Does POSTING affect our spiritual experience...if so HOW

[Mustardseed]

Hi everybody
I have been contemplating something recently and wanted to ask what you all think.
As some of you might know I have posted on this site for a while...

During that time I had heated exchanges with many of the most "venerable" posters, Frank, Robert Bruce and Beth...not to forget Jeehad and all the Muslims.

Some of these exchanges have been very intense so much so that I have or became quite engulfed in the whole thing, checking emails hourly etc. It kept me posting but often in what I consider the wrong spirit. I am not a natural english speaker but have developed a acute sense of fairness as long as it benefitted me and used anything from clever arguments to putdown baiting and what have you.

It did however keep me focussed on OBEs and somehow made me more keenly aware of others strivings as well. For a while now I have not posted a and I find my OBEs have basically stopped. I used to be able to have them every night by a consious effort but now I dont even want them anymore, almost like a been there done that kind of thing. I am happy about that but stii sort of miss the mystery.

My question is: does even just posting here close a ring of sorts, Do we participate of each others energy or is this all coincidental.

I will start posting more so wanted to ask your opinion.

Does the AP and the discussions we have even the more pointed kind, help or hinder our efforts. What do you think. How are we all connected in an astral way. Are we a belief system. Will we one day all meet?

Sounds like fun but,... what do you think

[Xanth]

Quite Frankly... for me, the saying, "you get out what you put in" generally applies.
This place, and other forums like it on the net, are great for keeping our foot in the "astral doorway".

~Ryan

[sola~]

I've come to find posting helps me put out what I want to say and I will come to find I'm not even taking my own advice wondering like wtf wow I'm a hypocrite lol. It also through discussion helps to understand concepts better. I would say that posting is a good source of information gathering all in all that can help us increase our spiritual experience through proper application and practice of such knowledge derived.

[Naykid]

Hi everybody
I have been contemplating something recently and wanted to ask what you all think.
As some of you might know I have posted on this site for a while...

During that time I have had heated exchanges with many of the most venerable posters, Frank, Robert Bruce and Beth...not to forget Jeehad and all the Muslims.

Some of these exchanges have been very intense so much so that I have or became quite engulfed in the whole thing, checking emails hourly etc. It kept me posting but often in what I consider the wrong spirit. I am not a natural english speaker but have developed a acute sense of faitness as long as it benefitted me and used anything from clever arguments to putdown baiting and what have you.

It did however keep me focussed on OBEs and somehow made me more keenly aware of others strivings as well. For a while now I have not posted a and I find my OBEs have basically stopped. I used to be able to have them every night by a consious effort but now I dont even waht them anymore almost like a been there done that kind of thing. I am happy about that but stii sort of miss the mystery.

My question is does even posting here close a ring of sorts, Do we participate of each others energy or is this all coincidental.

I will start posting more so wanted to ask yuour opinion.

does the AP and the discussions we have even the more pointed kind help or hinder our efforts. What do you think.How are we all connected in an astral way. Are we a belief system. Will we one day all meet

Sounds like fun but,... what do you think

Hey MS!  If you haven't noticed, I'm Nay, and I'm back from a long rest. 

I totally understand and have had the same question running around in my head for years.  As for my belief.  I believe we reincarnate to learn lessons, period.  And in order to do that we need to have others help us learn.  In fact I would go so far as to say we agreed to do this for each other, whilst we were waiting to come here.

I feel I learned from the people I clashed with a few years ago.. well, NOW, I feel I've learned, at the time, it was driving me nuts!    I like the idea of incarnating with the same group of ppl, even the ones who you do not consider a friend, because then it does give meaning.....*spreads arms wide* ......to all of this.

I'm happy to see ya MS!  Does God still like me? 

[Mustardseed]

WOW Nay it is really you. VERY nice to talk to you again. Well I have had lots of water under the bridge in the past 8 years as have we all, but I never forgot you. One of the best moderators the AP had, you helped me a lot possibly without knowing it  so I am glad to chat with you once again. I am still contemplating my part in the AP. On one hand I would like to post more but on the other I have very little energy for the pointless and endless discussions that often ensue.
\
Still thinking about it but....so nice to hear from you how is the family doing.

Regards

Your friend

Mustardseed

[Mustardseed]

PS I am thinking about resurrecting my old thread. Most of it got erased. In any case I will ask him 

[Naykid]

WOW Nay it is really you. VERY nice to talk to you again. Well I have had lots of water under the bridge in the past 8 years as have we all, but I never forgot you. One of the best moderators the AP had, you helped me a lot possibly without knowing it  so I am glad to chat with you once again. I am still contemplating my part in the AP. On one hand I would like to post more but on the other I have very little energy for the pointless and endless discussions that often ensue.
\
Still thinking about it but....so nice to hear from you how is the family doing.

