Jetsun

Looks like end of the Lama system to me, especially if the current Dalai Lama ends the Dalai Lama institution when he dies , as he has suggested a few times. It's a different era where that kind of relationship generally isn't healthy any more, no need to give away your power to anyone else.

Non-duality just means not two, it doesn't necessarily mean there is a substantial one. In practical terms there is no difference between between Avaita or Dzogchen non-duality, it's the same terrain so no matter how it is analysed or categorised with our minds the territory is beyond mind and therefore beyond all categorisations we try to impose on it.

I have that book, it is a wonderful book one of the best out there on the subject.

I never knew he was gay. Not sure if it changes any opinion of him I have. I quite like that he doesn't make it a central pillar of his personality, it's all about transcending such identities anyway

How does awakening relate to the individual? You don't wake up, rather awakeness wakes up, or the universe, or something else wakes up through you. So in that sense awakening can be a great blow to the individual as you get absolutely nothing out of it. Yet the experience is still localised, which is why there can be a kind of paradox. Why it is localised I believe is because we all have energetic constructs within us which block others awakeness from seeping into our own awareness, which often don't work very well when you are in close proximity to the truth. It can't be said that any awakening is different than any other in the sense that it is always the same thing which wakes up, it is the same thing which wakes up in the Buddha as that wakes up in you or me, yet there is still an individual flavour or character to all of our unique expressions of that.

I consider there to be a difference between healing and enlightenment, you could spend decades meditating which could bring a lot of balance to your mind and psyche, but it doesn't necessarily get you closer to enlightenment than someone who sincerely asks the question "who am I?" . Enlightenment is outside of time and isn't earned, which is why if you put it off as something to be attained after lots of hard work in the future you may be further off than someone who recognises what is really here right now.

From a psychology perspective being in others issues a lot of the time can be a sign of co-dependency, so in that condition rather than being in your own issues and in your own body you live vicariously through others. Feeling others emotions as a way of avoiding your own. This is a danger many empaths face, as ultimately outside of your own stuff it isn't your business, or like Byron Katie says there are three kinds of business in the universe- yours, mine and God's and most of our stress comes from living outside of our own business. Burnout is quite common in empaths because of taking responsibility for what isn't theirs is very stressful. You see in most relationships to a certain extent and especially in family dynamics.

There is certainly potential for healing others if you have that sensitivity or empathy, but you would need to be careful with issues around co-dependency and being able to have healthy barriers with others when necessary to avoid burn out and unhealthy merging.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirror-touch_synesthesia Neurologically they would probably say it is to do with mirror neurons

I would start by using the breath as the object, it is conceptual enough to give you a focus so your mind has something to train itself to, but not concrete enough to lead to any fixation. I wouldn't make it too complicated just use the breath to create a space where you can see the mind weave its tricks without you acting out its impulses After a while of doing that you can become aware of the gaps and pauses in between the breath, then everything can start to unravel and all the secrets reveal themselves. After that you can just rest in the space or rather rest as the space, which is basically the ultimate meditation

Embracing the world http://www.embracingtheworld.org Is about the only charity where I feel completely comfortable that it is all going to good causes.

Silence is the source of everything including ourselves. What the silence is nobody can really say, but even if we can't say what it is we can be it, or rather we can recognise we already are it and remain as that rather then dream we are something else. The relationship between silence and energy is a good question and is a kind of mystery as even when energy is flowing most intensely silence can be found at the centre of it. When it comes to the human body finding the silence at the centre of a knot or blockage is one way of liberating it and restoring the energy flow, as an issue needs constant movement or noise to be kept alive but when held in stillness or silence it dissolves. So silence is the great liberator of energy, it is also the great harmoniser if one can submit or surrender to its intelligence, so I guess we can say some things about the characteristics or functions of silence

Maybe to have the experience of not knowing what it is. As it already knows everything else

The USA is now in a small group of rogue nations who don't care about the future of the planet, environmental catastrophe is potentially a much more serious threat than nuclear war yet the biggest polluter in history is backing out from helping to clear up its mess. It could be time the rest of the planet starts considering the USA a "rogue state", hijacked by oligarchs putting personal profit above the welfare of the planet. If it were a smaller less powerful nation the rest of the world might start talking about intervention on behalf of the greater good.

There is unlimited energy available us through the sun, through the tides, it is only a matter of time until we harness it. Many countries are going to be moving to 100% renewables in the near future. Northern European countries will be the first and then others will follow. The energy companies are going to do whatever they can to slow this down so they retain their power and profit, but without our reliance on oil we can finally stop propping up dispicable regimes in the Middle East, stop fighting wars for resources. It may sound idealistic but it is potentially very close if everyone gets on board as a popular movement, no need for us to mindlessly destroy ourselves.

For those interested in longevity just look at the Dalai Lama, he's 83 and still travelling the world and continually teaching and attending conferences. Bar a few minor health issues his doctors say his body is like someone half his age. It's likely to go crazy in Tibet when he dies so let's hope he has many years left in him.

I have read the first one, I liked it. It also got me putting a load of seeds in my mouth before I planted them 😁

Ok I get it now, thanks

Ok so what is the significance of discriminating between the two?

So if its saying that John is the highest being at that point but isn't an immortal, then it means Jesus didn't perceive the Buddha or early Taoists as high as John or as immortals, which is pretty controversial.

Does this suggest some kind of evolution in enlightenment? Like later generations after John have a potential to go further or deeper

This is one passage which never made sense to me, not that this helps the discussion but my feeling of the holy spirit is that it is eternal forgiveness for anything

You are the sound of one hand clapping

It's a bit arbitrary saying charity work is good and crime is bad. Charity work can just reinforce the identity around being a "good" person, it can be done from a place of pure egotism. While killing someone could be the morally correct thing to do under the circumstances.

Climate scientists have done extensive testing and modelling to know what the earths temperature would be expected to be during this era (without human input) based on past trends and averages. The important point being the temperature rise is above expected averages, the most probable cause being the human input of co2 into the atmosphere.