** This thread discusses the Content article: A Focus On Ego **

If you are having your favorite cup of drink, sitting in your favorite spot, doing your favorite activity, living in the moment is a pleasant way to live that moment.

For those who have been traumatized one way or the other, for those who are living in pain and sufferings, living in the moment means fully immersed in those pains. This can result in suicides (aptly defined as end it all) when those pains are intolerable.

So, I am not sure if it is a good idea to go around and tell every human being to live in THEIR moment, because I am not sure how many can take that if they do it.

I oppose!
Trauma, as bad as it is, is not the only thing happening in a moment. You usually concentrate on this and your mind is completely occupied by this, but there is more, simultaneously happening or existing.

I remember a situation in our honeymoon: My wife was completely disappointed, down and done with everything, sitting in a coffee shop, 5 am in the morning. I simply told her to look at the bunch of roses on a table, close to us and her mood changed immediately.

A situation is bigger than what we see or feel or sense in any other way. We usually look thgrough "tinted glasses". Try to perceive as much as you can.

You can have a "bath" in your sorrow or pain, when you like, but there is also the option to look around and see joyful things or focus on another part of your living and feel blessed. It might not be easy, but it's the way it works. Don't suppress your pain or whatever you're suffering from, but be aware that there is more.

You are the creator of your reality!

Rolf

"You are the creator of your reality!"

Tell that to those who commit suicide.

Maybe they would not understand, because they think, their situation has only one outlet open. They don't realize the whole, their "dark glasses" are hindering the full view. Their awareness is focused on their human existence, not open for anything else.

All is choice and all choices are valid, but you have to deal with the consequences, if not in this life, there are more to come for sure.


Rolf

It is not a good idea to tell just anyone to go live in the moment. Those who are in a bad moment, if you tell them to live in that moment, they may end up committing suicide.

To use your wife's case, you did not tell her to go live in the moment when she was in a bad mood. You told her to change her mood first. And THEN live in the improved moment.

To just tell anyone to live in the (their) present moment is irresponsible and thoughtless because it does not take into consideration of the kind of moment the individual has.

Yet, many new age book authors just throw around phrases to the mass, apparently without thinking through the consequences or effects it has on their readers. In the case of "living in the moment", it is a central teaching of Buddhism.

These days, all to often, I see some western "spiritual seeker" strolling the banks of some river in India (usually Reshikesh) for a number of years, then return to west and call him/herself a guru, write a book or two on things such as "Living in the Now", using phrases such as "the power of now" to appeal to the western mass, as if teaching "spiritual kung fu". The use of the word POWER is on purpose, a marketing gimmick to appeal to the power-craving kind of people.

In Buddhism, no adept teachers would bait his/her students with "power of now". The teaching would be along the line of "live in the now to attain peace and harmony".

I have a low opinion of this kind of money-making guru because of their irresponsible money making approach. Have they ever thought of the consequences of having a suicidal person reading their book and then literally live in THAT now? The power of now can kill. Do they take responsibility if that happens? No.

Im not sure that there are many (if any) people who are experience severe negative emotion then think - 'ok let me live fully in this moment of emotion and experience it to its full depth'.

When you are feeling this downtrodden this is just an indication that you are getting further away from the connection to who you really are - your true self or higher self. And if you are feeling that bad then its highly unlikely that you will effectively take in any information whether oral or read.

You create you own reality from this point forward NOW NOW NOW - that is what is really what the 'power of now' you talk about is referring to - 'Your Point Of Power Is In The Present' (Seth). There is always the opportunity to start over, to experience a better feeling moment and to live a more joyful life. I do believe however that we must make an effort to let go of the false personality/ego to achieve this.

In my opinion we are all responsible for own realities whether that be from an ego choice or soul choice. To make other people responsible for our experience on this physical plane, I believe is limiting. We always have a choice, to allow others to make that choice for us removes our personal power and will ultimately become uncomfortable.

Maybe it would be beneficial to allow people to have any experience they wish to have - without critisism.