Regards

Your friend

Mustardseed

Yep, it really is me!  and I, once again understand completely what you're talking about.      I've dropped in from time to time, but of late, it feels nice sitting around watching the young folk.   And thank you for your kind words about being a mod.... I wouldn't mind being one again.  I also hope that slowly but surely some of the old posters will find their energy being pulled this way... like me.    I swear I'd be minding my own business and Astral Pulse would pop into my head for no reason.  Anyhoo, there was a lot of good information going on.   Sorry about your thread, I thought there were some great interchange going on at times, and wouldn't mind seeing how it would do if resurrected. No pun intended..   

Well, shall we sit back and see if the idea of your topic has any merit.  Let's see how many old timers we can get to have a thought of the Astral Pulse pop into their head and show up, even the ones on your list. 

Take care MS,

Nay

[Xanth]

I for one, am glad that some of the Pulses alumni have decided to stop back in. 

~Ryan

[Stookie]

I've taken many different approaches to the forum over the past few years. I would say the main influence it has is in the particular subjects that are both agreed on and debated. Anytime I put my thoughts into words, I'm re-thinking through concepts that in some cases I've become hard-headed about. It can re-instill the power behind the concepts, rather than forgetting them and accepting them as beliefs. There's not too many places in our society where your beliefs are constantly challenged, and this one place for that to happen.

Debate has the same thing to it - you have to re-evaluate your beliefs. If others disagreements on the matter get you emotional, you probably aren't 100% sure in your point of view and feel the need to protect your beliefs. And if you are 100% sure, no one can bring you down no matter what they say (or how that attack). And you have something to share!

Luckily, I've been able to come to some truths in my own life, and in a way, it's distanced me emotionally from this forum. No one can say anything that can move me from my own personal experience. That (to me) is so much more important than this forum. I want more than anything for other people to find it as well. And it's not here. This is just information, conversation, and debate to help bring people to that personal experience that they have to do on their own. When the forum and the emotions here become more important than the things being discussed, it's pointless. Having to get in the last word... pointless.

So, yes, posting definitely has an affect on ourselves and others. But as to what affect is how you approach it, how strong your beliefs are, and how open you are to personal experience.

[Xanth]

I've taken many different approaches to the forum over the past few years. I would say the main influence it has is in the particular subjects that are both agreed on and debated. Anytime I put my thoughts into words, I'm re-thinking through concepts that in some cases I've become hard-headed about. It can re-instill the power behind the concepts, rather than forgetting them and accepting them as beliefs. There's not too many places in our society where your beliefs are constantly challenged, and this one place for that to happen.

Dude... you pretty much nailed the exact reason I love forums such as these.
They continually allow us to challenge our own beliefs.

Debate has the same thing to it - you have to re-evaluate your beliefs. If others disagreements on the matter get you emotional, you probably aren't 100% sure in your point of view and feel the need to protect your beliefs. And if you are 100% sure, no one can bring you down no matter what they say (or how that attack). And you have something to share!

I feel that this is a particularly important point.
More than a few times on IRC, I've been accused of being arrogant in my beliefs.
I point out to them that it's not arrogance... it's confidence.
There is a distinct difference and that difference is in the paragraph above.

~Ryan

[Mustardseed]

Stokie I have been thinking some of the same things and my beliefs have changed as well, however I do not atribute that change to the AP, as much as to the ever present spirit or force if you will, that pervades every space that opens up to it. Hmm that was along sentence. I will try again.

I think there is truth in the saying that "who seeks the truth will find it". To me that is not finding an opinion and stopping the search. I think it is supposed to mean "eventually will find it". I believe we will one day know as we are known. There is a force in the universe that works just like the atmosphere that surrounds us. As it goes "Nature abhors a vacuum" every place that is truly open every hand that knocks will find a door opens to them . Low pressures high pressures etc. Truth as I see it is only possible if we accept the greater wisdom of, "the more I know the more I know that I don't know"

I think we all get glimpses as in a window pane a reflection, but I believe (yes believe) that we will all get surprised when we open the packet (Die).

I think we see some things but our experiences are layered so to speak. In the old days they believed the earth was flat because by observation it was. There was a time they believed the atom was the smallest building block in the universe as well. We believed in straight lines of light and a curved line was not even in our vocablery. A blach hole was a pinple on your back  remember. So many things we as humans thought we knew and now we know better but still we realise we know even less.

