--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Joe" <geezerfreak@...> wrote: > > Precisely. In addition, "witnessing" could also be (note I > said "could") symptomatic of dissociation. > > Something good may be happening, something bad may be > happening, something irrelevant may be happening.
Yup. My point is that I think that a lot of "spiritual seekers" try to map what they've been *told* about various states of attention to the hierarchy they've been told these phenomena populate. If they've been *told* that Experience A is "higher" than some others, they never doubt it again, and in fact (IMO) lose the ability to view it as Just Another Experience. I really view all such phenomena as Just Another Experience. I don't inherently "weight" any of them with anything "higher" or "better." Merely different. And I don't think I'm either cynical or "wrong" in seeing them that way. I've spent much of my life surrounded by people who look down on people who are content with their lives. They actually feel superior to them because these folks aren't constantly seeking (and paying for) something they've been told is "better" or "higher." I think it's silly, and a little sad. > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, turquoiseb <no_reply@> wrote: > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "curtisdeltablues" > > <curtisdeltablues@> wrote: > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Buck" <dhamiltony2k5@> > > > > > > > > could you let your own (limited) epistemology > > > > > > I don't believe it is anymore limited than anyone elses. > > > Maybe less so so than some. > > > > I'm going to riff on this post by Curtis for a while > > because I think it pinpoints some interesting issues. > > The first is the distinction between a person who > > sees himself as being on an equal footing with others > > around him, as opposed to one who clearly sees himself > > as being on a "higher" hierarchical plane. > > > > > > Would there be a time to cowboy up yourself if you'd > > > > be open to it (?). > > > > > > To what exactly? I don't feel a lack of anything in my > > > life that another person could provide outside my own > > > loved ones and friends. I have great health and my mind > > > does everything I want. Spirtitual programs try to solve > > > problems I don't have. I am not a part of the "peaceless > > > and suffering humanity" that Maharishi condescended to. > > > > Hear, hear. I completely identify with Curtis's self > > description here. I feel the same way. WHY ON EARTH > > should I be interested in what others feel are "higher" > > or "better" experiences in life *if I don't see them > > as being either higher or better*? THEY think hier- > > archically, and see being a "spiritual follower" as > > somehow "better" than being a loner. THEY are seeking > > things that they've been *told* are "higher" or "better" > > than just being healthy, having a well-functioning mind, > > and having friends. THEY don't feel content with those > > things, and constantly have to seek for "more." And at > > the same time, curiously, THEY seem to believe that the > > fact that they DO need this "more" that they quest after > > and follow endless spiritual teachers to attain *makes > > them BETTER* than the people who are content with their > > lives. Go figure. > > > > > > May be even leave your personal epistemologic strictures > > > > to experience more differently? On the recommendation, > > > > of a friend? > > > > First of all, no one who ever suggests to me that I have > > to change my beliefs or lifestyle to become more like > > them is my "friend." I suspect Curtis feels the same way. > > > > > I'm not sure anyone is in a position to know how differently > > > my experience is now. You seem to be coming from an assumption > > > that I am not already something or need some other experience > > > without knowing what I have had or have now. > > > > *Whatever* you have not, it's not "enough." You have to > > be in "always seeking more" mode to qualify for accept- > > ance in Buck's world. And you have to be willing to PAY > > for that "more." He is as disdainful of those who have > > found their own "don't need no teacher to find my Way" > > path as he is of those who profess to have no path. > > > > Again, IMO it's a result of buying into decades of > > hierarchical thinking. > > > > Why do people believe that "witnessing" is a "higher" > > experience than not witnessing? If they had just exper- > > ienced witnessing without having been pre-programmed to > > see it as "something good happening," would they have > > assumed this? I think not. I think they would have > > interpreted witnessing as Just One More Experience, > > neither "higher" nor "lower" than any other. The "higher" > > and "lower" thang comes from *what they have been told* > > by someone selling eternal seeking as a lifestyle, and > > one that you have to PAY for. > > >
