Fireside Q&A

[Fireside_Hindu]

Oh, what the heck. It's late. I'm bored and all the cool kids seem to be doing a Q&A thread.

Ask away. I make no promises that I am even remotely interesting. But I am a Hindu with a fondness for Unicorns if that intrigues for some reason.

:camp:

 

[StarryNightshade]

Are you a video gamer? If so, Xbox One or PS4?

 

[BSM1]

What's your favorite color unicorn?

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

Are you a video gamer? If so, Xbox One or PS4?

Unfortunately, I tend to take the newer games too seriously so I"m one of those "Throw the controller across the room when sh** gets too real". My former roomate's x-box controller was never the same after I tried BioShock.

The only games I've been able to successfully play are Super Mario Brothers for the Nintendo. (Yeah...we're going back my friend) And oddly enough, any of the Soul Caliber games. But I think it was mostly the character creation that I liked. We made Elton John and Oprah Winfrey - That was a good fight.

:camp:

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

What's your favorite color unicorn?

An excellent question! I'm a traditionalist on this though. I prefer white -some might think me racist but I can't help it.

:camp:

 

[George-ananda]

Do you believe in reincarnation?

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

Do you believe in reincarnation?

I do, although I am uncertain about how the process of the soul's transfer to another body works. I have not decided if the "stuff" that we really are dissipates with the distruction of our ego at death and therefor we reincarnate as pieces of many new egos, or if the me that is me hops in a straight line from one body to the next. I guess the root of the question for me is not whether the atma or soul survives death, but whether the ego survives death. To me, that is a very important detail. Some say they can remember their past lives, which would indicate that at least a portion of the ego survives death.

This all gets confusing because of semantics and proper definitions and I confess that I'm not a scholar. But in short - I believe that in some form, the essential part of who we are survives death and returns again and again. Energy cannot be created or destroyed - it can only change form .

:camp:

 

[George-ananda]

I do, although I am uncertain about how the process of the soul's transfer to another body works. I have not decided if the "stuff" that we really are dissipates with the distruction of our ego at death and therefor we reincarnate as pieces of many new egos, or if the me that is me hops in a straight line from one body to the next. I guess the root of the question for me is not whether the atma or soul survives death, but whether the ego survives death. To me, that is a very important detail. Some say they can remember their past lives, which would indicate that at least a portion of the ego survives death.

This all gets confusing because of semantics and proper definitions and I confess that I'm not a scholar. But in short - I believe that in some form, the essential part of who we are survives death and returns again and again. Energy cannot be created or destroyed - it can only change form .

:camp:

Here’s how I believe the process works.

We have multiple layers of bodies. To simplify matters (and to lose some technical correctness), let’s say we have a soul, astral body and a physical body. When we die we lose the physical body and experience our consciousness through the astral body. We are still the same ego-personality we were with the physical body and live on in different levels of the astral planes and can meet people who have also died (as in Near Death Experiences).. We can enjoy/experience life on the astral plane to the extent that we developed in our earthly body. The astral body is eventually cast off at the end of that learning experience and our consciousness is then centered in our Soul body (Higher Self). The Soul body has memory of all incarnations and the wisdoms gained. As the Soul has not completed its perfection, it creates a new astral identity. When the conditions come together a new astral/soul body interpenetrates a fetus and the process begins again.

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

Here’s how I believe the process works.

We have multiple layers of bodies. To simplify matters (and to lose some technical correctness), let’s say we have a soul, astral body and a physical body. When we die we lose the physical body and experience our consciousness through the astral body. We are still the same ego-personality we were with the physical body and live on in different levels of the astral planes and can meet people who have also died (as in Near Death Experiences).. We can enjoy/experience life on the astral plane to the extent that we developed in our earthly body. The astral body is eventually cast off at the end of that learning experience and our consciousness is then centered in our Soul body (Higher Self). The Soul body has memory of all incarnations and the wisdoms gained. As the Soul has not completed its perfection, it creates a new astral identity. When the conditions come together a new astral/soul body interpenetrates a fetus and the process begins again.

Thank you for that explanation. I am always interested in varying views on reincarnation.

:camp:

 

[George-ananda]

Thank you for that explanation. I am always interested in varying views on reincarnation.

:camp:

I'm giving the orthodox Hindu view. I've never heard any other view that I could make any sense out of. Have you? Other views are just vague concepts primarily from westerners that don't hold up to any obvious questions; such as why does this life mean anything. The Hindu masters certainly teach this life matters as part of our spiritual progression.

 

[BSM1]

Here’s how I believe the process works.

We have multiple layers of bodies. To simplify matters (and to lose some technical correctness), let’s say we have a soul, astral body and a physical body. When we die we lose the physical body and experience our consciousness through the astral body. We are still the same ego-personality we were with the physical body and live on in different levels of the astral planes and can meet people who have also died (as in Near Death Experiences).. We can enjoy/experience life on the astral plane to the extent that we developed in our earthly body. The astral body is eventually cast off at the end of that learning experience and our consciousness is then centered in our Soul body (Higher Self). The Soul body has memory of all incarnations and the wisdoms gained. As the Soul has not completed its perfection, it creates a new astral identity. When the conditions come together a new astral/soul body interpenetrates a fetus and the process begins again.

