Getting in touch with the soul and expressing it

[Simple_Jack]

Sure but I want to make sure that you understand that I was not talking about 'feelings' or emotions as such, but rather the feeling nature or the feeling faculty itself.

 

As a complex organ of perception in its own right, it is the thing that does the feeling of emotions, body sensations and so on, but it also does {or can do} so much more.

 

It is the function that can open the deepest Inner doors, letting one experience first hand exactly what 'soul' is...

In Buddhism that would be conditioned from 'contact.' Which is the conditioned meeting of sense consciousness, sense object and sense organ. This applies to to the physical and metaphysical levels; to the most ordinary and sublime states of consciousness; to the most mundane and mystical experiences. This is covered in the Brahmajala Sutta and the Maha-nidana Sutta for example.

 

From the Mahayana Surangama Sutra: This is covered with the 5 skandha model, which are looked at as conditioning factors which mutually gives rise to certain experiences (i.e. the sensation/feeling skandha.)

 

Sinansencer, I apologize for hijacking your thread.

[Harmonious Emptiness]

First, to say the soul doesn't exist is generally coming from the idea that nothing exists in a permanent way, but even that doesn't say things don't exist, just that they are constantly changing. You exist in your dream even thought the dream is false. The fear you feel in a dream is real even though the dream is false. Once you realize you are dreaming these things might disappear, but this debate is out of place in the current discussion, I think.

 

Second, "soul" is an English word and can mean a dozen different things from other traditions which are all different. The question here was not so much about those things.

 

So what is the "soul" in question that one is to get in touch with by art, music, etc.?

 

I can say from experience, that after a good music session, it's like being re-situated on an internal compass. Playing music can you through some intense feelings while you are still "the observer", the musician who is playing them. It can make you more comfortable with everything that goes on inside as you have rode the highs and the lows and know the difference between the highs, the lows, and YOU, the musician playing the guitar or drums or whatever. If you get too far into them you will not be playing anymore, so you learn how to ride them without getting yourself lost in them.

 

When you can do this, it is easier to know "that is feeling, this is me," as one way of looking at it. This is "soul" as it is the actor, and it is authentic. It knows the difference. It knows where it is inside the feelings, memories, plans, obligations, etc..

 

When you go dancing or do anything that leaves you with this, you know where you are and you know where you're coming from, you're are getting in touch with the "soul."

 

 

[Simple_Jack]

Some Buddhists say there is no soul but then what keeps things together from life to life?

 

In Buddhism, what's carried on is an ever changing conditioned stream of psycho-physical processes that are neither the same nor different from the previous life (http://www.budsas.org/ebud/ebdha058.htm.)

 

First, to say the soul doesn't exist is generally coming from the idea that nothing exists in a permanent way, but even that doesn't say things don't exist, just that they are constantly changing.....

Honestly, I don't even know why Buddhist principles were even brought up in the first place in this thread....

 

I apologize again to sinansencer for hijacking the thread.

 

EDIT: There is a reason why 'reincarnation' is called 'rebirth' in Buddhism.

Edited February 25, 2013 by Simple_Jack

[Owledge]

Is this really new age or extremely wise?

 

All the shamanistic traditions emphasise the importance of getting in touch with the soul, eg playing music, dancing etc

If it is soul music, then it makes sense.