Grateful Dead

Watch this documentary called Kumaré. It’s about an American/Indian man who posed as a guru and built up a following. His followers reported experiencing truly profound spiritual transformations through his transmissions even though he had made it all up and hadn't actually done anything.

When fear comes, just let yourself be completely overwhelmed by it. Nothing bad will happen. You won’t disappear, only the fear will be gone.

To put it simply, he says that if you are suffering, you should contemplate who is suffering to enter a state of openness (not-knowing), which enables a direct experience that dissolves the suffering.

Sorry, but there is no satisfactory answer to that. The mind cannot grasp the formless. I think the best analogy in the world of forms is the perception of silence. A perfect silence permeates everything here; it is formless, intangible, and the only thing that never changes. Yet, that is not what I mean by ultimate reality. Yes, as long as we perceive ourselves as a body, we have to work with that; it would be a mistake to deny it. I think I would phrase it differently, but fundamentally it is the same thing I am doing. Moments of complete openness slowly transform and stabilize the self, making open, non-judgmental perception natural.

I agree with you there. Separation is an illusion. And what we need to do is transform our perception so that we can clearly perceive this. I understand what you mean by that. When you make that shift, the world you perceive seems real, because that perception is no longer based on fear, but on openness. However, this perception is still based on the existence of your body. The surface is projected by your physical body, and the deeper levels by the energetic body. But when all levels of the body disappear, then the relative world also disappears, as if it had never existed, and what remains is reality. That's how I see it.

It is a reality of being human because human existence is based on separation from the Absolute. The only benefit I see in it is that when it arises, it reminds me that I am trapped in the world. It's not that I'm violently dissolving the form or fighting against the world, but rather that I'm ceasing to believe in the form as my reality; that's a very gentle process. My primary motivation isn't to escape suffering; it never really was. I prefer the absolute because it's the only reality that exists. I've had glimpses into some past lives and recognized connections that influence my present existence. As a child, I knew I had died and was now back. Nevertheless, I don't really take any of it seriously; it no longer holds any meaning for me.

To me it seems that you’re contradicting yourself. On the one hand, you say suffering is a real manifestation of the Absolute. But on the other, you say that in absolute terms, everything is the same, so suffering doesn't matter. Then, later on, you say the relative perspective is relevant and the relative is real. But surely, from that relative perspective, the suffering must be real to you, too? How, then, can real suffering still be positive for you? You say there are local differences and they are real, but that there are no differences in the absolute sense, I don't think those two things add up. Ultimately, there are either differences or there aren't. So, you want to merge the absolute with the relative. I do not believe that to be possible. The relative can be used as a gateway to the Absolute but when this has happend totally then the relative is no more. I view form as the manifestation of the very thing that prevents us from surrendering completely to the absolute; the manifestation of form arose from the thought that you are separate from the absolute. Therefore, it is necessary to completely dissolve the perception of form in order to return to reality. I, too, view Being as an eternal, infinitely expanding process of creation; however, for me, that does not mean that Being must manifest in material form. Being manifests spiritually, specifically, as what you are -- spirit/mind. I simply use the form differently. I use it to free the mind. That may be your preference. For me, the perfect move is to liberate the mind so completely that the perception of form dissolves entirely. Then there is no continuity after death, no rebirth as a form, no repeating cycle. Then there is only Being, expanding eternally in its perfect holiness. By the way, what I’m writing about is the ideal I strive for. It’s not as if I’ve mastered putting it into practice; I’m still learning and often fail, too.

In my view, regarding form as a dimension of reality entails several problems. What I call reality is limitless, positive without an opposite and immutable. Form, by contrast, is limited, impermanent, and more cruel than positive. How, then, could I label it as reality? To me, it is simply nothing, an illusion devoid of substance; my sole aim is to see through it completely in order to recognize what is. Yes, we are conscious minds, but from my perspective, evolution has nothing to do with opening up to this formless reality. What is required is to strip the world of forms of all significance and then dive through the void into the light.

