A Good Exercise in Contemplation

[Will Bigger]

"To construct a metaphysics about the fundamental nature of reality- demands... a kind of disciplined introspection that critically assesses... the elements observed, the observer, the process of observation, and the interplay between the three in a holistic manner." - Bernardo Kastrup

I hope all here are well and having a good day :). The following is a contemplation I wrote out in my journal, based on the above quote. I consider it quite good, and worthy of sharing (my life purpose entails being like Leo and sharing these ideas, I am now understanding ;). 

*Keep in mind, all the following insights were provoked by a single sentence in a book of over 200 pages! That, my friends, is a testament to how incredibly dense- singularity like- this "thing" called reality is!! 

What does it mean that reality must be understood through "disciplined introspection"?

the cultural beliefs which are pervading are not going to cut it, reality is too weird to not map out very carefully

How can I understand "the elements observed"?

Mindfulness, first and foremost. 

study, study, study:  human behavior, social psychology, masculine/feminine dynamics, brain science, physics, emotions, psychedelics, the astral world, paranormal phenomena and psychic abilities, all traditions of nonduality you come across, weird animals and plants, indigenous cultures, astronomy and cosmology, quantum stuff...

do, do, do: immerse yourself in other cultures through genuine (non-touristy) travel; "when in Rome" fucking immerse yourself in the culture, without getting deluded.  cut through the socially accepted bullshit and start asking other people what they want from life, what their mission is. Learn how to astral project and lucid dream. Take psychedelics in a shamanic sense; entertain the possibility that there are literal spiritual entities out there which interact with human beings (without getting deluded, of course;). Go to parties and nightclubs and stay sober, and take mental notes which you then write down, on human behavior when the higher brain is disabled by alcohol. Have a sampling of different friends with different preferences, and develop a genuine interest in them, seeking understanding of their perspective. Take a course in software engineering (you'll be dumbfucked at the insane complexity of the most taken-for-granted thing ever-modern microchip technology)....

How can I understand the "interplay between the three" in a holistic manner?

study,study,study: SYSTEMS THINKING (this will give you, not necessarily the facts, but the skills to understand the mind-body in a tangible way.) materialism, naive realism, and the alternatives to such ("open up the gates" so as to be open to a greater understanding). Also, study everything which you "do," in the next section.

do,do,do: YOGA (literally "union"). Law of attraction and manisfestsion. Take those astral projection experiences you know how to induce and fucking confirm them through empirical science and corroboration, and while you're at it, learn to do telekinesis and move shit with your mind. WORK OUT AND HAVE SEX!!! The more gnarly (yet tender, in the case of sex☺️), the better. Art, poetry, dance, music, theatre. Life purpose! Eat healthy!

And most important of all, deserving its own paragraph... Emotional Mastery. Emotional stability and mastery is literally the bedrock, the cornerstone, of EVERYTHING: self-actualization, self-realization. I want to direct you to a quote by Sadhguru. Too many people have been deluded by neo-advaita "already enlightened" talk into believing they can just abandon their humanity, even if it's in super lame conditon, and go directly to the Absolute. This quote is the antidote. 

On his Enlightenment, he has said, "What was happening was indescribable; I was fully conscious and aware, but what I had considered myself to be until that moment had disappeared. I had always been peaceful and happy; that had never been an issue. But here I was, drenched with a completely new kind of blissfulness. I was overflowing with an exuberance I had never known or imagined possible.”

did you catch the critical piece of that quote?? 

"...I had always been peaceful and happy; that had never been an issue..."

Ahem... EMOTIONAL MASTERY. (coming from one of the most enlightened beings on this planet;).

 

 

Well, there it is. As you can see, I only addressed half of Kastrup's insights, and I didn't go into the ramifications of his insights, but this post is already veeery long so. Simply, this is what I consider a good contemplation, and I don't particularly know what value you will glean out of it; perhaps if you don't know how to contemplate this will help. Truly, it's just something I felt compelled to share.

Love& Peace, 

William