Oneness

[seekerofspirituality]

I reading Steve Pavlina´s book, personal development for smart people.
Pavlina talks about oneness, about how it is important to experience it logically and emotionally. I can understand the idea of oneness (logically) but cannot emotionally connect to it. How can I train this, Pavlina talked about his first experience of oneness when he thought about being one with the birds he saw. I try´d this with an object feeling one with it, but it doesn´t really have effect.
Any advice?

[richest]

Me too want to know the practical way of oneness. Especially how to becoming one with abundance

[RonSouther]

For me, I can see the push in me to be creative, whether it's through the sex drive to reproduce physically or when I'm trying to find a creative way to express a truth I see inside me. Or if I'm trying to solve a problem with the house that needs a creative answer. I see that creativity is a quality of my true being.

Then I look around and I see nature constantly creating...creating new life, creating new species, creating new stars or planets...there's an ongoing creative process that I can see I'm a part of.

That's where I feel like I'm part of the whole.

Another way I'm part of the whole is that, e.g., without the sun, I'm dead or never would've existed physically. I'm dependent on the sun, the planet, all of nature around me to support my physical life. And in some way nature is dependent upon me, maybe as worm food after I die or in the CO2 I exhale so the trees and grass can grow.

And if I'm creative in a way that helps mankind, maybe I helped discover a way to make life easier for me and the people around me. Or maybe I'm a scientist and found a cure for cancer, or found better ways to grow food.

Creativity is where I found the oneness.

Another place in with "love". To be able to love and receive love makes life amazing. I can see a loving spirit in me and in everyone.

[evolutionarypathways]

Originally Posted by seekerofspirituality

I reading Steve Pavlina´s book, personal development for smart people.
Pavlina talks about oneness, about how it is important to experience it logically and emotionally. I can understand the idea of oneness (logically) but cannot emotionally connect to it. How can I train this, Pavlina talked about his first experience of oneness when he thought about being one with the birds he saw. I try´d this with an object feeling one with it, but it doesn´t really have effect.
Any advice?

Trying to think about oneness can drive you crazy. It's enough to read some of the posts on these boards to realize that some people think about oneness way too much and feel oneness way too little.

Oneness is about experience not thinking. So how to experience more oneness? How do you get an experiential feel for oneness as opposed to an intellectual one?

First of all, make sure you don't indoctrinate yourself with the teachings of oneness. What I mean by this is don't let your intellectual understanding of it get ahead of your experiential understanding of it. When this happens it only hampers your journey. Find ways to get yourself out of your head.

Like Ron mentions above...make a point of looking and seeing how truly interconnected everything really is. How you are dependent on life and how life is dependent on you. This is oneness.

The more you contemplate, look into and see the world around you - as opposed to being constantly engrossed with your own private thinking and problems - the more you will realize what oneness is.

One thing is certain. Oneness isn't something that can be captured by thought. It's always experiential. It's rooted in your body and in your life.

Enjoy the ride

[Arcanum]

Originally Posted by seekerofspirituality

I reading Steve Pavlina´s book, personal development for smart people.
Pavlina talks about oneness, about how it is important to experience it logically and emotionally. I can understand the idea of oneness (logically) but cannot emotionally connect to it. How can I train this, Pavlina talked about his first experience of oneness when he thought about being one with the birds he saw. I try´d this with an object feeling one with it, but it doesn´t really have effect.
Any advice?

Oneness can't actually relate to personal development since it points away from the idea of the separate person. While various oneness experiences can be had, they are always, by definition, a unique, separate perspective on that which is inherently indivisible. It's actually the experience of the IDEA of oneness, as oneness is not an experience at all.

[Arcanum]

Originally Posted by richest

Me too want to know the practical way of oneness. Especially how to becoming one with abundance

Oneness isn't practical and isn't about abundance. Sounds like you're interested in LOA.

[Arcanum]

Originally Posted by RonSouther

That's where I feel like I'm part of the whole.



Creativity is where I found the oneness.

There isn't "the oneness", which is consciously or unconsciously the attempt to objectify oneness and see it as other than you, which makes two. You simply cannot be a part of the whole, as parts implies multiplicity and as long as there is the focus on parts, oneness cannot be seen. Oneness means there were never any parts to begin with.

[Anagogy]

Originally Posted by seekerofspirituality

I reading Steve Pavlina´s book, personal development for smart people.
Pavlina talks about oneness, about how it is important to experience it logically and emotionally. I can understand the idea of oneness (logically) but cannot emotionally connect to it. How can I train this, Pavlina talked about his first experience of oneness when he thought about being one with the birds he saw. I try´d this with an object feeling one with it, but it doesn´t really have effect.
Any advice?

