Awakening

[White Crane Feather]

Thank you. I took it as a compliment, mostly. It does seem unlikely that my style of writing, and form of literacy, sounds like a modern teenagers, although some of my content might I did play WOW for four years, and I work every day with 12-18 year olds. Maybe something rubbed off.

Hahaha I know what you mean. I'm around kids all the time. 80% of my students are 4-13. It does horrible things to my English. I spend all day with my 4 & 5 year olds then everyone elses all evening. Kids a practically running out of my ears. You should see the craziness and antics I do all day to keep their attentions. Side effect being Im quite and reserved in my adult life.... An odd sort of balance. My students don't even recognize me out and about because the change is so drastic. I can stand right behind them in a line and they won't even know it.

I have a game I play with my teens. If we run into each other in the community... Who can sneak up on the other without being noticed. I am undefeated. My favorite thing to do is to actually sneak up on them in parking lots and actually get into their cars with them. It's very funny.

[Mr Walker]

Hahaha I know what you mean. I'm around kids all the time. 80% of my students are 4-13. It does horrible things to my English. I spend all day with my 4 & 5 year olds then everyone elses all evening. Kids a practically running out of my ears. You should see the craziness and antics I do all day to keep their attentions. Side effect being Im quite and reserved in my adult life.... An odd sort of balance. My students don't even recognize me out and about because the change is so drastic. I can stand right behind them in a line and they won't even know it.

I have a game I play with my teens. If we run into each other in the community... Who can sneak up on the other without being noticed. I am undefeated. My favorite thing to do is to actually sneak up on them in parking lots and actually get into their cars with them. It's very funny.

Teenage kids here play a game called shadowing. They see how long they can shadow your movements without you detecting them. They can be some distance back, but the real test is to get a couple of feet behind you, and walk with you, undetected, as long as possible.

Ive taken to doing the same to them. They call me the urban ninja, and believe I can walk through the rain, using ninja stealth not to get wet. I will walk right behind them for a while, then tap them on the shoulder, or quietly say, "Hello..." Its fun to watch them jump a metre in the air. All the other kids in the school yard roll around laughing. They try and do the same to me, but my ninja skills are too good. Its amazing that this is another similarity between us.

[White Crane Feather]

Teenage kids here play a game called shadowing. They see how long they can shadow your movements without you detecting them. They can be some distance back, but the real test is to get a couple of feet behind you, and walk with you, undetected, as long as possible.

Ive taken to doing the same to them. They call me the urban ninja, and believe I can walk through the rain, using ninja stealth not to get wet. I will walk right behind them for a while, then tap them on the shoulder, or quietly say, "Hello..." Its fun to watch them jump a metre in the air. All the other kids in the school yard roll around laughing. They try and do the same to me, but my ninja skills are too good. Its amazing that this is another similarity between us.

Hahaha yeah. Well I really am a ninja. All these kids I'm their martial arts instructor. I own the school... Hahaha. Pretty much the same game.

My favorite was when I slipped into one of my macho 17 year old wanna be cage fighter s car while he was in a coffe shop. Just before he started the car I made a terrible noise and grabed his face.... He screamed in this horrified wimper...... It was pretty funny. I Employ him now. We never react in intense moments like we think we will... All my black belts learn this lesson at some point.

Cool MW. I guess being around kids all the time does something to you. Since this is the awakening thread..... I wonder if being around young people all the time is part of that?

Edited August 16, 2011 by Seeker79

[ChloeB]

Hey Jugoso, I came across this article today and thought this was really nice, how it broke awakening down into 6 levels, kind of helped me put things in perspective, that I definitely put the cart in front of the mule, me probably trying to sort out those stages 4 and 5 while I still haven't even got stage 2 sorted out, lol. (I was watching Hoarders this weekend and thinking if only I could get one of those people who come in and helped the hoarder people to come in and help me do that with my thoughts, haha, awfully cluttered up there sometimes). This just kind of made me think, I tend to be focusing on things too far ahead, so anyway it was a little thought provoking for me, so I thought someone else might get something out of it, so here it is. It has a perspective on the Adam & Eve fall that I've always shared, some people feel that our awakening would be to return back to the pre-fall state, but I just don't see that. I'm not sure what the last state is, the question mark he gives, lol, maybe some realization that consciousness is the source of all matter or something, not sure.

