In contemporary society, we usually think that doing more and being more is best. The key term for doing more is multitasking. As for being more, it's all about building one's identity like building your profile on a social website. However, to live a more fulfilling life, it's better to do less and be less. Then you can realize that you are a part of a whole and not a busy bee.
Doing more is a distraction from life. Instead of doing one thing well, you are doing many things poorly. Perhaps you can get a lot done, but there is no reward because the next day you have just as much to do. You can only focus achieving these tasks like a mouse in a maze. It's the rat race.
Being more is also a distraction. You can only be your biology and your skill. Your personality is just an illusion to make your ego feel comfortable. If you think about personality in the modern world, it's mostly made up of material preferences as a young adult. Who we are is how we relate to people. It's no use building up this great persona if nobody sees it, and usually nobody cares to see it. Interaction is key; everything else is a false identity.
I spent the last 8 years of my life trying to simplify myself. In that time, I have distanced myself from sports (Green Bay Packers), popular culture icons (Beatles), political diatribes (liberals), and even this (Taoism). I've come to realize that I don't have to pick apart and label the different things that make me. Once I do that, I don't seek these things out. Instead I can distance them from me.
I was going to reference a website with a similar philosophy about simplifying. However I found it ironic that it's steps to simplify your life were not simple at all. For me, I have to realize the material self is an illusion. Once I remove that, I realize I don't need all these materials for identity. All I need is me.
Passage of inspiration, Verse 48 of the Tao Te Ching:
To become learned, gain daily
To obtain the Tao, reduce daily
Reduce and reduce again until all action is reduced to non-action
Then no one is left
Nothing is done, yet nothing is left undone.
After writing this passage, I also find it easier to deal with death. When I die, I can ask, "Was I ever here? And do I care because now I am gone." And then I truly become part of the whole as the part cannot be distinguished from the whole anymore.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
The Joys of Skepticism
You may ask, "Isn't being a skeptic mean that you are critical and doubtful all the time?" I may answer, "No," and I do answer "No." Being a skeptic or practicing skepticism is actually quite fun because I can analyze topics that I have always interested me. But I can look at these topics rationally instead of ignorantly. It's time for the list-maker to make a list, an abridged version from the Skeptic's Dictionary.
Topics That Interest Jeremy
* means I completely lost interest after becoming a skeptic
Topics That Interest Jeremy
* means I completely lost interest after becoming a skeptic
- ancient astronauts
- aliens
- Area 51
- aromatherapy
- astral projection
- astrology
- Atlantis
- auras*
- Bermuda Triangle*
- biorhythms*
- chakras
- channeling
- chi
- creationism
- crop circles
- crystal skull*
- doomsday (cults)
- dreams
- enneagrams
- ESP
- exorcism
- face on Mars*
- feng shui
- firewalking
- Gurdjieff
- haunted houses
- holistic medicine
- hypnosis
- invocation
- intelligent design
- jinni
- karma
- levitation
- lucid dreaming
- mediums
- mind-control
- multiple personality disorder*
- near-death experiences
- Nostradamus*
- Ouija boards*
- phrenology
- placebo effect
- poltergeists
- precognition
- psi
- psychics
- psychoanalysis
- Qi Gong
- reiki*
- reincarnation
- Roswell*
- Satan
- Scientology
- seance
- sorcery
- souls
- spontaneous human combustion
- synchronicity
- tarot
- telekinesis
- telepathy
- theosophy
- Transcendental Meditation*
- UFOs
- unconscious mind
Monday, January 05, 2009
"The Inner Light" by the Beatles
George Harrison quotes from Verse 47 of the Tao Te Ching:
Without going outside, one can know the whole world
Without looking out the window, one can see the ways of Heaven
The farther one goes, the less one knows
It's been a while since I blogged about verses from the Tao Te Ching. The reason (besides laziness and a new baby) I was delaying a posting about the Tao was that I trying to avoid an apparent influence. Did the Beatles subtly brainwash me into become a Taoist when I first listened to "The Inner Light" back in 1992? I just read that the music you listen to as a teenager can have a strong hold on you for the rest of your life. I'll keep you posted when I start reading the book--This Is Your Brain on Music.
Thursday, January 01, 2009
Add Skepticism
Over the past year, I have been developing another perspective on the world around me. This blog has been mostly about Taoism, which has been my dominant philosophy for the last four years. Before Taoism, I believed in the tenets or non-tenets of Dada or Dadaism. Now I have put on a new hat--skepticism. The main influence of this skepticism is the podcast, The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe.
I have found that skepticism has been the healthiest and most logical viewpoint I can have on the known universe. A skeptic is a firm believer in the scientific method. Although I was never liked most of my science courses, I did like science's approach to knowing the world around us. Ever since listening to SGU's podcast, I have been hooked on reading books about skepticism and its attack on pseudoscience. Here are the books I have read so far in order of my preference:
And Dada is still very important in my life in terms of having fun and expressing myself. For example, this posting is not very Dada. Dada mocks this style. For what is the use of blogging to no one or the blob known as the blogosphere? Dada is like Taoism because they play with language's inability to explain the universe. That's why I can't really get to the point in this paragraph. Dada cannot fit in a paragraph. Dada cannot fit anywhere. Dada fits in empty space. Dada destroys occupied space. Although Dada is an old art movement, it always seems fresh to me when I apply it.
