Synchronicities

[RJM]

There is a communication between mother and child they cannot be verbally expressed -- or between lovers, or between a man and an animal -- why should communication with the Divine have to be verbally expressed and scientifically proven?

 

[muhammad_isa]

The more materially attached I get, the less I am able to receive

Have you got the aerial up?
..or maybe it's "bad reception" in some areas more than others

Mmm, I agree with you that faith is dependent on our underlying intentions.
If we seek G-d, we are a lot more likely to find something than if we busy ourselves with amassing wealth.

 

[RJM]

God chooses to come. We do not choose, imo

 

[Unveiled artist]

It is clearly understood by the recipient. It's given when it's given.

That's vague. For example, if you wanted to lead someone to God and they ask you these questions (with no indirect intentions behind this question) telling them it is understood by them gives them no idea of what that they should understand. They have no reference to understand your comment.

It's like asking a teacher a solution to a problem, and the teacher says wait for the solution to come to the student.

I can't figure another way to ask without sounding harsh (online context) but how can someone take in what you say is true and serious if there is no context and definition behind what you say?

Can you expand on what you mean by understanding?

 

[RJM]

That's vague. For example, if you wanted to lead someone to God and they ask you these questions (with no indirect intentions behind this question) telling them it is understood by them gives them no idea of what that they should understand. They have no reference to understand your comment.

But such an intention would not apply to me

It's like asking a teacher a solution and the teacher says for the student to wait for the solution to come to the student.

It's like I care about teaching you anything?

can't figure another way to ask without sounding harsh (online context) but how can someone take in what you say is true and serious if there is no context and definition behind what you say?

That's your life. Go figure

Can you expand on what you mean by understanding?

The dictionary definition? Or the Kabbalah meaning of understanding and wisdom as sephiroth?

 

[Cino]

For example, if you wanted to lead someone to God and they ask you these questions (with no indirect intentions behind this question) telling them it is understood by them gives them no idea of what that they should understand. They have no reference to understand your comment.

It's like asking a teacher a solution to a problem, and the teacher says wait for the solution to come to the student.

But... isn't this a tread about synchronicity? Isn't the above a very nice example of synchronicity?

Also, I'm a big fan of "when the student is ready, the teacher will appear", myself. Leading people to God sounds to me like a serious case of the blind leading the one-eyed.

 

[Unveiled artist]

But... isn't this a tread about synchronicity? Isn't the above a very nice example of synchronicity?

Also, I'm a big fan of "when the student is ready, the teacher will appear", myself. Leading people to God sounds to me like a serious case of the blind leading the one-eyed.

I read testimonies that synchronicities are blessings and intervention from the universe or God. So,signs and synchs are gods way of communicating (they say). The thing is when asked it's looked at as the "other won't get it." But I think our theology and interpretations vary but many experience well meaning ones just the same.

I'm not sure if that's what is meant by understanding or "knowing" though it would be interesting to hear people's stories. Whether or not they attribute it to a divine source is up to the individual but profound regardless.

 

[Unveiled artist]

But such an intention would not apply to

I was only having a conversation. I'm not really good at sarcasm or anything like that. The thread was seriously asking people about their synchronicities. I was curious what you mean by understanding. Your answer was vague... it shouldn't be an issue to ask for clarification, no?

 

[Cino]

I read testimonies that synchronicities are blessings and intervention from the universe or God. So,signs and synchs are gods way of communicating.

Have you watched "A Serious Man" (2009 Movie)? There is one scene where a dentist is receiving a message from God engraved on the inside of one of his patient's teeth. It is obviously very meaningful and important to the dentist, and he is desparate of deciphering it, but after some time, we are told, he learns to live with it and regains his peace of mind.

Another excellent treatment of the phenomenon, also overdone to border on the absurd, is Stanislav Lem's science-fiction novel "His Master's Voice". A message from the depths of space is received via a modulated neutrino stream, and humans start to obsess about the meaning of the message.

I'm not writing this to ridicule the concept of synchronicity! I believe it is a very powerful experience, and engaging with it skillfully can enable personal development.

 

[Cino]

I was only having a conversation. I'm not really good at sarcasm or anything like that. The thread was seriously asking people about their synchronicities. I was curious what you mean by understanding. Your answer was vague... it shouldn't be an issue to ask for clarification, no?

Hey, electronic communication being what it is, with its loss of all kinds of cues we humans depend on so much for communicating, it is wise to assume good intentions on behalf of the other side. (But search the forums for all the times I got at loggerheads with someone - happens to the best of us)

 

[Ella S.]

Consciousness is not limited to animal brain activity, nor is sentience.

How are you defining "consciousness" here?

Sentience, however, is definitely limited to animal brain activity and perhaps complex plants, as far as I know, because emotions are literally generated by the matter.

How else could sentience arise? I don't think we have evidence for it even being possible outside of these scenarios, much less actually occurring.

 

[Unveiled artist]

Hey, electronic communication being what it is, with its loss of all kinds of cues we humans depend on so much for communicating, it is wise to assume good intentions on behalf of the other side. (But search the forums for all the times I got at loggerheads with someone - happens to the best of us)

Shrugs. I'm still getting a feel of everyone's personalities since I've been here what four days? Not pointing fingers, but I noticed in all religious forums I go to there's a pushback in asking people about their deeper spiritual experiences...cognitive dissonance. One person told me he never questioned his belief because it saved his family and his marriage. My recent experiences I get CD but after a while it is what it is.

