manitou

Thank you, darling. The funny thing is that when a child grows up with violence all around, that's the norm for their whole life, until they bottom out and learn differently! The important thing in my life was the turning point, where down started going up. And it's only because of our adversities that we become the people we are today, with the underlying understanding that we have. I have to be grateful for my horribly violent past because now life is the polar opposite. I merely decided to change my mindset and take responsibility for my actions. Some folks on this forum think in a sarcastic framework, some in a cynical framework. This is always our choice, which mindset to hold. I just now choose to see everything as part of the great continually evolving One. VMarco - someone has gone to an awful lot of trouble to justify dominating their wife, if you ask me, lol. I think that's why any fundamentalist view of any religion is ridiculous - the tomes are usually subject to variations of translation, and the writings of these translators can only be as deep and true as their own spiritual development is at the time. Then any idiot can come along and pick and choose little passages that justify their own personal desires. Cherry picking, sort of like our entrance into Iraq. I think all of the viable world's tomes point to the very same thing at the top of the hill (or, thinking like the sage, is pointing to the moon). It is for us to use our brains, see through the words, and triangulate the essence. One of the best ways that I can see to do this is through study of comparative religions or philosophies. After all, we all seem to have been born with a rather journalistic imprint on our hearts: Who, What, Why, Where, When, How? It seems to be our natural impetus throughout our lives, whether we are in awareness of it or not, is to find the answers to these questions. At some point in time those of us who are lucky align our mental awareness with the subconscious motivation to answer the questions in our hearts. For me, that was when life started getting really good.

What's really fun is reading the Nag Hammadi gospels (those hidden in a field in Nag Hammadi, Egypt around 1948) where there are so many more words of Jesus written. Jesus focused on individual enlightenment and his discussions were very similar to ours here. The Nag Hammadi gospels were the ones that Constantine didnt want anyone to read because the concept of individual enlightenment certainly wasn't compatible with his "Only Through My Church" way of looking at things. I believe Constantine did what was expedient at the time - and for the purposes of easiest control of the populace. The fundamentalists around where I live thrive on judgment, arrogance, and knowing what's best for everyone else in the world. Inner work to the fundies is totally superfluous, I guess.

Complete agreement here. Religion by its very nature is too restricting.

Really interesting topic, but the emphasis on the Biblical may turn some off. I too was brought up biblically with fire and brimstone in the background. I've had two abortions, and I prefer to think that there is not some fiery hell that I will be cast into. But before people get all down on abortion, they should look more closely into it. First of all, when you're 16 and your folks beat the crap out of you on a regular basis, as they did me, and you get pregnant......telling my folks about it wasn't an option to me. I had to have an abortion, was my thinking at the time. It was illegal, as this was 50 years ago. So I found someone who knew someone in Juarez Mexico (I was living in L.A.), and for the price of $500 this man drove up from Juarez to do an abortion on my kitchen table. Unfortunately, the sodium pentathol he had brought didn't work on me for some reason, so I had the abortion done with a sponge in my teeth for the pain. I cannot begin to describe the experience. I had another at a later point in life, when it was legal. It was done in a nice clinic, antiseptic setting - the difference can't even be described. But getting back to your initial thoughts, my view now is that the Tao sees us all as straw dogs; whose life gets cut short doesn't really matter, at some big cosmic level, or at least that's how I read it. Yes, I've had to reckon with my abortions within the inner work that I have done, as I've done extensive searching within myself to get down to the Essence. As to the concept of going to a heaven or hell as a result of my abortions, that's a concept I left behind a long time ago. This here on earth can be hell, if we let it. It can also be heaven. I think fundamentalism Christianity is often overgrown kids who've never learned to use their own brains, and simplistically quote bible passages so they feel smug in their often very selfish attitudes.

And as it says in the TTC, (paraphrasing) - to understand something in its entirety, see it afar and without emotion. To understand the internal workings of something, saturate yourself in it. The choice is always ours, if the maturity level has been reached to see everything without placing good or bad values on it.

K - I meant no harm by the pom pom strands being on the gymnasium floor. It was just a silly thing to say, and I meant it in a friendly manner.

That sounds like one very ernest intent to me. Isn't it wonderful to have other souls to talk to?

You know, I was washing windows today and the thought occurred to me, Why did Aaron burn his hand? This too is a manifestation, although no doubt it was an accident. The synchronicity of the moment is something that wise ones throughout time have looked at to see the direction of a person or situation. It's odd synchronicity that Aaron should burn his hand and be rendered homeless at the same moment in time. I know that once his hand stops burning and the Sage inside him regains his composure, Aaron will be blessed with total freedom. It might be time for him to pursue something more passionate in his life; in fact, to determine what his passion is. With his wisdom and his propensity for introspection, Aaron may be at a very fortunate point in his life indeed. Also, I never did see the thread with the talking stick comment. Sorry I missed it.

