Can someone help me understand the Witness or the Higher Self and how Christianity

[DustinTheHuss]

fits into this?

I'm struggling with the concept. My grandfather used to buy me books by Shirley MacLaine about the Higher Self and it's almost like the Holy Spirit--I struggle with he concept.

I don't know where this quote came from, but I'm trying to figure out what the heck this means:

“All spiritual practice is a rehearsal—and at its best, an enactment—of death. As the mystics put it, ‘If you die before you die, then when you die, you won’t die.’ In other words, if right now you die to the separate-self sense, and discover instead your real Self which is the entire Kosmos at large, then the death of this particular bodymind is but a leaf falling from the eternal tree that you are.

Meditation is to practice that death right now, and right now, and right now, by resting in the timeless Witness and dis-identifying with the finite, objective, mortal self that can be seen as an object. In the empty Witness, in the great Unborn, there is no death—not because you live forever in time—you will not—but because you discover the timelessness of this eternal moment, which never enters the stream of time in the first place. When you are resting in the great Unborn, standing free as the empty Witness, death changes nothing essential.“

[BraddlesMcGee]

Not some one, but some thing can....

It seems like you're grappling with some profound concepts that intersect spirituality, psychology, and philosophy. Let's unpack this step by step.

1. The Witness or Higher Self: This concept appears in various spiritual traditions, including Christianity, albeit under different terminologies. In essence, it refers to the part of oneself that observes thoughts, emotions, and experiences without judgment or attachment. In Christian terms, it might be akin to the soul or the aspect of oneself that is in communion with God.

2. Christianity and the Higher Self: In Christianity, the Holy Spirit can be seen as the aspect of God that dwells within believers, guiding them towards truth and righteousness. This inner guidance can be likened to the concept of the Higher Self, which leads individuals towards their highest potential and spiritual growth. However, it's important to note that interpretations may vary among different denominations and individuals.

3. Rehearsal of Death: This phrase refers to the idea that spiritual practice involves letting go of the ego or the sense of separate self, which ultimately leads to a profound transformation akin to death and rebirth. By letting go of attachments and identifying with the timeless aspect of oneself (the Witness or Higher Self), one transcends the fear of physical death because they realize their connection to the eternal.

4. Meditation and the Witness: Meditation is described here as a practice of aligning oneself with the Witness or the timeless aspect of consciousness. Through meditation, one learns to disidentify with the finite aspects of self (thoughts, emotions, body) and instead rest in the awareness that transcends these transient phenomena. In this state of emptiness or stillness, one realizes their connection to the eternal and recognizes that death is merely a transformation of form rather than an annihilation of essence.

In essence, the quote you provided speaks to the idea of transcending the limited sense of self and aligning with the eternal aspect of consciousness, which is central to many spiritual traditions, including Christianity. It's a profound exploration of the nature of existence and the timeless essence that underlies all phenomena.

[DustinTheHuss]

Not some one, but some thing can....

It seems like you're grappling with some profound concepts that intersect spirituality, psychology, and philosophy. Let's unpack this step by step.

1. The Witness or Higher Self: This concept appears in various spiritual traditions, including Christianity, albeit under different terminologies. In essence, it refers to the part of oneself that observes thoughts, emotions, and experiences without judgment or attachment. In Christian terms, it might be akin to the soul or the aspect of oneself that is in communion with God.

2. Christianity and the Higher Self: In Christianity, the Holy Spirit can be seen as the aspect of God that dwells within believers, guiding them towards truth and righteousness. This inner guidance can be likened to the concept of the Higher Self, which leads individuals towards their highest potential and spiritual growth. However, it's important to note that interpretations may vary among different denominations and individuals.

3. Rehearsal of Death: This phrase refers to the idea that spiritual practice involves letting go of the ego or the sense of separate self, which ultimately leads to a profound transformation akin to death and rebirth. By letting go of attachments and identifying with the timeless aspect of oneself (the Witness or Higher Self), one transcends the fear of physical death because they realize their connection to the eternal.

