Atheist to New Age to Jesus

[Flowerfaeiry]

Yep! This is me! In new age for 15 years. Psychedelics and self realization type stuff. Got saved and overnight was healed from things I had tried for over a decade to heal in new age. Suicidal thoughts gone. Self worth issues gone. There really is something special about Jesus! I didn’t buy it either, thought it was bs weirdo stuff but I am a testimony to its truth! Praise God! Thank you Jesus, hallelujah  it’s the best feeling ever. Completely unique to anything else I ever tried in new age, that’s how I know it’s real. If anyone has any questions dm me! I’m happy to share the good news about Christ. I was raised strict Christian and didn’t really “get it” until I got saved just recently. 

[kbone]

19 hours ago, Grateful Dead said:

1- Haha yeah, I think the historical Jesus himself would cause quite a stir in much of what Christianity has become today. Still, I usually find some good common ground for deeper conversations even with traditional Christians, like those belonging to a church.

2a- You're right, I don't actively forget the illusions in the sense of erasing them from memory. It’s more that I see through their falsity, and then they simply lose their reality for me. In that way, they naturally fade from awareness. So in a sense, it’s a form of forgetting, but as a result of seeing clearly.

2b- And yes, I also see it very much like a via negativa. It's not about adopting new beliefs, but about letting go of what is false, unlearning rather than learning, until only what is real remains. It’s very simple in that sense: truth is; everything else isn’t.

3- I know A Course in Miracles was channeled, but I haven’t really looked into channeling otherwise. I'll do some research into it, thanks!

4- Yes, that’s probably true. As long as we’re here and have an ego, doubts will come and go.

5- What I find most interesting is that when I'm in contact with @puporing (they/them), it feels very similar to my inner dialogue with my higher self or Jesus. Our views largely align, maybe even completely, but I have the impression that they understand it on a deeper level. I doubt the claims, which I haven't verified myself, namely that they are in the same state as Jesus and that he has been fully resurrected in them. I can acknowledge it as a possibility, but for my remaining doubts to disappear, it would have to happen to me in the same way.

6- Yes, the historical Jesus was like everyone else, though probably much more spiritually advanced.

I think it’s easier to worship someone else as the “Son of God” than to accept it about oneself hehe

One theory of mine is that Jesus was the first to truly awaken, and from there began developing the teachings that first appear in the New Testament and later in A Course in Miracles. And it still seems to be evolving.

7- I’m not sure if I understand you correctly. Do you mean because at first I thought I was speaking to someone else, like Jesus as a teacher and over time I realized that he was actually leading me back to my true Christ Self, which is Him?

8- Yeah and it sounds like you have some idea of what it takes to get here

9- Interesting that you mention Friend of the Devil, because lately I often return to that song. It’s one of the few where I haven’t yet fully recognized the deeper wisdom behind it. I like your approach, thanks for sharing. And I completely agree, the deepest forgiveness comes through Grace.

And since you mentioned it, I play in a band and also write my own songs. And honestly, it seems impossible for me to write songs that aren’t somehow related to the path. I wish I could write something less spiritual sometimes lol. Robert Hunter truly had a genius for telling these stories in a way that didn’t seem overtly spiritual.

10- Thank you, brother. I appreciate your openness, it's always refreshing to have a sincere exchange.

1- My Korean mother-in-law is a devout Baptist Christian. She's not ignorant of the 'kind of person' I am, so she worries about my salvation, but she's also a little perplexed in that I do not exhibit a worry in the world, can fit right in with the various pastors that the family is associated with, will sometimes comment on Biblical literature from left field, and generally lead a well(enough)-intentioned life. A story that sums up our basic divergence of 'opinions' involves a convo with her (my wife had to translate) about her concern for us not being the types of believers she sees as necessary. I explained to her that, for the most part, I understood the things that Jesus said quite well, and we'd likely agree on most everything with a few caveats. But who I didn't really understand and/or relate to were Peter and Paul, to which she said, "But that's what the whole church is based on." I simply smiled and said, "I know." She still looked concerned, but we hugged. She has never brought it up again, and we still involve ourselves when she wants to do a reading/interpretation... and I sometimes add my bits and pieces to the convo. We sometimes laugh about them.

2- Couldn't have said these much bettererer! In fact, I refuse to add or conceptualize further.

3- Perhaps blow off researching it. Come to think of it, just stay open to what such events provide from the depths of Being. They're more important, and can provide the much-needed direct gnosis for transcending.

