhna was a gap in time. Thus, the spirits from the Otherworld could enter into our world. Rituals on Oidhche Shamhna include providing hospitality to the dead ancestors. They welcomed the dead with food and drink and left the windows and doors of their homes open for the dead to enter. But all spirits from the Otherworld were not good; there were evil spirits too. To keep evil spirits away from their home, they carved images of spirit-guardians onto turnips and placed them at the doors of their homes. As part of the festivities young people wore strange costumes and moved around the village, pretending to be dead spirits visiting from the Otherworld. The Celts believed that on the eve of New Year not only did the boundary between this world and the Otherworld dissolve, but the structure of society dissolved too. Boys and girls would dress up as members of the opposite sex and play pranks on the elders."
- Celtic New Year
"Perhaps the most famous icon of the holiday is the jack-o-lantern. Various authorities attribute it to either Scottish or Irish origin. However, it seems clear that it was used as a lantern by people who traveled the road this night, the scary face to frighten away spirits or faeries who might otherwise lead one astray. Set on porches and in windows, they cast the same spell of protection over the household. (The American pumpkin seems to have forever superseded the European gourd as the jack-o-lantern of choice.) Bobbing for apples may well represent the remnants of a Pagan 'baptism' rite called a 'seining', according to some writers. The water-filled tub is a latter-day Cauldron of Regeneration, into which the novice's head is immersed. The fact that the participant in this folk game was usually blindfolded with hands tied behind the back also puts one in mind of a traditional Craft initiation ceremony."
- Mike Nichols, All Hallow's Eve
I did not feel well this past week. Tired, coughing, mild temperature, achy, upset stomach, cranky, depressed. I did not read or write much the past few days. Hopefully, better this coming week.
"Leaves fall,
the days grow cold.
The Goddess pulls her mantle of Earth around Her
as You, O Great Sun God, sail toward the West
to the land of eternal enchantment,
wrapped in the coolness of night.
Fruits ripen,
seeds drip,
the hours of day and night are balanced."
- Mabon Sabbat and Lore
"A year of beauty. A year of plenty.
A year of planting. A year of harvest.
A year of forests. A year of healing.
A year of vision. A year of passion.
A year of rebirth.
This year may we renew the earth.
This year may we renew the earth.
Let it begin with each step we take.
And let it begin with each change we make.
And let it begin with each chain we break.
And let it begin every time we awake."
- Starhwak, Reclaiming Samhain
Halloween (Samhain): Bibliography, Quotes, Poems, Links, Lore
October 31, 2020
In downtown Tillamook a road sign says "Portland 72 miles"
This is a pleasant drive from Tillamook to Hillsborough via Roads 6 and 26. Road 6 follows the forested Wilson River Canyon up to the 1,586 foot road summit, then down many hills into the Willamette Valley. A good part of this "Trees to the Sea" scenic highway is through the Tillamook State Forest lands.
The 40+ mile drive on Oregon Road 26 from Banks, North Plains, Hillsborough, into downtown Portland, then onto to Interstate 5 North and over the Columbia River Bridge into Vancouver and home requires a driver's full attention, good breaking skills, and driving very carefully in multi-lane heavy traffic conditions. Home again in Vancouver around 12:30.
I came home. Unloaded my Ford Escape vehicle. Filled the Ford with gas. Stopped at the new, all glass, Cannabis store by the Shell gas station and Home Depot. Sprayed off the car with water. Took a shower. Relaxed in my backyard garden for two hours. Smoked 4 puffs of cannabis. Safe and smiling.
The following text is a repeat of my Cloud Hands Blog post on Thursday, February 10, 2022:
Up early at 4 am. Reading, laptop writing and looking at images, sipping hot coffee. Time to pack my camping gear up and return to my nice home in Vancouver. At 8 am I started loading up my camping gear in my Ford Escape. You need to vacate the Yurt campsite by 10 am, however you can stay in the Park until 9 pm. I leave around 10 am.
Today, I drove from Cape Lookout State Park to Tillamook. Take out breakfast from McDonalds. Gas up my car at Chevron. Then, I took Oregon Road 6 back to Banks, and then Road 26 back into Portland, and then home to Vancouver. It was a relatively easy 100 mile drive. Lovely driving weather: dry and clear. Some grand views driving up Wilson River Canyon.
I figure the cost of gas at $80.00 for this trip. The Yurt campsite at Cape Lookout for three nights cost me around $240.
Karen and I have stayed in motels in Tillmook four times in the past two decades. We have driven through and visited the area many times.
On my next Yurt camping trip to Cape Lookout, I plan to: 1) Explore side stops in the Tillamook State Forest along Road 6. 2) Explore the sand dunes at Sand Lake north of Pacific City. 3) Hike on the Cape Lookout Ridge Trail. 4) Visit the Tillamook Pioneer Museum in downtown Tillamook. 5) Eat at the Tori Sushi Lounge, and the Fern Restaurant in Tillamook, and Schooner's in Netarts. There are two breweries/pubs in Tillamook: Pelican and Werners; and I'll purchase a Pelican beer when I get back home in Vancouver.
Another one of my fine adventures during Four Days in Grayland.
7th Yurt Camp: 2022 February
Reports
24a
24b
25
26
27
Yurt Campsite at Cape Lookout State Park, Oregon, for 3 nights
Tillamook, Tillamook Bay, Netarts Bay, Netarts, Oceanside, Bayocean, Sand Lake, Pacific City,
Tillamook State Forest
Photos, Notes, Links, Information, Travel, Activities, Guides
Here are some photographs by me from this Cape Lookout Trip:
Here are some images from the Internet of this Beautiful Agricultural Area:
Tillamook City Population 5,300 Images On US 101 and Junction with Oregon Road 6 leading back east to Portland.
Motels, restaurants, cafes, gift shops, grocery, banks, museums, dairy farms, lumber industry, hospital, gas, stores, services, supplies.
The Tillamook area has many dairy farms on green flat land east of the bay.
Tillamook Coast Visitors Guide
Tillamook Library Tillamook County Library System
Tillamook County Population 25,300 The City of Tillamook is the County Seat.
Tillamook Creamery Tours
Tillamook County Pioneer Museum
Blue Heron French Cheese Company
Northwest Coastal Oregon Travel Guide: Astoria to Cape Lookout. By Mike Garofalo.
Bayocean Development Failure Story
Tillamook Bay Shellfishing Clams and Crabs
Barview Jetty County Park Campground, picnic, hiking. At the north jetty to Tillamook Bay.
Oyster Farming in Tillamook Bay - A History
Tillamook Bay Environmental History
Port of Tillamook Bay Information, History
"The bay is protected from the open ocean by shoals and a 3 mi (5 km) sandbar called the Bayocean Peninsula. It is surrounded closely by the Coastal Range except at its southeast end, where the town of Tillamook sits near the mouths of the Kilchis, Wilson, Trask and Tillamook rivers, which flow quickly down from the surrounding timber-producing regions of the Coastal Range to converge at the bay. The short Miami River enters the north end of the bay. The small fishing village of Garibaldi sits near the cliffs opening of the bay in the ocean. The rivers that feed the bay are known for their prolific steelhead and salmon runs. The mixing of freshwater from the rivers with the ocean's saltwater makes the bay an estuary.
The name "Tillamook" is Coast Salish word meaning "Land of Many Waters", probably referring to the rivers that enter the bay. At the time of the arrival of Europeans, the area along the coast was inhabited by the Tillamook and other related Coast Salish tribes. Historians believe they entered the area around the year 1400 and Lewis and Clark estimated the population south of the Columbia River along the coast at approximately 2,200."
- Tillamook Bay
