Life

Shadow Phoenix · Post by **Shadow Phoenix** » Tue 18 Jul, 2006 4:42 pm

Arcane WIzard wrote:You said you are dependant on emotions to dictate what you feel.

But I'm sure you agree that thoughts and emotions (plus 3 other elements) come together into what we experience as reality. Therefor, to experience something in reality we must take all those elements into consideration.

Blaming it all on chemicals in your brain is a rather convenient excuse when you take into consideration that those emotions are merely one of 5 elements that make up your mindset, especially when you can directly (not to be mistaken with easily) control some of them.

How we do that is best learnt from observation. Observation of consciousness. And with observation I don't mean simply living and learning, I mean true silent unconditional observation of all you consciously experience, at least some of the time (meditation?). Contemplate what you do on the most basic levels you can think of. Then you can observe how you form your thoughts, then you can observe what you desire, then you can observe how that can be reached, and then you can form your mindset to fit what is best for you.

That doesn't mean nirvana (well, eventually..[if you believe that sort of thing]) and always riding the peaks but learning to operate your mind will at least allow you to steer clear of or eject from those downwards spirals.

Or take medicine, whatever floats your boat.

Suffering is also a construct of the mind.

You are completely right on all points except for the medicine. I mean, whats the point of life then?

And Suffering is definatly a construct of the mind, and I can probably take it away,but its damn hard to do!

Arcane WIzard · Post by **Arcane WIzard** » Tue 18 Jul, 2006 5:28 pm

You mean there's an inherent point to life?

It's all what you attribute to it's meaning yourself, imho.

But I'm not a fan of medicine either, at least not to "fix" psychological problems. I just said it because people are free to believe medicine will really sort them out and act on that, otherwise I would be rather hypocritical in my believes about drugs.

I'm against any substance being a crutch to life, as well as the absense of substances. That is to say, many claim drugs are a ways of escaping "reality", to that I can say "reality" is a way of escaping drugs. It's the same "wrong" (that of escaping an experience) no matter how you look at it. To me the difference lies in what you're doing to your body. I don't know if you're familiar with the physical effects of most medicine, but they make many illegal drugs look like candy.

I can probably take it away,but its damn hard to do!

I always ask people who haven't been at both sides (perhaps that means they haven't been at either side, heh) and who make it sound easy where the button is I need to press. Silence ensues.

Come to think of it, I think it's not really a button but more of a ladder. One you have to build by hand. With an overly generic manual. Before you can even start thinking of climbing it. : /

the_unknown_one · Post by **the_unknown_one** » Tue 18 Jul, 2006 6:15 pm

I'm not going to read all this stuff... Life just sucks...

Shadow Phoenix · Post by **Shadow Phoenix** » Tue 18 Jul, 2006 10:26 pm

the_unknown_one wrote:I'm not going to read all this stuff... Life just sucks...

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING ME LAUGH!!!!

That was a good one Unknown One .
Here we are talking about stuff, and you just come out and say it outright.

Come to think of it, I think it's not really a button but more of a ladder. One you have to build by hand. With an overly generic manual. Before you can even start thinking of climbing it. : /

It is a really big ladder. REALLY. And without a manual, really.

Arcane WIzard · Post by **Arcane WIzard** » Wed 19 Jul, 2006 12:05 am

There are many manuals, chosing one is a different matter.

I like this one most. Has been most applicable so far.

Writing your own is also an option, and pretty much what you will be doing anyway.

Less

more building ladders. (wasn't jesus a carpenter? lolol)

Shadow Phoenix · Post by **Shadow Phoenix** » Wed 19 Jul, 2006 3:14 am

Arcane WIzard wrote:There are many manuals, chosing one is a different matter.

I like this one most. Has been most applicable so far.

Writing your own is also an option, and pretty much what you will be doing anyway.

Less more building ladders. (wasn't jesus a carpenter? lolol)

Its sad that I will never meet Siddhārtha Gautama in person.

Thanks for the linky! I will study it after I sleep.

Arcane WIzard · Post by **Arcane WIzard** » Wed 19 Jul, 2006 6:25 am

Of course theory is all nice and everything, but you'll want some practical explanations and examples:

http://www.bswa.org/modules/mydownloads ... php?cid=15

This site contains videos and sound recordings of a buddhist monk talking about all sorts of stuff, giving advise on things like loneliness, desire, stress, and so on. Quite a friendly and humoristic fellow. Long speeches though (hour, hour and a half).

That'll get you some momentum going, if you have the time and motivation to check it out.

If not, no biggie.

Shadow Phoenix · Post by **Shadow Phoenix** » Wed 19 Jul, 2006 4:35 pm

Arcane WIzard wrote:Of course theory is all nice and everything, but you'll want some practical explanations and examples:

http://www.bswa.org/modules/mydownloads ... php?cid=15

This site contains videos and sound recordings of a buddhist monk talking about all sorts of stuff, giving advise on things like loneliness, desire, stress, and so on. Quite a friendly and humoristic fellow. Long speeches though (hour, hour and a half).

That'll get you some momentum going, if you have the time and motivation to check it out.

If not, no biggie.

I decided to listen to him saying about abotrion/euthinasia.
At least he says that its "black and white"

Thanks for the linky!!!
I dont have time, but I will dig it.

the_unknown_one · Post by **the_unknown_one** » Thu 20 Jul, 2006 9:49 am

Shadow Phoenix: It wasn't meant to be funny, but if you can laugh with it...

These long and boring conversations are all useless.

Arcane WIzard · Post by **Arcane WIzard** » Thu 20 Jul, 2006 10:55 am

Use is attributed by the observer.

In other words, don't read it and shush, if you don't want to read it.

Because short replies like that are even more useless.

Gambit · Post by **Gambit** » Thu 20 Jul, 2006 4:18 pm

I'll interject a bit by saying these things:

"Be formless... shapeless like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle; it becomes the bottle. You put it into a teapot; it becomes the teapot. Water can flow, and it can crash. Be water, my friend..."

What that means is to learn to adapt to your situation and be fluid, like water. Don't linger too long in one way, or you will be trapped in its style, restricting yourself from growing. You should look for ways to honestly express yourself. Don't blind yourself. Whatever that is and how you do it is up to you.

"True observation begins when one is devoid of set patterns."

I don't think there is such a thing as the "one way" on life. Like I said, styles and ways (even so called cliques and groups) tends to limit oneself from growth. Instead, you should use only what "works" and "makes sense" but to do that effectively, you need a fluid, open mind. It's a process, not a product.

I drew heavily from this, by the way.

Arcane WIzard · Post by **Arcane WIzard** » Thu 20 Jul, 2006 5:29 pm

I knew I heard that quote about water somewhere..

It coincides with buddhism quite well, whatever life throws at you deal with it best you can. If you're carpenting, focus on carpenting, if you're cooking food, focus on cooking, etc.

"Be here now."

Sort of thing.

There was a(n e-)book about it.. let me search..

mirror1: http://rapidshare.de/files/14809636/be_ ... 2.pdf.html
mirror2: http://freefileupload.net/file.php?file ... e_now2.pdf

I love reading stuff like that and listening to stuff like Terrence Mckenna speeches.

http://video.google.nl/videosearch?q=terrence+mckenna