It's the concepts, stupid!
REN: When we leave our bodies, we will shed the body and then eventually the mind and personality. At that point, depending on what we believe we will experience ourselves as evolving souls or as undifferentiated, universal consciousness. (Take your choice.)
PS: This choice is absolutely critical!
Only one of these concepts is (relatively) true. Either we are evolving souls (a dualistic concept) or we are undifferentiated, universal consciousness (a non-dualistic concept).
The 'evolving soul' concept carries with it an immense baggage around which entire religions have been built. It gives the mind, which created it, a job not only for life but (conceptually) for many lives, which is just what it wants.
The mind also created the 'undifferentiated, universal consciousness' concept, but only, perhaps, when it's back was against the wall and it had to come up with some way of trying to describe the undescribeable. This concept carries little mass appeal so its religions/schools (Taoism, Tibetan Buddhism, Zen, Advaita Vedanta) are much more benign. Nevertheless it still has subtle traps built into it which can draw the ego into a long, misguided pursuit of truth.
Strip away all the mind's concepts and what's left?
This, I suggest, is the key question that we each need to answer.
And, since the direction of our questioning will be hugely influential in determining the answers that are found, we'd better be clear about this before we try to coach others to find their own understanding.
REN: This exercise increases our understanding and broadens our sense of self and circle of identification and eventually our circle of love. It allows us to be less focused on how we feel and what we need and realize that we are not the center of the universe.
It gradually leads to less selfishness and ego-centeredness.
Although empathy and compassion may arise naturally when the illusion of separation is seen through, 'identification' with others who are trapped in the illusion can only reinforce the ego.
It would be more helpful to stand as a mirror in a state of disidentification from the ego.
Also, it's essential to understand that we cannot expand the limited personal 'self' to embrace the unlimited, undifferentiated, universal 'Self'. Instead we need to recognise that the Self is our true nature.
Again, strip away all the mind's concepts and what's left?
It's meaningless to just read these words and think about them - it has to be done.
What's found may be surprising, and carries the potential for healing the 'self's emotional/psychological conflicts.
To paraphrase Clinton, 'It's the concepts, stupid'!
PS: This choice is absolutely critical!
Only one of these concepts is (relatively) true. Either we are evolving souls (a dualistic concept) or we are undifferentiated, universal consciousness (a non-dualistic concept).
The 'evolving soul' concept carries with it an immense baggage around which entire religions have been built. It gives the mind, which created it, a job not only for life but (conceptually) for many lives, which is just what it wants.
The mind also created the 'undifferentiated, universal consciousness' concept, but only, perhaps, when it's back was against the wall and it had to come up with some way of trying to describe the undescribeable. This concept carries little mass appeal so its religions/schools (Taoism, Tibetan Buddhism, Zen, Advaita Vedanta) are much more benign. Nevertheless it still has subtle traps built into it which can draw the ego into a long, misguided pursuit of truth.
Strip away all the mind's concepts and what's left?
This, I suggest, is the key question that we each need to answer.
And, since the direction of our questioning will be hugely influential in determining the answers that are found, we'd better be clear about this before we try to coach others to find their own understanding.
REN: This exercise increases our understanding and broadens our sense of self and circle of identification and eventually our circle of love. It allows us to be less focused on how we feel and what we need and realize that we are not the center of the universe.
It gradually leads to less selfishness and ego-centeredness.
Although empathy and compassion may arise naturally when the illusion of separation is seen through, 'identification' with others who are trapped in the illusion can only reinforce the ego.
It would be more helpful to stand as a mirror in a state of disidentification from the ego.
Also, it's essential to understand that we cannot expand the limited personal 'self' to embrace the unlimited, undifferentiated, universal 'Self'. Instead we need to recognise that the Self is our true nature.
Again, strip away all the mind's concepts and what's left?
It's meaningless to just read these words and think about them - it has to be done.
What's found may be surprising, and carries the potential for healing the 'self's emotional/psychological conflicts.
To paraphrase Clinton, 'It's the concepts, stupid'!