The realization that awakening is a never-ending process is a core spiritual insight taught by all great religious teachers, and these teachers have left us a map of the stages of awakening. The following is a brief and general outline of some of these stages, utilizing the Hebrew Bible -- the religious text with which I am most familiar -- as well as other religious traditions.

Awakening to Self-Awareness:

Many living things are conscious, but as far as we know human beings are the only creatures that are conscious of being conscious. We can ask the fundamental questions: Why am I here? What does my life mean? The story of Adam and Eve is a mythical telling of this evolutionary moment, when the light ignited in our eyes and we looked at the world from a new viewpoint, knowing that there is difference between good and bad, and aware of our own nakedness -- of our limitations and mortality. Almost all Homo sapiens have reached this basic level of awakening.

Awakening to Meaning

We can stay stuck at the first level, seeking only to satisfy our needs for security in the face of uncertainty and shame. Then, often suddenly, we discover that our life actually has meaning, and we are radically changed. This happened to Abraham, who, in a flash, sees that he has been created for a purpose and must leave the meaningless life that he has led to create a new way of being that is centered on the struggle to honor that purpose. This is the beginning of the spiritual journey.

Awakening to Sacred Service

We can awaken to the knowledge that our own life has purpose, and yet never reach the obvious conclusion: If my life has purpose, so must everyone else's! This is a huge shift, when one first moves beyond self and connects deeply to others. In this connection is found the call to service, as illustrated by Moses, who dedicated his life to liberating others, without seeking reward or recognition. At this level one discovers true humility and gratitude. All those who have changed the world for the better have awakened to this level.

Awakening to Freedom

Two thousand and six hundred years ago, Siddhartha Gautama awoke to an essential truth: that we cause our own suffering through our desire to make permanent that which is inherently transient -- possessions, fame, certainty, power, health -- and that we can end our own suffering by liberating ourselves from this insane cycle. Then we can see that we are not our minds, not our bodies and not our emotions. These, instead, become objects of curious and compassionate examination rather than the unconscious drivers of our lives. With this we can experience life, people and events as they are, free from the need to control. This is the level of awakening that many associate with enlightenment.

Awakening to Spirit

The life and teachings of Jesus are demonstrations of a radically simple but endless truth: We are spirit made flesh. Jesus knew that God is not a being "out there," and we are not feeble creatures "down here." Instead, we are God incarnate; the physical vessels of an infinite, loving creative force. And when we see the face of God in another human being we are seeing our true nature. This may sound appealing, ridiculous, obvious or meaningless. That too is the lesson from Jesus, because this level of awakening moves us beyond the restriction of our physical senses and provokes strong emotions from the ego. But with this awakening comes healing and rebirth to our true selves.

Awakening to...?

The next stage of awakening appears to be emerging now. I certainly can not see it, but my sense is that it will be one in which we know that consciousness is the structure of physicality and that we can deliberately connect to the forces of creation in order to elevate life.

The very reason that we are here is to gradually awaken, and by doing so transform the world into heaven on earth. This transformation is completely in our hands to do, and with courage and humility we will.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rabbi-alan-lurie/levels-of-spiritual-awakening_b_925208.html

[+Sherapy]

I am not sure if this was spoof or real. Im not sure if Carrey is/was sure, himself. Myabe for one transcendantal moment he did experince something but then, perhaps, his "logic" denied it, and it was lost again. Or maybe it is just a joke for him.

He mimics what can be known as achieving cosmic consciousness or awakening/ascension, but I get the feeling his hearts not really in it. But perhaps that is a limitation of my understanding of jim, or of the way he presents things.

Much of what he talks about is among the first stages of cosmic consciousness/integration, but you could learn about it by reading or listening to others.

I dont think jim has actually experienced it, because such an experience, and the knowledge(not feelings) it imparts, transforms a person. I dont see evidence of such a transformation in Jim's life.

