Michael Sternbach

Singularity.

Numbers are rather absolute.

Tis a fast moving stream.

An excellent question. There is indeed the view that our physical incarnations are not least meant to be learning experiences. In these terms, by answering to the questions that the problems we encounter pose, we are learning certain spiritual lectures. Learning the lecture means being able to express its underlying theme in a more constructive way. This will differ for each individual. For instance, if you were somebody prone to criticize others for their mistakes, your task would be to learn loving tolerance and putting your eye for detail to more constructive use. In Bach Flower therapy (a system of psychological healing in which I am an educated and certified counselor), there are 38 psychological states defined, each in their negative as well as their positive mode of expression. The high vibrations of the Bach Flower remedies are to help you shift from one to the other. But in his writings, Dr. Edward Bach also emphasized the role of the practitioner's guidance toward an understanding of spiritual principles. All this is based not so much on the assumption that the egoic personality is an illusion and hindrance that should be discarded, but that it is a unique expression of the Universal Mind that should be "alchemically" refined toward its more sophisticated manifestation, solving it's problems in the process. In Daoist terms you could say that the personality is learning to live in harmony with the Dao.

Yes, the external reflects the internal.

Yes, throwing all frameworks away may be the way to go if you want to convince yourself that you actually don't exist. Well, to each their own; personally, I don't think this is an effective way of solving psychological problems, or developing your consciousness. But if it is for you, don't forget to additionally get rid of all your physical mirrors, and to throw away any photos of yourself that you may have.

Well, sometimes just acceptance for the time being. Patience, let's say. Oh yes, please go back to your Nietzsche books, if it's not too much to ask. I would be interested in hearing some more of his views on this.

I think what matters is to have some kind of mirror that helps see oneself. This can be childhood memories, dreams, a horoscope chart... Whatever reflects and amplifies aspects of self can basically serve as a frame of reference.

Let me give you an example: Someone might be in conflict because they feel ashamed of their sexual feelings. In the course of a past-oriented psychotherapy, they find that their parents were uneasy about anything sexual and that, as a child, they once got reprimanded when they were seen touching their genitals. At some stage, they go to an astrologer who tells them that their problems were not really caused by any childhood events, at most such events activated what they have inherent in their personality structure as shown in their natal chart, where Venus is in Virgo in opposition to Saturn. Later, this person does a reincarnation therapy and finds that they spent a former life as a monk/nun and were required to repress their sexuality. Will going back to these events help them accept their sexuality in the present? Maybe they can serve as a frame of reference for that. But what is crucial is that they change their beliefs about sexuality, no matter what may seem to have led to those beliefs in the first place. We all need beliefs, without them we would be about as dysfunctional as a computer without programme. However, on an advanced level, we can see that our beliefs are no absolute truths, and we may be able to balance those which are too one-sided.

Roger that. For all we know, in Earth history, there may also have been mass extinctions due to comet impacts. But yes, the one that ended the dominion of the dinosaurs seems to have been an asteroid that left a crater in Yucatan, and substantial amounts of iridium. The reconciliation between application of will power on the one hand, faithful acceptance on the other. Practically speaking, we need both. But the right mixture is not always easy to hit. What did Nietzsche say about the will? Where the flow will take us.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not an advocate of the purely behavioural approach. I agree with you that it's generally too superficial. NLP can be useful though. But trying to find the causes of all psychological problems in childhood traumas and the like is tricky. The latter can be an re-enactment of a theme rather than its cause. Then you do reincarnational therapy to find the "true" cause in a past life... or in any number of past lifes! All of this may serve as a framework to facilitate change. But better to study the underlying theme directly... To learn the lesson that your higher self (or whatever name you like to give it) wants you to learn. So the pattern won't have to repeated any longer. Frequently, this lesson has got something to do with how you look at yourself, others, life, creation. In other words, with your beliefs. As a therapist, I therefore like to apply visualization and affirmation. I also have good successes with vibrational approaches like Bach Flower remedies and homeopathy. Astrology and Tarot are also great methods for clients to gain insight into their patterns. But no therapy is ideal for everybody. What works for one person may not be suitable for another. Many methods can be useful, given that there is resonance between the therapist and the client. That factor is more important than the method chosen.

There is a difference between "ignorance" in form of violently suppressing thoughts and emotions (which is never a good thing) and simply directing one's mind in a more positive direction. This way, denying negative beliefs further attention will weaken them, while their positive counterparts are being strengthened. However, we are treading a thin line here.

