theleelajoker

Honestly, that's IMO the best answer I ever heard. It perfectly fits my experience

Haha I am forming an image in my mind right now. Brain in a jar..I like that

Interesting perspective. How do you personally bridge the difference? Methods, attitude, etc?

Htf do you know it's not?

So the best thing I take from this thread are the four imponderables. Thx for mentioning did not know that before. I googled it and it actually expands into more interesting stuff. The ten indeterminate questions The fourteen questions The sixteen questions I mean, it's fun and stuff to talk about these things. I get it, and I do it, too. At the same time I can see why those questions should not be discussed and are "a unwise reflection" and lead to attachment to views relating to a self." I wonder how many percent of this forum's content would disappear if one excluded all the content dealing with the back and forth about these questions. What's what, who's right, who doesn't get it, who does and does not see clearly etc etc. I'll go into my day doing my own questions. If's anyone up for discussing them with my, hit me a PM How will my first coffee in the morning taste? Will the cute barista girl be there? Will I feel like asking her out? Or am I totally fine just having small flirts in the morning? How much milk will be juuuust right for my coffee?

@Rafael Thundercat All in all, I agree. When working with others (or myself), I learned to typically don't go to deep into the causes. Only as much as necessary to get in the moment. I see emotions as a reaction to events, creating resistance to what is. I like to give them (me) space to question underlying assumptions: Why do I believe things SHOULD be different then they are know? How do I know that things CAN be different? Or is everybody always doing his/her best --> I got [ANGRY/SAD/DEPRESSED/...] because I did not learn yet to not become [ANGRY/SAD/DEPRESSED/...] about [EVENT/SITUATION/PERSON] Even if I assume that 2. is not true --> how do I know, that result of getting [ANGRY/SAD/DEPRESSED/...] about [EVENT/SITUATION/PERSON is not the best possible situation for me? Maybe I need the feeling of [ANGRY/SAD/DEPRESSED/...] to get where I want to be in the future Even if I think that 3. is not true - why do I believe that I have control about [FEELING] or [SITUATION]? Typically, we have no control but influence If I have influence about [SITUATION], then just do it. If I believe that my influence is non-existent or too marginal to effect the outcome - f*** the outcome. Why do I care about the result instead of what I need to do in order to feel good (having clean conscience, doing everything that is in my power)? If I only care about the result, I will always be unhappy because reality cannot be controlled If people don't believe in no. 6 --> pls show me how you control reality Even if they believe that they can influence reality, and "impact" reality by just finding the right "method" --> how do you know, that you need to know NOW what and how do to? Maybe it just needs time and will come to you Even if you find a "solution" --> how do you know that it will stay like that? Hermaklit says "only constant in life is change". Things will change. Then you have a "new problem", full circle. You don't believe No. 9? OK, show me one thing that never changes.... Etc etc.

The thing about emotions - I have not properly seen this when I read it the first time. I believe what you are saying is really super crucial. I think Dispenza called it "working through the emotional charge" of a (previous) experience. Personally, the combination of going through the emotions mentally (feeling it) + physically cleaning my body of it (yoga, sports, or fasten for several days) worked wonders.

Bold emphasis in the quote by me. Yeah, is it truly a problem, or a way of entertaining oneself? Of course, I am talking about self-created, psychological problems on a personal level. "Ego problems" one might say. I am not talking about "I experienced a plane crash I have no food no water no shelter I probably die soon" or worse problems on survival level (e.g. I do not want to live in Easters Ukraine right now).

To add a perspective In my experience, you need a "system". At least I do. A certain attitude. Awareness about your thoughts. A ability to direct your thoughts. The ability to feel and process emotions. An ability to dis-identify from your thoughts and emotions. A method to calm your nervous system. Social stability (friends you can talk to or just spend time). Sufficient sleep patterns. A healthy nutrition. Hobbies just to have fun with. A method to "get out of your mind" (meditation). Awareness of your breath (at least to some degree). Etc etc.. And very important: The ability, curiosity and flexibility to expand and change your system anytime. What worked yesterday probably won't work forever. And last, an ability to accept in situations where you can't do or do not succeed in any of the things mentioned before. I see many people saying "do this" and "do that" and you will succeed. 1) Everybody is different. 2) Focusing on one thing, one advice, one method, one area of life or one area of being human - never seen this work. Doesn't mean it can't work. Just have not seen it...