Dada and skepticism can be used for self-defense. If I want to protect myself from scams and hoaxes, I will use skepticism. If I want to protect myself from creeping boredom and dead seriousness, I will use dada. I apply logic and the scientific method in skepticism, whereas I apply the artistic approach in dada. If my self-defense works, I become a stronger skeptic or I become a more creative and fun-loving person.
How has skepticism changed me in the past year?
I have found that skepticism has been the healthiest and most logical viewpoint I can have on the known universe. A skeptic is a firm believer in the scientific method. Although I was never liked most of my science courses, I did like science's approach to knowing the world around us. Ever since listening to SGU's podcast, I have been hooked on reading books about skepticism and its attack on pseudoscience. Here are the books I have read so far in order of my preference:
- Carl Sagan, The Demon-Haunted World
- Terence Hines, Pseudoscience and the Paranormal
- James Randi, Flim-Flam!
And Dada is still very important in my life in terms of having fun and expressing myself. For example, this posting is not very Dada. Dada mocks this style. For what is the use of blogging to no one or the blob known as the blogosphere? Dada is like Taoism because they play with language's inability to explain the universe. That's why I can't really get to the point in this paragraph. Dada cannot fit in a paragraph. Dada cannot fit anywhere. Dada fits in empty space. Dada destroys occupied space. Although Dada is an old art movement, it always seems fresh to me when I apply it.
Dada and skepticism can be used for self-defense. If I want to protect myself from scams and hoaxes, I will use skepticism. If I want to protect myself from creeping boredom and dead seriousness, I will use dada. I apply logic and the scientific method in skepticism, whereas I apply the artistic approach in dada. If my self-defense works, I become a stronger skeptic or I become a more creative and fun-loving person.
How has skepticism changed me in the past year?
- I no longer sit on the fence about my belief or disbelief in UFOs, ghosts, and psychic powers.
- I have an even stronger argument against the fallacies of creationism and The Bible-as-literal-truth.
- I wish more people turned towards science rather than religion for answers, especially for questions like "How old is the world?"
- I have a stronger belief in Western medicine but not in the current American health care system.
- It has given me a new angle to view politics, although I reach the same conclusion of most politicians cannot be trusted.
- I have new found love for the sciences.
- I am more optimistic about the future.
Thank you skepticism.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Contentment
How can you stop time? You can stop time by feeling content. The more you strip away your worries and your desires, the slower time seems to move. This could be one of the reasons that time felt as if it moved slowly when we were younger.
Contentment alone is enough
Indeed, the bliss of eternity can be found in your contentment - Tao Te Ching, verse 46
When you get there, the world already seems like a better place. No drugs necessary.
Contentment alone is enough
Indeed, the bliss of eternity can be found in your contentment - Tao Te Ching, verse 46
When you get there, the world already seems like a better place. No drugs necessary.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Hidden Greatness
Greatness usually surprises us. If we expected greatness, then it wouldn't be great. On the contrary, things that are popularly known as great don't usually turn out to be so. A lot of what we perceive as great is just an illusion. That's when belief in greatness outweighs the reality of greatness.
Specifics? The hype of Hollywood and news from the mass media. Is it me or is the mass media 99% hype? "Come and watch our show," they say. "It will be great!" And it is not. It's the technique of a poor magician.
If you are great, then there is no need to advertise. The people behind the products don't trust our judgment, so they make it for us. That's the commercial world we live in. How much greatness is contained in our commercial world? Not much.
Most greatness is contained in our spiritual world. But we don't "see" people attracted to it because it doesn't advertise. The opposite of advertisement is discovery. Greatness is found from within. Our heart or soul recognizes greatness, and when it tells the brain, the brain realizes its been duped the whole time in the commercial/material world.
These three lines from Verse 45 of the Tao Te Ching inspired today's posting:
Great truth seems false
Great skill seems clumsy
Great eloquence seems like babble
When greatness seems far from it, the advertisers stay away. Greatness is not about image.
Specifics? The hype of Hollywood and news from the mass media. Is it me or is the mass media 99% hype? "Come and watch our show," they say. "It will be great!" And it is not. It's the technique of a poor magician.
If you are great, then there is no need to advertise. The people behind the products don't trust our judgment, so they make it for us. That's the commercial world we live in. How much greatness is contained in our commercial world? Not much.
Most greatness is contained in our spiritual world. But we don't "see" people attracted to it because it doesn't advertise. The opposite of advertisement is discovery. Greatness is found from within. Our heart or soul recognizes greatness, and when it tells the brain, the brain realizes its been duped the whole time in the commercial/material world.
These three lines from Verse 45 of the Tao Te Ching inspired today's posting:
Great truth seems false
Great skill seems clumsy
Great eloquence seems like babble
When greatness seems far from it, the advertisers stay away. Greatness is not about image.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Great Perfection
The Great Perfection seems imperfect, yet this world it creates is never impaired
The Great Fullness seems empty, yet this world it creates is never lacking
Something that seems imperfect to us may actually be the Great Perfection. Having the perception of a single human being, it is impossible to grasp unity, the All.
