kbone

@Carl-Richard Purddy much, and purddy useful. But yeah, when questioning what makes up the mind-made coating with sprinkles on top of simple awareness, it's bound to come up.

@zazen An incredible region. I was fortunate to be able to see so much of the Karakorams before 9/11 after which it became more questionable to be a solo trekker. A majority of the ranges in India are not up in that area, of course, so it was pretty easy to navigate. I spent a majority of my 'domestic simplicity' stints with occasional week-long treks in the Nanda Devi region, which is a relatively undeveloped area other than the Shiva-yatri in Badrinath. The people up in the villages were just golden (at least a majority). Something about mountain villages and the people there... such simplicity, which was a big focus at that time in my life. Buenoooo.

Yeah, having spent considerable time in the various mountain ranges of that area in both countries, it's a drag to see how this is being escalated so quickly. The promoted hatred on both sides was always pretty consistent. Unfortunately, we are likely only in the opening months/years of a repetitive back and forth with very few cooler heads prevailing.

@Mannyb Very coolio. Yeah, we probably rez on a number of things, in light of what you shared. I'll try to reply more later when my brain is a bit less mush from a detail-driven day. 🦋

@Hyperion Yes, he indeed gets it. Very good vid, and he has a nicely rounded expression of what's at play. Great share.

@Hyperion So THIS is 'becoming' THIS, and memory can only describe the change of that becoming, but not what THIS already is,,, I guess is what you are saying. At least, I hope so, hehe.

What happens when the belief in 'becoming Being' is seen through for the illusion that it is? Not denied, argued against, or whatever, but seen as empty, as in "like above, so below" empty. What remains?

Most are trying to go where they can get more for 'me'. When that gets exhausted, and the me is still found wanting, speerchal stuff/desires starts to arise, balancing out all the previous pursuits. That goes on and on. With any luck, the seeker will fail in the futile search for bliss, as it seen as unnatural. With the futility, one becomes more responsible for their self-serving ways. Once the little bugger has been seen for the construct that it is, and all the conditioned behaviors that have held it in such high esteem are seen for what they are, there's a chance that the Great Letting Go happens. One may realize that they were ACTUALLY always looking for THAT which is actually 'doing' the looking. No one 'knows' what makes that finally happen, but the futility is likely the key to the doorway that leads to the Great Surrender. Tat Tvam Asi

I wasn't doubting anything with respect to abilities, but was drawing attention to the allusion of identity as was stated. I like that it alluded to the relative unimportance of self in the grand scheme of existence, but I was just stating that there is a potential to put even that largish picture into an even greater perspective (i.e., transcendent of self / Truth). Drugs might help give one a glimpse, but they are not able to do the work of actual transcendence, consolidation, and integration. Drugs are causal aspects to insights, and that's something one can do, sure. Whereas, the work brings about the clarity and sensitivity to notice what emerges in mind from THAT which is prior to mind. The realization of THAT derails the entire perspective of what one has ever known prior to it, and then realigns with the greater order.

"the fact that belonging within a community is the foundational need of the human being" - Would you agree that it is "a" foundational need, but there is/are others that may enhance an individual's (I) contributions to the group's (we)? If so, what might those others be? After all, in my experience, there are times when the 'need' to belong falls away when an inexplicable calling lures one away and into a more profound sense of existence that a/the group was either (presently) incapable or unwilling to even contemplate. Interestingly, imo, it is important to the 'larger whole or a larger set of groups' that that calling even happens and is acted upon (holonic integration/health). "My experience has been that psychology trumps biology in most cases and that we end up far more influenced by our software"- I agree with this in that mind is the filter via which biology is interpreted and influenced. What would you say is the source of psychological dis-ease with one's body/environment? I treat psychology as a 'branch of mind' that yes, does involve the neo-cortex (akin to the story of the fall from the Garden of Eden and/or dis-ease with the world as it is), rather than simply the clear perception of the bio-physico world as it is. The neo-cortex is a neo-mammalian adaptation of the limbic system that was present (or less pronounced) in the paleo-mammalian one (See MacLean's 'Triune Brain' theory stuff). So, yes, it is highly influential in the development of addictions/disorders (i.e., sex addictions, drugs, eating disorders), which one doesn't see in the animal world.

@Mannyb I wrote a few paragraphs in reply to you using the caterpillar --> cocoon -->butterfly metaphor to eventually circle back to some butterflies might resonate. I even included a few allusions to social/political stuff, just to help it rez with the thread's central subject. But for some reason, the website's system kicked me out and the message was lost. I'm quite busy today, and perhaps you are, too. But, if you wouldn't mind (and if you have time), would you be willing to write how your journey to Presence might be analogized using the same metaphor? I'm curious about how your expression might 'align' with mine, with respect to resonance. If you'd rather keep politics out of it, feel free to stick in some other thread or start a different one... it's a great metaphor, after all. 🐛Peacely 🦋

You have a very clear expression that exudes empathy and authenticity. "Mastery in the world and awakening in the soul aren’t mutually exclusive...." "To be in the world, but not necessarily of it", once realized, does make the room get brighter, don't it? 😃

Very nicely stated, and there's also the sense that comes through the expression that it is understood to BE a space that is not only immediately available, but Present. IT just HERE, prior to mind and all other appearances known as the UNIverse (one song). As has been said, "The mind is a wonderful tool, but it makes a terrible master." ❤️‍🔥

"Form is formless; formlessness is form." I get the convos on essence, and how all of the appearing stuff happens within IT as the unfolding. Pretty coolio expressions. Some will try to approach it as a 'more to get/understand' and others will try to approach it as a 'less is best' dealio, and yet others will explain it with the infinite numbers of infinities. It's an interesting state of affairs, all this appearing stuff and the universe carrying on like it is. Welp, OK, perhaps it's just that the form of this mind, born out of infinite formlessness, is just more wired for humor. Dunno. It's also wired with the glorious, spontaneous freedom to laugh at 'my' self a lot. Such a little rascal, hehe. Hopefully no harm done here, but IT is what IT is.