Yes, and at the same time I am wondering... the same way we construct those environments (the houses, the books, the forests etc.), we constructed the people within this environment, and we construct the information given by them, right? So in the same way, "we" or "you" or "I" or whatever, we constructed Seth, right? Question is, do we also construct the message transferred to us, or is there something or someone beyond that? Is it always a self-referential loop? Or is there any kind of "message" what we can receive through our constructed environment? If there is a message, there are assumptions we need to make: There is "anything" or "anyone" beyond our own construction This "anything or "anyone" knows sth "I" don't It wants to tell me sth It does tell me sth If it "wants" to tell me sth, there needs to be a purpose why it tells me Assumption 6 leads to "there is a higher purpose" outside my own construction or meaning making But: If there is infinity, why has the message not been understood yet? Maybe because the purpose is not to get the message, but the process of understanding it. Which I would then consider a game - you do what you do not to get somewhere, but simply to do it for the sake of doing it.

Yes, maybe we are dreaming. But there was a comment below a video from John C Lilly that made me laugh. Maybe we are playing, and when we die we take off the VR headset?

Nice one. He has good analogies and metaphors I'll use in the future, e.g. the cockpit in a plane

@Keryo Koffa Thx for your post. Helped to re-structure some concepts in my mind. And the thing about filtering and how changed filters = changed experience of reality is really CRAZY. In the last weeks, I notice a significant shift in my filters even without the use of psychedelics. My experience - or better my categorization of events, situations, interactions and human behavior - changed tremendously. Let's say that at the start of 2023, my sober state of consciousness has been a 1 for me, a 6 when high on weed and a 10 when high on LSD or similar (numbers are symbolic, just illustrating the relative difference). I would say that from 2023 to 2024, I moved from 1 to 1.2 in sober states. From January 2024 to May 24, a LOT happened (one big trip) and I moved from 1.2 to 1.5. In June (no psychedelics, I smoked weed only once), it fees like I moved from 1.5 to 3 or even 4 sometimes. My "sober" state does not seem so "sober" anymore lol. It's like a spiral that accelerates, allowing more and more complexity faster and faster... @enchanted Good question, I basically asked the same one at almost the same time in a different thread

Yes, what you are saying totally resonates. I had big breakthroughs after fasting for some days and I learn more and more how important my nervous system regulation is. I came to the conclusion that it's necessary (for me) to have a system in place - food, sleep, contemplating, sports, social activity, alone-time etc, etc. . I believe that's also why Yoga is a system (8 limbs). Many people only see and do the asanas, mediation and breath but neglect other parts. It's easy to focus on one thing, but systemic thinking has proven very useful for me. BTW, watching the video now and I find it very interesting. Thx for sharing.

Thanks. Makes some sense. Re the body, we still die, need food, water etc. I guess Certainly the limits can be pushed. I remember stories about yogis who reduced the amount of sleep needed and some shaolin stuff also seems to be extending the border of what is possible. But those persons still breath, bleed and die like the rest of us.

I thought about this as well - our reality as just one out of infinite realities. Thinking this trough - could we create ANY kind of reality as long as we all believe in it? What would it take to change fundamental stuff in this world? Infinity includes everything I can think of (+ infinitely more than that of course). So there should be a reality where for instance the sky is no longer blue but red? Where e.g. some natural laws change - for instance, gravity changes etc etc.