Think about a cycle. The universe is full of cycles. If you focus at the center of the cycle, you will see its hollow--emptiness. But if you focus at the edge of the cycle, you will see the stages of the process--fullness, containing no ending.
The Great Fullness seems empty, yet this world it creates is never lacking
Something that seems imperfect to us may actually be the Great Perfection. Having the perception of a single human being, it is impossible to grasp unity, the All.
Think about a cycle. The universe is full of cycles. If you focus at the center of the cycle, you will see its hollow--emptiness. But if you focus at the edge of the cycle, you will see the stages of the process--fullness, containing no ending.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Zen
Taoism + Buddhism = Zen Buddhism.
Evidence of the overlapping philosophy can be found at the end of verse 44 of the Tao Te Ching. What does it say? I'll write right here...
Be content, rest in your own fullness--
You will not suffer from loss
You'll avoid the snare of this world
You'll have long life and endless blessings
Why desire what you don't have? When you realize how much you already have, then your life is fulfilled. I'm not talking about materialist things and stuff. Everything you ever need is always with you. That's why you were born they way you were. But how should I know? You are an anonymous blog reader. Don't freak me out.
Evidence of the overlapping philosophy can be found at the end of verse 44 of the Tao Te Ching. What does it say? I'll write right here...
Be content, rest in your own fullness--
You will not suffer from loss
You'll avoid the snare of this world
You'll have long life and endless blessings
Why desire what you don't have? When you realize how much you already have, then your life is fulfilled. I'm not talking about materialist things and stuff. Everything you ever need is always with you. That's why you were born they way you were. But how should I know? You are an anonymous blog reader. Don't freak me out.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Two Good Lines
In the middle of verse 44 of the Tao Te Ching, it says:
Love is the fruit of sacrifice.
Wealth is the fruit of generosity.
This message reads clear to me.
Love is the fruit of sacrifice.
Wealth is the fruit of generosity.
This message reads clear to me.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Ego and Responsibility
I believe there are two kinds of responsibility. The first is thrust upon us by society--our responsibility in the workplace and our responsibility in the family. The second is the responsibility we create for ourselves--our responsibility to whatever group we seek credit. This second aspect of responsibility is ego-driven. Its only purpose is to impress others, make oneself feel "good," and to pursue power. I believe we do not need this.
Verse 44 of the Tao Te Ching states:
One's own reputation--why the fuss?
One's own wealth--why the concern?
I say, what you gain is more trouble than what you lose
When taking on this second aspect of responsibility, one often neglects relationships and shrugs off some of the first type of responsibility, the kind that keeps humanity together. If one pursues the second type at the expense of the first, one will likely find success, but the price will be isolation.
Verse 44 of the Tao Te Ching states:
One's own reputation--why the fuss?
One's own wealth--why the concern?
I say, what you gain is more trouble than what you lose
When taking on this second aspect of responsibility, one often neglects relationships and shrugs off some of the first type of responsibility, the kind that keeps humanity together. If one pursues the second type at the expense of the first, one will likely find success, but the price will be isolation.
Friday, February 01, 2008
The Meek Shall Inherit the Earth
The title comes from the Torah in Psalms 37:11 and in the Gospel of Matthew 5:5. Verse 43 of the Tao Te Ching is very similar. It states:
The most yielding thing in the world will overcome the most rigid
The most empty thing in the world will overcome the most full
From this comes a lesson--Stillness benefits more than action, Silence benefits more than words
Rare indeed are those who are still
Rare indeed are those who are silent
And so I say, "Rare indeed are those obtain the bounty of this world."
I interpreted this verse as saying that patience wins over everything. All aggression burns out, leaving the passive still there. When one has found Unity or God, there is nothing more to gain. The answer or the solution comes to those who are still and silent.
The most yielding thing in the world will overcome the most rigid
The most empty thing in the world will overcome the most full
From this comes a lesson--Stillness benefits more than action, Silence benefits more than words
Rare indeed are those who are still
Rare indeed are those who are silent
And so I say, "Rare indeed are those obtain the bounty of this world."
I interpreted this verse as saying that patience wins over everything. All aggression burns out, leaving the passive still there. When one has found Unity or God, there is nothing more to gain. The answer or the solution comes to those who are still and silent.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Ego or Non-Ego?
This is about prophetic coincidence. I've had this happen several times, but I am skeptical of it carrying any meaning. The first time I had observed this was in 1992. A year or so earlier, I was writing about a group of pathetic superheros who became real superheros. One of the momentous occasions in their adventures started when Chicago experienced a flood. Then in 1992, Chicago experienced a real flood.
My ego swelled up with guilty pride. I thought I had predicted this awful event. And for a brief time, I believed that I could control the future with the stroke of my pen. Then I reflected that I only successfully predicted the future when I did not think about predicting the future. So I came to this new conclusion--I can only predict the future when I don't think about predicting the future. Silly?
