The Storyteller

[Gonzo]

This lovely being [the earth], which is alive to its last recesses and understands every feeling, soothed me, it cured me of my pains, and finally, when I had fully understood my love for it, it taught me freedom. Only the love for this splendorous being can give freedom to a warriors spirit; and freedom is joy, efficiency, and abandon in the face of any odds.

That one?

[Red Heart]

no thats not it, there was a passage in an early book where DJ was scolding CC about not being able to make a decision and stick with it.

[Red Heart]

ya know, its interesting this thing...I seem to have come full circle here. I am wondering why we must do this thing of escaping our reality. To be better, faster, somehow Godlike, Christlike, Krishnalike, ______________ insert deity here. Whats wrong with just being you and being ok with it? Just cause a coupla old guys wrote some shit down, does it make it true? Or does it sparkle our imagination in order to escape our own poor self image? Why are we all so ready to escape...but only in the form of something "noble" like a sacred quest to find our I am, double, magical oneness, our innate Godlike qualities, ___________insert rationalization here.
If I seem a little harsh, I am sitting here amongst the ashes of the last meltdown wondering this...why cant I just be ok with what I have, who I am, and this moment? Is there anyone out there that is just OK??? No need to search, just to accept. I am finding myself with very little patience for people who want to assuage all of their little escapes into incense, candles, and the magical mystery that is life <drahmatic pause>
Im kinda diggin the be here now camp myself. Nothing was put here for me, to heal me, to anything for me. It is here, I am here, why not just be ok with that? Let the other take care of itself, Im thinkin, but thats just me.
Oh yeah one more thing, I think thats what makes babies so enlightened...they are ok with now here and themselves.

[Gonzo]

Another thing that came up about being in the moment was the notion that perhaps only humans are capable of leaving the moment via imagination. Other life forms it would seem remain solely in the moment, and must do so in order to survive. We have the luxury of 'going' elsewhere, reading, watching movies, daydreaming, journeying, etc. Perhaps that is something we teach children.

[Red Heart]

Well, aint that. some shit. I was reading Jed this afternoon at lunch, I have been reading it slowly and it appears that when I do read it it explains what the f*&^ is going on with me. Seems I have crossed the gateless gate, and no, you dont know it till you have crossed it and said to yourself....that was it???!!! No fanfare, no bliss, just less of a need to "Prove" anything. More of an understanding of suffering and how to stop. More pieces of the puzzle. No bliss, peace, mystical orgasm (dammit), just understanding, and being ok with what you understand. I can totally see how folks wind up in a home after all this. I am still feeling a little "ungrounded".

If you're lookin' for anything else...you will be dissapointed.

[Affinity]

Well, aint that. some shit. I was reading Jed this afternoon at lunch, I have been reading it slowly and it appears that when I do read it it explains what the f*&^ is going on with me. Seems I have crossed the gateless gate, and no, you dont know it till you have crossed it and said to yourself....that was it???!!! No fanfare, no bliss, just less of a need to "Prove" anything. More of an understanding of suffering and how to stop. More pieces of the puzzle. No bliss, peace, mystical orgasm (dammit), just understanding, and being ok with what you understand. I can totally see how folks wind up in a home after all this. I am still feeling a little "ungrounded".

If you're lookin' for anything else...you will be dissapointed.

Acceptance of what is, no assigning duality. It's not good, it's not bad.... It just is... non duality.

[Red Heart]

Acceptance of what is, no assigning duality. It's not good, it's not bad.... It just is... non duality.

Actually its more than that, a willingness to not even label anything as dual, non-dual, this or that...its more like its no longer important to explain anything, just experience it. But at the same time its not what I thought it would be. It is unconcern...also not what I expected. So hard to explain.

[Red Heart]

my newest puzzlement...why is there so much "stuff" about transcending the human experience? What possesses us to want to transcend what we ARE? If what you are isnt good enough for you, change it. You can change a thousand times in a thousand ways and you are still human, unique, and you.

at the risk of sounding like a bliss monkey, what if we spent the amount of time and energy being ok with who we are, and what we do, as we do contemplating our "enlightenment"????

I think we go off on these tangents without answering fundamental questions about ourselves and about our beings...only to accomplish....what?

Is enlightenment the "busywork" of the masses? The thing that keeps us occupied while other forces are really running stuff, and not paying attention? (you conspiracy theorists should love that one....I know ur out there)

Just some questions on a Thursday morning...