Ps one doesnt have to be dying, taking any drugs or alcohol, or religious or "crazy", to achieve this state.

It is a natural consequence of intelligence and awareness. Some struggle for years to attain it, others have it apparently gifted upon them, although I suspect the gift is only granted to those whose minds can appreciate accept and welcome it, and whose lives and hearts are ready for huge changes and challenges.

MW, Evelyn Underwood is one of the best known voices on mysticism IMO and she came up with a loose criteria on the 5 things that constitute a mystical experience ..

It is a psychological experience which affects a persons life profoundly and that is marked by a prominence of engaging in entirely 'spiritual' activities for a period (which can be years..)these experiences are marked by a prominince of love ( unconditional , all inclusive) and the absence of any kind of self seeking or religious peddling or preference....

In other words the interpretation or evaluation of these experiences would be in accord with the above guidelines and the interpretations would not need be theistic.

Mystical experiences are all inclusive, they do not discriminate based on creed, color or religion or giftedness of intelligence, or a certain presentation. etc.. etc.

[+Sherapy]

I am not sure if this was spoof or real. Im not sure if Carrey is/was sure, himself. Myabe for one transcendantal moment he did experince something but then, perhaps, his "logic" denied it, and it was lost again. Or maybe it is just a joke for him.

He mimics what can be known as achieving cosmic consciousness or awakening/ascension, but I get the feeling his hearts not really in it. But perhaps that is a limitation of my understanding of jim, or of the way he presents things.

Much of what he talks about is among the first stages of cosmic consciousness/integration, but you could learn about it by reading or listening to others.

I dont think jim has actually experienced it, because such an experience, and the knowledge(not feelings) it imparts, transforms a person. I dont see evidence of such a transformation in Jim's life.

Ps one doesnt have to be dying, taking any drugs or alcohol, or religious or "crazy", to achieve this state.

It is a natural consequence of intelligence and awareness. Some struggle for years to attain it, others have it apparently gifted upon them, although I suspect the gift is only granted to those whose minds can appreciate accept and welcome it, and whose lives and hearts are ready for huge changes and challenges.

MW, Evelyn Underwood is one of the best known voices on mysticism IMO and she came up with a loose criteria on the 5 things that constitute a mystical experience ..

It is a psychological experience which affects a persons life profoundly and that is marked by a prominence of engaging in entirely 'spiritual' activities for a period (which can be years..)these experiences are marked by a prominince of love ( unconditional , all inclusive) and the absence of any kind of self seeking or religious peddling or preference....

In other words the interpretation or evaluation of these experiences would be in accord with the above guidelines and the interpretations would not need be theistic.

Mystical experiences are all inclusive, they do not discriminate based on creed, color or religion or giftedness of intelligence, or a certain presentation. etc.. etc.

[Mr Walker]

MW, Evelyn Underwood is one of the best known voices on mysticism IMO and she came up with a loose criteria on the 5 things that constitute a mystical experience ..

It is a psychological experience which affects a persons life profoundly and that is marked by a prominence of engaging in entirely 'spiritual' activities for a period (which can be years..)these experiences are marked by a prominince of love ( unconditional , all inclusive) and the absence of any kind of self seeking or religious peddling or preference....

In other words the interpretation or evaluation of these experiences would be in accord with the above guidelines and the interpretations would not need be theistic.

Mystical experiences are all inclusive, they do not discriminate based on creed, color or religion or giftedness of intelligence, or a certain presentation. etc.. etc.

Thats a fair analysis. My own experience involved a separate, self aware, sapient consciousness. I define this as the same god humans have interacted with since they evolved self awareness, but tha \t is MY labelling. One has a right to talk about such an experience. If others see it as pedling or self seeking tha tis their perception They are entitled ot such perceptiion butha tdoesnt make it accurate.

The recognition of such a being does make one a theist, if one characterises the being as a god (as I do) All self aware people are spiritual to one degree or another. Some more so than others. Not all spiritual people recognise either a universal consciousness nor a sense of god. However many spiritual people recognise their spirtiual sense as a form of god within them.

