Enlightening others

To me everything is relative to our own perspectives

I agree with this also.. but if there isn't some form of common ground (an absolute) that we all share, then nothing would mean anything at all...

The fact that we are able to have a conversation, proves this other wise.

Originally Posted by billhicks

I agree with this also.. but if there isn't some form of common ground (an absolute) that we all share, then nothing would mean anything at all...

The fact that we are able to have a conversation, proves this other wise.

Actually I think there is. Put a dot on a piece of paper, then draw a circle round it. That's your sphere of consciousness and in the centre is where you choose to put your feet. Within your sphere of consciousness contains your beliefs, fears, hopes, dreams, thoughts, experiences - everything that makes you who and what you are. Do the same for someone else and overlap the two spheres of consciousness, you have the Vesica Pisces with an area of overlap for the Eye of Horus - the all-seeing eye. It sees both sides and/or there is room for your Middle Way. Put in there what you want, common ground if that's what you do so wish. Add a few more spheres and you have the Flower of Life.

Do the same with beliefs. In the centre there is the belief and around it is your consciousness, and the Flower of Life and this thread aren't so far apart. Call that place relative or absolute, it's your place so call it Henry if that suits you. In the Vesica Pisces there is the understanding of how one calls it relative, one calls it absolute and one calls it Henry.

The Vesica Pisces is a pretty cool place to be sometimes. It also connects us and it is through that energy flows from one to the other. Belief-ways, the only barriers that exist are the ones we choose to perceive

Oh no,no,no--never was a hippie in my life.....antidisestablishmentontario------I was more of a revolutionary.......ok---get back to your discussion...:-)

[Gem]

Originally Posted by billhicks

I agree with this also.. but if there isn't some form of common ground (an absolute) that we all share, then nothing would mean anything at all...

The fact that we are able to have a conversation, proves this other wise.

Saying everything is a perspective is fruity. Example, no matter what individual perspective you might take, I'm a male. The coin flip is so certainly heads, and an individual perspective doesn't alter the fact. The ideal, everything is perspective, is obviously hocum.

[Seawolf]

Originally Posted by billhicks

I agree with this also.. but if there isn't some form of common ground (an absolute) that we all share, then nothing would mean anything at all...

The fact that we are able to have a conversation, proves this other wise.

We have a side to us that stays objective, communicates well and comes to fair, logical conclusions and there's a part of us that's just the opposite that wants to paint a cosmic orchestra with no logical meaning.

Originally Posted by Gem

Saying everything is a perspective is fruity. Example, no matter what individual perspective you might take, I'm a male. The coin flip is so certainly heads, and an individual perspective doesn't alter the fact. The ideal, everything is perspective, is obviously hocum.

Right/wrong is the perspective; male is the absolute. Right/wrong are adjectives applied to the male, and are based on judgments which can be based on conditioning.

For example maybe I see you eating quiche and I have it drilled in my head "real men don't eat quiche" so I decide you must not be a real man. That is my perspective at work. If you are going to take right action then you have to strip away all the conditioning and beliefs that may be coloring your perspective first, to get at what is real and what is absolute. However it can be trickier than you might think.

For example, perhaps you define "male" as having certain body parts, so you strip down and show me yours. I could take that as proof, or I could demand a blood test, which might show despite your outward appearance, you have two XX chromosomes. So, then, are you male or are you female? There are many transgendered persons who would say that their chromosomes and bits and pieces do not make them male or female, that is not their inner experience. Gender is a difficult one, if you are looking for an example of an absolute.

But really, anything you want to pick, we can similarly deconstruct. Name any object and strip it down to its base components and you get nothing - as Bill said -- nothing appearing as anything.