An Advaita philosophy site, focusing on Realization, enlightenment, nisarga yoga, non-duality (non-duality), your original nature, dwelling as your natural state, and the teachings of Maharaj.
[NOTE to the site visitor who asked why so few realize: your question will be addressed tomorrow instead on today so that a follow-up to yesterday's post can be shared]
FROM A SITE VISITOR: I'm thinking this will be another good thread. The only reason I can think of for not wanting to be Realized is that i like "the high part" of the highs and lows of non-Realized living and I am thinking that Realized forfeit the "highs" for the middle, the neutral. In other words, Floyd, i want my cake and eat it also.
F.: Your problem is that in duality, you cannot have the "highs" only, and they will become fewer and farther between since that which makes you high will eventually make you low, and that which makes you feel the highest will eventually be what makes you feel the lowest. Whatever gives you pleasure will eventually give you pain or misery; whatever gives you the most pleasure will eventually give you the most pain or the most misery.
Here's a "test" that is custom-designed just for you: For years you have been depressed, feeling "low," because of a demotion at work. How "high" did you feel when you were promoted? How long did that "high" last? A few weeks, maybe, until the "new" wore off and that job also became routine and the new responsibilities and the increase in workload became obvious? Next, how low did you feel when demoted from that job which had given you one of your "highs" when first promoted into it? How long has that "low" lasted? How much longer has the "low" lasted than that fleeting "high" you speak of so fondly?
For over forty years you used something to give you a "high," the "high" intended to help you escape a relative existence that was obviously plagued with on-going "lows"; otherwise, wherefore escape? But the "lows" always followed and lasted much longer than the temporary, escapist "highs," yes?
Now, another opportunity has been presented to look at the self-deception that comes via your "thoughts" and to see the nonsense of a person saying he "likes highs" even though his own experience (which he is neglecting) proves the "highs" have always been a setup for more disturbing and longer-lasting lows.
The Follow-Up Response: You know that you/your Consciousness has just as much validity as your Maharaj did. I am guessing you would say that is because both of you are Consciousness speaking. Now, if that is true, does that mean if I say something--anything--that is not in line with you or M that Consciousness is not speaking? That might be a bit presumptuous, don't you think?
F.: Here's how this works: a Realized Advaitin teacher is able to hear a few sentences (and sometimes just a few words) and is then able to determine a seeker's (or non-seeker's) "location" on the "path." The teacher will then respond in a level-appropriate fashion that can allow the seeker to see "where" she/he is on the "journey" and will then offer pointers that might allow the seeker to move to the next step by seeing the nonsense being generated at the current step.
There is no need for the consciousness to "presume" anything since the words of the persons reveal all in a very clear and factual manner. So the invitation is to look at your words and see how they make very clear that it was not consciousness speaking:
"I'm thinking," "good thread," "I can think," "I like the high part,""I am thinking," and "I want." The consciousness does not think. The "mind" thinks. The brain is rooted in the elements; the consciousness is rooted in the Absolute; and the "mind" is rooted in lies and programming and conditioning. It was your words, not this speck, that determined you are still fixated at the body and mind level even after three years of exposure to Advaitin pointers.
The Pure Consciousness, being mindless, could never say, "I think." The Pure Consciousness would never use the duality-based word "good." The Pure Consciousness would not speak of dualistic concepts like "high vs. low." The Pure Consciousness would not use the words "want" or "desire." That was not Consciousness speaking; that was "you" speaking.
Look again at the specific results in your case: it is body identification that triggers panic attacks over a simple visit to a doctor for a checkup. It is the "mind" that is still stuck years later in the "low" of a demotion, a "low" that has continued for years as a result of a humiliation-induced resentment that is rooted in a "lost" ego-state and its accompanying egotism.
Yet you want to convince your "self" that the short "highs" are worth the long, debilitating "lows"? And "you" want to be offended when the nonsense of a belief that contradicts forty years of your relative experiences is pointed out?
So the consciousness here did not have to "presume" that you are still functioning at level one and level two of a seven -step "journey" to Realization; "you" (your own words) made that clear. There is no "being in alignment with M. or 'floyd'." There is either the false self speaking or the Pure Witness-True Self-Pure Consciousness speaking, and to the Realized, the actual speaker is always made obvious within seconds.
Finally, WHO thinks WHO is presumptuous? There is no WHO that is "here" to be presumptuous, but there is obviously some WHO, someone/some ego-state "there," that can still register offense and react emotionally. The invitation is to ignore wherever "you" "think" you are on the "journey" and go back to step one (or not). Consider that body again.
WHO is so attached to it? WHO would rather not Realize because he continues to deceive himself with a belief that the short, occasional "highs" are worth all of the extended, more frequent "lows"? It's obviously not time to start over; instead, it's really time to start. Please enter the silence of contemplation.
