What is the most common reaction of the ego to a first glimpse?

[Big Guru Balls]

Quote

 most common reaction ?

                      

[Ananta]

2 hours ago, Big Guru Balls said:

                      

??? Funny!

[Forestluv]

@zunnyman I had similiar questions before my first Ayahuasca ceremony. It’s just the ego trying to maintain control. For me, that type of mind chatter would most likely increase anxiety during the trip.

One ceremony was so intense, I literally thought I was going to permanently lose my mind. I was in full-on panic. Then I was like “if going mentally insane is what it takes to learn the truth, so be it.”

[Jack River]

@robdl @Faceless excellent heads up dudes ?

[LaraGreenbridge]

On 6 September 2018 at 4:14 AM, zunnyman said:

@Leo Gura I re-call a point in childhood where truth mattered a lot to me. Now its a lot about having a good life, positive emotions, etc. Now I’ll try to cultivate the desire for truth again, maybe by just starting to look around me with wonder and curiosity about what is going on, and go from there. I have tried cultivating the desire for truth, but after experiencing dark night stuff my mind had second thoughts about this whole journey. But if wanting to know the Truth is the key component here, then I will make that a priority. 

@zunnyman,

I also recall truth mattering to me very much to me during my childhood. I would spontaneously have what I now term "transcendent" experiences. These are instances where the world would appear very beautiful and time would stand still. I felt connected to everything.... like I didn't exist as a person, but more as a part of all things, all life. These moments were memorable and I would often think of them, but I didn't tell anyone. 

I think when I was around 15 or 16 I did try to explain these trancendent experiences to one of my friends, but I don't think she understood me. 

Fast forward to university days, where I studied philosophy (and loved it). I asked my philosophy professor about these type of experiences. I was very shy, so I kind of asked about these experiences as an abstract question, not telling him that they actually happened to me..... It was more like "I've read about people having what they call trancendent experiences".

My professor said "That sounds like mysticism to me. Be very careful of mysticism- it's not the kind of thing that you can have philosophical debates about. It's something that people don't understand and they misuse it."

He was kind of telling me to forget about it. My professor was very interested in Zen Buddhism, so what do you know? Of course, I ended up studying that instead! 

Well, no harm done, because I loved it. I loved the meditation, I loved the Buddhist teachings, I liked reading all about it. I thought it to be a very beautiful Philosophy. I still do. I suppose the 'end result' of Zen meditation is that you will reach a type of enlightenment and then you will have the ultimate transcendent experience, where you will merge with all that is. 

However, I don't think that when that happens;-  enlightenment, that you stop being a human being with a physical body and that you no longer live in the physical world, with real-life problems. That is not my understanding. Perhaps that is another topic, however, and I digress. 

What I would like to say to you is this: there is nothing to be afraid of. I have not for one second ever been afraid during meditation, nor ever felt fear or during a trancendent experience. Never. 

All I have found is peace and beauty. Abundant beauty, everywhere. And a subtle kind of joy. 

My deepest meditation was not very deep, but all I found was peace. Just a very spacious, warm, gentle openness, with nothing in it. It made me happy. When I opened my eyes and got up, nothing happened. I wasn't in a trance, I wasn't worried, I wasn't afraid. I was just me. 

I didn't  especially want to go out me save the world, I didn't want to tell everyone about it, either. I just went on with life, knowing that life had the potential to be very good.

I don't know if this is any help to you.