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Thursday, October 25

HUR GULER

What is the nature of consciousness? Is it limited
to humans? Does free will exist? Read on for one
scientist's view.

This interview was conducted by Lauren Aguirre,
Executive Editor for NOVA Online.

PBS Online | NOVA Online | WGBH

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/mind/electric.html

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ERIC BLACKSTEAD

Just to add to this ad hoc symposium on the 60's
and 70's, I thought someone should mention the
specific encounter between psychedelics and a
realized Master that created as great an influence
on the spiritual life of young American's as
anything before or since. I'm refering to the story
that Ram Dass, formerly Richard Alpert of Harvard
and LSD fame, told about giving a massive dose of
acid to his not yet guru, Neem Karoli Baba. He gave
him about 1,000 micrograms, 3 separate doses, and
then watched him all day. He said baba just
"twinkled" at him, and aside from that, nothing.

Don't let me spoil it for you. Be Here Now sold
about a Gazillion copies, and if you haven't yet
read it, it's a must. A few intrepid souls read it
and, within days embarked for India with no further
preparation, to search for a guru whose address and
location Ram Dass had purposely left out of the
book. It's a big continent, but they found him. The
rest is American cultural history.

The same group of people who helped Ram Dass
publish Be Here Now later brought out Miracle of
Love, an illustrated collection of stories about
Neem Karoli Baba told by his devotees, both Indian
and American,that I can unreservedly recommend as
the finest book ever compiled about the experience
of living with an Indian Master.

Oh yes, Ram Dass gave Maharaj another chance at the
acid on a subsequent trip to India, because he
wasn't sure he could believe what he'd previously
seen. The 2nd trip, Neem Karoli allowed as how
yogis in the Kuru valley had had something similar
in the distant past, but that was all Ram Dass
could get out of him.

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GARY MERRILL

A question. Is time real or only a concept?

We obviously take for granted the reality of time,
making plans, looking back at our lives and looking
forward to our futures.

But I wonder if this `time' is just a conceptual
construct. If so it would mean that objects have no
identity, no continuity from moment to moment.

But it is of the very nature of conceptualizing to
posit, to imply identity. All our talking and
thinking is meaningless without it.

It would also mean that memory is constantly in
operation giving substance to the `world' in order
that it might be identified.

But is there any `true picture' that can be
substantiated beyond the conditioned mind that
believes that something is so.

I am real, therefore everything is real is a deep
conditioning.

So is there anything substantial to base memory on
apart from other memories?

What is memory then but a conceptual picture, an
idealized form.

And must we always live inside this view, of time
and identity?

Or can it be that there is no foundation to any of
this, no basis for truth, and that conceptual
living may therefore drop?

GRACIE

I am a member here but rarely post and my memory
doesnt serve to say we have met previously so i
hope you wont mind if i respond to you. time seems
to me to be fluid. moving and changing without
regard for the petty wishes or desires of humans.
some of us do make plans for our futures, long
drawn out plans to reach years into the future.
others however, have a difficult time seeing beyond
6 months, a year is a vast expanse in their
estimation. this thing that we call time is real i
think, but the act of naming it is a concept
devised by the human mind. we are creatures of
structure typically. having a need to bestowe on
everything a name by which to discuss it at a later
date. the only purpose of having such labels is to
be able to clearly converse with other humans. so
are these labels really of great importance? i
think not. it gives us a comfort zone, a frame of
reference, nothing more. as for reality, if i am
not real how do i feel such things as pain,
pleasure, happiness, hunger, fatigue? i am sure you
have noticed, but i am not really a non-dualist,
just curious and like to learn. just simple
opinions,


_________________________________________________________________
JAN SULTAN

Consider me crazy, a softy, sissy, feminine,
whatever. Consider me a dualistic fool. But the
fact remains I love you. So why shouldn't I let you
know? Upto now I was a coward, now I don't care. I
Love you.

Love is the most powerful force on earth. It does
not weaken you. Nobody can take advantage of you
because of love. Try it yourself and see its power.

I love everybody. It matters not if you are my
'enemy' or you hate me, I still love you. I also
love the Timothy McVeighs and the Osamas of the
world. Just look at their eyes, don't you see
sorrow there? If you see hate then you are not
looking deep enough. Hate is only a surface thing,
deep down there is love. Every human being is in
bondage. Firstly bond by the limitations of the
body and the mind and then by time and space. So
every human I see, I see someone who is suffering
and thus in need of love.

However, it is not mental. It rises naturally. You
have this unconditional love too but you are used
to suppressing it. Find out why you cannot even
tell your near and dear ones, "I love you".

LOVE IS ALL. Even God was about to explode with
unexpressed love, thus came into being the Universe
and duality. That was the big bang ... bottled up
love being released!

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