Mystical Experiences?

[Nature Boy]

Where are you getting those figures from?

Psychology is the examination of the consciousness based on scientific principles and not belief systems. You can't really compare them. Peace of mind, whatever it may be, is in the eyes of the beholder. To criticise one's understanding of their own mind might be seen as an egocentric act in itself.

Paradox?

[LateBloomer]

Originally Posted by Nature Boy

Where are you getting those figures from?

Psychology is the examination of the consciousness based on scientific principles and not belief systems. You can't really compare them. Peace of mind, whatever it may be, is in the eyes of the beholder. To criticise one's understanding of their own mind might be seen as an egocentric act in itself.

Paradox?

No, psychology is an examination of the mind. Gnosis, buddhism and a few other esoteric pathways [from now on I'll use generally gnosis as it's what I know best] are an examination of consciousness and the human machine which involves intellect, emotion, motor, instinct and sex inclusive. Very different beasts as the intellect in gnosis is seen to be limited in attaining happiness. For me, an interesting thought that broke through my own personal nihilism.

Gnosis is not based on belief, it is based on faith and woe is me as the two terms have been conflated for a long time. Belief is not based on fact. In the Fourth Way, the author talks about beliefs as residing in those who are too lazy to think and we know that beliefs have no foundation and hence can waver. Faith, on the other hand, is based purely on the experiential, the direct perception of certain things. So one can only have faith in God if one directly perceives God. Interesting because if you are touched by God, there is no way you will ever not have faith in him.

Peace of mind is not in the eye of the beholder, in the terms you put. True inner peace is based on dissolving the ego, to reform your mind until it accepts the true realities of the external world and can transform it's misery into understanding.

I find your last bits about my supposed criticising as being a touch rich. Here it is. Pardon me for being bad at extracting different posts to form newly in my replies:

Methinks someone may be extracting misinformation directly out of their rectal region.

I have no doubt this comes from your ego. It's a bit more powerful a reply needed. However, from your perspective, only you know. However, considering the attempt at subverting my responses via the same mechanism, eg, I'm the one with the ego, not you, I think it only adds credence to my initial claims... but as I said, only you know. Also, if you knew anything about the ego, you would know it reacts when it is hurt, usually to the originator of the pain, something the posts subscribes to.

Paradox?

Does it matter. If you want to win the argument, I concede. If you want to know the truth, leave your ego at the door. However, it is the hardest thing to do as we are unaware of it's presence, even when we reply to other's people's posts.

[dip]

Originally Posted by seeingred

Are our brains meant to be in solid form, pure, or are they meant to be twisted and changed by mind-altering chemicals?

Schizophrenics have an altered perception on life, without yoga or a drug.

FuBai basically, already pointed it out:

Originally Posted by FuBai

All that they say is that we are susceptible to irrationality and delusion, nothing more.

But i've been wanting to say: we're all schizophrenic to some degree. Most of us to an unnoticable degree.

[Nature Boy]

Apologies if I was too crude. There was no real harm meant. We just don't really see eye-to-eye here. You have a very elaborate and drawn-out way of saying very little in my opinion.

Nothing is better than eternal happiness. Eating a hamburger is better than nothing. Therefore, eating a hamburger is better than eternal happiness.

[LateBloomer]

Originally Posted by Nature Boy

Apologies if I was too crude. There was no real harm meant. We just don't really see eye-to-eye here. You have a very elaborate and drawn-out way of saying very little in my opinion.

Nothing is better than eternal happiness. Eating a hamburger is better than nothing. Therefore, eating a hamburger is better than eternal happiness.

It's not for everyone, Nature Boy. Some people understand it [those who tend towards consciousness], some people don't [the unconscious]. It's the beauty of the esoteric pathway. It's not like religion where you get as many believers as possible and take their money. With the esoteric pathway, you just tell the person the true realities of life and they see them to be real or they just leave them and go back to their normal, conventional ''wheel of samsara'' lives. With the esoteric pathway, you actually have to be active in your own ''work'', it is direct perception, it is understanding and changing your mind and consciousness, something that very few people can do because its the hardest thing in the world to do.

By the way, your logic is wrong, the last sentence should read: Therefore, eating a hamburger is better than nothing.

When you reach the top of the mountain, climb higher.

cheers
LateBloomer