Body, Emotions, Mind … and Beyond

[sky]

Originally Posted by AbodhiSky

the Buddhist's belief in impermanence is very permanent which brings up the question, what can hold this unchanging view that everything is impermanent permanently?

The Buddha never taught that everything is impermanent, He taught that all of conditioned existence, without exception, is "transient, evanescent, inconsistent.....

[Still_Waters]

Originally Posted by sky123

The Buddha never taught that everything is impermanent, He taught that all of conditioned existence, without exception, is "transient, evanescent, inconsistent.....

Excellent clarification.

For the masses, however, everything that they can imagine is indeed impermanent ... but ... there is indeed something behind what my teacher used to call the "imposing unreality".

[Miss Hepburn]

Imagine the harm one does by constantly going over past mistakes or shortcomings.
This habit can be broken … but it involves a long and taxing endeavor. This battle takes on a whole new picture when ...

Discernment comes at great cost and effort.

Slightly, different take for me, zorkchop... Just, um, in bold, I say, 'not necessarily'.
A regular, steadfast practice of thought control is not really taxing - and
(ok, for me), not really a battle! Ha! :)

Detrimental, useless thoughts once recognized can be laughed at..at their sneakiness to seep into the mind ...
and you can take care of them just as you would flipping channels, seeing a terrible crime scene laughing at the nonsense
that this would be placed on TV ---and turn the channel!

Now, do this for 2 weeks and you'll be laughing often at this devilish mind in our heads!
It becomes easier and easier until like a bully playmate - he gets bored with you...these silly thoughts become so much less...
until you wave them away as you would a fly...they don't vex you in any way.
YOU are in charge now.

-It's 'reaching for the better feeling feeling' -(Abraham-Hicks)
-You may not be able to control the birds flying overhead, but you
certainly can control one not making a nest in your hair!

RE: Discernment...it comes with being aware of your feelings; your gut.
Trusting your feelings with practice...then, clarity comes.

Sorry, but this is my slightly diff take. None of this is really hard - only if you make it so. I guess a lot has to do with attitude.
If I approach something as hard...then - it will be!!
Regular, deliberate, consistent practice is what it takes. And, Voilà! :)

[zorkchop]

Mizz H …

I totally agree. Although I’m not a betting person … I would make a sizable bet that for you … 2-3-4-5 lifetimes ago … when you were first developing this ability … this attitude … you would sing a different tune then … and it is to this people that most of my posts are meant for.

Now … many lifetimes later … you portray the learning … the unfolding of the individual Soul. Since EVERY-thing is learned … all of this … for you … didn’t come out of thin air. You learned it … step-by-step … as many people have to do now. Heck … many people are finding out that it can even be done … let alone how to do it … let alone live it as a lifestyle. You are a great example of how all of this develops.

“Being aware” of anything … takes focus and practice. Some look at it as a battle … others as an adventure. Most … probably somewhere in between.

You’ve done a great job on the learning … and living … of this.

Well done.

- - o-0-O-O-0-o - -

Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn

-You may not be able to control the birds flying overhead, but you
certainly can control one not making a nest in your hair!

True it reminds me of the habit of dwelling on or thinking about upsetting things from the past. Why would anyone ever do this? Only because they are not aware it is optional. Unaware we can consciously choose what thoughts to feed with our attention and what thoughts to withdrawal our attention from. Thoughts need us to engage with them, if we don't, they lose all their power to influence our experience.

Originally Posted by sky123

The Buddha never taught that everything is impermanent, He taught that all of conditioned existence, without exception, is "transient, evanescent, inconsistent.....

Very true so all of unconditioned experience is, without exception, unchanging, permanent, stationary, stable, consistent. Like truth and his consistent teachings that never changed.

[Miss Hepburn]

Originally Posted by AbodhiSky

True it reminds me of the habit of dwelling on or thinking about upsetting things from the past. Why would anyone ever do this? Only because they are not aware it is optional. Unaware we can consciously choose what thoughts to feed with our attention and what thoughts to withdrawal our attention from. Thoughts need us to engage with them, if we don't, they lose all their power to influence our experience.

Yes. Btw, I practice the 8 or 9 points to tap according to EFT.
That's easy to google.
Soon those silly 'past thoughts' dissipate...it's a wonderful thing.

[Miss Hepburn]

Originally Posted by zorkchop

Mizz H …
I totally agree. Although I’m not a betting person … I would make a sizable bet that for you … 2-3-4-5 lifetimes ago …
when you were first developing this ability … this attitude … you would sing a different tune then …
and it is to this people that most of my posts are meant for.

I know, right?
You are absolutely correct!!!! Keep up the good work! As I just said to That Man - there's no rush, either...
Life has a way of showing us what we really want...when we've had enough pain --the change begins.
I had HAD it with the nonsense - the suffering! Ha!
That's the diff between me and someone else... they tolerate it more!! Ha! lol!

I think being born now - with all the help all around us is a Blessing, extraordinaire!
Look at you...you are such a source of guidance!
Was that readily available in the 1600s? ...no.

[zorkchop]

Mizz H …

I later pondered a bit on your last reply to me … and now I find that it is I who might differ a bit. At least … this is something that you might consider …

In the 1600’s … there were still viable authentic Masters to be had … mostly on the inner … but those that felt they needed to make a pilgrimage to find an authentic Master in the physical … yes … they could be found … if and when the student was ready. One of the definitions of an authentic Master is that They can work with you both on the inner and the outer … with a leaning towards the outer … since that is what is available to you at all times. All of this would have been one-on-one.

Nowadays … with the web and videos and books and television and such … everyone has opinions flying around … theories that sound marvelous to the mind but are worth very little if anything to the truly advanced student. People themselves claim to be advanced when they are not … which is a natural claim of the mind. There is no pronouncement here … for or against … but even if an “advanced student” were coming here to take another step … these opinions truly muddy the water … which … admittedly … would be part of the learning process.

You have people today that claim to be Masters … when they are not … or some other “high designation” within their studies … when it is simply their declaration they are making and has not been earned. Most of these people have no idea just what karmic implications they are accumulating by leading someone astray. They are making their own part much more difficult … let alone for those who accept them as lofty.

That is why … probably one of the genuine tools that one can ever develop inwardly … is ones own yardstick … by which to measure not only where they themselves are … but where everyone else is. Few have that. Frankly … one can be developed only by experience. It is an honestly beneficial tool.

I could go on about this. Maybe a future post. But having opinions and theories … when this is exactly what mind is designed to do … and now they fly everywhere … unless someone has an incredibly sound foundation and above-normal discipline … all of these will takes it toll.

Again … it’s all part of the Path … and the facets can make it all the more difficult.

Just something … to ponder.

On we go.

- - o-0-O-O-0-o - -

[Still_Waters]

QUOTE 274 EXCERPT:

Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn

It becomes easier and easier until like a bully playmate - he gets bored with you...these silly thoughts become so much less...
until you wave them away as you would a fly...they don't vex you in any way.
YOU are in charge now.

That is precisely the process. It does indeed become "easier and easier" to wave away those silly thoughts as you would a fly.

Finally, "YOU are in charge now"!