Seven Minute Thought Watching

Originally Posted by JustASimpleGuy

Oh, I was speaking from a purely intellectual analysis of infinity, not experiential. Trying to wrap my mind around it, which of course is impossible, at least for me.

We all hear tell of out of body and otherworldly mystical experiences, and especially from the Yogic tradition. The only OBE I had was at a very young age and outside of being disembodied it was quite normal, if one can call an OBE normal.

As for the experience of Oneness I had last year I was fully embodied and yet I wasn't. I was within and without if that makes sense, but my sensory perspective was still embodied but I could "feel" Consciousness everywhere.

These so called visions and mystical experiences are unnecessary for the true path IMO

Originally Posted by JustASimpleGuy

I suppose mind might not want to stay there but Consciousness seems to like it.

From my perspective it's all about balance and voluntary thinking vs. involuntary thinking. I'm not even saying involuntary thinking isn't happening, however with a sufficiently trained mind its more harmful patterns of thought can be derailed as they arise. Not allowed to grow into a negative emotional reaction. For me that's the ultimate aspect of free will.

Most people can't sense their mind, and mistake their thoughts for the Real Thing.

Agree with you on free will - kamma unwound

[BigJohn]

Originally Posted by JustASimpleGuy

I suppose mind might not want to stay there but Consciousness seems to like it.

From my perspective it's all about balance and voluntary thinking vs. involuntary thinking. I'm not even saying involuntary thinking isn't happening, however with a sufficiently trained mind its more harmful patterns of thought can be derailed as they arise. Not allowed to grow into a negative emotional reaction. For me that's the ultimate aspect of free will.

Having a quiet mind is something most people want to achieve, but try doing something else, like driving a car with a quiet mind...........

I used to love to do that daily but then I was using that as a form of pain management. Once you quiet your mind, there is no pain.

Something else most do not think about, is that when the mind becomes quiet, that is also when the 'magick' begins. A 'whole, new World' is opened up to the person.

Originally Posted by BigJohn

Having a quiet mind is something most people want to achieve, but try doing something else, like driving a car with a quiet mind...........

I used to love to do that daily but then I was using that as a form of pain management. Once you quiet your mind, there is no pain.

Something else most do not think about, is that when the mind becomes quiet, that is also when the 'magick' begins. A 'whole, new World' is opened up to the person.

I like to get into the flow state while driving, and especially on a winding and scenic country road where for the most part the driving is on autopilot and the mind quiets. It's like mind-body is merged into the vehicle and even the road, and consciousness is just along for the ride. It's definitely an informal meditation. I find myself doing that often when higher thinking isn't required. It reinforces sitting practice and helps to further cultivate that way of being outside formal sitting.

It highlights how insubstantial, inconsequential and unnecessary much of our thinking actually is. So much more of reality comes into sharper focus in conscious experience when it's not wrestling with monkey mind. I suppose that's what is meant by seeing things as they truly are and not in a mystical sense but a practical one. Engaged with the world and not disengaged like in deep meditation. The magic, as you say.

[BigJohn]

Originally Posted by JustASimpleGuy

I like to get into the flow state while driving, and especially on a winding and scenic country road where for the most part the driving is on autopilot and the mind quiets. It's like mind-body is merged into the vehicle and even the road, and consciousness is just along for the ride. It's definitely an informal meditation. I find myself doing that often when higher thinking isn't required. It reinforces sitting practice and helps to further cultivate that way of being outside formal sitting.

It highlights how insubstantial, inconsequential and unnecessary much of our thinking actually is. So much more of reality comes into sharper focus in conscious experience when it's not wrestling with monkey mind. I suppose that's what is meant by seeing things as they truly are and not in a mystical sense but a practical one. Engaged with the world and not disengaged like in deep meditation. The magic, as you say.

I do that sometimes.

That down side is: I normally go from A to B. Today, I want to go to C which is near B. I end up at ...... B.