|
Post by amit on Jun 19, 2013 1:30:56 GMT -5
As a response to those who call for openness here, in particular those who regard getting personal as useful, the question is posed.
Why is your character like it is? How and why does it behave as it does on this forum?
amit
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 19, 2013 2:17:15 GMT -5
Haha, haven't you figured out yet Amit, that most folks around here don't have a "character", they only have "seeing" and "realization", and "being" lol
My own answer has changed recently, but I will try to answer instead of being a hypocrite to what I just typed ;-)
I recently let go of my most bedrock truth, and without that foundation, everything else unraveled until there was no more me inside of me lol
For the most part there does not seem to be any particular value in this, except that in the absence of any knowledge to cling to, or foundation to place it upon, there is an absolute freedom to love unconditionally.
So now this membrane of moving mind/body seems to enjoy asking questions despite having no answers lol
The questions that are asked seem to try and point to an unknowableness, or at least to try and shake the foundations of some folks "knowing".
Again, there appears to be no benefit to this accept one, in the absence of clung to knowledge, the conditions and reservations that are placed on love seem to fade away, and just leave unreserved, unconditional love.
We have no better experience in this plenum, than unreserved, unconditional love.
I don't have anything better to do ;-)
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 19, 2013 2:57:09 GMT -5
A plenum???
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 19, 2013 3:24:40 GMT -5
A plenum is an area of inclusion, for example, everything that you are aware of, is by nature, within your plenum of awareness.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 19, 2013 3:35:12 GMT -5
ple·num (plnm, plnm) n. pl. ple·nums or ple·na (pln, pln) 1. An assembly or meeting with all members present. 2. A condition, space, or enclosure in which air or other gas is at a pressure greater than that of the outside atmosphere. 3. The condition of being full; fullness. 4. A space completely filled with matter.
|
|
|
Post by topology on Jun 19, 2013 7:42:06 GMT -5
As a response to those who call for openness here, in particular those who regard getting personal as useful, the question is posed. Why is your character like it is? How and why does it behave as it does on this forum? amit The most honest answer is probably "I don't know". I've always been somewhat emotional and sensitive to others expressions of emotions. Childhood environment was emotionally turbulent, so I shut down and turned to the intellect and the pursuit of being a "smart kid". Encountering the TAT crowd I got turned onto self-awareness and searching for enlightenment for lack of a better word. Chasing after enlightenment forgeounded my own ego and insecurities that were driving me to chase after enlightenment. Since then it's been a process of watching the body-mind try to figure out how to move through this world. I view the slag fests as beneficial because there are opportunities for self observation that you can't get when everyone is being emotionally supportive or knowing that you will be comforted after the stress.
|
|
|
Post by Beingist on Jun 19, 2013 9:00:47 GMT -5
ple·num (plnm, plnm) n. pl. ple·nums or ple·na (pln, pln) 1. An assembly or meeting with all members present. 2. A condition, space, or enclosure in which air or other gas is at a pressure greater than that of the outside atmosphere. 3. The condition of being full; fullness. 4. A space completely filled with matter. < L., plenus, -a, -um = full
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 19, 2013 13:49:00 GMT -5
As a response to those who call for openness here, in particular those who regard getting personal as useful, the question is posed. Why is your character like it is? How and why does it behave as it does on this forum? amit The first question is too complex to answer. It's like asking why a tree takes its particular shape. We can answer in generalities only. DNA, environmental factors (gravitational, electromagnetic...water, nutrition, powerlines,relationships...). The second question is similar -- afterall, what is the difference between character and behavior? For myself, curiosity, procrastination, entertainment, wonder, community -- all those appear to be in the mix when it comes to motivation. Probably not noticeably different than others here.\ edit: duh! Forgot to mention the need to feel special and clever!