Most peole who have intense spiritual awakeniings transform that awareness into religious forms because humans codify define and categorise their innner understandings and create religions from them. I have no real religious forms other than those which result from living with a real and powerful god. So i dont drink or take any form of drugs, in recognition of the connection between god and I; and to simlify and make more accurate that connection.

[vshe01]

If I understand the question correctly , the feeling you're describing and that which Mr. Carrey made fun of is the feeling that we all feel after leaving our human body , we're all dying to experience that feeling , pun intended .

Those who use a mind altering substance , which I don't advise doing , get hooked on that very feeling .... If you've read up on NDE's they describe a euphoric feeling when their soul leaves their human body .

The reason our lives seem to be mundane and plodding is because that's what we asked for , it doesn't really matter whether our lives are exciting , dangerous and exhausting or monotonous routine and ordinary as long as we grow spiritually , that's the bottom line .

The experiences we ask for are designed to help us grow spiritually .... Well that's my take on life .

I had this experience some years ago, at the time I had no clue as to what was happening and even now , I don't fully comprehend what happened. Maybe you can explain. It was one afternoon I was home alone, washing dishes, looking out the window and in a moment I felt myself expand into the universe so far I did not know where I ended. There was wonder and knowledge that I had experienced this thing, but what it was, where I was or even why and how it happened, I still don't have a clue. do you?

[momentsinlove]

I had this experience some years ago, at the time I had no clue as to what was happening and even now , I don't fully comprehend what happened. Maybe you can explain. It was one afternoon I was home alone, washing dishes, looking out the window and in a moment I felt myself expand into the universe so far I did not know where I ended. There was wonder and knowledge that I had experienced this thing, but what it was, where I was or even why and how it happened, I still don't have a clue. do you?

You probably had an epileptic seizure, faint spell, minor stroke, or day dream. It's always good to tell your doctor about this, just in case is something life threatening. Is it "awakening"? No; however, you're not telling the whole story since you mentioned "...so far I did not know where I ended." Where you unconscious? Could you describe to us where you ended?

[jugoso]

I had this experience some years ago, at the time I had no clue as to what was happening and even now , I don't fully comprehend what happened. Maybe you can explain. It was one afternoon I was home alone, washing dishes, looking out the window and in a moment I felt myself expand into the universe so far I did not know where I ended. There was wonder and knowledge that I had experienced this thing, but what it was, where I was or even why and how it happened, I still don't have a clue. do you?

I started this tread in the hopes that someone may be able to provide me with a definitive answer. I have really learned a lot from some people´s comments and they have helped me further along on my understanding. But in the end, i´ve come to the realization that the interpretation and meaning of what i experienced is entirely up to me. The more I know about myself and the external world, the better my position in assigning meaning to the occurrence and what action to take about it.

Keep asking questions and stick with the answers that resonate within you would be my suggestion

[Beany]

Thank you so much for the post. I have talked to so few people who have had this experience; it's difficult to verbalize if you haven't had it. This happened to me about 15 years ago, and at the time I was totally clueless. Like someone else posted, I thought I had gone crazy, but blissfully crazy. Without going into great detail, what I experienced was a profound connection with everything around me, plants, rocks, water, people, animals. I understood that we are born on this planet with everything we need to be happy, yet so many of us search externally for what we believe we need to be happy when all along it's inside ourselves. I was fortunate enough to have people around me who supported me fully on this journey. I learned about a kundalini awakening, an epiphany or direct experience of the divine. Did my external life change much? No. As the Buddhists say, before enlightenment chop wood, carry water, after enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. However, I became committed to being a positive force on this planet, and to use whatever wisdom & knowledge I gained to be of service to others. I also have a deep belief in the divine being everywhere, all the time, and as part of that divinity it behooves me to act accordingly. I'm really interested in other people's experiences and how they processed it.

