mahtyn
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Hello Everyone - I’m new here
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Post by mahtyn on Apr 21, 2014 17:14:39 GMT -5
Hello, everyone. I’m new to this board. I’ve been a spiritual seeker for a long-long time - but recently came to the end of my search to find that I was already what I sought. That was a few years ago. The “experience” has faded and returned many times - always the same. I have written about my experience on my blog - which I recently revived. The Heart of Reality
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Post by laughter on Apr 21, 2014 19:43:03 GMT -5
Hello, everyone. I’m new to this board. I’ve been a spiritual seeker for a long-long time - but recently came to the end of my search to find that I was already what I sought. That was a few years ago. The “experience” has faded and returned many times - always the same. I have written about my experience on my blog - which I recently revived. The Heart of RealityWelcome to the st.org forum Martin. How did you find us? Was there anything in particular encountered either on the top-level site or the forum that might have contributed to your saying hello?
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mahtyn
New Member
Hello Everyone - I’m new here
Posts: 5
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Post by mahtyn on Apr 22, 2014 14:50:35 GMT -5
I’ve been a subscriber to the TAT Newsletter for several years. I used to live in Cincinnati (now Chicago) and attended a Self Realization Group Meeting run by Mike Conners for some time. So, coming here is a little belated.
I’m not new to the subject - just new to this forum.
Looking forward to engaging in some lively discussion at some point.
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Post by laughter on Apr 22, 2014 14:56:19 GMT -5
I’ve been a subscriber to the TAT Newsletter for several years. I used to live in Cincinnati (now Chicago) and attended a Self Realization Group Meeting run by Mike Conners for some time. So, coming here is a little belated. I’m not new to the subject - just new to this forum. Looking forward to engaging in some lively discussion at some point. Lively. Yes. Right place!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 22, 2014 15:16:20 GMT -5
Welcome mahtyn. Nice to meet you. ;-)
I read your most recent blog entry, and you likely would fit in here nicely.
This forum is something of an oddity, and not everyone finds it to be their cup of tea, which is unfortunate because this truly is a unique and wondrous spot. And most of us have been here for years, so there is a familiarity with one another that only comes with time. Theories and conclusions are often poked and prodded, and there is also a good amount of humor and silliness interspersed with meaningful discussion.
What is your opinion on the phrase "don't take it personally"?
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mahtyn
New Member
Hello Everyone - I’m new here
Posts: 5
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Post by mahtyn on Apr 23, 2014 19:29:04 GMT -5
My take on "Don’t take it personally."
My initial response is that in “everyday” conversation the phrase: “Don’t take it personally” is usually preceded by a comment that is often taken personally!
When something is taken personally it usually reveals the deeply ingrained sense of a personal self that we have learned from infancy. Whenever a sense of self is felt to be threatened we contract and become trapped in our own sense of individual existence; this is the construct that we call the ego. When we take things personally we strengthen the perception of ego.
When I forget my true identity - I take things personally.
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Post by zendancer on Apr 23, 2014 19:56:03 GMT -5
My take on "Don’t take it personally." My initial response is that in “everyday” conversation the phrase: “Don’t take it personally” is usually preceded by a comment that is often taken personally! When something is taken personally it usually reveals the deeply ingrained sense of a personal self that we have learned from infancy. Whenever a sense of self is felt to be threatened we contract and become trapped in our own sense of individual existence; this is the construct that we call the ego. When we take things personally we strengthen the perception of ego. When I forget my true identity - I take things personally. So true. FYI, there are hundreds of past discussions related to non-duality (and everything else under the sun) that are archived here. Considering the nature of your blog you may find some of them interesting. BTW, this website also has a private message function. You never know what will show up there. *smile*
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Post by laughter on Apr 24, 2014 3:43:39 GMT -5
My take on "Don’t take it personally." My initial response is that in “everyday” conversation the phrase: “Don’t take it personally” is usually preceded by a comment that is often taken personally! When something is taken personally it usually reveals the deeply ingrained sense of a personal self that we have learned from infancy. Whenever a sense of self is felt to be threatened we contract and become trapped in our own sense of individual existence; this is the construct that we call the ego. When we take things personally we strengthen the perception of ego. When I forget my true identity - I take things personally. yup
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Post by laughter on Apr 24, 2014 3:44:09 GMT -5
My take on "Don’t take it personally." My initial response is that in “everyday” conversation the phrase: “Don’t take it personally” is usually preceded by a comment that is often taken personally! When something is taken personally it usually reveals the deeply ingrained sense of a personal self that we have learned from infancy. Whenever a sense of self is felt to be threatened we contract and become trapped in our own sense of individual existence; this is the construct that we call the ego. When we take things personally we strengthen the perception of ego. When I forget my true identity - I take things personally. So true. FYI, there are hundreds of past discussions related to non-duality (and everything else under the sun) that are archived here. Considering the nature of your blog you may find some of them interesting. BTW, this website also has a private message function. You never know what will show up there. *smile* (** muttley snicker **)
