The silliness of calling Christ an "enlightened man"

[sky]

Originally Posted by Still_Waters

In the Eastern Orthodox Church, it is said that "the image of God undistorted" is within all. That, in my opinion, is the Holy Spirit (in Christian terminology) or the "Inner Witness" (as you indicated in the John 1:1 quote) and that does seem to be the "Heart" (Core) of our being.

You raise a fascinating point about the Logos (The "Word" which is God and, to proceed further, was made flesh) being "both a reference to a symbol and a sound". The "sound" part caught my attention. According to the Sufis (Hazrat Inayat Khan in particular), "creation begins with the activity of consciousness, which may be called vibration". (Vibration is often associated with sound at some level.) The vibrations mass and get denser and denser en route to the manifestation of the material world that we perceive but which is really an increasingly dense mass of vibrations.

In quantum physics, string theory postulates that sub-atomic particles are made up of "strings of vibrating energy" but this theory has not yet been proven as the mathematical formulas seem to work with 10-dimensions but not with the 4-dimensions of the space-time continuum with which we are familiar. Further experimentation is being done at the Large Hadron Collider at Cena to prove that other dimensions do exist and this would coincide with metaphysical theories about other planes of existence. Subtle vibrations may indeed be the link between experimental science and the Logos (the Word).

I have meditated on the "Word" possibly being the vibratory "sound" proceeding from the potential energy of God and manifesting ultimately as the world. This makes sense to me regardless of whether one believes in the "Creator" or "non-Creator" theory. Of course, this is only a theory but it is consistent with the Sufi view of this manifestation as well as the view of other traditions focusing on the nature of consciousness.

Slightly off topic but something that came to mind while reading your Post....
Have you heard the Earth's humming noise? I call it Earth's Song, I occasionally hear and feel it vibrating/pulsating through my body.

No I haven't gone insane

[Still_Waters]

Originally Posted by Mystic Mark

SW

“I have meditated on the "Word" possibly being the vibratory "sound" proceeding from the potential energy of God and manifesting ultimately as the world. This makes sense to me regardless of whether one believes in the "Creator" or "non-Creator" theory. Of course, this is only a theory but it is consistent with the Sufi view of this manifestation as well as the view of other traditions focusing on the nature of consciousness.

MM

I am guessing that the “potential energy” is a reference to a sound and a sound form (Image), and the manifestation is a reference to the way that you understand the energy to blossom forth ... kind of like the understanding for a Seed that grew into a great tree ... but more as a “natural way” for the potential energy unfolding.

Exactly. There is a point at which words become inadequate.

[Still_Waters]

Originally Posted by sky123

Slightly off topic but something that came to mind while reading your Post....
Have you heard the Earth's humming noise? I call it Earth's Song, I occasionally hear and feel it vibrating/pulsating through my body.

No I haven't gone insane

It's interesting that you should mention that. When one abides in thought-free awareness continuously for at least some period of time, there is a very subtle sound (the "nada") of which one becomes aware at the crown of the head. As I've mentioned in previous posts, it's like the "Song of the Sirens" (as in the Greek epic, The Odyssey) drawing one out of the little separatist gestalt called the "ego" into something greater.

I'm not sure if that's what you are referring to as the "Earth's Song". That "nada" did seem to reverberate through all the chakras and the body at one point. That may still be the case but the focus has since shifted from the body and the little self to something higher as described above.

[sky]

Originally Posted by Still_Waters

It's interesting that you should mention that. When one abides in thought-free awareness continuously for at least some period of time, there is a very subtle sound (the "nada") of which one becomes aware at the crown of the head. As I've mentioned in previous posts, it's like the "Song of the Sirens" (as in the Greek epic, The Odyssey) drawing one out of the little separatist gestalt called the "ego" into something greater.

I'm not sure if that's what you are referring to as the "Earth's Song". That "nada" did seem to reverberate through all the chakras and the body at one point. That may still be the case but the focus has since shifted from the body and the little self to something higher as described above.

Don't know anything about Chakras , Chi is my thing. maybe it's similar, I must do some reading and educate myself
Strange it's called The Nada, which means Nothing in Spanish.....

