Eye of the needle...

[Jeff]

Jesus described the correct path as like going through the eye of a needle, Buddha taught the middle way...

 

In more modern terms, some focus on silence (or clarity of mind), others more on energy (and flows)...

 

But both are really just two sides of the same coin, or, maybe better said, two ends of a spectrum. Some traditions also describe these polarities as male and female, fire and water, or transmission and reception.

 

At the level of individual (or local mind), a lack of balance can deeply effect our view and perception. If we have too much clarity of mind, but not the energy to support it, one tends to become indifferent towards others and being more nihilistic in perspective. If one has too much energy, but not the mental clarity to handle it, they tend to translate the energy into all nature of (negative) perceptions becoming more eternalistic in perspective.

 

Ultimately, mental clarity and energy/light are the same thing. As with everything, balance is the key.

 

Best wishes.

[Everything]

I feel really good with meditation. I think it will make its benefits appearant, if you use it consistently. Cause you'll feel allot better, which has a great positive influence in your life. And its easy too. Just going with the flow of feeling good. Inspired living, can't make mistakes in that. I blast through all irrelevant BS, straight to the point. Straight to what really matters in life, what we love, what we're really all about, who we really are. Now that's a delicious life, worthy of living.

[C T]

Cannot envisage anyone with 'too much clarity' though. Impossible to quantify. 

 

I disagree that silence and clarity are the same thing. 

[Bindi]

 

If one has too much energy, but not the mental clarity to handle it, they tend to translate the energy into all nature of (negative) perceptions becoming more eternalistic in perspective.

 

 

Jeff, I don't know what you mean by 'eternalistic'?

[Jeff]

Cannot envisage anyone with 'too much clarity' though. Impossible to quantify. 

 

I disagree that silence and clarity are the same thing. 

 

Part of the challenge of any such post is the use and meaning of the words. In a buddhist/Dzogchen context, I would agree that the words silence and clarity have different meaning. I was attempting to use a more commonly understood meaning for most bums.

 

The difference can be found in something like using single point focus meditation. One may have a realatively "unclear" mind (issues and fears), but able to be very silent and focused on a single thing. Like digging a deep, but very small hole in consciousness. A nihilistic view is found staying deep in that one hole, when the person does not energy levels (or also clarity in your terms) to support it.

[Jeff]

Jeff, I don't know what you mean by 'eternalistic'?

 

Meaning more permanent or never ending...

[MooNiNite]

Silence and clarity have different meanings?

 

In my belief system they are one and the same. 

[C T]

Silence and clarity have different meanings?

 

In my belief system they are one and the same. 

Sometimes immensely profound clarity arise as a direct result of overwhelming confusion. In fact, for advanced practitioners, the greater the din and the noise, the more profound the clarity. 

 

Silence can be induced - Clarity is the basic nature of mind where no amount of inducements can change it one bit.  

Its foolish to say the nature of mind is silent, because its not. It can be, but it can also be otherwise. 

The nature of the mind is clear, its empty, yet completely infused with awareness potential.

Awareness potential means anything can appear in that mind-ground, yet its basic quality never alters. 

[dawei]

Jesus described the correct path as like going through the eye of a needle, Buddha taught the middle way...

 

In more modern terms, some focus on silence (or clarity of mind), others more on energy (and flows)...

 

But both are really just two sides of the same coin, or, maybe better said, two ends of a spectrum. Some traditions also describe these polarities as male and female, fire and water, or transmission and reception.

 

At the level of individual (or local mind), a lack of balance can deeply effect our view and perception. 

 

You seem to construction:   Perception = Clarity + Energy ; and yet point out:   1 = 1 + 1 (as the latter two are the same thing)

 

You mention specifically at the level of the local mind.

 

So would you characterize it as:

 

Local Mind Perception = Clarity + Energy  (this perception depends on balance); physical working with the divine

 

Beyond local mind Perception = Clarity of Light   (the unity beyond physical construct of local mind); divine only

[MooNiNite]

Going through the eye of 

 

Jesus described the correct path as like going through the eye of a needle, Buddha taught the middle way...

 

In more modern terms, some focus on silence (or clarity of mind), others more on energy (and flows)...

 

But both are really just two sides of the same coin, or, maybe better said, two ends of a spectrum. Some traditions also describe these polarities as male and female, fire and water, or transmission and reception.

 

At the level of individual (or local mind), a lack of balance can deeply effect our view and perception. If we have too much clarity of mind, but not the energy to support it, one tends to become indifferent towards others and being more nihilistic in perspective. If one has too much energy, but not the mental clarity to handle it, they tend to translate the energy into all nature of (negative) perceptions becoming more eternalistic in perspective.

 

Ultimately, mental clarity and energy/light are the same thing. As with everything, balance is the key.

 

Best wishes.

 

 

Can you elaborate on going through the eye of the needle?

 

My co-worker once explained it to me, but he used words like rich people will have a very hard time, and poor people have a better opportunity for enlightenment. 

[Jeff]

You seem to construction:   Perception = Clarity + Energy ; and yet point out:   1 = 1 + 1 (as the latter two are the same thing)

 

You mention specifically at the level of the local mind.