[SlimJim22]

Hey Jugoso, I came across this article today and thought this was really nice, how it broke awakening down into 6 levels, kind of helped me put things in perspective, that I definitely put the cart in front of the mule, me probably trying to sort out those stages 4 and 5 while I still haven't even got stage 2 sorted out, lol. (I was watching Hoarders this weekend and thinking if only I could get one of those people who come in and helped the hoarder people to come in and help me do that with my thoughts, haha, awfully cluttered up there sometimes). This just kind of made me think, I tend to be focusing on things too far ahead, so anyway it was a little thought provoking for me, so I thought someone else might get something out of it, so here it is. It has a perspective on the Adam & Eve fall that I've always shared, some people feel that our awakening would be to return back to the pre-fall state, but I just don't see that. I'm not sure what the last state is, the question mark he gives, lol, maybe some realization that consciousness is the source of all matter or something, not sure.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rabbi-alan-lurie/levels-of-spiritual-awakening_b_925208.html

I thought this was really useful in the discussion

To break it down to its simplest terms, I believe that what is awakening is our right hemispheres. This the part of our brain that gives us creativity, compassion and an ability to think laterally. It is not where we store knowledge but it is from where understanding arises.

So when we are awakening it means we are awakening to understanding of a connectedness and interdependent nature of all things. It can be incredibly empowering when we recognize our souls to have divine potential that are imperishable in contrast to material attachments. Our true self is only discovered when the hemispheres are integrated and it would seem that Awakening is the first stage in this process.

From my own experiences I would say it is followed by increased empathy and sensitivity, intuition and discernment to subtle nuances that we come into contact with. Overall our perceptions begin to expand beyond the purely physiological senses to include subtle changes of vibration and dream and altered states as valuable in understanding our condition and direction.

It could be a more meaningful interaction between our conscious awareness, subconscious and collective unconscious as the veils coe down, the curtains are opened and we begin to awaken in the new light. If the eye is closed to the change then we may remain asleep and if we suppress the changes, it could be damaging.

Anyone who does experience it can begin by exploring Kundalini and Chakras to develop themselves further but caution is required as well as a great deal of humility. Prayer can be a means to activate the right hemisphere but a lot of other dogma is wired to the develop and directly conflicts with the right.

Bla, bla, bla. Cool stories everyone, Seeker Legend

[jugoso]

However, I became committed to being a positive force on this planet, and to use whatever wisdom & knowledge I gained to be of service to others. I also have a deep belief in the divine being everywhere, all the time, and as part of that divinity it behooves me to act accordingly.

Well Beany, you are head and shoulders above many people living on the planet. That is truly what it is all about. Use both your heart and your mind, continue to ask questions and I am cinfident that the answers will be revealed toy you.

One more question I have for you, If this happened 15 years ago, why do you think it has been of greater importance to you lately?

[jugoso]

Hey Jugoso, I came across this article today and thought this was really nice, how it broke awakening down into 6 levels, kind of helped me put things in perspective, that I definitely put the cart in front of the mule, me probably trying to sort out those stages 4 and 5 while I still haven't even got stage 2 sorted out, lol. (I was watching Hoarders this weekend and thinking if only I could get one of those people who come in and helped the hoarder people to come in and help me do that with my thoughts, haha, awfully cluttered up there sometimes). This just kind of made me think, I tend to be focusing on things too far ahead, so anyway it was a little thought provoking for me, so I thought someone else might get something out of it, so here it is. It has a perspective on the Adam & Eve fall that I've always shared, some people feel that our awakening would be to return back to the pre-fall state, but I just don't see that. I'm not sure what the last state is, the question mark he gives, lol, maybe some realization that consciousness is the source of all matter or something, not sure.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rabbi-alan-lurie/levels-of-spiritual-awakening_b_925208.html

Hi ChloeB

I just noticed your post this morning. I was taking a little break from the computer. To much mind exercise and not enouh body and soul

Thank you very much as I find it very informative and applicable. I´m going to spend some more time reading it and will get back you you. How is it you are able to provide some answers for me before I´ve even fully formulated the questions?

[ChloeB]

Hi ChloeB

I just noticed your post this morning. I was taking a little break from the computer. To much mind exercise and not enouh body and soul

Thank you very much as I find it very informative and applicable. I´m going to spend some more time reading it and will get back you you. How is it you are able to provide some answers for me before I´ve even fully formulated the questions?

