Karen Sanchez19 said:P.S. Are Buffett and Ravana actually active in this thread?
Lately, I haven't seen them at all. Besides, what's the point? Most people here just engage in endless theorizing, essentially sitting around doing nothing while they drift aimlessly wherever the wind blows.
Karen Sanchez19 said:I’m going to ramble a bit here, but I want to pose a question to all of you: what is your ultimate objective when it comes to spiritual practice? What exactly are you trying to achieve, and what does your path look like in the end?😁
To discover whether we are merely walking chunks of meat, or if there is something more to our existence.
Gaudrath said:Baph: Look, you see, the issue here is that that isn't even the right sentence. 🙂The correct version uses the verb "to manifest," not "to come." There is a massive distinction there. I have to reiterate: a teacher does not necessarily have to be a human being; they can be any segment of the Totality. The point is that the teacher exists as a principle rather than an individual. The fundamental difference between a principle and an individual is that a principle teaches simply by existing—it provides an existential example—whereas an individual often carries their own personal agenda. Consequently, a student simply perceives (the principle) the teacher within objects, phenomena, and even people that they previously were unable to comprehend in such a way. It's because they weren't ready. Do you follow?
No. The only thing emerging through the fog for me is that, according to your logic, the teacher doesn't actually exist. If he doesn't exist, then he cannot manifest, because everything is ultimately just inside the head of the student, who is, in reality, also the teacher.
Gaudrath said:Honestly, the only problem is that this sensation—as I mentioned before—is far too vast for classical thought-words. I can mention feelings... the feeling of the planet beneath my feet. The feeling of the mass of the clouds. The feeling of the stream of consciousness from billions of living beings all around us. The feeling of the timelessness of the moment... and so on. But those are merely words, and they cannot convey the essence of the matter. For another person to grasp the essence, they must experience it themselves. I once tried to explain to a friend what it feels like to let your consciousness flow through a tree. I didn't succeed in person while standing next to a particularly beautiful tree, so I doubt I would have much more success doing it over the internet... 🙂
God knows, I don't understand any of this, nor do I see any sense in it. To me, it sounds like pure daydreaming.
And, at least in my opinion, "the feeling of the stream of consciousness from billions of living beings all around us" doesn't sound like a particularly pleasant thing at all.
hollowviper72 said:Furthermore, that sentence doesn't actually carry much weight; it's just one of those clever inversions that sounds profound until you turn it over in your mind about fifteen times... 😛
I remember thinking a similar phrase sounded quite deep—that a teacher appears only when the student is ready... until I applied a modicum of logic and realized it was nothing more than a half-baked, hollow sentiment. After all, a teacher cannot exist without a student. There is your sentence; feel free to spin it around in your head for a while.😉
hollowviper72 said:The meditation technique I employ begins with centering the mind. This is achieved by interrupting the stream of thought—specifically, by placing the mind into "idle mode." Focusing on a single thought likely yields a similar result, but I prefer non-thought, a sort of "mental static," akin to tuning a radio to a dead station. As far as I am aware, meditation is the contemplation of Totality. Since Totality is far too vast to be captured by a single word or thought, it can only be perceived in its entirety through meditation. Perhaps focusing on a single thought allows one to perceive the whole through a single segment, but I would rather run headfirst into a wall.
In that case, why don't you attempt to provide even a rudimentary explanation of this sense of "Totality" you claim to experience when you silence the mind?
hollowviper72 said:Why not? My only concern would be if those kids started throwing things at me or constantly bumping into me.
Oh, certainly... and my only problem with running marathons is that I can't seem to finish them. A fundamental prerequisite for any form of meditation is the "mastery" of the body and its incessant, distracting signals.
hollowviper72 said:And maybe it is because you get tricked into drugs, alcohol and sex with women, mkay? 😉 😛
If anyone actually intends to pursue anything "spiritual," they first need to test their own limits. I personally have no fear of having a few extra beers, smoking some weed, or losing myself in the arms of beautiful women, because for the most part, I am fully capable of controlling my reactions to all of it. This stands in stark contrast to those self-righteous purists who flee from these experiences simply because they lack the willpower to master them.
First off, let’s get one thing straight: a teacher doesn't go out looking for a student.
Secondly, I suggest you actually read the very next sentence I wrote, unless you decided to just skip over it entirely:
'...the student appears only when the teacher is ready.'
hollowviper72 said:Look, everyone experiences meditation differently. For me, it's simple. I can empty my mind even on a crowded bus full of teenagers. Maybe you just have a different approach, or perhaps you're trying to push further than your current capacity allows. And maybe it is because you get tricked into drugs, alcohol and sex with women, mkay? 😉 😛
As far as I am concerned... meditation has nothing to do with "emptying" the mind; true meditation is the intense concentration on a single thought.
Furthermore, based strictly on the quality of your posts, I highly doubt you are advanced enough to actually empty your mind on a bus full of kids. Perhaps you can daydream, certainly—but emptying the mind? Hardly.
Exactly... and there’s one more thing. In my view, meditation is neither easy nor straightforward. Telling someone it's simple is like me telling you that running a marathon is a breeze... you just have to clear 26 miles miles and you're done.
hollowviper72 said:... there is an old saying that the teacher appears once the student is ready.