[NOTE to the site visitor who asked why so few realize: your question will be addressed tomorrow instead on today so that a follow-up to yesterday's post can be shared]
FROM A SITE VISITOR: I'm thinking this will be another good thread. The only reason I can think of for not wanting to be Realized is that i like "the high part" of the highs and lows of non-Realized living and I am thinking that Realized forfeit the "highs" for the middle, the neutral. In other words, Floyd, i want my cake and eat it also.
F.: Your problem is that in duality, you cannot have the "highs" only, and they will become fewer and farther between since that which makes you high will eventually make you low, and that which makes you feel the highest will eventually be what makes you feel the lowest. Whatever gives you pleasure will eventually give you pain or misery; whatever gives you the most pleasure will eventually give you the most pain or the most misery.
Here's a "test" that is custom-designed just for you: For years you have been depressed, feeling "low," because of a demotion at work. How "high" did you feel when you were promoted? How long did that "high" last? A few weeks, maybe, until the "new" wore off and that job also became routine and the new responsibilities and the increase in workload became obvious? Next, how low did you feel when demoted from that job which had given you one of your "highs" when first promoted into it? How long has that "low" lasted? How much longer has the "low" lasted than that fleeting "high" you speak of so fondly?
For over forty years you used something to give you a "high," the "high" intended to help you escape a relative existence that was obviously plagued with on-going "lows"; otherwise, wherefore escape? But the "lows" always followed and lasted much longer than the temporary, escapist "highs," yes?
Now, another opportunity has been presented to look at the self-deception that comes via your "thoughts" and to see the nonsense of a person saying he "likes highs" even though his own experience (which he is neglecting) proves the "highs" have always been a setup for more disturbing and longer-lasting lows.
The Follow-Up Response: You know that you/your Consciousness has just as much validity as your Maharaj did. I am guessing you would say that is because both of you are Consciousness speaking. Now, if that is true, does that mean if I say something--anything--that is not in line with you or M that Consciousness is not speaking? That might be a bit presumptuous, don't you think?
F.: Here's how this works: a Realized Advaitin teacher is able to hear a few sentences (and sometimes just a few words) and is then able to determine a seeker's (or non-seeker's) "location" on the "path." The teacher will then respond in a level-appropriate fashion that can allow the seeker to see "where" she/he is on the "journey" and will then offer pointers that might allow the seeker to move to the next step by seeing the nonsense being generated at the current step.
There is no need for the consciousness to "presume" anything since the words of the persons reveal all in a very clear and factual manner. So the invitation is to look at your words and see how they make very clear that it was not consciousness speaking:
"I'm thinking," "good thread," "I can think," "I like the high part,""I am thinking," and "I want." The consciousness does not think. The "mind" thinks. The brain is rooted in the elements; the consciousness is rooted in the Absolute; and the "mind" is rooted in lies and programming and conditioning. It was your words, not this speck, that determined you are still fixated at the body and mind level even after three years of exposure to Advaitin pointers.
The Pure Consciousness, being mindless, could never say, "I think." The Pure Consciousness would never use the duality-based word "good." The Pure Consciousness would not speak of dualistic concepts like "high vs. low." The Pure Consciousness would not use the words "want" or "desire." That was not Consciousness speaking; that was "you" speaking.
Look again at the specific results in your case: it is body identification that triggers panic attacks over a simple visit to a doctor for a checkup. It is the "mind" that is still stuck years later in the "low" of a demotion, a "low" that has continued for years as a result of a humiliation-induced resentment that is rooted in a "lost" ego-state and its accompanying egotism.
Yet you want to convince your "self" that the short "highs" are worth the long, debilitating "lows"? And "you" want to be offended when the nonsense of a belief that contradicts forty years of your relative experiences is pointed out?
So the consciousness here did not have to "presume" that you are still functioning at level one and level two of a seven -step "journey" to Realization; "you" (your own words) made that clear. There is no "being in alignment with M. or 'floyd'." There is either the false self speaking or the Pure Witness-True Self-Pure Consciousness speaking, and to the Realized, the actual speaker is always made obvious within seconds.
Finally, WHO thinks WHO is presumptuous? There is no WHO that is "here" to be presumptuous, but there is obviously some WHO, someone/some ego-state "there," that can still register offense and react emotionally. The invitation is to ignore wherever "you" "think" you are on the "journey" and go back to step one (or not). Consider that body again.
WHO is so attached to it? WHO would rather not Realize because he continues to deceive himself with a belief that the short, occasional "highs" are worth all of the extended, more frequent "lows"? It's obviously not time to start over; instead, it's really time to start. Please enter the silence of contemplation.