In the astral I think it is the same...we have no idea but only catch a few glimpses

I do not agree that if we get upset we are not secure in our beliefs. I am not secure in anything actually, not anymore. Even the things I experience. How can I be. I tend to get upset if someone is trying to sell a beliefsystem as fact. or deny others the right to a beliefsystem because they have "the truth" and claims  faith in fx God or say Jesus is stupid, in other words when religious and intellectual fredom of thoughts and beliefs are infringed upon.I have an issue with people who believe that violence is acceptable, in the fight for truth. This makes me upset and not insecure in my beliefs.

Everyone of us have beliefs we DO NOT KNOW.

Thats why I think that labelling the belief terretories is a mistake, If there is such a place there might be plenty astral pulsers and wiccans as well there might be all sorts of folks who have stopped asking questions and have put it all in a box

What do you think

[CFTraveler]

Hi David.

Thats why I think that labelling the belief terretories is a mistake, If there is such a place there might be plenty astral pulsers and wiccans as well there might be all sorts of folks who have stopped asking questions and have put it all in a box

What do you think

Not sure if this was meant for Stookie or not, but I have a comment - I agree with what you said in principle, but I'm not sure what the labeling may do- not sure what else we can do.  It has been said (by other writers, etc.) that the place is the same (if the word 'place' even applies, but we have to call it something, so I'll call it place) that the BSTs are experienced differently by different people- and I tend to agree to a point.
The thing is that we are always going to label it according to our cultural upbringing, even if there is not a predominant belief system we have consciously subscribed to. 
However, when someone claims that a territory is only for their own kind, this just limits the amount of experiences they are allowing themselves to have- until they transcend them.

Not sure if this made sense, it's late in the day and I had a headache earlier.
_____________________________________

[Mustardseed]

Yes I agree with you, we do have to label them something for the sake of understanding that the area is special, and inhabited or whatever by spirits of a certain type. My problem is more with the issue that only spirits who on earth were of certain religions are said to inhabit these areas.

My issue or argument is that we all have belief systems. That is a pretty interesting allegation. I believe  that anyone who is "locked in" to a certain belief can be found there, and not only those who have a mainstream religious conviction. Anyone who has ANY belief need to be carefull and attentive. For private reasons I have a hard time using the term evolution  but as we "evolve" in our understanding of said mysteries, we seem to all accept that many of the notions and beliefs we once held dear , simple as they were, do not hold water in the light of our OWN exploration of other realities and explanations. Many prompted by contact, and I might add respectful contact, with others who differ.

The religious forum tend to be once in a while become the "gladiator ring" between people of conflicting beliefsystems. That in itself is in my opinion interesting and of great importance for the AP community. Instead of attacking others for their belief it would be worthwhile examining ones own beliefs. The problem is that belief is inherently a religious term, so it complicates the communication tremendously. In order to circumvent these heated discussions it seems in order that we all admit that most AP experiences and whatever we all stumble on is very subjective and therefore can be categorised "belief" noone has proof, no scientific argument can be made, and thus we all should show openness to the ideas of others. There is nothing wrong with not believing what people tell you, but to label them as future inhabitants of the BST seems arrogant at best.

I have several religious beliefs that I adhere to, they are mine I do not expect anyone to embrace them as I have, as they are based on my experiences, others have similar experiences and should be respected. That was my only point.

Ps nice to chat with you again

[CFTraveler]

Ditto.
ps. That's why I like to use the word "worldview" and list 'beliefs' as a subset of it.

Cheers,
CF.

[Stookie]

I was pretty much just speaking in terms of posting on the forum. How we post on these types of subjects is dictated by our experiences and our beliefs, and the more you re-evaluate your beliefs, the more you keep your spiritual-self in check. And I get a kick out of making other people think differently too.

As far as my own beliefs, they have changed a lot over the past several years and keep changing. I'm pretty sure that no matter what happens, I'm going to be surprised on the big day. I have my certainties (I'd be lying if I said 100% certain) as to what consciousness actually consists of, but I do not have any certainty about my role in it, or if I even have a role outside of my own realizations. Or if I even exist outside of those realizations. As long as I'm here, perception will always be limited. That seems to be a major part of the experience. I'm happy not knowing and being open-minded with my beliefs. But there is also that "force" that I feel keeps pushing me as well. It seems impossible for me to stop trying to figure things out, even knowing that I will never figure it all out.

And of course, I'm speaking only for myself. I don't know how others relate to their beliefs. (This post seems fairly random in thinking and incomplete, so feel free to ignore it. I have to go get lunch ).