4. Meditation and the Witness: Meditation is described here as a practice of aligning oneself with the Witness or the timeless aspect of consciousness. Through meditation, one learns to disidentify with the finite aspects of self (thoughts, emotions, body) and instead rest in the awareness that transcends these transient phenomena. In this state of emptiness or stillness, one realizes their connection to the eternal and recognizes that death is merely a transformation of form rather than an annihilation of essence.

In essence, the quote you provided speaks to the idea of transcending the limited sense of self and aligning with the eternal aspect of consciousness, which is central to many spiritual traditions, including Christianity. It's a profound exploration of the nature of existence and the timeless essence that underlies all phenomena.

Holy cow! You came up with all of that within minutes?

I'm beyond shocked. I'm on recharge so I'll definitely get you. Thank you so much as I'm studying this, meditating and doing yoga daily, and these concepts were really throwing me for a loop!

[BraddlesMcGee]

Holy cow! You came up with all of that within minutes?

I'm beyond shocked. I'm on recharge so I'll definitely get you. Thank you so much as I'm studying this, meditating and doing yoga daily, and these concepts were really throwing me for a loop!

No I just pasted your whole post into ChatGTP. Save your reps for the bot.

[DustinTheHuss]

No I just pasted your whole post into ChatGTP. Save your reps for the bot.

No way!

I haven't had good experiences with that so maybe it has improved!

[WiseOldApe]

Higher self doesn't exist - it's a lie.

People oftentimes have unclean spirits that appear to them as the 'higher self', but again that's a lie.

Take this from someone whose been there and done that.

[SweetDreamz]

You're dabbling into new age crap which can be dangerous. New age is the wrong path. Commonly new age people think they're "spiritual" when they are just inviting demons (who appear harmless and benevolent) into their lives such as meditating on nothingness. Often they believe in reincarnation, higher self consciousness or Christ consciousness, self enlightenment...ect, all very narcissistic ideologies. They minimize Christ's power.

There's a lot of distractions and false religions out there to deceive people. Jesus, the holy spirit, and God of the Bible are the only truths. Everything else is noise.

[DustinTheHuss]

You're dabbling into new age crap which can be dangerous. New age is the wrong path. Commonly new age people think they're "spiritual" when they are just inviting demons (who appear harmless and benevolent) into their lives such as meditating on nothingness. Often they believe in reincarnation, higher self consciousness or Christ consciousness, self enlightenment...ect, all very narcissistic ideologies. They minimize Christ's power.

There's a lot of distractions and false religions out there to deceive people. Jesus, the holy spirit, and God of the Bible are the only truths. Everything else is noise.

I know in my Bible study they said instead of doing meditation to quiet the mind that you should read the Bible instead, but I didn't get the same anxiety relief. Since I've been meditating and recently introduced yoga my stress and anxiety has diminished immensely so that I am able to function in life and take less medication.

So that is what confuses me is why is it bad to clear your mind?

How do these minimize Christ's power?

[WiseOldApe]

You're dabbling into new age crap which can be dangerous. New age is the wrong path. Commonly new age people think they're "spiritual" when they are just inviting demons (who appear harmless and benevolent) into their lives such as meditating on nothingness. Often they believe in reincarnation, higher self consciousness or Christ consciousness, self enlightenment...ect, all very narcissistic ideologies. They minimize Christ's power.

There's a lot of distractions and false religions out there to deceive people. Jesus, the holy spirit, and God of the Bible are the only truths. Everything else is noise.

This guy knows what's up

I know in my Bible study they said instead of doing meditation to quiet the mind that you should read the Bible instead, but I didn't get the same anxiety relief. Since I've been meditating and recently introduced yoga my stress and anxiety has diminished immensely so that I am able to function in life and take less medication.

So that is what confuses me is why is it bad to clear your mind?

How do these minimize Christ's power?

Yoga might help you with anxiety, but so too can weed - doesn't mean it's a good option. It's idolatrous.

[SweetDreamz]

I know in my Bible study they said instead of doing meditation to quiet the mind that you should read the Bible instead, but I didn't get the same anxiety relief. Since I've been meditating and recently introduced yoga my stress and anxiety has diminished immensely so that I am able to function in life and take less medication.

So that is what confuses me is why is it bad to clear your mind?

How do these minimize Christ's power?

