Life Happens Now

[lionheart]

I'm not sure if there is an appetite for other techs/theories rather than beavering away at Scn tech. But for those interested, here is a new article from Sedona Associates which ties in nicely with Eckhart Tolle's "Power of Now" and Douglas Harding's "Headlessness" The link is http://www.sedona.com/life-happens-now.aspx

Full text is:
Life Happens Now

Most of us live under the mistaken assumption that life is a linear process moving through time and space. We never stop to examine our direct experience to discover whether or not that is actually true.

Allow yourself, in this moment, to check if you can actually experience any time except now. You, of course, can have memories of the past and anticipation of the future, but when do you actually experience this memory and anticipation? That’s right -- now.

If you have at least an intellectual understanding that now is all there is, you have also probably tried to get into this moment. In my experience this does not work either. Any efforting to be is a denial of that which you already are. Another way of saying this is: All efforting to be, is moving your perception away from what is already here now, instead of towards it. Indeed, my mentor Lester Levenson used to say, “Efforting is ego in action!”

Instead of trying to get into the now, right now, see if you can actually get out of the now. Can you? You may have thoughts about the past or the future. Didn’t even they merely happen now?

Let’s examine the now again. Notice how alive it is. How seeing, hearing and feeling are all happening on their own in this aliveness that you are now. Even the thoughts that you are now having gain their aliveness from the presence that you are. This moment is where all life happens. Even the thoughts and memories that you have are only alive now. In fact all phenomena gets life or energy from the aliveness that you are now.

Simply notice that now is all there is. Observe further that you don’t need to do anything to be the presence of awareness that is now. These observations will help your body/mind relax so that you can allow this aliveness to live life through you.

If anyone has any questions or wants to discuss this sort of tech or how it relates to Scn tech, please feel free to post to this thread.

 

[nozeno]

I'm not sure if there is an appetite for other techs/theories rather than beavering away at Scn tech. But for those interested, here is a new article from Sedona Associates which ties in nicely with Eckhart Tolle's "Power of Now" and Douglas Harding's "Headlessness" The link is http://www.sedona.com/life-happens-now.aspx

Full text is:
Life Happens Now

Most of us live under the mistaken assumption that life is a linear process moving through time and space. We never stop to examine our direct experience to discover whether or not that is actually true.

Allow yourself, in this moment, to check if you can actually experience any time except now. You, of course, can have memories of the past and anticipation of the future, but when do you actually experience this memory and anticipation? That’s right -- now.

If you have at least an intellectual understanding that now is all there is, you have also probably tried to get into this moment. In my experience this does not work either. Any efforting to be is a denial of that which you already are. Another way of saying this is: All efforting to be, is moving your perception away from what is already here now, instead of towards it. Indeed, my mentor Lester Levenson used to say, “Efforting is ego in action!”

Instead of trying to get into the now, right now, see if you can actually get out of the now. Can you? You may have thoughts about the past or the future. Didn’t even they merely happen now?

Let’s examine the now again. Notice how alive it is. How seeing, hearing and feeling are all happening on their own in this aliveness that you are now. Even the thoughts that you are now having gain their aliveness from the presence that you are. This moment is where all life happens. Even the thoughts and memories that you have are only alive now. In fact all phenomena gets life or energy from the aliveness that you are now.

Simply notice that now is all there is. Observe further that you don’t need to do anything to be the presence of awareness that is now. These observations will help your body/mind relax so that you can allow this aliveness to live life through you.

If anyone has any questions or wants to discuss this sort of tech or how it relates to Scn tech, please feel free to post to this thread.

Eggsackaly. That's exactly for you Brits.

That Hale Dwoskin from Sedona has a weird laugh but he, along with his mentor has pointed to some very useful concepts, at least from my point of view.

 

[lionheart]

Eggsackaly. That's exactly for you Brits.

