A Book as a Mandala

[Vladimir]

The thoughts many of you share rising from comparison of two sources of information these days - the Internet and a Book.
I want to add to your view of this topic one important component.
Though not for all but for many of you a certain kind of books represent much more than a source of information. It is what is called in Hindu culture a "Mandala" - a sacred symbol representing a whole nature of the Universe... or in other words: something from "Beyond"... (again, assuming a certain type of book which has that Universe in it's pages...)
This symbolic meaning and influence are as REAL as the information you draw from it's pages. In fact you may not be aware but for some of you the moment you take into the hands some of the books, such as say "Nature of Personal Reality", the book already start changing your mind before you even start reading! This is a phenomenon well known in ancient India and is the reason why sacred Mandalas have being used in worship and in meditation....
It certainly happens to me when I take any of my "sacred" books, I feel it and I am aware of it and this is one of the reasons why I take that book !

The second reason is the reading as a meditative process which I already wrote about here. This is only possible having a book, not possible over Internet.
As an ultimate example of this phenomenon I share this from my experience:
Although I have many books which I can feel as Mandala and can read them meditatively, there is one book which I found and bought a year ago which gives me the unparalleled experience in this regard:  it is enough for me only to take that book from the shelf, hold it for awhile and put it back without reading - and my mind gets sensibly changed  "un-focusing" from the mundane or can say expanding towards the Universe !
Just holding it...............

[Batfan007]

The thoughts many of you share rising from comparison of two sources of information these days - the Internet and a Book.
I want to add to your view of this topic one important component.
Though not for all but for many of you a certain kind of books represent much more than a source of information. It is what is called in Hindu culture a "Mandala" - a sacred symbol representing a whole nature of the Universe... or in other words: something from "Beyond"... (again, assuming a certain type of book which has that Universe in it's pages...)
This symbolic meaning and influence are as REAL as the information you draw from it's pages. In fact you may not be aware but for some of you the moment you take into the hands some of the books, such as say "Nature of Personal Reality", the book already start changing your mind before you even start reading! This is a phenomenon well known in ancient India and is the reason why sacred Mandalas have being used in worship and in meditation....
It certainly happens to me when I take any of my "sacred" books, I feel it and I am aware of it and this is one of the reasons why I take that book !

The second reason is the reading as a meditative process which I already wrote about here. This is only possible having a book, not possible over Internet.
As an ultimate example of this phenomenon I share this from my experience:
Although I have many books which I can feel as Mandala and can read them meditatively, there is one book which I found and bought a year ago which gives me the unparalleled experience in this regard:  it is enough for me only to take that book from the shelf, hold it for awhile and put it back without reading - and my mind gets sensibly changed  "un-focusing" from the mundane or can say expanding towards the Universe !
Just holding it...............

To me any material object is really just a way of focusing on a particular thing, quality or experience we have. We can have all kinds of experiences with or without the "object", and practically, whether info from the old www, or the printed page, the experience of what medium any information is conveyed through (or video, or audio) really doesn't matter.

If we want to know something, or experience something, we explore that, the small mind (local self) big communicates with the big mind (big self)  and we find whatever it is we are interested in.

[Vladimir]

Batfan, your message concerns only the "source of information". My message, as I said, dealt with

" much more than a source of information"

If you don;t sense "that" which I and people like me personally experience, then, indeed you are right for your example - there is not difference where you get information.

[Batfan007]

Batfan, your message concerns only the "source of information". My message, as I said, dealt with

" much more than a source of information"

If you don;t sense "that" which I and people like me personally experience, then, indeed you are right for your example - there is not difference where you get information.

Well I don't know what you are saying really. Perhaps as I have no knowledge of this "experience" you could demonstrate. Make a video of yourself picking up a book you have never read, then sit down and write about what you have learned from it, without reading it, I would very much like to read that piece of writing.

If it can not be expressed in words, then paint a picture, sing a song or whatever makes sense to you. I say this NOT to be a dick, but because I would like to learn from you on this topic, and I mean seriously and literally what I say here, and am not intending to antagonize you, but I can see it may be taken that way, but rest assured, I am NOT the great Randini, and this is not a million dollar challenge, but I would like to see your results please 

If it interests you, I would like to learn more from you on this topic, how did you learn how to do this? Could you do this since birth etc?
Could you teach me how?

