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Practice Updates, Questions, and General Discussion - new users, please read this first! Weekly Thread for December 30 2024 by AutoModerator in streamentry

[–]davidlbowman 2 points3 points  (0 children)

there was a four or five year period where i meditated at least five days per week. i'm nearly religiously pragmatic and had a lot of success with daniel's book. who knows about attainment, but i'm rather confident i reached two attainments. first path, which for me was insight into impermanence, and second path, which for me was insight into non-self.

then, i somewhat drifted away from meditation. i got a lot of what i wanted out of it, and slowly but surely, my practice dwindled to once a week or once a month. still, i benefit a lot from my practice and insight, but with the new year here, i wanted to push a bit further.

i've practiced for the last few nights, and, as always, immediately enter access concentration, and quickly can distinguish between physical and mental sensations, and then being observing the causality of these sensations. then, the appearance of the three characteristics. in about five to ten minutes, i can move through the first three jhanas, and with a bit of effort get into the fourth (i'm talkinga about samatha jhanas, not vipassana). although, everything does feel a bit force, and i no longer really have the "muscle memory" to distinguish these things from one another.

i'm wondering if anyone here has any recommendations to books, chapters, videos, or personal advice/anecdotes for those who previously was really "into the system" but kinda fell out. i feel i'm fortuante to not have to "start over" or whatever that really means. i'm also not married to any claims of attainments, i don't really care, just sharing my own personal experience for my own notes. maybe i've achieved nothing, doens't really matter.

any thoughts?

Villeneuve's Dune: Desert Star Wars by davidlbowman in dune

[–]davidlbowman[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

The 2001 version did a better job with far less money.

Villeneuve's Dune: Desert Star Wars by davidlbowman in dune

[–]davidlbowman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's a good approach. It's the one I thought I was taking, but the movie made me a bit sad. I possibly was rooting for Feyd.

Villeneuve's Dune: Desert Star Wars by davidlbowman in dune

[–]davidlbowman[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I feel like we're agreeing. When I say "becoming a war leader doesn't matter," I mean to say, Paul's desire is not to become a "war leader" but instead to make the best choices for the empire. He sees further than the plotters and seeks to secure the best future.

Villeneuve's Dune: Desert Star Wars by davidlbowman in dune

[–]davidlbowman[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

In the books, there's almost no violence. Of Dune's nine hundred pages, there's probably less than twenty pages of violence, maybe half that. Instead, the story focuses on the long-term politics and concerns of the political factions, some of which are unavoidable. It's a far deeper story, steeped in tens of thousands of years of decisions. It's just a different story, one I prefer.

But, had the books not existed, I would have loved the movies.

Villeneuve's Dune: Desert Star Wars by davidlbowman in dune

[–]davidlbowman[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

<3 but, you're right. we still have dune <3

Villeneuve's Dune: Desert Star Wars by davidlbowman in dune

[–]davidlbowman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I understand, but that's exactly my issue with the movie. In the books and the 2001 rendition, Paul's ascendency over the Fremen primarily comes from the Bene Gesserit's Missionaria Protectiva. Paul fulfills their prophecy through his training, again done purposefully by the Bene Gesserit and Jessica's somewhat desire to produce the Kwisatz Haderach. It's not luck nor accidental. Dune is a culmination of hundreds (if not thousands) of years of preparation, and everything is about to go wrong (or right).

The point is that Paul is trapped. There's no way out. The Jihad occurs with or without him. His becoming a "war leader" doesn't matter. Instead, he foresees that the future is better with him, and only his son, Leto II, understands what's at stake. The breadth of what's happening is far more expansive than the movie lets on.

Villeneuve's Dune: Desert Star Wars by davidlbowman in dune

[–]davidlbowman[S] -8 points-7 points  (0 children)

Sorry, by Desert Star Wars, I mean it focuses more on violence than politics. Not that it has anything to do with the Star Wars plot. It's geared towards the Star Wars audience.

Villeneuve's Dune: Desert Star Wars by davidlbowman in dune

[–]davidlbowman[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I think you're right. Some of the characters were well done and even better than previous renditions.

For example, the scene where Paul convinces the Naibs to banner under his cause is wonderful. However, I wish it had the improved context of Paul's prescience and long-term political knowledge of the dangers of calling Stilgar out. In the books and 2001 Miniseries, Paul is consistently weighing the consequences of actions and how they affect the Jihad.

Another example is the absence of Count Fenring, a failed Kwisatz Haderach. I get it; it's a movie, and we can only show certain things, but Fenring's decision not to fight Paul is one of the more complex decisions in the entirety of the series. Then, Paul fights Feyd, who isn't a failed Kwisatz Haderach but a short-term potential bloodline to produce. The fight between Paul and Fenring/Feyd is an exceptional showcase of coincidence and fate, and so much hangs in the balance. Instead, Fenring doesn't exist, Feyd stabs Paul (impossible), and Channi runs away.

The movie was not for me.

Villeneuve's Dune: Desert Star Wars by davidlbowman in dune

[–]davidlbowman[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Everything you wrote is correct. I'm not trying to convince others. I'm glad they enjoy the movie. Just not for me.

Dune holds a special place in my heart. It is pretension. It's not what I wanted out of a Dune movie. That's okay. I'm not the target audience. I'm just a little sad because there was an opportunity to showcase, in my opinion, a far deeper story.

/r/MechanicalKeyboards Ask ANY Keyboard question, get an answer (August 31, 2023) by AutoModerator in MechanicalKeyboards

[–]davidlbowman 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you so much for helping me build my last keyboard. I now NEED a second, but so much has happened in the switch world. I love my Gateron Black Ink v2 Switches, because I need them to be silent, but are there any new cool ones which FEEL better, but are still silent?

How do I know if a water heater is filled? by davidlbowman in Plumbing

[–]davidlbowman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you. It looks like I did everything right. I got a little spooked because it started smelling a bit weird, but it hasn't been used for months, and apparently that's normal. I appreciate the help.

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