I am so glad you're here, Sun. What a wonderful question. I would think that emotional mastery, as I see it, is non-attachment to anything or anyone as being more important than another. I think it means realizing the Oneness of us all, and realizing that the Dao sees us all as straw dogs anyway. That the only thing worth living in this life is a loving life; not selfish love, as having a mate that takes care of you - but the kind of love where you realize each instant of the day that you are a vessel for the loving Order of things if and when we have finally concerned ourselves with our own shadows and wrinkles and removed them. Emotional bravery, to me, means always telling the truth. Always telling the truth in a kind way, but not shying from it when it needs to be said. Emotional bravery is the refusal to buy into the downward slander of others toward others; to feel a responsibility to maintain the upward spiral of contacts and conversations, to tweak even the tiniest situation toward the light when the time is right. Emotional bravery is to look each situation squarely in the face with one's feet planted firmly on the ground and to Know that you can tap into your I Am awareness at the drop of a hat; that you can always handle any situation that comes your way, because after all, You Are. So glad you're here. We're all here; yogi's, taoists, buddhists, shamans, and old crazy metaphysical ladies. And we're all sitting in the same room. Some know it, some don't. Within us all is an enlightened being.

Aaron, you are such a balanced and strong presence here on this forum, my heart is broken that you won't be here for a while. But I also know that you will rise to the top, just like cream, wherever you land. This may be one of the most incredible opportunities in your life; a total shake-up, and a willingness to leave your mind open for opportunity. Just to stay in balance while this shift is going on, maybe a reread of the TTC or other tome of value to you might be a wonderful thing. My guess is that from your new perspective you will identify very much with the Sage. It will also give you a transcendence over what is going on in your life, so you won't feel so much like a stick in the ocean. Further develop and practice your sage-like mindset and you will see the Order in the things coming down the pike for you. I'm going to do a ceremony for you right now for the balance to return to your life. Love, Barb

This may not be accurate, but I did read somewhere that Einstein once said something like "Create an image of a higher power for yourself, and make sure it's friendly". Science takes measurements. Measurements of what? The Oneness of life. The Order. I think Einstein was on to something here, if he truly said this. We have the choice of how we wish to view the Order of Things. Christianity seems to be very guilt based, punishment based, burning in fire and brimstone based. This is their choice. That mindset appeals to people (once they're old enough to decide for themselves) that that is the correct way of viewing things. Only through the Jesus club (and resultant December birthday celebration) can you be saved from the fire and brimstone. But I see this as a result of residual guilt they do keep within themselves - probably because they didn't question what mom and dad told them. How much crap comes down the line because people never waver from the baloney that was handed to them as children? Obviously there is a cohesive principle at work here, an Order of sorts. We just have thousands of different ways of looking at it, measuring it, naming it. The concept of worshiping a god really gets my goat. If love is truly the glue that holds it all together, why in the hell would a 'god' require that people bow down to him? Is his ego that fragile? the only good I can see coming out of that is the tendency to diminish one's own ego because all credit goes to "God". This is a surface way of developing humility, if you ask me. I don't think that develops humility at all. I think that develops arrogance toward others who don't believe the same way. There comes a point where Belief is superfluous. It graduates to Knowing when the inner self has been integrated by inner work.

Really nicely said, Sun. The true love of the sages and buddas and christ consciousness people is impersonal. It is a love that is manifested to each and every thing we come in contact with. Love is a verb. Love is not selfish. Love can mean picking up trash in a dirty lot, so the other people in town don't have to see it. True love between individuals, in my opinion, is the love that remains after all the sexual excitement stops, or at least becomes more manageable. Love is loving your partner for what he or she is, as opposed to be focused on how our partner should be treating and pleasuring us. Love is the highest part of ourselves in which to dwell. It shapes our attitudes toward everything; everything political, everything seemingly scary. Because of the one thing you said, Sun. Love is the glue. Awareness of the love being the glue, the most constant awareness we can cultivate, results in a simple and uncomplicated life. With true love as the glue, we stop generating bad karma because we're always out for ourselves. True love realizes that within each and every one of us on the planet resides a shining flame that is the Essence of all, and it is to this shining flame that we can relate to others' shining flame, even if they haven't noticed that there's a shining flame inside them. Or even if they appear to be going in an opposite direction. When we get down to the shining flame within ourselves, it all becomes very simple. Vision is acquired.

This little Occult Oriental Wisdom book is quite something. I don't know whether it would be best to continue it here under the Vedanta category or just throw it out there in general discussion. There is an obvious blur between this philosophy and Taoist philosophy, and they say the same thing from different directions. It just seems like TTB's are tending toward coloring between the lines when it comes to different philosophies. I wouldn't want to contaminate the drawing with my messy metaphysics and adjoining philosophies. If I leave it here, you and I would have one hell of a conversation about this, I do believe. I don't think anybody else even looks up here very often. I will continue with this, just not sure how yet. If you have any ideas, let me know...

