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Whenever there is โanotherโ to consider, explaining oneโs own truth in a manner that maintains the relationship may require tact and timing.That's for sure. If I acknowledge personal uniqueness, I cannot expect others to conform to my views.
We are all uniquely individual for good reasons (I think), consequently, we each perceive our reality from our own perspective.
tom2 Uniformity has benefits too. Think of product lines where you need assurance of quality and safety standards.Yes, uniformity has advantage in simple things like bricks, boards, bolts, buttons, and such. When things get complicated like the Boeing 737 Max, then the illusion of uniformity can be catastrophic. There is also a psychological dimension to the quest for uniformity. We apply it to ourselves, creating an attitude of passivity. "The is no irreplaceable person," as I heard again and again in the Army. But there are irreplaceable persons. The oddball Joseph Rochefort bucked the system and saved the Pacific Fleet from total destruction.
tom2 Well, since you asked... I believe we are each here to gather sufficient knowledge with which to construct an after-life for ourselves. Without such a construct, by default we return to this paradigm.Thank you. I am familiar with the idea, but not of course your specific practice. Wasn't it crystallizing the soul for Gurdjieff? And there is Lawrence's Ship of Death:
Consequently, much of my daily life is spent deep in meditation, sorting and selecting preferences from the options presented to me and creating my alternate dimension. Any wisdom I gather in that process, I share.
tom2 Reflected or made manifest within?Reflected. You are out there too. Your handle reflects you, your avatar reflects you, Your pacing, vocabulary, and level of discourse reflect you, and so on. The same could be said for environment, dress, pets, plants, favorite ideas, foods, refrigerator, etc. They all disclose us. In sum: style is character; character is fate -- one of my favorite ideas.
tom2 In contrast, I opt for โmade manifest withinโ.That is a good point. It would seem to be knowledge by indirection, yet short of telepathy, I see no other way to explore a self except through its not-self. I have practiced this approach for decades and have found it fruitful.
2d reflection realities arenโt suitable for the full range of sensory experiences.
Hmm... You write as if you believe you are uniquely in possession of the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I envy you.Sorry I give you that impression -- if I really do. I could quote the ancient Greeks. I could quote Walden. I could quote Don Aslett (the Museum of Clean guy). You can in my opinion learn more about yourself and others by looking outside. Mullah Nasreddin was searching the ground under a street light in front of his house. "What are you looking for, Mullah?" Asked a passerby. "My keys," said Mullah. "Where did you lose them?" asked the passerby. "In the cellar," said Mullah. "Then why are you looking for them here?" asked the passerby. "The light is better here," said Mullah.
tom2 I have practiced receiving truth directly from God. It only requires a sincere question preferably with a Yes/no answer. And I have received replies - not in my head but in my conscience which I feel is part of the soul. It is a simple experiment anyone can try."The voice of conscience is the voice of God" as the saying goes. If the question has an ethical dimension, I can see going that way.
Rowan Cocoan "I learned in kindergarten"Aint that the truth...my Mom will tell you the story of picking me up from my very first day to discover that the teacher, presumably in a fit of frustration, had tied my hands in a paper bag...that was a harbinger of things to come.
The idea raised about questioning ourselves is key to becoming aware of ourselves and how we interact in the world.
The idea of living in an accidental world: my belief is the opposite to that. I believe that it is our soul condition that attracts everything to us and those things that trigger us are for one reason - to show us something within us which we need to address. When we understand that we can ask questions like โWhat in me attracted that?โ
The idea that some are real truth seekers, some are for lies, and most are apathetic is a reflection on where society is at in relation to truth. My belief is that we were all designed to be sincere truth seekers and all other behaviours show our injuries and fears around truth which does come from early childhood experiences which we have not cleared. This raises other questions such as โWhy donโt I want to see the truth?โ About me or any subject.
Asking questions such as these requires first an awareness as was discussed and a desire to want to change and to grow. One can only develop such desire based on faith, faith that growth is good, change is good, I want to change. It is a place of uncertainty as was said and only faith that something better is possible will overcome that. So another question is โWhat do I have faith in?โ In growth, or change, or God. Growing my faith in God has made it easier for me. I used to be totally self reliant- I could get through any situation - but that was a tough place to live.