The end of illusion is not the end of existence; I believe this is a misconception held by people like Jim Newman. The void has been clearly recognized. Space is empty, but the void is not dead. The void is the gateway to fullness, and whoever passes through it recognizes the truth of their existence, the miraculous, eternal glory of being -- you.

Good point. I think you are right. When it comes to absolute Reality/God, it is indeed true that "drive" is a more precise description of the directional, boundless inevitability of being. Will is more of a term for the relative realm in which we can align our will with the drive of reality.

Right and what you call "drive," I call "will." Or do you make a distinction there?

For me, God’s will is grace. Therefore, ultimate reality is incredibly positive. It is not simply empty, as we have already established but filled with the grace of God.

Yeah that's what I thought too. True I forgot about Kynes… I really missed that too. And why do they make Kynes female when he's actually Chani's father lol..

These are my all-time favorite books; I’ve read them many times. Overall, I’m happy with the movies, there’s plenty that could be better or closer to the books, but they’ve been a treat so far. What bothered me the most: spoiler alert, was that Alia didn't kill the Baron at the end like she did in the book; in the movie, she isn't even born yet. Also, the way Chani and Stilgar are portrayed. I think they wanted to inject some humor into the film through Stilgar and depict Chani as a strong, independent woman.

It’s kind of ironic that Leo low key believes in the dogmatic Christian view that God punishes you for your sins.

Yes, from my perspective, everything in the realm of form is determined. Life unfolds freely and independently of changes in form. To me, form is what prevents us from clearly perceiving this aliveness, it is a distraction. Reality is complete; it does not change, it only expands. I distinguish between change and extension. Yes correct. I’m also enamored with it, how could I not be? Once you have tasted it, the world is dry, a desert. What do you mean by a flat dimension? To me, that is precisely where the infinite depth of being lies. I believe that is a misconception on your part. The difference is that I do not perceive living reality outside of myself in the world, but deep within, at the core of being. I haven't studied Ramana deeply enough; when I have time, I'll delve deeper into it. For me, true openness means letting go of what is limited, and then only the one reality remains. I don't deny the beauty which is the creative power of reality. You are creation. The greatest gift, pure love, absolute perfection. Creation unfolds within my mind in such unfathomable glory that I simply forget the world. By contrast, the world then seems like a fleeting dream.

That's basically what I mean by God. From my perspective, form cannot truly exist, since form is always limited; it has a beginning and an end. True reality is infinitely unlimited, and therefore everything that truly exists can only be of the same nature, and thus also indefinable and boundless Yes, that's exactly how I see it too. In my view, your thought system is extremely important for opening the mind. And that's why I don't care what kind of structure you have, as long as it's based on your own experience and works for you. That's why I'm so convinced by my system, because when I found a way to mentally structure what I experienced and learned how to work with it, it unlocked my mind in a way that even psychedelics couldn't. I’m curious, what exactly is it about the fact that I view the world as an illusion that you perceive as an hindrance? I’ve already told you what I perceive as an obstacle in your perspective, namely, the danger, so to speak, of seeking the unlimited within the limited, and thereby only getting stuck even deeper in that very limitation.

That is not how I see it. From my perspective, God has nothing to do with the dream. God is real and eternally unchanging. I view it this way: the dream came into existence, so to speak, through God's creation (you and I), which wanted to cut itself off from God in order to become the Source itself, and thus be separate from and independent of God. You could also say that the dream was created to escape the infinite, structureless unity of God. Yes, that is kind of what I mean. But I dont describe it as another reality, but rather as the only reality. You cannot compare it to this world; yet, in comparison to this world, this world is unreal, an illusion, a fleeting dream. You cannot see it with your eyes; for that, you must leave the world completely. You can prepare yourself for it as best you can, but in the end, it depends on the grace of God. That is my experience anyway. The word dream can be used to describe an experience evoked by psychological activity during sleep. In this context, I am referring to the dream of separation. You can transcend the depth of perception within a dream, on that point, I agree; to me, that signifies being awake within the dream. It is the best state you can attain through the exercise of your will. I don't mind it when someone argues against me. It allows me to refine my perspective and helps me internalize it more deeply. And if there happens to be a gap or a flaw in my view, I want to know about it.

