Adyashanti - Letting Go of Resistance - Part 1

[@markfuller]

@2:28 (the present moment is as much of construct as the past moment is. A story we tell ourselves about what the present moment is). That reminded me of how science has discovered that we experience reality about 1/2 second after it happens. When you choose something, that choice has already been made (in the subconscious) before you consciously say "I choose this!" We're experiencing an emergent sense of "now." It takes about half a second for it to form & emerge (from the 95% of the brain that's subconscious, into the 5% that's conscious). We're largely "not there" in a similar way to us being not there when dreaming. (We're 5% more there. Not much to brag about.). It's still largely something going on in our heads, and we're explaining reality to ourselves (slowly, with a delay). I think the old '60s cartoon "Mr. Magoo" is a good analogy to this. He's an old guy with (on the surface) bad vision. But, he never gets the hint. He expects reality to fit his expectations. He bumbles around explaining to himself his experience _in the present moment._ He's not living in the past/future. He's doing that same kind of embellishing in the present moment. I think we're all more like him than we recognize.

[@simplyherenow]

Yea I think that was the Benjamin Libet experiment from the 1980's on free will. Good stuff :)

[@markfuller]

@@simplyherenow Libet's discovery got sidetracked in philosophical debates about "free will" (what that means, etc.). I think the significance of his discovery (that we're on the receiving end) got lost. I feel like mindfulness/presence is being at the point of emergence (of the delayed experience) and _knowing_ (remembering) that's what's happening. An ability to exercise a veto power over what's emerging. A recognition that, if it took a half-second to "present" to me (mostly "spun" in a way I'll best accept it without having to think about it; like an optical illusion, filling in the blanks...)) - if I can know (all the time) this is how I exist, then I can give it 1/2 second of non-engagement to consider how I'm seeing things through this "filter" from the subconscious. I'm already 1/2-second behind. What's another 1/2-second (compared to reacting to the rude driver, etc.)? To me, that's free will (some space between me and what's unconsciously emerging, partly spun already (like optical illusions help us accept the emergent view more easily)) compared to being pavlovian to everything that emerges - without consideration to how it emerges. That's "predestination" compared to being aware that it's this way, choosing to put some space between ourself and the VR googles we're living through (the subconscious manifestation of our experience... a little late... blanks filled in for us to "make sense"). Dr. David Vago has studied Libet's discovery. He met the Dali Lama (who said his work was the most important being done on earth). He did a Tedx talk ("Self-Transformation Through Mindfulness") about his research. It's worth watching. He describes our existence as constant "selfing" (a verb). It happens whether we're aware of it (questioning it, not engaging with it), or not. We either wake up to it (which then gives us some "free will") or remain mesmerized by it (treating it as 100% reality, who we are in it).

[@alfreddifeo9642]

🙏☮🕉🛐

[@jamiewolfzen]

What did the Zen master say to the Easter bunny? He said, "You have come a long way, and I'm sorry to tell you this, but you do not exist." 🐰

[@HarrisonLaytone]

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