To What Degree Are Your Thoughts Effecting Reality?

[Arman]

I'd like to hear your thoughts about the concept that thoughts effect reality. 

Reality is a funny term. For the sake of this discussion and not making my head hurt too much, I'm just gonna simplify and think of it as ones experience. Whether illusory or not, I am referring to the reality frame that holds our physical and mind space. 

One thing I adore about this community/board is that it has such a diverse range of belief systems. From the strictly empirically minded, to those who focus strictly on a zen non dual paradigm and choose not to focus on any other phenomena, and there are those who more towards the new age "woo-woo", and there are also some who are more devotion oriented. I think that's all wonderful.

I also think it's fascinating when people are suddenly exposed to ideas that are completely beyond their accustomed reality frame. It's interesting to see when someone suddenly kind of lets go and allows their previous paradigm to shatter, and it is equally interesting to watch people become resistant. "Do you serious believe this? Like, seriously. No, like really. Actually."

It is one thing to hear a crazy idea from the local mentally-ill resident who dwells near the shopping centre yelling obscenities. When he says that all reality is an illusion and that you're not real, it's instinctive to block it out. Poor bastard, what a crazy idea... he must have really gone off the deep end. 

However, what happens when someone who you have been following and listening to, and perhaps even idolizing, what happens when THEY suddenly tell you that all reality is an illusion and that you're not real? How do you deal with it then? Have they, too, lost their minds? "He must mean it poetically." 

One idea that many think is crazy is that our thoughts are effecting reality. There is an entire spiritual subcategory devoted to the 'art of conscious creation' and using ones mind and inner realms to shape their reality. Now even within this belief system there's a spectrum of how literally one takes it. There are those who think that if you feel good, then naturally you will observe things that feel good, and that this is strictly a phenomena of the mind. Others believe that the very fabric of reality is shifting, or that one is literally shifting into alternate reality frames, dimensions or probable realities. 

So I ask you, what is your take on this? What is your stance?

I am also curious, for those who do not subscribe to the idea that thoughts transform reality, what are your honest thoughts on the many, including those on this forum, who do believe this? 

@Leo Gura Two years ago you created a video on Law of Attraction which I believe you reduced to a mechanism of the mind that basically revolves around the reticular activation system (my interpretation), and said that conscious creation is more about focus and mindset and how that focus will allow you to take action. A brain oriented approach that negates the notion that mind is altering external reality in a way beyond how we empirically understand it. So denying any metaphysics. Has how you think/feel about this subject changed? 

 

Thanks for reading. 

Edited December 18, 2016 by Arman

[Exping]

it could be metaphysical.

I know someone who had cancer and was just depressed. Having the doctor told her you only have 3 months left , she decided to go on vacation and spend her money and forget about everything. She had much fun and when she checked after 4 months there was no cancer anymore.

She had fun like she never gotten the diesease

Edited December 18, 2016 by Exping

[Geo]

I certainly have experience of manifesting what I desire - both positive and negative and experience constant synchronicities. So yes, the law of attraction is certainly more than psychological phenomena in my experience. It's a powerful tool which can be utilised and leveraged for outstanding results.

[Aware]

This how I see it.

But first of all, Great question, well asked!

 

I do not think thoughts alter reality, like a burn does not alter the blasters after it. I say, reality = experience, and that experience is the result of our thinking. I state there for, that although we see a fire, and with fire smoke, that this does not automatically means that fire is in relationship with the smoke. One, is the result of the other. And I there for, do not see the fire as the alternation of the smoke, due to no relationship.

I say, that which does alter our experiences, is wisdom, which is to be developed (by seclusion from unwholesome deeds, wisdom is also the result of our thinking but there is no relationship between them), and when developed ends our ill will. I see this as the alternation, because there is nothing that alters wisdom, yet wisdom alters experience, that is experience due to the attachment to it.

