Thoughts on reality

[mike1111]

There are a lot of thought provoking articles here. I am puzzled by some of them, particularly some of those relating to what is and isn't real. These are just a few of my thoughts.

If you open your eyes and look around you, that is reality. For sure there are realities that your senses don't pick up like X rays, TV signals, or the fact that the solid table isn't really solid. Also your perception of reality may differ from that of, say, an amoeba, an ant, or a dog. None of this affects the fact that what you experience is reality as it relates to you. Denying that the universe around you is real or the idea that everything is an illusion is a pointless mental diversion. It is true that your perception of reality can be obscured by the workings of your mind like ego or excessive thinking. Meditation and the like can help clear these obstructions.

The awareness of a higher power, or a power greater than yourself, which can assist you, is, I think, not an illusion. It is an awareness of the actual existence of the mountain of evolution on which your conscious mind rests. That is, the chemical combinations  which formed you from the elements, the evolution of life, your instinct and subconscious mind. We are, as far as we know, the highest level of evolution. If all evolution and existence is a manifestation of the purpose of God then we are part of the manifestation of God. The kingdom of God is, as stated in the bible, within you.

The idea that psychedelic drugs can enable you to see further into truth is arguable. I personally doubt it.

[Highest]

2 hours ago, mike1111 said:

There are a lot of thought provoking articles here. I am puzzled by some of them, particularly some of those relating to what is and isn't real. These are just a few of my thoughts.

If you open your eyes and look around you, that is reality. For sure there are realities that your senses don't pick up like X rays, TV signals, or the fact that the solid table isn't really solid. Also your perception of reality may differ from that of, say, an amoeba, an ant, or a dog. None of this affects the fact that what you experience is reality as it relates to you. Denying that the universe around you is real or the idea that everything is an illusion is a pointless mental diversion. It is true that your perception of reality can be obscured by the workings of your mind like ego or excessive thinking. Meditation and the like can help clear these obstructions.

The awareness of a higher power, or a power greater than yourself, which can assist you, is, I think, not an illusion. It is an awareness of the actual existence of the mountain of evolution on which your conscious mind rests. That is, the chemical combinations  which formed you from the elements, the evolution of life, your instinct and subconscious mind. We are, as far as we know, the highest level of evolution. If all evolution and existence is a manifestation of the purpose of God then we are part of the manifestation of God. The kingdom of God is, as stated in the bible, within you.

The idea that psychedelic drugs can enable you to see further into truth is arguable. I personally doubt it.

Psycadelics can leave you more deluded and confused than you already are. It's in no possible way superiour than intense meditation or self-inqury. It's a slow and many times painful process, but the natural way is how it's designed to be.

Most, ungifted from birth, can simply not realize the obvious or awaken to the supernatural spiritual realm. That's why psycadelics exists, to come to the aid to such beings. And it's a good aid, but that which is temporary is not equal to that which is permanent and the case at all times, under all circumtances. 

Edited December 18, 2019 by Highest

[Dovahkiin]

@Highest How can you possibly know this to be true? You'd have to longitudinally see how people develop using every different combination of methods.

 

Any state of consciousness achieved through meditation or self-inquiry is still impermanent. Impermanence is one of three characteristics of all things according to the Buddhists which originated what we know as meditation today.

[Highest]

It's true because I see what I see from direct experience. Buddhism has yet deeper to go, the fact that it sometimes denies the existence of God and is too focused on the emptiness part, proves that. 

[Nahm]

2 hours ago, mike1111 said:

I personally doubt it.

God bless you. 
Welcome to the path. 

[Forestluv]

When traveling, maps can come in handy. Yet its also nice to explore where there streets have no name. That’s where the magic is revealed. 

[LastThursday]

2 hours ago, Highest said:

It's true because I see what I see from direct experience.

Direct experience is the only thing we have. But would you say direct experience is permanent or impermanent? If it is impermanent is it true?

[Bill W]

This is about the normal time I come in and make a comment about beliefs and direct experience, but I'm going to give everyone a much needed break from that, but I do want to add....

5 hours ago, mike1111 said:

The awareness of a higher power, or a power greater than yourself, which can assist you, is, I think, not an illusion. It is an awareness of the actual existence of the mountain of evolution on which your conscious mind rests. That is, the chemical combinations  which formed you from the elements, the evolution of life, your instinct and subconscious mind. We are, as far as we know, the highest level of evolution. If all evolution and existence is a manifestation of the purpose of God then we are part of the manifestation of God. The kingdom of God is, as stated in the bible, within you.

