allinone Posted March 13, 2017 piece from that page. Before you read on, I have to make a request to you: Drop all pre-assumptions you have of awakening and spirituality. Forget that you ever practiced meditation, read spiritual books or received spiritual teachings. This is an essential requirement. Have a totally open mind. If you can do that, then read on. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
allinone Posted March 13, 2017 (edited) by the way, you can find the author posting in Dho, dharma overground. edit, the user is Kim Katami Edited March 13, 2017 by allinone Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stosh Posted March 13, 2017 Nobody , must go on then , I suppose. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
allinone Posted March 13, 2017 (edited) read, hear the instructions. you discover the selfless spacious mind. and in second step you use affirmation to reinforce the feeling of self, examine the feeling of self. you keep investigating these steps back and forth, till the I-, me-ness disappears and its called awakening. Edited March 13, 2017 by allinone 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rocky Lionmouth Posted March 13, 2017 I suppose theres room for improvement,,I certainly can set a goal fo me to try to get to. Caring about onesself is Magical? Interesting idea, I dont know what to think of that. Hmmmmmm Thats what i thought too, there's room for improvement, goals and paths are still deliberate, intent and energy still needs direction. Gaining enlightened awareness makes one aware of potential and limits, at least thats what i read into it No, sorry, i didn't state my premise very well: i meant that it seems to me that awakening is sometimes talked about like crossing a threshold where perfection or blissfully only prioritizing certain positive things becomes an effortless automation. I've ruminated it for some time and it just doesnt make sense to me, it seems like a magical solution almost: become enlightened and suddenly you won't take offense or suffer anymore. I'm not saying this is true, i was just asking for opinions if this was a correct interpretation, partial or otherwise. I think caring for oneself is crucial, if i'm not taking care of me, how can i do anything to help others and ask them to help me? If we dont take care of ourselves according to our needs and whats available we'd be in serious trouble. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
johndoe2012 Posted March 13, 2017 The selfless spacious mind is very easy to access, listen to the instructions. The volition that Stosh talks about could easily be programmed responses and you wouldn't know the difference between that and free volition which doesn't exist according to neuroscience. Even defending the sense of self could be a programmed response. Right now from the level the average human exists on there is more programming than free responses. Remaining the observer in real life or meditation lets you see that. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stosh Posted March 13, 2017 You're making me think Rocky ! cut that out. Um I don't know about sudden enlightenment , despite the instant comments that come to mind. I suppose that threshold breakthrough self improvement idea has been in my head as well,, frustration at my self ? knowing just how much of what i do is reflexive , like Johns pointing at .. dunno. Silent Thunder said something worthy and pertinent ,,(Paraphrasing) that we may try to write the book we want or wished someone else had or would present to us. Yeah John , a lot of what we do is reflexive ,, but I'm thinking even more so if we squashed the voice called ego. As far as neuroscience goes,,,,,,,,They don't know enough to override philosophy just yet. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rocky Lionmouth Posted March 14, 2017 Oh snap, sorry for the thinking Stosh 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
allinone Posted March 14, 2017 (edited) Hmm according to that instruction sense of self is a mental construct? sense of self is a feeling. So here is a point where one roads goes into two. Instructions can be a let down at the end, it uses right words but the path is muddled, not well defined where its going. to add other layers of being: perception, triggers, awareness. awareness has also sense of self. --- the sense of self as like energetical or fluidlike sensation. Imo autor isn't aware of it. That's the pun i wanted to make here. other thing to take into account is relativity aspect of how unawakened you have to be in order to buy into being streamentry and then so just close your eyes on the Sutra descriptions. Edited March 14, 2017 by allinone 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stosh Posted March 14, 2017 It appears you may be considering feelings as NOT being mental constructs, and that if you consider sense of self to be a feeling, then its not a mental construct.. Also that awareness has at least one feeling that is a sense of self. Ok tentatively working within that context, .... then squashing the sense of self , is squashing a thing that is not just a mental construct ,its actually diminishing the feeling of awareness. Doesn't that idea also put us back on the track that sense of self is not a thing to destroy ? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
allinone Posted March 14, 2017 (edited) yes, sense of self, must be found. Its stream of life. So that any activity is connected to that circuit. stay plugged in. Edited March 14, 2017 by allinone 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