[Vladimir]

You cannot see the result with your fleshly eyes but you can "see" them "through your heart" as many ancient scriptures say. Language may include also "channeling" or "sensing"... Walter Russell is straight in his wording: "Allow God to be with you whatever you do"...
But you would not be able to explain to the blind person a color of apple no matter what words you use... no matter what video you produce ... nothing you can do until the person acquires vision... but you can help him to regain vision (assuming you were blind too in the past) by providing pointers which helped you to see!  Did you read in the writings of the great Yogis how masters always reject request to "demonstrate" or "explain" Samadhi ?  Did you understand that any discussions about nature of Samadhi is meaningless? Do you understand why? And none of them would do anything for "demonstration".........
But you got it right about sitting down and write...  indeed I did it in the past when in that state... it's on my blog selfrealized.org which is simply my diary for myself and my son.... (I am not sure if anybody reads it except two of us:)  particular special are those posts which I did in the middle of the night... they go under "Whispers from Beyond" category... I was waking up with a clear message which itself DEMANDED to get up and write, so I boot computer and start blogging and then going to sleep in the morning and then after sleep I read what came out "through me" trying to understand... in all cases I realized that was exactly what I needed in life and in some cases I believe full understanding will come later over time... these transmissions are probably aimed at helping me personally, I am not sure if others can benefit as much ...

There is only one trait which allows individuals to get to the state of intuitive perception (and I believe many do). Swami Yogananda clearly described it : "You have to want this more than anything else in life". That's all.
I can't add anything to his words ..........

[Sena]

Did you read in the writings of the great Yogis how masters always reject request to "demonstrate" or "explain" Samadhi ?  Did you understand that any discussions about nature of Samadhi is meaningless? Do you understand why? And none of them would do anything for "demonstration".........

Vladimir, may I ask how this relates to Seth's teachings? I understand Samadhi is a Buddhist or Yogic concept.

[Deb]

there is one book which I found and bought a year ago which gives me the unparalleled experience in this regard:  it is enough for me only to take that book from the shelf, hold it for awhile and put it back without reading - and my mind gets sensibly changed  "un-focusing" from the mundane or can say expanding towards the Universe !
Just holding it...............

I've been dying of curiosity, which book is that?

I can't say I've had that experience myself, I wish I could. I guess I'm too rooted in the material world. I suppose reading, writing and even thinking (dwelling) on a topic (while out walking for me), creating in one way or another, will take me into a meditative or hypnotic state where certain realizations (intuitive perceptions?) come to me. I feel tuned into something beyond my own mind. But I have to be focused, not distracted, to get there. Yet, that's entirely different than what you are experiencing.

I'm with Batfan: teach me, please.

[Vladimir]

Relates Directly.  The goal of human development and even methods to get there are the same. I stress "the same" rather than simply "similar". The only difference is the language and symbolism.  If you are familiar with Neville Goddard and you've read Jnana Yoga by Vivekananda, then read "The Magical Approach" by Jane Roberts  for more detail answer to your question. The sameness of the goal would be enough to answer your question. Yet, amazingly even methods to get there are the same! In her "Nature of Personal Reality" Seth suggests methods of relaxation, detachment, witnessing and also breathing practices, so does Neville Goddard in his brilliant "Your Faith is Your Fortune - The Principle of Truth", the methods which you might know from all the writings of Yoga... I've read much about his life and I concluded Goddard never studied Yoga ... knowledge came to him from Beyond... yet his practice he recommends in mentioned article is EXACT description of the "Yoga Nidra" ancient practice described in the book of Swami Satyananda .  When you fully understand working of the human mind as described in those mentioned books by Jane Roberts, you will know the content of the famous Dhamapada  without reading it
But I assume you understand that you should compare not way of wording but the meaning conveyed.

[Vladimir]

@Deb,  it is not my intention to keep any secrets, but I did not mention the title only because I don't think this book is for everyone. Today I have very intimate relations with the content of the book... but if I read it 10 years back I'd either reject it outright or misunderstood it or worse - gained more confusion.... I recommend those books only which I think are great for many if not for all.
But there are no secrets in the Universe:
the title of the Book is "The Impersonal Life" by Anonymous
hardcover editions only by C. A. Willing publisher published between 1914 and 1974

[Sena]

the title of the Book is "The Impersonal Life" by Anonymous

Vladimir, thanks for recommending this. There is a free pdf, but that has only 43 pages:

https://www.stillnessspeaks.com/sitehtml/unknown/impersonallife.pdf

The Impersonal Life by Joseph Benner is available at Amazon, 257 pages. Is that the book you are referring to?

https://www.amazon.com/Impersonal-Life-Joseph-Benner-ebook/dp/B004M5J7Y4/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

"In the 1960s Elvis Presley was introduced to Benner's work by his guru, Larry Geller. In the last 13 years of his life, Presley gave away hundreds of copies of the book, The Impersonal Life. A copy was allegedly with him on the night he died."

There is a similarity to Seth's teachings in this quote from the pdf version:

"This Key is
"To THINK is to CREATE," or
"As you THINK in your HEART, so is it with you".
Stop and meditate on this that it may get firmly fixed in your mind.
A Thinker is a Creator.
A Thinker lives in a world of his own conscious creation."

