From: Here@my.place   
      
   On 14 Feb 2004 20:32:34 GMT, epochii@aol.com (Epoch II) wrote:   
      
   >>My perspective shifted as to what my "self" is after the NDE   
   >>experience.  The things we often identify with self such as our job,   
   >>our hobbies, our likes and dislikes, what we accomplish, what we own,   
   >>and personal history are not the true self.   
   >   
   >But one could argue that our interests, hobbies, likes and dislikes etc. Are   
   >just products of our individual essence. Everybody I've met here on Earth has   
   >been entirely different from one another in terms of personality and spirit.   
   >   
      
   True, but this part of us is in a constant state of change.  It is not   
   like a fixed "thing".  This is why the Buddhists call it illusion, and   
   this illusion they say is the cause of great suffering.  In fact, the   
   Buddhists even go so far as to say "no self" in reference to the   
   persona, and they say that the deep levels of consciousness are really   
   at one with all consciousness and call it the Atman or Buddha nature.   
   Christians would call this the Holy Spirit it seems.   
      
   >Why would we even choose to seperate ourselves from the singularity of God and   
   >participate in this cosmic play? Obviously, it must be to add some sort of   
   >meaning to our existence.   
   >   
      
   The mystics would say that we are never really separate from the   
   singularity of God and that we have just shifted our attention or   
   awareness.  By focusing our attention back on the God we again can   
   experience the singularity or Oneness of God.  I've experienced this   
   to some degree in prayer and meditation.   
      
   I can only guess as to the "Why".  But it does seem to be a   
   progression or evolution of life form and consciousness from lower   
   complexity to a higher complexity in the space/time based physical   
   form.  Going beyond space/time, then everything that we will ever be,   
   or everything that we ever have been, exist simultaneously.   
      
   >Therefore, even if our uniquity is a kind of illusion. I'd wish for nothing   
   >more then to keep this persona even past death. For I believe our human   
   essence   
   >is incredibly valuable, it allows us to create things that are independent   
   from   
   >each other and beautiful. And then explore the things created by others.   
   >   
   >What do you think?   
   >   
   >Cyrus   
      
   I think that we keep the current persona, as well as all the other   
   personas that we have had, but that we just realize that we are so   
   much more than any persona that we have ever been or experienced.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)