I love what you've written here. @mike1111

And with this.... @Serotoninluv

2 hours ago, Serotoninluv said:

Yet its also nice to explore where there streets have no name

That's actually my favourite song of all time. U2. Do you think the song has meaning with regards your post? Genuine question, never thought about it before. 

[Highest]

15 minutes ago, LastThursday said:

Direct experience is the only thing we have. But would you say direct experience is permanent or impermanent? If it is impermanent is it true?

It depends on how you view direct experience. As pure Awarness, it will never die. As "you", the ego and everything which makes it up, you will quite probably perish.

As God, you are Immortal etc. But as the finite ego, you will invetiably die. 

You are both God and not. See? 

[WelcometoReality]

5 hours ago, mike1111 said:

The awareness of a higher power, or a power greater than yourself, which can assist you, is, I think, not an illusion. It is an awareness of the actual existence of the mountain of evolution on which your conscious mind rests. That is, the chemical combinations  which formed you from the elements, the evolution of life, your instinct and subconscious mind. We are, as far as we know, the highest level of evolution. If all evolution and existence is a manifestation of the purpose of God then we are part of the manifestation of God. The kingdom of God is, as stated in the bible, within you.

Yes, this is the path within yourself, you'll find all answers there. Welcome.

[Highest]

Altough you are God and even the supposed ego itself is God, God made this reality in a way where you as a finite being will never be beyond or in any possible way greater than the Godhead itself.

It's undeniably true, no matter how conscious a finite being becomes of itself, be it temporary or permanent, there will always be a greater power above you. This is called the Godhead, the One who gave you the possibility of a life, of saying "I'm God". With this statement, one has to be very careful. 

GOD=GOD

YOU=YOU

[undeather]

6 hours ago, mike1111 said:

There are a lot of thought provoking articles here. I am puzzled by some of them, particularly some of those relating to what is and isn't real. These are just a few of my thoughts.

If you open your eyes and look around you, that is reality. For sure there are realities that your senses don't pick up like X rays, TV signals, or the fact that the solid table isn't really solid. Also your perception of reality may differ from that of, say, an amoeba, an ant, or a dog. None of this affects the fact that what you experience is reality as it relates to you. Denying that the universe around you is real or the idea that everything is an illusion is a pointless mental diversion. It is true that your perception of reality can be obscured by the workings of your mind like ego or excessive thinking. Meditation and the like can help clear these obstructions.

The awareness of a higher power, or a power greater than yourself, which can assist you, is, I think, not an illusion. It is an awareness of the actual existence of the mountain of evolution on which your conscious mind rests. That is, the chemical combinations  which formed you from the elements, the evolution of life, your instinct and subconscious mind. We are, as far as we know, the highest level of evolution. If all evolution and existence is a manifestation of the purpose of God then we are part of the manifestation of God. The kingdom of God is, as stated in the bible, within you.

The idea that psychedelic drugs can enable you to see further into truth is arguable. I personally doubt it.

Hey Mike,

What I learned from studying different teachers, the mystic traditions, self proclaimed seekers on the internet and my own experience of course is that there is no consensus in any shape or form when it comes to mystical experiences and their ontological value. One big reason for that is that we are kinda limited by the vessels of language and the conveying ability of this human meatsuit. Other than that, there seems to be a huge absence of humility which in my opinion, ultimately stems from that kind of infallibility you experience during such transmissions-states. You have been the universe, you are GOD, you suddenly seem to download that knowledge as you become source itself - its indiscribeable, unfathomable, psolipsistically enriched - so it HAS to be "T"rue. 

Yet not everyone who takes a strong psychodelic like 5-MeO-DMT and meets or identifies as Godhead/feels "L"ove or indentifies as the universe draws the same metaphysical conclusions from that experience. Not everyone who meditates for 30 years and experiences non-dual states on a regular basis comes to those conclusions (Sam Harris is a good example for that). There are literally people out there who are permanently identified with the observer (i.e "Enlightened) and would describe themselve as materialist (In fact, science and non-duality are super compatibel - so no problem there).

I am not making any ontological claims here by the way. In fact, I am way more on the mystical side than anywhere else. But I also disagree a lot with many things Leo and other spiritual masters put out there. Well, to be honest - most of them disagree with each other anyway and sometimes even deny each others enlightened claims (like Osho & Krishnamurti). I guess I just became a very skeptic mystic in the last few years, based on those stories and many more of my experiences.

So moral of this story: Dont believe anything/anyone here, make your own perspective. Not Leo, Not Nahm, Not Serotoninluv, not the other guys who can sometimes be really deluded in my opinion.
 

Edited December 18, 2019 by undeather