As consciousness identified with but a part of the whole, you can't directly perceive oneness (I will refrain from using the word "experience" or Arcanum might froth at the mouth -- like many words, it means different things to different people). That is to say, you can't directly perceive it with your ego-mind still intact. But you can "flirt" with it in a sense, through various ego-mind experiences which are practical from a human stand point. Some would call these "mind states", but there is really no good reason to get caught up in all that intellectual hoo ha.

Anyhow, you do this through your emotions.

You see, your most positive emotions such as love, joy, and appreciation are actually shadows of the state of consciousness we all continually exist in, but is hidden from our conscious minds by our egoic concerns. Emotions arise in response to what you focus on. So when you focus on thoughts which are reflections or symbols for connection or oneness, it will register positive emotional signals within you. The same goes for symbols of separation, and negative emotions. You can "feel" your way through different thoughts, and sense the emotional resonance of them. When you think of things that make you feel good, you are more in harmony with the whole than you are when you are thinking thoughts that don't make you feel good.

It's about releasing your resistance to perceiving the universal flow that is always there, but not always seen. Your focus is your power. Look for connections and contemplate how all things extend from the same fundamental Something. Realize that whenever you feel negative emotion that it means that in that moment, you are offering a focus or thought that is not congruent with unity (ultimately all thoughts are not congruent with unity, but it's not necessary to go that far with it right away, if you are just looking for personal development). That means you are looking at whatever you are looking at through a warped lens or perspective that is quite removed from how the Source of consciousness within you is seeing it.

So when you notice you aren't feeling particularly great, accept that you are looking at things in a screwy light, and find a better feeling-place. You can try to look at a given situation in a different light, but oftentimes its easier to just distract yourself with something enjoyable like music, or a walk, or petting a cat or dog or something. Then when you are feeling better, approach the situation from that improved state of being. You'll find you will naturally approach the situation from a more holistic state of consciousness than you would have otherwise.

If you are already feeling relatively good, feel your way to thoughts that feel even better. Think about how you are literally connected to All That Is. Think about how you are interfaced with all knowledge, all power, all time, and all space. Everything is you. You are consciousness. Just think thoughts along these lines, and feel the emotional resonance of them, and you will come into closer conscious alignment with emotionally perceiving oneness.

Originally Posted by evolutionarypathways

Trying to think about oneness can drive you crazy. It's enough to read some of the posts on these boards to realize that some people think about oneness way too much and feel oneness way too little.

Oneness is about experience not thinking.

Good advice, evolutionarypathways.

[Arcanum]

Originally Posted by Anagogy

As consciousness identified with but a part of the whole, you can't directly perceive oneness (I will refrain from using the word "experience" or Arcanum might froth at the mouth

Experience!! ARRRGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!

Your siggy:

The secrets of the universe are not really secrets; they are simply unrecognized.

Is the recognition of a secret, an experience?

[Anagogy]

Originally Posted by Arcanum

Experience!! ARRRGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!

Your siggy:

Is the recognition of a secret, an experience?

Well that depends how we are using the word "experience". Normally, when I use the word "experience" I mean "awareness". Sometimes you will hear me say things like consciousness and experience are synonymous. When I say that I'm using it in the sense of experiencing or the beingness. I gather from your perspective you see experience as word for a memory/lens/interpretation thingy, so in that sense I would say no.

I would describe recognition of truth (or secrets depending on your vantage point) to be a process of dissolution of interpretative lenses or filters.

[Arcanum]

Originally Posted by Anagogy

I would describe recognition of truth (or secrets depending on your vantage point) to be a process of dissolution of interpretative lenses or filters.

I agree.
Wouldn't you say that oneness falls into that category? If so, it would be a recognition involving a dissolution. I doubt that's what folks mean when they say they're wanting to experience it. In this case, it's the dissolution of the one who says he wants to experience it, which is why i feel like I can say it's not an experience without having to define the term for everybody.

[DonJuan]

Originally Posted by seekerofspirituality

I reading Steve Pavlina´s book, personal development for smart people.
Pavlina talks about oneness, about how it is important to experience it logically and emotionally. I can understand the idea of oneness (logically) but cannot emotionally connect to it. How can I train this, Pavlina talked about his first experience of oneness when he thought about being one with the birds he saw. I try´d this with an object feeling one with it, but it doesn´t really have effect.
Any advice?

I wouldn't try to force to feel oneness. It needs to come naturally. There are many levels of existence and oneness or unity-consciousness is quite deep. To truly feel oneness is for most of us a rare blessing. Usually we can't decide "ok lets go to oneness". It might be possible if we are very advanced to constantly keep an awareness of oneness in the background.
I would suggest to just try to do daily meditation without trying to archieve anything and if you are ready you will experience it. Maybe first for a moment, and then eventually longer and longer. Hope that helps Here a good short and straightforward introduction to meditation: Basics in Meditation

Blessings

[Beingist]

Originally Posted by seekerofspirituality

I reading Steve Pavlina´s book, personal development for smart people.
Pavlina talks about oneness, about how it is important to experience it logically and emotionally. I can understand the idea of oneness (logically) but cannot emotionally connect to it. How can I train this, Pavlina talked about his first experience of oneness when he thought about being one with the birds he saw. I try´d this with an object feeling one with it, but it doesn´t really have effect.
Any advice?

