A conceptual perspective on belief

[GliderGuider]

41. It seems to depend on how one thinks of the Me.

Last edited Sun Jan 29, 2012, 09:26 PM - Edit history (1)

One's story seems to be tied to the conventional sense of the "self". That sense of self may indeed evaporate as the story is given up. That's the "falling away of the self" that non-dualist practitioners report. However, if one finds validity in the concept of the Self (with an upper-case "S&quot , then that Self does not evaporate - in contrast it becomes more clear because it's no longer obscured by the turbulence of the conventional egoic self.

However, there's a wrinkle to all this. "Dropping the story" is just another part of the story...

Using the analogy of the potter, the potter is also the wheel, the pot and the act of potting. Their apparent separateness is an illusion, but is also apparently real. The separation collapses into oneness (or Nothing, if you prefer), which also collapses into separation at the same time. It is impossible to choose one or the other. All we can do is keep potting.

So yes, the Me evaporates - but it also remains.

Chop wood, carry water.