Having to remind yourself of your beliefs every day so that you'll keep seeing them.

I've done a lot of thinking about deep topics such as "the true self" and things of that sort. I believe I am one with the universe. When I believe I am one with the universe and see it, it feels good to be alive. But the thing is, to have that good feeling of perpetual understanding, I have to remind myself of what I believe every day, and it can be a burden. Ill wake up in the morning, and my existential awareness wont be present in my mind. All that will be naturally present in my mind is the fact that I'm still half asleep and dont really want to get up. But as the day goes on, it feels unfulfilling, to me, if I dont remind myself of some profound knowledge that I have previously discovered.

I think I might know why these profound knowings are not naturally present on a day to day basis after having discovered them. Its because we can't function, or be aware of what is happening around us if we're turned inward and obsessing with single thoughts. So there is a drive to move away from them.

However, I think it is possible to maintain the feeling of importance or empowerment or satisfaction or whatever other feeling that you get from these profound knowings without constantly being turned inward and reflecting on the knowledge.

When I see that all is one and I am one with the universe (your profound knowing may be different), I feel like being active in the world, and I feel like existence is worth gratitude. I assume that no matter the profound knowing, these or similar feelings are the result. So I think the way to maintain the knowledge without it being a burden is letting it be a background, one time, initializing force that sets your trajectory on its active path of becoming willingly involved with what you're involved with.

So you have a profound realization, you try to hold on to it, but its a burden. Your realization tells you that life is good. Life is good so it makes you want to appreciate it. So I think what you should do to maintain the profoundity of the existential knowledge is to maintain the enjoyment of existence.

Just a thought.

originally posted by: smithjustinb
Ill wake up in the morning, and my existential awareness wont be present in my mind. All that will be naturally present in my mind is the fact that I'm still half asleep and dont really want to get up.

Sleep is great isn't it? The 'me' is totally absent. When 'me' is absent life is so much better!!
Being half asleep, not wanting to get up - the 'me' does not want.
It is the not wanting what is actually happening which brings the illusionary I into the picture. It is the illusionary I which is never fulfilled - as it seeks something other than what is.

a reply to: smithjustinb

Don't we actually have two choices either we live looking inwards and relating everything to the spiritual or we live looking outwards in the material world and dealing with living and providing.

When the world was not so 'involved' as it is today we had huge monasteries, nunneries and people living as hermits etc today that is a luxury our society has managed to evolve out, inordder to get as many tax payers as it can for the greedy elite.

Normally we don't have time for deep thinking with working to look after and provide for our families then there's taking part in social, education and simply relaxing out. One usually goes to bed exhausted.

Fulfilment is when one is full of what is happening which is empty of the me.
The absence of me is the presence.

originally posted by: Itisnowagain

originally posted by: smithjustinb
Ill wake up in the morning, and my existential awareness wont be present in my mind. All that will be naturally present in my mind is the fact that I'm still half asleep and dont really want to get up.

Sleep is great isn't it? The 'me' is totally absent. When 'me' is absent life is so much better!!

If by better you mean non-existent. I think I would rather exist. But then again, If I don't then it won't matter anyway.

a reply to: Shiloh7

For me, introspection can be tiresome.

originally posted by: smithjustinb
If by better you mean non-existent. I think I would rather exist. But then again, If I don't then it won't matter anyway.

The 'me' will never be fulfilled - that is why one must die to know the kingdom of heaven - who would want to do that??

Indeed nothing matters when there is no one wanting other than what is!! That is liberation.

originally posted by: smithjustinb
I've done a lot of thinking about deep topics such as "the true self" and things of that sort. I believe I am one with the universe.

You are only one with the universe when you not divided from what is actually happening. When you wake, the universe is waking and then you are divided when you believe that you don't want to be feeling like you do - the thought 'I should not feel like this, I should feel at one and be blissful' is the division and then a seeker is born. The 'bad feeling' is when the seeker seeks for something other.
Stay with what is. Feel the feeling of waking up no matter how it feels - looking for a 'better state' is the problem - it is the division.
The separate me is always seeking other. Remember, there is no other.
Worship no other.

a reply to: smithjustinb

I think your observation applies to many on the spiritual path. I see so many somnambulistic listeners, listening to spiritual teachers and although they seem to understand the message, they are back again the following week seeking entertainment or re-enforcement. They too may see or understand a spiritual truth but at the end of the day they feel stuck where they are.
I can think of many reasons why this is so, as I'm sure you can.

I think if you wake up in the morning unable to recognise a change you felt the day before then that change has been somewhat superficial. You may have become wiser but the birds may not be singing and the sun may not be shining and you are left with the same old, same old.

All seekers are seeking a cure to life.
This, whatever, and I mean whatever is happening is life but seekers want only bliss. The seeker experienced bliss and that is all they will be satisfied with now - the bliss occurred because the seeker fell away for a little while but the seeker is reborn when a 'certain state' is sought.
Seek the seeker and the seeker will fall away and all that will be left is life - life without the 'me' (seeker wanting other than what is actually happening) is delightful.

Seeking more and better is the human condition of suffering. Life is present as this - there is nothing more or better to be had - believing there is, is what hurts and that hurt seeks to not hurt!!

a reply to: smithjustinb

The conundrum of life is that everyone on this planet is constantly needing to reminding themselves they do exist.

