The Harsh Reality of Awakening

[lifeforce]

I found this quote today and it sort of sums up my current view of life:

 

"Morality depends on social interests. Natural law doesn't give a shit"

 

The world we find ourselves existing in really doesn't give a shit, not one bit. All the religions and spiritualities in the world today tell us lies. Utopias don't exist. Humanity's masses are walking around in their own little bubbles staring at their smartphones 24/7. As soon as people have to wait in a line/queue/pick their kids up from school - out comes the smartphone. Families out in restaurants, each member with their own virtual world not communicating with each other. From the real world to the virtual in a nanosecond. It really saddens me to see this.The more I observe human behaviour, the more I despair. Transhumanism is here now, and has been for years. Who needs robotic implants when the world is addicted to technology ? I have no desire to wake up the majority of humanity, it's beyond help. Kali Yuga is playing out before us, just as it needs to, naturally.

Awakening is a very lonely place, believe me. Even when you're surrounded with people who love you. 

The world is a beautiful place only people fuck it up.

[C T]

On some level you are right. Yet, this is all part of the evolutionary process of connection, the most primordial of human desires which began literally when fire was first discovered, and warmth became the universal antidote for alleviating feelings of fragmentation, coldness and malnourishment. Life was simpler then, and on some level, it still is, if.... in the midst of heightened awakening, there comes a realisation that ultimately, the seeming mass of humanity and their current state is predicated on how we choose to think of seeming realities. It gets clearer, and perhaps less harsh where spaciousness is allowed to permeate this awakening process. The good thing is, even when there is that lack of distance and space, it does not mean that one is separated from being a part of that awakening. Probably one's experiences get a little less pleasant and more time & energy consuming, but awakening, nonetheless. 

Edited June 16, 2019 by C T

[rideforever]

I feel f*cking awesome today.

Don't ask me why !!!!

[johndoe2012]

In the lineage I am part of we have worked on the way technology is being used by the collective consciousness to bring about a change so the usage becomes more natural. Of course the issue is big so doesn't change overnight. 

 

Sometimes I also feel lonely, but I think it is my own weaknesses that determine if I continue being lonely. 

 

I think it is better to stop being cynical and open up to the joy of interacting with people even if it is just saying hi to your neighbor and doing some smalltalk here and there. 

 

 

 

Edited June 16, 2019 by johndoe2012

[rideforever]

I remember Roald Dahl (1916-1990), he would take his children out in the moonlight, and walk up the South Downs (southern hills in England near the coast), and with his young kids he would watch the night mail in the middle of the night, chugging up and down the hills carrying letters around England.

So do that.  Do magical things.

I am sure in those days most people were sheep as well, but he didn't stop to think about it.

He was busy making magic.

 

It is the same in every era, in this era the sheep are more noisy and arrogant, and transhumanism all this will mean is some humans disappear into vats, they will absolutely not be more intelligent, and imo I think it will even be totally impossible to connect the human mind to the internet, I think that is not possible.   So it will end up being some poor souls in a vat with electrodes stuck in their head, probably jacked up on antibiotics and adrenalyn, and dying at 25.

The difference between this picture and the matrix, is that in the real world it will be impossible to connect a human mind to the internet. no way can that be done.   And so you can only have "virtual reality", with 3d glasses and so on, and it will turn out like 3D Movies, of very limited appeal.   That's a wager right there.  Anyway don't waste time with these freaks.

 

The nightmail is still waiting for you in the moonlight.

 

 

[Sebastian]

2 hours ago, lifeforce said:

"Morality depends on social interests. Natural law doesn't give a shit"

 

I highly disagree with the line of thinking of this quote. In fact, it may just be the other way around.  Natural law is virtue in action. Master Ni Hua Ching even refers to Tao as the "Universal Moral Force".

 

What is it ? It's the silent force that nurtures us day in, day out, never asks for anything in return, and always works for the common good. It's the invisible agent that grows your hair, regulates all the processes in your body, and heals your wounds. When a child eats an apple for example, somehow this energy is capable of taking the nutrition from the apple and making his bones grow, all the while making him look more and more like his parents, and all their ancestors before. This energy is so vital to us, so intrinsic that we take it for granted all the time. It can even respond to us through prayer, move our body if we wish,  and think our thoughts for us. It's on call for us 24/7. You could all it the Universal Mother, and we are all its children.

 

It's easy to live with the perspective that Tao or Nature doesn't give a shit about morality or what we do, and use that as a cop out to do whatever one wants. But you are a child of the Universal Mother, and every child is valuable to its parents.

