I first was attracted to ‘greater truths’ based on advertisements on the backs of comic books decades ago! (40s/50s ?) Perhaps you saw them… a hooded figure holding a book etc. At the very least I knew I needed/ wanted to know more.
http://craphound.com/images/mentalpoisoning.jpg I recently tuned in to a free online live discussion based on the recommendation of a Theosophist I know. It was great… if one wanted to hear an hour long advertisement for other programs and get spammed for even more. Curiosity quenched! On Jul 16, 4:48 pm, archytas <nwte...@gmail.com> wrote: > There are dangers in everything, I guess Orn. It makes sense to me to > point out what many people seem to expect from epistemology > (grounding) has already missed the bus. And no harm in letting them > wait to see the other ones! I once asked an organisational > aestheticist who had just spent a long time explaining that hypertext > was a visual medium how he might explain that to my blind friend. > Many of the crass meditative-introspective 'techniques' are advertised > in the worst of the neurosis of self - you know what I mean, they are > all over the place and have one travelling multi-dimensionally. > > On Jul 16, 8:03 pm, ornamentalmind <ornamentalm...@yahoo.com> wrote: > > > > > > > > > The Nazis did deal with mysticism. True. And, their ‘Nazi emblem’ (if > > one wishes to follow this addition to the topic) was appropriated from > > the Bonpa religion, a precursor of Tibetan Buddhism and a sect that > > remains today. I have met some from Italy who practiced it and did not > > find the Mussolini connection that one finds with Evola. > > > Yes Neil, I almost didn’t post due to the esoteric nature of the topic > > and what obviously appears to be a desire to not ‘testify’. After > > fairly careful consideration, I posted anyway. > > > I empathize with the goal(s) of reducing neurosis although with > > possible different origins and experience. The dogma oft associated > > with such psychological pursuits, mostly formed through early cathexis > > (bestzung to Siggy) seldom reaps clarity. At the very least, it is not > > a universal other than in the sense of recognition of deception and > > the lack of integrity. Regardless, sociologically, the telos is the > > recognition of our oneness. > > > On Jul 16, 10:33 am, archytas <nwte...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > > The word 'ascesi' - from 'askésis', 'to train' - originally meant only > > > 'training' and, in the Roman sense, 'discipline'. The corresponding > > > Indo-Aryan is 'tapas' ('tapa' or 'tapo' in Pâli) and means the same > > > except that, because of the root, 'tap', which means 'to be hot' or > > > 'to glow', it also contains the idea of an intensive concentration, of > > > glowing, almost of fire. > > > > With the development of Western civilisation, however, the word > > > 'ascesis' has, as is well known, taken on a particular meaning which > > > differs from the original. Not only it has assumed an exclusively > > > religious sense, but, because of the general tone of the faith which > > > has come to predominate among Western peoples, asceticism has become > > > connected to ideas of mortification of the flesh and of painful > > > renunciation of the world : thus, it has come to indicate the path > > > that this faith thinks the most suitable for 'salvation', and the > > > reconciliation of the creature, corrupted by original sin, with his > > > Creator. As early as the beginnings of Christianity the word 'ascesis' > > > was applied to those who practised exercises of mortification such as > > > auto-flagellation. > > > > Asceticism in this sense became the object of clear aversion with the > > > growth of specifically modern civilisation. If even Luther, with the > > > resentment of one who was unable to understand or to tolerate monastic > > > discipline, disowned the necessity, the value, and the usefulness of > > > any ascesis, to oppose to it an exaltation of pure faith, then > > > humanism, immanentism, and the new cult of life were brought from > > > their standpoint to bring discredit and scorn upon asceticism, which > > > those tendencies associated more or less with 'medieval obscurantism' > > > and with the aberrations of 'historically outdated ages'. And when > > > asceticism was not explained away purely and simply as a pathological > > > manifestation, a transposed form of auto-sadism, all sorts of > > > incompatibilities and oppositions to 'our way of life' were claimed > > > for it. The best known and the oldest of these is the antithesis > > > supposed to exist between the ascetic, renouncing, static East, > > > hostile to the world, and the active, assertive, heroic and creative > > > Western civilisation. > > > > The above came recommended on a page with the Nazi emblem on it Chaz. > > > One assumes this is not where our friend finds his ascesis! One can > > > find strange light in meditation (literally) and a 'glow' that reminds > > > me of magic as some African friends once demonstrated for me. Orn > > > almost pleads the 5th - but that's my friend's business. In more > > > sociological terms, there is civic humanism and ascecitism from the > > > east and Greeks. My own take concerns neurosis and finding ways to > > > move society away from it. My studies concern such examples as police > > > lying as a case of socially enforced neurotic behaviour. > > > > On Jul 10, 1:02 am, ornamentalmind <ornamentalm...