Michael Sternbach

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############### Moderator Notice Since this topic has expanded beyond what is common for a Welcome thread, it has been moved to the Newcomer Corner. ################

Gnostic texts talk about the body as "the grave of the soul"; and how the thoughts that we have while within the body are never the same like the ones we can have without. Along the same lines, we read in Platonic writings about the water that we drink before we come into physical incarnation, which makes us forget the state we existed in before. Anamnesis or remembering our original state therefore becomes the goal of spiritual practice. Such statements would mean little to me if I hadn't made some OOB experiences during lucid dreams in which I felt to be pure energy; it was awesome, just undescribable and actually hard to recall now. Feelings of bliss that I just don't have the words to describe. I conclude that those texts I mentioned must have been written by people who had made similar experiences. I am looking for possibilities to feel that way while in my body. It is indeed a state of imprisonment; living on a much lower frequency, with so many restrictions. Yet, using methods of cultivation, this frequency can be raised to approach the spirit. Surely I have experienced some such exalted states in my waking state too; however imperfect they may have been by comparison, they were enough to show me the potential that resides within the physical condition. While there are many levels of attainment along the cultivator's way, and many ways to get there. Some stop at transcending the physical. But I consider translating spirit into matter the highest achievement. In the view of Hermetic alchemy, the whole created world is aspiring to full expression of Spirit - "turning lead into gold," as it were. Thus the Emerald Tablet teaches: "The father of all perfection in the whole world is here," and: "Its force or power is entire if it be converted into earth." And this is identically what Jesus in the GoT - in so many passages - speaks to.

The concept perhaps, as our limited understanding of what is really there. But the thing per se is not created by Man, otherwards the dinosaurs would have floated off into space. Yeah, let's work on it.

A Platonic perspective, essentially. I agree with this.

I return the compliment. Maybe it's in the nature of this kind of topic? Maybe that's why sages every so often speak in paradoxes? Can it be said to exist then? Interestingly, Roger Penrose's CCC theory (which I have spoken to on various occassions) assumes an absence of time and space once these entities have become meaningless (i.e. can no longer be measured). I would say, they existed as potentials within the zero state (which insofar is not just nothing). Emphasis is my own. Again, the problem arises because you project a condition of your familiar experience on what transcends it. This is a non-sequitur. Sorry.

Only if you assume that their must be a time flow - a before and an after. But this only applies to the created, not to the source of creation, which is also the source of space and time. In my understanding, it can be both a noun and a verb. To each their own Universe.

Doing a Google search on this, I found mostly blogs offering information that is hard to evaluate. Conspiration theories abound. What seems clear to me is that any state not willing to help backing up the dollar by its oil trade policy is considered an enemy of the US. It's not too hard to imagine what role Trump would play in this! What increases the unreliability is that many alleged sources of information are of an ultra right orientation. I have heard enough when I read about "the plans of the Jews" somewhere, when the topic is at the most the agendas of certain individuals in or close to the Israeli or US government. Racism abounds, spread by spiritually unaware individuals prone to blame their personal difficulties in life on national and international politics. As if those had ever been better. I find such even on a spiritually oriented site like TDB. I recommend that cultivators don't overly concern themselves with grand scale political schemes and focus more on straightening things out for themselves and in their immediate environment. The more people will be doing this, the more will the world at large get in order all by itself. Sages like Lao Tzu spoke to this.

Your Universe may be. Mine is not. I know more or less what you are going to say next...

The Universe is. The Multiverse possibly not.

What makes the war against the IS so tricky is that it's NOT just about the IS but about the future of Syria - that is, about Assad. This is an older NY Times articles which sheds some light on the underlying issues. In effect, you have the USA opposed to Assad and Russia in support of him. And it goes without saying that both countries count on various allies. I.e., Iran and China are siding with Russia. Note that Iran also has a defence pact with the Syrian government directly. The US waging a trade war with China would move the latter even closer to Russia. A highly volatile situation. I am not saying that Clinton would necessarily do a better job handling it. I don't know. All I'm saying is: Don't get me started with Trump stabilizing and pacifying this mess.

Yes, that's in keeping with what I said in my last post. There is actually another form of Einstein's formula which reads E2 = m2c4. The German scientist Dr Peter Plichta considers this one of several indications of there being an infinite four-dimensional space.

Yet we know that the Universe is of limited expansion. However, I only need to draw a certain kind of Desargues configuration to demonstrate that Infinity actually exists.

The problem with this is that the Universe exists in time, therefore cause and effect apply. I'm not sure how you want to bridge the gap from time to timelessness.

Yes, I think that one day it will be shown scientifically that the Universe unfolded from innate necessity. This is not to say that this could not at once be looked at philosophocally. Therefore I don't accept the dichotomy as per Karl's post:

While I don't buy into Pedro's anthropomorphic view of God, rigorously, something doesn't need to be created once you step outside the time frame and therefore causality.

Flies can't bird, but birds can fly. - Winnie the Pooh

The situation in the Middle East requires a diplomat, not a megalomanic bully. There is more than meets the eye, and it involves serious potential for WWIII.

I'm no US citizen, so I don't have any right to vote in that country. Yet the ripples of the US presidency will affect the whole world, probably more than any other. Nevertheless, I don't really envy my American friends for their right to vote, given the options they are given. Why nominate somebody wise for a change? No, let me guess: There aren't enough wise people around to make this a viable option.

I am not sure if "Sanders walks in light", but that Trump is going to wreak havoc is a no-brainer. As for Clinton, I do have my doubts.

Okay, so your view coincides with the part of my previous post, that I have highlighted here.

Sometimes you have got to work through them before you can let them go. Perfection implies a state beyond which there is no further evolution. There is no perfection. Unless you consider everything perfect the way it is.

Nobody is spotless.

Yes, but in the country of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.

Aborigenese