 

Do you think the Universal Mother would encourage you to go against her, start destroying things, killing her other children, or breaking her natural rules of harmony ? Of course many people do that, I'm just saying maybe it's not the original intent. When you reconnect to Nature, then you do things more gently, you become more grounded, balanced. You refresh yourself and align yourself with morality again. The Sun for example, is naturally virtuous. It shines its Light on everyone, it gives life to everyone and it doesn't make distinctions between good people and bad people. And the Earth lets us trample her, blast huge holes in her, never without complaint. Nature is naturally virtuous and constructive through the energy of Tao. Even if we flatted out the earth through nuclear power, the subtle law would work immediately to rebuild. But we're free to think it doesn't give a shit about us, and even then, it will still support us and nurture us in the same way.

 

Social interests impose some morality on you that furthers their own interests, but this is different from your inner morality, the Light of your good conscience that you carry with you every step of the way.  

 

When you are aligned with Tao, you are naturally moral, things flow well in your experience and that of your close ones. When you are immoral, you go against the subtle law and will reap whatever you sow. We might think there is no spiritual police, but we forget we are made of the subtle law. So when you go against it by committing immoral acts, you hurt yourself, in a very real and tangible way. 

 

We might also think Tao doesn't give a shit because we all die in the end, but this is a very incomplete perspective, at least in my opinion. 

[dwai]

This too is a phase, and shall pass. Awakening is not a cold, lonely thing.  It can seem that way to the mind.

 

But then it is because the mind is never awakened.

 

Awakening is a transcendent serenity that observes all the good and bad that seems to happen to the personalities but is completely unaffected by either. 

 

When you get that lonely feeling, inquire “who is aware of that feeling?” 

See if that too feels lonely and cold. 

[rideforever]

Humans do not know their own reality, when they fear themselves, it is simply human life seen through a damaged mind.

This world has the absolute transendental mystical truth flowing through it, but humans seem to have a broken mind.

Then they all rush off to the mountains to get awakened and all that, vanish from this world.

But ... when people talk of this world, all they are talking of is "this delusion" my broken mind keeps playing.

The mind needs to be re-fragmented then the world, the human world, will be just perfect and mysteriously divine.

Thats my feeling.

Of course if you have no idea what I am talking about, then please do rush off to the hills and meditate but it's a 2nd option.

[Fa Xin]

It is a strange place sometimes. I think the overuse of technology is an issue in our society.  But that doesn’t make me love people any less. That would be MY issue. 

[Fa Xin]

I also feel like the whole looking at phones in line has more to do with social anxiety. I notice people look at their phones when they don’t know what else to do. 

 

I feel there will be a tipping point in the future, where people start returning to nature and start organically integrating technology rather than binging on it. 

 

That or we will just enjoy nature from our VR sets. Skynet will be pleased. 

[Aetherous]

In a sense it really is true that awakening is harsh, if "awakening" refers to becoming aware of how the world should/could be, versus how it is. I think on the spiritual path we get an intuitive sense of how things should be...we are the progenitors of human evolution, and the better world comes first within us, then later on as there are more of us and our influence has spread, it arrives outside in the real world as well. If we're not careful, it can be very depressing to constantly be let down by the way of the world.

Sometimes it's good to take a break from thinking about this stuff, from focusing on other people, and just concentrate on the simple pleasures in life. No use in feeling negative.

[ilumairen]

There is an irony in threads such as this, where the staring at screens is disavowed by someone staring at a screen.

 

If you wish to engage with people, then connect to the warmth in your own heart, and "be the change you wish to see in the world".. you may be surprised by just how friendly those people waiting in queue can be. And if they're not, you can always type out your own condemnation of their errant ways.  

 

[lifeforce]

2 hours ago, ilumairen said:

There is an irony in threads such as this, where the staring at screens is disavowed by someone staring at a screen.

 

If you wish to engage with people, then connect to the warmth in your own heart, and "be the change you wish to see in the world".. you may be surprised by just how friendly those people waiting in queue can be. And if they're not, you can always type out your own condemnation of their errant ways.  

 

 

There is a world of difference when screens are used occasionally, to when they become the focus of one's life. People are constantly checking and touching devices. The addiction is as strong as nicotine, if not more. The psychological damage which is caused by device addiction is already being seen. When 5G is rolled out worldwide, more physical damage will be seen. This is dangerous technology, and not enough testing has been done. 

[lifeforce]

2 hours ago, Aetherous said:

In a sense it really is true that awakening is harsh, if "awakening" refers to becoming aware of how the world should/could be, versus how it is. I think on the spiritual path we get an intuitive sense of how things should be...we are the progenitors of human evolution, and the better world comes first within us, then later on as there are more of us and our influence has spread, it arrives outside in the real world as well. If we're not careful, it can be very depressing to constantly be let down by the way of the world.

Sometimes it's good to take a break from thinking about this stuff, from focusing on other people, and just concentrate on the simple pleasures in life. No use in feeling negative.

