53. Self-deception.

[Tony]

Self-deception.

Imagine a bell without its clanger = Empty. This is absolute truth.
Imagine the clanger = Consciousness. This is relative truth.

Over lifetimes of ignorance, the clanger has got so large that it now fills the whole of the inside of the bell. The clanger has filled up space. We have created a solid ‘me’. This is Ego.

Ignorance meaning, not noticing ones true nature, emptiness.

In the beginning of practice one reduce or dissolves the clanger. When one realises space, then the clanger can be allowed to be there, as now it is in union with space.
It will now ring quite nicely.

The clanger is our fixed ideas. These fixed ideas produce negative emotions.

However now, because we have recognised space or emptiness, when a thought arises
it immediately reminds us that it there be virtue of our empty essence. We now have conscious space, your true nature.

This nature is carefree and playful, definately not serious.

[ViralSpiral]

This nature is carefree and playful, definately not serious.

Definitely! A relative truth is that I have been deceiving myself for years, and obviously have been having fun doing it :)




Three Pastors from the south were having lunch in a diner. One said, "Ya know, since summer started I've been having trouble with bats in my loft and attic at church. I've tried everything - noise, spray, cats - nothing seems to scare them away." 

Another said, "Yea, me too. I've got hundreds living in my belfry and in the attic. I've even had the place fumigated, and they won't go away." 

The third said, "I baptized all mine, and made them members of the church... Haven't seen one back since!"

[Mad Hatter]

Mad Hatter dons his contrarian cap...

Keeping in mind...

This nature is carefree and playful, definately not serious.

You said...

These fixed ideas produce negative emotions.

So I think to myself...I seem to have this fixed idea that the sun is going to come up every day but for the life of me can't seem to identify any negative emotion in me regarding that!!
What am I doing wrong??:p

I love your threads for the discussions / thoughts they provoke but methinks # 53 might have been jotted down in a hurry...


clanger = Consciousness

clanger is our fixed ideas

So which is it, cause this is really messing with my head? ;)

[ViralSpiral]

Me dons a mad hatter cap

If I wanted to occupy said bell, and found it to be filled with clang.... I would be instantly annoyed. Why?

Here comes the sun
Here comes the sun, and I say
It's all right

[Tony]

Mad Hatter dons his contrarian cap...

Keeping in mind...

This nature is carefree and playful, definately not serious.

You said...

These fixed ideas produce negative emotions.

So I think to myself...I seem to have this fixed idea that the sun is going to come up every day but for the life of me can't seem to identify any negative emotion in me regarding that!!
What am I doing wrong??:p

I love your threads for the discussions / thoughts they provoke but methinks # 53 might have been jotted down in a hurry...


clanger = Consciousness

clanger is our fixed ideas

So which is it, cause this is really messing with my head? ;)

I do like this bit!
What are you doing wrong?
Mad Hatter you are a subtle being so we can go further. In the normal run of things, the negative emotions are easy to see, because they make us feel quite uncomfortable. There are subtler negative emotions which slightly turn the mind away. We unconsciously justify an negative feeling. Actually that is double negativity, as the negative emotion never existed in the first place and justifying it, is making it into something solid which again it is not.

Ok, back to the Sun. There are also positive emotions. I take it that the Sun is quite a pleasant things. Pleasant things, turn the mind towards the thing that is attracting it, therefore there is a subtle clinging and expectation. Take the Sun away and you might feel angry, as in the common expression "Isn't it a dull day, what terrible weather!"

Both turning the mind away or to something creates karma, an imprint on the mind =fixed idea. Because of this imprint, every time the Sun does not come out, the habitual pattern kicks in..."Bloody awful weather." A quote from my Mum!

Expectation causes suffering. I expect to take another breath... . . . . . .but it could stop at any. . . . moment!

The alternative approach is, the Sun is out Ok, it's cloudy Ok. Everything is just as it is.

[Mad Hatter]

Left neuron sees...

is double negativity
and thinks... double negative is a positive.

Right neuron sees...

Expectation causes suffering
and has a gestalt moment !!

Thank you for that...