Other less remarkable predictions occurred during the early 90s, but I cannot recall them. I just remember being baffled by the amount. A lot of them had to do with those superhero stories I was writing. I even stopped writing because I was going to build up to a horrendous showdown between good and evil. That showdown was never written. So did I save the world?
The predictions coming true in high school gave was to wishes coming true in college. I blogged about this in my "Still Thirty" blog. By the end of 1997, I was freaked out that everything I ever wanted happened--I got a girlfriend, the Packers won the Superbowl, the Beatles released new music, I actually won something athletically. It seemed that everything I based my identity on as a child became reality. I was happy but also uneasy that the world seemingly revolved around me that year.
Then I began traveling around the world for the next decade--something I always dreamed about as a child. Why was God being so good to me, I asked myself. During this decade of travel, many of my apocalyptic dreams of my angst-ridden teenage years were coming true. I was dead certain that we would be in a war and the United States would lose its high status in the world. I wasn't surprised about the turn of events. However I wished I wasn't so gloomy and doomsdayish back then.
That's when I came to thinking that I wasn't predicting or manipulating reality, I was actually tapping into the collective unconscious, the universal mind. I have never been able to do this consciously and I don't think I ever will, but when I came to this conclusion I felt at ease like the world and the human race won't meet a drastic ending anytime soon. I felt no need to worry about the future state of things.
This realization was similar to my mystical experiences mentioned in an earlier posting. We'll always be around. As I get older, I feel as if reality is becoming more and more like me. Or vice-versa I'm becoming more and more like reality. Am I conforming or is the world following me? This is the ultimate question of ego versus non-ego.
If I were a narcissist, I would believe that I was actually controlling the world or reality through some pseudo-scientific method like psychic powers. I don't believe this.
Through reading and experiencing life, I feel like the world is becoming more and more familiar. It's somewhat similar to saying that I am beginning to recognize God. This feeling makes me not afraid to die because I feel as if the universe is me and I am the universe, which to an extent is true. What is in the macrocosm (the universe) is in the microcosm (the mind/body). This sounds egotistical, but it is the opposite. Everybody contains the universe as the universe contains everybody.
Now I sound a bit crazy, but this craziness is supported by the Tao Te Ching and other esoteric spiritual texts. The purpose of this blog is to illustrate how my thoughts evolved from perceiving the world or reality when coincidences occur. Now I don't need coincidences to occur to make me feel or believe this. I've had so many coincidences in my life that I am certain in my beliefs.
Does this certainty make me old?
My ego swelled up with guilty pride. I thought I had predicted this awful event. And for a brief time, I believed that I could control the future with the stroke of my pen. Then I reflected that I only successfully predicted the future when I did not think about predicting the future. So I came to this new conclusion--I can only predict the future when I don't think about predicting the future. Silly?
Other less remarkable predictions occurred during the early 90s, but I cannot recall them. I just remember being baffled by the amount. A lot of them had to do with those superhero stories I was writing. I even stopped writing because I was going to build up to a horrendous showdown between good and evil. That showdown was never written. So did I save the world?
The predictions coming true in high school gave was to wishes coming true in college. I blogged about this in my "Still Thirty" blog. By the end of 1997, I was freaked out that everything I ever wanted happened--I got a girlfriend, the Packers won the Superbowl, the Beatles released new music, I actually won something athletically. It seemed that everything I based my identity on as a child became reality. I was happy but also uneasy that the world seemingly revolved around me that year.
Then I began traveling around the world for the next decade--something I always dreamed about as a child. Why was God being so good to me, I asked myself. During this decade of travel, many of my apocalyptic dreams of my angst-ridden teenage years were coming true. I was dead certain that we would be in a war and the United States would lose its high status in the world. I wasn't surprised about the turn of events. However I wished I wasn't so gloomy and doomsdayish back then.
That's when I came to thinking that I wasn't predicting or manipulating reality, I was actually tapping into the collective unconscious, the universal mind. I have never been able to do this consciously and I don't think I ever will, but when I came to this conclusion I felt at ease like the world and the human race won't meet a drastic ending anytime soon. I felt no need to worry about the future state of things.
This realization was similar to my mystical experiences mentioned in an earlier posting. We'll always be around. As I get older, I feel as if reality is becoming more and more like me. Or vice-versa I'm becoming more and more like reality. Am I conforming or is the world following me? This is the ultimate question of ego versus non-ego.
If I were a narcissist, I would believe that I was actually controlling the world or reality through some pseudo-scientific method like psychic powers. I don't believe this.
Through reading and experiencing life, I feel like the world is becoming more and more familiar. It's somewhat similar to saying that I am beginning to recognize God. This feeling makes me not afraid to die because I feel as if the universe is me and I am the universe, which to an extent is true. What is in the macrocosm (the universe) is in the microcosm (the mind/body). This sounds egotistical, but it is the opposite. Everybody contains the universe as the universe contains everybody.
Now I sound a bit crazy, but this craziness is supported by the Tao Te Ching and other esoteric spiritual texts. The purpose of this blog is to illustrate how my thoughts evolved from perceiving the world or reality when coincidences occur. Now I don't need coincidences to occur to make me feel or believe this. I've had so many coincidences in my life that I am certain in my beliefs.
