For James Thomas: Re..Ram Das

by Valis 22 Replies latest jw friends

  • JamesThomas
    JamesThomas

    GBL, yes, I took acid about 20 or so times when I was in my late teens and early twenties. There were some good times and some not so good. My head was so far up my ass in those days (some would say it hasn't ventured far since) that had anything significant happened, I wouldn't have known.

    Generally I would say drugs don't really help in our discovery of inner truth; but every-time I make a concrete statement about what is or is not, the universe proves me wrong. You just can't put God in a box.

    The truth, when discovered, is not something other from what is seeing. The truth when discovered is not something you can hold in your hand and observe but rather is the realization of what is observing. Generally drugs present strong phenomenal effects which draw attention into objective thoughts and things. It's not about thoughts and things; but rather about the unmoving vastness in-which they exist. If anything draws your attention, that ain't it. Shift attention and awareness inwards, towards awareness itself.


    j

  • GetBusyLiving
    GetBusyLiving

    I have no idea how to do that JT. I mean it. I'm always looking for answers. I'm thinking about getting into Buddism. Deep down I don't even believe in God.. but I really want to.

  • AlmostAtheist
    AlmostAtheist
    I'm not the type that can stop all thoughts and trancsend.

    Me neither! When I find a quiet moment alone, all I can think about is all the stuff I don't get to think about other times. How am I going to make this program work? What story idea can I come up with for my web site? When was the last time I played army men with Zach, I really should go do that with him right now...

    The other day I sat and tried to imagine what it would be like to be sealed inside a bowling ball. Could you tell when you were rolling? (I decided you could) How would you breathe? (I decided to shelve that one) You couldn't move, you'd be under slight pressure, so you couldn't even squirm. Just give yourself over to the ball, roll where it rolls.

    I got so caught up in being in this d@mn ball, that I still "thought" and never really got anywhere!

    Dave

  • JamesThomas
    JamesThomas

    GBL,

    That "you really want to" is paramount. Earnestness and sincerity key.

    Buddhism may be fine, yet, in my view it can easily trap the unwary as it is a religion. Religions and belief systems often are the seemingly significant center around which we create our personal identity. It's not about creating or supporting an individual self or "me" identity. It's about seeing through all the crap that we believe ourselves to be to what we actually and truly are.

    I suggest Eckhart Tolle's book: The Power of Now. Though you will indeed find quotes attributed to Jesus and Buddha in there, it is not at all a religious book. Instead of giving you something to believe in or lean on, he shows us how to be really present in this moment. Generally, we are not here at all, but rather lost in our mind and it's ideas about what is real. Ideas about life, are not life.

    Good luck to you friend. You are about to venture into the most wondrous journey of all. That, which reads this now, is infinitely more than the mind could ever imagine. We already are the Wholeness we seek. Attention has been given to a false identity, and we have simply forgotten. There is nothing to earn, acquire or believe. It's all about seeing what is here, already.


    j

  • bem
    bem
    I'm not the type that can stop all thoughts and trancsend.

    I'd like to be able to find the peace some I know seem to have accomplished from being able to do this. Some people that just make you feel better to be around them, not as in sucking there life force from them. But being able to "be still" and calm when they are there. Don't know too many people like that. Each of them have said the same things about finding this inner peace. that it's just that, and has to come from the inside.

  • JamesThomas
    JamesThomas

    Bem and Dave, I suggest the same to you as well.

    j

  • bem
    bem

    Had another thought about the folks I have met personally that are calmer and easy people for me to be around, being Native American, Choctaw,they have a lot of Native customs, Dances and Sweat lodges, purifying ceremonies.

    I see the wisdom in these things since they cause us to "pay attention" The other thing I see is that christianity get's muddled in there with some of it and it is confusing to me. but I think confusing 'cause I am "like so" uninterested in religion for 'religions sake' that I wanna R-U-N.

    {{ I am open tho}} except the drugs . Not judging either way, it's just that I deal with some who are doing or have done drugs. and I see the problems they can attribute to, and I have enough problems already. with out trying to blend anything into the mix.

    Thanks JT.

    Dorothy

  • frankiespeakin
    frankiespeakin

    Bem,

    Sweat lodges sounds good, as well as those other thing.

    You could try circular breathing while listening to loud shamonic types of music it is called by many names Holotropic Breathword or Trance Dancing our ansestors have been doing this for 10s of thousands of years. Do internet searches read up on these things to get the most benifits.

  • setfree
    setfree

    B.S. and B.S.

  • bem
    bem

    Frankie, yes these things are readily available to me. the ladies I am talking about are really jewels. they are eager to share the native customs and this is very helpful to me. It's just that there is something in me personally in me that holds, back. I am aware of this likely, I am thinking to much as has been suggested. Thanks for the advice I will search more.

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