That Hale Dwoskin from Sedona has a weird laugh but he, along with his mentor has pointed to some very useful concepts, at least from my point of view.

It is particulalry disconcerting, for a Brit like me, to stand in front of Hale and face his laugh! But he's ok, .... for an American!

Did you know that his mentor Lester Levinson was one of LRH's early declared SP squirrels? The Sedona Method is not a bad outcome for an SP to produce!

I believe that once one grasps this concept of "Now" a large part of what Scn tech is trying to achieve becomes redundant. A controversial thing for anyone to say to scns of whatever persuasion, but there you go.

 

[nozeno]

Did you know that his mentor Lester Levinson was one of LRH's early declared SP squirrels?

I didn't know that until someone recently sent me a PM with that piece of information.

Very interesting to me. I'm going to have to do some googling and find out more about that.

 

[alex]

If you break the dualistic thinking, the now moment can encompass both the past and the future, they are also all happening now.

It is only in the context of a strict structure of opposing terminals that this is NOT possible.

But only the material context requires that stucture, a "spiritual" one does not.

Dont make me 'splain it, your brain will hurt.

But if you sit and let go, somethime you can see this truth.


alex

 

[lionheart]

If you break the dualistic thinking, the now moment can encompass both the past and the future, they are also all happening now.

It is only in the context of a strict structure of opposing terminals that this is NOT possible.

But only the material context requires that stucture, a "spiritual" one does not.

Dont make me 'splain it, your brain will hurt.

But if you sit and let go, somethime you can see this truth.


alex

I agree that "Now" is not a dualistic thing. We are using slightly different terminology but I believe we are describing the same thing. The One and only one that is everything and nothing!

For me, there is only "here" and "now" and there never has been anything else and never will be. Therefore there is no past or future and no "there".

Just "right here, right now". And what do I find right here right now? Everything and nothing. The void that is the space for all manifestation. Right here, right now!

The more one connects with that, the less "case" one has, because how can anything not be as it should be? Therefore there can be no case!

 

[nw2394]

I have no problem with this LH. Except perhaps to add something - the awareness you have detailed here - well you can 'achieve' it by reading about it, as here - or you might come at it through, say, meditation - or, ye gods - one might even have a cognition in a Scn auditing session along these lines. Fine. But what happens after you have realised that there is no "there" - only "here" - but now you decide you want to create a different "here" - and not all of your postulates about that stick immediately just because you wished them - then you get into mechanics, action, doing things, following a purpose - and then sometimes someone else comes along and tells you "No" and so on - then you need other tech both to handle the present - and also maybe the "past" when it intrudes into "the now".

So, I don't dismiss what you say at all. I just don't want to make it my only worldview.

Nick

 

[lionheart]

I have no problem with this LH. Except perhaps to add something - the awareness you have detailed here - well you can 'achieve' it by reading about it, as here - or you might come at it through, say, meditation - or, ye gods - one might even have a cognition in a Scn auditing session along these lines. Fine. But what happens after you have realised that there is no "there" - only "here" - but now you decide you want to create a different "here" - and not all of your postulates about that stick immediately just because you wished them - then you get into mechanics, action, doing things, following a purpose - and then sometimes someone else comes along and tells you "No" and so on - then you need other tech both to handle the present - and also maybe the "past" when it intrudes into "the now".

So, I don't dismiss what you say at all. I just don't want to make it my only worldview.

Nick

That point you describe of deciding you want a different "here" or different "now" is a point of separation from the One. A point of individuation, a point of desire, of lack and want. This is pain and loss and ego. One has entered the world of "postulates" not "sticking", the world of mechanics, action, doing, causing and failing.

At this point you think you need other tech to handle the present, the past and the future. But that is an apparency, actually all you need to do is re-connect with the actuality of Now, of the One, right here, right now and then of course all is well and as it should be and always was and always will be!

It's a paradox!

Any tech that leads towards that re-conection to the One, to the Now will work to the point where you re-realise that you never needed the tech!

