Best Of
Re: The Higher Self
@Jeroen said:
@silent said:
I am from Theravada community and I am not familiar with "higher-self" concept. We would like to think some people from higher realms are protecting us but I did not hear that higher-self thing. I heard about it only from YouTube astrology videos.Hi silent. Wikipedia has this definition of a higher self:
Higher self is a term associated with multiple belief systems, but its basic premise describes an eternal, omniscient, conscious, and intelligent being, who is one's real self. Blavatsky, who founded the Theosophical Movement, formally defined the higher self as "Atma the inseparable ray of the Universe and one self. It is the God above, more than within, us". According to Blavatsky, each and every individual has a higher self.
So it goes back to the Theosophists.
Thanks for explaining. Yes, it is not Buddha's teaching. We do not even have "self" and therefore, no such thing as "higher-self" as far as I understand. To get first enlightenment (stream-entry), we need to remove "self" (sakkāya-diṭṭhi) with knowledge first. Unless, insight will not progress. When we actually gained first enlightenment, sense of self/ identity view completely dissolved. This if one of the three fetters totally cut off at that stage. Sense of self as "conceit" will still exist and only disappear when one is fully enlightened. Just sharing what I learned from Dhamma talks and readings.
silent
Re: Rebirth as an animal
The traditional view in Buddhism is that a human life offers the best conditions for enlightenment.
I basically agree with @Jeroen, the animal world is difficult and filled with suffering. A constant search for food, always on the lookout to not be food yourself. Being a human offers opportunities to change the way your mind operates, it allows for art and science and a relief from the vicissitudes and stress of an animalistic world.
If you're someone who suffers a lot from negative rumination I can see how the sort of ignorance of animals would be a kind of bliss though.
person
Re: What do you think of modern movies?
And why do so many movies revolve around fighting, in one form or another?
Jeroen
Re: What do you think of modern movies?
I've bought subscriptions to all the major movie-providers but rarely seem to be able to find anything to watch among the modern movies. I'm not quite sure what it's about but they somehow just don't grab my attention or peek my interest. So, I often revert to rewatching old favourites. Sounding like a Boomer, at 39! 
marcitko
Re: My Dharma practice today
I am using Insight Timer, free version, as my meditation timer. I like that because it is helpful to remember how many hours or minutes I have meditated in the past as well as some people who meditated at the same time dropped message "thank you for meditating with me." It helps me to keep my daily habit. I meditated 3 hours per day in breaks for about 90 days but now I reduced back to two hours because I feel I am stressing myself out. Adding walking meditation and mindfulness while doing other things. However, when I started, it was very hard to sit even 10 minutes a day.
I am moving to another city soon and will lose my deposit for my current room and will need to give away a lot of things as I cannot carry them. So, a good time to practice letting go and aware nothing is really mine (Anatta). I know if I do not let go, I will lose more in terms of finance and emotion.
silent
Re: The Higher Self
I am from Theravada community and I am not familiar with "higher-self" concept. We would like to think some people from higher realms are protecting us but I did not hear that higher-self thing. I heard about it only from YouTube astrology videos.
silent
Re: What do you think of modern movies?
This is not a thread I’d normally comment on, because 1. I’m quite ADH and have a very hard time sitting through a movie ( I can’t even bring myself to watch the clips in the links); and
2. I’m culturally out of step with much of what most of the rest of the world considers entertainment .
I’ve watched movies that friends have said I’d enjoy, and usually they leave me flat.
That said though, my wife is a big fan of the Wizard of Oz. We’ve been to the museum in Kansas, and our house has a collection of Oz memorabilia. And I certainly have my own very fond childhood memories of the movie. So of course we went to see Wicked when it came out, and now we’ve just seen Wicked2, which is less a “sequel” and more just a “continuation after the (yearlong) intermission.” These movies are, to me, an absolute masterpiece of storytelling. Refreshing perspectives, plot twists, a LOT of thought given to tying it all in to the well known story but still telling a very different story of its own. Really thoughtful exploration of human thoughts, emotions, and actions.
So, the movie industry is certainly CAPABLE of excellence in storytelling. The fact that so many movies are superficial and mediocre reflects not the industry but the audience they’re selling to.
Open a high quality fine dining restaurant and you’ll work unbelievably hard and could well go bankrupt. Open a McDonald’s franchise and you’ll likely be a millionaire.
Steve_B
Re: Rebirth as an animal
We believe it is a bad thing because it is very difficult for them to keep the Five Precepts and therefore, they are destined to lower realm like hell. They cannot become enlightened being as they do not have awareness and therefore, they cannot choose to free from suffering like humans do. You may think they are happy but when they are hungry, they cannot cook for themselves and choose food for themselves. They are at the mercy of their owners from time to time and so on. Just a few example.
silent
Re: Meditation and mental health
@Tavs said:
Recently I've been getting very depressed and anxious, despite all my years of meditation and more recently, mantras and prayers. When I'm actually doing the practice, I feel much calmer but as soon as something appears which bothers me, I'm back to square one. So I don't know if my practice is actually helping my mind or not.
I was in that kind of stage for over a decade. Now I have through that. I am not sure where you are but it happened to me when I went through stage 5-7 of the insight stages in Vipassana meditation practice. These stages can be found even in Wikipedia now and you can check. It was not taught by Buddha but the chief disciple of Buddha Sariputta. Buddha taught only 3 stages of change as broad categories. First you see arising and passing, later you hate these arising and passing, and then you free from that arising and passing and become enlightened. stage 5-7 is part of the middle one when you hate them. It happened because you think there is nothing you can hold onto and therefore, first you bored and then you are being afraid and depressed, and then you feel miserable and sad. Stage 8, you are disgusted with these things and you feel you have control again and therefore, slightly better. Stage 9, you want to free from all these and some choose to become monks and nuns, stage 10, you reobserve and understand things again. Stage 11, you gained balance in your practice and view and you will feel peace you never knew in your life before. It is very near to enlightenment but it can be very long. How long each stage is also depending on your past practices, and many other factors. Hope this will help.
silent
Re: Ploggers of the world...unite!
@marcitko said:
The only problem was that I would get very scared of being noticed doing it! Fear of potential judgment, ridicule, others possibly thinking I'm off my rocker...
Any tips from more experienced ploggers? Just time and habituation and it goes away?
In Plogging, like in formal meditation, all manner of phenomena visit. The basis of sufferings diminishment here lies in letting go of our inclinations to manipulate those visitors.
While not grasping after, rejecting or ignoring these visitors, the teaching that you've been searching will be present.
Cheers
H.
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