Interesting what you said about RP and the difference between 'inhabiting' and 'observing'. The distinction seems to play on a kind of distinction between parts of consciousness that observe and those that do not. Which I think of as a false distinction, in that all parts of everything both observe and inhabit. To that end, I sometimes try to find out what everything about me is inhabiting, not just my body. Every different kind of tissue etc has its own way of inhabiting and sensing and it's a curious thing to investigate this.
I feel you on the marketing piece, I've noticed a lot of the same sort of patterns in me. A phrase
I've been working with from Taoism that's been helpful is "take what you need that doesn't harm the other". Which I agree with intellectually but offers a lot to practice with.
Also totally resonate on the difference between observing and inhabiting one's body. The word that resonates for me, even more than inhabit, is being - "I AM this body". Also seems to work for other things I want to notice my nonseparation from ("I AM reality", "I AM other people", "I AM the environment cognising itself..."), which has created some really interesting experiences and shifts.
Since I started entertaining the idea that magic might be real, my life has vastly improved. I draw the line at reiki, but I know that the placebo effect is a very real thing. It works for someone.
There's something to the woo. Not certain of anything, but because of that, I can't discount anything either. There will always be the unexplainable. I find it hilarious that we use science to come to the same conclusions that people found thousands of years ago, and touted in religion for that long.
On writing: having ANY sort of feedback helps. I went from trying to find a writing partner or get a workshop together for 5 years to Chuck's substack workshop to extracting a few people from there to meet and read online once per week to a poetry partner in real life. And now another workshop has been brought to life. It feels amazing to create community in the age of isolation. So, that's 2 online and 2 irl. Highly recommend organizing something similar if you need it. Has made a huge difference in my ability after a long time spinning wheels.
I think "the placebo effect" is a really valuable concept, AND, it utterly fails to explain some of the experiences I've had, which have been much stronger than pharmaceuticals. Not pharmaceuticals like Tylenol, pharmaceuticals like Oxy.
When I say magic, what I mean is that our minds are sooooooo very more powerful that we will ever be able to scientifically understand. Ive had some instances of intuition that were frightening. I couldnt intellectualize them or explain them away. They just are.
And then there are mystical experiences. If 5 dried grams of psilocybin in silent darkness doesnt let you know that your ego is a scam and that magic is real, I feel sorry for you. Youll never release that stranglehold.
But the woo is often taken too far as well. People taking psychedelics every weekend under the guise of it being therapeutic, but in reality, its just another drug problem. Theyre a useful tool, but far from a cure all.
Plausible sounding scientific-ish abstractions of why woo-y stuff works is one of my primary long-term (but unspoken) goals over at Juxtaposition, my own newsletter. I too had much disdain for woo in my youth, but I've spent a lot of years since then sitting with occult principles and I'm pretty sure I'm starting to get it in a reality-based way (at least how it applies to my particular relationship with the universe). I just have to figure out how to translate that experiential understanding into words, which is the point of my writing. We'll see if I succeed though haha.
Super good luck with your money making endeavor, I'm new here but I'm very excited by your stuff!
I have been looking for a out-of-the-cushion meditation practice to try out lately, is there a significant difference between this practice and the Alexander Technique?
Maybe I’m comparing two completely different things and if so I apologize for that, but I have been unable to find a source that has tried both and is able to compare them
Also, congrats to you and Cate!!might be weird to say because I don’t know you but I have been following you long enough to sincerely say that it made me happy to read that post :)
Realization Process is actually extremely different. AT seems more focused on expanding awareness outwards, but RP has to do with suffusing the body with awareness, and using that as a way out. Some of it is on the cushion, some of it is off. Highly recommend.
You could do your work as a public benefit corporation. It lets you work with capitalists, should you so choose, without becoming a capitalist. I'm hoping all you younger generations will lean heavy into the public benefit model whether looking for a job or a vehicle for entrepreneurship.
Interesting what you said about RP and the difference between 'inhabiting' and 'observing'. The distinction seems to play on a kind of distinction between parts of consciousness that observe and those that do not. Which I think of as a false distinction, in that all parts of everything both observe and inhabit. To that end, I sometimes try to find out what everything about me is inhabiting, not just my body. Every different kind of tissue etc has its own way of inhabiting and sensing and it's a curious thing to investigate this.
