 Originally Posted by Ajna
As with alot of this stuff direct experience is what we all should be aiming for because then we can form our own unique opinion based on it and not debate the opinions of others. Confirm the truth for ourselves either way. Like the difference between lucid dreaming and regular dreaming, the experience of astral projection is unmistakeably immersive and particularly engaging as it can be achieved with unbroken awareness just like the process of WILD's.
Direct experience is no doubt useful, but it's not conclusive nor does it prove something as true. Visit any magican for an instant example of this.
I've had very direct, very real-seeming experiences that I know to be false and illusiory. At the time I would have sworn they were valid.
The idea that truth comes in many forms and everyone has thier own "individual" truth is a dangerous one. It's that very same way of thinking that considers Science to be a "theory" and thus relegates it to an equal footing with all other world views (such as flat earthers, astral travellers, evangelical christiantity etc. etc.)
Science to me is a METHOD. It's a process designed to eliminate that which is false. And at this point in history it is our best method yet for getting closer to the truths of our Universe.
Truth is an absolute it does not require a personal opinion or experience. The world is round, regardless of who knows it or who believes it. It would be round if the whole human race vanished tommorow. Science strives to be objective, it can of course never be truely objective in the purest sense of the word, but then nothing other than the universe as a whole can ever be.
However, refering to a buddhist parable which i believe says the same thing i am... If blind men were to try and describe an elephant through touch alone, one would say it is like a rope(holding the tail), another like a tree trunk (the leg), yet another would say it is like a palm leaf (the ear) etc. etc.
Individual direct experience may give you some evidence (or more correctly, Data - as evidence implys something to back up a theory), it dosn't however give you objectivity or the whole truth.
Only when you take your experience, and evaluate it with the corresponding data collected by the world at large, in a truely open minded way (in other words, accepting that we can be wrong and updating our world view to fit all the known facts) can you near the truth.
I've experienced many "mystical" things, do I believe in Chakras and Reincarnation? Well, I try not to believe at all, but regardless of my seemingly otherworldy experiences, I take on board what modern science tells me about the universe I live in. I try and validate the research that has been done in these areas, and cross reference with as many sources as possible. Having done so, and having read the work of paranormal investigators such as
Susan Blackmore, I find it hard to reconcile my experiences as factualy based on reality. Instead, I consider them to be elaborate, imaginary (and some times hallucinatory) experiences built from the complex psychology of the human brain and my cultural and personal programming.
Given the choice, I'd love to live in a universe with 3rd eyes, chakras, auras etc. etc. However, I am not given a choice, I live in this Universe. I would love being born human to mean that I am somehow in a position to become "at one" with the Universe. Instead, I will have to accept that the Universe definitely does not revolve around humanity or us individuals. Being Human simply means that I am in a unique (as far as we know so far) position to use my brain to asses facts, experiment, and grow to understand a little the vast universe of which we are a part.
And potato991, very much appreciate your intelligent input into this discussion.
I find many people who believe in the paranormal (specificaly auras and energy fields), do not seem particually convinced by thier arguments, If you offer them a meaningful way to prove it.
For example, those who claim to see Auras, I challenge you this:
Walk out in the wild, choose around 10 plants that you do not know the names or properties of, choose them based on if they have a positive or negative aura or energy. Then go home and eat the lot.
Of course no one would do this, because deep down, they are not convinced in the reliability or truth of thier beliefs.
Far more sensible isn't it, to learn botany, the science of plants, and to choose your dinner from plants that have been proven, via the scientific method, as harmless or benificial to the human body.
To all of you who believe in such things, challenge yourself, put yourself in a situation where your beliefs matter, where your belief being false may put you in some kind of actual harm or danger. Its a very quick way of realising how much conviction you really have. Those of you who believe in the third eye and psychic vision, try crossing the road with your eyes closed, use your third eye to asses the danger*
*Obviously don't really do these things, I am using dramatic examples to highlight that if such skills were available, if such things existed, people would not hesitate. The fact we do hesitate, the fact we instinctivly know that such things do not offer us real information about the world around us, is quite clearly telling. It tells us that we have let our desires for the mystical being true override our logic and sense.
It is not open minded to believe anything you hear.
A chef knows that posion is not a good ingredient for a meal, is he being closed minded by not adding it to the food? No, he's being knowledgeable.
Being open minded, I think, means opening your mind to the world of collected knowledge out there. Sure investigate mysticism, but whilst you do so also investigate the opposite. If you read the bible, also buy yourself a copy of "The God Delusion". Try and have a balanced view point.
Try to avoid belief, and try to aim for knowledge.
None of us believe the sun rises, we know it.
A blind man, however, has to believe initially. Yet he could with intelligence discern the truth. He could set up light sensitive equipment, he could survey as many sighted individuals as he can to establish how wide spread the consensus on the sun rising is.
Here's a simple and safer challenge for the psychic belivers out there.
Next time your in a cafe or bar, give your house keys to a friend. Ask them to hide them anywhere in the building, and under no circumstance tell you where they are. Then using whatever belief you have (auras, mind reading, energy fields) find your keys. Hunting high and low with your physical senses dosn't count. If you find them on your first attempt, and you can repeat this experiment without fail. Then please message me, I will be willing to make it financially very worth your while to prove your skills to me. It will make both you and I very rich and famous. And before people tell me its not about wealth... That amount of wealth and fame, would allow us to educate the entire world about the truth of these matters. Personaly, I won't hold my breath to hear from anyone, as i'm pretty certain if such things were possible, we'd have heard about it already.
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