immortal Souls

[seeking8]

As humans we can never be immortal but ain't our souls immortal?

[Ever Learning]

im under the impression that souls are immortal but i will try and prolong my life as long as possible.

[Rlyeh]

Maybe you can ask one.

[sutemi]

The age old question, most of us must have questioned existence, life, death, etc at some time. The answer is to look within in your self, through a good meditation with a good teacher. Through this medium one can experience that we are not the body alone and also experience what we really are. Forget the religious stuff soul, heaven, hell, etc. KNOW for yourself by direct experience. What you are is a mystery beyond logic and when you experience the inner self you will have an answer to your question but also have found ‘Inner Peace’ the greatest gift. As ancient saying goes ’Know thy self’. Have a look at this short 14min film by Jeff Lieberman, its very good. All the best http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0--_R6xTh

“You are the Universe, expressing itself as a human for a little while”. Eckhart Tolle.

Edited October 25, 2012 by sutemi

[Philangeli]

Essentially, being human or souls, are inadequate terms,

But, I believe that our current consciousness always survives.

Consciousness is eternal.

The 'I' which you currently experience is true, and whatever reality you experience is true ...

... until you decide to change it.

[xYlvax]

I believe they are. It's different with different people, of course.

[Philangeli]

I believe they are. It's different with different people, of course.

There are no different people.

Differences arise within your mind.

[JGirl]

i can't imagine not existing after my body dies, but then again i can't imagine having existed before my body came into this world, so i'm in the wait and see mode i guess.

[Rlyeh]

There are no different people.

Differences arise within your mind.

Which makes the person, therefore there are different people.

[Ninhursag]

I think souls are immortal .. They can never cease to exist .. Even when they become one with the Creator again, which is their ultimate goal, they still continue existing ..

Edit: typo

Edited October 27, 2012 by Ninhursag

[Marcion Meets E. Sibyl]

Differences arise within your mind.

"You know as well as I do that the DEAD don't stay interested in us living people for very long. Gradually, gradually, they lose hold of the earth...and the ambitions they had...and the pleasures they had...and the things they suffered...and the people they loved. They get weaned away from earth -- that's the way I put it, weaned away. And they stay here (the Void) while the earth part of 'em burns away, burns out; and all that time they slowly get indifferent to what's goin' on in Grover's Corners.

They're waitin'. They're waitin' for something that they feel is comin'. Something important, and GREAT. Aren't they waitin' for the eternal part in them to come out clear?

And what's left when memory's gone, and your identity, Mrs. Smith?" THORNTON WILDER'S OUR TOWN

Edited October 27, 2012 by braveone2u

[Mistydawn]

You have to believe we have souls first. If you believe we have, the world, the Universe is yours.

[+joc]

You have to believe we have souls first. If you believe we have, the world, the Universe is yours.

I don't believe we have 'souls'. But I do believe that the world, the Universe is mine.

[Philangeli]

"You know as well as I do that the DEAD don't stay interested in us living people for very long. Gradually, gradually, they lose hold of the earth...and the ambitions they had...and the pleasures they had...and the things they suffered...and the people they loved. They get weaned away from earth -- that's the way I put it, weaned away. And they stay here (the Void) while the earth part of 'em burns away, burns out; and all that time they slowly get indifferent to what's goin' on in Grover's Corners.

They're waitin'. They're waitin' for something that they feel is comin'. Something important, and GREAT. Aren't they waitin' for the eternal part in them to come out clear?

And what's left when memory's gone, and your identity, Mrs. Smith?" THORNTON WILDER'S OUR TOWN

Sounds like they're all in Purgatory. Don't worry, Pope Benedict will bust 'em out!

[Philangeli]

Which makes the person, therefore there are different people.

The differences you create are illusory. They just help to bolster a differentiated, dualistic view of reality which gives rise to desire and suffering.

[JGirl]

The differences you create are illusory. They just help to bolster a differentiated, dualistic view of reality which gives rise to desire and suffering.

hmm.

if it's helping to bolster this dualistic view of 'reality' where is the blueprint for the actual 'reality' you refer to - if we have a dualistic view of something that something must first exist. who decides what the 'real' reality is?

