Anandamoy, on god's spheres of thought. Further considerations

[mccoy]

Yes, Plato and other Greek philosophers seem to have been influenced heavily by the Hindu philosophy, perhaps without having a direct, deep knowledge of it. It may also be that they developed an independent and converging opinion, having been able to tune into the right sphere of thought, the cosmic model of soul reincarnation.

[mccoy]

Back to the sphere of thoughts, I often mull over the topic, sometimes while driving around.

There is, I believe, a hierarchy of spheres of thought.

The higher level is made up of the vast spheres of thought of basic ideas which encompass the great dualities and myriads of sub-spheres within them. For example, the spheres of peace and war, of good and evil, of health and sickness.

All these dualities are created by God, so we might think that no matter which sphere we choose to tune into, that's the same since their original source is God.

Well, that's wrong, as Anandamoy is ready to underline. Every sphere has a guna quality that influences our spiritual evolution. In God's plans, we must choose the higher, spiritual, sattvic spheres, and abandon the tamasic ones, the ones related to evil, war, greed, sense indulgence and so on.

The wrong choice, that is, choosing the wrong sphere of thought, will bind us in matter, and vice versa.

[Jitendra Hydonus]

Back to the sphere of thoughts, I often mull over the topic, sometimes while driving around.

There is, I believe, a hierarchy of spheres of thought.

The higher level is made up of the vast spheres of thought of basic ideas which encompass the great dualities and myriads of sub-spheres within them. For example, the spheres of peace and war, of good and evil, of health and sickness.

All these dualities are created by God, so we might think that no matter which sphere we choose to tune into, that's the same since their original source is God.

Well, that's wrong, as Anandamoy is ready to underline. Every sphere has a sattvic quality that influences our spiritual evolution. In God's plans, we must choose the higher, spiritual, sattvic spheres, and abandon the tamasic ones, the ones related to evil, war, greed, sense indulgence and so on.

The wrong choice, that is, choosing the wrong sphere of thought, will bind us in matter, and vice versa.

I think your view of satvic verses tama’s is in line with what I’ve seen in spiritual experience as opposed to a random view of life and it’s events. Perhaps for some this brings an evolutionary perspective to such terms as peace and war, love and hate and other duality’s we witness around us. It may be seen as a line of thought that transforms and transcends such opposites. Although,  it is not just a view, but an experience of life from a different perspective.

That is the thought that everything is based on a mirror of reality of what lies within us, a type of synchronous universe in contrast to the view that has existed so long here in the U.S. and the west; a haphazard reality with everything seen as coincidental.

As an example; we see autocratic and imperialist regimes in Europe and Asia. They are mirrors of forces attempting to thwart democracy and freedom of expression here in America. We also see leaders and people attempting to dominate nature and others in contrast to those who are living in harmony with nature and attempting to nurture and support nature and other people.

[mccoy]

I realize that there is a mistake in my previous post, where I wrote 'every sphere has a sattvic quality...', No, it should read 'Every sphere has a guna quality', since it may be sattvic, rajasic or tamasic, or a mix of the three.

[Jitendra Hydonus]

I realize that there is a mistake in my previous post, where I wrote 'every sphere has a sattvic quality...', No, it should read 'Every sphere has a guna quality', since it may be sattvic, rajasic or tamasic, or a mix of the three.

Yes thanks for the clarification; My post above still stands mccoy. We have an activating energy in Rajasic qualities. I see most people in that category herein the states; always having to do something. Usually a very restless state. Good to get material things done but no understanding of what meditation is all about. Their meditation is playing golf or fishing.

We cultivate sattvic qualities by meditation and practicing the presence at all times. Tamasic qualities are backsliding for the spiritual aspirant. Constantly looking for pleasure, indolence and unethical behaviors. Rajasic can be constructive if activating behaviors bring happiness to others and develop a positive relationships and helping Mother Earth and her inhabitants.

I attempt to have a sattvic mind and attitude but much of the time find myself in Rajasic activities because the mind is still restless with activity even though the struggle to calm it has become a part of every moment of my waking hours. This challenge involves the constant attempt to focus on what I’m doing, practicing the presence, meditation sessions at various parts of the day and nite and attempting to integrate my activities into a routine that brings my life into divine order. While at the same time recognizing the cultural attempt to involve the consciousness in constant pursuit of activating energy which can easily put the mind in turmoil and the body in backsliding into Tamasic consciousness..

[mccoy]

Steve, I cannot but praise your laudable efforts; such a strategic planning of spiritual pursuits constitutes a sphere of thought by itself. Whatever strategy is actually a concept, a thought or a concatenation of thoughts and possibilities and degrees of probability that already resides in the causal realm, it has already been created by God. In your case, I think you are approaching the right sphere of thought, with aimed reasoning and purposeful actions.

[mccoy]

Another aspect of the complexity of the spheres of thought is that they are not always univocally determined.