I love that re every different kind of tissue. It's true even in my shallow experience: so much subtlety there, probably infinite subtlety.
You can be woo and still live in the real world. 😁
I feel you on the marketing piece, I've noticed a lot of the same sort of patterns in me. A phrase
I've been working with from Taoism that's been helpful is "take what you need that doesn't harm the other". Which I agree with intellectually but offers a lot to practice with.
Also totally resonate on the difference between observing and inhabiting one's body. The word that resonates for me, even more than inhabit, is being - "I AM this body". Also seems to work for other things I want to notice my nonseparation from ("I AM reality", "I AM other people", "I AM the environment cognising itself..."), which has created some really interesting experiences and shifts.
Since I started entertaining the idea that magic might be real, my life has vastly improved. I draw the line at reiki, but I know that the placebo effect is a very real thing. It works for someone.
There's something to the woo. Not certain of anything, but because of that, I can't discount anything either. There will always be the unexplainable. I find it hilarious that we use science to come to the same conclusions that people found thousands of years ago, and touted in religion for that long.
On writing: having ANY sort of feedback helps. I went from trying to find a writing partner or get a workshop together for 5 years to Chuck's substack workshop to extracting a few people from there to meet and read online once per week to a poetry partner in real life. And now another workshop has been brought to life. It feels amazing to create community in the age of isolation. So, that's 2 online and 2 irl. Highly recommend organizing something similar if you need it. Has made a huge difference in my ability after a long time spinning wheels.
I think "the placebo effect" is a really valuable concept, AND, it utterly fails to explain some of the experiences I've had, which have been much stronger than pharmaceuticals. Not pharmaceuticals like Tylenol, pharmaceuticals like Oxy.
When I say magic, what I mean is that our minds are sooooooo very more powerful that we will ever be able to scientifically understand. Ive had some instances of intuition that were frightening. I couldnt intellectualize them or explain them away. They just are.
And then there are mystical experiences. If 5 dried grams of psilocybin in silent darkness doesnt let you know that your ego is a scam and that magic is real, I feel sorry for you. Youll never release that stranglehold.
But the woo is often taken too far as well. People taking psychedelics every weekend under the guise of it being therapeutic, but in reality, its just another drug problem. Theyre a useful tool, but far from a cure all.
I am eager to learn from how you create and market products/services.
me too tbh
Plausible sounding scientific-ish abstractions of why woo-y stuff works is one of my primary long-term (but unspoken) goals over at Juxtaposition, my own newsletter. I too had much disdain for woo in my youth, but I've spent a lot of years since then sitting with occult principles and I'm pretty sure I'm starting to get it in a reality-based way (at least how it applies to my particular relationship with the universe). I just have to figure out how to translate that experiential understanding into words, which is the point of my writing. We'll see if I succeed though haha.
Super good luck with your money making endeavor, I'm new here but I'm very excited by your stuff!
Realization process looks really interesting!
I have been looking for a out-of-the-cushion meditation practice to try out lately, is there a significant difference between this practice and the Alexander Technique?
Maybe I’m comparing two completely different things and if so I apologize for that, but I have been unable to find a source that has tried both and is able to compare them
Also, congrats to you and Cate!!might be weird to say because I don’t know you but I have been following you long enough to sincerely say that it made me happy to read that post :)
Realization Process is actually extremely different. AT seems more focused on expanding awareness outwards, but RP has to do with suffusing the body with awareness, and using that as a way out. Some of it is on the cushion, some of it is off. Highly recommend.
Lovely response, it’s much more clear now. Will definitely give it a try :)
Thank you so much!!
You could do your work as a public benefit corporation. It lets you work with capitalists, should you so choose, without becoming a capitalist. I'm hoping all you younger generations will lean heavy into the public benefit model whether looking for a job or a vehicle for entrepreneurship.
Whatever your path, blessings on it.🌼
Take my money 💰
Cool! Also welcome to Buddhist Geeks 🙏❤️