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Post by Peter on Aug 31, 2009 9:24:05 GMT -5
I don't even know what the question is. What's the question? ------------------------------------- Edit 1: I'm trying to convey a vague feeling of frustration here that relates to seeking something without really understanding what is being saught. There was a simple question some time ago (Why is anything here?) which I answered with the following piece of writing but it doesn't really address why this specifically. Actually, I think it's all out there, infinite possibility, so the question may then become irrelevant. I've an article to write about the board game "Careers". I might do that and see what drops out... |
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Post by lightmystic on Aug 31, 2009 13:57:19 GMT -5
The question is a feeling that is not clear enough to be satisfying. The question always points to what would be a clarification of that feeling.
By simply putting attention on that feeling, then the clarity can come, and not only can the question be clearer in the mind, but so can the answer.
The only trick is that the answer is also a feeling. We can decipher it to mean something more specific with our mind, but fundamentally it's going to be the feeling that brings the satisfaction of knowing the answer.
It seems to always be that way.
Does that make sense Peter?
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Post by vacant on Aug 31, 2009 18:33:40 GMT -5
Peter, I'll put a bit here too. I usually approach this forum more as an asker than a responder, but for what it's worth: why do I think the question, and furthermore questioning that over and over is actually the very fabric of the understanding of what is being sought. The kind of understanding that's invited here does not come as an answer. Although the question might very well "become irrelevant" as you say, it brings us closer to what is being sought, and it is ever more inquisitive when we don't even know what it asks. The question —Aladdin's lantern— even without knowing what is asked let alone the answer, has a very healthy ring to me  |
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Post by Peter on Sept 1, 2009 7:08:52 GMT -5
The question always points to what would be a clarification of that feeling.By simply putting attention on that feeling, then the clarity can come Does that make sense Peter? I know the feeling you mean, so yes it does make sense. For me, it's a feeling of connection to both myself and 'other' in the current moment. But the past couple of days it's been linked to a sense of abandonment - I feel a bit like the Star Trek character "Q" stripped of his powers and left on an M class planet.  But perhaps I have been the one who has abandoned myself. I'll meditate tonight and see what that does for my feelings. The question —Aladdin's lantern— even without knowing what is asked let alone the answer, has a very healthy ring to me I'm glad you think so Vacant. I can at least say that I'm feeling very authentic to myself at the moment. OK, open question to the floor then, starter for ten: Why are we here? |
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Post by lightmystic on Sept 1, 2009 10:18:23 GMT -5
Why are we here? You'll have to let me know when you feel more connected. |
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Post by souley on Sept 1, 2009 15:40:43 GMT -5
I've been thinking these last few days that we humans have developed our whole conceptual world, with a "life" that is lived by our individual, "things", "actions" that have to be done, should be done, will lead somewhere. We postulate this, and then we ask, "what is the meaning of it all?".
The meaning cannot be found in constructions like that. Human cannot come up with its own interpretation of life, and then create a question from that interpretation, and try to answer it by looking back at the basics, or the construction. Probably the question, or what is expected as an answer to the question, is flawed from the beginning.
We create our own view and then we ask what is wrong with it, what is the meaning of it? I say that the view is the main problem, what question remains without that filter, might be worth answering. And maybe then we come to the feeling level that LM is pointing at.
But hey disclaimer -- I don't know anything either.
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anonji
Junior Member
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Post by anonji on Sept 1, 2009 17:12:39 GMT -5
Many times our seeking comes from our conditioning - that we "must" achieve some goal. In this regard, seeking money or spirituality is no different; it is following the content of consciousness, which is the illusion we get trapped in. The illusions of thought can be made to conform to our wishes so we think we are achieving something. The spiritual way is to let go of the thought-based, conceptual approach so we may find how to Be. Sounds simple in theory, but releasing the security of thought can be a very difficult thing. If you are dependent on thought as a guide, it will be tough to let go of it. But that's the first thing that's got to go if you want to enter the spiritual realm fully.
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Post by zendancer on Sept 1, 2009 17:27:42 GMT -5
Anonji: Perfectly stated!
As we previously discussed, incessant thought is really just a bad habit, but it's much harder to quit thinking than to quit any other kind of drug. LOL. Stop smoking? Stop using heroin or cocaine? Nothing to it, but stopping thought? Now, there's a real challenge!
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anonji
Junior Member
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Post by anonji on Sept 1, 2009 17:36:31 GMT -5
As an afterthought I was going to say, "Get lost and find yourself!"
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Post by divinity on Sept 2, 2009 20:05:45 GMT -5
Peter,
Remember, we only want happiness when we are not happy!
Thoughts are the waste products of the human brain and we can learn from them by studying them just as we study other bodily waste to determine health or illness of the body.
Sometimes the energy we actually are tugs at us to remember that there is only a very small part of who we are dwelling in the human form, and perhaps that tug was why you had a question you couldn't put your finger on?
Just a thought... =0)
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Post by giannis on Sept 8, 2009 9:46:04 GMT -5
Like playing in a weird movie, stopping and wondering "What is all this?"
Then, tha baffled attention might go inwards... what is happening there too? What am I supposed to be?
That's all I know. No answers at all, just stopping and looking around.
No answers at all.
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Post by lightmystic on Sept 8, 2009 14:41:59 GMT -5
Sounds good. Like playing in a weird movie, stopping and wondering "What is all this?" Then, tha baffled attention might go inwards... what is happening there too? What am I supposed to be? That's all I know. No answers at all, just stopping and looking around. No answers at all. |
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Post by divinity on Sept 15, 2009 16:16:59 GMT -5
I think sometimes the question has within it the seed of what we wanted to know. or what we thought we needed to know. A preconception. Better, I think, not to ask, but to just observe.
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Post by Peter on Sept 16, 2009 5:25:36 GMT -5
I've been running into some difficulties on another forum (a website far far away) that I might have avoided if I'd observed more and asked less. I really feel that the site has something to offer, but it's "objective" view of reality is a lot darker than my "subjective" view and so I have ambivalent feelings about the whole thing. I'm finding it difficult to fit in there, and at the same time I'm not sure that I want to. Reminds me very much of when I spent a couple of years at private school.
Anyhoo, where this difficult interaction has got me to this week is an answer to the question of "Why am I here?". This week's answer is: To Learn Some Humility and Empathy.
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Post by lightmystic on Sept 16, 2009 11:27:23 GMT -5
Yeah, I was just going to tell you to get off your high horse! I've been running into some difficulties on another forum (a website far far away) that I might have avoided if I'd observed more and asked less. I really feel that the site has something to offer, but it's "objective" view of reality is a lot darker than my "subjective" view and so I have ambivalent feelings about the whole thing. I'm finding it difficult to fit in there, and at the same time I'm not sure that I want to. Reminds me very much of when I spent a couple of years at private school. Anyhoo, where this difficult interaction has got me to this week is an answer to the question of "Why am I here?". This week's answer is: To Learn Some Humility and Empathy. |
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