Oh hey!! Great, I'm glad you liked it. I have no idea, because I'm super awesome maybe? LOL, totally teasing. I just stumbled across that, but I thought you might like it, I really did. I'm still trying to get through the video you posted on 2012.....in Spanish. You're so going to owe me a margarita, lol. It's just taking me awhile with the subtitles, but I like it already, aside from the fact that it reminds me how much Spanish I've lost and that I need to work on before I forget it all.

[jugoso]

Oh hey!! Great, I'm glad you liked it. I have no idea, because I'm super awesome maybe? LOL, totally teasing. I just stumbled across that, but I thought you might like it, I really did. I'm still trying to get through the video you posted on 2012.....in Spanish. You're so going to owe me a margarita, lol. It's just taking me awhile with the subtitles, but I like it already, aside from the fact that it reminds me how much Spanish I've lost and that I need to work on before I forget it all.

Deal! I make a mean margarita!!

It took me about a year to actually to watch the movie from start to finish so don´t sweat it. You can pretty much watch the chapters in any order you want.

It´s also great that you´re trying to do it with the Spanish subtitles. I´ve found that leasrning a secod language has been a very valuable tool on this journey called life. Language is the only way we know to convey out concepts and ideas to others. Words can be very limiting at times, ambiguous in most cases, and have a lot of built in unconscious constraints. Learning to express myself in a different language helps me to understand these biases better.

A couple of examples. In Spanish, you can express love for people in two ways Amor & Querer. The direct translations are:

te amo= I love you

te quiero= I want you

There really is a big difference to pure love and love based on wanting

Ex.2

In the Mayan language there is no word for your welcome. If someone thanks you the correct response is paga- Which translates to Pay

In Mayan culture, payment is made by doing something that you love to do. It´s a simple as that.

[Taut]

This has been an interesting topic and I've learned many things.

I have been reading the teachings of Jesus, Buddha, and every person recognized as "enlightened", both historical and contemporary, that I can get my hands on, for more years than I can count. And I seek to understand and incorporate as much as I can. I am aware that an enlightened or awakened being has a particular "way" about them, and they espouse the same truths. They do not indulge in trying to make others wrong, become argumentative, angry, or self aggrandizing in defense of a position. Nor are they critical of others who understand less than they or do not see the world as they do.

The reason for this is that there is nothing inside them but love and peace, so whenever poked, that is all that comes out in it's various forms. I have not seen that in all of those here who claim they are awake. For me, having an epiphany or jumping a level in consciousness, or having an "aha" moment, does not mean one is truly "awake" in the sense the Buddha seemed to mean, as far as I understand it.

I know that I am not awake because if you have to ask, then you are not. I also know that one is not necessarily awake just because they think they are. I have not received that blessing as yet, but I also know that I will. I also know that all opinions are vanities, but all experience here in the world of duality can be a valid teacher if one looks for the lesson.

Thanks for all the posts and illumination and for sharing your stories.

[White Crane Feather]

This has been an interesting topic and I've learned many things.

I have been reading the teachings of Jesus, Buddha, and every person recognized as "enlightened", both historical and contemporary, that I can get my hands on, for more years than I can count. And I seek to understand and incorporate as much as I can. I am aware that an enlightened or awakened being has a particular "way" about them, and they espouse the same truths. They do not indulge in trying to make others wrong, become argumentative, angry, or self aggrandizing in defense of a position. Nor are they critical of others who understand less than they or do not see the world as they do.

The reason for this is that there is nothing inside them but love and peace, so whenever poked, that is all that comes out in it's various forms. I have not seen that in all of those here who claim they are awake. For me, having an epiphany or jumping a level in consciousness, or having an "aha" moment, does not mean one is truly "awake" in the sense the Buddha seemed to mean, as far as I understand it.

I know that I am not awake because if you have to ask, then you are not. I also know that one is not necessarily awake just because they think they are. I have not received that blessing as yet, but I also know that I will. I also know that all opinions are vanities, but all experience here in the world of duality can be a valid teacher if one looks for the lesson.