 

[Cino]

I noticed in all religious forums I go to there's a pushback in looking and asking people about their deeper spiritual experiences...cognitive dissonance.

By being candid about such highly personal experiences, people also make themselves vulnerable. It takes a good bit of trust in each other's tact and sensitivity to let down the armor and protective padding. Not necessarily cognitive dissonance, just setting borders as we see fit.

Do you have any tender spots on your soul which you would rather not have people bump up against?

 

[RabbiO]

The dictionary definition? Or the Kabbalah meaning of understanding and wisdom as sephiroth?

Whenever you're ready to provide your insight on Kabbalah, especially in regard to the sefirot, I'm all ears.

 

[Unveiled artist]

By being candid about such highly personal experiences, people also make themselves vulnerable. It takes a good bit of trust in each other's tact and sensitivity to let down the armor and protective padding. Not necessarily cognitive dissonance, just setting borders as we see fit.

Do you have any tender spots on your soul which you would rather not have people bump up against?

True. I do. Though I don't express them online. If I said I believe or experience X online, I'd expect someone may ask me what that X is whether a serious inquiry or not. I think it's both, though. I used to know a good friend who couldn't think about anything that countered her belief system. Cognitive dissonance is an evolutionary thing, really. It leads the body/mind to feel threatened (a perceived danger) when the mind is conditioned to think one way for survival and not challenged to think any other way for fear of being hurt (emotionally, physically, so have you).

It's healthy to set borders but when you express your beliefs online (people in general) it becomes more of making yourself vulnerable-not the fault (lack of better words) of the questioner but the one being questioned. I think it's healthy to express one's belief and have enough strength to be challenged but then know if that is too much on the mind, its safe to not express the belief at all-even if it's just "I believe god exists" can cause such feelings.

True, not all have cognitive dissonance, but then what's the harm of talking about one's experiences to strangers as opposed to say people that person knows (in my opinion, strangers would be less threat than people we know given strangers only know what they are told-people we know know about us despite what we tell them). If you get me?

 

[Ella S.]

True. I do. Though I don't express them online. If I said I believe or experience X online, I'd expect someone may ask me what that X is whether a serious inquiry or not. I think it's both, though. I used to know a good friend who couldn't think about anything that countered her belief system. Cognitive dissonance is an evolutionary thing, really. It leads the body/mind to feel threatened (a perceived danger) when the mind is conditioned to think one way for survival and not challenged to think any other way for fear of being hurt (emotionally, physically, so have you).

It's healthy to set borders but when you express your beliefs online (people in general) it becomes more of making yourself vulnerable-not the fault (lack of better words) of the questioner but the one being questioned. I think it's healthy to express one's belief and have enough strength to be challenged but then know if that is too much on the mind, its safe to not express the belief at all-even if it's just "I believe god exists" can cause such feelings.

True, not all have cognitive dissonance, but then what's the harm of talking about one's experiences to strangers as opposed to say people that person knows (in my opinion, strangers would be less threat than people we know given strangers only know what they are told-people we know know about us despite what we tell them). If you get me?

If you ever feel like I'm treading on your toes, let me know and I'll back down. I certainly don't want anyone to feel threatened or uncomfortable from anything that I post here.

It's perfectly okay to not have your beliefs fully formed yet, still be working on them, and not be open to outside input yet. I think it's also alright to take discussion at a healthy pace and only open up as you feel comfortable.

There have been plenty of disagreements here in my short stay, but almost everyone here seems super friendly and benevolent. More so than any other religious forum that I've been on. I'm sure they don't mean any malice if they make you feel cornered.

 

[RJM]

How are you defining "consciousness" here?

Sentience, however, is definitely limited to animal brain activity and perhaps complex plants, as far as I know, because emotions are literally generated by the matter.

How else could sentience arise? I don't think we have evidence for it even being possible outside of these scenarios, much less actually occurring.

It's not about dissecting dictionary definitions of words. Sentience, feelings, consciousness are not the property of scientists in laboratories. There is thinking, feeling life that is not restricted to carbon based life forms.

How is that possible? I don't know. Life and mind are not emergent qualities of matter. There is the scientific definition of entropy being over the sum energy of the whole universe, but life is clearly anti-entropic in the short term. It just organized itself? Fine, a person is entitled to whatever belief

I can't give scientific explanations. Nor can I prove it. How does a person explain non-verbal feelings across continents, or beyond death? Premonitions and dream warnings. Angel encounters. Science can try to dissect it as animal brain activity. That is fine. Let science have its way.

There's a lot more to the universe, I'm not interested in getting into arguments with superior atheists (not you) telling me there's no such thing. Framing snarky questions. I'm not trying to teach anyone. I try to answer. It's not about the precise scientific meanings of words, imo

 

[RJM]

Whenever you're ready to provide your insight on Kabbalah, especially in regard to the sefirot, I'm all ears.

What are your best English translations for Chokma and Binah? The words Wisdom and Understanding are used in many English translations.

 

[RJM]

get CD but after a while it is what it is.

For 1500 years Benedictine monks have started each of their seven daily prayer services with the words: 'Oh God, come to our aid' and ending with: 'May the Divine assistance remain always with us' -- unworried, apparently that Richard Dawkins tells them their lives are wasted on delusion

 

[Unveiled artist]

For 1500 years Benedictine monks have started each of their seven daily prayer services with the words: 'Oh God, come to our aid' and ending with: 'May the Divine assistance remain always with us' -- unworried, apparently that Richard Dawkins tells them their lives are wasted on delusion

How should their lives be otherwise and how would it benefit them?