Showing posts with label distorted memory. Show all posts
Showing posts with label distorted memory. Show all posts

Monday, September 10, 2007

ADVAITA: A PHILOSOPHY THAT ANNIHILATES ALL, INCLUDING ITSELF? Part One

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F.: One pointer in particular from the August 29, 2007 post has resulted in three e-mails asking for clarification, so clarification shall be offered to the following:

The consciousness which shares pointers from the Advaita philosophy via this site would actually bring to an end all philosophy and all study and all ideas and all concepts.

First, understand that the pointer describes a scenario that happens post-Realization. Until Realization happens, the philosophy can be used. After Realization, the Consciousness might speak or the Consciousness might become completely silent, but in either case, no "user" remains to use anything, including a philosophy.
One definition of “philosophy” is “the use of reason and argument in seeking truth, in seeking an understanding of reality, and in seeking to understand the principles that govern existence.”

Yet it is not only philosophy that has been brought to an end in many cases. Some might supposed that if there were a Concept-Killers' Court of the Universe, it would be easy enough to file charges against the Consciousness that speaks via this site and/or via satsangas. Some could charge that the “fingerprint” of Consciousness could be lifted from the various scenes where so many “selves” have been annihiliated and where (as one book reviewer wrote) "so many sacred cows have been slaughtered in the process" as well.

Actually, the seeker who has advanced far enough along the "path" can now understand that nothing has been annililiated and that nothing has been slaughtered. To point out that a mirage is a mirage does not “kill” the mirage. It merely allows the witnessing consciousness to perceive accurately. The same happens if persons see that their false personas (their false selves) are mirages, if they see those identities are illusions, or if they see that their sacred cows are illusions as well.

Advaita allows the use of reason and argument in seeking truth, in seeking an understanding of reality, and in seeking to understand the principles that govern existence. Once that use of reason allows delusions to be seen as delusions, belief in the delusions ends. Once the arguments used in the seeker-teacher exchanges expose false selves as being false selves, the belief in those selves can end.

Once the difference in false and Real is discerned, belief in the false disappears. Once the principles that govern existence (that is, once the functioning of the totality is comprehended) all other notions about “cause” and “effect” disappear. But nothing was destroyed. Unreasonable beliefs, based in misunderstandings and in lies, don’t really even "disappear." To enter a dark room and to flip a switch that turns on a light does not mean that darkness literally disappeared. The darkness had not appeared to begin with. It is more accurately stated that enlightenment happened.

The case is simply that all which was always present but that had not been seen can suddenly be seen, and what the unaware observer thought he was seeing is realized to have never been that at all. Must a guide explain what lies beyond surface appearances? Usually. To use an electron microscope to view the supposed "steel beam" that seems to be supporting the ceiling of a room would reveal that it is not a steel beam at all but is a swirling mass of energy.

Note, too, that many Advaitins will not tell you that “the beam” is "not real." (Want to get really argumentative and philosophical about that point? Then lower your head and run full speed into a stationary steel beam; later, we can discuss the accuracy of the pointer after you regain consciousness.) Many Advaitins instead will settle for your understanding that (a) what the non-Realized think a steel beam is, is not what the beam is at all; that (b) what the non-Realized think is real is not real; and that (c) the way that anything appears to the non-Realized is not what it really IS at all.

So in fact, nothing has ever been destroyed by use of the Advaita philosophy because nothing thought to have been destroyed ever really existed. A mirage cannot be destroyed, but the fact that it appears to be something that it is not can be explained and understood. Remember: there is matter and there is energy, and neither has ever been created and never can ever be destroyed. What is actually happening is merely (1) a series of cyclings happening spontaneously and (2) a matter of the bastardized consciousness misperceiving what is actually cycling.

Thus, "pointers of caution" are offered occasionally in regards to the “mental impressions” that can generate so much misery. Last December, a man came to visit. He was near suicidal because his wife had filed for divorce and he was facing their “first Christmas apart.” (Such has become a regular occurrence during that “season” as ego-states think they are dying so they may as well hasten the process.)

A few probing questions reveal that the marriage had been in shambles for years and that the Christmas before—which he thought he was longing to experience again—had been marred by irritability and an exhausting pace and multiple arguments. In fact, all that he was really longing for was the continuation of a false identity and the continuation of an arrangement that was based in lies and misperceptions and denial and distortions.
As so often happens when current perceptions are based in past misperceptions, misery follows those distorted views as persons cling to their “memories” of "their past" even though the truth about past happenings was never even close to their impression of what those "past" events were really like. Can you relate to that…to having a belief that you were certain was accurate or to holding onto an idea that was you thought was fact-based or to clinging to a sacredly-held concept that You later realized was pure bunk...just total nonsense? Please enter into the silence of contemplation. (To be continued)
READINGS RELATED TO TODAY’S POSTING:
WORKING ON LEARNING TO QUESTION IT ALL AND BEING FREE OF THE FALSE (BUT HONORED) CONCEPTS AND BELIEFS OF YOUR CULTURE?
  • Click IT’S ALL BULLSHIT

  • WORKING ON BEING FREE OF RELIGIOUS PROGRAMMING AND DOGMA?
  • Click SPIRITUAL SOBRIETY

  • WORKING ON BEING FREE OF BODY AND MIND IDENTIFICATION?
  • Click WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I DIE?