Namaste day

The level of negativity on planet Earth has risen to beyond 67% in the 1990s and has been on the increase, from what I heard. Look at the number of natural diasters and uprises (e.g. Middle East), the man-made ones e.g. financial meltdown - Leyman Brothers and the likes, the extreme gap between rich and poor ...etc., one has to be out of touch with reality, be it on purpose or not, to wonder if there are any person experiencing severe negative emotions these days.

Criticism/judgement has been judged as "inappropriate", something you should not, by some new age schools. When they figure out that this kind of teaching doesn't work in real life because if follow to the tee, people behaving like an naive child thinking there is no such thing as a "bad" person on Earth. Then the word DISCERNMENT was thrown out as a patch.
The teachings become "don't judge, discern".

Look at the body's immune system. You wouldn't be physically alive if it is still contemplating "don't criticize, don't judge, but discern". Whatever is harmful physically, it takes immediate actions to destroy the substance/viruses.

To stay alive (physically) is as simple as that. That's probably something the mind of those who still are advocating "be non-judgemental, but don't forget discernment" has to learn from.

When you say natural disasters, I take it you mean earthquakes, tsunamis etc that have happened in populated places? Would you call these events 'disasters' in non populated places?

As we all strive for balance, I think that these 'disasters' are a form of earth finding balance, with perhaps some of the mass (human) consciousness of an area attributing somewhat to that balance.

It is interesting that you label non judgement/criticism ideals as 'new age' - when Mary Magdalene was about to be stoned by an angry mob did Jesus not say 'let he among you that is without sin, cast the first stone..'

Of course much earlier that than quote can be found in Taoism (possibly over 4500 years ago - maybe longer) which is a strong proponent of non judgement.

Here is an interesting quote:

"A Taoist would not get upset with current events and political paradigms. A Taoist accepts what is naturally happening and then finds a graceful path to promote Kindness relative to the times. That the outer does not determine and drive the inner; that judgment does not have a place in the mental, spiritual, emotional landscape of a Taoist." - Casey Kochmer

As we are focused in this physical reality as humans im sure there are times when every person gets upset and/or makes a judgement/criticism. Then what do you do with that 'complaint'? As that is all it is - do you continue to complain, and then complain to other people and then form groups that complain about their perceptions of what is right and wrong in the world and make it bigger and bigger?

Alternatively we could work to provide a solution to these perceived 'wrongs'. Maybe that would be non action via some type of positive thought or compassionate meditation aimed toward those people who are suffering. Alternatively for those of us who prefer action, maybe some charity work - or charitable donation to one or more of those causes.

Surely a positive approach, an idea of a solution and some compassion would be more beneficial than complaining.

We can all ask ourselves at times, am I a part of the problem or am I helping to work toward to the solution?


Namaste Day

I don't think it is that difficult to find one Japanese, or New Zealander who is suffering from severe negative emotions from the earthquakes and tsunami that caused so many deaths in these two countries, or when it comes to man-made diasters, finding one person who is still suffering from severe negative emotions among the living family members of those who were killed in the 911 incident in USA.

Given the great numbers of deaths as a result of this incidents, it is therefore interesting you said "Im not sure that there are many (if any) people who are experience severe negative emotion then think -".

I don't understand the relevance of your question on whether negative energy exists in non-populated area, when the point of discussion is "there are people who are suffering from severe negative emotions from diasters, be it man-made or natural.

"Criticism/judgement has been judged as 'inappropriate, something you should not, by some new age schools."

If you read the above statement (I made) carefully, it never said older school of thoughts in various religions have NOT raised the issue of criticism/judgement.

My point is that these are all thoughts (i.e. mind based). The mind can argue for milleniums whether it is appropriate or inappropriate to judge/criticize.

The fact of life around here is that if our body's immune system does that kind of contemplation/arguement instead of destroying harmful substances/viruses, the human species would long have become extinct.

So, instead of arguing/contemplating whether it is appropriate or inappropriate, I think the mind can learn something from the body's way of keeping itself, and the human species from extinction.

