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 Enlightenment and the Brain - Good Article
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Kirtanman

USA
1651 Posts

Posted - Mar 29 2007 :  01:31:43 AM  Show Profile  Visit Kirtanman's Homepage  Reply with Quote  Get a Link to this Message

http://www.ajna.com/articles/spirit...he_brain.php

I don't endorse (or not endorse - I'm relatively neutral) Oneness University, but found this article to be useful, from a consideration / information perspective, if nothing else ... and well worth the relatively short read.

Peace & Namaste,

Kirtanman

Doc

USA
394 Posts

Posted - Mar 29 2007 :  06:36:13 AM  Show Profile  Visit Doc's Homepage  Reply with Quote  Get a Link to this Reply

Namaste K:

Thanks for the link. I enjoyed this article as well. If I wasn't married, had no children, and didn't need any income...I would take my wilderness survival pack and a hiking stick with me to the far reaches of Saskatchewan or Alaska for some real wilderness stress relief! LOL

Regards ~

Doc
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Manipura

USA
870 Posts

Posted - Mar 29 2007 :  08:18:41 AM  Show Profile  Visit Manipura's Homepage  Reply with Quote  Get a Link to this Reply
I liked the article too. Hopefully it's scientifically sound, but I like it either way. :) I'd love to know if anything can be done to alter the brain chemistry in the frontal lobes to increase the awareness of Oneness. This may be the reason why some people have no 'experiences' during meditation (Gumpi?) - a hyperactive amygdala-hippocampus connection. :) I agree, Doc - I'm already planning my next wilderness outing...
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Mike

United Kingdom
77 Posts

Posted - Mar 29 2007 :  08:20:34 AM  Show Profile  Visit Mike's Homepage  Reply with Quote  Get a Link to this Reply
Kirtanman - yeh thanks for this... certainly has the whole spectrum from interesting observations and snippets thru to complete pseudo-scientific BS

I found it most interesting on the essential ideas of a brain-wetware-rewrite necessary for enlightenment (which one can do slowly with techniques or as eg with Tolle in an intense and deathly headache (I always suspected him of having had some 'lucky' minor stroke )).

Least interesting on the 'a German professor proved beyond all doubt 15yrs ago... (a contentious premise', the authors frequent " 'mainstream' science disagrees with this but my neuroscientific belief is" , and the over-reductionism in parts (its either all dopamine or certain waves).

I would be interested in finding that study that said 48hrs in the wilderness is better than a years meditation... I wonder whether it depends on how big a group you go off into the wilderness with

Tx again.

Mike
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Manipura

USA
870 Posts

Posted - Mar 29 2007 :  09:52:04 AM  Show Profile  Visit Manipura's Homepage  Reply with Quote  Get a Link to this Reply
quote:
Originally posted by Mike

I would be interested in finding that study that said 48hrs in the wilderness is better than a years meditation... I wonder whether it depends on how big a group you go off into the wilderness with


...and who's in your group. I don't remember the Bible mentioning Moses and the Jews arriving from the wilderness of Egypt fully enlightened...

I think the part about grace was interesting. Here: "Sri Bhagavan says that enlightenment has to be given, it is a gift of Grace." So all neurophysiology aside, it comes down to a universal intelligence/creator deciding whether you're in or out. I always understood everything in the realm of spirit to be grace-based. It would appear that enlightenment is but a breath away, for EVERYONE, and yet what %age of people realize it?
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Christi

United Kingdom
4514 Posts

Posted - Mar 29 2007 :  2:49:09 PM  Show Profile  Visit Christi's Homepage  Reply with Quote  Get a Link to this Reply
Hi Meg,

quote:
I think the part about grace was interesting. Here: "Sri Bhagavan says that enlightenment has to be given, it is a gift of Grace." So all neurophysiology aside, it comes down to a universal intelligence/creator deciding whether you're in or out. I always understood everything in the realm of spirit to be grace-based. It would appear that enlightenment is but a breath away, for EVERYONE, and yet what %age of people realize it?


If it is all about Grace (and personally I think it is), then it is not too much a cause of concern. I certainly feel like I have benefitted from a great deal of Grace, and for a long time I have felt like I am being watched over/ guided/ protected/ helped/ led in a way that many might call the intervention of grace (or the hapless meanderings of a psychotic mind). It is my experience that grace flows, and it doesn't flow randomly, it flows according to it's own laws. And there is a lot we can do to help it flow in our direction. What's all that stuff about "when the cup is empty..."? That's the first bit, empty the cup (meditation, pranayama etc). Then if we call out, and we are really sincere, (prayer) then grace flows to us. The more sincere we are, the louder our prayer is and the more chance there is to be heard. When I pray, I pray in silence, and make my mind as silent as I can, but the sincerity of the feeling is what gives the prayer amplitude.
So for me, it isn't about who is picked and who isn't, it's about how much work we put in to empty the vessel. Then it will be filled. But we don't decide when it is filled, or what with.

Just some thoughts on grace

Christi
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Manipura

USA
870 Posts

Posted - Mar 29 2007 :  3:23:59 PM  Show Profile  Visit Manipura's Homepage  Reply with Quote  Get a Link to this Reply
Nice post, Christi! Yes, there's the element of grace which I referred to, that has the flavor of predetermination to it, and then there's the element that you refer to, which is all about emptying oneself...making room for grace and more grace. It's an odd thing, I think, for this guy to have included it in his article, but I'm glad that he did.

The message I'm getting from all these threads on enlightenment is that it's all about emptying...surrendering...de-cluttering.
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