cetus

It's a Vipassana retreat not a Grateful Dead concert.

@ZenSwift Empty yourself of yourself. Best of luck!

The ultimate cosmic mirror trick.

Allow your eyes to adjust to the darkness and after 10 mins. or so you'll start seeing more and more of what's out there. Orion's sword is a good area to look as it has a fairly bright nebulosity to it. It's a 'star nursery'. That glow you may see are hot gases cooling and coalescing into suns.

Nicely said.

@Hojo A gift my guru gave me is I stopped narrating my life. I had no control and thinking only made it worse as he was insane and didn't make sense. Eventually I gave up talking to myself as nothing I did worked or was good enough. This is how a guru will awaken you as you will start to question where these feelings are coming from if you aren't narrating.

@JoshB Consider it growth spurts.

@Joseph Maynor I think what most people don't realize is how lucky we are that the "I" has emerged in this experience of reality we share. Or perhaps better to say emerged "with" this reality.

What would you say about the "I' being a local and non-local awareness?

Give the mind enough pasture and it will never realize you've got it fenced in.

The "I Am" watches as thoughts arise.

Scary thoughts.......... Is it all a dream?

Got to love it when your comfort zone takes a hit. Adios Terra Firma. That's progress.

If I were Buddha sitting under a Bodi Tree while others bought me offerings all day, I'd be telling Mara to buzz off and get your own gig.

Easier said than done. Can you really live like that? Let's be honest.

Elon and Donald would disagree.

This may sound counter-intuitive, but the finite has many more parts than infinity. At the deepest level infinity is a singularity.

Yes. That is what enlightenment is. Otherwise, there would be no "arising". Infinity would just 'be'. Unmoving.

The universe needs ditch diggers too.

It's a big universe out there. What a waste of space it would be if all the other species were as stupid as we are.

I'm with you.

What happens is the ego says "Ooo Spiritual Enlightenment. I have to have some of that!" But what the ego doesn't realize is enlightenment is a lot like what a Venus Flytrap is to a bug. It attracts and consumes.

@Hojo Your mind is making up stories about death.

Do not fear death. It is a glorious transition to Absolute consciousness.

The notion of Hell was deeply instilled in the minds of commoners back in the days of kings and queens as a means to keep public order. Ever notice that every king had an archbishop standing by his side preaching fire and brimstone? Steal and you burn in Hell. Be disloyal to the king and you burn in Hell. Cheat on your taxes and you burn in Hell. Taxes were paid in material goods such as wears, crops, food/meat, craftsmanship, ect. Everyone was required to contribute a % to the king. Not doing so and you burn in Hell. Hope your mother does well.