Posts by electricdrifter68

Hannah Wilson3 said:The goose is made of glass.
So, where is the most ordinary bottle?

It vanished inside the shell.

Elizabeth Carter6 said:So, where would you even go?

Elizabeth Carter6—the vampire solving the riddle!
Who is actually suggesting I go anywhere? That whole bit about following someone else was entirely your own thought, not mine. "You can follow the one and only ultimate authority: yourself." But what does it truly mean to follow oneself? Who is it that is doing the following, and who is being followed? If I am following myself, doesn't that feel like a bit of a logical loop to you?
Am I being profound, or just absurd? Have you ever truly encountered anyone who wasn't caught in a similar paradox?
I'm just playing around a bit, tossing words back and forth—don't take it personally. You framed the question beautifully.

Elizabeth Carter6 said:No way, Seb, seriously... if you even have a clue?
If you do... or maybe you don't?😉

Goodness, if I were to follow Seb, I wouldn't move even a single millimeter.

Douglas Brown4 said:That’s about it, I suppose, though I might disagree on the illusion part.
Are you some kind of Gurdjieff follower?

Honestly, I don't even follow my own path, let alone someone else's teachings like Gurdjieff's.

Austin Hayes66 said:You know what magic is? 😬 It’s just a literary cliché.
You know what Buddha is? 😬 Another literary cliché.
So then, what does 2=0 actually mean? 😬

But tell me, do you actually know what you are? Do you even have a clue who you truly are?

Douglas Brown4 said:Reality. I've seen people obsessed with Buddha. Just like I've seen people following Gurdjieff and all that fourth way crap.

Well, not everyone in America drives a Ford either. Only certain people.😁

True. But I guess every amateur gets into Buddha and Gurdjieff, only to act all "spiritual" later and hold a grudge against me for years just because I don't do anything yet I have everything.

You possess everything? Nick, nobody does anything and nobody has anything! The only thing you truly possess is that very illusion!

Karen Sanchez19 said:And how exactly do you know it isn't?

If I actually possessed the answer, wouldn't the very fact that I knew it mean I wouldn't be searching for it in the first place?

Karen Sanchez19 said:Zen is meaningless babble.😉
Where can meaning possibly be found in eternity (the absolute)?😁

THE PRESENT MOMENT DOES NOT EXIST
WHAT "exists" IS NOT NOW😉
Therefore, the present moment lies beyond existence itself.😁

It isn't quite like that, though it does sound quite poetic. "What is Now?"—that would be a fine koan.
Best regards!

frozenangler9 said:Hmm... just because someone can't fully wrap their head around what they felt doesn't mean it's some mystical, undefinable phenomenon.

I suppose I was perhaps a bit too rigid in my initial phrasing, which likely accounts for this misunderstanding between us. When I speak of these experiences, I am referring specifically to spiritual encounters that inherently defy verbal description. In those profound moments of spiritual awakening, words often fall short because language itself is built upon dualistic mental concepts, whereas a true spiritual experience is, by its very essence, a singular expression of unified consciousness. Is it not true that non-verbal communication serves us better in such states? In those instances, we don't just observe the experience—we become the experience itself, rendering the need for communication entirely obsolete. It's as simple and visceral as a sudden sneeze; it just is!

What kind of goose are we even talking about? What bottle? And what Master?

Greetings, everyone!
This fascinating topic caught my eye, prompting me to step forward and contribute my own thoughts to the conversation. Spiritual experiences? They certainly exist, and they are profoundly different from our physical encounters with the world. To my mind, they encompass everything that isn't merely a product of our intellect, our senses, or our physical bodies—those elusive moments we can never quite define, yet which we feel with absolute clarity.
These spiritual encounters manifest in various ways; we have already discussed examples ranging from astral projection and vivid dreams to metaphysical insights and even certain feminine energies. However, there is a singular common thread weaving through all of them: they serve as a gateway to self-awareness. The depth of these experiences directly dictates the intensity of the transformation within ourselves, because in any such moment, at least one facet of our being becomes illuminated. That is where the true value lies. If an experience results in us leading a more honest, more fulfilled life, then it has truly been a spiritual one.
But what, fundamentally, constitutes a spiritual experience? As the name implies, it is an encounter with the spirit within us—a direct touch of our very essence, a brush with our true authenticity. Because of this unique nature, no two spiritual experiences are ever identical.
As for the experience that changed me? It was an experience of pure self-awareness. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that it didn't actually change me, but rather revealed to me the parts of myself that remain unchangeable.
Regarding the concept of spirit versus matter, I agree that it is a term born of dualistic consciousness, but there is a massive difference between accepting that as a theoretical truth and actually living through it as a lived experience.