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2014 12:07:13 GMT -5
I’ve been a subscriber to the TAT Newsletter for several years. I used to live in Cincinnati (now Chicago) and attended a Self Realization Group Meeting run by Mike Conners for some time. So, coming here is a little belated. I’m not new to the subject - just new to this forum. Looking forward to engaging in some lively discussion at some point. Welcome! I went to a TAT meeting about a year ago and met Mike Conners. Been doing effortless meditation ever since. Those TAT folks are real down to earth, which I like. I read your most recent post at your blog and like it. When you acknowledge that the need to spread the word (so to speak) indicates the lingering presence of ego, an 'itch,' is the post itself scratching the itch or just straight up manifestation like everything else? I liked this: "The ego appears to exist as a means of protection from the overwhelming pain of universal awareness of suffering, thus it might be perceived as dangerous to seek its elimination." I haven't thought if it that way before. "Don't seek the experience of awakening - it cannot be sought. It cannot be attained. It is already the case - it needs only to be accepted. Reality can be trusted - it does not need our approval or need to be understood. It is just what is happening." I seem to be seeking awakening. I don't really feel like I have much of a say in it either. It's not as hungry as it has been. I imagine that there is such a thing as awakening and it isn't what is happening right now. So how can it already be the case? If awakening is happening right now it includes the the experience of not experiencing awakening...
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mahtyn
New Member
Hello Everyone - I’m new here
Posts: 5
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Post by mahtyn on Apr 24, 2014 18:22:34 GMT -5
"If awakening is happening right now it includes the the experience of not experiencing awakening…”
Exactly, the dilemma is that grasping at awakening is like trying to catch water in a sieve. The feeling of not being awake is the very cause of the seeking that actually diverts our awareness away from what is already present. It’s principally like reading this - we forget that without the white space behind the words we would not be able to read this at all. The consciousness that is perceiving itself as us is the “white space” that we don’t see behind our perception of reality.
There are so many conceptual ways to express this - but all fall back into the language of duality - perceived and perceiver. If it can be seen through - even in a brief glimpse - it becomes very apparent that there’s no one here besides the unicity of consciousness experiencing itself as separate individuals.
Don’t stop seeking - there is nothing wrong with it, it just is. But if awakening happens it is despite the seeking, and not because of it!!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2014 19:45:58 GMT -5
I’ve been a subscriber to the TAT Newsletter for several years. I used to live in Cincinnati (now Chicago) and attended a Self Realization Group Meeting run by Mike Conners for some time. So, coming here is a little belated. I’m not new to the subject - just new to this forum. Looking forward to engaging in some lively discussion at some point. Hello My Friend, I grew up in Cincinnati too, though now I live in Southern California....what part of town did you live in? Welcome to the forum :-)
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 25, 2014 9:14:13 GMT -5
I liked this: "The ego appears to exist as a means of protection from the overwhelming pain of universal awareness of suffering, thus it might be perceived as dangerous to seek its elimination." I haven't thought if it that way before. This is not to say that it's true. Self creates other and other creates self, they are mutually dependent. Imagining that there will be 'an overwhelming pain of universal awareness of suffering' is not otherlessness, nor true selflessness either.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 25, 2014 12:25:14 GMT -5
I liked this: "The ego appears to exist as a means of protection from the overwhelming pain of universal awareness of suffering, thus it might be perceived as dangerous to seek its elimination." I haven't thought if it that way before. This is not to say that it's true. Self creates other and other creates self, they are mutually dependent. Imagining that there will be 'an overwhelming pain of universal awareness of suffering' is not otherlessness, nor true selflessness either. yeppers I saw that. Just hadn't thought of the ego in that light before.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 25, 2014 12:30:00 GMT -5
"If awakening is happening right now it includes the the experience of not experiencing awakening…” Exactly, the dilemma is that grasping at awakening is like trying to catch water in a sieve. The feeling of not being awake is the very cause of the seeking that actually diverts our awareness away from what is already present. It’s principally like reading this - we forget that without the white space behind the words we would not be able to read this at all. The consciousness that is perceiving itself as us is the “white space” that we don’t see behind our perception of reality.There are so many conceptual ways to express this - but all fall back into the language of duality - perceived and perceiver. If it can be seen through - even in a brief glimpse - it becomes very apparent that there’s no one here besides the unicity of consciousness experiencing itself as separate individuals. Don’t stop seeking - there is nothing wrong with it, it just is. But if awakening happens it is despite the seeking, and not because of it!! That's a very clear description. The seeking -- founded on a belief of being unawakened, separate -- is just another experience (howsoever seemingly persistent) which is noneother than all other senseperception experience happening right now.
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