Thanks for all the posts and illumination and for sharing your stories.

I think you are more" awake" than you realize.

[Serpentine]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNXM4Sq-GIA

[Beany]

Well Beany, you are head and shoulders above many people living on the planet. That is truly what it is all about. Use both your heart and your mind, continue to ask questions and I am cinfident that the answers will be revealed toy you.

One more question I have for you, If this happened 15 years ago, why do you think it has been of greater importance to you lately?

There's been a lot of talk about a planetary shift of consciousness, and I live in a very isolated place, so I was hoping to pick up a sense of what was happening based on postings from people. I'm not head & shoulders above anybody, we all have our own journey, it's different for everyone. Spirit gives us the lessons we need, and I try not to second guess. And an "awakenening" doesn't translate into a perfect human being, and it doesn't mean that one person is better than another. It just means that we've had a different experience, no more or less important than other momentous events in people's lives. Lessons continue until we die, and maybe even after. I sometimes fail to live up to my own ideals, ask my kids, they'll tell you! What really counts, for me, is not what someone thinks or believes, but what they DO, and whether they've chosen to wear a black hat or a white hat. The time for sitting on the fence is over, I think, we all need to choose what we stand for and do our best to stay the course. Will we sometimes fail? Absolutely. But at least we know where we want to go. It's always good to have a plan!

[+Sherapy]

Thank you so much for the post. I have talked to so few people who have had this experience; it's difficult to verbalize if you haven't had it. This happened to me about 15 years ago, and at the time I was totally clueless. Like someone else posted, I thought I had gone crazy, but blissfully crazy. Without going into great detail, what I experienced was a profound connection with everything around me, plants, rocks, water, people, animals. I understood that we are born on this planet with everything we need to be happy, yet so many of us search externally for what we believe we need to be happy when all along it's inside ourselves. I was fortunate enough to have people around me who supported me fully on this journey. I learned about a kundalini awakening, an epiphany or direct experience of the divine. Did my external life change much? No. As the Buddhists say, before enlightenment chop wood, carry water, after enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. However, I became committed to being a positive force on this planet, and to use whatever wisdom & knowledge I gained to be of service to others. I also have a deep belief in the divine being everywhere, all the time, and as part of that divinity it behooves me to act accordingly. I'm really interested in other people's experiences and how they processed it.

Great post.....

Once upon a time in my ordinary life I had a nifty experience and after much exploration decided it was cool, but opted out of any type of supernatural explanations or putting extras on it ...

I just use the experience to work at being a better person and this keeps me busy.

Edited September 2, 2011 by Sherapy

[jugoso]

There's been a lot of talk about a planetary shift of consciousness, and I live in a very isolated place, so I was hoping to pick up a sense of what was happening based on postings from people. I'm not head & shoulders above anybody, we all have our own journey, it's different for everyone. Spirit gives us the lessons we need, and I try not to second guess. And an "awakenening" doesn't translate into a perfect human being, and it doesn't mean that one person is better than another. It just means that we've had a different experience, no more or less important than other momentous events in people's lives. Lessons continue until we die, and maybe even after. I sometimes fail to live up to my own ideals, ask my kids, they'll tell you! What really counts, for me, is not what someone thinks or believes, but what they DO, and whether they've chosen to wear a black hat or a white hat. The time for sitting on the fence is over, I think, we all need to choose what we stand for and do our best to stay the course. Will we sometimes fail? Absolutely. But at least we know where we want to go. It's always good to have a plan!

Mornin´Beany!

Thank you for your post. I hadn't really even realized how judgmental my " head & shoulders" statement was until you brought my attention to it. It was a good reminder for me that everyone is walking their own path and all all paths lead to / from Rome and all are valid. So I guess the lessons do continue

And I certainly aree with your statement that fence-sitting time is over. Plus my bums getting sore anyway

[Beany]