I like what you wrote here. Our senses are deceiving. Even if we know for 100% that it is not as it seems, our senses still tell us what they think is "true". For example, do a bungee jump in "real" and then do the "plank experience" with a VR headset. I did this, and the VR experience was crazy. Sweating, heartbeat, anxiety, the feeling of "f*** I am about to die if I take one more step". Rationality is not that rational, too. Check out the list of cognitive biases on wikipedia. And moreover, our whole believe systems are f***ed up, too. You can talk yourself into all kind of stuff. And by creating a believe, or a self image, you directly impact your experience. Just think of the placebo effect - we seem to take it for granted, but how crazy it that actually? I mean, we can CREATE all kind of weird experiences that are completely beyond what should make sense according to a rational, causal, matter based environment. You do have a point here. I perceive reality with senses - which are incomplete and deceiving. I rationalize my experience, knowing the rational part is incomplete and deceiving. This likely also includes my emotions (see the theory of constructed emotions.) Moreover, I know my senses, my thoughts, my emotions and my experience (reality) are influencing each other. So what's left? Is there a "sense of truth" beyond that? Is there any kind of "intuition" that allows us to navigate beyond what is plainly in sight?

The dress is not white and gold. The original dress is blue and black. The explanation is, according to researchers, that our mind subconscious assumes a certain type of light/shadow. This assumption is to a large degree but not only by: 1) if we identify as night owl or early riser 2) by how much time we spend in daylight in our life up to this point 3) what kind of wavelength of light we have been exposed to in the past. This creates expectations our brain makes in additions to what our senses perceive. I do courses where I show the pic and discuss with participant. One time, a woman said - "Wow, first i saw it white and gold. Now I see it black and blue." This is amazing due to two reasons. It shows 1) How strong subconscious filters (built on previous experience) influences our perception of our reality 2) How much power we have to actually change what we perceive

@ActualizedJohn When wondering whether I take a psychedelic or not, I usually do two things: I trust my instincts I gradually work my way up 1. Examples for instinct: Someone once gave me DMT as a gift. I kept it for a while. Then I felt like not doing it. Wanted to give it as a gift to a person. Felt like it might be too much for him, too. Threw it away and never regretted. I am in complete peace with this decision. I was not ready. Many years ago, someone gave me LSD (my first time doing a psychedelic). Did not think about it for a second.Took it and was one of the best and most profound experiences in my life. I am in complete peace with this decision. A third time, I had strong resistance doing mushrooms. Part of felt like doing it, part resisted like hell. I decided "I want/need to follow through". Took it and was one of the best and most profound experiences in my life. I am in complete peace with this decision. 2. Example for I gradually work my way up I did ayahuasca in 2018. I was not ready. Too much resistance in my mind and body. Now, after many years of meditation, practicing awareness, contemplating, working through things etc. and getting more experiences with what I consider "lighter" psychedelics (MDMA, LSD, mushrooms, weed) I feel ready to do it again. I know "myself" better, my psyche, my nervous system, how to deal with mental dissonance and incoherence that might appear as a result of trips. I am much better in processing experiences now then some years or even months ago. Maybe I do ayahuasca again later this year.

I don't know what's "good" for you. I believe you cannot know, too. Everybody is different, every day is different, there are unlimited ways how you can do yoga. Just start, be curious, and see what works

Love the video Well, I think I do but I am not sure...

https://neuroscience.stanford.edu/news/reality-constructed-your-brain-here-s-what-means-and-why-it-matters

@koops Few days after posting it, this pic is still making my day : ) My interpretation: The mask = ego, yes. At the same time it is a filter, or a process, an ingredient, or a catalyst (looking for the right word here) which creates something. Whatever the mask it, it's not only looking. It's part of a greater creation process. It's not necessarily limited - it's just different. When you grind wheat to flour, it's not better or worse. It's not limited. It's just different. When you use an oven to bake dough to bread, the bread is no better or worse. It's simply that it changed ihn the process.

Amazing picture

@OBEler I put "mystical" in quotation marks. For me, it a way of expressing that it something that I don't understand. I am aware that my brain is a pattern creation and pattern recognition machine. I am familiar with the content and literature around Watzlawick, Anil Seth, Chris Niebauer etc. What I am saying is that the amount and the type of experiences evokes a certain feeling that goes beyond that. And I am wondering if someone has similar experiences. IMO: Your comment "you all should go to casinos" is lacking respect. I am asking a question to learn and understand - your comment appears to have a flavor of "you're stupid" IMO: It's low quality content to tell me what's not mystical without telling me what's mystical in your point of view IMO: It's low quality content to not describe a scenario where my brain is "not only looking for patterns". What scenario needs to happen that it's more than that?