The main problem with this type of mind based belief is that it is fear based, so in essence everything that comes from it is fear driven.

The times I have felt oneness is when I have reached a zone in meditation where all thoughts stop, and just the feeling of unconditional love fills my being.

I have only achieved this state a few times, but it was wonderful.

I'm not sure why we are all in the state of being that we are.

And I don't buy into any of the religious drivel that is learned after we are born, and written by humans in a state of fear.

I enjoyed reading your thoughts, keep searching, and believing in your inner intuition.

Peace,

RT

originally posted by: Itisnowagain
Seeking more and better is the human condition of suffering. Life is present as this - there is nothing more or better to be had - believing there is, is what hurts and that hurt seeks to not hurt!!

So do you just wake up every morning ready to go and on auto-enlightened, or do you have to remind yourself not to seek? If you have to make the conscious choice to remind yourself, then that choice is born of desire which has the same effect as seeking.

I have to choose. And I've found that if I don't make any such choice every day that my life fades away into meaningless unfulfillment by default.

I don't suppose that one's "Daily affirmation" to make sure you can keep the faith ever really made you wonder if it was nothing but a giant steaming crock of doo doo now?.

Your faith in this giant fabrication that is this reality is needed more than you need to have faith.

Everything that is this giant fabrication needs your faith in it to exist at all.

Oh, No!!....That's kinda scary isn't it?.

No authority to answer to, no guilty feeling for doing nothing wrong to keep one under control.

Control, Control, Control....

Maybe just consider the one golden rule, the old one everyone seems to have forgotten.

I don't need some religious text or shaman or whatever to explain to me that I shouldn't do anything to anyone else that I wouldn't want someone else to do to me.

Follow that and you never need to be forgiven.

originally posted by: smithjustinb

originally posted by: Itisnowagain
Seeking more and better is the human condition of suffering. Life is present as this - there is nothing more or better to be had - believing there is, is what hurts and that hurt seeks to not hurt!!

So do you just wake up every morning ready to go and on auto-enlightened, or do you have to remind yourself not to seek?

The light is always there on waking - you are seeking light somewhere else. What is appearing (even the thought 'I do not like......') is the light.
There is only the light but the one seeking it veils it and it is believed to be elsewhere.

We used to have something other than politicians running everything, paying into it for basically nothing in return whether we wanted to pay or not.

Now we have churches begging for donations, and politicians competing for the same gravy, the same handouts.

If only religious institutions were taxed the same as any other business, and it is big business, it would be easier to separate them from the criminal elite living a parasitic existence off of the masses.

How did this world get so messed up, how is it that people who consider themselves selfless and spiritual and free don't realize that they are actually completely the opposite?.

Fearfillment....?....

Consider the void, consider there is nothing.

aVOID that potential, that NOTHING is pure potential.

a reply to: Shiloh7

originally posted by: smithjustinb
I have to choose. And I've found that if I don't make any such choice every day that my life fades away into meaningless unfulfillment by default.

The 'me' falls away and you do not like the idea of not existing!!
It is not 'your' life - it is life.

originally posted by: MyHappyDogShiner
I don't suppose that one's "Daily affirmation" to make sure you can keep the faith ever really made you wonder if it was nothing but a giant steaming crock of doo doo now?.

Your faith in this giant fabrication that is this reality is needed more than you need to have faith.

Everything that is this giant fabrication needs your faith in it to exist at all.

Oh, No!!....That's kinda scary isn't it?.

No, I've certainly questioned my beliefs for that very reason on multiple occasions. For me, "unity" still remains the best thing I've found that can offer the profoundity I don't want to do without.

Maybe just consider the one golden rule, the old one everyone seems to have forgotten.

I don't need some religious text or shaman or whatever to explain to me that I shouldn't do anything to anyone else that I wouldn't want someone else to do to me.

Follow that and you never need to be forgiven.

The golden rule, for me is exactly why I believe strongly in unity. I'll give you an example. I have this little weak dog who whines a lot. He's always at the dinner table begging for food, as all dogs do. But due to him being so weak, in my regular, unmitigated, natural lack of compassion, I justify not giving him table food due to my disgust at his whiny attitude. This is how I am when I don't have a belief to justify compassion.

Unity is the only thing I've found that can justify compassion. So yesterday, after looking this pitiful dog in his eyes, I realized I was looking at myself. Suddenly, I was compelled to give him some food.

I have to have a reason to be compassionate. Unity is my reason. Unity takes compassion to the ultimate level. Unity makes compassion intense and for me, the compassion is the feeling of unity.

I do unto others the way I know I'm doing unto myself. And that attitude is the point of my OP. I think rather than constantly reaffirming my belief of unity, and becoming worn out doing so, that, like you said, I should just get caught up in the duty of it.

originally posted by: Itisnowagain

originally posted by: smithjustinb
I have to choose. And I've found that if I don't make any such choice every day that my life fades away into meaningless unfulfillment by default.

The 'me' falls away and you do not like the idea of not existing!!
It is not 'your' life - it is life.

I understand that.

The me needs meaning to exist - without meaning the me illusion does not appear.