Franklin Merrell-Wolff

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Don't see a thread for this teacher, so here it is.

realization.org/p/franklin-merrell-wolff/isolation-of-the-subjective-moment.html

This idea (ie, "pointer") appeals to me - trying to see the essence of consciousness, without objects. I use it to start meditation sometimes. I feel like I have yet to succeed though.  

[Deleted]

Quoting some of the link here, in case the link ever goes dead.

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NOW, I KNOW THAT SELF-REALIZATION is possible, but this is not knowledge of an object. Perhaps we might call the process an inverse cognition; I shall have to describe what I mean by this. If one studies the process of cognition, either sensual or conceptual, with careful subtlety he will find something like a flow out toward the object. This flow may be likened to a light-ray. The flow can be observed, itself. In some measure and it can be more or less completely stopped.

The object can be made to disappear and in its place may be found either a sense of darkness or of light. It may even induce an ecstatic state of more or less intensity. Now reverse the flow, which is a process of profound introversion, and you have Self-realization. It is a state of the Light centered in Itself and not flowing to objects. It is like beginning a judgment starting with “I” and going no further. This is the isolation of the subjective-moment. The absolute dissolution of the object is not necessary, for one may achieve his realization by reflecting only part of the ray back. This avoids trance.
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[laughter]

Mar 6, 2021 17:31:24 GMT -5 @robertc said:

Don't see a thread for this teacher, so here it is.

realization.org/p/franklin-merrell-wolff/isolation-of-the-subjective-moment.html

This idea (ie, "pointer") appeals to me - trying to see the essence of consciousness, without objects. I use it to start meditation sometimes. I feel like I have yet to succeed though.  

Reminds me of Harding. It's amazing how people can say the same thingless thing is so many different ways.

[Deleted]

For some reason I sometimes read a bit of this book. I'll quote parts of it here.

From book Experience and Philosophy, section “Cosmic and Transcendental Consciousness”, p. 13

Recognition of the SELF in its purity is Realization of Identity with absolute Emptiness, Darkness, and Silence, when viewed from the standpoint of relative consciousness. In point of fact this Emptiness is Absolute Fullness but, as such, never can be comprehended from the perspective of egoistic consciousness. In one sense it is the “thing-in-itself” of Kant. Relative consciousness deals with phenomena alone and can never reach beyond phenomena. But the phenomenal world rests upon the Real or Noumenal World. Thus it is that the Consciousness of the SELF or “pure apperceptive consciousness” sustains the whole universe or cosmos. But the latter is an outward projection. Behind the cosmos is the formless or Transcendental World. Within the cosmos is the domain of the relative consciousness. From the latter standpoint the SELF appears as formless. Hence the approach—for form the relative point of view it seems like an approach—to the SELF from consciousness posited with the cosmos takes on the form of progressive negation of all identity with form until finally Identity in the Formless breaks forth as Recognition. At this stage the Recognition may well take the form of “I am Formlessness.” But this is an incomplete Recognition, as Shankara has shown by his acute logic. The final Recognition is “I am not form and I am not formless.” This standpoint is neutral with respect to the cosmos and the Transcendental or Formless. What this really means is that beyond Nirvana there is a Paranirvana which is a position of metaphysical indifference with respect to the states of manifestation or non-manifestation. At the same time, the individual soul may have a tendency or natural gravitation either toward the manifested or the non-manifested. Thus Buddha, being drawn toward the non-manifested, was tempted not to put forth any effort to establish His Message among men. On the other hand, Jesus, being drawn toward the manifested, faced the temptation in the form of worldly power. Both men conquered the temptation. But the from of the temptation marks what really is the individual bent or tendency of these supremely great Men. Thus we may say that the sublimated Consciousness of Jesus was predominantly “Cosmic Consciousness,” while that of the Buddha was “Transcendental” or “Noumenal Consciousness.” The common basis for both is Identity in the SELF.