[Mystic Mark]

Originally Posted by sky123

Don't know anything about Chakras , Chi is my thing. maybe it's similar, I must do some reading and educate myself
Strange it's called The Nada, which means Nothing in Spanish.....

In Taoism, Life energy is referred to as Chi. In Hinduism, Life Energy is referred to as Prana. Both of these understandings are linked to the understanding of the breath.

Although NADA means Sound, there is another term called NADI’s, which are a reference to the Channels through which the life force flows.

The three main channels through which the life Force Flows are ... Ida (the left Nostril) Pingala (the Right Nostril) and Sushumna (the Central Channel). The way that I understand it, this is a reference to the mouth and throat, but it’s also a reference to the medulla Oblongata and the spinal column which represents the understanding for the “straight path” through which the Prana needs to flOw.

But the way that Prana normally flows is through Ida (Moon Channel) and Pingala (Sun Channel) ... which represent the understandings for two different Circular Paths through which the life force ordinarily travels.

There is also something referred to Shakti (Earth Energy). Then again, there are different ways for understanding that. For example, SW might understand that as something that originates from the Crown. But another way to understand that is that Serpents, which lie on their belly, are deaf, so they’re perfectly attuned with the sounds of the Earth.

Not having much luck finding informative articles tonight. But here’s one that mentions the Channels:

https://isha.sadhguru.org/us/en/wisd...damental-nadis

[sky]

Originally Posted by Mystic Mark

In Taoism, Life energy is referred to as Chi. In Hinduism, Life Energy is referred to as Prana. Both of these understandings are linked to the understanding of the breath.

Although NADA means Sound, there is another term called NADI’s, which are a reference to the Channels through which the life force flows.

The three main channels through which the life Force Flows are ... Ida (the left Nostril) Pingala (the Right Nostril) and Sushumna (the Central Channel). The way that I understand it, this is a reference to the mouth and throat, but it’s also a reference to the medulla Oblongata and the spinal column which represents the understanding for the “straight path” through which the Prana needs to flOw.

But the way that Prana normally flows is through Ida (Moon Channel) and Pingala (Sun Channel) ... which represent the understandings for two different Circular Paths through which the life force ordinarily travels.

There is also something referred to Shakti (Earth Energy). Then again, there are different ways for understanding that. For example, SW might understand that as something that originates from the Crown. But another way to understand that is that Serpents, which lie on their belly, are deaf, so they’re perfectly attuned with the sounds of the Earth.

Not having much luck finding informative articles tonight. But here’s one that mentions the Channels:

https://isha.sadhguru.org/us/en/wisd...damental-nadis

Thanks MM, interesting Article.

' the three fundamental nadis or energy pathways in the system '


In Taoism Chi is stored in the Dantians ( Energy Centres) of which there are also Three, upper, middle and lower.

[Still_Waters]

Originally Posted by sky123

Don't know anything about Chakras , Chi is my thing. maybe it's similar, I must do some reading and educate myself
Strange it's called The Nada, which means Nothing in Spanish.....

I too was surprised that the sound of those subtle vibrations is called "Nada", which does indeed mean "nothing" in Spanish. Regardless of whether anyone knows anything about the chakras, the "nada" sound is quite self-evident when the grosser vibrations of mundane thoughts are stilled and no longer drown out the subtler vibrations with their "noise".

[Still_Waters]

Originally Posted by Mystic Mark

In Taoism, Life energy is referred to as Chi. In Hinduism, Life Energy is referred to as Prana. Both of these understandings are linked to the understanding of the breath.

Although NADA means Sound, there is another term called NADI’s, which are a reference to the Channels through which the life force flows.

The three main channels through which the life Force Flows are ... Ida (the left Nostril) Pingala (the Right Nostril) and Sushumna (the Central Channel). The way that I understand it, this is a reference to the mouth and throat, but it’s also a reference to the medulla Oblongata and the spinal column which represents the understanding for the “straight path” through which the Prana needs to flOw.

But the way that Prana normally flows is through Ida (Moon Channel) and Pingala (Sun Channel) ... which represent the understandings for two different Circular Paths through which the life force ordinarily travels.