For example, the sphere of war is certainly and usually a wrong sphere of thought. We have a blatant example under our eyes, nations like present Russia ruled by Putin, it has factually been an invasion with the purpose of subjugating another country and population to the territorial greed of another nation. Or, to be very good, an overreaction to an illusory, expected danger from an enemy (NATO troops) that doesn't actually exist.

Sometimes though war can be the right sphere of thought. Steve, in our recent phone call, described me as Abraham Lincoln chose to go to war with the confederate states, although he knew that it would have cost dozens of thousands of lives (60K only in Gettysburg?).

However, the war was necessary to overcome the abomination of slavery, which the southern states, for economic and traditional reasons, did not want to relinquish.

So Lincoln adopted the right sphere or thought, going into an inevitable war to overcome a major secession, with one of the factions legally maintaining human beings in slavery.

I also believe that in God's plan USA had to remain whole and the secession would have jeopardized some future strategy in the chessgame between God and the legion of evil spirits.

[Jitendra Hydonus]

Another aspect of the complexity of the spheres of thought is that they are not always univocally determined.

For example, the sphere of war is certainly a wrong sphere of thought if adopted by nations like present Russia in Putin's government, because it has factually been an invasion with the purpose of subjugating another country and population to the territorial greed of another nation. Or, to be very good, an over reaction to an illusory, expected danger from NATO troops.

Sometimes though war can be the right sphere of thought. Steve, in our recent phone call, described me as Abraham Lincoln chose to go to war with the confederate states, although he knew that it would have cost dozens of thousands of lives (60K only in Gettysburg?).

However, the war was necessary to overcome the abomination of slavery, which the southern states, for economic and traditional reasons, did not want to relinquish.

So Lincoln adopted the right sphere or thought, going into an inevitable war to overcome a major secession, with one of the factions legally maintaining human beings in slavery.

I also believe that in God's plan USA had to remain whole and the secession would have jeopardized some future strategy in the chessgame between God and the legion of evil spirits.

Who could say it more eloquently? Some spheres of thought have been around for years if not ages. Yet I believe Lincoln was a great yogi in other lifetimes in the Himalayas as Paramahansa Yogananda has said and he was meant to play a role on the world stage here. Therefore he tapped into his role and a sphere of thought proceeding his life mission here. Consequently there was a reaction against him even by his own Republican Party who wanted an stop the violence, and let the south have their slaves, just to end the war. But Lincoln apparently was adamant that for all time he should set a precedent. It was as though he himself was a spearhead for a new dispensation.

[Jitendra Hydonus]

Another aspect of the complexity of the spheres of thought is that they are not always univocally determined.

For example, the sphere of war is certainly and usually a wrong sphere of thought. We have a blatant example under our eyes, nations like present Russia ruled by Putin, it has factually been an invasion with the purpose of subjugating another country and population to the territorial greed of another nation. Or, to be very good, an overreaction to an illusory, expected danger from an enemy (NATO troops) that doesn't actually exist.

Sometimes though war can be the right sphere of thought. Steve, in our recent phone call, described me as Abraham Lincoln chose to go to war with the confederate states, although he knew that it would have cost dozens of thousands of lives (60K only in Gettysburg?).

However, the war was necessary to overcome the abomination of slavery, which the southern states, for economic and traditional reasons, did not want to relinquish.

So Lincoln adopted the right sphere or thought, going into an inevitable war to overcome a major secession, with one of the factions legally maintaining human beings in slavery.

I also believe that in God's plan USA had to remain whole and the secession would have jeopardized some future strategy in the chessgame between God and the legion of evil spirits.

Well thought out mccoy and yes it was a devastating war.

For more than a century, the most-accepted estimate was about 620,000 dead. A specific figure of 618,222 is often cited, with 360,222 Union deaths and 258,000 Confederate deaths.

https://www.history.com/news/american-civil-war-deaths#

[mccoy]

I am daily pondering the concept of spheres of thought. Such a concept, by now it shouldn't surprise us, is by itself a sphere of thought.

What I previously just grasped by intuition, I am now trying to understand at deeper levels. I am trying to apply the model of the spheres of thought to everyday life. For example, the strategic planning related to my job. That's a sphere of thought, it exists in the causal world, I have but to attune into it and I'll be able to optimize my work and increase my efficiency.

Also domestic chores are a specific sphere of thought and they can be carried out with full efficiency and more quickly according to the rules of optimization as stated in such spheres.

It is interesting and advantageous to view everything as a sphere of thought, to construe reality as a reflection of its causal blueprint.

Usually, such attunement comes just empirically, often after a life of specific experience

[Jitendra Hydonus]

What I see happening here mccoy. Is that you are seeing these spheres of thought in relation to some of your personal life experiences. Please correct me if I am in error about this. Or join me in helping understand what I may be missing in my own view of this video and it’s ideas.

