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Old 02-04-2007, 01:53 PM   #2 (permalink)
AndyMartin
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I guess my question is, how would you now it's one of those and not the others or something else entirely? You're making subjective observations about a wholly interior experience. If the same thing happens to me and I come up with a different answer, how do we reconcile that we both are equally sure of conflicting explanations?

Here's a different way of looking at it: You and only you experienced something, and it occurred in a totally subjective frame, so tell your own story about it. Realize that it's only a story, and it can never be the actuality of the experience, just like a map cannot be the actual territory, even if it were blown up to size and contained every detail. Like a map, the story will help you find meaning and direction in the experience; and also like a map it can be hard to fold it up and put it away when you're done.

Just tell the most honest story you can without forcing it to fit with other stories, then set it aside to make room for the next story. Then, as stories come and go, pay attention and see if a deeper story isn't emerging from behind them. By doing this, you open yourself to learning -- to bringing knowledge to questioning -- rather than finding answers to put an end to questioning.
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