There is also something referred to Shakti (Earth Energy). Then again, there are different ways for understanding that. For example, SW might understand that as something that originates from the Crown. But another way to understand that is that Serpents, which lie on their belly, are deaf, so they’re perfectly attuned with the sounds of the Earth.

Not having much luck finding informative articles tonight. But here’s one that mentions the Channels:

https://isha.sadhguru.org/us/en/wisd...damental-nadis

What's in a name? A rose (or chi) by any other name would smell as sweet ! (Shakespeare)

It's good that you clarified the variations of terminology for those more familiar with other traditions.

Originally Posted by Mystic Mark

For example, SW might understand that as something that originates from the Crown. But another way to understand that is that Serpents, which lie on their belly, are deaf, so they’re perfectly attuned with the sounds of the Earth.

My sense is actually that the subtle vibrations originate even beyond the crown. My meditations agree with the statement of Ramana Maharshi that "the Light projects the brain and the impressions in the brain manifest in the body and the world".

However, as you probably know, chakra meditations have many variations, including but not limited to the ascent (starting with the muladhara root chakra and thus proceeding from the "earth" element to the crown) and the descent (reverse order proceeding downward from the sahasrara "crown"). Initially, my meditations started at the muladhara, then proceeded to ascent and descent, then to descent and the returning ascent, and eventually gravitated more towards the crown before going beyond that.

You always raise interesting points. I like the imagery of the kundalini serpent's belly being on the ground attuned to the earth at the muladhara.

[Mystic Mark]

Originally Posted by Still_Waters

What's in a name? A rose (or chi) by any other name would smell as sweet ! (Shakespeare)

It's good that you clarified the variations of terminology for those more familiar with other traditions.



My sense is actually that the subtle vibrations originate even beyond the crown. My meditations agree with the statement of Ramana Maharshi that "the Light projects the brain and the impressions in the brain manifest in the body and the world".

However, as you probably know, chakra meditations have many variations, including but not limited to the ascent (starting with the muladhara root chakra and thus proceeding from the "earth" element to the crown) and the descent (reverse order proceeding downward from the sahasrara "crown"). Initially, my meditations started at the muladhara, then proceeded to ascent and descent, then to descent and the returning ascent, and eventually gravitated more towards the crown before going beyond that.

You always raise interesting points. I like the imagery of the kundalini serpent's belly being on the ground attuned to the earth at the muladhara.

SW

“... the statement of Ramana Maharshi that "the Light projects the brain and the impressions in the brain manifest in the body and the world".

MM

For some reason, I didn’t get that the first time. I do now. It makes perfect sense.

SW

“You always raise interesting points. I like the imagery of the kundalini serpent's belly being on the ground attuned to the earth at the muladhara.”

The more that I think about it, the more that I think that the “sitting position” represents the correct understanding for Shakti. The understanding is that the serpent is sleeping because the energy is coiled at Muladhara’s location, so the uncoiled energy represents the.understanding for a “straight path,” where the energy becomes awakened and moves through Sushumna. So the serpent would have to be some reference to Ida and Pingala.

Maybe if they would have symbolized it as two coiled serpents wrapped around a Linga, I would have gotten it. lol But pretty sad, because Ida and Pingala are always depicted as Serpents. So it shouldn’t have taken me that long to figure it out. lol

[Mystic Mark]

Originally Posted by sky123

Thanks MM, interesting Article.

' the three fundamental nadis or energy pathways in the system '


In Taoism Chi is stored in the Dantians ( Energy Centres) of which there are also Three, upper, middle and lower.

I spent a good bit of time studying Taoism too. Dan means Elixir, and T’ien means field. So part of the understanding is that there is some process of “Inner Alchemy” involved which pertains to the understanding of the Elixers.

Yeah ... I know, Taoism is really about the understanding of all kinds of different things. But the Elixirs are not just a reference to ingredients like Mercury, Sulfer, etc.

They are also a reference to “natural” ingredients, just like the ones found in the Anointing Oil mentioned in The Bible. Then again, the Anointing Oil is really more like some watered down version of these Taoist Secrets. Were a person to be given the actual ingredients, they probably wouldn’t notice the effects anyway for the reason that they wouldn’t know what to do with it.