What actions brings us closer or further away to/from the light

[BigSkyDiamond]

14 minutes ago, Lairg said:

It may be more accurate to say that the interaction of mental and etheric/brain substances generates consciousness.

Thus consciousness is the interaction between spirit and matter.  

Awareness can occur without the brain being involved.   For  example we may become conscious of a background noise - then realize we have  been aware of it for quite some time before it came into our consciousness

 

the non-physical gives rise to the physical.  the non-physical (Beingness) is the source of the physical (universe and everything in it).  Anil Seth has it backwards:  his view is that the physical (brain) gives rise to the non-physical.  He states that only the physical is "real" and everything else is a "hallucination" and not real.

 

Edited 8 hours ago by BigSkyDiamond

[stirling]

11 minutes ago, BigSkyDiamond said:

Anil Seth believes that physical matter the brain gives rise to everything we experience.  That it is all just a "hallucination."  He is a materialist, a physicalist.  

 

The glaring omission from his supposition, is that the physical matter he is so enamored of (the brain, the body), is also part of "everything we experience" and therefore is also "not real" and "just a hallucination."  He can't claim that the physical is "real" while also claiming that everything we experience is a hallucination.

 

I don't disagree with you, but I think it has utility where the discussion of what is "real" is concerned.. in the context of the discussion. I tend to use this talk as "skillful means" to get people to at least question that what they see is a "real" world. It isn't. 

 

Brain? It has nothing to do with the perception of reality or lack thereof - the materialists came up with this idea in the 40's or 50's that the brain was the source of all thought, and reality, but none of those propositions has ever been proven... only CORRELATIONS have been made, which is absolutely not the same. The brain has as much of a reality as a separate thing with intrinsic existence as anything... none. 

 

11 minutes ago, BigSkyDiamond said:

he states at 7:26 "We don't just passively experience the world.  we actively generate it."  "The world comes as much if not more from the inside out." 

 

I actually agree with that.  But "the world we experience" includes the physical  body, the brain, and all of physical matter.  It includes the universe and everything in it.

 

Our intention colors what happens, yes, but... surprise, not only is what happens in the outside world something that arises in this moment, and lacking "self", but so are our intentions. The arise in the unity/emptiness/Dao as part of the whole. We aren't masters of reality, but rather the unity itself... but also lacking the ability to direct what happens due to our lack of "self". 

 

11 minutes ago, BigSkyDiamond said:

Perhaps he will get there one day.  But materialists can be rather attached to that world view.

 

Concepts are pernicious and subtle. Materialism is one of the more obviously pernicious flavors. How are things really? It is all presented clearly here:

 

Quote

...

Stop talking and thinking
and there is nothing you will not be able to know.

 

To return to the root is to find the meaning,
but to pursue appearances is to miss the source.

 

At the moment of inner enlightenment,
there is a going beyond appearance and emptiness.

 

The changes that appear to occur in the empty world
we call real only because of our ignorance.

 

Do not search for the truth;
only cease to cherish opinions.

 

Do not remain in the dualistic state;
avoid such pursuits carefully.

 

If there is even a trace
of this and that, of right and wrong,
the Mind-essence will be lost in confusion.

 

Although all dualities come from the One,
do not be attached even to this One.

 

When the mind exists undisturbed in the Way,
nothing in the world can offend, 
and when a thing can no longer offend,
it ceases to exist in the old way.

 

When no discriminating thoughts arise,
the old mind ceases to exist.

 

When thought objects vanish,
the thinking-subject vanishes,
and when the mind vanishes, objects vanish.

 

Things are objects because there is a subject or mind;
and the mind is a subject because there are objects.

 

Understand the relativity of these two
and the basic reality: the unity of emptiness.

 

In this Emptiness the two are indistinguishable
and each contains in itself the whole world.

 

If you do not discriminate between coarse and fine
you will not be tempted to prejudice and opinion.

 

- Excerpt from the Tsin Tsin Ming, by Seng T'san

 

 

[old3bob]

 

Breakfast is waiting on the other side of this, so lets see...

there is a wall

there is no wall 

there is both a wall and no wall

there is neither a wall or no wall....

Sounds good but he may still be hungry.

 

[BigSkyDiamond]

19 minutes ago, old3bob said:

Breakfast is waiting on the other side of this, so lets see...

there is a wall

there is no wall 

there is both a wall and no wall

there is neither a wall or no wall....

Sounds good but he may still be hungry.

 

if you are having a dream, and in the dream you are hungry,  and then you wake up,

is the hunger real?  After you wake up, are the brick wall and breakfast and hungry man in the dream real or not?

 

Edited 7 hours ago by BigSkyDiamond

[Lairg]

Some of my dreams are on parallel timelines.  I can locate the timeline and re-enter the scene when I am awake. 

 

Sometimes I do that with a physical friend.  It is good to have a relatively impartial observer

 

 

Edited 7 hours ago by Lairg

[old3bob]

5 hours ago, BigSkyDiamond said:

 

if you are having a dream, and in the dream you are hungry,  and then you wake up,

is the hunger real?  After you wake up, are the brick wall and breakfast and hungry man in the dream real or not?

 

 

too bad, for in the meantime a rat stole the breakfast.