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Go Back   Spiritual Forums > Spirituality & Beliefs > Non Duality

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  #21  
Old 26-01-2017, 01:51 PM
jimrich jimrich is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TarunP
An uneducated guess is as follows -

We can go back to Oneness even now, while in the physical body.
My late wife, who is now a body-less individual over in the Afterlife (which I cannot prove exists) and she comes to visit quite often. She and I are both appearances in and of the Absolute or Boundless Energy or whatever label fits the Infinite. It could be said that all there is, is Oneness so nothing ever leaves It or returns to It. That is an illusion also expressed by this Oneness in it's cosmic play as it appears to be me, my late wife and all the other "things" here.

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We can have the same oneness experience without a body (try it while oob or Samadhi, if you can, you will find the very same awareness, the Self, behind all mental states). So assuming that there is some non-physical structure that remains after death, there can remain an illusion of separateness.
For me, it is a fact that my late wife is still here/there as an apparent individual without a 'conventional' body/form [non-physical structure] and that she, just like me (a physical structure) is an illusory appearance in and of Oneness.
It's amazing how difficult it is to put these facts and concepts into words!
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  #22  
Old 26-01-2017, 02:02 PM
jimrich jimrich is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Emmalevine
what can we say about the spirit world (if there is one) and individuality? Do you mind elaborating a bit? Many thanks.
I can only say what I currently know or have experienced regarding the "spirit world" or the Afterlife. It is essentially the same as this physical world but without the fear, insecurity, greed, anger, sorrow, pain and other heavy, negative stuff we live with over here and those in spirit are VERY happy and VERY wise in that higher or freer domain. My late wife still enjoys chocolate ice cream with me and loves to visit stores and places right along with me. She is still an "individual" over there but of a much higher/happier order. I see all of this as more of the cosmic drama that's being staged by the Divine or Oneness, etc.
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  #23  
Old 26-01-2017, 02:19 PM
jimrich jimrich is offline
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words

Quote:
Originally Posted by DreamKey
I sometimes use those words interchangeably.

I often get the feeling that most of these discussions about Reality and Oneness are doomed due to words, semantics and various interpretations of the words and phrases - much like debates about what the bible says. Some teachers/spokespersons will say that this stuff is beyond words and that we need to keep it as simple as possible with stuff like: you are that or all there is, is consciousness or this is it, etc. I suppose it's OK to struggle over words and meanings if that's someones preference.
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  #24  
Old 26-01-2017, 02:28 PM
jimrich jimrich is offline
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Smile

Quote:
Originally Posted by DreamKey
Pretty good stuff acorn. I would say all can understand but not that many want to.
LOL, that's it, in a nutshell! And there are those who FEAR or HATE this "good stuff"! What a drama!
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  #25  
Old 10-02-2017, 09:47 PM
Westleigh Westleigh is offline
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I like this question, as it was something I struggled to wrap my head around as well. In light of how difficult it is for us to understand, I wanted to offer a more person-centric explanation which may be easier to understand.

In spirit individual souls have a boundless expanse of choice and freedom which is a little difficult for us to comprehend. First of all, individuality - or the apparent experience of individuality - is certainly possible in spirit just as it is on Earth. We don't necessarily just merge with the Divine and exist in eternal bliss forevermore. We have unlimited choice. In my experience with spirit interaction, usually people in spirit will project a form which they have worn on Earth, along with its matching personality attributes (certainly when communicating with human mediums, etc, those spirits appear to the medium in the appropriate form and personality for the communication). Because they have often lived on Earth more than once, in other circumstances they may shift to a different one, and when they do so there is simultaneously a differentness and a sameness to their energy. I liken it to them having different "flavours". A soul has a particular energy signature, which might be combined with different patterns of experience and personality to create a different "flavour" of themselves. When explaining this, my guides have shown me a visual metaphor of light shining through a stained glass window; the light (soul) may be the same, but different windows (human forms) will produce different patterns of light and colour from this same essence. Another aspect of this freedom is that souls/awarenesses can freely merge with one another, and part again. You might have twin souls who join together, for example, or group souls which have merged, and thus they move in and out of perceived individuality and joined consciousness. This merging is by their account very pleasurable and may in some ways be compared to human experiences of intimacy, though of a very different order of magnitude. And thirdly, in the same way, spirits can merge into Oneness, and out again. My understanding is that the more spiritually advanced a soul, the more time they may spend in merged states (as they have left behind the level of attachment to individuality which "younger" souls more immersed in duality might have, and who might still identify strongly with a particular physical form). But essentially, our awareness as part of Oneness can move through any and all of these states at will, producing a beautiful infinity of combinations. In an ultimate sense, of course, there is only Oneness and all individuality is an illusion, but just as we experience individuality here in the physical world and find aspects of that rewarding, that experience is enjoyable and valuable in spirit as well, and we are able to choose that as and when we wish.

This explanation is still flawed as spirits generally know themselves to be part of Oneness even when experiencing the perception of individuality - they have left ego behind, unlike most of us in the physical world. But I hope it is helpful.
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  #26  
Old 10-02-2017, 11:37 PM
jimrich jimrich is offline
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Definitions

Quote:
Originally Posted by Westleigh
In spirit
I would genuinely like to comment on your comment but the grim issue of semantics is coming up right from the start. Exactly what is your definition of "spirit"? And what are "individual souls" to you?
For me, "spirit" is anything that is NOT physical or even visible but exists in a kind of mental or conscious state yet even that does not encompass my current concept of "spirit". So, for me, the term "In spirit" means in NOTHING or No Thing yet fully conscious as is my late wife over in the Afterlife now.

Quote:
individual souls have a boundless expanse of choice and freedom which is a little difficult for us to comprehend.
I would say that my late wife is still an apparent individual soul or being, which is another apparent form of the ego and which is another apparent form of the Absolute or Source just as the Absolute is an apparent soul or individual in the form a me, jim. For me, all these apparent forms or appearances are the Infinite appearing as various things and conditions within and AS the Play of Life.

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First of all, individuality - or the apparent experience of individuality - is certainly possible in spirit just as it is on Earth
The Source or Absolute can and does appear in and as everything (and nothing) simultaneously. I can't explain it, though!

Quote:
We don't necessarily just merge with the Divine and exist in eternal bliss forevermore.
It's the other way 'round. The Infinite appears in and as US and might exist in/as eternal bliss forevermore but more likely just as this, just as it is, right here and now - blissful or not.

Quote:
We have unlimited choice.
The Infinite Reality, appearing as a 'we', has unlimited choices.

Quote:
In my experience with spirit interaction, usually people in spirit will project a form which they have worn on Earth, along with its matching personality attributes (certainly when communicating with human mediums, etc, those spirits appear to the medium in the appropriate form and personality for the communication).
My current experience of individuals who are now in the Afterlife is very much the same. They [my wife brother in law, grand father and mother] appear or I sense them as the very same person they were over here but they are much happier and wiser than when in this physical plane. I now get it that all of them, me and all of this is an Appearance in and of the All or Source.

Quote:
This explanation is still flawed
I do not currently see how to adequately "explain" the Infinite or Nothing that seems to appear as both Everything and Something (forms, conditions, souls, etc.) It's a mystery - a Divine Mystery, IMO.
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