I do not see critisism or judgement as inappropriate or wrong - as I believe you never get it wrong, and that all choices made are valid.

Also you talk of death (I prefer re-emerging with the whole part of YOU) - as a negative, possibly an ending. Part of the teachings here are of no endedness and never ending existence. From our perspective there is ending, suffering, negative emotion. From a non physical view point I believe there is merely experience from the physical plane.

We look at what we percieve as suffering and say 'oh how terrible' but from a soul/non physical vantage point im not sure that is true.

Yes there are people experiencing negative emotion - but that is just it they are 'experiencing'. One of the most interesting and perhaps profound things that I read here was Talyaa saying that the cancer she experienced was a gift. What im trying to say is that what you see as suffering might be seen differently from an alternative perspective. We do not all think the same, see the or see the same.

I think that the world works perfectly and provides a magnificient format of contrast and experience of separation from who we really are.

And I put the question out, is an earthquake, tidal wave etc in a non popluated area a disaster?

This physical reality may well 'end' from a human linear perspective, but our experience of all that is will continue eternally.

Namaste Day

peace to all

The sufferings doesn't end with the ending of the physical body (i.e. physical death), this is what I heard. There are plenty of discarnate spirits who still are filled with negative emotions, even though they are without a physical body. A common name for these spirits is ghosts. Some of these ghosts haunt places, and some haunt people, and some suffer from fear, guilt, sadness, anger, ....etc. althought they don't haunt people/places. The explanation is that they fail to "make it home"; they got "trapped".

For those who manage to "make it home", it is also a mistake to think they are all without wounds (emotional/mental) from spending a life on Earth with all the negative energies around here. After a lifetime on Earth, many had to be sent to healing centers "upstairs" to be healed.

As for the diasters in non-populated area, you need to bear in mind that animals other than human beings are everywhere on this planet. Obviously human beings aren't the only species that can feel pain, emotional/physical/mental.
They also can have negative emotions such as anger/sadness...etc. (e.g. dogs/cats)


When we include all lifeforms, from plants to ants to whales...etc. I doubt if there is such a place as non-populated area. Why shouldn't we include them when so many of us eat them (be they vegetarians or not) to keep us alive?

Diasters cause these lifeforms pain/sufferings too.

An earthquake sending stones rolling down the hill, squashing the legs of an antelope say, would cause pain and agony. Eagles mourn for their offsprings should a volcano erupt nearby and kill them while they are out hunting for food. Human beings are not the only one who suffer from negative emotions.

Of course we all have differing opinons and theories (which makes it all so interesting!).

However I believe that if you are disincarnate then that is a choice of essence to experience that particular reality in a form that is something other than 'physical' from our perspective. The reason that we would call them 'ghosts' or such is that they vibrate at a frequency that we generally cannot visualise - so mainly they are not seen, and when they are they are described as 'ghosts' or 'spirits'.

Yes they may possibly experience negative emotion but I would disagree that this is the only type of emotion they feel.

I do not think that the human personality has much say in what happens after transistion has taken place. I believe that part of the personality will experience an astral plane setting that will reflect whatever beliefs the personality had in life (ie christians believe they will be greeted by pearly gates etc). I dont think this is a place to go to as at this point we are no longer experiencing the physical.

I believe its a re-emergance into pure non physical energy, and after the astral plane experience that part of the personality rejoins the whole that is the 'soul' or 'essence'.

To say that the negative emotion experianced in life is carried over would suggest that non physical thinks in the same emotional, linear way that humans do - ie that non physical thinks with the same human brain. Or that when we die we are the same as we are now, I do not think that is the case.

I think on transision all of this is released and we have a knowing of who we really are - like i said previously I dont believe that what we see as negative is seen the same way on the other planes of existence.

To take away what we percieve as negative emotion on this plane would inhibit our experiance into not much of an experience at all.
Namaste Day.

In a way, this dicussion nicely brings us back to the topic --- the ego; which is also called the human personality by some.