This is a wonderful thread, full of thoughtful comments, open hearts, and integrity. Thank you all. I alternated between reading the posts and taking a break outside. I just realized that it feels for me like most of my knowledge comes through my body, not my mind. Is this true of anyone else? It feels like my body contains the answers to all the questions I have, but I think sometimes I get to busy to slow down & access it. The posts brought up another idea that I've been playing with. What if we are all perfect right now, in this moment? Do you think if a person could sink into that, relax into it, it would bring about some shifts of consciousness/perception? Could it help facilitate a synthesis of ordinary consciousness & higher consciousness? I've thought for sometime how difficult it is to balance the material & spiritual realms. Very few people attain the consciousness of Krishnamurti, or the Dalai Lama, or any of the master teachers, so we're left to kind of muck about trying to make sense of our lives, some with more success than others, but we keep going. Many of us are doing OK, aren't we? We feel like we have a purpose, or will find our purpose, we try to be conscious as much as we can, we have ethics, we know how to love, and we teach these things to our children. Do you think that synthesizing the mind & the heart is the same as synthesizing the material & non-material?

[momentsinlove]

This is a wonderful thread, full of thoughtful comments, open hearts, and integrity. Thank you all. I alternated between reading the posts and taking a break outside. I just realized that it feels for me like most of my knowledge comes through my body, not my mind. Is this true of anyone else? It feels like my body contains the answers to all the questions I have, but I think sometimes I get to busy to slow down & access it. The posts brought up another idea that I've been playing with. What if we are all perfect right now, in this moment? Do you think if a person could sink into that, relax into it, it would bring about some shifts of consciousness/perception? Could it help facilitate a synthesis of ordinary consciousness & higher consciousness? I've thought for sometime how difficult it is to balance the material & spiritual realms. Very few people attain the consciousness of Krishnamurti, or the Dalai Lama, or any of the master teachers, so we're left to kind of muck about trying to make sense of our lives, some with more success than others, but we keep going. Many of us are doing OK, aren't we? We feel like we have a purpose, or will find our purpose, we try to be conscious as much as we can, we have ethics, we know how to love, and we teach these things to our children. Do you think that synthesizing the mind & the heart is the same as synthesizing the material & non-material?

[Very few people attain the consciousness of Krishnamurti, or the Dalai Lama, or any of the master teachers]

What kind of consciousness do you think Krishnamurti or the Dalai Lama have? Do you think they are more "free" than you? Do you think they have a higher state of being?

[What if we are all perfect right now, in this moment?]

In the end, "perfect" doesn't apply to a reality that's beyond perfection. It is right, however, to acknowledge the fact that one is imperfect while in the body. No one is immune to imperfection while one is on this planet. I usually avoid those who claim that they're already "perfected." Perfection on earth is pure nonsense, or massive marketing ploy.

[Beany]

I do think some people have a greater comprehension of what? The universe, the nature of being? so they are in the world differently than me. When I say perfect, I mean that in this moment we're all where we are supposed to be, doing what we're supposed to be doing, that it's part of our life journey, and the same is true of the next moment, and the one after that, etc. I'm thinking for me maybe it's a matter of being fully present in the moment, which for me is being heart-centered; when my mind kicks in, it isn't always so happy with the present, it wants something different. Or maybe it's a matter of choosing the right tool for the job, intellect or heart. Where do the two meet? How do I get them to work together better?

Do I think I'm free? My immediate response was no. But after thinking about it, yes. Right now I can't think what it is I don't have a choice about. I can choose to live or die, choose whether to work, where I live, how I am in relationship with friends & family, what I eat. Some of those are difficult choices, each has consequences, but they are all choices, including how I feel about them. When I was a kid, someone would tell me my "have a good day," and my mom's response was, "I always do, because I make them that way." Which takes me to another thought. My mom was a diagnosed paranoid schizophrenic, she didn't have a choice about that, but she did live her life with great courage and determination to overcome her illness. Her illness was cyclical, and during the good times, she was always generous, kind, and loved to tell jokes and laugh. She found comfort in her bible, although she did red ink some passages, because she believed them to be at odds with a loving & compassionate God. So maybe we don't have control over events that occur in our lives, but we have control over how we respond to them. What do you think? I wasn't expecting my Mom to show up here, but as it has been said: We stand on the shoulders of our ancestors."

Edited September 3, 2011 by Beany