[Bendy Demon]

The differences you create are illusory. They just help to bolster a differentiated, dualistic view of reality which gives rise to desire and suffering.

You are different from me in many ways. You live in a different area, you like different foods, music and books than I.

Your family, ancestry and heritage are different from mine, your aptitudes are different from mine. Your body is different than mine.

Your very ideas and concepts are different from me...without any of these differences there would be no discussions about anything nor would there be anything invented, discovered or developed.

Everything exists and functions because of these differences regardless of their relative magnitude.

Let's put this in another light, if all the parts of a car were exactly the same then the car simply would not function, would it?

[Rlyeh]

The differences you create are illusory. They just help to bolster a differentiated, dualistic view of reality which gives rise to desire and suffering.

Nothing more than conjecture on your behalf. That alone shows we are different.

[Philangeli]

Nothing more than conjecture on your behalf. That alone shows we are different.

The mind creates everything within it, including perceived external reality, all of which is temporal. You conceive of others, who appear to be different, but that is just your lens of perception. You believe 'others' are real, but where are they, if not in your mind?

[+joc]

The mind creates everything within it, including perceived external reality, all of which is temporal. You conceive of others, who appear to be different, but that is just your lens of perception. You believe 'others' are real, but where are they, if not in your mind?

I do not concur with your premise that the mind creates everything within it. There is a lot of sensory imput that the brain changes into actualized thought process. But it isn't 'creating' that imput...rather...it is just broadcasting it. The mind creates reality, but it doesn't create the world around it. I know what you are trying to say, but I for one, disagree with the concept that, it is all in your mind.

[Rlyeh]

The mind creates everything within it, including perceived external reality, all of which is temporal. You conceive of others, who appear to be different, but that is just your lens of perception. You believe 'others' are real, but where are they, if not in your mind?

The mind derives everything within it from external stimuli. IMO Solipsism is a mental illness trying to play philosophy.

[Philangeli]

I do not concur with your premise that the mind creates everything within it. There is a lot of sensory imput that the brain changes into actualized thought process. But it isn't 'creating' that imput...rather...it is just broadcasting it. The mind creates reality, but it doesn't create the world around it. I know what you are trying to say, but I for one, disagree with the concept that, it is all in your mind.

The brain, the body, external reality, sensory input - are all concepts within mind. Can you demonstrate how anything can be outside of your mind? I suppose what I am talking about is Subjective Reality with some Zen thrown in, and I suspect I may be off topic here.

There is just one consciousness, one Mind - perceiving through multiple lenses, which gives the impression of separate selves, this and that, inside and outside, etc. But, there is really no differentiation.

Maybe, I'll start another topic on the subject.

[Philangeli]

The mind derives everything within it from external stimuli. IMO Solipsism is a mental illness trying to play philosophy.

Can you show how external stimuli exist outside of your mind? Whatever you experience - where is it happening?

[+joc]

The brain, the body, external reality, sensory input - are all concepts within mind. Can you demonstrate how anything can be outside of your mind? I suppose what I am talking about is Subjective Reality with some Zen thrown in, and I suspect I may be off topic here.

There is just one consciousness, one Mind - perceiving through multiple lenses, which gives the impression of separate selves, this and that, inside and outside, etc. But, there is really no differentiation.

Maybe, I'll start another topic on the subject.

I agree...you should start another topic for that. And I agree...there are really two perspectives at work here...the one you mentioned with which I of course agree...and the other that says...the rock is real and I have to treat it as real. So...yeah, start a topic and we'll give it all a go.

[JGirl]

The mind creates everything within it, including perceived external reality, all of which is temporal. You conceive of others, who appear to be different, but that is just your lens of perception. You believe 'others' are real, but where are they, if not in your mind?

perhaps you can answer my question on this thread. seems you glossed over it, and i'm truly interested in your response.

i submit again:

if it's helping to bolster this dualistic view of 'reality' where is the blueprint for the actual 'reality' you refer to - if we have a dualistic view of something that something must first exist. who decides what the 'real' reality is?