how close have you come to nirvana?

i mean, how close have you come to feeling wonderful, at peace with everything, transcendent, etc.? the hard core budhists will have to forgive me if i'm mangling the term, but i hope y'all get what i'm after


i think for me it would have to be a few times rock climbing, when i was totally in the groove, in yosemite valley, beauty all around, started singing freebird :) on this climb called "nutcracker"


i think if i was having sex, while climbing, in a gorgeous place, while stoned on some wonderful herb, that would just about do it :)

last weekend i had my first run in with special K. me and a buddy laid down on blankets next to our fire and watched the schwag play two sets across the pond while rolling and tripping on mush and L. and tons of fuckin hash we were smoking too. ive never felt so good in my entire life even though i couldnt really feel my body or get off the ground lol. it was awesome!:D

Ive come very close without the use of any drugs. It all comes from forgiveness, self-love, not afraid to feel like you were when you were really young and happy and most importantly being brave enough to step into the unknown and flip your view inward.

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Originally Posted by onequickmove

how close have you come to nirvana?

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I met Courtney Love once. Does that count? :cool:

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Originally Posted by psteve

I met Courtney Love once. Does that count? :cool:

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ahahahahaha :S2:

I don't know. I don't think that nirvana would be considered an altered state of consciousness. Despite how much sex you have, rocks you climb, or drugs you take, I don't think any of them bring you any closer to true transcendence, as fun as they can all be...

I suspect that nirvana is more a state of consciousness OF consciousness. If that makes any sense. Instead of simply altering your perspective, you need to gain perspective on your own perspective. I hope I'm being vague enough...



psteve - good one, and way to classy up the place with the Magritte. Mad props.

'Nirvana' - really an experience of enlightenment or 'realisation' is more than just pleasant feelings. In Buddhism we count a direct experience of something called 'Emptiness' (that doesn't mean non-existence) as the first step into it.

A higher state again is called 'cosmic consciousness' by some traditions. If you do a Wiki' on both terms, that'll help. In both states you experience yourself as being all of reality, not from your own POV, but as reality itself.

Don't think of it as a place or somewhere spiritually different from right where you are now. Nirvana/Enlightenment is the realisation of your true nature, how you really exist. Usually after either experience you find that your desires and needs have all but disappeared, thus leading to happiness and feelings of well-being.

MelT

Nirvana sounds like the feeling you get on opiates...

It is not an altered state of consiousness, this is an altered state of consiousness. It is no or lessened consiousness.