--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, TurquoiseB <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "wayback71" <wayback71@> > wrote: > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, TurquoiseB <no_reply@> wrote: snips> wayback:> > Regarding the idea of free will, I would agree with you > > entirely except for experiences I have had (and sadly > > have not had iin quite some time). The few experiences > > I have had, and I know many many others have too and > > have written books about etc etc, are unmistakable. > > Life all happens, just happens and unfolds - kind of > > like a plant grows without any planning, so does a > > human act and think and feel. > > I've had those experiences, too. I think the difference > is that I do not consider them any different than any > *other* experience I've ever had. In other words, the > state of attention in which one is not the doer has no > more importance or weight for me than any other. It's > Just Another Fleeting State Of Attention. . > > My understanding is that even brain research is beginning > > to suggest that our volitional actions actually got > > triggered before we have had time to feel or ponder or > > choose. This is all irrelevant until the experience occurs, > > but it is a real relief to experience, and the shock of > > all shocks, let me tell you. > > I think the keyword here might be in your use of the > word 'relief.' IMO, some people are actively *searching* > for experiences that "prove" to them that they are not > in control, and that something bigger and greater than > they are *is* in control. So (also IMO), when they have > the particular fleeting experience of "not the doer," > they tend to interpret that experience as an "ultimate" > experience, a glimpse of some ultimate truth. I don't > see it that way. I treat such experiences, interesting > as they may be, just like any other experience. They > come, they go...NONE of them is any more advanced or > "higher" than the other.
Well, the first time it happened I felt as if I had been living my entire life in some sort of cosmic joke which produced the feeling that I had free will and my full attention on the details of life was essential. The relief was that I did not need to take things quite so seriously since the flow of it all would carry things along. Maybe these experiences are not special or more evolved, just odd brain functionings that have been deemed "higher." But my bet is that this is not so. I think there are higher states of consciousness and that MMY's basic delineation is a pretty good one. snip > > I am all in favor of Bhuddism and all the compassion and > > good works and honesty that it encourages. I am a Hindu > > type, tho. > > Cool. I wish you well on that path. I'm definitely > more of a Buddhist. May we all get to the same party > location at some point, and get to sit down over a few > margaritas and talk about the incredibly different > routes we all took to get there. :-) :-) :-) > Yes, I look forward to that - here on earth, too. Someone in FF has to arrange this in the next decade! To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
