Unconditioned

To me there is litterally no division. How can you have one without the other? You can't. What we experience from the outside completely affects our thoughts and body. Everything we think completely affects our actions. And the circle goes round and round.

She's simply found a way to justify her actions. She feels ok about it because she doesn't judge herself based on looks, which is fine. But, she's most likely ignoring the affects this will have on her body. She may not care at all. So where's the problem? Edit: I've only watched a few minutes of the clip. But there are obviously health problems and psychological problems here. However, on another level, it is what it is.

Wow, that's one of the clearest explainations I've ever read, thank you!

Great point again: discovering what's there or making models that work well enough for human minds? I'm all set with debating that one too... take care!

Scotty beat me to the punchline! Avoiding a situation doesn't make it go away. My family is all over the country and while it's not as "in my face" as it was growing up at home, the problems and personalities are still there. I've run into a lot of negativity with my wife and have tried a lot of approaches. Relationships are very complex but having an open perspective may help. Why are they negative? Bad day at work? Stressed out over money? Also, your attitude, presense, and awareness of the situation are all major factors a relationship. Are you aware that your big smile in a room full of people that are upset could make them more upset (even if you are having a good day and they're not)? What's the root of YOUR frustration? Edit: And why the need to practice in a cave (i.e., get away from everyone)? You can practice right now from this line of text, do you feel defensive?

Great reminder Personal experience time: I've found I need to take breaks from the books, discussions, forums, etc. from time to time and come back to them otherwise I do have noticable mental fatigue. I've also noticed, personally, that the constant churning of spiritual ideas just makes my mind race more when I'm around it too much and I honestly just can't think as clearly.

Go for it, same result It's like saying the heat created the fire or the fire created the heat.

Why believe anyone at all? Does the Dali Lama hold more authority than you, me, or anyone else? In one sense, sure he's experienced and has knowledge. But in the other sense, he's human, just like we are. About things 'pointing' to reality... yes, we label our experiences of our senses, completely agree... but what are those experiences? I experience this chair as solid matter holding me up but we've discovered that most matter is in fact space. Matter manifests itself through our perception and through our awareness of perception. I think the simple answer is: we cannot know what is outside of our own personal consciousness/experience one way or the other, we can only suggest a model for what we perceive. So do you mean we need these for communication, survival, etc.? I can see that. There is 'stuff' here which is not separate from the 'not-stuff' (transient 'things' such as awareness).

Great point! I know the "I" is just made up, an assumption, a belief, that all this 'stuff' that is experienced is 'me'. But, identification with that or not, that's a different story. Then Excellent quotes, very good reminders. Yes, yes, and yes. I got stuck on "how do I get rid of the ego?" for a while then realized awake or asleep, we still all have a personality, it's just do we see it for what it is or think that we are ONLY the personality.

Bravo Everything is a result of everything. Topic at hand... enlightenment, personally I cannot stand that word. It carries SO much weight/conditioning, expectation, implied authority, etc. with it. No offence intended but I think there are better questions. It boils down to: Is this concept real. Yes - in that it's a concept that exists as a result of thought. No - in that it's just a concept and is nothing more or less. Lastly, for anyone that has figured out who they really are/n't, they will bloom in their own way. Just like we wouldn't expect all flowers to bloom as a rose, why would we expect that same from the billions of manifested forms/types of people? So we will see different expressions of awakening. And yes, this post is littered with contradictions but hey it's the best I can do with the tools I have between these ears

I've been living my spiritual life for probably the last 3-4 years. I've accumlated a lot of knowledge, some insights, some powerful experiences, had moments of extreme clarity, etc. but at the end of the day here I am. My collection of memories, samskaras, karma, whatever term you'd like to use... is still here. It's still thinking it's thoughts, feeling it's feelings, identifying with a stream of conciousness and being a 'self'. Even with the knowledge and experience, I still find myself searching for some even deeper still answer and experience. I feel as though I've either hit a huge wall, or that there's a subtle waiting for something to happen/change. I know I haven't settled on any conclusions, I don't hold any absolute views of anything, but I feel as though something is missing. Some... thing... that keeps fueling the ego. I feel like I've regressed somehow, and I'm back to where I was before I even started but with a few more trinkets in my pocket. Anyone else been here or is there? Any thoughts on is this a plateau, part of a usual progression, etc.?

I've read most of his books, they force you to stop and really work to understand what he's saying... at least they did for me when I read them last. His books were my first introduction to 'spirituallity' and it's been a wild ride ever since. That said, I don't think his writing style is for everyone. Sometimes his thoughts are very abstract and can be misunderstood or lead to frustration. But, if you stick with them that one-liner that didn't make any sense 3 months ago will out of no where 'click' and you'll probably find youself smiling One of my favorite authors, hope you enjoy it as much as I have!

And they seem to have struck a nerve...