I look forward to hearing what he has to say.

One of your pom poms seems to be coming apart and dropping strands on the gymnasium floor. Will those be cleaned up before the next game?

This is a wonderful place to stretch our minds and take it out for a romp. We all seem to come from different mindsets, and I for one think a blurring of the lines is a good thing. I think we're allowed to do our own thinking, to ask the what if questions. There are so many religious and spiritual mindsets in the world, and this only reflects the fact that the question has been implanted in all our hearts, regardless of what corner of the earth we were born in. I've traveled a metaphysical path, but they all seem to lead to the same place! Personally, I think all the paths lead to the One, but many on this forum would disagree with me. It just seems pretty obvious to me that we're all talking about the same thing, regardless of what title or techniques we wish to utilize to get there. I think some get sidetracked on the smaller offshoot paths, but all seem to lead once more to a fuller understanding of the Whole when they reintegrate. To me, it makes more sense to view things from the inside out, as though we are 'God' itself. To stand at the end of the road and look back on it, seeing how things are evolving and how things are shaking out, generation after generation. The loving essence wants to have its way on the earth, and perhaps the current unrest or country shake-ups are exactly what is needed to further that purpose.

[quote name='Immortal4life' date='18 September 2011 - 02:48 PM' They were also power plants. At the very top of the pyramids was placed a capstone of gold with a crystal(maybe quartz?) in it, which I think absorbed and focused rays from the sun. In the center of the pyramid would be placed a large electric capacitor. With the power of the capacitor, and the crystal at the top. Anyways, I'm not too great at explaining or understanding all the exact details. But the Pyramids allowed wireless tranmission to power lights and vehicles, or ships even at one time, without wires or fuel. To go back to the content of the thread for a moment, I've often wondered why we haven't harnessed the energy that I used as a little girl when I would use a magnifying glass and set ants on fire? (Or maybe we have and I just don't know about it) This reference to the possible crystal on top of a pyramid with the accompanying electric capacitor may make use of the same principle? But what in the world would they use as receptors to the wireless energy?

But who would be the guy who decides which is brighter? Brightness to one may be something else to another? I haven't a clue. But even if the measurement were taken by a machine, it would take a human with his own perceptions to set the values.

But don't you feel an evolution as well? We're becoming one more and more all the time. Instantaneous media does that for us, we see societies and feel the pain of people on the other side of the globe. To get out of the trees and away from the forest we have to get out there in space. I think the Evolution, or the Tao, or whatever we want to call it is about upward mobility. Although things seem like they're falling apart, this may be a necessary function in order for the oneness to take over. If we're standing out in space and all the little humans are like little points of light on the earth, the light all comes from the same Source. The rich little points of light are all clumped together in some areas, and the points of light without resources are scattered everywhere else. Your point is well taken in that individual profit or trying to obtain for ourselves and our family, to the exclusion of everyone else, seems to rule the day. But the grand Evolution I see taking place (standing back from the earth) is that the Source works within each and every one to push the upward mobility. I'm not talking about earthly riches here, I'm talking about the voice that every person on earth is born with, the one that resides in their own hearts. Whether or not they choose to listen to the voice is their choice - but a refusal to listen will probably necessitate multiple additional lessons, whether it be in this lifetime or the next. Maybe chaos is exactly what we need for a time. How else to shake things up and make it more equitable?

"Our individual perception of that wavelength may differ". This seems to be where the rubber meets the road. Is the fact that we're all the same (as far as having rods and cones and an eye apparatus) and yet different (we're all different sizes, and we have different eye colors!) affect our actual perception to the point where red to me would look even slightly different than red to you? Is there any chance that eye color would affect the way color is visualized due to a variance in how the light is taken in?

Everything, I've been into chaotic keyboard for a couple months. I set my hand on the keyboard (with string overlay) and let the music develop on its own. I play with my eyes closed sometimes and wait for the eerieness to come out. It always does. But it always seems to want to go back to some form too, even though the eyes are closed. Sometimes I will accidentally hit a viable chord and dwell there for a while, tinkering around, until the chaos returns. The odd thing is that it seems to get "better" as time goes on. Almost as if there is a composer in there awaiting opportunity among the chaos. This is the oddest combination of structure and non-structure. In any event, it's quite listenable. I'm in full agreement that to find the Great the tempo must be slowed. The beat in my chaotic music doesn't appear until I've had my hand on a chord or a fifth for maybe 30 seconds. Then I know what It wants to play, how fast, how expressive. "Seeing how things relate to each other, yet differ, is being great". Great is One. The reversion to the One. The One Idea that we are all manifesting and are all merely different phases of the same thing. Nice topic and nice metaphor.

To 'love one's brother as yourself' may not be referring to one's actual brother and sister.