I find no reason to disregard your ‘thoughts’ on this matter. I just am attempting to include my own and the reason for them. In my experience - even here at the portal - I have found that people who have come and gone, and at times have come back, have tuned into a certain thought wave, or as you have called a sphere of thought. This may also be some what of an emotional wave form, since thoughts and emotions often intertwine. I have found that often these wave forms diminish or increase depending on whether they meet confrontation or harmonious interactions. If harmonious interactions occur they may last for long periods of time. If confronting currents take over, there can be separation and in the most challenging differences; confrontations. It often requires some quantum leaps to overcome such clashes and find some meeting of the minds, or spheres of thought at a higher level of resolution.

This can be observed as you may look at weather changes and different air currents coming into play as they meet and commingle and then combine or separate. Or create storms and turmoil. All the time we may attempt to navigate these conditions in a harmonious way by meditating and praying and using various precautions to find a path that seems beneficial for our own personal happiness and those who we have encountered with similar weather patterns along the way.

I am daily pondering the concept of spheres of thought. Such a concept, by now it shouldn't surprise us, is by itself a sphere of thought.

Yes, and I may need to listen to the video again to see it quite from the influential standpoint you have reached in its perspective. I see you and I as on a similar sphere of thought… that’s is …..

While other people are living on the surface of life we’ve been digging deep inside attempting to understand it’s purpose.

[mccoy]

What I see happening here mccoy. Is that you are seeing these spheres of thought in relation to some of your personal life experiences. Please correct me if I am in error about this. Or join me in helping understand what I may be missing in my own view of this video and it’s ideas.

That's correct Steve, I'm trying to relate the concept of spheres of thought to everyday's life and to take advantage, as it were, of such a concept. That, is, there is a right sphere of thought for some specific aspect and understanding. That sphere right sphere will guide us in practical and spiritual matters, in a few words, it will solve problems.

In your example above, you have been pondering the sphere of thoughts related to interaction with other individuals. It is a very complex sphere of thought, the rules related to attitude and behaviour, the rules related to how to rein our (negative) emotions, and so on and so forth.

Lately I've been pondering different types of spheres, some apparently trivial, like how to optimize domestic chores, others less trivial, like how to optimize work, others apparently more important, like the structure of spheres of thoughts.

Anything we can think about has its own sphere of thought by definition, and anything has its right sphere of thought, that is anything can be done in the best and more correct way if we attune to the right sphere, or in the worse, useless or even destructive way if we attune to the wrong sphere.

[Jitendra Hydonus]

That's correct Steve, I'm trying to relate the concept of spheres of thought to everyday's life and to take advantage, as it were, of such a concept. That, is, there is a right sphere of thought for some specific aspect and understanding. That sphere right sphere will guide us in practical and spiritual matters, in a few words, it will solve problems.

Anything we can think about has its own sphere of thought by definition, and anything has its right sphere of thought, that is anything can be done in the best and more correct way if we attune to the right sphere, or in the worse, useless or even destructive way if we attune to the wrong sphere.

I think what is passed off as a sphere of thought can also be mindfulness, or awareness. I will give an example; Say you have difficulty with absent mindedness. It may be helpful to tune into a sphere of thought helping you with keeping track of things. Or Buddhists would say being mindful.

[mccoy]

I would also say that absent-mindedness is a concept/thought (with its own sphere), mindfulness is another, adopting the sphere of thought of concentration and mindfulness would avoid absent-mindedness.

Anandamoy talked about 'the vast spheres of thought of God's creation'. Hence we must presume there are regions of thoughts, or vast sets or clusters of thought, similar one to another, yet not identical, part of the same ensemble of concepts.

[Jitendra Hydonus]

I would also say that absent-mindedness is a concept/thought (with its own sphere), mindfulness is another, adopting the sphere of thought of concentration and mindfulness would avoid absent-mindedness.

Anandamoy talked about 'the vast spheres of thought of God's creation'. Hence we must presume there are regions of thoughts, or vast sets or clusters of thought, similar one to another, yet not identical, part of the same ensemble of concepts.

Yes, like ‘radio waves’ and ‘different frequencies’ , at times we can pick up on the different wavelengths from others around us and attune our selves to their sphere of thought, just by a few words, a look or body language.

I still remember bringing my mother to listen to a speaker at the LAKE SHRINE, it was decades ago when Brother was still alive. Brother Anandamoy was speaking that morning. When we left he blessed us, which was typical at a small gathering in those days. My mother was very intuitive about people and as we walked to the car she said to me….

“That man is so handsome.” But then she said; “And he knew what I was thinking. He could read my mind.” Well I wasn’t so sure how to respond, but was happy she had occasion to meet him and listen to the lecture he gave that beautiful Sunday morning in the Windmill Chapel at the Lake Shrine. She apparently had some type of connection with him when he blessed her. She was surprisingly open and honest about her experience that morning. In fact I do not ever recall her ever telling me anything so intimate about another man except perhaps my father.