The Impersonal Life

Originally Posted by Starman

I agree that how we define things are relative, or relevant to how we will approach those things.
Speaking only for myself, and in answering your question, my spirituality comes from a vast impersonal source.

I often refer to that source as “God,” and God for me is not a person. My spirituality is a presence
that engulfs me. Now from a Pantheistic point of view everything is spirit, but when I say spiritual
I am not referring to the things that spirit has created; rather I am referring to that pure source of creation.

YOUR Spirituality engulfs you, does that mean it's external to you or not you?


The ancients called it "neti neti," which means "not this, not this." When people become Spiritual they add another 'layer', so their 'me" becomes 'Spiritual', then a 'being', then what colour of underwear they should be wearing. Layer upon layer. Neti neti pares away those layers by saying "not this, not this...." It would take away the layers defined by "Spiritual," "vast," "impersonal," etc...

Originally Posted by Starman

Its not so much that they are stuck, it is just that most are living in a box. Thoughts are mental constructs, all thoughts have a framework. That is why we can never mentally imagine infinity, because infinity has no framework, infinity has no beginning or end, no top or bottom, and no sides. Most people are not aware that there are experiences that go far beyond their own thoughts.

Thoughts have all of those things, sides, etc. We can have three-dimensional thoughts but most people only have two-dimensional thoughts. I learned this when I worked in the mental health field. Most people have poorly developed images and they mainly think in words. Words are concepts, concepts are constructs. We mentally construct things in our own head and call those things thoughts and imaginings.

Regardless whether it is words or images, they are mental boxes, and most people live in those boxes. Thinking outside of the box is just transferring perspective to another box. Now I am not against thinking or imagination. But people have their thinking mechanism running 24/7-365. When you quiet your thoughts you give your thinking mechanism a break.

Giving your thinking mechanism a break makes it work better when you do use it. You can make your images very crystal clear and the words in your head can be piercing when released from your head. I have also seen people with “thought disorders,” or mental health issues related to thoughts and imaginings.

We should learn how to use our thoughts or else our thoughts will use us. Drag us around, etc. In crisis intervention most counselors will attempt to slow a person down, help them relax and quiet their mind, and focus on the moment. I have just chosen not to live most of my life in a mental box, and also to allow my consciousness to expand beyond that mental box. Having a quiet mind is not only good mental health, it also can enhance good physical health, i.e. less stress, etc.

Yes agreed, thank you Starman

[BigJohn]

Originally Posted by Starman

BJ, you are so correct in what you have said; most people only know their thoughts, and it took me a long time to trust inner silence because all I knew, and trusted, where my thoughts. But since acquiring a deeper since of silence within me, it now feels so natural.

To be quiet inside feels more natural than having all of the thinking chatter, and it is in that deep silence that the madness ends and the magic begins. But we have to work at being quiet inside, for most it will not come instantly. After decades of practicing quiet meditation I still have to nurture inner silence, although the nurturing now comes easy.

I evacuated my house yesterday and drove about 600-miles to get out of a smoky wildfire area, and inner silence helped me do that with calm and clarity. Guided by intuition, which comes much greater with inner silence, I was able to find a campground for my RV, and my MiFi is working, giving me internet access.

Most of the motels and hotels along the way had no vacancy signs because a lot of people have evacuated the wildfire area in Northern California. It was obvious to me that there was a lot of panic. Inner silence is a very practical and beneficial way to live this human life regardless what situation a person may find themselves in. It’s amazing that everyone has a major secret to life right inside of them yet most look for it elsewhere.

Quieting the mind should be the first thing on most peoples' minds but in reality is rarely ever mentioned. Strange paradox.

[Starman]

Originally Posted by Greenslade

YOUR Spirituality engulfs you, does that mean it's external to you or not you?

It is both external and internal; there is what, or who, I think I am and then there is and existence of me that has no identity. I may call that existence “spiritual” but that is just another label, a handle for my mind to grasp. Spiritual is like a very pure expanding ocean and I become that ocean, beyond thoughts and words, and identification. That is what my mind means when I use the words “it engulfs me.”

Originally Posted by Starman

It is both external and internal; there is what, or who, I think I am and then there is and existence of me that has no identity. I may call that existence “spiritual” but that is just another label, a handle for my mind to grasp. Spiritual is like a very pure expanding ocean and I become that ocean, beyond thoughts and words, and identification. That is what my mind means when I use the words “it engulfs me.”

Today I was walking and sensed ..

Spiritual is not just a label; it lives and breathes Life...It's everything and everywhere and it's .. there are no words that are enough..

[Starman]

Originally Posted by janielee

Today I was walking and sensed ..

Spiritual is not just a label; it lives and breathes Life...It's everything and everywhere and it's .. there are no words that are enough..

All I am saying is that, in my opinion, spiritual is not the word “spiritual," no more than love is the word “love.“ One is and experience and the other is a mental concept put into words.

Anyone can say that they are spiritual even if they are a rapist or murderer. A person can tell another person that they love them as they beat that person to death. Words are only symbols and they are not the things themselves, but I respect that you may see words much differently than me.

Originally Posted by Starman

It is both external and internal; there is what, or who, I think I am and then there is and existence of me that has no identity. I may call that existence “spiritual” but that is just another label, a handle for my mind to grasp. Spiritual is like a very pure expanding ocean and I become that ocean, beyond thoughts and words, and identification. That is what my mind means when I use the words “it engulfs me.”

Welcome to YOU.

Originally Posted by Starman

All I am saying is that, in my opinion, spiritual is not the word “spiritual," no more than love is the word “love.“ One is and experience and the other is a mental concept put into words.

Anyone can say that they are spiritual even if they are a rapist or murderer. A person can tell another person that they love them as they beat that person to death. Words are only symbols and they are not the things themselves, but I respect that you may see words much differently than me.

Indeed I wasn't disagreeing..Just had an experience that day that was well beyond words