Yes, but what you are overlooking is the fundamental reality of what the stone truly is. If we turn again to quantum physics, we see that the stone, the light, and your eye are not separate entities. They are all entanglements within a single quantum field. The transmission of information, then, is simply the way this unified field interacts with itself, what I refer to as "dreaming." The brain has evolved to filter these signals, enabling you to navigate your daily life. Whether it is a dream constructed from memories or your everyday reality created by sensory input, the perception of distinct, solid objects is always a filtering function of your nervous system. At the fundamental level, there is no boundary between the stone and the eye. So even quantum physics denies that reality. From my perspective, it is the exact opposite of escapism. It means that everything is connected, and if you throw a stone at someone else's head, you are doing it to yourself, even if you don't physically feel the pain.

So, if a stone falls on your head in a dream tonight and you feel pain, does that prove that the stone in the dream is truly separate from your body in the dream? If you don't like the dream analogy, you can instead turn to quantum physics. From that perspective, the universe is a single, invisible underlying fabric. Within it, a head and a stone are not isolated objects, but merely local nodes - condensations within this continuous medium. In this context, your pain is simply the collision of these nodes. And your brain, in this sense, acts as a receiver that filters the data. Thus, within this framework, separation is not a factual reality, but rather a filtering function of your nervous system, one that screens out this shared reality in the course of everyday life.

Agree!

I have a different perspective on this. The mind projects the world in order to distract itself or to hide within it. I view it as my task to see through this and return to the undistorted starting point. That is what I meant earlier by liberating the mind. However, I am not looking for a solution to a problem; rather, I am looking for the source from which the problem arose. This is how I interpret it: The world (pictures) comes and goes, but the mind (screen) remains. Perhaps the misunderstanding arises because you equate mind solely with the ego. In this context, however, I was referring to the mind as the Self, the eternal Spirit. I believe this is what you would call pure Being. To me, this Being is both Spirit and Mind. To waste a life, for me, would mean mistaking the fleeting images on the screen for reality. So I don't focus on the world, but on reality, the source.

"Just as the spider emits the thread (of the web) from within itself and again withdraws it into itself, so the mind projects the world from within itself and again withdraws it into itself." Isn't he saying here that the mind projects the dream? Or how do you interpret that?

If perfect means sickness and death to you, then perhaps we simply have different definitions of the word. For me, it means indestructible, untouchable, eternal. So, if someone punches you in the face in your dream tonight, does that confirm the reality of your dream body for you? From my perspective, it only confirms the mind's commitment to projecting. Pain is the most powerful weapon the mind uses to limit itself as a body. Yes, the brain is merely a device that the mind uses to filter reality into a small, physical perspective. The brain is only matter in that sense, but matter cannot think; a kidney has no experience. I can also quote Ramana: "Just as the spider emits the thread (of the web) from within itself and again withdraws it into itself, so the mind projects the world from within itself and again withdraws it into itself." "The world is not external. Because you identify yourself with the body, you see the world as external. The world is but a form of the mind." "There is no world apart from the mind. In deep sleep there are no thoughts, and there is no world. In the wakeful and dream states, there are thoughts, and there is a world also." "The world is like a cinema film. The pictures are projected on the screen. The pictures come and go, but the screen remains. Similarly, the Self is the screen on which the pictures of the world come and go." All quotes from Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi and Who am I?

If the body is perfectly designed, why does it age, get sick, and die? A body without a mind is dead. I agree with the point that there was never a "you" in your body. But not because the body is a perfect machine that doesn't need you, but because the body is a projection of your mind.