Emptying Your Cup

[Xanth]

I think everyone, at one point or another throughout their lives, has hear this phrase before – "Empty your cup".
It's not directly spiritual or religiously related, although it can be related to just about every aspect of your life.

This is something that I have personally experienced, and I whole-fully believe that everyone has to do in order to progress on their path. That path can be learning Projection, Meditation, Spirituality in general... anything.

For myself, it was relating directly to the first two... Projection and Meditation. Over the 15+ years I've been practicing meditation, I read and learned much about what others were telling me that meditation was about, the same was true about projection. Everyone was filling my head with what I should be experiencing and feeling when doing these things. What did I actually learn? I learned that all the stuff I was learning that I THOUGHT was the truth, actually wasn't. What it was doing was getting in the way of what *I* was experiencing. I was throwing away valid and valuable experiences because they didn't match up to what others were telling me. This is a huge mistake...

So I came to a conclusion that in order for me to actually progress, I had to forget everything I thought I knew about Projection and Meditation. My cup had become so full with the notions, ideas and concepts of other people, that I had no room for my own notions, ideas and concepts to grow and flourish. I don't know exactly when this action happened, but it did... and ever since that day, I have found my own path through the forest instead of relying upon the footsteps of those who have come before me. I'm now self sufficient in my opinions and beliefs, because they're no longer beliefs to me... they're now based solely upon my own direct experiences, and as we know, "direct experiences" are the trump cards with knowledge.

So please, if you're looking to learn anything new, be it anything about this physical reality or non-physical reality, you'll be doing yourself a huge favour by forgetting everything you think you know and begin to explore with the wonderment of a child. Everything is new.

Forget the labels you've learned... dreaming, lucid dreaming, astral projection, out of body experiences, etc... forget it all. They are the labels of others... they only serve to confuse. Just go out and experience and learn from those experiences.

http://www.unlimitedboundaries.ca/2013/03/23/learning-astral-projection-meditation-emptying-your-cup/

[M4RT1N]

So I should forget all the techniques for astral projection right ? Then how do I astral project ?

[Xanth]

I've found two things so far...
People either completely understand what I'm saying, or they take it too literally and it confuses them. 
As it has with you, Martin.  I apologize for the confusion. 

So I should forget all the techniques for astral projection right ? Then how do I astral project ?

You're right, some clarification is in order.  Thank you.  

What I suggest above isn't literal.  Nothing in relation to projection should ever be taken literally.  I'm speaking about everything you've been told what projection is supposed to be or is...

Your ideas.
Your concepts.
Your labels.
Your identity with projection.

Ditch them... they're useless to you.
Start from a position of "not knowing".

[Volgerle]

Reminds me of Robert Bruce's "Catch Basket Concept".

(just googled it now from somewhere else as the original bookmark does not work anymore due to changes to his site):

http://www.juliank.com/english/others/files/catch_basket_concept.htm

However, what if you discover sth that has been experienced by others as well? I do a lot. So why do we not give credibiltiy then to concepts, discoveries, experience patterns and modes that already exist? Just renaming them and thereby claiming them for myself does not feel right (I'm thinking of a recent post of mine related to kundalini sensations and the Etheric body).

Of course, I also experience things which seem only pertain to me in a very special way. It's about half/half.

[astralnaut1]

thats true .... we should put more information in " i dont know" box instead of believing everything that books says. Everyone should start their own journey and find truth via their own experience.

                           

[Xanth]

However, what if you discover sth that has been experienced by others as well?

Then you can gracefully accept it as part of your own personal truth.  If you've actually experienced it for yourself, then it's no longer an unknown to you.

I do a lot. So why do we not give credibiltiy then to concepts, discoveries, experience patterns and modes that already exist? Just renaming them and thereby claiming them for myself does not feel right (I'm thinking of a recent post of mine related to kundalini sensations and the Etheric body).

Because until you have personally experienced them for yourself, you don't "know".  Ya know? 

You don't have to relabel them if you don't want to.  Use what works best for you... but use it from a position of knowing and not a position of belief.

[Szaxx]

Some of the modern ways start,
Do some energy work after affirmations then while in meditation...
What, talk about cup more like bucket full. I know this stuff works for some but its BELIEF based. If you believe its going to work then you have INTENT and I find enough intent, knowing it works, is the biggest part.
Thinking back to the early days, all I knew was intent and desire knowing its all you need.
Correct me if I'm wrong but that's a cup with a splash in the bottom.
Over cooked food is thrown away, it seems Xanth has an idea where simplicity is best.
Excellent thought.

[Anonymouse]

I agree my friends. Once again.

I've experienced this, trying to get where others told me. don't get me wrong, I appreciate every little bit of help, and if it wasn't because of you sharing your experiences I wouldn't be here; Here as in my state of mind, or spiritual state.

But yeah, there comes a time when I had to put everything away and lay there, letting whatever had to happen, to happen. Empty cup that is (which is harder done than said  )

[Mr.Flip]

I like this, nice one 
you must take everything with a Liberal mind.