Any tech that leads towards separation may make one feel "better", but is really feeding the ego, the apparency of self. It creates a dependency upon the tech and an increasing desire to be at cause. Ultimately it results in the pain of separateness and of not realising the Now.

I think this is what Hale's short article is pointing to. My experience of Headlessness is also a direct experience of Now. A sense of the void on which all manifestation manifests.

This may sound a cold or uncaring reality, but in practice, paradoxically it seems to be a dynamic, vital, caring reality, underscored with a knowledge that all is well.

 

[PirateAndBum]

I have just recently read The Power of Now and looked into the Sedona Method. Achieving "Nowness" (if you will) is acknowledged as being difficult to maintain. Why, because of the "ego". Ego is a new term for this old Scio. I guess it is "that identity or identities which we create, borrow and use to handle life" (my on the spot defintion). Mind seems to also be recognized as a powerful force in keeping one out of the now.

Looking at this, it seems that auditing would be a useful tool to help an individual take apart that mind and identities, thus permiting "the now" to be more readily attained & maintained. Unsticking identity using Idenics would also appear to aid in this.

There are many paths all heading to the same place, what Scn calls "Native State". Some paths might take longer than others to reach the destination. I think Scn was an attempt to make a more direct path to native state. Whether is is or not I cannot really say.

For thousands of years spiritual men/women have been walking various paths to get "there". It seems few ever make it to the destination. I would venture that it is the roadblocks of mind & identity that spoil their journey. If today we have more direct tools to assist an individual with these impediments then this is a good thing.

Just being in the now is easier said than done. Or so it seems to me at this time. Although I can achieve it for brief periods of time it seems something is always pulling me back. Thus "handling required"

Just some thoughts... May you be in the now forever (and really you haven't much choice. Go with it!)

 

[nozeno]

That point you describe of deciding you want a different "here" or different "now" is a point of separation from the One. A point of individuation, a point of desire, of lack and want. This is pain and loss and ego. One has entered the world of "postulates" not "sticking", the world of mechanics, action, doing, causing and failing.

At this point you think you need other tech to handle the present, the past and the future. But that is an apparency, actually all you need to do is re-connect with the actuality of Now, of the One, right here, right now and then of course all is well and as it should be and always was and always will be!

It's a paradox!

Hear, hear!...... as they say in the House of Commons.

 

[PirateAndBum]

Any tech that leads towards separation may make one feel "better", but is really feeding the ego, the apparency of self. It creates a dependency upon the tech and an increasing desire to be at cause. Ultimately it results in the pain of separateness and of not realising the Now.

Perhaps separation from what is not you is useful?

When we are "one" are we not cause?

If we achieve this state, the world does not instantly remanifest. We are just in a state of acceptance of what is. Stepping down one notch from "oneness" puts you into a games condition. How well can you play?

Yes, I agree, paradoxes. If I am one then I am in a no game condition. Wouldn't that be boring I think. Isn't that what got this whole silly game going in the first place? LOL - this topic is fun. It's why I got into Scn in the 1st place

 

[lionheart]

I was using separation in the ultimate sense. Separation from the One, from the Now. Individuation. Literally "in" "dividedness".

Separation from "identies", or "Case" or what is "not you" is not necessarily the same sort of separation.

The One, the Now is neither cause nor effect, it is both and neither. They are apparent dichotomies, they are not the actual reality.

This is my criticism of Hubbard's philosophy, although I don't want this to descend into a Hubbard bashing!

Concentration on becoming "at cause" implies one is the opposite, "at effect". It creates a desire for cause, a sense that one lacks it. This is pain and suffering. Striving or desiring to become "at cause" simply sticks one "at effect"!

A left-hand path mage desires "at cause", wants individuation as a god-like separate ego.

It is only one side of an apparancy and therefore unattainable and frought with ego-traps.