Where the mind goes, the emotions must follow. Work on your emotions. Put attention into them. Let yourself emote, and show yourself unconditional Love in the process. You'll get there.

[Anagogy]

Originally Posted by Arcanum

I agree.
Wouldn't you say that oneness falls into that category? If so, it would be a recognition involving a dissolution. I doubt that's what folks mean when they say they're wanting to experience it.

You're right. But it's not just a dissolution. That's only one way to describe it. There are other ways.

One person's dissolution is another person's re-emergence into what they really are.

Originally Posted by Arcanum

In this case, it's the dissolution of the one who says he wants to experience it, which is why i feel like I can say it's not an experience without having to define the term for everybody.

Well, of course you don't have to define anything for anybody. It's just helpful sometimes is all. And as always, it is just a matter of preference for the words you want to use to describe what you describe, and the level of clarity of description you are aiming for, if one is aiming for such a thing.

I just don't personally (and maybe for some other people it could be very helpful), find it particularly helpful to describe it as the dissolution of the one who wants to experience, as it immediately sets off ego resistance. The person says, "Oh lordy, I'm gonna stop existing!", which isn't exactly true either. I would just say it is the letting go of filters. Make it clear it is not The End. Then people can relax, and explore the implication to the degree they are able, and not immediately shut down.

[Arcanum]

Originally Posted by Anagogy

I just don't personally (and maybe for some other people it could be very helpful), find it particularly helpful to describe it as the dissolution of the one who wants to experience, as it immediately sets off ego resistance. The person says, "Oh lordy, I'm gonna stop existing!", which isn't exactly true either. I would just say it is the letting go of filters. Make it clear it is not The End. Then people can relax, and explore the implication to the degree they are able, and not immediately shut down.

If peeps shut down, then they do. There's a high level of fantasizing about oneness, and I guess I'm more interested in breaking that down than gently encouraging the next step, which doesn't seem to work either. i pretty much don't concern myself with reactions anymore.

[Anagogy]

Originally Posted by Arcanum

If peeps shut down, then they do. There's a high level of fantasizing about oneness, and I guess I'm more interested in breaking that down than gently encouraging the next step, which doesn't seem to work either. i pretty much don't concern myself with reactions anymore.

Fair enough.

[ChrisGinsburg]

Originally Posted by Arcanum

If peeps shut down, then they do. There's a high level of fantasizing about oneness, and I guess I'm more interested in breaking that down than gently encouraging the next step, which doesn't seem to work either. i pretty much don't concern myself with reactions anymore.

Which is why a personal development forum is actually a pretty good place for such discussions even though everything that's being said goes against common notions of PD. Folks tend to be more open to exploring why they are shutting down and even the act of shutting can tend to prompt self inquiry for many. If the inquiry goes far enough the end result can be the same anyway without all the hand holding.

[Arcanum]

Originally Posted by ChrisGinsburg

Which is why a personal development forum is actually a pretty good place for such discussions even though everything that's being said goes against common notions of PD. Folks tend to be more open to exploring why they are shutting down and even the act of shutting can tend to prompt self inquiry for many. If the inquiry goes far enough the end result can be the same anyway without all the hand holding.

Yeah, could be.
Seems to me a bit arrogant to think i know what peeps need to hear and how they need to hear it. I don't have a clue, which is why I just jabber and leave that up to God......Oops! I did it again, didn't I?

[VinceG]

Originally Posted by Arcanum

There's a high level of fantasizing about oneness

Funny, I was thinking the same way...

[ChrisGinsburg]

Originally Posted by Arcanum

Yeah, could be.
Seems to me a bit arrogant to think i know what peeps need to hear and how they need to hear it. I don't have a clue, which is why I just jabber and leave that up to God......Oops! I did it again, didn't I?

Right, I agree. From my perspective it seems there's more of an openness to new views and ideas on a forum like this but at the same time you have to contend with all the folks who consider themselves "smart people" which is another can of beans.

[Arcanum]

Originally Posted by ChrisGinsburg

Right, I agree. From my perspective it seems there's more of an openness to new views and ideas on a forum like this but at the same time you have to contend with all the folks who consider themselves "smart people" which is another can of beans.

Oh, yeah, I keep forgetting we're all sposed to be smart people here.

[Anagogy]

Originally Posted by ChrisGinsburg

Which is why a personal development forum is actually a pretty good place for such discussions even though everything that's being said goes against common notions of PD. Folks tend to be more open to exploring why they are shutting down and even the act of shutting can tend to prompt self inquiry for many. If the inquiry goes far enough the end result can be the same anyway without all the hand holding.