Does this certainty make me old?
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Belief-o-matic
Today I took the Belief-o-Matic Test from Beliefnet.com. Although the test isn't entirely scientific and I would like to have had more questions, it came fairly close to what I believe. I'd like to share my results with the you and for my future self.
#1 Unitarian Universalism - Anybody would get this as the #1 score because all answers are acceptable.
#2 Liberal Quakers - Yes, I'm very interested in coming to one of the Friend's Meetings.
#3 Mahayana Buddhism
#4 Theravada Buddhism - I'm surprised both #3 and #4 scored this high as I don't like hierarchy in religion.
#5 Neo-Pagan - Not too surprised here, although I don't like the self-righteousness many "neo-pagans" have.
#6 New Age - The only hippie in me.
#7 Taoism - I expected this to be #1, however I disagree with some tenets of Taoist religion as opposed to Taoist philosophy.
#8 Liberal Christian Protestantism - I was raised this way through puberty.
#9 Jainism - I don't know much about this religion.
#10 New Thought - same as above
#11 Hinduism - Although I'm fond of lists, the caste system and the hierarchy of gods annoys me. Besides that, many Hindu things interest me.
#12 Secular Humanism - I don't mind this title.
#13 Orthodox Quaker - How can I tell if a Meeting I attend is Liberal or Orthodox?
#14 Reform Judaism - I don't know much except that it is in vogue.
#15 Scientology - Oh God, please no!
#16 Christian Science - No matter how I hard I tried, I can only see this as religion an oxymoron.
#17 Baha'i - I wouldn't mind experiencing this religion. I like their temple in Skokie.
#18 Nontheist - Yes, I do believe that God is God and Organized Religion is Satan.
#19 Sikhism - Maybe.
#20 Seventh Day Adventist - I don't drink or smoke, but I can't give up meat.
#21 Orthodox Judaism - That would be strange.
#22 Islam - I'm surprised this scored so low. I'm very interested in Islamic philosophy and especially Sufism.
#23 Conservative Christianity - I was raised this way through childhood. I have had enough of that misery. I've died (from them) and gone to heaven already.
#24 Mormons - No vote for Romney from me. Sorry Mitt.
#25 Eastern Orthodox - I saw it in Russia and felt no compulsion to join.
#26 Roman Catholic - They eat their God! Like a doughnut, He is holy.
#27 Jehovah's Witness - Yes, they are a pesky bunch.
If you would like to take this same test, click here for a link.
Addendum: My wife just took the test and we scored the same for #1, #2, #26, and #27. Other close scores, Mahayana Buddhism scored #3 for me and #4 for her, New Age scored #6 for me and #7 for her. The order was roughly the same all the way through. In this sense, she is my soul mate.
Out of One, Many
Verse 42 starts like this in English:
"Tao gives life to the one
The one gives life to the two
The two give life to the three
The three give life to ten thousand things."
God is all and we are a part of it.
Yet in this world we see ourselves as "ten thousand" people.
The Chinese character/symbol for "ten thousand" also means "many."
Out of all these people, you can divide the human race into two:
"Tao gives life to the one
The one gives life to the two
The two give life to the three
The three give life to ten thousand things."
God is all and we are a part of it.
Yet in this world we see ourselves as "ten thousand" people.
The Chinese character/symbol for "ten thousand" also means "many."
Out of all these people, you can divide the human race into two:
- us and them
- men and women
- dominant and passive
- givers and takers
- etc.
But this dualistic view of the world (liberal/conservative) lacks shape and roundedness. What is lacking is the third element--the element that binds us and unites us. Here are some examples of what binds two apparent opposites:
- love - men and women
- money - buyer and seller
- food - cook and consumer
And when we turn our focus from the opposite to the binding element, we then can find peace.
- 1 Man + 1 Woman = 1 child (3 total people)
- 1 Person + 1 Other Person through Love = all things possible (10,000+)
All this I have interpreted from part of a verse in the middle of the Tao Te Ching. What can you get?
Thursday, December 27, 2007
I Read the News Today
From The Economic Times at http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Editorials/
You_are_one_with_God/articleshow/2654057.cms
Here is the full text:
Our minds aren’t individually separated entities of the universe. They’re all one. They’re the same. Our minds are interlinked and directly affect each other. This is collective consciousness.
If we catch a cold from someone, we may suffer physically for a few days and we may eventually get over it. But when we catch thoughts from people, we suffer mentally forever. Not just once, but forever. Similarly, our thoughts affect people around us. Our thoughts affect not only those touched by it, but every living thing on our planet.
This connection doesn’t end at the mental level. A deeper connection exists at the deeper levels of consciousness. We can perceive these as energy layers of our body. There are seven energy layers: physical, pranic, mental, subtle, causal, cosmic, and nirvanic.
We all seem different entities, with many differences, at the physical level. We, God and master are physically removed from each other at this level. There is a great deal of distance at the physical level. When we love someone intimately at physical level, his or her love and suffering affects us. We don’t want to suffer but we cannot escape from it. We suffer again and again, whether it’s a physical pain or mental suffering or spiritual bondage. It comes and goes out of your being.
