From the contemplative point of view, being lost in thoughts of any kind, pleasant or unpleasant, is analogous to being asleep and dreaming. It’s a mode of not knowing what is actually happening in the present moment. It is essentially a form of psychosis. Thoughts themselves are not a problem, but being identified with thought is. Taking oneself to be the thinker of one’s thoughts—that is, not recognizing the present thought to be a transitory appearance in consciousness—is a delusion that produces nearly every species of human conflict and unhappiness. It doesn’t matter if your mind is wandering over current problems in set theory or cancer research; if you are thinking without knowing you are thinking, you are confused about who and what you are. “Waking Up” Sam Harris
Tag: psychology
Pointers to the formless: BOREDOM
To be awake is to be free of the dream. To be enlightened is to live as a transparent form emanating the eternal light from within. To be conscious is to be aware of the awareness you are. To be free is to no longer identify with ego and discover your true self. We use words like transcendence and transmutation and transfiguration to describe in concepts what is the emerging of the formless within the illusory world of form. We let go of our identity with form, ego, body, mind and the person. We wake up to see the form, body, mind and person as manifestations of our true self. Jesus described this awakening of consciousness as being born again. Isn't that description appropriate for waking up, being enlightened, becoming conscious and finding freedom? We are born again of water (entry into the physical realm) and spirit (awakening to the true self). Jesus described awakening as salvation. The word he used in its various forms was "sozo." This word means "to make whole."
Stuck in the mud?
Have you ever had a dream in which you needed to run from some or run to something and it was like you were in slow motion? No matter how hard you tried, you couldn't move fast. Actually the harder you tried to move fast the more resistance there was to movement. It can feel … Continue reading Stuck in the mud?
Inside out
John 14:20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. In the last few posts I’ve tried to reveal our upside down thinking. In our fallen way of thinking we perceive a g.o.d. that is not the Abba that Jesus reveals. Nobody knew … Continue reading Inside out
You can’t be abandoned
We derive much of our identity (false identity but I'll get to that) from moments in our lives. These moments, especially the painful ones of rejection, leave a mark or a wound that needs attention. Sometimes we "heal ourselves" and the scar tissue is really tough but we are "hardened" to protect us from further injury. It … Continue reading You can’t be abandoned
alancetotheheart 