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Posts by Richard Murphy6

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OCD: General Discussion Thread in Psychology & Therapy · Apr 12, 2007

So, my girlfriend definitely shows some classic OCD traits.
Quick question for the group—does anyone else deal with their feet turning outward when they walk? I know, I know, it sounds totally random and maybe a bit unscientific, but I’ve started noticing this weird link between certain personality types and the way they carry themselves. Like, if you look at folks like Howard Hughes or Nikola Tesla...

Resurrection in Spirituality · Apr 12, 2007

wearyowl29 said:But let's break this down: what does it actually mean to conquer death? And why is death even framed as something we need to defeat in the first place?

Honestly? It's because I'm terrified of it and I'm just not ready to go!

Siddhartha in Spirituality · Apr 9, 2007

That works, Hess.
Give "my faith" a shot. Check out his letters.

How to turn off your emotions in Psychology · Apr 9, 2007

Nancy Thompson3 said:Yeah. You either end up like a vegetable or you spiral straight into deep depression.

Anyone hanging out in the depression threads will tell you the same thing—depression is basically just a massive pileup of emotions, and most people label them as "negative."
I know this from my own life, sure, but I’ve read it in books too!
I remember someone once posted a really insightful piece about emotions based on work by Antonia Damasio over on the IMF forums. It would be awesome if someone could track that down and paste it here. If I don't do it, it feels like nobody ever will!

Resurrection in Spirituality · Apr 9, 2007

Nancy Thompson3 said:Why is it bugging you?
Thanks for the reply.

That’s a great question. Honestly, I’m not even sure why it’s weighing on my mind! Let's just say I've started leaning toward believing in the "supernatural." Yogananda touches on stuff like that, but things really started clicking for me after I read that interview with Castaneda. He was saying something along the lines of how nobody actually cares about the version of Jesus who rose from the dead and ascended into heaven... or something like that.
I’ve always felt like rising from the grave isn't the only way to "beat" death. For the longest time, I figured it was all just symbolic, you know? But now? I'm second-guessing everything. I figured I'd reach out and run it by the folks over at the IMF.
😎

Siddhartha in Spirituality · Apr 8, 2007

So, is it Chrysostom or Narcissus?
Right?

Siddhartha in Spirituality · Apr 8, 2007

Noah Sanchez7 said:Thanks for having me.

Wait, who actually is Govinda?
Where can I find some info on him?
Is it the same kind of vibe we see in Damian?

Resurrection in Spirituality · Apr 8, 2007

Do you guys actually buy into this?
Is it even worth losing sleep over?
What’s your gut feeling on the whole idea?
Does this show up in other spiritual paths besides Christianity? Like, was Jesus the only one to ever experience resurrection, or is there more to the story?
I used to think the whole "resurrected body" thing was just total nonsense—childish stuff, really—but now I'm just spinning my wheels trying to make sense of the doctrine. Is there any connection to that bacterium discovery by Dr. Radman that everyone was buzzing about in the news and seeing all over the headlines lately?
Why is this stuck in my head like this?
Thanks for jumping in on this! Everyone is welcome to join the conversation!

Schizophrenia - General Discussion in Psychology & Therapy · Apr 7, 2007

Quote:

Holstein says:
that’s got absolutely nothing to do with it

Seriously, congrats on cracking the code for schizophrenia! I’ll be sure to put your name forward to the Nobel Committee myself. 👏 😵 🤮 🤮

And why not just let them run wild? Not everyone is going to fold like a cheap lawn chair just because they're shaking in their boots.
There are still folks out there who aren't afraid to see things through to the end and actually stand up for themselves.😉 🙄 👍

Schizophrenia - General Discussion in Psychology & Therapy · Mar 8, 2007

Electroconvulsive therapy? Don't even get me started! I honestly thought they’d phased that stuff out ages ago, man... holy cow!😎

What's the point of Zen koans? in Spirituality · Feb 1, 2007

Karen Sanchez19 said:Well, I don't pray to anyone at all.😁

😁

What's the point of Zen koans? in Spirituality · Jan 31, 2007

Douglas Brown4 said:I am the master. And I am not separate from him.

Even if you were to achieve pure selfhood—which, based on your writing, I don't think you have yet—you would still be disconnected from God, who is the very essence of the universe.

Separate, yes, but in connection with him.

I guess you believe that even in their immortality and purity, senses remain severed.
That basically means MULTIIZAM.🤣
The multi-layered fragmentation of "infinutuUm."

That’s right.

