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Aphorism
reply to post by St0rD
You clearly don't grasp the concept here.
It's only clear that I disagree with your concept.
Thinking occurs in the moment and is an act of nature. In no way is it possible to live outside the moment or outside of nature—so why not just do that? To limit thinking is an ego-based attempt to limit nature and one of the very faculties of our observation.
Well the fact is the same: you don't understand exactly what I'm trying to say.
Thinking can be seen as an act of nature, yes.
But the opposite is also true.
You realize we are the 'only' living thing on this planet that think as much as we do, right?
Animals, plants, trees, insects, etc, in brief nature itselfs, doesn't have to think. They only live in the moment of now. Surprisingly enough for you they couldn't be more close to nature than that.
So your point doesn't prove a thing. I suspect you didn't actually read with an open mind what I wrote earlier because you'd have at least questionned yourself and your opinions on this subject. I didn't talk about limiting thought process, I talked about learning how to control them in a way they will become less abundant and more conscious. This is even more important today where people will think constantly about useless matters. Most waste their time regretting the past or fearing the future. Besides, this is one of the main reason why anxiety disorders and depressions are becoming so common. Filtering our thoughts and learning how to do introspection have become so meaningless that people will just accumulate all sorts of negative energy and wait till one day everything explode to the surface.
This isn't an ego-based attempt like you stated, because ego wants specifically us to believe that overthinking is the normal conditioning of humans. Getting out of this conditioning is the first step towards a spiritual awakening - the realisation that we are MUCH more than a limited mental perception.
Aphorism
reply to post by St0rD
Well the fact is the same: you don't understand exactly what I'm trying to say.
Thinking can be seen as an act of nature, yes.
But the opposite is also true.
You realize we are the 'only' living thing on this planet that think as much as we do, right?
Animals, plants, trees, insects, etc, in brief nature itselfs, doesn't have to think. They only live in the moment of now. Surprisingly enough for you they couldn't be more close to nature than that.
So your point doesn't prove a thing. I suspect you didn't actually read with an open mind what I wrote earlier because you'd have at least questionned yourself and your opinions on this subject. I didn't talk about limiting thought process, I talked about learning how to control them in a way they will become less abundant and more conscious. This is even more important today where people will think constantly about useless matters. Most waste their time regretting the past or fearing the future. Besides, this is one of the main reason why anxiety disorders and depressions are becoming so common. Filtering our thoughts and learning how to do introspection have become so meaningless that people will just accumulate all sorts of negative energy and wait till one day everything explode to the surface.
This isn't an ego-based attempt like you stated, because ego wants specifically us to believe that overthinking is the normal conditioning of humans. Getting out of this conditioning is the first step towards a spiritual awakening - the realisation that we are MUCH more than a limited mental perception.
I do understand what you are saying, and I disagree with it. There is nothing wrong with that.
Nature itself does think; we are proof of that. Why should we silence her?
Filtering thoughts and introspection are acts of thinking, not acts of silencing the mind. I am arguing that instead of trying to not think, that we can simply change the content of what we think about by thinking better. Focusing on the bodily senses is quite easy. Noticing what goes on around us is as simple as opening the eyes. If one learns how to think, one will be noticing better, rather than attempting to sweep one of his faculties under the carpet. Instead, it is about focus, while utilizing the entirety of one’s being. The principle “don’t use it, you lose it” applies here.
zazen
I just started meditating regularly about two months ago, and I've experienced some rather profound effects in that short time.
Anxiety and depression, which I've dealt with for about 20 years with varying degrees of success, are at an all-time low. Virtually non-existent.
Overall it's been a big improvement in my life, almost like a spiritual awakening - though I've never been religious. Never would have guessed one's mind could change so dramatically in such a short period of time with so little effort.
Most of the time, in this modern age, it seems like it is mostly comprised of thoughts based on words (which I find interesting, but thats a different topic).
What we can do is grow our mindfulness to continuously include awareness of these different facets. This is why things like breathing exercises are a common practice. Once you can become aware of an entirely different source of perspective outside of thinking, its like learning a new language. This can be done with every part of who we are (mind, heart, lungs, smell, sound, etc).
St0rD
This is basically what this thread is all about.
While focussing on more inner-driven aspects of life, like breathing, smelling, sound, etc, one can feel an immediate contact with his being by experiencing hidden realities deep within himself. Realities that are immutable in time and space.
Most of the times this exercice will calm down the mind because it's basic purpose is to think and comprehend and it can't fully comprehend these realities, therefore leaving more space to experience true serenity and peace in the mind.
Frequent silence in the mind is possible and greatly healthy for an individual.
Aphorism
reply to post by Serdgiam
On a side, if you're interested, do a little research into The Language of Thought hypothesis (LOT). It's quite interesting.
I do not view them as "inner-driven" so much as equal parts of the same whole. I dont think there is anything hidden other than what we choose to hide.
True serenity and peace, as well as silence, are continuously present in the mind. Beyond that, they are continuously present in ALL of the aspects of our being beyond the simplicity of our mind. My post was pointing to experiencing the silence and the "noise" simultaneously and ALL of the time.