3 Questions for the Subjective Realist

[MoneyAddyct]

Earlier tonight I went out for dinner with my girlfriend and while we were out, I was thinking about subjective reality and how I could apply it to what I was witnessing around me. The more I'm able to adequately apply the idea of subjective reality to given situations, the more I start to loosen my beliefs in an external world. It's very easy for me to sit back and logically think about subjective reality in the comfort of my apt. and start to believe it; it's another when I'm outside witnessing people and events. There were three things I witnessed that I couldn't explain using subjective reality. I hope a subjective realist out there can help.

1. How does a subjective realist explain both my girlfriend and I's simultaneous experience of hearing and seeing an ambulance go by? When she heard it and saw it she said, "Wow that's annoying" and I agreed with her. We both witnessed it.

2. I was bit by a mosquito and started to itch and get a bump. How would a subjective realist explain how I "manifested" that event?

3. I understand that people can appear in my life and when they do they are said to exist. But what about when someone, say, calls me specifically on the phone. I didn't bring them into my existence, they were brought into mine. How did that come about in a subjective reality?

Thanks guys!

[Jill]

Ok, I'm no expert on this and might have it completely wrong, but think of it like when you're dreaming. Everyone in your dreams are creations of your own mind.

I believe in the subjective reality model, everyone in your waking life is same. It's all your own creation.

[Savage]

Originally Posted by MoneyAddyct

1. How does a subjective realist explain both my girlfriend and I's simultaneous experience of hearing and seeing an ambulance go by? When she heard it and saw it she said, "Wow that's annoying" and I agreed with her. We both witnessed it.

2. I was bit by a mosquito and started to itch and get a bump. How would a subjective realist explain how I "manifested" that event?

3. I understand that people can appear in my life and when they do they are said to exist. But what about when someone, say, calls me specifically on the phone. I didn't bring them into my existence, they were brought into mine. How did that come about in a subjective reality?

1. There's only one consciousness, so there's only one reaction, and it's yours. This includes what you perceive to be your g/f's reaction. Agreeing with her is agreeing with yourself, as she is a part of you.

2. You believe in mosquitos and the consequence of their bites. Hence such an event is perfectly congruent in your reality. There's no deeper meaning to it unless you believe there is, in which case the meaning depends on your beliefs.

3. If you believe other people exist and can call you at random times, that will be your experience. Again, no deeper meaning will manifest unless you've already embrace the subjective viewpoint (which is quite different from viewing subjective reality through an objective lens).

Overall if you believe people, events, and circumstances are objectively real and independent of you, that's the reality you'll manifest. They only take on deeper personal significance when you genuinely believe they do. To an objectivist a mosquito bite is random and inconsequential. To a subjectivist the bite's meaning depends on your particular belief structure.

I can't speak for your particular beliefs, but I'll give you an insight into how I'd interpret #1 from my subjective viewpoint. If I see an ambulance and say, "That's annoying," right there I'm putting out the intention to manifest an annoying reality -- I'm declaring that my reality itself is annoying. And if I take the time to think about it, I'll recognize that overall I am more annoyed with my reality than I'd like to be. I'm thinking about what I don't want, so that's what I'm getting.

When I witness myself doing that, I'll take note that this isn't how I desire to relate to reality. So I'll cancel that intention and replace it with something else like, "I'm totally at peace." This helps me see how I'm manifesting these irritations in order to remind me of what I really want. As I focus on this new intention, I start getting ideas of how to generate more peace. Maybe then and there I get the idea to pop in a relaxing CD as I'm driving... or take some deep breaths... or look at the sky and the mountains and admire they're incredible beauty. In this manner every annoyance becomes a trigger to raise my awareness and consciously choose to experience more joy.

[MoneyAddyct]

My girlfriend, her mother and grandmother, and myself were all sitting on a bench outside the restaurant waiting for a table when I heard and saw the ambulance go by and thought it was annoying. I think the ambulance and its actions manifested because I, myself, was annoyed with the situation and I attracted more irritations into my life....That's simply incredible to think about. Powerlessness is, in essense, nullified.

You wrote: Again, no deeper meaning will manifest unless you've already embrace the subjective viewpoint (which is quite different from viewing subjective reality through an objective lens).

I think that's exactly what I'm doing--viewing subjective reality through an objective lens. It's almost like I'm trying to test the waters of what I believe the idea of subjective reality to be before jumping in head-first. But I need to jump in head-first in order to really understand it.

Justin

PS: I'm very impressed with you Steve. In a way I didn't think you'd be frequenting the forums for some reason. I'm not sure why, maybe because I figured you only wrote the articles and didn't concern yourself with the message board stuff. It's a shame I thought that without having any reason to. But I'm glad that you're here.

PPS: There's another ambulance going by with its siren on while I type this.

[Jill]

PPS: There's another ambulance going by with its siren on while I type this.

Did it annoy you?

[MoneyAddyct]

No, not this time. I didn't let it. I was too focused on writing this post.

[Shaden]

When I witness myself doing that, I'll take note that this isn't how I desire to relate to reality. So I'll cancel that intention and replace it with something else like, "I'm totally at peace." This helps me see how I'm manifesting these irritations in order to remind me of what I really want. As I focus on this new intention, I start getting ideas of how to generate more peace. Maybe then and there I get the idea to pop in a relaxing CD as I'm driving... or take some deep breaths... or look at the sky and the mountains and admire they're incredible beauty. In this manner every annoyance becomes a trigger to raise my awareness and consciously choose to experience more joy.

I guess one of the criticisms that can be leveled at that particular event though is that it is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

[Savage]

Originally Posted by Shaden

I guess one of the criticisms that can be leveled at that particular event though is that it is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Life is a self-fulfilling prophecy. The key is picking the right one to fulfill.

[Shaden]

Life is a self-fulfilling prophecy. The key is picking the right one to fulfill.

Yes Steve that's very true... I think that's actually the best way I've ever seen it put.

[yacapo]

Originally Posted by Steve Pavlina

When I witness myself doing that, I'll take note that this isn't how I desire to relate to reality. So I'll cancel that intention and replace it with something else like, "I'm totally at peace." This helps me see how I'm manifesting these irritations in order to remind me of what I really want. As I focus on this new intention, I start getting ideas of how to generate more peace.

That's an amazing idea! I think I'll try to do that from now on, although I know it won't be easy

[Shaden]

That's an amazing idea! I think I'll try to do that from now on, although I know it won't be easy

Possibly one of the reasons why people choose objectivity over subjectivity. Mental discipline is an incredibly difficult practise to establish and develop. Plus social conditioning plays a hand in it as well.