 

It's hard not to think about this stuff when you're out and about, especially in towns and cities. For example, yesterday the wife and I popped into Starbucks. I got the seats, while Mrs.Lifeforce went to the counter to order the beverages. As I sat down and looked around, every single person sitting in Starbucks, with the exception of myself, was staring at their phone. It was like I could feel the screen glare from all these devices, draining the place of any positive energy. Coffee shops used to be places of conversation, quiet contemplation, or just watching the world go by. Today they are places where phone zombies plug into a world of megapixels and they can give a thumbs-up to a photograph of a plate of someones food.

[ilumairen]

10 minutes ago, lifeforce said:

 

There is a world of difference when screens are used occasionally, to when they become the focus of one's life. People are constantly checking and touching devices. The addiction is as strong as nicotine, if not more. The psychological damage which is caused by device addiction is already being seen. When 5G is rolled out worldwide, more physical damage will be seen. This is dangerous technology, and not enough testing has been done. 

 

Thanks for checking in, and responding to my post.

 

Good luck with the angst; I'm going to go shopping and smile at the people in queue - who generally smile back and sometimes share stories. 

[lifeforce]

1 minute ago, ilumairen said:

 

Thanks for checking in, and responding to my post.

 

Good luck with the angst; I'm going to go shopping and smile at the people in queue - who generally smile back and sometimes share stories. 

 

It's not angst, it's way beyond that. Just observations on human behaviour which is becoming increasingly narcissistic and selfish. If I went around smiling at strangers, believe me, they would think I'd gone mad, or even worse become attacked. People generally don't interact anymore. Those days have gone. I'm old enough to remember times like that. Like a distant fading memory.

[lifeforce]

The tone of the topic may sound depressing and morbid, but it's only my thoughts on modern living and the human condition. Believe it or not, I experience a profound sense of joy and appreciation for what I have nearly every day. My words here might not suggest it, but that is the truth. I'm fortunate to live in a semi-rural area where the quiet countryside is within five minutes walk. No traffic noise, only the sound of birds, farm animals and the occasional jet passing overhead. I feel at home in nature, and in relative solitude, but I experience a massive disconnect from humanity. It's like there's a huge gap between myself and the rest of civilisation.

[silent thunder]

Hear you on the harsh aspects.  It can be relentless.  Reminds me of this.

Spoiler

 

But I sense the folks 'lost' in phones now, would be no less disconnected, without the phone to focus on...  They'd be just as checked out from connecting locally by looking at a magazine, reading a book, obsessing over some thought of their own devising, or something someone said, or what they wanted to buy, or pissed about what they wanted to buy but couldn't afford...  instead, they are obsessing not about a thought of their own devising, but they are consuming other's thoughts through their phones, instead of magazines, books, newspapers.  Phones are the magazine/movie theater/television/radio/newspaper/telephone all in one.  But seem a symptom, not the source.

 

Remember when we used to connect on the subway or the bus?  Ugh, not me mate... I've always been a loner in most public settings, though very gregarious in private.  As someone who used to draw much unwanted attention, I cultivated invisibility for years, before achieving some deeply relieving success.

Spoiler

Rode the bus to University in Minnesota, and used the Subway for seven years in Brooklyn.  I didn't leave the brownstone without a book and a walkman to keep folks at bay... (lol walkman!).  The only thing they weren't good at distracting awareness from, was smells...   dear god the smells in NYC in the summer.

 

 

walking around lately feels a lot like this me. 
 

and I connect with a few folks now, whether shopping or wandering.

but it's rare.

 

true, undistracted presence is a rare gift indeed.

i cherish it and return it in kind when i encounter it.

 

I find folks who encounter me in this blissed out state and notice me, regularly avoid me, it's cute. 

 

My son says between my very slow gate, penchant for squatting and staring at seemingly mundane things for long periods and the blissed out grin that I come across as a very stoned viking who's wandered in from another century. 

 

It was my son who taught me that the only thing he ever craved of me as a toddler, was my attention and presence.  The toys, stories were secondary.  He craved connection.  He knew what is real.

[ilumairen]

1 hour ago, lifeforce said:

 

It's not angst, it's way beyond that. Just observations on human behaviour which is becoming increasingly narcissistic and selfish. If I went around smiling at strangers, believe me, they would think I'd gone mad, or even worse become attacked. People generally don't interact anymore. Those days have gone. I'm old enough to remember times like that. Like a distant fading memory.

 

Today we struck up a conversation with a friendly lady at the gas pump who was taking a crash course in driving a vehicle with a manual transmission, and apparently loving it.

 

Smiled with a few strangers while perusing the baked goods, and then got in queue behind an older couple. The gentleman was enjoying his own little quips about not being able to "take it with" him - meaning the money he was spending. And the wife was gently resting her palm on his arm and smiling at the quips I can only imagine she's heard many times before. 

 

I didn't see anyone on their phones while waiting in queue. 

 

*****

 

Why would people believe you'd gone mad if you smiled at them? 