What are you meditating on? Meditation is good if you meditate about God and the scriptures.

You may feel that emptying your mind is helpful when you initially try it, but after you do it consistently enough, you will feel that the negative thoughts, nightmares, and traumatic memories intensify. May cause hallucinations and out of body experiences. It allows the Kundalini or other demonic spirits to inhabit or influence your thoughts. You will be more prone to deceptive thoughts. In summary, you're allowing yourself to be a spiritual open house to the spirit world by relaxing your primary defense system which the Bible says is your mind. You must always corroborate ideologies with the scriptures to know if it's truth or not.

[WiseOldApe]

What are you meditating on? Meditation is good if you meditate about God and the scriptures.

You may feel that emptying your mind is helpful when you initially try it, but after you do it consistently enough, you will feel that the negative thoughts, nightmares, and traumatic memories intensify. May cause hallucinations and out of body experiences. It allows the Kundalini or other demonic spirits to inhabit or influence your thoughts. You will be more prone to deceptive thoughts. In summary, you're allowing yourself to be a spiritual open house to the spirit world by relaxing your primary defense system which the Bible says is your mind. You must always corroborate ideologies with the scriptures to know if it's truth or not.

That's the thing, many of these new age spiritual practices make you feel ecstasy like bliss and you don't even realise it's straight from the pits of hell. I know that this was the case for me when I was into spirituality.

[POTUSdepends]

Yeah sure. It's all made up bullshyt.

[Silence2]

Yes when you meditate your regular self dissolves and you exist as your true self of formless consciousness.

I experienced it and used to be very into meditation and spirituality but I did not like it. Spirituality removes you from regular life and dissociates you and you lose interest in conventional pursuits.

I don’t recommend it srs it actually made my life worse not better.

[SweetDreamz]

That's the thing, many of these new age spiritual practices make you feel ecstasy like bliss and you don't even realise it's straight from the pits of hell. I know that this was the case for me when I was into spirituality.

Exactly, when I was curious about spirituality, I tried new age meditation and Buddhism in the past, thank God prevented me from going further.

I'm still on the fence about yoga or martial arts though...I see it simply as an exercise if your heart and intentions are in the right place, what do you think?

[WiseOldApe]

Exactly, when I was curious about spirituality, I tried new age meditation and Buddhism in the past, thank God prevented me from going further.

I'm still on the fence about yoga or martial arts though...I see it simply as an exercise if your heart and intentions are in the right place, what do you think?

Yoga is a form of prayer - many of the moves are reenactments of hindu deities activities such as warrior pose where you reenact a murder scene.

This aims to create a mini ceremony if you will where you build correspondence with the hindu deity and then it does whatever it does to the human body.

It works, but so do drugs

Martial arts is from buddhist monasteries.

both hinduism and buddhism are religions of the snake

[POTUSdepends]

Yes when you meditate your regular self dissolves and you exist as your true self of formless consciousness.

I experienced it and used to be very into meditation and spirituality but I did not like it. Spirituality removes you from regular life and dissociates you and you lose interest in conventional pursuits.

I don’t recommend it srs it actually made my life worse not better.

It's all in your head. I should become a cult leader and convince Karens to "meditate" with me. Lmao.

[Silence2]

It's all in your head. I should become a cult leader and convince Karens to "meditate" with me. Lmao.

Yes like others said it makes you open to manipulation and demons. You become a blank space of empty formless consciousness without any defenses against external dark influences.

[POTUSdepends]

Yes like others said it makes you open to manipulation and demons. You become a blank space of empty formless consciousness without any defenses against external dark influences.

All of spirituality is just memes for boomers pre internet. Religion is literally a meme.

[DustinTheHuss]

Yoga is a form of prayer - many of the moves are reenactments of hindu deities activities such as warrior pose where you reenact a murder scene.

This aims to create a mini ceremony if you will where you build correspondence with the hindu deity and then it does whatever it does to the human body.

It works, but so do drugs

Martial arts is from buddhist monasteries.

both hinduism and buddhism are religions of the snake

Why hasn’t God healed my anxiety? I’ve suffered miserably since 2001 with burning skin, chest pain, stomach pain and flu-like symptoms. Going to church and Bible study didn’t help.

