Is There a Relationship?

[winter light]

Originally Posted by FallingLeaves

for as long as it exists a map always bears a relationship to the terrain it describes. But whether you need to continue to look at the map or even acknowledge its existance once you've gotten to the place you wisth to be is another question entirely.

I think this observation of map bearing a relationship to the terrain is deeper than it appears. When you consider that the map is part of an interconnected living system. The terrain is changing and the map is changing. There is a relationship and something that appears permanent while it changes. The limitations of the map to describe things are dismissed when one is immersed in the map.

Also I forget where I heard this: "If you don't know where you are a map is useless"

Originally Posted by winter light

Also I forget where I heard this: "If you don't know where you are a map is useless"

Nice

JL

All things and nothing is relational.
Are we aware of the relationship?

I love pictures and blueberry pie.

[Rain95]

Originally Posted by ImthatIm

All things and nothing is relational.
Are we aware of the relationship?

I love pictures and blueberry pie.

Some very amazing souls created the berries. Blueberry, raspberry, amazing stuff. One time I sliced an orange in half outside and the sun light hit it just right and it was one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen. The color, scent, delicate cellular structure and design.....So much of this creation is amazing and awe-inspiring. But yea somebody created termites.... why??? Ok ok to recycle old wood.....

Originally Posted by Rain95

Some very amazing souls created the berries. Blueberry, raspberry, amazing stuff. One time I sliced an orange in half outside and the sun light hit it just right and it was one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen. The color, scent, delicate cellular structure and design.....So much of this creation is amazing and awe-inspiring. But yea somebody created termites.... why??? Ok ok to recycle old wood.....

It is invigorating to know I don't really know but only know in part.Which opens up possibilities to BE-come more fully aware.
A new day to be looked at through childlike innocence and wonderment ready to absorb with vigor and playfulness.Living in the present moment and no answer is needed I can just observe in purity and innocence.
Even in the typing I can be present in the now and in innocence.
* * *

^^^^

[Rain95]

Originally Posted by ImthatIm

Even in the typing I can be present in the now and in innocence.
* * *

^^^^

I've wondered about that. Posting is being in the place of ideas. My ideas and the ideas of others and then what comes when they intersect. That's what I originally made this thread about. I was asking what is the relationship between the world of ideas pointing to this way of being and then, living what they point to.

Humans are social animals. We need a connection with others. I'd say we whither and die without it. Or in the least become very unhappy and lonely and at the other extreme mentally ill, as prisoners in solitary confinement do.

So we interact, and in that, whatever we are is manifested. So yea I am present in the interaction. What I am in the moment interacts. If I am living what teachings I carry or not is up to me. So really the relationship between the world of ideas and living them is up to me.

What I am in any given moment is up to me. I can carry the ideas as ego or carry them as liberation, up to me, and then depending on which I am in any given moment, that is projected outward when I interact with others.

[7luminaries]

In this moment, we are connected to all things.

Separation is the great illusion but it can seem quite tangible. That same misconception is the root source of much of our suffering -- just as Rain noted above.

Peace & blessings
7L

[JosephineB]

A new day to be looked at through childlike innocence and wonderment ready to absorb with vigor and playfulness.Living in the present moment and no answer is needed I can just observe in purity and innocence.

That's lovely.

Blueberry, raspberry, amazing stuff. One time I sliced an orange in half outside and the sun light hit it just right and it was one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen. The color, scent, delicate cellular structure and design.....So much of this creation is amazing and awe-inspiring.

So much gets missed or taken for granted.

[Rain95]

Originally Posted by FallingLeaves

if left to our own devices we would choose lack of free will 100% completely both for ourselves and for others...

Yes totally. Our brains put up these thoughts as "reality" and we follow them, experience where they lead. Where is the free will in that? These is none!

Like say I post something, then somebody says I am wrong. My thoughts react. I feel hurt or angry. Where is my freedom in how I can react? There is none. Free means free. Unlimited potential. Unlimited choice. I am letting my body and it's thoughts and reactions be my experience and reactions.

So how do I become free while living in this body and merged with it's thoughts and mind? I wake up in this moment and know now what is real and me and know what is not me, in what is present. Words are not me, thoughts are not me, this body is not me, reactions are not me, reactions just mean I have identified with these ideas and thoughts and my "ego" as me... but yea I can discard all of that.... stop thinking it's me.

That's what a spiritual path is, a path to find ourselves and to become free. In this moment right now, be totally free from thoughts and thinking. Free of beliefs and opinions. All of this is just stuff our mind throws up there like glitter to grab our attention, saying look here, be in here, this is the important and real stuff. Focus here. Find meaning here!

None of that is real. You have one thought now, and a different one a second later. Like you could be fighting with somebody in a thread.... an hour later you are playing with your cat, or making a sandwich.....why not be in "playing with cat" non-thinking mode when readings others opinions? Then you don't create, don't see, don't experience conflict from such things.

Knowledge and awareness is of a different nature though. Applied knowledge and self awareness now in this now moment. It's all about what we are creating now with this existing stuff, into being, into experience, what I am within this stuff. The stuff can be something, something to make us mad, so we can create conflict with it, or the stuff can be nothing, so we create nothing with it. Or the stuff can be used to create peace, joy, or unconditional love. I can take back control of what I am creating, what I making out of this stuff that exists now.

Though awareness now of what I am and am not, I can be free. Somebody can say I am wrong and I can experience joy! I can say, ah another beautiful eternal child of God on this path though life like me. Maybe they are creating conflict with me now, experiencing and projecting that, but they are free to do that. I don't tell a bear or rabbit to stop being a bear or a rabbit. That's ok, do what you do, be what you are, we are all learning and growing, evolving and that's a great thing. We are all given different ingredients, and we are all different cooks, so what we create is different.

The mind and thoughts really are ours to use, though usually all of that is using us.

[sky]

We have the freedom to choose between bad actions or good actions.


Not to do evil, to cultivate merit, to purify one's mind.

It is easy to do things that are bad and unbeneficial to oneself, but it is, indeed, most difficult to do things that are beneficial and good.

The mind is very difficult to see, very delicate and subtle; it moves and lands wherever it pleases. The wise one should guard his mind, for a guarded mind brings happiness.

They take untruth for truth; they take truth for untruth; such persons can never arrive at the truth, for they hold wrong views.

The Dhammapada...