 

So would you characterize it as:

 

Local Mind Perception = Clarity + Energy  (this perception depends on balance); physical working with the divine

 

Beyond local mind Perception = Clarity of Light   (the unity beyond physical construct of local mind); divine only

 

Yes, that is pretty close to what I mean. Maybe another way to think about it is to think about a bell curve graphed on a grid. With energy being one side of the bell curve and mental clarity being the other. At lower levels on the vertical axis, the two sides seem far apart. As one goes higher along the vertical axis (spiritual development), the two sides become closer. Easier to notice at higher levels, just two sides of the same coin...

 

https://craigalan.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/bell-curve.jpg

 

[Jeff]

Going through the eye of

 

Can you elaborate on going through the eye of the needle?

 

My co-worker once explained it to me, but he used words like rich people will have a very hard time, and poor people have a better opportunity for enlightenment.

This may be what you were looking for...

 

Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. (‭Matthew‬ ‭19‬:‭21-26‬ KJV)

 

A rich man is one who has many things to which he is attached and is often not able to let go of them...

Edited April 29, 2015 by Jeff

[MooNiNite]

 A rich man is one who has many things to which he is attached and is often able to let go of them...

 

What do you mean?

[dawei]

Yes, that is pretty close to what I mean. Maybe another way to think about it is to think about a bell curve graphed on a grid. With energy being one side of the bell curve and mental clarity being the other. At lower levels on the vertical axis, the two sides seem far apart. As one goes higher along the vertical axis (spiritual development), the two sides become closer. Easier to notice at higher levels, just two sides of the same coin... https://craigalan.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/bell-curve.jpg

 

How do you figure into the equation, male and female energies?   

 

I hate to use my equation too much but that is a construct the local mind can understand.

 

Is this only for the energy side or also impact the clarity side?

 

And/or Does the clarity side have two sides which balance that?

[Taoist Texts]

A rich man is one who has many things to which he is attached and is often able to let go of them...

never able. thats why he would never squeeze throu.

[Jeff]

never able. thats why he would never squeeze throu.

 

Yes, sorry. Mistype by me. Now edited above.

[Jeff]

What do you mean?

 

Sorry. Left out the "not". Edited above.

[Jeff]

How do you figure into the equation, male and female energies?   

 

I hate to use my equation too much but that is a construct the local mind can understand.

 

Is this only for the energy side or also impact the clarity side?

 

And/or Does the clarity side have two sides which balance that?

 

Male and female energies are the same thing, just seen from a different perspective. Male is transmission, female is reception. At the level of local body mind on does not really feel energy/light, one feels it "hitting" issues and obstructions. That is why most traditions call it Shakti (or energy female), because they notice it on the reception.

 

All energy is the wind moving through different pressure zones. Male and female energies are like two polarities of the same thing, but we tend to notice relative to our physical body.

[MooNiNite]

Sorry. Left out the "not". Edited above.

 

What do you mean by let go?

 

Like a rich man has to abandon his possessions like buddha, or a rich man needs to focus on something more important with their time?

[Jeff]

What do you mean by let go?

 

Like a rich man has to abandon his possessions like buddha, or a rich man needs to focus on something more important with their time?

 

There are many ways to view the analogy. At a surface level, a rich man has many things and wants to hold and accumulate more things. Such desires keeps one trapped in world (as one is not seeing through it) and leads to death. At the level of mind, a rich man is one who has many thoughts and his mind is full of concepts that he holds dear. If one does not let go of the attachment to things or concepts, one does not realize the kingdom of God.

[MooNiNite]

There are many ways to view the analogy. At a surface level, a rich man has many things and wants to hold and accumulate more things. Such desires keeps one trapped in world (as one is not seeing through it) and leads to death. At the level of mind, a rich man is one who has many thoughts and his mind is full of concepts that he holds dear. If one does not let go of the attachment to things or concepts, one does not realize the kingdom of God.

 

So you believe a person is always in the right place at the right time, and that they should not be concerned with making conscious decisions in their life?

 

One only facilitates change through belief in a better circumstance. Believing in a better circumstance would be attachment. 

[MooNiNite]

Perhaps those who are out of place are the ones with attachment. 

[Jeff]

So you believe a person is always in the right place at the right time, and that they should not be concerned with making conscious decisions in their life?

 

One only facilitates change through belief in a better circumstance. Believing in a better circumstance would be attachment. 

 

I think it is very helpful if everyone is focused on making conscious decisions. Too often people just make autopilot responses to things. Like with the rich man who already has more things that he can use, but still sees something and has an automatic response to wanting it.

 

 

[MooNiNite]

I think it is very helpful if everyone is focused on making conscious decisions. Too often people just make autopilot responses to things. Like with the rich man who already has more things that he can use, but still sees something and has an automatic response to wanting it.

Conscious decisions don't always makes sense. I have trouble making conscious decisions. Nothing really seems to make sense

[MooNiNite]

But that is just my personal experience. 

 

They usually say, keep following the light until the path is clear. 

 

It must be some form of fear or resistance that keeps one from realizing the true direction, however sometimes doing the "right" thing can only cloud ones mind....

 

nevermind though, thanks for the posts Jeff. 

Edited April 29, 2015 by MooNiNite