We suffer because we aren’t aware that we’re a part of the collective consciousness. Until we become aware and realise that we are a part of collective consciousness, we think that we’ve an individual identity, a separate ego. In the deeper levels, we don’t have an individual entity; we are a part of collective consciousness.
Let us dive a little deeper, move from the physical level and enter into the next level, the pranic level. The distance is somewhat reduced. Travel farther down, dive deeper to the subtle level the distance between us and master get further reduced. This in turn reduces the distance between us, God and master. The distance between God, master, and us constantly shrinks as we enter into deeper energy layers.
Our journey ends at the nirvanic level where there is no distance between God, master, and us. We are all one. We reach the centre of the universal energy.
Yes, it is very difficult for the intellect to believe or accept it. Your mind will resist it. But, this is the truth. You are God and you become aware of it as you ascend the energy layers.
You_are_one_with_God/articleshow/2654057.cms
Here is the full text:
Our minds aren’t individually separated entities of the universe. They’re all one. They’re the same. Our minds are interlinked and directly affect each other. This is collective consciousness.
If we catch a cold from someone, we may suffer physically for a few days and we may eventually get over it. But when we catch thoughts from people, we suffer mentally forever. Not just once, but forever. Similarly, our thoughts affect people around us. Our thoughts affect not only those touched by it, but every living thing on our planet.
This connection doesn’t end at the mental level. A deeper connection exists at the deeper levels of consciousness. We can perceive these as energy layers of our body. There are seven energy layers: physical, pranic, mental, subtle, causal, cosmic, and nirvanic.
We all seem different entities, with many differences, at the physical level. We, God and master are physically removed from each other at this level. There is a great deal of distance at the physical level. When we love someone intimately at physical level, his or her love and suffering affects us. We don’t want to suffer but we cannot escape from it. We suffer again and again, whether it’s a physical pain or mental suffering or spiritual bondage. It comes and goes out of your being.
We suffer because we aren’t aware that we’re a part of the collective consciousness. Until we become aware and realise that we are a part of collective consciousness, we think that we’ve an individual identity, a separate ego. In the deeper levels, we don’t have an individual entity; we are a part of collective consciousness.
Let us dive a little deeper, move from the physical level and enter into the next level, the pranic level. The distance is somewhat reduced. Travel farther down, dive deeper to the subtle level the distance between us and master get further reduced. This in turn reduces the distance between us, God and master. The distance between God, master, and us constantly shrinks as we enter into deeper energy layers.
Our journey ends at the nirvanic level where there is no distance between God, master, and us. We are all one. We reach the centre of the universal energy.
Yes, it is very difficult for the intellect to believe or accept it. Your mind will resist it. But, this is the truth. You are God and you become aware of it as you ascend the energy layers.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
My Mystical Experience
It occurred in October of 2004. I was sitting on the floor of our home in Seoul, Korea and putting together a reflective play list of music. With only four songs into this play list, I was overtaken by a certain thought and a certain a mood. I got a certain glimpse into life after death--I no longer feared it. I understood for that moment that life is infinite.
I have had these thoughts before, but this feeling was exceptionally strong. And this was the first time I ever heard a voice telling me to write it down this time. This brought me closer to understanding Mohammed and his calling to write the Qur'an. But I wasn't thinking about Islam or any other religion, I was enjoying this peaceful ride of thought. It's something I always look back to and cherish that it is within me.
For about 90 minutes, my hand was writing non-stop the thoughts that were pouring out of my head. The writing stopped when my usual everyday awareness and logic overtook the quiet peaceful glimpse into whatever it was. When I had these experiences before, it was my logic that would always silence this mystic experience. I learned to suspend my skeptical logic and let the idea flow. 90 minutes was the longest I was able to do this--and I now I have a written record of it.
With this information, I sought out the religion that most closely resembled that stream of consciousness. I briefly researched world religions and came upon Taoism. For the next couple of years, I read Taoist texts and found that they expressed what I experienced better than my own writing.
It wasn't until recently that I realized that my experience was a mystical one, not just focused on Taoism. But I believe it would be too pompous to declare myself a mystic. For one, I'm not completely leading the life of my experience. I'm enjoying my current life and am afraid to abandon it for mysticism. So I hold on to both mysticism and nihilism to keep me who I am today. Once I let go of one, I will be a changed man.
Not yet ready for a change of that sort.
What ever happened to that play list?
I've made it into a CD, but it never recreated the mystical experience. It helps me reflect on that experience though.
I have had these thoughts before, but this feeling was exceptionally strong. And this was the first time I ever heard a voice telling me to write it down this time. This brought me closer to understanding Mohammed and his calling to write the Qur'an. But I wasn't thinking about Islam or any other religion, I was enjoying this peaceful ride of thought. It's something I always look back to and cherish that it is within me.
For about 90 minutes, my hand was writing non-stop the thoughts that were pouring out of my head. The writing stopped when my usual everyday awareness and logic overtook the quiet peaceful glimpse into whatever it was. When I had these experiences before, it was my logic that would always silence this mystic experience. I learned to suspend my skeptical logic and let the idea flow. 90 minutes was the longest I was able to do this--and I now I have a written record of it.
