Lost in Translation

That's why God invented iron gall inks! It takes care to use iron gall in a fountain pen, one must clean the pen often and thoroughly. But it can be done...

Returning to this thread's subject: "Is non-duality actually a fundamental truth, or just another philosophy?" I see no reason why the answer cannot be "both.". Yes, non-duality is truth because from a certain perspective there is only one. No, non-duality is false because from another point of view there are many and varied. The logical mind screams that this is a paradox. The paradox is only a problem if we believe that the logical mind is correct. I happen to believe that logic fails on this point. Here's an exercise that I engaged in recently: Sitting in my yard, I was meditating in silence. I took my consciousness, my being and all my perceptions, and I shrunk it down into the body of an ant. (Using my imagination and powers of visualization) I saw myself among the other ants in the garden. Immediately I was struck by a thought: These ants operate according to a program! They live, they move. In their own way they have community and love. But they are operating according to fixed parameters of which they are unaware and cannot escape. Then I expanded my awareness back into my own body. I saw my own life, my own though. I saw my own community, my own love and way of being. And I also saw that I, too, operate according to a program. I, too, operate according to fixed parameters of which I, too, am unaware and cannot escape! One of these parameters happens to be the inability to embrace paradox. So, yes, non-duality is fundamental truth and it is also just another philosophy. It makes no sense to say this, but that is just because my programming says so. Unity - and multiplicity - I am sure, is not bound by such small thinking.

Saved for all to enjoy.

I hope he has a really good sense of humor.

Tech support forum is password protected. He'll need to make a new account and beg us to let him back in...

Hopefully he can still log in. Does he even know his own user name?

LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL!!!! In your face, Nungali!

I spent a year working with a teacher of shamanism. He taught us basics of the upper, middle, and lower worlds and how to travel among them. It really helps to work with a teacher and a group of students. There's more energy than going alone for beginners. If you can find a local teacher that will help. I have also spent time working with family constellations. It's not visualization per-se, but it does have a certain amount of ancillary qualities such as opening oneself to otherworldly via an ultra soft form of possession. Unfortunately I can't recommend any books on the subject. Well, that's not quite true. I do have an old book called Creative Visualization by Shakti Gawain. It's mostly new age mumbo jumbo but there are a few worthwhile nuggets

Visualization? That can be quite powerful. You may want to learn about forms of shamanism.

The most well crafted ship and the most rickety ship both depend upon the same wind.

Look what showed up in my YouTube suggestions today!

I find sitting meditation much more challenging than it appears. If I have too much energy then it's difficult to still the mind, and if I don't have enough energy it's difficult to stay awake. Walking meditation helps in these matters. Sometimes meditation simply means allowing whatever is happening to happen. That's often code for bedtime.

Is this really a thing? No, wait - don't answer that. I prefer this Schroedinger's cat moment to knowing the truth. Don't collapse me into one state or the other... Welcome! I'm sure we'll have lots to talk about as time moves on.

Sorry, you can't. As Voidisyinyang has so thoroughly explained, time is noncommutative...

I'm reading a book called Scrying for Beginners, by Donald Tyson. In it he writes at length about sensory metaphors. Regarding human auras he writes: "There is no scientific evidence for the existence of the aura as an energetic field that can be measured and recorded by machines." Rather, "the aura is a sensory metaphor presented to the awareness of the scryer by the agents of his or her deep mind to express in perceivable terms information about the subject that has been acquired by extrasensory means." (pp. 204) Tyson continues on and discusses famous occultists from the 18th and 19th century, including Reichenbach and Mesmer. To this he writes "the error of Mesmer and Reichenbach lay in maintaining that this nerve-energy was physical. When their experiments were subjected to scientific testing, no evidence for a physical force could be detected, and both men were discredited publicly. Their error was understandable. The aura does appear to be physical light to those with the ability to see it. There was no reason for these psychics to doubt the evidence of their own senses. If they could see it with their eyes, they naturally assumed it must exist." (pp. 208) I find the notion of a "sensory metaphor" fascinating, since on the one hand it explains very well how psychics and other mediums can perceive what they do, while on the other hand explaining equally well why scientific testing remains unable to verify what so many claim to perceive! Your comments are welcome.

Sometimes when meditating or otherwise opening oneself to extra sensory input, one may feel a shock or hear a sound or sense movement out of the corner of an eye. These are not random events. They are more properly what is termed a "sensory metaphor." Since spirit can't typically manifest to our normal senses, it presents itself to our subtle perceptions. Lacking a translation framework for subtle perception our minds translate subtle data into our normal senses of sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. Ever notice the house creeping? Get a sudden chill? Hear a distant child yelling, or smell food cooking late at night when no one is moving? Yep. That's it...

Full circle - no one = 359 = 17 = 8. 8 × 360 + 8 x 1 = 2888 = 26 = 8.

Done and done!

And no, I don't have a cone hat like Gandalf, but yes I'd love to get one some day...

I understand and share your concern. I truly wish all people would behave in what I feel to be a rational manner. However, they do not. For example some people want to have horns grafted onto their skulls or have their eyes turned top-to-bottom like a cat. It's crazy to me, but to them it makes sense. Sure, we can ban such actions if we want, but where does it end? Will tattoos be one day be considered insane? As much as it pains me I accept that people are people. I don't agree with them, but I respect their right to choose.

I must be a coward 'cause I sure do tolerate the hell out of you!

Slippery slope. What's next? Outlaw plastic surgery. Take away a cosmetic surgeon's license? Where does it end? I personally feel that surgery (of any sort) is a last resort and not to be taken lightly. All options should be made apparent before such a permanent step. But if an adult of sound mind makes a choice that affects their own body then so be it. God bless them. I hope the decision brings them happiness. It is literally none of my business.

If only I had studied music...

It makes a certain sense to say space-time is non-commutative since even though I can "return" to a point in space I do so at a different time and thus it is not the same point in space-time. I don't follow how time is "converted" into space. Perhaps you are thinking on a higher level mathematically than I am and were not speaking the same language.