To clarify this: If by wisdom the root of suffering is cut off, (desire), one is rooted in self, and concentrated on Awareness always, leaving no second to be. All pervasive, means no equal, and there for no comparison of another such like experience. And there for if you can still follow me, due to that the development of wisdom is the key which can cut of the root of suffering and suffering not the root of wisdom, sure wisdom is the alternation of experience (reality).

Awareness = Perfect wisdom.

Edited December 18, 2016 by Motus

[Tancrede Pouyat]

Let's be clear on one thing. There are no things in reality. This includes space and time.

All 6 channels of experience stem from this nothingness. They're here because they can be, so they are. See, in this nothingness, there is no boundary which means that anything that can be is, has always been, and will always be. No boundary also means Absolute Infinity. Those 6 channels are obviously the 5 senses and thoughts.

Now, thoughts are really difficult to understand. They exist as they appear, and they're kind of like ghosts of all other 5 senses. They are symbols, they represent things that they themselves are not. And then we believe that those things are real, and we act as if they were.

Could you imagine living life without thingness ? No, you can't, because that's the point of thoughts.

[Deep]

9 hours ago, Arman said:

However, what happens when someone who you have been following and listening to, and perhaps even idolizing, what happens when THEY suddenly tell you that all reality is an illusion and that you're not real? How do you deal with it then? Have they, too, lost their minds? "He must mean it poetically." 

So I ask you, what is your take on this? What is your stance?

I am also curious, for those who do not subscribe to the idea that thoughts transform reality, what are your honest thoughts on the many, including those on this forum, who do believe this? 

 

I would verify if reality is an illusion for myself. At this point I don't believe reality is an illusion just because someone says that. I'm someone that values practical experience. 

I think thoughts shape our actions and actions effect reality. If I think, 'I want to eat a banana now', I can go and do that. Thoughts can go all over the place but they don't always effect our actions. We may think someone is attractive but we don't always act on it. I do think thoughts affect our feelings. If we think negative thoughts, our body feels negative. 

Even more important than thoughts is awareness. Awareness is hard to describe in words, either one has it or not. I think awareness is metaphysical and it's responsible for attracting situations and people into our life. In my younger days, I had low awareness and so I attracted bad situations into my life (got into a fight with my roommate). Now my awareness is much higher and life is peaceful. 

[Leo Gura]

10 hours ago, Arman said:

@Leo Gura Two years ago you created a video on Law of Attraction which I believe you reduced to a mechanism of the mind that basically revolves around the reticular activation system (my interpretation), and said that conscious creation is more about focus and mindset and how that focus will allow you to take action. A brain oriented approach that negates the notion that mind is altering external reality in a way beyond how we empirically understand it. So denying any metaphysics. Has how you think/feel about this subject changed? 

Good question.

In truth, I don't really know.

My best guess at this point -- given much more research and much deeper direct experiences -- is that thought goes beyond mere mechanical manipulation of the body.

That said, I think some New Agers might over-state the metaphysical aspects of thought. Much of how law of attraction works is simply by programming your mind with better thought patterns and directing focus to things that really matter. In other words, we can explain it with Western psychology and neuroscience.

But there are probably some "paranormal" qualities to thought as well. You will probably only start to experience them as your consciousness significantly rises.

All of this has to be understood in the context of there not being a physical reality at all! So imagine zero physical reality, imagine an infinitely vast tangle of potential states instead. And imagine that all of it is infinitely interconnected such that there are no hard or fast distinctions between thought, consciousness, matter, energy, time, space, or anything else. This will give you a bit of a better picture, and make "paranormal" characteristics seem completely plausible.

It would not shock me for example, if I was able to bend a metal spoon with thought alone. I'm not saying I CAN, I'm saying it wouldn't surprise me if it was trainable at high degrees of consciousness (which I don't presently have). My paradigm of reality no longer prohibits such a possibility, because I've experienced things that are utterly impossible, beyond all human comprehension or scientific modeling.

[Aware]

51 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

able to bend a metal spoon with thought alone. I'm not saying I CAN, I'm saying it wouldn't surprise me if it was trainable at high degrees of consciousness (which I don't presently have).