[Mustardseed]

Just finished watching the series final of LOST. There seem to be a lot of parralels to the afterlife in it. In a way what they all went through on the island seem to be stuf they eventually had to work out in another intermediary place . Some call it purgetory but to me it is more like an Astral location somehow. I wonder if the places we visit are places such as these (this would be the flash sidewards scenes not the island.) We could be visiting "worlds" which are really places where different spirits or souls, are working through their emotional baggage and their fear or beliefs. I see the work that I have done in the astral much like what Desmond and eventually the others are doing. They have no fear they now know they are spirits and help others to pass on.

So in a way I think the AP is a place where you learn stuf, that you later will be able to put to good use. In the light of that I was wondering if I should put my picture on my profile. You can see a lot from a persons face and it would help I think to keep the conversation more respectfull. You then sit across from a real person not some caracteer in a fantasy world.

What do you think?
In other forums they use pictures why not us...opinions anyone

[Naykid]

Just finished watching the series final of LOST. There seem to be a lot of parralels to the afterlife in it. In a way what they all went through on the island seem to be stuf they eventually had to work out in another intermediary place . Some call it purgetory but to me it is more like an Astral location somehow. I wonder if the places we visit are places such as these (this would be the flash sidewards scenes not the island.) We could be visiting "worlds" which are really places where different spirits or souls, are working through their emotional baggage and their fear or beliefs. I see the work that I have done in the astral much like what Desmond and eventually the others are doing. They have no fear they now know they are spirits and help others to pass on.

So in a way I think the AP is a place where you learn stuf, that you later will be able to put to good use. In the light of that I was wondering if I should put my picture on my profile. You can see a lot from a persons face and it would help I think to keep the conversation more respectfull. You then sit across from a real person not some caracteer in a fantasy world.

What do you think?
In other forums they use pictures why not us...opinions anyone

Didn't you used to have a picture up.. you were in a clown outfit??  I'll put my picture up, if you put yours up.  ANYTHING is better than that penis avatar.  Have I mentioned it enough yet? I want that thing down.. respectful is a word I would use, and someone isn't being that, when it comes to that...... thing.

Good morning MS!!   

[CFTraveler]

Just finished watching the series final of LOST. There seem to be a lot of parralels to the afterlife in it. In a way what they all went through on the island seem to be stuf they eventually had to work out in another intermediary place . Some call it purgetory but to me it is more like an Astral location somehow. I wonder if the places we visit are places such as these (this would be the flash sidewards scenes not the island.) We could be visiting "worlds" which are really places where different spirits or souls, are working through their emotional baggage and their fear or beliefs. I see the work that I have done in the astral much like what Desmond and eventually the others are doing. They have no fear they now know they are spirits and help others to pass on.

So in a way I think the AP is a place where you learn stuf, that you later will be able to put to good use. In the light of that I was wondering if I should put my picture on my profile. You can see a lot from a persons face and it would help I think to keep the conversation more respectfull. You then sit across from a real person not some caracteer in a fantasy world.

What do you think?
In other forums they use pictures why not us...opinions anyone

I think it's a dandy modernized version of the Bardo.

Cheers.
CF.

[CFTraveler]

  ANYTHING is better than that penis avatar.  Have I mentioned it enough yet? I want that thing down.. respectful is a word I would use, and someone isn't being that, when it comes to that...... thing.

Just curious, who has a penis avatar?

[Stookie]

I liked the outcome on "Lost" too. I thought the entire last season had some great spiritual elements to it that you don't normally get in prime-time television. Kudos to the creators that had the guts to attempt it.

As far as a picture, I don't see myself doing it. I did have my picture in the "Members Pictures" section in chat a few years back, but that left when the forum changed. One thing I really like about this medium is being judged by what I have to say, not what I look like. Then again, a name like "Stookie" probably doesn't come across as professional or anything.

[Stookie]

Just curious, who has a penis avatar?

Someone named "Miss Information" or something like that.

[Stillwater]

Rofl... I know exactly which one you are talking about. It has a label on it that says something like, "Excited?"  It defintely stood out, but I decided I wouldn't draw any attention to it if no one else mentioned it, lol.

And I am glad both of you are here again.

I wasn't sure if Naykid translated to old Nay, since there are several users with names that referred back to Nay, lol, such as Noy. Glad to see you around again... it is like a link to the past 

And I am also glad you are back as well, MS... I missed the random arguments in the Religions section with Alan and Jeehad, lol, and of course... him.

[Mustardseed]

Thanks Stillwater
I was wondering who HIM is....have an idea but just wanted to make(r) sure I am starting a new thread Channeling God...again lets see what He has to say. 

Its been a while

Regards Mustardseed