But don't you believe we are all puppets of God anyway? So why does it make a difference one way or the other? Did you forget that you and everybody else is a puppet with no free will? Or did God just make you say something that sounded contradictory, and make me not understand to get some jollies?

Originally Posted by Arcanum

Yeah, could be.
Seems to me a bit arrogant to think i know what peeps need to hear and how they need to hear it. I don't have a clue, which is why I just jabber and leave that up to God......Oops! I did it again, didn't I?

So God and you are separate? You do some functions, and God does some other functions?

Originally Posted by ChrisGinsburg

Right, I agree. From my perspective it seems there's more of an openness to new views and ideas on a forum like this but at the same time you have to contend with all the folks who consider themselves "smart people" which is another can of beans.

Why is it a can of beans? Do you think the people who consider themselves "smart" won't like your ideas because they don't seem very smart to them? Seems kind of pessimistic.

[Arcanum]

Originally Posted by Anagogy

But don't you believe we are all puppets of God anyway? So why does it make a difference one way or the other? Did you forget that you and everybody else is a puppet with no free will? Or did God just make you say something that sounded contradictory, and make me not understand to get some jollies?



So God and you are separate? You do some functions, and God does some other functions?

There is no god, though you seem to think there is.

Why is it a can of beans? Do you think the people who consider themselves "smart" won't like your ideas because they don't seem very smart to them? Seems kind of pessimistic.

It's a can of beans because 'smart peeps' have strong minds, strong beliefs, strong ideas, clever misdirection and so have a bit more to overcome.

[Anagogy]

Originally Posted by Arcanum

There is no god, though you seem to think there is.

Hey, you are the one who brought it up. You said the G-word.

Originally Posted by Arcanum

It's a can of beans because 'smart peeps' have strong minds, strong beliefs, strong ideas, clever misdirection and so have a bit more to overcome.

I don't believe there is one person on this forum who is not a 'smart peep', as you have defined it.

[Arcanum]

Originally Posted by Anagogy

Hey, you are the one who brought it up. You said the G-word.

Yeah, that was why I said "Oops!" after it slipped out. Hehe.

I don't believe there is one person on this forum who is not a 'smart peep', as you have defined it.

Obviously, I'm saying the stronger the identification with mind, the more difficult it is to transcend, or even to notice that it needs to be transcended.

[ChrisGinsburg]

Originally Posted by Anagogy

But don't you believe we are all puppets of God anyway? So why does it make a difference one way or the other? Did you forget that you and everybody else is a puppet with no free will? Or did God just make you say something that sounded contradictory, and make me not understand to get some jollies?

God's puppets? No I can't say that's what I've been trying to convey. The only point I was trying to get across was that a forum like this tends to draw people who are in a movement towards becoming more conscious whether they acknowledge it or not.

Originally Posted by Anagogy

Why is it a can of beans? Do you think the people who consider themselves "smart" won't like your ideas because they don't seem very smart to them? Seems kind of pessimistic.

No not at all. More along the lines of what Arcanum mentioned in that people who identify as being smart and really may be quite intelligent tend to have more of a hurdle of getting past intellect as the chief mode of understanding and typically have a tighter grip in terms of mind identification.

The whole "smart" label itself when identified with tends to be a bit of a barrier for some people to question beliefs and authentically look within because of the implications of what they believe 'smart' to mean. Being 'smart' to most people is about acquiring new knowledge and ideas while what's being said is about emptying out all of that.

[Apopohis Reject]

Originally Posted by Beingist

Where the mind goes, the emotions must follow.

Actually it works the other way around - where the emotions go, the mind must generically follow - unless an intervention (by choice) is entered into.

[Beingist]

Originally Posted by Apopohis Reject

Actually it works the other way around - where the emotions go, the mind must generically follow - unless an intervention (by choice) is entered into.

Are you stating this as a fact, or is this an opinion?

[Apopohis Reject]

Originally Posted by Beingist

Are you stating this as a fact, or is this an opinion?

A worthy question. In fact, it's my conclusion after a great deal of work and awakening to the machinations re. the generic human mentality.

Think about it for a second and see if you don't come to a similar conclusion; what have you ever made a choice to do, which has not been initially and primarily reliant upon your emotions? Again - how many actions have you entered into, which you did not WANT, desire?

Our emotions are the catalysing driver behind our choices and subsequent actions. This is simply a palpable explanation into how our mentality operates.

[Arcanum]

Originally Posted by Apopohis Reject

Actually it works the other way around - where the emotions go, the mind must generically follow - unless an intervention (by choice) is entered into.

I dunno how to separate the two. It's not always true that a feeling comes out of nowhere and mind follows it, nor is it always true that mind has a conscious thought before a feeling occurs.