Yes. Going back to the original creation of a certain belief is not always necessary or the most effective way. The problem is not so much why we believe a certain thing, rather that we believe it. And any detrimental belief can be changed - here and now.

Good observation there as to the mind having "anti bodies" to fight back to alterations, even constructive ones.

I partially agree. Negative emotions are often the result of negative thinking and beliefs, and generally speaking, those must be dealt with in order to achieve truly constructive and lasting improvements, and not merely cover-ups.

Well, hypothetically, it could be that Man was predestined to develop the concept of having a free will, as well as, at some stage, the insight that this is merely an illusion. Mind you, I say hypothetically because this is NOT my philosophical position, overall. This is quite a different topic and has got to do with his followers' projections of what the messiah is supposed to be. I don't see myself as being agnostic, rather, I feel that there is validity to both views (freedom of choice and determinism), and I am interested in the question how they relate to each other and can be reconciled. This even blew the mind of a philosopher like Ken Wilber, but hey, there is nothing wrong with trying.

What you are describing here is the so-called Newtonian universe, a totally determined clock work. Even though Newton himself didn't really support this extreme view, and it was ascribed to him rather inappropriately; it actually goes back to his opponent Leibniz. It is also at odds with quantum physics, essentially. What this model implies is that human beings have no freedom of choice whatsoever, that we are pure automatons (just like the rest of the universe). I agree with this view as little as you do (but for a short while, you made me worried...). But I also don't accept chaos theory's postulate that the flapping of a butterfly's wings can cause a tornado somewhere else arbitrarily, despite the popularity of this concept. Nature has plenty of built-in checks and safety systems that would balance the disturbance, unless it was in accordance with the scheme at large. Oddly, this is where the 'Newtonian' view seems to meet Zen Buddhism, when the latter states that the key to enlightenment is accepting that everything is perfect the way it is: "All you can do is to laugh heartily right now." Or it might be overly rational. Even Mr. Spock eventually concluded that logic is the beginning of wisdom, not its completion. These are indeed difficult questions. Therefore let's talk about them on this mind boggling thread. Again, we should ask if such an occurrence would mean that some "force" (we might say, Dao) had concluded that it was best to end the human experiment at least in its present form and clear the stage for whatever were to follow. In that case, I think we would be pretty much screwed, no matter what we would try to save ourselves, as nature would be way more resourceful than us. What it boils down to: "If you drink and drive, whatever happens is NO accident." If the dinosaurs hadn't become extinct due to a huge comet or asteroid impact, it is doubtful that mammals would ever have evolved to the level of the homo sapiens.

This is rather unintelligible gibberish. No worries. When I'm doing martial arts, I habitually relax when facing the opposition. Not least, it facilitates dismantling them. Well, if you say so.

Would we be able to deviate from what this fifth dimensional being would convey to us? If not, then free will is illusionary, for all intents and purposes. Quantum mechanics shows the existence of indetermism and probabilities. Especially the form this takes in Everett's Many Worlds interpretation is strongly supported by my experiences as a Tarot reader. I think a higher-dimensional being would be overseeing all those probabilities or alternative realities. Donald, there is hardly a post of yours that doesn't emphasize your lack of time. Does this have something to do with your restriction by a four-dimensional framework?

This sounds interesting. Would you mind to elaborate?

This is a non sequitur. It could have been predestined that we have this conversation.

Mind you, that's why I wrote seeming contradiction. And the existence of the latter has been known since the double-slit experiment demonstrated that electrons can appear as both waves and particles, if not before. If offered by you, I would insist on reading the patient information leaflet first.

Lex Luthor

One of the greatest powers to change reality is belief - utter, unquestioning belief that reaches beyond the conscious mind and that can't be pretended by the latter. There can be no doubt about this (LOL).

I start seeing both choice and determination, control and acceptance, the Magician and the High Priestess, as the two sides of a coin. Yes, multiple probabilities exist, we can make better or worse choices between them, and our decisions matter. Yet by the same token (I didn't intend this pun, but it's somehow funny), whatever our choices, the results are as if predetermined, as if meant to be, serving a higher purpose. My mind cannot currently resolve the seeming contradiction here. Perhaps it has got to do with the illusionary nature of cause and effect?