I think I may be becoming insane.... (spiritual discussion)

[Psychoactive420]

9/16/07 - One of the best experiences in my life happened today after some meditation.... I have been in some great suffering the last few weeks about finding religion and all - being very confused but I now realize that The best religion is the religion that brings you closest to God we we should all try to find that no matter what it is. I've also come to terms with death and that is is not the end and merely a doorway. I also now realize what Jesus was put on earth for. He was put here for the reason of teaching humans how to interact with each other in a loving peaceful way. I now realize that one of my missions in life will be to better conserve the planet of it's natural resources and we should all find ways in not to pollute the earth. I realize that technology is not a bad thing but we can use it as something to better conserve the planet with - It is only a matter of time when humans come to this realization - until then we should all try to do as much as we can in achieving this. I feel great now thank you all for your help and support

[Coelho]

Man... i am very happy knowing that you are finding your way. Your realization about religions is very true... in fact, the meaning of religion is (or rather, was) exactly bring people to God. Many religions were corrupted, but that was the original meaning of they.
Concerning Jesus, i have a very personal opinion, maybe right, maybe wrong. But think about. I think people only can love when they know what is love, how it feels to love, and for it, they first must feel how is to be loved. I think nobody can love if they dont "learned" or "felt" what love is like. So, Jesus come to this earth and died for us, loving us in the greatest conceivable way. And then, when we feel the love He showed for us, we can love the another people.
Anyway, again, i wish the best for you. And im much more relieved knowing that you are having this realizations, that will light your way.
So, good luck, and keep shining! :thumbsup:

BTW, you see as meditation helps a lot... you said that your family is catholic... well... my aunt is a very devout catholic also, and she went to an "workshop" for How to Pray in an Efficient Way, How to Enter in Contact with God, and such. She showed me the techniques she learned, and it was almost identical to the techniques of meditation used by buddhist, and such. It seems the priest who did write the book just translated oriental texts of meditation to a catholic language... but the essencial is absolutely the same... so, meditating, praying, whatever, are just different names for entering in contact with God.
If i can find some information about it in the net, i will post the link for you. Maybe it will help you with your parents.

[Coelho]

Well... i coulndt find much... anyway, the author of the books is Ignacio Larranaga, and he is well known. I dont think it will be much help for you to read his books, as you already "saw" by yourself, but it would be a good thing to show to your parents, and maybe help them to try achieve enlightenment, even being Catholics.

[Psychoactive420]

Man... i am very happy knowing that you are finding your way. Your realization about religions is very true... in fact, the meaning of religion is (or rather, was) exactly bring people to God. Many religions were corrupted, but that was the original meaning of they.
Concerning Jesus, i have a very personal opinion, maybe right, maybe wrong. But think about. I think people only can love when they know what is love, how it feels to love, and for it, they first must feel how is to be loved. I think nobody can love if they dont "learned" or "felt" what love is like. So, Jesus come to this earth and died for us, loving us in the greatest conceivable way. And then, when we feel the love He showed for us, we can love the another people.
Anyway, again, i wish the best for you. And im much more relieved knowing that you are having this realizations, that will light your way.
So, good luck, and keep shining! :thumbsup:

BTW, you see as meditation helps a lot... you said that your family is catholic... well... my aunt is a very devout catholic also, and she went to an "workshop" for How to Pray in an Efficient Way, How to Enter in Contact with God, and such. She showed me the techniques she learned, and it was almost identical to the techniques of meditation used by buddhist, and such. It seems the priest who did write the book just translated oriental texts of meditation to a catholic language... but the essencial is absolutely the same... so, meditating, praying, whatever, are just different names for entering in contact with God.
If i can find some information about it in the net, i will post the link for you. Maybe it will help you with your parents.

Thank you very much coelho, your posts have been extremely helpful to me over the past week or so, you have helped me through some of my roughest days with your understanding and compassion on my situation. I can recall some mornings where I would wake up feeling confused and lost and then I would think about what I read in your posts the previous night and it comforted me knowing there was someone else out there that cared, and could relate and sympathize with my situation. I don't know If I could come to my realization without your help and I truly thank you for that. God Bless!

[greenhorngrower]

In my opinion it is useless to try and understand god. I believe god is the creator of this great universe and anything beyond.. but I also believe that nature has placed those concepts beyond the reach of my feeble conciousness. Its like a fish trying to understand the water in wich it swims.

I think we have a god-like ability to shape our realities and our lives and the way we see things. But I dont think I'll ever fully understand god, or this amazing thing that I am concious to.

Tripping on LSD or mushrooms was a very eye opening experience for me... amazing yet sometimes a bit scary (I'll admit to being somewhat afraid of the unknown).

I think in life people need to learn that it is impossible to hold on to anything, we need to learn how to let go.. only then will we no longer know fear.

Isnt this place so strange and marvelous though.. sometimes i feel like touching everything i see, amazed by my own perceptual abilities.. this place is truly a work of art at the grandest of scales.. If we fully understood it.. we would probably just be creating such works of our own.