Ah... here I go again, trying to find a flaw in everything. It seems I am destined to be nothing more than a constant critic, much like 😈
However... I cannot bring myself to fully agree with that proverb; in my estimation, it is only half the truth. One must consider that finding a worthy student is often an uphill battle for the mentor, simply because most people are lazy, intellectually stunted, or driven by nothing more than a shallow desire for quick results—usually fueled by greed, lust, or the pursuit of status.
Therefore, I would propose a necessary expansion to that sentiment... the student appears when the teacher is ready.
Honestly, I am not even going to waste my precious time wading through eight pages of discussion about this movie, because let’s be real: the film is absolute garbage.
I, the very same person who previously argued that the second installment was actually a decent film, can now say with total certainty... TRASH.
Now, I generally despise commenting on movies while they are still in theaters, but I have never encountered such a relentless barrage of pathetic dialogue and melodramatic scenes in any teen romantic comedy. I felt compelled to just tell that Trinity to just die already. Frankly, even Titanic looks gritty and substantial compared to this pathetic little war drama.
In this film, they practically rely on sentences consisting of no more than three to five words. Listen, people, the only one who can pull off that kind of minimalist dialogue is Arnold Schwarzenegger, and even then, he makes it look good. I don't claim to be psychic, but I could predict ninety percent of their dialogue before they even opened their mouths.
The highlight had to be that character operating the train in the inter-world space... when he told Neo that he was God there and then nailed him to the wall 😁. Actually, that specific scene was quite alright; it gave me a glimmer of hope that the entire movie might actually hold up, which is a shame since they failed to develop those ideas any further or with more depth. And, of course, the final battle was fine, though it felt like nothing more than a carbon copy of the fight from the first film.
This movie would have been significantly better if it were trimmed down to about thirty minutes. Just take the opening train station scene + the battle for Zion (minus all those pathetic, moronic one-liners) + the final showdown... and there you have it, a decent movie.
#WildCard said:You’re out here practically summoning the devil and making deals with him, yet you have the audacity to come to us and play the victim! 🙂> Well, you certainly earned it! 😛
He always manages to trick me with that sweet little smile... but once he lets a single tear fall? That's when I'm completely defenseless. 😁
He’s likely off grabbing some beers with the Devil.🙂 😁
And then there's me... the only one here balancing an online existence with a real life. The truth of the matter is, I actually have plans tonight.😁 😈
The Devil can't be at a bar... the Devil *is* the beer.
Oh, please... they'll probably just revoke my driver's license... damn them... there isn't much left to do here except stoically endure yet another absurdity from the Devil-God.
Have you even looked at the questions I haven't answered yet? 😁
I don't want stagnation.
But... since we are on the subject of those Devilish apparitions.
The Devil has once again manifested in the form of a summons to court, where they will mercilessly strip me of my driver's license, effectively barring me from escaping the civilized world for the solace of the mountains and the wilderness. It seems the Devil remains quite active in assuming feminine guises, with the sole purpose of distracting spiritually enlightened individuals.
restlessmarlin6 said:You have a point, I can't... But then again, things either compel you toward further action or they don't... Or perhaps it is just pure desire driving you, which is perfectly fine too. I just want to find out if I truly want this as much as I think I do.
I am not entirely sure what I would actually do, but my primary goal is to tap into my creative potential. I maintain that dreams and those other experiences aren't in vain; they are moments where everything crystallizes, where an idea strikes and a problem is solved. I want to reach that state—to have it within my grasp—regardless of how healthy or feasible that might be.
Hmm... well, if your sole objective is to harness your creative potential, then I would suggest meditation, creative visualization, and similar practices. I cannot recommend any specific author on the subject, as that isn't really my area of expertise. However, there are plenty of meditators here on this forum, so one of them might be able to offer some guidance.
If your English is up to par, you could simply do some research online. You will find just about everything there.
But as a starting point, I would recommend enrolling in a beginner's Yoga course. Once you establish that foundation, things will begin to fall into place naturally. 😉
Hmm... I find it difficult to grasp how you can claim to have an opinion on something you clearly have zero experience with and have never actually attempted. 😈
As I have already stated... it takes a significant amount of time for a person to develop the necessary insight to discern what is truly effective from what is merely superficial.
Tell me, then: what exactly would you do, how would it benefit you, and what purpose would it serve to occupy your time with this? Once I understand your objective, perhaps I can dig up a relevant recommendation for you.
First, you need at least two years of deep theoretical study and intensive library research 😁, coupled with some practical application, and even then... it’s just work, work, work... and more work.
You won't get anywhere just by babbling about it. Sure, psychedelics might offer assistance, but only under strictly controlled clinical conditions and only after years of discipline when a person has actually mastered their own mind.
Consider this analogy: you wouldn't hand the keys of a Formula 1 car to an amateur driver; they'd wrap that thing around the nearest tree in seconds. But if you give it to someone who has already conquered Formula 3... well, they'll actually know how to push a Formula 1 machine to its absolute limit.
Allow me to contribute my own thoughts to the discussion here. 😁
Frankly, this film desperately needed at least another twenty minutes of runtime to truly breathe. As it stands, I feel a lingering sense of incompleteness—a slight, nagging feeling that certain elements remain somewhat unresolved. That being said, even with that minor grievance, I can confidently assert that it is an exceptionally well-crafted piece of cinema.