  • WORKING ON BEING FREE OF MIND AND PERSONALITY IDENTIFICATION?
  • Click THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS “PEACE OF MIND” (There Is Only Peace If You’re Out of Your Mind)

  • and
  • Click LIBERATION

  • WORKING ON THE ADVANCED UNDERSTANDINGS?
  • Click THE ESSENCE OF THE TEACHINGS

  • and
  • Click FROM THE I TO THE ABSOLUTE (A Seven-Step Journey to Reality)
  • Tuesday, March 06, 2007

    TRANSCENDENCE: Not “Death,” but the “Death” of Ego, the “Death” of False Identities, the “Death” of Misperceptions, Part Two

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    [Continued from 2 March 2007. If you did not read Part One, please scroll downward to read the March 2nd post first.]

    FROM A SITE VISITOR:
    [Received 1 March 2007] Found your site recently. Some of your writings have helped more since my wife left than the so-called “pros” I went to and the so-called “support groups” but that old husband idea is still kicking my ass (pardon the French.) What you wrote today about being energy and not really being a husband is trying to tell me something but husband still feels very real right now and so does his pain. Any other tips?

    F.: Why does such emotional pain accompany the forfeiture of roles that are not even real? Because they are mistaken as the “Self” when they are only the “self”—only false roles. Consider this also: efforts to forfeit attachment to that “husband” identity (and to forfeit attachment to all false identities) shall not happen if marked by whimpers. Those whimperings are the voices of delusion, generated from the “mind,” rooted in the corrupted consciousness, fearing loss, and desiring continuity for a false identity (or false identities). It has been pointed out repeatedly on this site that to be free of the effects of duality and the effects of Multiple Personality Disorder (DID), “the readiness is all.” When the readiness manifests, then the phony roles are forfeited in glad fashion.

    Next, see another aspect regarding this suffering that is associated with the forfeiture of a false role: were the actual facts of your case to be known, it would be realized that “husband” has not been experiencing misery only since the departure of “wife.” “Husband” had plenty of misery when “wife” was still there, but denial and re-framing prevented an awareness of that then (and is preventing an awareness of that now). Even if that awareness were to surface, the “mind” would generate thoughts about “what could have been” or “what should have been” and about “what maybe can still be.” When distorted thinking and distorted perceptions typify the parties involved in any arrangement, the arrangement itself will also be distorted...guaranteed.

    Distorted memory and misperceptions about “The Way It Is” or about “The Way It Was” are the scourge of Realization. The witnessing of lies as lies moves the process along toward an awareness of truth. But for now, “he” still has a hidden agenda, hidden even from self and certainly from Self. “He/husband” has wants and desires about “wife” and how she claims to feel or not feel about “husband.” “He” has fears. All of the other ego-states that are disappearing have agendas too. The effects are multi-faceted because the personality is multi-faceted.

    Truth also be known, “husband” is not ready to die but he thinks that is happening. “Husbands-that-are-dying” arrive at this site or at satsanga with dependent and co-dependent agendas: “Make us a couple again; help ‘me’ last; or at least make 'me' happy. I still want it all.” But “he” seldom arrives with the only sane agenda: “Make me disappear (without physically killing me).” The transcended poet Whitman asked, “Has anyone supposed it lucky to be born?” Then he added, “I hasten to inform him or her, it is just as lucky to die, and I know it.” How did he know it, without having physically died? Via witnessing “his” own death: the death of ego…the death of the false “I”…the death of delusions…the death of misperceptions.

    From those persons trapped in duality, the statement can be heard, “I cannot live with myself anymore.” More accurately, the statement could be, “I, the True Self, cannot live in peace or happiness with my false self—or false selves—anymore.” When one sees all of the false roles which he or she has played in a lifetime, and when he or she sees the toll exacted as a result of the playing of all those phony roles, then the roles will be forfeited gladly if sanity is restored.

    When the readiness is there, those ego-states will dissolve not with a whimper, not with sadness for an old acquaintance lost, but will be waved “goodbye” to with laughter. When the Realization came in full, during those seconds before "floyd" disappeared once and from all, “he” saw how their lies had been perceived as truth for decades. And then he laughed a short laugh. A chuckle followed. Then long and hearty laughter came. After the laughs had lasted for some time, a state of exhaustion manifested after that exercise.

    While reclining on a small couch, one arm fell to the right side and the left arm fell to the floor. There was no more physical movement, no sound was made. And then a quiet statement came forth, and it was the re-purified consciousness noting, “Oh…my….gosh. It was all a lie…just one lie after another. One deception after another. One false role after another. One long play with phony me on the phony stage, joined by phony actors making their welcomed entrances and their mourned exits. Oh…my…gosh.” And then, silence. And then, an overwhelming sense of peace as had never been known before…ever.

    Recall an earlier pointer: Transcending the disappointments and chaos and misery and pain of this relative existence does not require a “physical death.” One definition of “die” is “to cease” or “to disappear.” Freedom from your illusory pain can come if you allow your ego to “die,” if you allow your false identities and role-playing to “die,” and if you allow your distorted misperceptions to “die.”

    If the playing of the husband role on the stage of your relative existence must truly come to an end, let the role go. An actor in a Broadway production can play a role for so long that he starts identifying with the part. When the run ends, he can say, “Hey, what the heck—I had a good run.” Then, he walks out of the darkened theatre and into the light of the day and is snapped back into reality. Do the same. As "wife" takes her dramatic exit, witness an actress walking off the stage of your relative existence. See the curtain fall on that act. Then, leave the darkness behind. Walk out of “The Theater of the Lie,” walk into the light, and see the truth…see reality. Then, remember that whatever happens, or not, can be accepted. Stay with this pointer for now:

    “…If you cling to the false identity of “husband,” you shall never find the True Self, so peace will never happen consistently. If you find the True Self, then “husbanding” or “not husbanding” can happen…but consistent peace will happen either way.”

    Please enter the silence of contemplation. [To be continued]

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