[Coelho]

Pshychoactive420, if what you feel because you reached the knowledge of the real nature of the things is so bad as i think it is, its my duty make the best for helping you... im passing through the same things, but in a much smaller scale. I didnt had any illumination, but, slowly, im realizing the emptyness of the everyday things, the void of everything, and its very sad. Its like everything you loved and liked is fading, like images of a dream which fades into nothing as you awakes... if is that what you feel, than i understand you... and if i can do anything for help it, i hope to do. I didnt thought my posts here would help you so much... anyway, it makes me happy to know that i am being of some help to you. Soon you will discover (if you dont know already) that helping other people is one of the shortest ways to happiness... its a paradox... as more happiness you give to other people, more happiness is left with you... So, the best way for enjoying the gift you recieved is to share it with another people... you did see the light... now, shine this light upon another people, help them, and you will be very well rewarded...
Best wishes to you, my brother! :thumbsup:

PS. Stonger psychedelics really are a door to the "other world"... if i dont be enlightened by chance, i hope some day use some of them, and reach the light.

[angry nomad]

I think religion can help people experience God sometimes, but more often than not confuses people, and gets in the way on their spiritual journey.

Your idea of the afterlife as a feeling which is the same feeling as before you were born does not fit well with mainstream Christianity's idea of the afterlife. That idea is more similar to Mormonism, Buddhism, or Hinduism.

I remember as a young child I constantly asked where I was before I was born. She would always tell me, "nowhere." I didn't accept that answer. I didn't like it, and it didn't make sense to me. I always felt like I was somewhere before I was born.

I believe the story of Jesus to be a parable, as a way to stand up against injustice, hypocrisy, and treat everyone equally. I disbelieve the Bible, not because it speaks of the fantastic as fact, but because Jesus said we would do greater things than he. I was a Xhristan for 25 years or so, even believed it, I really did. But, I have never witnessed a true miracle. If the God of the Bible were real, then all Christians could heal amputees. There would be no more sick people, because the Christians would walk around healing people. I wanted to heal people, I really did. Just so they would feel better. I would pray for sick people, and they would get better on their own, or die.

I actually prayed to God for my friend to be raised from the dead. He stayed dead. I never told anyone, because I thought I just needed more faith. What other reason could it be?

So, my point is, the Bible contradicts itself. Jesus said we would do greater things than he, and we are not walking around just doing miracles randomly, therefore Jesus lied, so the Bible isn't true.

But, that is all what I believe. If a certain religion gets you closer to God, more power to you. Yes, there were times at church where I felt close to God. But, you know the times when I have felt closest to God? They were not at church, they were not when I was praying, reading my Bible, nor listening to Christian music. The times I felt closest to God, was always in the rainforest. Alone. Also visiting the volcano in Hawai'i was a very intense spiritual experience.

I think we go somewhere when we die, and that is the same place we are before we are born. It is Nowhere, but Nowhere is Here, too.

[maryjaNe_]

I think religion can help people experience God sometimes, but more often than not confuses people, and gets in the way on their spiritual journey.

Your idea of the afterlife as a feeling which is the same feeling as before you were born does not fit well with mainstream Christianity's idea of the afterlife. That idea is more similar to Mormonism, Buddhism, or Hinduism.

I remember as a young child I constantly asked where I was before I was born. She would always tell me, "nowhere." I didn't accept that answer. I didn't like it, and it didn't make sense to me. I always felt like I was somewhere before I was born.

I believe the story of Jesus to be a parable, as a way to stand up against injustice, hypocrisy, and treat everyone equally. I disbelieve the Bible, not because it speaks of the fantastic as fact, but because Jesus said we would do greater things than he. I was a Xhristan for 25 years or so, even believed it, I really did. But, I have never witnessed a true miracle. If the God of the Bible were real, then all Christians could heal amputees. There would be no more sick people, because the Christians would walk around healing people. I wanted to heal people, I really did. Just so they would feel better. I would pray for sick people, and they would get better on their own, or die.

I actually prayed to God for my friend to be raised from the dead. He stayed dead. I never told anyone, because I thought I just needed more faith. What other reason could it be?

So, my point is, the Bible contradicts itself. Jesus said we would do greater things than he, and we are not walking around just doing miracles randomly, therefore Jesus lied, so the Bible isn't true.

But, that is all what I believe. If a certain religion gets you closer to God, more power to you. Yes, there were times at church where I felt close to God. But, you know the times when I have felt closest to God? They were not at church, they were not when I was praying, reading my Bible, nor listening to Christian music. The times I felt closest to God, was always in the rainforest. Alone. Also visiting the volcano in Hawai'i was a very intense spiritual experience.

I think we go somewhere when we die, and that is the same place we are before we are born. It is Nowhere, but Nowhere is Here, too.

Stole the words out of my mouth. The closest i have felt to god is not in church.. yet out in nature.. where the world is most beautiful.

[Canadian_Cron]

thats crazy! i though i was the only 1... lately ive been having really powerful dreams too and have had the off and on throughout my life and its wierd cause i usually never dream.


im my dream am another person and i keep wakeing up in bed (but not mine) and leaving my room finding that i am in the same house each time and i know where everything is in the house like whats in each room how big the house is etc... the wierdest thing is the whole time im completely aware that i am dreaming but cant wake up or move in my bed its like im paralized. its sooo intense.

i feel like im crazy that this stuff is happening....

PS. i wasnt under the influence of any drug at the time and have not experimented with anything crazy, just the green stuff.

[Professor Albatross]

It's good to hear you're feeling better spiritually. While reading your initial post I thought immediately of a lecture by Alan Watts that I have on my computer. I think it could shed light on the Buddhist veiw of Life and Death, which when Watts states it in his own words, gives me great comfort in moments of existential crisis. If you have any interest I would be happy to send it to you.