Maybe you've actually convinced me now.
To me, this feels like Douglas Brown4's situation, while the Self is just sitting on the sidelines.
Well, at least I know what kind of "Self-seeker" you are!👍

😁
Enjoy it!!
Where's your better half? Mrs. Q😍
If I can't win with logic, I might as well go for the personal shots!

What's the point of Zen koans? in Spirituality · Jan 31, 2007

Douglas Brown4 said:The Self is me. Eternal and incorporeal. I don't believe it is some byproduct of my brain's neural networks, nor is it an illusion born from focusing on a collective consciousness.
Simply put, the Self is who I am and why I exist.
God is the Self of the entire Universe.

Hmm.
So you think you're the self, but you're still somehow separate from it? Even if you reached this state of pure being—which, based on what you wrote, you haven't quite hit yet—you'd still be disconnected from God, who is the self of the whole universe.
According to your logic, all selves stay separated, even when they reach total immortality and purity.
That sounds like MULTI-SPLITTING to me!🤣
It's like a massive, infinite fragmentation of the "infiniteUm."

What's the point of Zen koans? in Spirituality · Jan 31, 2007

Douglas Brown4 said:Maybe we can't find it because we simply don't understand how neural structures actually function. Perhaps the self isn't from this world at all. It might arrive from the outside into any system complex and well-designed enough to receive it. A neural structure isn't a mechanism that generates the self; rather, it acts as a house that the eternal self moves into. When Fritjof and others discuss this, I wonder: why couldn't I just create a self inside a computer? It doesn't seem reproducible.
The issue, I suspect, lies in the ignorance of those writing these theories. Those who claim the self is the root of frustration and suffering are free to believe that. Personally, I maintain that I am myself, not some illusion of interconnectedness. My suffering doesn't stem from my sense of self, but rather from the egoism of the people around me. That is something that can be resolved.

Do you really think that if we finally cracked the code on how our brain structure works, we’d suddenly "know" everything about the universe? Or what? Also, when you talk about the Self, are you talking about your own Ego, or your core identity? Or do you think they're totally separate things? And just to be clear—are you using "Self" as a synonym for God? I'm a little lost here!

What's the point of Zen koans? in Spirituality · Jan 31, 2007

Douglas Brown4 said:Maybe we can't find it because we simply don't understand how neural structures actually function. Perhaps the self isn't from this world at all. It might arrive from the outside into any system complex and well-designed enough to receive it. A neural structure isn't a mechanism that generates the self; rather, it acts as a house that the eternal self moves into. When Fritjof and others discuss this, I wonder: why couldn't I just create a self inside a computer? It doesn't seem reproducible.
The issue, I suspect, lies in the ignorance of those writing these theories. Those who claim the self is the root of frustration and suffering are free to believe that. Personally, I maintain that I am myself, not some illusion of interconnectedness. My suffering doesn't stem from my sense of self, but rather from the egoism of the people around me. That is something that can be resolved.

Okay, maybe there's a misunderstanding here. Maybe I'm just not catching your drift.
Why don't you lay out your theory? Or if you've written about it somewhere else, drop a link! I want to see it so I can figure out where my take on the "Self" might be missing the mark. Sound good?

What's the point of Zen koans? in Spirituality · Jan 31, 2007

Douglas Brown4;7271283 said:. I'm not big on definitions, so honestly, I don't care what philosophers decide to call it.

okay, *alles klar* (that's German for you!)

HERE IS A SNIPPET ABOUT CONSCIOUSNESS—AND NO, I’M NOT TRYING TO START A WHOLE THING ON THE "MEDITATION" THREAD!!
Fritjof Capra, "Life"—A New Scientific Understanding of Living Systems.
Because of our own ignorance (what they call *avidya*), we slice up the world into separate little objects that seem solid and permanent to us. But in reality? It's all temporary and constantly shifting. When we try to cling to these rigid categories instead of just rolling with the fluidity of life, we basically sign ourselves up for endless frustration.
Buddhist doctrine about impermanence also brings up this idea that THERE IS NO SELF—no permanent "subject" behind all our different experiences. It claims the whole idea of a separate, individual self is just an illusion, another layer of *maya*, just an intellectual concept that isn't actually real. Clinging to that notion of a distinct self leads to the same kind of pain and suffering (*dukkha*) as clinging to any other fixed way of thinking.
And get this: cognitive science has landed on the exact same conclusion! (Varela and his crew). Our "self" or ego doesn't exist on its own; it's just the result of how we internally structure everything. After looking closely at the belief in a fixed, independent self—which causes a sort of "Cartesian anxiety"—Francisco Varela and his colleagues concluded this:
"Our craving for a solid internal ground is the ego-self, and it's the root of constant frustration. That urge for a steady foundation is part of a much larger urge to cling to the outside world through the idea of a pre-set, independent universe. In other words, our obsession with finding firm ground, whether inside or out, is a deep source of unrest and frustration."

