3bob

there is more than one school of non-dualism/philosophy /religion, thus there are variations in teachings and summations, including I imagine several about karma.

could a soul that never got involved with karma ever evolve...

not specifically, that was for anyone...

Does your head hurt yet? It is so simple

the Soul of the soul is non-dual, thus all souls have Soul in common, (right under our noses) realizing that ends lonesomeness, grief, sorrow, death...for the Soul is not held by any of those thus when soul reaches that home instead of mental identification with a particular form which has conditions of suffering to along with it then Freedom dawns for us as souls that were caught on a roller coaster or merry go round of identifications. Then soul can rightly say with the inspired pointer of, "Om Tat Sat..."

"There is only one reality in form, which is the pure consciousness which is conscious of form, and this reality is what realizes itself as formless, timeless, spaceless." Gurudeva

know that death dies, it may be a hard nut to crack but it has nothing on the truth of Spirit that is beyond its grip.

last question first: spiritual realization as Self realizing Self, another one that we can't really wrap our heads around. the steps you mention sound good to me... one might wonder if soul as a seed is perfect enough or has built in perfection - and if it does not have such in essence already then how would it ever get there? (to perfection) Btw, I agree with the idea of preparation and or effort of some kind which spirit can see as plain as day in beings.

Hello Bindii, I'd say you are talking about evolution of something, while Self is not evolutionary, changing or in need of doing something for perfection. We can not really wrap our head around that, nor are forms of knowledge equal to the power of Grace (which is not to be equated with blind faith or wishful thinking) that enables spiritual realization, a realization that can not be found per a mind of acquired knowledge, although knowledge (which is also a thing so to speak) has its place and purpose.

Grace makes the choice and is more powerful than karma, also it can not be manipulated by any forces of the heaven or hell realms.... where we go (so to speak) is where we already are - the Self, for there is nothing that can be gained or lost of the Self which is right under our noses.

per dharma/karma evil acts earn one time in the hell realms, while good acts earn one time in the heaven or earth realms, such are still realms but of major differences in the closeness to the threshold of the Self (which is beyond relative good and evil realms) per the Upanishads. Also in Hinduism evil has no independent root and there is no eternal hell of punishment like in Christianity...

ok, and with that said the further forms are not really separate either per connected emanation, thus can that which is not really separate be tagged as strictly unreal or illusion, I'd say no.

btw. I'd say Shakti is real and does not perish, although the forms that then take further shape from pure Shakti do have various lifetime lengths.

I wonder if oxy-clean would work as well for rust? I know it works for pet piss smell on a carpet when nothing else would work, including enzyme wonder cleaners.

I'd say non-duality is big enough, so to speak, to contain duality, (which may sound weird) thus there is no disconnect with time and space and particular souls or beings that can only be in particular times and spaces. The saying, "jiva is Shiva" does not deny jiva... In Taoism the Tao is not said to deny or disconnect from the One, Two, Three or the Ten-Thousand, so I believe one could also say the Tao (that can not be named) is also big enough to contain the named.

My take is that if there is only non-dual "God" (ultimately and besides any mis-perception and or mis-identification) thus a complete summation is that there is only God...which includes everything and non-thing, manifest and un-manifest. (btw. note the apparent contradiction above of "plus this Maya", I say contradiction because God plus God as seeming Maya or plus Maya is still God, thus God can not get not rid of God or seeming Maya. In other terms Shiva can not rid of Shakti.

there is no illusion when only truth is seen both manifest and un-manifest. which is far more difficult and complete than withdrawing to only the un-manifest.

in certain cases fear is a useful survival mechanism that is not to be ignored, but fear turned to panic lessons chances of survival. So just one idea about something like fear which has other aspects doesn't cover everything. same goes for anger...

certain methods for advanced students or masters are far more applicable for them to use, and far less applicable for newcomers and rookies to try and use per IDEALISTIC IMPRESSIONS about same, since what they should have is the state of being and whatever level of experience is required to match up to a particular attack situation. (thus get help when help is called for, such applies both in this world and the normally unseen worlds) a couple of common sense comparisons using animals: a horse does not take on a lion, a fox does not take on a wolf, a deer does not take on a bear, a mouse does not take on a cat, and in math a +1 does not take on a -5 and expect to come out positive, etc.. Also some forces need to be bound and or blocked 100%, not toyed with per half- baked good intentions.

all of the common precautions and things one does in this world to protect themselves and family physically are done with more awareness which overlaps in other worlds to whatever degree... And there are lots of little but important tips like: "loose lips sink ships, don't be an easy mark, don't go down dark alleys, keep an eye out, watch your six", etc... also if you are being hunted think and act like a hunter. For instance don't leave tracks, don't leave personal items around, circle around now and then and watch to see if anything is on your trail, don't be overly predictable, don't be overly open, don't share private information unless you are sure of the other party and never do so in public where any one can horn in on it, ask yourself why a stranger would strike up a conversation with you out of the blue and then begin to delve into, remark on, fish into, or give advice about your personal life - such can be hooks and snares to avoid, watch the trail ahead for out of place things or people, know your landmarks and optional routes, listen for breaking branches that warn of unexpected approaches, etc...

true although I'd say "convictions" can be imprinted onto us at a very early age and need to be looked at now and then for possible re-evaluation, (per new or evolving info.) whereas when it comes to an event entailing basic survival and its associated aspects there may not be much time or space to intellectualize about it.

btw, once Andy got a ways into that pipe it became a "no turning back" (and "no backing out") situation where he pretty much let go of the relative security of staying alive in the prison and thus crawled forward with the very real possibly of getting stuck in the pipe and dying...

and I'd also add other aspects that may (sometimes suddenly) come into play such as, "now or never" , "do or die", "sink or swim" , "a leap of faith", and Grace...

actual escape velocity is very high on purpose, so high that very few of us choose to pay the price or even recognize it.