With this information, I sought out the religion that most closely resembled that stream of consciousness. I briefly researched world religions and came upon Taoism. For the next couple of years, I read Taoist texts and found that they expressed what I experienced better than my own writing.
It wasn't until recently that I realized that my experience was a mystical one, not just focused on Taoism. But I believe it would be too pompous to declare myself a mystic. For one, I'm not completely leading the life of my experience. I'm enjoying my current life and am afraid to abandon it for mysticism. So I hold on to both mysticism and nihilism to keep me who I am today. Once I let go of one, I will be a changed man.
Not yet ready for a change of that sort.
What ever happened to that play list?
I've made it into a CD, but it never recreated the mystical experience. It helps me reflect on that experience though.
Friday, December 21, 2007
And I'm Back...and who cares?
Did you ever notice how many "I"s are in nihilism? You probably did.
Did you ever think about that means? If you are a nihilist, you probably did and came to the conclusion that it meant nothing. You would be right.
Then again...you might be wrong. There are 3 letter "I"s in nihilism. And they stand for the ego of the nihilist, which also has 3 "i"s--no coincidence. This analysis alone would annoy the nihilist. There is no meaning in anything, and that includes the words nihilism and nihilist.
Where am I going? I'm diving into the word but not the world of nihilism. It takes a lot of ego to assert that there is no meaning. The nihilist points out how there is no meaning in meaningful events like Christmas. They point out the economic need for this holiday superceding the religious need. Anyway, there is no God, the nihilists point out.
What an ego a nihilist must have to remove the smiles from the believers. Behind the smiles is hope and behind that hope is confidence and the will to live. The educated nihilist has the necessary weapons to remove the soul from the lesser educated believers. Do the nihilists get a kick out of this? I think some of them do. And that gives meaning to their lives--the paradox.
Is it right for the nihilist to find meaning in his or her life? Or am I confusing goals with meaning? A linguistic trap. Do our goals give us meaning? I believe so. So I challenge the nihilists to remove all goals from their lives--and then they can live their nihilistic lives to the fullest.
No, the nihilist must not succumb to the goals of others because that makes their goals to serve someone--like their bosses or their parents or their teachers. Anarchy for no reason with no goal. Is that possible? I say no.
I don't believe in the pure nihilist. As long as there is ego, there is a goal, and there is meaning. Something drives the nihilist, and it can be found in the ego. Maybe it is the ego.
Did you ever think about that means? If you are a nihilist, you probably did and came to the conclusion that it meant nothing. You would be right.
Then again...you might be wrong. There are 3 letter "I"s in nihilism. And they stand for the ego of the nihilist, which also has 3 "i"s--no coincidence. This analysis alone would annoy the nihilist. There is no meaning in anything, and that includes the words nihilism and nihilist.
Where am I going? I'm diving into the word but not the world of nihilism. It takes a lot of ego to assert that there is no meaning. The nihilist points out how there is no meaning in meaningful events like Christmas. They point out the economic need for this holiday superceding the religious need. Anyway, there is no God, the nihilists point out.
What an ego a nihilist must have to remove the smiles from the believers. Behind the smiles is hope and behind that hope is confidence and the will to live. The educated nihilist has the necessary weapons to remove the soul from the lesser educated believers. Do the nihilists get a kick out of this? I think some of them do. And that gives meaning to their lives--the paradox.
Is it right for the nihilist to find meaning in his or her life? Or am I confusing goals with meaning? A linguistic trap. Do our goals give us meaning? I believe so. So I challenge the nihilists to remove all goals from their lives--and then they can live their nihilistic lives to the fullest.
No, the nihilist must not succumb to the goals of others because that makes their goals to serve someone--like their bosses or their parents or their teachers. Anarchy for no reason with no goal. Is that possible? I say no.
I don't believe in the pure nihilist. As long as there is ego, there is a goal, and there is meaning. Something drives the nihilist, and it can be found in the ego. Maybe it is the ego.
Sunday, August 27, 2006
Halftime
I have written and discussed half of the verses from the Tao Te Ching and will take an extensive break from it as I am about to embark on some drastic life changes. I will resume with the second half of the Tao Te Ching as soon as I am settled and have as much free time as I did before. For the time being, hold on. It will return.
Saturday, August 26, 2006
Verse Forty-one
When the best seeker hears of Tao, he strives with great effort to know it. When an average seeker hears of Tao, he thinks of it now and again. When the poorest seeker hears of Tao, he laughs out loud.
- Unity interests those who are especially seeking universal truth.
- If one is not interested in truth, then the message is silly.
Application: This reminds me of the Sufi saying, "Teach to those according to their understanding." We shouldn't talk about Taoism or Sufism to those who don't want to hear it. I find myself a seeker these days, so I approach both ways of life with an open mind. I have found extraordinary similarities between the two. The same goes for Quakerism which I have recently come across.
Tao is always becoming what we have need for it to become. If it could not do this, it would not be Tao.
- Unity obeys the needs of all
- If unity obeyed only individuals, then it would not function.