That is the core of the human struggle right there. We see ourselves as autonomous individuals, shaped by the history of our structural changes. We are self-aware, conscious of our own identities—but then again, when you go looking for that individual "self" within the world of experience, you can't actually find it!

...

Well, you totally forced my hand into typing this early in the morning! Just kidding. I "accidentally" stumbled upon this section while finishing up this book.

What's the point of Zen koans? in Spirituality · Jan 31, 2007

Douglas Brown4 said:Quentin Tarantino

Sometimes, what lacks subtlety is actually the most subtle thing of all. It’s like watching a high-stakes poker game where the player isn't even trying to hide their bluff—yet, that very lack of pretense is exactly how they manipulate the entire table. It hits you only after the hand is over.
I don't view the world around me as some mere projection of my own mind. It’s a consensus. A collective agreement. Is that really so hard to grasp?
A consensus? What kind of consensus are we even talking about?🙄

Good grief. I think I already made this clear: it happens through an agreement between all individual conscious units. That includes my own consciousness and yours—since, as you can see, I maintain that consciousness is individual, much like what Teilhard de Chardin argued (I'll find a specific quote for you in my planner later)—as well as everyone else's.
And that is how we construct a collective image—essentially, the universe itself. It isn't just limited to human consciousness, I guess. It likely involves the awareness of every being across all worlds, every single particle, and the global consciousness of the quantum vacuum.
Whoa, hold up, Douglas Brown4, I gotta ask! What do you actually mean by "the consciousness of all particles"? And what's the deal with the "consciousness of the quantum vacuum"? Are you throwing God into that mix too? If you're feeling generous, walk me through it!

I'm basically arguing with you that objects exist independently on their own.

Schizophrenia - General Discussion in Psychology & Therapy · Jan 30, 2007

Taylor Campbell4 said:Everything people do stems from the belief that it serves their best interests. It’s a simple concept—take someone who smokes, for instance; they do it because they truly believe it will make them feel better in that moment.
Furthermore, I believe everything that happens to a person in life is intended to serve them in some capacity.
However, it can happen—and indeed does happen—that there comes a point where something simply stops being useful. Depending on one's perspective, or perhaps how much one reflects on it, a person might realize this sooner rather than later (usually the latter)—and it's rarely a black-and-white process, or a clean break where something is needed one day and discarded the next; more often, it's a messy, interactive transition.

I don't get it.

Schizophrenia - General Discussion in Psychology & Therapy · Jan 28, 2007

briskgull27 said:A EE
I honestly feel like they’re walking away with a total win while I’m just breaking even at best.
But hey, it doesn't really matter.
I heard that over in China, they actually have these therapy sessions where you just smash clay pottery.
That sounds like exactly what I need right now 😢 😉

They don't have anything, really. It's more like you're just feeling all that pain way more intensely now because it was always lurking there in the background, you know? Like a low hum you finally noticed.
It's like you smashed your own favorite coffee mug,
even though this idea of a "you" is kind of just a mental construct anyway.
But hey, don't go crying over illusions—that's exactly why they call them illusions!

Schizophrenia - General Discussion in Psychology & Therapy · Jan 28, 2007

briskgull27 said:I really am quite sensitive.

It feels like once you receive a diagnosis, you somehow lose the right to be sensitive—as if people start assuming you’re just making it all up.
While "normal" people are allowed to be sensitive, or even highly emotional, because their reactions are seen as standard, mine are suddenly labeled as abnormal.

Look, everyone feels this way—some people just have thicker skin or better defenses built up. Deep down, we're all dealing with the exact same stuff.
You're feeling the heat right now, both from the outside world and from within your own head. You’re gonna need a massive helping of patience to get through this—like, a whole extra bucketful—and let's be real, nobody actually has any left to give! Don't go blaming yourself for anything. If you did what you could do, then you did it. That's that.
And I totally hear you on the compromise thing; it can feel pretty useless sometimes. But for most folks out there, it's the best way to fly. I'd much rather take a 50/50 split than get hit with a 100-to-0 blowout! And hey, didn't "your" Nash obsess over finding that perfect win-win scenario? We're all just taking small steps toward perfection, one day at a time.