The existence of ghosts experiencing negative emotions such as anger, hatred, sorrow ...etc. (to those who has their third eye opened, seeing them appears to be a piece of cake, i.e. effortless), in my opinion, already proves one thing, human emotions doesn't automatically vaporize when one transits (physical death).

Indeed, there are happy ghosts hanging around the earth astral realm just as there are unhappy ghosts. Many psychics can "see" or sense them, communicate with them. From what I read, it seems that there are a lot more unhappy ghosts "floating around". It is precisely a matter of vibration. Because their vibration is still so low (i.e. close to the 3D earth), they get "stuck" here.

It is true that (at least "theoratically", they can choose to raise their vibration. Just like around here, you can do something to cheer yourself up when you are down.

Yet, the statement "ALL of us i.e. the 6 billion human beings here" can choose to be happy" is a theoratical/utopia truth, like, "you can be anything you want" to me. It is more an encouragement, a pat on the back kind of statement. I am not saying I disagree with this kind of statement.

However, this can be a very cruel statement to tell those who are suffering. Imagine telling someone whose sons/daughters/father/mother just got killed in the 911 incident, or a Japanese/New Zealander whose entire family had been wiped out in the earthquakes that hit their country, what do you think the recipient of this statement feels upon hearing something like this?

What would you feel if someone says this to you when your entire family got wiped out this morning? "Yeeaaa, this is the kind of positive thinking and self-empowerment that I am looking for. Thank you so much. I now am perfectly happy, tomorrow is going to be another great day!!!" ?

The happy ghosts have a lighter, or higher vibration, and these are the ones that has a higher chance of "making their way home" (the tunnel of light as seen by many). This is why my take is that if you see an earthbound ghost, my bet is that s/he is not of high vibration. Not that they are evil, but they are just suffering the same fear/greed/anger... as when they suffered when they still had a physical body.

I know many books written by mediums/psychics give their readers the idea that once you are physically dead, "all your troubles seem so far away", or even "you are freed from all human emotions".

As I said, the existence of haunting ghosts (as seen by sensitive/psychics) already proved that isn't the case.

In addition to the psychics, I have my own OBE; which is the crucial piece of proof for me.

The other thing is, it seems that the human personality, or the ego, is indeed "absorbed" by the soul; somehow discontinue to function, if that soul makes it "back home".

Yet, through hyponosis, deep hyponosis, from what I read, we can access the soul of subject. There are many books written by hypnotists on this subject. In many cases, the soul (note, not the ego anymore) directly speaks through the personality, and tells what happens to them when them when they exited the earth plane last time. In fact, old souls have done this so many times that they are very proficient when it comes to "finding their way home". You hear of terms like "temple of knowledge/wisdom, temple of healing, ....etc." on the other side when you go home.

Still, many of the souls report that even as old-timers, they immediately head for the healing centers, and get a bath of light, to heal themselves after an Earth trip. For newbie souls (note, newbie to Earth), the situation is usually far, far worse. Some have to, easily, take decades, even up to hundreds, of earth years to recover and heal themselves from an Earth trip.

This scenario makes sense to me better than the "utopia scenario" of "out of sight, out of mind, free as the wind". Because, "where does all the negative energies go when the soul absorb back the ego?", dumped back into Earth? So Earth becomes literally a garbbage bin? I suppose this is a possibility.

But my guess is, if this is the case, with all the negativity around here already, which so many are doing their "best" to keep on generating everyday (from abusive relationships to criminal assaults to car accidents -- and their consequences, the trauma inflicted) if every physically dead person dump all their accumulated negative energy (an entire life) back into Earth, the majority of human beings would not only be insane immediately, but literally be physically killed.

In a nutshell, it is bad enough already. Just pop your head into a psychiatrist office, or walk into a protection center, or prison, or even a shopping mall, on the streets/in the subway, look at people's faces, how many are smiling happily?

It is quite right to say, "be the solution, or give solutions", obviously.

And sure, this is what all healers of whatever nationalities, cultures, even in the spirit realms, have been doing, since Stone Age. How successful has been their effort, though?
Well, turn on the TV news, the answers are staring at you. Take a stroll around the downtown of whatever major city, or go to Africa and take a look, the answers are everywhere.