|
|
|
Post by laughter on Jun 19, 2013 14:57:11 GMT -5
As a response to those who call for openness here, in particular those who regard getting personal as useful, the question is posed. Why is your character like it is? How and why does it behave as it does on this forum? amit I'll answer directly from my need to feel special and clever. To state the obvious as context, a person embodies a system that responds to stimuli in predictable patterns based on nature and nurture. To live consciously is to be aware of these as they play themselves out. These systems are seen to generate responses that don't follow these patterns under certain circumstances, such as, for example: moments of creativity, situations of communion with another or even life in general or in times of intense crisis. There are a pair of related ideas stated roughly and succinctly as: 1) that shedding conditioning, particularly of the form that patterns the direction of attention, makes one prone to the accidental, 2) permanent and substantial disruption of the patterns in general. I can propose an applicable metaphor if we take this second idea as true and refer to examples of common consensus of this occurring, say Ramana Maharshi, Eckhart Tolle and Adyashanti. What you'll notice is that in these cases certain of the patterns remain intact. While the most notable is the cultural artifact of language there are others, including basic patterns of physical behavior that include the ability to dress oneself, for example. The metaphor that I suggest is that of an antenna. Antenna's focus radiation based on a number of characteristics including size, shape and material. Life beats and shapes a person into one form, and awakening rearranges that form into something else but that something else isn't entirely independent from what was there before, and life doesn't seem to stop there, but different rules of formation seem to apply.
|
|
|
Post by enigma on Jun 19, 2013 23:05:22 GMT -5
As a response to those who call for openness here, in particular those who regard getting personal as useful, the question is posed. Why is your character like it is? How and why does it behave as it does on this forum? amit The irony is that while the search is for the impersonal, the process of seeking involves the radically personal. The reason for this is that the impersonal is already present and available, while it is the personal that makes it not seem so. So, the interest is not in analyzing the impersonal so much as challenging the personal identification with the separate mind/body. It's not only possible but typical to expend a great deal of effort in seeking while avoiding the personal aspects of resistance, attachment and willingness. This is why "getting personal" is seen as not only useful, but essential. I recognize that the real issue of interest is probly more like, 'Why do some individuals (like me) not learn to control their egos betterer and be less abusive and judgmental?, but it's difficult to respond from within that paradigm other than to say there is not and never will be any negative judgment directed toward you from 'me'.
|
|
|
Post by silence on Jun 19, 2013 23:16:08 GMT -5
As a response to those who call for openness here, in particular those who regard getting personal as useful, the question is posed. Why is your character like it is? How and why does it behave as it does on this forum? amit I behave in all sorts of ways and I really don't know why. I could sit on 1000 different therapists couches and probably theorize up 1000 different reasons.
|
|
|
Post by amit on Jun 20, 2013 0:16:01 GMT -5
To all,
The first question is a request for a personal reflection, your view of the sort of person you are. For example do you have any defenses? How would you describe them? What sort of experiences do you believe led to the construction of those defenses?
The second question asks how the reply to the first affects your behaviour on this forum.
amit
|
|
|
Post by laughter on Jun 20, 2013 4:02:21 GMT -5
I'm certain that my silence in the matter will be taken as a defense mechanism in and of itself!
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jun 20, 2013 8:53:16 GMT -5
To all, The first question is a request for a personal reflection, your view of the sort of person you are. For example do you have any defenses? How would you describe them? What sort of experiences do you believe led to the construction of those defenses? The second question asks how the reply to the first affects your behaviour on this forum. amit A defense is an evasive action that is taken when feeling threatened or attacked. In the sense you are asking, it's a psychological or emotional behavior that happens to avoid percieved psychological or emotional pain. One defense I have is to get very analytical. Break down what I see as the threat, I suppose. This is usually accompanied by a calm cool demeanor. If there is a misunderstanding at play it can be helpful because it can point this out. But if there is there is just lack of culpability on my part it can descend into confusion, a result of getting lost in analysis. It's like a smokescreen. Then if someone gets frustrated with what they sense as unclear communication on my part I can attack by charging them as being unclear and unfair. It's 'effective' but hard to live with, methinks (so ultimately ineffective). I'm not sure where it comes from. Maybe I'm just lucky! I'd say this behavior is represented on this forum, though I can't point to an example at the moment. My guess is that some see it more clearly than others. Another defense, which is more pre-emptive, is to just be nice and easy-going. Conflicts are more easily avoided, but there can be lack of depth. This probably comes from my father. Not a bad strategy but perhaps uninteresting. I use it on this forum, and it tends to keep folks from challenging me much. Maybe. A backdoor option within this strategy is always humor or cleverness.
|
|
|
Post by topology on Jun 20, 2013 9:36:42 GMT -5
To all, The first question is a request for a personal reflection, your view of the sort of person you are. For example do you have any defenses? How would you describe them? What sort of experiences do you believe led to the construction of those defenses? The second question asks how the reply to the first affects your behaviour on this forum. amit I invite you to lead by example.
|
|