The concepts of "Games" and "No-game condition" were probably first introduced to each of us by Ron. I believe it was he who implied "no game" would be boring and that games are fun. But remember he was concentrating on wanting to become "at cause". So his defintions were left-hand path defintions.

What you find when you experience Now is what you will find. It is not what Ron says you will experience or what Tolle or Levinson says you will experience. It is simply whatever you experience.

I can speak for what happened here. Yes, Scn auditing can definitely bring about a separation from case as well as the opposite, an introversion into case. My observation is that it creates introversion into case more often than separation from it. That is my experience of it.

However, my first awareness of Now came from the Happiness Rundown, it had been hinted at on TR0. Suddenly all was well and funny and exhilerating. There was no case, there never had been. Scientology was suddenly funny and unimportant because this Nowness had always been here, had always been me!

Nothing was desired. Life was abundant and plenty and nothing and hilarious! A great Cosmic joke!

If this was "no-game", it was dynamic and wonderful and Ron had lied to me! Thank goodness!

After I was booted out, I studied metaphysics and mysticism and read a book of comparisons of various experiences of "Bliss". It was clear that Scn was not the only road and maybe not even the best road.

If I used Scn now, it would create the desire to be "at cause" because that is how it is designed and I would leave "nowness". Scn philosophy would put me "at effect". I would get headaches and fear death.

Of course life distracts and the ego grows and this awareness of Now fades. Like PaB says it is not maintained. The solution? Simply recognise the Now again!

 

[spbill]

[..]
Simply notice that now is all there is.

What is its duration?
Bill

 

[alex]

What is its duration?
Bill

infinity as a single point?

 

[lionheart]

What is its duration?
Bill

I think that particular sentence is Hale's so you could always ask him! Unlike old LRH he does actually answer questions. I think he still has regular phone-ins, so phone him up and ask him if you want.

This thread is largely an attempt to express that which is inexpressible, so some latitude is needed over the words used, so that one gets an overall impression of that which cannot be communicated!

Or you could just try the exercise of becoming aware of the Now and find your own answer.

 

[NonScio]

Interesting (and confusing) concept "Now". Now, in common language
means "present or current time". Now is completely subjective, as is
time itself. "Now" and "Time" are just handy mental constructs which,
for our purposes, work quite well on the scale of dimension we normally
live in.

I would maintain that no one can actually experience "now" through the senses. Perception is a result of information about the outside world arriving through the senses and by means of physical process. Light, heat, radio waves, sound etc. This information flows through space at velocities determined by physical law. The sun in the sky which you see is the sun as
it is was eight minutes ago, not as it is "now". The star Alpha Centauri
that you observe in the night sky is as it was 4 years ago, not as it is "now".
The person you see sitting 3 feet in front of you is as he/she was
1/300,000,000 second ago, the time necessary for the light image to
travel across that three feet (1 meter approx). Your watch is more
"accurate" when you bring it as close as possible to your eyes
when you read it!

Everything you observe is the past. More bizzare, your
observations are a hodgepodge of many different pasts determined
by the various distances to the origins of the perceptions.

To determine true "now", one would need to establish some dimension
to the "I". There probably are no such dimensions. "Now" is therefore
just another way of saying "I", or the soul or the being...or in a sort of
metaphysical calculus, "Now" is defined as the limit when time
approaches zero. Both "I", and "now" are discontinuities, they do not
really exist in the physical universe but seem to have an effect upon it.

 

[beyond_horizons]

This thread is largely an attempt to express that which is inexpressible, so some latitude is needed over the words used, so that one gets an overall impression of that which cannot be communicated!

The answers are simple.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=kO8x8eoU3L4&feature=related

And the rest of it was explained quite succinctly back in the 60’s in a letter to the Pope!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=0AKvRvL5r3A

Moral of the story; Better make lots of money!