@yahoo.com> wrote: > > > > > We don’t need my words. Others have set the grounds: > > > > Name, Definition, Resemblance, True Opinion and the Fifth. > > > > > I use additional elements and guideposts in an esoteric practice…but > > > > this is all of little importance and not actually for discussion nor > > > > deconstruction. > > > > > No doubt you know at least some of the steps…like when focusing your > > > > attention upon something…knowing what it is primarily by what is > > > > called… often followed by additional concentration upon more elements > > > > involved…like the terms defining what is being addressed. What follows > > > > involves witnessing the process etc. > > > > > Thanks for asking anyway. > > > > > On Jul 9, 3:02 pm, chazwin <chazwy...@yahoo.com> wrote: > > > > > > So, in your own words what exactly is the process of ascesis? > > > > > > On Jul 9, 3:01 am, ornamentalmind <ornamentalm...@yahoo.com> wrote: > > > > > > > “Isn't having stages a contradiction of henology?” – Chaz > > > > > > > Perhaps…although I was addressing the actual process of ascesis… > > > > > > something I’ve been working with for quite a while now. In fact, > > > > > > I’ve > > > > > > been working many knowledge school methods. Being interested in > > > > > > mind, > > > > > > I practice methods so I can know what is what…an actual first hand > > > > > > scientific study. > > > > > > > Theosis is possible as Plotinus found out. When it comes to > > > > > > ‘contradiction’, in any ultimate and/or integral sense, there is no > > > > > > contradiction that I can find. > > > > > > > For those who have devoured Plotinus, Neil and/or Wikipedia one > > > > > > finds > > > > > > henology is“…a "metaphysics of radical transcendence" that extends > > > > > > beyond being and intellection.[2] It can be contrasted with > > > > > > ontology, > > > > > > as ontology is "an account of being" whereas henology is an "account > > > > > > of unity."” > > > > > > > These words above only approach the first 3 aspects of ascesis. This > > > > > > isn’t in contradiction with the process of ascesis though…it is > > > > > > merely > > > > > > a part of the whole…you know, a distinction about the One and the > > > > > > many. Long ago I would have been afraid to even consider the notion > > > > > > let alone the experience of “radical transcendence” except perhaps > > > > > > at > > > > > > arm’s length through academics. > > > > > > > For an internet heuristic re: Plotinus, > > > > > > see:http://www.livius.org/pi-pm/plotinus/plotinus.htmlhttp://www.philosop... > > > > > > > “And what has this got to do with our discussion?” - Chaz > > > > > > > Little except by association…particularly with Neil’s offering me as > > > > > > being worth a month of study. Also, the thread does start out having > > > > > > to do with epistemology…Kant’s in particular. I’ve been looking at > > > > > > the > > > > > > nature and scope of knowledge for a while now. I don’t claim to be > > > > > > well read nor to be able to recall let alone present or to having > > > > > > assimilated most philosophers; however, I have been interested in > > > > > > firsthand experience(s). As an aside, the different presentation > > > > > > levels found in this group are quite vast. Some I can make no sense > > > > > > of > > > > > > at all. > > > > > > > Further, in an admittedly troll-like maneuver, I posted that which I > > > > > > had guessed would evoke a response. Also, I’ve had some very recent > > > > > > (last night) experiences in this vein. > > > > > > > Years ago I ran across Eck online and even one person who I talked > > > > > > with quite a bit. She actually seemed coherent and at worst well > > > > > > versed. I haven’t studied the method more than a cursorily glance. > > > > > > Through Ichazo and his School, I’ve found plenty to help me go > > > > > > beyond > > > > > > where I find myself at any one moment. Even before I met Oscar, I > > > > > > knew > > > > > > that there was much more than words and concepts. > > > > > > > On Jul 8, 4:59 pm, chazwin <chazwy...@yahoo.com> wrote: > > > > > > > > Isn't having stages a contradiction of henology? > > > > > > > > And what has this got to do with our discussion? > > > > > > > > On Jul 8, 10:25 pm, ornamentalmind <ornamentalm...@yahoo.com> > > > > > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > For any serious student of mind, one ultimately arrives at > > > > > > > > henology. > > > > > > > > The 5 stages of ascesis provide one basic map. The first 3 are > > > > > > > > involved with words. The 4th on ‘True Opinion’. The 5th is the > > > > > > > > 5th. > > > > > > > > > On Jul 8, 9:12 am, archytas <nwte...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > I had an external trying to fail my best student for swearing > > > > > > > > > last > > > > > > > > > year. I've been asked to do some work on a PhD programme at > > > > > > > > > a US > > > > > > > > > university (better not mention it by name in case I have to > > > > > > > > > take the > > > > > > > > > work). Compared with what you got at Sussex Chaz, it's baby > > > > > > > > > play! > > > > > > > > > And clapped-out nonsense equating to the personal development > > > > > > > > > drivel > > > > > > > > > all over undergrads like a rash at the moment. I'm old > > > > > > > > > enough now > > > > > > > > > that I mat have inaugurated the angle, though in my version > > > > > > > > > I'd > > ... > > read more » -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Epistemology" group. To post to this group, send email to epistemology@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to epistemology+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/epistemology?hl=en.