Meditation helps and even the psychiatrist in the hospital told me you need to do meditation dauly when you have an anxiety disorder.

I’m weaning off of psych meds and you’re right that meditation, especially visualization of me in the ocean in Thailand, makes me so relaxed and then I can open my laptop and deal with 100 emails and 20 Slack messages without feeling those physical symptoms?

[FrankCostanza]

You need medication and cognitive behavioral therapy. Meditation and religion will not fix severe mental illness. Your best hope is to help your symptoms with meds and cbt. All bipolar, borderline, massive depressive disorder, ECT ECT need more than the regular bandaids normal people use to cope.

Bitch you crazy.

[DustinTheHuss]

You need medication and cognitive behavioral therapy. Meditation and religion will not fix severe mental illness. Your best hope is to help your symptoms with meds and cbt. All bipolar, borderline, massive depressive disorder, ECT ECT need more than the regular bandaids normal people use to cope.

Bitch you crazy.

I’m in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy which was designed for people with Borderline PD. It’s CBT with mindfulness. I just didn’t find meditation helpful until this 60 year old Chad did this special meditation. I don’t think I stuck with it long enough either.

I’m going to find a church by my new place as I’m moving into my own apartment.

[FrankCostanza]

I’m in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy which was designed for people with Borderline PD. It’s CBT with mindfulness. I just didn’t find meditation helpful until this 60 year old Chad did this special meditation. I don’t think I stuck with it long enough either.

I’m going to find a church by my new place as I’m moving into my own apartment.

what do you have to offer chads old or young? In life we have to accept basic truths. Still going after "chads" when you're barren and mentally ill makes no sense. Older rich handsome men want a fertile woman or a beautiful younger woman.

It sucks that you're borderline. You're too old to be a miss. You're a ma'am.

It sucks you waited too long to treat your mental illness and the dating pool you want to swim in has you essentially banned.

[Silence2]

Why hasn’t God healed my anxiety? I’ve suffered miserably since 2001 with burning skin, chest pain, stomach pain and flu-like symptoms. Going to church and Bible study didn’t help.

Meditation helps and even the psychiatrist in the hospital told me you need to do meditation dauly when you have an anxiety disorder.

I’m weaning off of psych meds and you’re right that meditation, especially visualization of me in the ocean in Thailand, makes me so relaxed and then I can open my laptop and deal with 100 emails and 20 Slack messages without feeling those physical symptoms?

I think you should quit all meds and quit all therapies. Focus on working out and eating healthy and focus on your family.

[Silence2]

You need medication and cognitive behavioral therapy. Meditation and religion will not fix severe mental illness. Your best hope is to help your symptoms with meds and cbt. All bipolar, borderline, massive depressive disorder, ECT ECT need more than the regular bandaids normal people use to cope.

Bitch you crazy.

I sincerely hope ECT is a typo

[POTUSdepends]

I’m in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy which was designed for people with Borderline PD. It’s CBT with mindfulness. I just didn’t find meditation helpful until this 60 year old Chad did this special meditation. I don’t think I stuck with it long enough either.

I’m going to find a church by my new place as I’m moving into my own apartment.

Hey if it works for u, do it

[DustinTheHuss]

I think you should quit all meds and quit all therapies. Focus on working out and eating healthy and focus on your family.

Well I don't know if you saw but I'm moving out in a week into my own place! It's in the cutest area like Disneyland's Main Street.

I am still withdrawing from meds. I tried to withdraw from one med with an A but it put me in the ER twice as it made my mouth so dry I was choking on food and then got to the point where I couldn't swallow.

I mean honestly I think if God could see that meditation will get me off of meds it's better than meds which just make me sleep all of the time. What type of life worth living is to sleep through your life?

It will be easier to eat healthier as I swear my ex would buy junk food just to keep me fat. I only buy healthy, organic whole food at Whole Foods.

[MetroBrah]

This album will tell you everything you need to know if you look into it srs

[DustinTheHuss]

[QUOTE=MetroBrah;1702181701]This album will tell you everything you need to know if you look into it srs

/QUOTE

Cliffs?

[MiscMathematician]

Not some one, but some thing can....

