"ALL the beliefs that you hold are false and they must be relinquished."
The scariest thing is that this applies even to pleasant, good beliefs like: "I have friends/relatives", "there is good in the world" and, yes, "I am safe"
The dark night of the soul - I think I understand what is so dark about it. Self-investigation shows that everything I firmly stand on is just ideas...
Yes, you are hitting on very salient and sensitive topics. This is the whole reason I wrote and published the essay. Too many teachers encourage people to start practicing/investigating without giving the students fair warning about what they are committing to face.
"I have friends/relatives"
Or even that other people exist! Obviously, things *appear as if* there are these other people. But just because something appears, does that mean it's "true?" Of course nihilism isn't a correct answer, and solipsism is wrong because it posits one too many persons. This shocking perspective can help you realize what is fundamental in your experience. Once you realize what that it and that you are it, then you can return to the relative world of relationships with people exactly as they appear to be: friends, relatives, and others. "Mountains are again mountains." But after that point there is no longer alienation, guilt, shame, pride, blame, or resentment. It's a imposing gulf to cross, but it's worth it!
"there is good in the world"
"Good" is a concept. The world just is what it is. And it IS beautiful, amazing, exhilarating, shocking, wonderful, joyful (i.e. "good"). But, at times, it is painful, horrifying and terrible. It just is what it is. Our opinions and descriptions of it (like good, bad, or evil) change nothing about it. There's nothing wrong with opinions; but opinions are not "true." Like the world, they just are what they are. Best to not hold on to them overly-tightly.
"I am safe"
Yes, safety and control are illusions. We can ATTEMPT to control things; but the attempt itself is the only thing that can be "controlled." The outcome can NEVER be controlled. Similarly, we can attempt to establish "relative safety" and it's a nice thing to try for. But relative can never be absolute, so there is no "safety" in the absolute sense. This is actually liberating because it means you are free to live life without futilely attempting to achieve an impossible level of safety . Only something dead can be thought to be perfectly "safe."
"Self-investigation shows that everything I firmly stand on is just ideas..."
Exactly. As the poem goes "not a tile to cover the head - not an inch of ground to stand upon." But the good news is you can realize this is *how things have ALWAYS been* -- you just weren't aware of it! So you're not "losing" anything at all except confusion and delusion. In their stead you're gaining clarity on the nature of reality.
True living is like surfing or sailing. Reality is unfolding all on its own. You can impotently lament this fact, or you can realize there is no choice in the matter and give yourself to the flow; see if you can actually surf or sail! Even though life unfolds in a direction, you can still steer left or right however you like as it carries you along. In the old deluded way, you might have tried fighting *against* the current. This is impossible, futile, a waste of time.
It can be scary facing these truths. But there is hope in that shedding false delusions will RELIEVE you of more angst and frustration than if you remained in the default position of wanting impossible control, safety, certainty, etc.
"ALL the beliefs that you hold are false and they must be relinquished."
The scariest thing is that this applies even to pleasant, good beliefs like: "I have friends/relatives", "there is good in the world" and, yes, "I am safe"
The dark night of the soul - I think I understand what is so dark about it. Self-investigation shows that everything I firmly stand on is just ideas...
Thank you for reading and commenting!
Yes, you are hitting on very salient and sensitive topics. This is the whole reason I wrote and published the essay. Too many teachers encourage people to start practicing/investigating without giving the students fair warning about what they are committing to face.
"I have friends/relatives"
Or even that other people exist! Obviously, things *appear as if* there are these other people. But just because something appears, does that mean it's "true?" Of course nihilism isn't a correct answer, and solipsism is wrong because it posits one too many persons. This shocking perspective can help you realize what is fundamental in your experience. Once you realize what that it and that you are it, then you can return to the relative world of relationships with people exactly as they appear to be: friends, relatives, and others. "Mountains are again mountains." But after that point there is no longer alienation, guilt, shame, pride, blame, or resentment. It's a imposing gulf to cross, but it's worth it!
"there is good in the world"
"Good" is a concept. The world just is what it is. And it IS beautiful, amazing, exhilarating, shocking, wonderful, joyful (i.e. "good"). But, at times, it is painful, horrifying and terrible. It just is what it is. Our opinions and descriptions of it (like good, bad, or evil) change nothing about it. There's nothing wrong with opinions; but opinions are not "true." Like the world, they just are what they are. Best to not hold on to them overly-tightly.
"I am safe"
Yes, safety and control are illusions. We can ATTEMPT to control things; but the attempt itself is the only thing that can be "controlled." The outcome can NEVER be controlled. Similarly, we can attempt to establish "relative safety" and it's a nice thing to try for. But relative can never be absolute, so there is no "safety" in the absolute sense. This is actually liberating because it means you are free to live life without futilely attempting to achieve an impossible level of safety . Only something dead can be thought to be perfectly "safe."
"Self-investigation shows that everything I firmly stand on is just ideas..."
Exactly. As the poem goes "not a tile to cover the head - not an inch of ground to stand upon." But the good news is you can realize this is *how things have ALWAYS been* -- you just weren't aware of it! So you're not "losing" anything at all except confusion and delusion. In their stead you're gaining clarity on the nature of reality.
True living is like surfing or sailing. Reality is unfolding all on its own. You can impotently lament this fact, or you can realize there is no choice in the matter and give yourself to the flow; see if you can actually surf or sail! Even though life unfolds in a direction, you can still steer left or right however you like as it carries you along. In the old deluded way, you might have tried fighting *against* the current. This is impossible, futile, a waste of time.
It can be scary facing these truths. But there is hope in that shedding false delusions will RELIEVE you of more angst and frustration than if you remained in the default position of wanting impossible control, safety, certainty, etc.