[ilumairen]

Oh, I forgot the young mother who was grateful when I suggested she step in front of me at the gas station queue. The lovely young couple who smiled when I held the door open for them upon entering, and the older lady who expressed appreciation of my manners when I held the door for her when leaving. 

 

When I use the quote, "be the change you wish to see in the world," it isn't idle chatter.

 

Maybe give it a try, and see what happens?

[Tryingtodobetter]

5 minutes ago, ilumairen said:

Oh, I forgot the young mother who was grateful when I suggested she step in front of me at the gas station queue. The lovely young couple who smiled when I held the door open for them upon entering, and the older lady who expressed appreciation of my manners when I held the door for her when leaving. 

 

When I use the quote, "be the change you wish to see in the world," it isn't idle chatter.

 

Maybe give it a try, and see what happens?

 

And also to add onto that quote, don't expect anything of anyone in terms of reciprocation or openness 

[ilumairen]

1 hour ago, lifeforce said:

The tone of the topic may sound depressing and morbid, but it's only my thoughts on modern living and the human condition. Believe it or not, I experience a profound sense of joy and appreciation for what I have nearly every day. My words here might not suggest it, but that is the truth. I'm fortunate to live in a semi-rural area where the quiet countryside is within five minutes walk. No traffic noise, only the sound of birds, farm animals and the occasional jet passing overhead.

 

Sounds lovely. 

 

1 hour ago, lifeforce said:

I feel at home in nature, and in relative solitude, but I experience a massive disconnect from humanity. It's like there's a huge gap between myself and the rest of civilisation.

 

This disconnect sounds similar to what you're ascribing to others.

 

[rideforever]

I was in a coffee shop today, but it's a special one ... it's the one the taxi drivers and east europeans use, plays Chilltraxxx, and is run by a gay guy.   Anyway it's the one where people are most normal, working class guys stopping their trucks on the way to electrify roof or plumb someone's house.   Blue collar wives and actual English people !!!

Some awful chain called Flowerpot Bakery just opened up the road, packed with the middle class and their mobiles, and the chatter chatter chatter ... it's all the same unconscious.   Yes they talk to each other .... sort of.

I use to play this game in Cafe Nero; Tables 1 & 7 : Moaning, Tables 2 & 9 : Complaining, Tables 3 : Domestic Struggle, Table 4 & 5 Planning Something for the future.

Yawn.

 

The girls who work in the cafe have started to sit with me when they get a minute spare, to do some crayon drawings on my pad, or have a confession and talk about their husband / boyfriends / future / immigration / spirituality.   Anyway from sitting silently for 6 months, now I speak to almost everyone.  

Anyway today I was in a good move, I even felt that I smiled so that all my top teeth could be seen.   Probably haven't done that since I was 1 year old.   It's been a bit of s*** half century.

[ilumairen]

 

6 minutes ago, rideforever said:

The girls who work in the cafe have started to sit with me when they get a minute spare, to do some crayon drawings on my pad, or have a confession and talk about their husband / boyfriends / future / immigration / spirituality.   Anyway from sitting silently for 6 months, now I speak to almost everyone.  

Anyway today I was in a good move, I even felt that I smiled so that all my top teeth could be seen.   Probably haven't done that since I was 1 year old.   It's been a bit of s*** half century.

 

This is neat. 

 

:smiles at rideforever:

[welkin]

13 hours ago, lifeforce said:

Awakening is a very lonely place, believe me. Even when you're surrounded with people who love you. 

The world is a beautiful place only people fuck it up.

 

I feel similarly.

 

Don't get discouraged, there's nothing wrong with anything you're feeling or doing. All you need to do is observe those feelings and thoughts. If this is a phase, it will pass. Though you can stay there if you choose to as i have many times. be careful.

 

Just like we had to learn since childhood how to become brainwashed monkeys who can interact easily with others by conforming, we can relearn a new way of interaction stemming from who we now are or becoming. No one said it's easy. 

 

Don't be harsh on yourself if you try to communicate with people and you get a bad response. Don't be harsh on yourself if you don't smile at someone. Don't be harsh on yourself for not knowing what to do. You'll figure it out, without anyone's help or perception, because you're the only one knows your own consciousness in relation to this world and consciousness of others. Test everything like a game from the perspective of love. Don't play the game everyone is playing.

 

I realized I don't hate people. I hate having to create a specific action in order to get a specific reaction. Meaning, people are too numb nowadays to see intention, they only see specific actions they've attached their own intentions to. As if an action doesn't start with an intention and can have a multitude of them and ways of performing the same thing.

Btw, if you observe or talk to homeless people, they are very interesting. Highly intelligent, and maybe even more aware than regular people. They seem to be waiting for something or have chosen themselves not to be a part of this fucked up reality.

 

Going to the park to meditate next to the peace of the homeless