Vitacontemplativa

To the experienced contemplators out there: If I understand correctly, contemplation can lead to direct insights into absolute truths, such as 'What is infinity?'. Can similar breakthroughs occur with relative objects of contemplation, like 'What is emotional mastery?'. Or will the answers to these be purely intellectual, just with more nuance?

@Leo Gura I can confirm this from personal experience. I worked in the philosophy department at a university in Germany. With few exceptions, people don’t care about the truth. Their motives are more about money, career, and prestige.

@AerisVahnEphelia That's my favourite one

@Joseph Maynor @Inliytened1 I would argue that they are very differnt as well. Both obviously have a deep level of consciousness and have had profound insights into the nature of things, but their terminology, teaching style, and general approach to this work differ significantly. Leo, for example, tries to communicate about the nature of things directly, whereas Ralston would answer a question like 'What is the nature of infinity?' with simply: 'Blue!', because he is convinced that no verbal answer can make an existential difference and you should find out for yourself.

The only thing that truly made a lasting difference for me was letting go of existential beliefs I held about myself — like the idea that I was broken or incomplete. Maybe you're carrying some assumptions about yourself that are neither true nor serving you? @Olaf