I hadn’t thought of this way of explaining it to people.

Continuing with the comment thread.

When you see that the thoughts that go on inside aren’t real then they lose their control over you. Then you start living in a world without hands pushing you or sunglasses over your eyes.

Your actions are clear and you see the wonder of the world.

This cannot be reasoned, only felt.

Jarrod – Warrior Developments last blog post..Continuous Improvement: Plan and Reflect Daily

All suffering is simply a resistance to what is, a belief that life shouldn’t be the way it is and should be another way, a better way.

In the Buddhist tradition, the Buddha explains how the whole world is a world of illusion (maya), and our experience in this world is dukkah (suffering). Human life itself (maya) is suffering.

Wars, jealousy, anger, death, separation, limitation, sadness, frustration, violence, fear… all forms of suffering.

All suffering is due to ignorance, due to false beliefs that originate from the human ego.

How does letting go of the reality of the world of belief help people? It lets go of the idea of a false self, leading to a a dissolution of the false self, leaving only what’s Real behind. What’s left is a sense of inner peace, pure beingness itself, of being totally nonattached from anything in the world, yet simultaneously a sense of total and complete freedom to be, do, or have anything, an experience of liberation beyond anything you could ever imagine.

Basically think of it as the end of suffering. It is the direct experience of Oneness with God.

If that is something that sounds appealing to you, cool. If not, that’s cool too.

Taking your perspective to the ultimate conclusion .. where does that leave anything?

What does it do with your beliefs?

What does it do with my beliefs?

Everything is rendered… into nothing.

How does this help people in everyday life?

Because we’re here living life, dealing with it’s challenges and so on…

So how how does knowing thoughts arn’t real help anyone? it seems a circular dynamic – because the thought ‘thoughts arn’t real’ is a thought, so it renders itself non – existant…!

A.

Anthonys last blog post..Song – “Sapphire”

Historically speaking, there have been a lot of people who have woken up out of the dream state without first learning to master the mind, apply the law of attraction, and so on. So while learning to master the mind as a create tool in such a way may have its benefits, it doesn’t seem like it’s absolutely necessary for awakening.

Also, it would seem that learning to master the mind doesn’t necessarily teach the person that they’re not the mind, although it may contribute towards it. For example, the LoA teaches people to really believe and buy into a thought because that will become your experiential reality whereas waking up involves looking beyond thought altogether, completely. By learning to manifest “you” are learning to guide yourself (via the mind) to create a certain experience and there’s the underlying assumption that there’s a “you” to experience that reality in the first place, even if theoretically we are all one.

Great question.

I think mastering the mind is actually an important step towards seeing it as the tool that it is – and disidentification follows as a natural consequence.

Once we can consciously direct thought, we grasp the concept of the mind as a tool. Once we see the mind as only a tool – a creative tool, since we create our reality through intent and thought – doesn’t the awareness that we are not thought automatically follow?

Great article!
Blessings,
Andrea

There’s certainly a difference, as you pointed out, between incessant unconscious thinkingness and deliberate intention. It’s important to note the difference.

Intention is at a “higher level,” so to speak, than unconscious thinking, but neither of them are you, despite the fact that they both have the power to directly influence the direction of your experiential life.

The mind is definitely a useful tool and I don’t want to diminish its effectiveness in any way. After all, some of my favorite tools in my “spiritual toolbox” involve using the mind itself to dissolve identification with the mind. The Sedona Method and self-inquiry by asking “What am I?” are two perfect examples. Visualization and prayer to God are two more examples. The mind is a wonderful tool.

Positive thinking and training the mind are definitely very useful and effective techniques which is why they’re so prominent to this day. If they weren’t, they would have dried up ages ago.

If you feel that a certain tool is appropriate for you at this time, by all means use it. Not every tool is appropriate for every person, just like you said.

Something to keep in mind though, is that the tools are not you. That’s the rub. Positive thinking, the intention to quiet the mind, the voice in your head… all these mental thoughts are just that: thoughts.

Thought is not you.

Thought can not overcome thought. Illusion can’t transcend illusion. Training the mind to deliberately have another dream is not the same thing as awakening from the dream state altogether. That’s the key point.

I like your post, but lets clear some things up. Clarity is essential in these matters.

For me, saying to myself ‘Enough’ is a pattern interrupt. I’d much rather tell myself this and find some peace (or get to sleep) then lie there and listen to my mind tick over.

Here’s whats going on… and it’s as you mention… the mind feeds off the mind, and it goes around and around in circles. My voice, an intention, something different to my ‘thinking’ mind, comes in and lays down the law. It usually works for me.

Which comes to my next point. Different methods work for different people. There is no universal ‘constant’ technique which works for everyone. I know dozens of people who meditate and do all kinda spiritual stuff… but does it help them? Yes & No.

I find one of the biggest problems occurs when people follow OTHERS methods and techniques, which do NOT work for them because they are… different people.

The truth, ultimately, is that we are all ONE. Yes, indeed. However, as humans, we are all different. You may find peace and serenity in detaching from the mind. Thats where you’re at.

It’s a method i use also, however i sometimes have to step in and scramble up the mind a bit so i can allow it some stillness. That stillness feeds upon itself and i get more stillness…

Do you see what i’m saying?

As i was lying in bed this morning… i had detached from the mind.. just listening to it.. and i noticed a very important and curious thing.

A thought would arise… about every 2-3 seconds. I’d see it, spark into existance.. and fade away. It was like clockwork. This went on for about five minutes, and it began to slow down as i witnessed it.

I Found this to be a result of my work on the computer the night before, and as i had no relaxed the mind, it was still ticking over, considering different options.

So i stepped in and said… mind, relax…. and part of my mind did relax and i fell back asleep.

I believe, from my perspective, that meditation does allow peace and quiet. i am not disagreeing with you. However, i do also feel that positive intention can also be used to quieten the mind. Not as a long-term consistent action… i have tried that and it’s silly…

The mind can be trained… ask any psychologist / psychiatrist / or other Cognitive Specialist, and they will agree – it’s their life work. But only trained so it becomes our servant, not a master that consumes us with dis serving thoughts.

It’s like bringing up a child. You support it with love and food and shelter… and let it play. Now and then, it’ll endanger itself, and you need to step in. Sometimes it’ll play up, and you’re best ignoring it. Other times, again, you need to step in and say ‘Enough’…

Thanks for allowing me the opportunity to present this perspective.

Cheers,

Anthony.

Anthonys last blog post..Song – “Sapphire”