4- 'Lower' mind is a weird place to work it out, as doubt will always be an aspect of its conclusions. It is what it is. See #3

5- There might be useful insights and bits and pieces of aligned thinking, but it is the direct experience and quality thereof that spills forth 'from within' that is of greater value. And you obviously already understand this, which is why you are clear enough to already question the veracity. As certain depths of insight/realization, quite often another's nonsense to hardly register and/or simply fall away. That's a function of higher mind. I do not know her, so I'm just speaking generally.

6- A lot of what is attributed to Jesus makes sense so, based on what you have shared and the type of person you come across as, listen to the inner voice, 'identify with it' as if speaking to yourself, stabilize at its depths and let it 'spill over' into the daily life. Truth and honesty are aligned. Honesty gives rise to authenticity. You seem to understand that and will question the beliefs in identity and Truth as needed. Together, they bear the Grace that inspires transcendence.

7- I may have misspoke. Interesting what you wrote.

8- Don't get me started telling stories. It rarely makes sense anyway! 

9- Well, to be clearerer, it was a number of events that precipitated the contemplation via singing that song.

a) I had also liked and played Sympathy for the Devil (Rolling Stones).

b) I'm a bit irreverent, so there's that (no apologies, since I work through it in different ways as needed).

c) Months before getting the chords (back before internet and barely able to play guitar anyway), I had a cool experience of traveling with some Chishti sect Sufi's who were on a pilgrimage in North India. We talked about a LOT of stuff late into the night, but one thing that stuck out was their interpretations of Iblis (the Devil), which are varied, but a few of them stimulated some cool contemplation.... especially when he was vilified solely because he refused to bow down to Adam. I get the irreverence, hehe, and I was hot on the trail for Truth.

d) Then, shortly thereafter, I found a book at a used book vendor in New Delhi by Bertrand Russell called "The Conquest of Happiness". It seemed interesting enough and you couldn't always be choosy back then, so I carried it around for a month during my escapades, reading and contemplating. I don't remember a lot of the contents, but it guided me in some deeper thoughts on persecution mania, envy,narcissism, and ow to become more aware of such forces in life.

e) Then I heard a guy play "Friend of the Devil" with a great set of picking skills and a powerful voice. I'ze like, oh yeah.

Awesome to hear you're a musician. Hopefully, you and the band have a similar take on life in general and/or inspire each other enough to work through inevitable 'band drama', hehe.

Yeah, it does seem that when IT all starts to open up (like it has for you) the attention and devotion kind of well up from within. Due to this mind's conditioned preferences, it tends to not like church songs so much, and is more interested in exploring the themes in songs of any combination of rock-punk-folk-jazz-ish. It's not a right or wrong thang.... just mood, flow, and joy. I'll look into Robert Hunter when I get a chance... sounds like my kinda guy. 

10- Likewise, brotha. Keep on keepin' on!

[kbone]

15 hours ago, Breakingthewall said:

For me the 1- history is secondary, the 2- path is irrelevant in Christianism, the point is the 3- evocation to the real thing. The heart of Christ is the heart of the reality and the heart of the reality is the reality. This is 4- enlightenment, and can't be explained in better words. It's not "nothing", or "infinity", of anything, it's your blody heart, there is the absolute. Must be totally clean, totally open. The form is just form, the substance is everything and it's the absolute heart of Christ, that's , your heart. 

1- Yes, the story/history is always hindsight and/or about 'someone' else. The story of Jesus is, according to him (in the story), available to everyone. An expression might sound like, we are all sisters and brothers (appearances to each other... all the world's a stage... with one ACTOR). Lots of dualish ways to express, no problem.

2- Yes, the path is the story of the transcendence, not the Realization. Most explain them together as cause-effect based on memory, unconscious of all that was 'happening' as the unfolding. 

3- I'd be curious to hear your interpretation of this. Is it somewhat like the following (using  some Zen ish to express)?

4- Before enlightenment, mountains are mountains and waters are waters.

(lots of stuff happens, unconsciously caught up in one's separate volitional self (SVP) drama..... and then something gives way...... maybe spurring the search)

After a first glimpse into Truth, mountains are no longer mountains and waters are no longer waters.

(At first, minor 'insights/realizations'.... then Something like a 'collapse into a little greasy spot' -as a dear friend used to say... he was so funny.  Though the breakdown can be felt/experienced as a negative, it's purddy much necessary... and gloriously wild to the mind, hehe... in hindsight, of course ).

After enlightenment, mountains are once again mountains and waters once again waters.

(THIS... EVERYTHING.... simples)

 

***In how I'd express it, it is only after the 'lower' mind has come to terms with Truth (i.e., via a consistent discerning awareness that informs it of its true nature.... aka, heart of hearts), that the clarity of 'Enlightenment' is fully apprehended. 

Whatcha think? Similar? Preferences or tinkers for expression?

Edited June 19 by kbone