FW!
I want to thank you for such a warm and sincere post. First off, please know that I have absolutely no intention of engaging in petty arguments with anyone; honestly, that kind of back-and-forth hasn't mattered to me for a very long time. I’ve been both vilified and celebrated by so many people over the years that one more critic or supporter doesn't move the needle for me. Isn't the only true point of connection found in sincerity and our shared humanity? Everything else is just noise. Concepts like God, oneness, or universal consciousness... one shouldn't try to "believe" in them. You can't even truly live through them as mere doctrines. Rather, they are things that simply emerge from within us as a natural consequence of genuine experience.
Please, I beg of you, stop juggling these abstract ideas if you aren't prepared to stand behind them. Instead, why not present your ideas with your entire being, regardless of what they may be? Pour your whole self into them. Let them express the very essence of who you are. Let your words become an extension of your soul.
I realize this might be difficult to grasp, but this idea of a "boundary" is nothing more than an illusion. In fact, that boundary is just as much a construct as the perceived essence of your own being. It isn't the barrier itself that separates you from the One, but rather your relationship to it. If you believe the wall exists, then for all intents and purposes, it does. But if you were to fully accept that boundary, wouldn't it simply vanish?
I certainly understand your longing to achieve that state, but if you find the path too arduous, perhaps try this approach: "Accept that it will never happen." If you can commit yourself entirely to that surrender, won't you see what unfolds?
It’s really just a bit of cosmic irony, isn't it? At the end of the road, we are almost always met by a joke at our own expense.
In the realm of pure consciousness, where "ALL IS," the concept of a boundary disappears along with every obstacle we thought stood in our way. It is quite simply the total acceptance of EVERYTHING. You are, in fact, ALL of it.

God? Who exactly is God?
Who are you to ask?
Is there anyone left who doesn't know?
Why bother with three separate questions when we are all talking about the very same thing?

Sophia Jones61 said:So, what’s your actual take on it?

To be perfectly honest, I don't have any thoughts on the matter at all.

Sophia Jones61 said:Do you have a partner? Friends, whether they are dear to you or just acquaintances? Or perhaps even enemies? Do you have any relationships at all?
If so, then the concept of a social fabric still holds weight (for me as well, naturally).
And if that connection exists in your eyes, then it is undeniably real.

However, I can't help but feel that this conversation is spinning its wheels without reaching any meaningful destination.

Karen Sanchez19 understands exactly what I am trying to convey. 😉

Well, I’m married. Does that count? As for friends, I only keep close ones; I don't have any enemies. Why on earth would I go out of my way to hate someone?
Why do you think this conversation isn't going anywhere? Is it because we aren't seeing eye to eye on everything? Come on, don't be so defensive. As far as I'm concerned, you're perfectly fine.

Karen Sanchez19 said:What exactly is supposed to be funny here?

So, what kind of event is actually happening in a place like Miami, if anything at all?🙄

Don't you worry about it; there isn't anything special you're going to miss, is there? Nothing quite as monumental as today's beautiful weather or the rain we're expecting tonight.

Sophia Jones61 said:To flirt is essentially 🙂

To engage in flirting is 🙂

Just those few drops that still feel their own skin, yet remain completely unaware that they are drifting through a vast ocean alongside all the other drops😉

Why get so defensive right out of the gate?🙄

😁

Forgive me, I’m not entirely fluent in this modern American slang, and I only skimmed through it. It’s all fine.
But what exactly is this "skin" supposed to divide? What lies on one side of the membrane, and what lies on the other?

If you happen to be running backward at a speed of Vtrč inside a streetcar that is moving forward at a velocity of Vtram, and if by some chance Vtram equals Vtrč, aren't you effectively standing perfectly still while simultaneously working up a massive sweat?

So, my advice is simple: just hop off the streetcar and grab a bicycle
Actually, forget the bike too. Just go for a walk—and do it against the wind.

Sophia Jones61 said:😁 Are you actually hitting on me right now? 😁

But if there is only ONE, then there exists 😉

If there is only ONE, then who exactly is hitting on whom?

hollowtrucker said:That is quite literally the sole metric I use to gauge my own progress or anyone else's current standing.
I appreciate the insight, Kyle Campbell5.

I find myself in complete agreement with you on this point.