Application: Tao has become what I have need for it to become. The flexibility of the philosophy is what appeals to me. Rigidity in religion is either short-lived or doesn't apply to all people, and that's why most popular religions do no appeal to me.
There is an old saying, the clear way seems clouded, the straight way seems crooked, the sure way seems unsteady.
- Things are not always what they appear.
- If fact, they can appear as their opposite.
Application: This could be interpreted as "beware of false prophets," in which the loudest preachers seem right whereas the quiet ones do not. Usually the forceful or hypnotic prophet is only interest in self-promotion rather than global illumination. The right message always come from a person who is passive and flexible like the Tao itself.
The greatest power seems weak. The purest white seems tainted. The abundant seems empty. The stable seems shaky. The certain seems false. The Great Square has no corners. The Great Vessel is never filled.
A beginner may be clumsy, but after practice--what talent! A large drum may sit silently, but when banged--what noise! Tao lies hidden, yet alone it is the glorious light of this world.
- When one grasps the Tao, then its purpose and function is revealed.
- When one cannot grasp it, it lies hidden and dormant.
Application: I believe I have found the Tao in open-minded meditation, where I found myself understanding everyone including my enemies, and that brought upon love for them. That reminded my of Jesus saying, "Love your enemies." It was then when I totally realized what he meant. The thing is I cannot reveal the Tao to others because it is hidden and is only found through personal insight. Know thyself in order to love your enemies.
- Unity interests those who are especially seeking universal truth.
- If one is not interested in truth, then the message is silly.
Application: This reminds me of the Sufi saying, "Teach to those according to their understanding." We shouldn't talk about Taoism or Sufism to those who don't want to hear it. I find myself a seeker these days, so I approach both ways of life with an open mind. I have found extraordinary similarities between the two. The same goes for Quakerism which I have recently come across.
Tao is always becoming what we have need for it to become. If it could not do this, it would not be Tao.
- Unity obeys the needs of all
- If unity obeyed only individuals, then it would not function.
Application: Tao has become what I have need for it to become. The flexibility of the philosophy is what appeals to me. Rigidity in religion is either short-lived or doesn't apply to all people, and that's why most popular religions do no appeal to me.
There is an old saying, the clear way seems clouded, the straight way seems crooked, the sure way seems unsteady.
- Things are not always what they appear.
- If fact, they can appear as their opposite.
Application: This could be interpreted as "beware of false prophets," in which the loudest preachers seem right whereas the quiet ones do not. Usually the forceful or hypnotic prophet is only interest in self-promotion rather than global illumination. The right message always come from a person who is passive and flexible like the Tao itself.
The greatest power seems weak. The purest white seems tainted. The abundant seems empty. The stable seems shaky. The certain seems false. The Great Square has no corners. The Great Vessel is never filled.
A beginner may be clumsy, but after practice--what talent! A large drum may sit silently, but when banged--what noise! Tao lies hidden, yet alone it is the glorious light of this world.
- When one grasps the Tao, then its purpose and function is revealed.
- When one cannot grasp it, it lies hidden and dormant.
Application: I believe I have found the Tao in open-minded meditation, where I found myself understanding everyone including my enemies, and that brought upon love for them. That reminded my of Jesus saying, "Love your enemies." It was then when I totally realized what he meant. The thing is I cannot reveal the Tao to others because it is hidden and is only found through personal insight. Know thyself in order to love your enemies.
Friday, August 25, 2006
Verse Forty
The movement of Tao is to return. The way of Tao is to yield.
- The process of unity is cyclical.
- Even though the cycle is passive, it never stops.
Application: I believe in the cyclical process of nature. I don't believe in the linear concept of life from birth to death. I have seen cycles in everything from good times to hard times. Life is not over when we die, is what I'm getting at. But "heaven" isn't permanent either. There is no permanence except Tao or unity or God or the universe or whatever you'd like to call It.
Heaven, Earth, and all things are born of the existent world. The existent world is born of the nothingness of Tao.
- Individuals are born into the known world
- The known world comes from the unknown and hidden unity
Application: I am beginning to believe that the "stuff" of God is in the emptiness and hidden. God is in silence, the space between objects, the love between relationships, the emptiness of outer space, etc. All that "stuff" is permanent as opposed to the noise, the objects, the relationships, and the physical contents of the universe. This is becoming my worldview.
- The process of unity is cyclical.
- Even though the cycle is passive, it never stops.
Application: I believe in the cyclical process of nature. I don't believe in the linear concept of life from birth to death. I have seen cycles in everything from good times to hard times. Life is not over when we die, is what I'm getting at. But "heaven" isn't permanent either. There is no permanence except Tao or unity or God or the universe or whatever you'd like to call It.
Heaven, Earth, and all things are born of the existent world. The existent world is born of the nothingness of Tao.
- Individuals are born into the known world
- The known world comes from the unknown and hidden unity
Application: I am beginning to believe that the "stuff" of God is in the emptiness and hidden. God is in silence, the space between objects, the love between relationships, the emptiness of outer space, etc. All that "stuff" is permanent as opposed to the noise, the objects, the relationships, and the physical contents of the universe. This is becoming my worldview.
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