A reading of the entire book is here:



An HTML version is here:

http://trueacu.com/The_Impersonal_Life

[Vladimir]

Yes this is the Book. I prefer and bought multiple copies only of those editions which I mentioned before - those  influence prepared reader much more than information alone. Modern copies only provide information.
Comparing to Seth books - it is not "similar" but the same.
Language, symbolism and depth of some details differ.
Seth books provide more details on the same intellectual level whence mental deduction work is not needed.
"Impersonal Life" does not cover all the details of workings of our mind. Instead it gives more DEPTH
into understanding of mind and more: our relations with the Creator and HIS purpose creating us.
All the details of our mind working can be deducted from clear understanding of our purpose here - but this is a work for the mature mind to deduct . Until such clear understanding is reached though the book could add to the confusion.
I would highly recommend good understanding of the Seth books first prior to reading this.

[Vladimir]

Just one "brush stroke" highlighting the specialty of "The Impersonal Life" compared to any other book on the same subject - the language.
Books by Jane Roberts are speaking in the name of Seth - a being from another dimension.
"Impersonal Life" speaks in the name of "I AM"  . This wording many reader, accustomed to the New Age books, perceive as kind of familiar...
yet, in reality , understanding of  "I AM", understanding of why this wording is used here, is so profound, hiding in it the WHOLE UNDERSTANDING of who we are, that those who get to FULLY understand it's meaning, don't need to read anything any more ......................

[Deb]

Thanks for the heads-up on the book and its language. I am incessantly curious and have ordered the book from Amazon. I also managed to download the audio from Sena's YouTube link. If I'm not yet ready for the message, I hopefully will be some day.

[Vladimir]

Deb, Your sincerity is your strongest asset pushing you forward and making you grow... as of now you bumped into the wall of your own adopted beliefs... beyond that wall is ... real you.
All is left to crack open your mind to reality through the hard shell of external conditioning. To release your stiff conditioned reaction to the word "God" I recommend read Jane Robert's book "The God of Jane".
First time when OPENING happens to you - you will be smiling at your "old self" as mature mother smiles at her baby...

[Deb]

Well, thank you Vladimir for your vote of confidence. I mean that sincerely. I am SO ready to "crack" open my mind, I don't understand what's holding me back. Certainly not for lack of effort.

К сожалению (sorry, I'm learning a new language and some words are more enjoyable than in English), I've read "The God of Jane." Maybe I need to read it again, it's been a long time and I've changed a lot since I've read most of the Seth/Jane Roberts books. I wish I had more time to read. Yes, my own doing.

While walking to work this afternoon I started listening to the audio of "The Impersonal Life." It seems the narrator is an older, British version of... Max Headroom. I think, a virtual voice narrating a book with skipping, overlapping, inconsistent cadence. But I am extremely adaptable and will make quick work of becoming absorbed. Until I receive the written word (book).

I am looking forward to the opening. I am overdue.

[Vladimir]

Deb, I think that link to the audio you downloaded is not the best... I have it too. It sounds to me as automatically synthesized using the database of human voice audio (misplaced pauses, etc...). I downloaded 3 different versions of narration.  True reading by human would be the best. Listen samples of all narrations you can find on youtube, drop those which are computer generated, and then choose whatever is the most "penetrating" into your subconscious.
Although it is only for you to decide on choosing the environment for listening, yet I would never listen this particular book while doing anything else (walking or driving). Yes, I can listen to many audio books while even driving, but not this one. This I can read or listen only when I am OUT OF THIS WORLD (doing nothing). Again, - this book is for meditation.  If I have time I will post later this evening my guidelines on how to approach this book so you can benefit as much as I did... I want everybody to grow faster... whatever I can do to help...
-------------

funny: you made me laugh Deb when while reading your post I caught myself on this queue of thoughts "wait... am I reading Russian? not possible here, go back..." ... " I did not have enough sleep... overworked again"... then "wait - something is wrong with a post, it was in English so far"....... finally I reluctantly continued reading despite my confusion and figured it is you who tricked me 

[Deb]

Listen samples of all narrations you can find on youtube, drop those which are computer generated, and then choose whatever is the most "penetrating" into your subconscious.

Ahhh, thanks, great idea. I didn't notice there were various recordings available. I do enjoy audio books, I can fit them in when walking (my walks are hypnotic/meditative for me, usually require no conscious thought). Can't do that with printed books.

Hah hah, funny about the Russian writing. I've been learning for about a year, audio lessons while I walk and drive... but it's getting harder now that I'm 1/3 of the way into Level 3. I visited St.Pete last summer and fell in love with the place. And Catherine the Great. Wow. I read her bio last year and am watching the recent Russian TV series. Beautifully done. Next visit I need to see the Catherine Palace and  hopefully get into the Peter and Paul Cathedral to visit the tombs.

my guidelines on how to approach this book

That would be great. No rush, I'll have to wait until my printed book arrives from Amazon anyway.

[Deb]

I'll have to wait until my printed book arrives from Amazon anyway.

Tak... the book arrived this afternoon.

I was surprised that it is a 'mini' book, maybe 4"x6" or so (a used book, last print 1991).

I started to read the Intro and kept getting interrupted.

My conclusion is: today is not the day.
I have tomorrow off from both jobs.
Maybe tomorrow is the day.