Even the masters at Polaris, this website, are doing their best at helping "poor" mankind to deal with all these negative emotions. Noble efforts.

From a historical perspective, however, it does look like there would be an eternal shortage of doctors based on the way this "game of life" is setup.

You know, if any cataclysm happens around December 2012, or 2025, or 2050....whatever, from what I heard, it would definitely NOT be the first time. There were at least 6 times that this kind of scenario happened, just on Earth, already. Lemuria and Atlantis are just the most recent ones; the ones that precede this civilization.

It appears that "unfinished business" seems to be the name of this "game". Funny ego games? Funny "contrast game"? I think each of us just has to decide how funny/pleasurable this "game" is.

Yes this does bring us right back to the ego concept

I do think however that astral and physical planes (earth in our case) of existence are 'separate' due to differing vibrational frequency present in each plane, and astral is the space we experience when dreaming.

I beleive the fact that these psychics 'claim' to be able to sense or talk to these personalities is that they always have been and always will be available to talk to. There is no endedness and everything continues to exist eternally. We only see this linear system where past and future exist one after the other because we are set up to translate the environment in that fashion.

Theoretically then you could contact any such personality that in our view has 'passed on', as that point in time - although not viewed by us is still there all the same

Obviously when you take on any type of negative emotion when you experience loss (which I have) or other such hardship, you are not in a place to listen to that type of information as you are working through your grief. I doubt that anyone with any experiance would say those words to you anyway.

I believe when essence (soul) has a portion of itself focused in this physical reality this can mean 100's of lifetimes that are all experienced simultaneously - from a non physical perspective. And once all of these lifetimes are complete there can be a waiting period while the other parts of their entity 'cycle off'. I dont believe we (essence) have to 'find' a way home as we are always 'home', it is not physical so there is no distance to travel, everything is merely perception (in my opinon of course!)

We are our soul and our soul is us. A part of our soul focuses its perception into a physical tactile environment. That does not however make 'me' (the ego, false self etc) separate. I do not have to be 'absorbed' by essence as I have never been apart from essence, I am essence. I do not have to find my way back, as I have never left We are the sight, sound, taste and touch of the soul/essence and I believe that not just us and our soul are connected but everthing that exists everywhere is interconnected.

We only see separation because we chose to.


Namaste Day

What happens to the ego upon physical death, how does a soul go home, can it linger around in the physical dimension, do what belief systems a particular ego buy into when s/he is around here affect where that ego ends up....etc are all interesting questions.

Through studies done in this field and sharing of experiences of those who have done OBE, the answers are now far more easier to surface to us.

From what I can see, the studies, OBEs, have shown that the majority of cases tallied. Regardless of what you belief in, the afterlife scenario is pretty uniform. People from all walks of life, priests, doctors, engineers, university professors, "Joe the plummer", ... all reported similar NDE/OBE experiences. This is the encouraging part.

Most say there is a "tractor beam" of some sort to guide them "home". Some see the typical tunnel of white light, some feel a magnetic beam guiding them.
These are "lucky" ones.

And then there are unhappy (majority) ghosts lingering around here for a multitude of reasons.

There are also "soul retrieval/resuce teams" from the other side who specializes in helping these "lost/trapped souls (by themselves)" to go home, as reported by those who actually are part of these teams (yes, they are still living as human beings as we speak).

For these "stuck" ones, they do need to find their way home in the sense that they need to open themselves to help/rescue efforts.

In this area, I would say it is similar to the story about a bunch of blind people gropping around/touching an elephant, and then each describe, individually, what an elephant is like.

The more blind people there are, in this case, the closer to the true picture of an elephant. In this regard, we are far better equipped than people just a hundred years ago, not to say hundreds/thousands of years ago. The ease/speed of communication has been so much easier with the internet. Interesting to note that that the Age of Aquarius is about communication.

So, from what I can see, there are solid reasons to support us to be optimistic when it comes to demystifying this big chunk of unknown territory.