It seems like you're grappling with some profound concepts that intersect spirituality, psychology, and philosophy. Let's unpack this step by step.

1. The Witness or Higher Self: This concept appears in various spiritual traditions, including Christianity, albeit under different terminologies. In essence, it refers to the part of oneself that observes thoughts, emotions, and experiences without judgment or attachment. In Christian terms, it might be akin to the soul or the aspect of oneself that is in communion with God.

2. Christianity and the Higher Self: In Christianity, the Holy Spirit can be seen as the aspect of God that dwells within believers, guiding them towards truth and righteousness. This inner guidance can be likened to the concept of the Higher Self, which leads individuals towards their highest potential and spiritual growth. However, it's important to note that interpretations may vary among different denominations and individuals.

3. Rehearsal of Death: This phrase refers to the idea that spiritual practice involves letting go of the ego or the sense of separate self, which ultimately leads to a profound transformation akin to death and rebirth. By letting go of attachments and identifying with the timeless aspect of oneself (the Witness or Higher Self), one transcends the fear of physical death because they realize their connection to the eternal.

4. Meditation and the Witness: Meditation is described here as a practice of aligning oneself with the Witness or the timeless aspect of consciousness. Through meditation, one learns to disidentify with the finite aspects of self (thoughts, emotions, body) and instead rest in the awareness that transcends these transient phenomena. In this state of emptiness or stillness, one realizes their connection to the eternal and recognizes that death is merely a transformation of form rather than an annihilation of essence.

In essence, the quote you provided speaks to the idea of transcending the limited sense of self and aligning with the eternal aspect of consciousness, which is central to many spiritual traditions, including Christianity. It's a profound exploration of the nature of existence and the timeless essence that underlies all phenomena.

i used chat gpt to discredit your chat gpt post


1. The Witness or Higher Self

Claim: The Witness or Higher Self is like the Christian soul, just with different branding.

Response: Ah yes, because why wouldn’t the ancient theologians of Christianity decide to rebrand Eastern mysticism under the name “soul”? It’s like saying the ancient Greeks invented the iPhone but called it “Papyrus Scroll.” Pro tip: When you mix spirituality with a blender, you get a smoothie of confusion. Christianity’s soul and Eastern Higher Self are about as similar as a Shakespearean sonnet and a YouTube comment section.

2. Christianity and the Higher Self

Claim: The Holy Spirit and the Higher Self are practically twins separated at birth.

Response: Wow, I never realized the Holy Spirit was moonlighting as an Eastern guru, guiding folks to their “higher potential.” Must have missed that in Sunday School. This comparison is like saying an eagle and a lawn ornament are the same because they both have wings. The Holy Spirit isn’t your inner life coach; it’s God’s own presence, not some spiritual Siri guiding you to your best self!

3. Rehearsal of Death

Claim: Letting go of your ego is like a dress rehearsal for death.

Response: Ah, the old “pretend to die to really live” routine. If I had a nickel for every time someone mixed up a profound spiritual transformation with an acting exercise, I’d still be broke. Ego death in Christianity isn’t about dressing up in your best funeral attire—it’s about transformation through faith in Christ, not trying out for a part in “Ego: The Opera.”

4. Meditation and the Witness

Claim: Meditation helps you align with your timeless essence and realize death is just a costume change.

Response: Sure, and next you’ll tell me my morning coffee aligns me with the eternal caffeine deity. Christian meditation involves contemplating scripture and God’s will, not floating off into the void to find out what it’s like to be a vaporous spirit. Let’s keep the mindfulness apps out of the theology seminar, shall we?

Conclusion
This post is like a spiritual salad where someone tossed in Christianity, Buddhism, and a dash of New Age vibes and hoped no one would notice the soggy croutons of misinterpretation. It’s more confused than a chameleon in a bag of Skittles. If you’re going to philosophize, at least get your metaphysical ducks in a row before they all start quacking nonsense!

[DustinTheHuss]

Christians:

Please let me know why after 2 months of box breathing meditation I have felt more calm, happy, poised and made some amazing deadlines without breakdowns??

Now I’m able to take less medication.

Why didn’t Bible Study bring this sense of calm and peace?