What is the way to self experience? This nature that people distrust, the nature that people disrespect because it’s amoral, unfeeling, unkind, these are all human judgements that denote a human understanding of nature, and we have to make it “better” for us.

This reminds me of a Buddhist talk I heard. He asked people who their loved one was to them, and people gave the usual ‘thinking’ answers of lifelong partner etc. which he went on to say is all wrong, because all anyone is to us is the experience they give us in any moment. I think this points to your words on self experience? It does. All we are to ourselves is the experience we give ourselves, but that speaker though speaking truth still stopped short. The nature that people distance themselves from because it’s “inhuman” is in us. We can’t pick nature apart, and accept some parts and reject others. Your moods are like weather, your instincts are like animals, your desires the same. Can you go to a dog and say “since I don’t like dogs, but don’t want to bother to kill you, you should be a human”, and have that work?

No, but people try and even dress them up. True they do. It’s demented, and they dress themselves up thinking it makes them different than their natures. Also demented.

Now how does accepting this “jungle” in us affect relationships? Well, we already know. They see us as a bit decadent.

If we hide it, then there really is no relationship. Yes, but the inner jungle “life experience” model, does it weaken our relationships?

Actually, it should keep it alive. Allows deeper insights than people usually ever have.

It seems though that many people can’t handle it? They get scared and run. True. They are afraid of “lions and tigers and bears, oh my!”, but they “can’t take it” because due to their fear they can’t take anything really, can they?

And shape shifters. Oh true, metamorphosis is one of natures ways, and therefore very scary.

I suppose to see it in another means they have to look within, and they’re more comfortable with their self thought then their self experience, or think they are more comfortable. The devil they know. Yes. Their pain and disease is just supposedly a big mystery. They can’t have healing. Healing is metamorphosis. It’s change. It’s “evil.”

Which brings me back to TV watching, it’s an experience of ‘no self’, but not the true deeper experience of ‘no self’? Yes, true. This is also why media figures are so popular. Actors get to play roles that are very fully one dimensional. The leading man/leading woman are very sexy. The angry anti-hero is very strong/scary. We want these things for a reason. All we are desiring is what we already are, and the simplicity of acceptance. I don’t embrace “no self.” Instead I say no one. If you asked me, and I meant to answer you truthfully who I am. Who am I? I would say no one, as in no one self.

Many selves? Yes. Detached wisdom strikes me as a big fad, and maybe because of the general desperation detached wisdom is a big step up.

Example of detached wisdom? Hmm, an example of detached wisdom would be if someone has taken personal offence with you, and knowing that you can observe this and make a decision in a non reactive way. Well, like the jungle you can come to see the real relationships, and that the jungle functions as if it were one organism.

But a responsive way is not detached? Well, a responsive way can be detached, but it will be shallow and not reflective of the depth of engagement possible. The jungle is many selves that function as one “life beyond self”, and your inner rhythms is like a jungles rhythm.

How do we distinguish between reactive attachment vs. immersion into self which I think you’re describing? Reactive attachment is “one right way”, and heavy investment in one right way. The immersion I am referring to is like animal cries in the jungle, many reactions and all very much alive, and thus many vibrant ways in your life, and perhaps even the possibility of “paradoxical” coexistent actualization.

Fluid and I can shift my response as I experience and learn more? Yes.

The coexistent is the idea that I can be two things at once? Yes, like aggressive and loving. This is a deep truth that detachment can’t show you.

To embrace all that I am, and then we are the master of ego? And it can play many roles as we wish it too? Yes, and realize that we always could have been. It’s a humbling achievement. Also, we see our relationships clearly. We see exactly how we relate to another and why, because my jungle and your jungle have no gap between them. There are different regions, but borders are “self thinking”, like the Amazon river valley and the rest of the rainforest.

The self experience is more an organism, shifting, and growing, and adapting in its environment with others. If my jungle and your jungle have no borders, than that panther can be seen fully for what it is. Embraced on a deep level that was not possible without the jungle wisdom, what would this deep recognition give us?

Happiness. And a way of expression, interaction, communing/communication. I like communication.

I’m starting to wonder if meditation to stop thinking was the easy part or the hard part? Easy part, because after enlightenment chop wood and carry water, and much, much more, and you will be aware of it all. Sweeping the floor and ringing the bell. Raking the garden and singing. They speak of an unbearably lightness of being, but that’s really a very shallow observation. Life can be rich with substance and meaning.

It gets easier though right? It gets effortless. No trying just doing, but it starts with this. What do you want right now?

Your thoughts are welcome. Be well friends.

Travis Saunders
Dragon Intuitive
~science,mysticism,spirituality~