[Gonzo]

my newest puzzlement...why is there so much "stuff" about transcending the human experience? What possesses us to want to transcend what we ARE? If what you are isnt good enough for you, change it. You can change a thousand times in a thousand ways and you are still human, unique, and you.

at the risk of sounding like a bliss monkey, what if we spent the amount of time and energy being ok with who we are, and what we do, as we do contemplating our "enlightenment"????

Sometimes, "contemplating our enlightenment" is a form of entertainment, as are other philosophical discussions. Some call it mental masturbation...yields occasional dandy climaxes.

I think we go off on these tangents without answering fundamental questions about ourselves and about our beings...only to accomplish....what?

Is enlightenment the "busywork" of the masses? The thing that keeps us occupied while other forces are really running stuff, and not paying attention? (you conspiracy theorists should love that one....I know ur out there)

Just some questions on a Thursday morning...

It's possible mental jerking off is a palliative whilst "other forces" conspire to run things. I keep my eye on them by watching FOX news.

[Red Heart]

Last night on my drive home I had a thought that kinda stuck with me...what is the difference between escape and expanded awareness? DJM talked alot about expanding awareness, there has been a rumbling of the "path" or seeking being escapism....I have some ideas as to what the difference may be, what do you think?

[Gonzo]

Last night on my drive home I had a thought that kinda stuck with me...what is the difference between escape and expanded awareness? DJM talked alot about expanding awareness, there has been a rumbling of the "path" or seeking being escapism....I have some ideas as to what the difference may be, what do you think?

I think expanded awareness is really cool. It's rather like traveling to a country you've never been to before...different language, different styles, different food...and then you come back, and you can tell all your friends you've been there, done that.

[Red Heart]

Well, havent been around for a while. I feel like its been a year, so much has been going on. I have been having some VERY interesting dreaming lately and Im not sure what it all means.
Im just dreaming along, much like watching TV. I know Im dreaming, but Im just tooling along with no particular goal or thoughts just peaceful and dreamscapish...ya know nothing special...then all of a sudden a face will appear from no where, and say hi Donna! Scares the shit out of me....startles the shit out of me I should say because its often someone I know. Its kinda like watching tv and someone shows their face in the picture, very 3D. Startles me awake with a yelp! Other than that I feel like dreaming is just my other life. Oh yeah the eyes of the folks that startle me are all weird...black around the edges with tiny little white areas for eyeballs...any hints?

[Red Heart]

Oh yeah...the research continues with the whole consciousness business, I have a working definition of consciousness:
"An organism's ability to make a decision to interact with its environment."
feel free to give input, bash, kick around...whatever. ~D

[Gonzo]

Well, havent been around for a while. I feel like its been a year, so much has been going on. I have been having some VERY interesting dreaming lately and Im not sure what it all means.
Im just dreaming along, much like watching TV. I know Im dreaming, but Im just tooling along with no particular goal or thoughts just peaceful and dreamscapish...ya know nothing special...then all of a sudden a face will appear from no where, and say hi Donna! Scares the shit out of me....startles the shit out of me I should say because its often someone I know. Its kinda like watching tv and someone shows their face in the picture, very 3D. Startles me awake with a yelp! Other than that I feel like dreaming is just my other life. Oh yeah the eyes of the folks that startle me are all weird...black around the edges with tiny little white areas for eyeballs...any hints?

What have you been drinking? Well, the supposed IOB I encountered had weird eyes as well...his left eye shrank down to something like what you describe, with the pupil becoming a pinpoint. (They're coming to get us, ta da....)

[Gonzo]

Oh yeah...the research continues with the whole consciousness business, I have a working definition of consciousness:
"An organism's ability to make a decision to interact with its environment."
feel free to give input, bash, kick around...whatever. ~D

Consciousness is often used colloquially to describe being awake and aware—responsive to the environment, in contrast to being asleep or in a coma. In philosophical and scientific discussion, however, the term is restricted to the specific way in which humans are mentally aware in such a way that they distinguish clearly between themselves (the thing being aware) and all other things and events. A characteristic of consciosuness is that it is reflective, an "awareness of being aware". This "self-awareness" may involve thoughts, sensations, perceptions, moods, emotions, and dreams.[1]

Consciousness is the subject of much research in philosophy of mind, psychology, neuroscience, cognitive science, and artificial intelligence. Issues of practical concern include how the presence of consciousness can be assessed in severely ill or comatose people;[2] whether non-human consciousness exists and if so how it can be measured; at what point in fetal development consciousness begins; and whether computers can achieve a conscious state.

Actually, the whole essay is of interest http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consciousness

I think this essay about awareness is related http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Awareness