You truly make it sound very soft.

I have seen so much more then a silly spoon bending. People truly would be surprised what they can if they properly meditate and are hard working to end their suffering.

I do wish to write an article on that, it can be practiced, however many will just cast it away as not possible, so I would ask first permission.

 

[Leo Gura]

3 minutes ago, Motus said:

You truly make it sound very soft.

I have seen so much more then a silly spoon bending. People truly would be surprised what they can if they properly meditate and are hard working to end their suffering.

I do wish to write an article on that, it can be practiced, however many will just cast it away as not possible, so I would ask first permission.

Have you been able to accomplish yourself?

If you have a practical technique for cultivating spoon-bending, I'm all ears.

[Hunter Arrington]

Although a magician... David Blaine seems to show real mastery over some of this FOR REAL. I know blah blah blah he's a magician it's fake...but anyone who says that hasn't taken a look at him in depth. He's IS the modern day Jesus from what I've studied. 

[Aware]

@Leo GuraNo, I never bend a spoon. 

However accomplished many other things, that I refuse to put in here as claims.

Edited December 19, 2016 by Motus

[Leo Gura]

@Motus I have not personally met any such people, but I wouldn't be surprised if they existed and were outwardly humble about their abilities due to rampant ignorance and fear of misunderstanding.

[Aware]

@Leo Gura I hope you do keep open, and I would sincerely wish you one day be able to see for yourself and would be in someones presence that has such powers. I am not constantly preaching simply because I saw some vision in me... No, the field, the presence everything becomes power when ridding oneself from that suffering.  People can simply faint due to the intensity of the field.

 

Edited December 19, 2016 by Motus

[Martin123]

@Motus OH CMOOON GIVE US SOME SUgAR 

No like srsly, the more "out there" your stuff is, the better for this forum.

[Aware]

@Martin123 Maybe many are going to listen now, because of reaching a power. Well thats fine, but they must go within.

[stevegan928]

i believe all of reality is a thought-form of God.  

[stevegan928]

3 hours ago, Leo Gura said:

You will probably only start to experience them as your consciousness significantly rises.

funny because my most powerful synchronicity experiences all happened around a meditation retreat

Quote

just before my friend picked me up from my house to go to a vipassana retreat i was looking at some of his photography. then i went on the retreat and experienced some cool synchronicities but one in particular was hella weird. we where on our way back from the retreat when i thought i saw a piece of street art that Wayne photographed but it wasn't it. then we drove a bit further down when my friend decided he had to go pee on the side of the road (this was in the mohave desert not in a city btw). i looked to my right and there it was, the street art that Wayne took a picture of. i didn't get a picture of it myself but here's the one Wayne took. 

 that's a quote from one of my thread posts

 

[FindingPeace]

'Reality' is a subjective experience. It is merely a projection of our own cognitive processes. A self-fulfilling prophecy.

Thoughts may affect our own subjective experience of reality but reality itself just 'is'. Our thoughts are a function of reality. It's like asking if the function of reality affects itself. It's a recursive paradox.

This question is assuming a dualistic view that a thought is somehow separate from 'reality'.

[abrakamowse]

I try to not go too far from what I consider "reality"... and little by little I began to explore new ideas.

I think basically we are God, we are seeing through the eyes of God, or God is seeing through us. We develop an idea of something separated and that creates the illusion that we are a little spot in the universe, when in fact the universe is us.

 

Confusing, right?

Edited December 19, 2016 by abrakamowse

[Aware]

11 hours ago, abrakamowse said:

I try to not go too far from what I consider "reality"... and little by little I began to explore new ideas.

I think basically we are God, we are seeing through the eyes of God, or God is seeing through us. We develop an idea of something separated and that creates the illusion that we are a little spot in the universe, when in fact the universe is us.

 

Confusing, right?

To wrap what you wrote up: We are both the observer and the observed.

Edited December 20, 2016 by Motus