 

[Vinaire]

I'm not sure if there is an appetite for other techs/theories rather than beavering away at Scn tech. But for those interested, here is a new article from Sedona Associates which ties in nicely with Eckhart Tolle's "Power of Now" and Douglas Harding's "Headlessness" The link is http://www.sedona.com/life-happens-now.aspx

Full text is:
Life Happens Now

Most of us live under the mistaken assumption that life is a linear process moving through time and space. We never stop to examine our direct experience to discover whether or not that is actually true.

Allow yourself, in this moment, to check if you can actually experience any time except now. You, of course, can have memories of the past and anticipation of the future, but when do you actually experience this memory and anticipation? That’s right -- now.

If you have at least an intellectual understanding that now is all there is, you have also probably tried to get into this moment. In my experience this does not work either. Any efforting to be is a denial of that which you already are. Another way of saying this is: All efforting to be, is moving your perception away from what is already here now, instead of towards it. Indeed, my mentor Lester Levenson used to say, “Efforting is ego in action!”

Instead of trying to get into the now, right now, see if you can actually get out of the now. Can you? You may have thoughts about the past or the future. Didn’t even they merely happen now?

Let’s examine the now again. Notice how alive it is. How seeing, hearing and feeling are all happening on their own in this aliveness that you are now. Even the thoughts that you are now having gain their aliveness from the presence that you are. This moment is where all life happens. Even the thoughts and memories that you have are only alive now. In fact all phenomena gets life or energy from the aliveness that you are now.

Simply notice that now is all there is. Observe further that you don’t need to do anything to be the presence of awareness that is now. These observations will help your body/mind relax so that you can allow this aliveness to live life through you.

If anyone has any questions or wants to discuss this sort of tech or how it relates to Scn tech, please feel free to post to this thread.

OK. So all the associations are in now. How do you pull them apart?

.

 

[Vinaire]

I was using separation in the ultimate sense. Separation from the One, from the Now. Individuation. Literally "in" "dividedness".

Separation from "identies", or "Case" or what is "not you" is not necessarily the same sort of separation.

The One, the Now is neither cause nor effect, it is both and neither. They are apparent dichotomies, they are not the actual reality.

This is my criticism of Hubbard's philosophy, although I don't want this to descend into a Hubbard bashing!

...

There is nothing new about this concept of "now."

I got it from Scientology Axiom #1 long time ago.

.

 

[beyond_horizons]

There is nothing new about this concept of "now."

I got it from Scientology Axiom #1 long time ago.

.

I also got it before I walked into the door of an org.

What LH and others are trying to teach you is that what is missing is the understanding of how the 'one relates and is connected to the whole'.

What is new is the how and why old concepts have been bastardized away from their original meanings. It’s easy to get one's self stuck way too deep, spinning their wheels amongst all those wacky hubbo definitions. At some point folks start numbing down turning downright cold. I have noticed at times that your own particular "theta temperature" does seem to rise well above "absolute zero".

What I found and what began warming up that level of the soul, was to flush all those canned scino mindset definitions down the toilet and get this subject back into perspective.

Not to be silly, but I’m more interested as to how 'g-d created the universe out of nothing'.

So by tuning into those upper levels found outside that box , and as it is revealed by the ancients in the here and now; essentially the Prime Mover - Unmoved is a down right - stand up 'Potential'.

And just because I really do enjoy your company in the grand scheme of things, the ancient term that was translated from Moses work, after he came down off the mountain is; Heyulie.

In chapter ten the Rebbe explained the concept of Heyulie, and how everything which comes from the essence of the soul must be included there in the way of a Heyulie. He gave various allegories, such as the act of kindness, the power of movement, and the spreading forth of life force to enliven the body etc.

Furthermore, he explained the three levels in the essence of the soul, before any revelation in a defined line of action. He now will relate these analogies to the three aforementioned levels and the ten sefirot as they exist within the Essence of the Infinite Light (Ohr Ein Sof) before the Tzimtzum.

.