Let’s break this down: You’re essentially saying that paying attention to something is how we experience reality. Well, no kidding. If you pay attention to something, you’re going to notice it more. But that’s not some grand, cosmic revelation. That’s just basic human perception.
I think there’s a bit of overcomplication here. Yes, meditation involves focusing attention, but describing it as the “axis of your reality” is a bit much. The basic idea is that by concentrating, we become more aware of certain things, which does influence our experience. That’s a simple process, not some deep philosophical mystery.
The “wings” analogy also feels like an attempt to make meditation sound more magical than it really is. Meditation is a way to help focus the mind, find calm, and possibly gain insight. But it’s not about discovering some hidden set of “wings” or some grand spiritual power. It’s just a practice for mental clarity.
As for the comparison to drugs, both meditation and drugs alter consciousness, but in different ways. Drugs can give an intense experience, while meditation tends to offer a slower, more controlled shift in awareness. Saying that drugs are weak because they’re like a “dumb machine” doesn’t really capture the complexity of either experience. Both have their place, and both can have benefits, depending on what someone’s looking for.
In short, meditation isn’t some mystical or supernatural process, it’s about training attention in a specific way. The real value comes from consistency and practice, not some grand revelation.
Edit: also, bold of you to assume my experiences are scant, and born of conventional thought - when you have no way of actually understanding what experiences I’ve had.
It’s evident that your experiences with meditation aren’t sufficient to counter your hubris.
Yes scant and born of conventional thought. You talk like a guy who just finished reading a pop-psychology book on meditation.
And your retort consists of “well no kidding” (so we agree, right?) and “it isn’t a grand cosmic revelation” (or “deep philosophical mystery”) (which I didn’t say at all).
Look, if your reality consists of what you see, circumscribed by what you don’t see, and attention draws that line, then yes, I’d say that “axis of reality” characterizes that nicely.
And if your attention is bound by, say, a thousand habits, and meditation removes those habits (temporarily, messily, in the case of drugs), replacing them with intelligent action (a flying-like freedom, one might say), then yes, “wings” fits nicely too.
As for the difference between drugs and meditation. You are splitting hairs. I’d call the one splashing on the shore and the other going for a swim. Same ocean tho.
But you think I’m overstating it and my metaphors are overblown, well, that’s just your opinion and there is a strong possibility that our experiences simply differ.
Let’s break this down: You’re essentially saying that paying attention to something is how we experience reality. Well, no kidding. If you pay attention to something, you’re going to notice it more. But that’s not some grand, cosmic revelation. That’s just basic human perception.
I think there’s a bit of overcomplication here. Yes, meditation involves focusing attention, but describing it as the “axis of your reality” is a bit much. The basic idea is that by concentrating, we become more aware of certain things, which does influence our experience. That’s a simple process, not some deep philosophical mystery.
The “wings” analogy also feels like an attempt to make meditation sound more magical than it really is. Meditation is a way to help focus the mind, find calm, and possibly gain insight. But it’s not about discovering some hidden set of “wings” or some grand spiritual power. It’s just a practice for mental clarity.
As for the comparison to drugs, both meditation and drugs alter consciousness, but in different ways. Drugs can give an intense experience, while meditation tends to offer a slower, more controlled shift in awareness. Saying that drugs are weak because they’re like a “dumb machine” doesn’t really capture the complexity of either experience. Both have their place, and both can have benefits, depending on what someone’s looking for.
In short, meditation isn’t some mystical or supernatural process, it’s about training attention in a specific way. The real value comes from consistency and practice, not some grand revelation.
Edit: also, bold of you to assume my experiences are scant, and born of conventional thought - when you have no way of actually understanding what experiences I’ve had.
It’s evident that your experiences with meditation aren’t sufficient to counter your hubris.
Yes scant and born of conventional thought. You talk like a guy who just finished reading a pop-psychology book on meditation.
And your retort consists of “well no kidding” (so we agree, right?) and “it isn’t a grand cosmic revelation” (or “deep philosophical mystery”) (which I didn’t say at all).
Look, if your reality consists of what you see, circumscribed by what you don’t see, and attention draws that line, then yes, I’d say that “axis of reality” characterizes that nicely.
And if your attention is bound by, say, a thousand habits, and meditation removes those habits (temporarily, messily, in the case of drugs), replacing them with intelligent action (a flying-like freedom, one might say), then yes, “wings” fits nicely too.
As for the difference between drugs and meditation. You are splitting hairs. I’d call the one splashing on the shore and the other going for a swim. Same ocean tho.
But you think I’m overstating it and my metaphors are overblown, well, that’s just your opinion and there is a strong possibility that our experiences simply differ.