shamansun

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TROPHY CASE


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The two girls I rescued. True love. by aal718in Pets

[–]shamansun 2 points3 points ago

Agreed. Adopted two brothers with my family a few years back. We initially picked up one, but after hearing from the place that the other stopped eating and seemed depressed, we picked him up too. They are inseparable nappers, and sometimes we have to split them up from fighting, but it was worth it.

What would ABSOLUTE PROOF of the paranormal look like FOR YOU? by Tfoilmanin Paranormal

[–]shamansun 3 points4 points ago

The thing is, I believe paranormal activity is not confinable to a materialistic worldview. It defies it by its nature. The very idea of an "absolute" proof is like oil to the waters of the paranormal. I doubt we will find it. But we can have experiences that change the way we look at the world and reality. I don't think the paranormal will ever entirely be explained away.

Ever read any works by Patrick Harpur? He's got a terrific work called "Daimonic Reality."

DAE notice that when Tony Stark mentioned shawarma in The Avengers... by wwarpdin movies

[–]shamansun 0 points1 point ago

Shawarma is good stuff. Especially from NYC.

I am absolutely floored. by St4nd4rdin writing

[–]shamansun 1 point2 points ago

Thanks for the song! A series of bizarre coincidences occurred surrounding Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said. P.K.D. goes really far down the rabbit hole in How to Build a Universe that Doesn't Fall Apart Two Days Later.

I am absolutely floored. by St4nd4rdin writing

[–]shamansun 0 points1 point ago

Hey, are you familiar with Philip K. Dick?

He had similar odd/bizarre coincidences that he believed were not coincidences. Really cool that this happened. For me, it points an interesting point of view about the relationship between imagination and reality.

Alan Watt's recommendations... by prepping4zombiesin Buddhism

[–]shamansun 1 point2 points ago

Second both of those!

How To Enlighten The World: Inducing no-self experiences to "trigger an exponential propagation of enlightenment within a few generations...and dramatically change the course of human history for the better." by thenaturalmindin Buddhism

[–]shamansun 1 point2 points ago

I think this is a relatable possibility, but Shinzen might mean a permanent experience of no-self, induced by an understanding of the neurological aspects of awakening experience.

How To Enlighten The World: Inducing no-self experiences to "trigger an exponential propagation of enlightenment within a few generations...and dramatically change the course of human history for the better." by thenaturalmindin Buddhism

[–]shamansun 6 points7 points ago

This makes me swoon with admiration and inspiration. I hope that this is a real possibility. If anything the attempt is admirable and we will learn from putting a serious effort into making it happen.

So I saw a Star Trek Cookbook. I turned the cover art into a wallpaper for you guys. by pyxlatedin startrek

[–]shamansun 1 point2 points ago

This is a really great wallpaper, thanks!

Well played, brick. Well played. by floppybuttonin funny

[–]shamansun 0 points1 point ago

Dangit, this was your opportunity to say something really meaningful/profound/quirky under there!

Ken Wilber - Ayahuasca and the Role of Psychedelics by MrRexawin Buddhism

[–]shamansun 2 points3 points ago

Some would say that. I don't like the spiritual teachers he attaches himself to. But for a while Cohen's magazine "EnlightenNext"/formerly What Is Enlightenment? was sold in Whole Foods and similar stores, so it gave Wilber exposure. I really don't get the Roshi thing.

I don't agree with Wilber at all, even though I do like the subject material (evolution of consciousness, spirituality and culture, mysticism) but I'd suggest to anyone who's curious, to check out some of the other thinkers in the field. Like Teilhard de Chardin, Sri Aurobindo, Jean Gebser, Owen Barfield, Colin Wilson, etc.

The similarities between salah and meditation. by Sadkingin islam

[–]shamansun 2 points3 points ago*

I am not a Muslim myself, but I have meditated for many years. It does help one discover a purpose, but doesn't have to. Simply because there is no explicit theology involved in meditation for Westerners does not mean there is nothing spiritual about it, or that what we call the "divine" by many names finds its way to us whether by prayer, meditation or anything else. It is also important to recognize meditation, like prayer, are sustained acts of concentration. In Christianity, it is called "contemplative prayer." See The Cloud of Unknowing for a good example.

Also, popularized meditation is often divorced or extracted from its religious context, so it's important to remember meditation is not by itself. It is used in many Eastern religions, such as Zen, Theravada, Vajryana. There are also forms of heart-based meditation as well as prayer.

My girlfriend is a Muslim and a sufi. In her opinion (paraphrasing), is that what is most important in prayer is our relationship with God. This is more important than any theology. It is a living relationship with the divine. Anything that cultivates that is priority for a Sufi. For her, she was prescribed from young to do prayers called zhikr, along with the traditional salah five times a day. She felt extreme joy in both, but she actually was instructed that zhikr is more important because it is a direct communion with God. She now does traditional Buddhist meditation as well as zhikr, and she finds similarities between the two. Another form of concentration is a silent meditation, or prayer, which we both practice. There are many forms of prayer and meditation, and one may elevate you while another does not, but it doesn't mean that other methods are to be disrespected or dismissed before practicing them.

Elevating prayer above other methods is fine for your personal practice, but not as an over-arching claim. Hindu mystics are able to enter into ecstatic states, some called samadhi, through their techniques. Meanwhile, the whirling dervishes may enter into a similar state of union with God through their own techniques of dance. It's just not so simple. And that is a good thing. God is mysterious and ineffable. We should be humble and respectful of the ways God allows others to come to him.

Is there a field of study, or even just some books, that compare myths to historical events? by WideLightin Anthropology

[–]shamansun 1 point2 points ago

Check out the works of William Irwin Thompson, and more contemporarily John David Ebert. Be back with links...

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