So what does the Soul have to look forward to? And how does the Soul not it hasn't reached the end of its search

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

I'm giving the orthodox Hindu view. I've never heard any other view that I could make any sense out of. Have you? Other views are just vague concepts primarily from westerners that don't hold up to any obvious questions; such as why does this life mean anything. The Hindu masters certainly teach this life matters as part of our spiritual progression.

Well, I've heard the "temporary hell"/ "temporary heaven" explanation. Where the atma/soul/astral body "burns" off karma by spending time in hell and then proceeds to heaven for a time before returning to a body again to continue on the path to realization. My problem with this is that I don't think Heaven or Hell are places one goes to, nor do I know how one measures the time one spends in either place according to ones deeds in life. It would seem arbitrary.

:camp:

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

So what does the Soul have to look forward to? And how does the Soul not it hasn't reached the end of its search

I suppose when the soul no longer desires anything more from living in a body - when all things it has wanted to achieve or feels attached to have been completed perhaps?

:camp:

 

[George-ananda]

So what does the Soul have to look forward to?

Nirvana/Moksha/Liberation; eternal unchanging being, bliss, awareness (Brahman). A state we can't grasp but only experience. Realization without the illusion of separateness (Maya). God/Brahman separated Himself from Himself and became all this (as Krishna says in the Gita). In the end it is all returned to Oneness. It is all a cosmic play/drama of the Divine (Lila).

And how does the Soul not it hasn't reached the end of its search

All sense of ego has not yet burnt itself out?

 

[George-ananda]

Nirvana/Moksha/Liberation; eternal unchanging being, bliss, awareness (Brahman). A state we can't grasp but only experience. Realization without the illusion of separateness (Maya). God/Brahman separated Himself from Himself and became all this (as Krishna says in the Gita). In the end it is all returned to Oneness. It is all a cosmic play/drama of the Divine (Lila).



All sense of ego has not yet burnt itself out?

(yes, it’s me talking to me…..it’s how crazies do it in the cyber age...I no longer have to waste my feet and time muttering to myself walking down the street, I love it)

This merger in the Oneness in the end as you put it seems almost depressing.

 

[George-ananda]

This merger in the Oneness in the end as you put it seems almost depressing.

Well as a great Hindu saint (I believe Ramakrishna) said...I want to TASTE the sugar, not BE the sugar.

In the above quote he was speaking from the point of view of most all of us.

Later in his life, when he had terminal throat cancer, everybody of course said how they would pray for Him. He said why are you so concerned with this throat when I have two billion perfectly fine throats. At this point He was speaking through the fully Liberated state.

So the answer may be ‘as we evolve our perspective evolves’.

 

[satyaroop]

Ask away.

have you ever participated in a séance or have you ever used a ouija board?

apart from visiting this site, what else do you do in your free time?

clothing, comfort or style or both?

name a natural talent that you possess

do you have any pets?

what sort of movies do you like to watch?

do you have a sweet tooth? what do you like to eat when you crave for something sweet?

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

have you ever participated in a séance or have you ever used a ouija board?

apart from visiting this site, what else do you do in your free time?

clothing, comfort or style or both?

name a natural talent that you possess

do you have any pets?

what sort of movies do you like to watch?

do you have a sweet tooth? what do you like to eat when you crave for something sweet?

Oooh. Very nice.

1.) Never a seance, but I have used a Ouija Board as a teenager. My mother promptly told me it was "the devil". To which I replied, if the Devil lives in a Ouija board made by Mattel, I think we're all going to be fine.

2.) I'm currenty learning Hindi! I also enjoy reading and making puppets

3.)Comfort comes first, but now that my self esteem has improved over the last 5 years or so, I like to look nice too. But I'll never sacrifice comfort for style.

4.) I'm an Illustrator by trade! While it is hard work and refinement, I will say I always loved to draw and was pretty decent at it early on.

5.) My husband brought 2 cats into the marriage - They're okay, but I'm more of a dog person.

6.) Oh, lot's of things. Fantasy Adventure, Bollywood, Animated, dramas....

7.) YES. Although not as much as I use to. These days I struggle with temptation for baked goods like cupcakes, scones, banana bread. Candy doesn't do it for me though. Which I guess is a good thing.

:camp:

 

[satyaroop]

favourite flower

if you were to master a martial art, which martial art would you choose?

if you could own any car, which car would you like to own?

ok, weird one, if you had to assassinate someone, and you had two options, stalk your unsuspecting victim over a period of time using stealth and finally take a long distance shot with a sniper rifle, or, look your victim in the eye and blow his/her head off with a shotgun finishing your mission in about ten minutes

:run:

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

favourite flower

if you were to master a martial art, which martial art would you choose?

if you could own any car, which car would you like to own?

ok, weird one, if you had to assassinate someone, and you had two options, stalk your unsuspecting victim over a period of time using stealth and finally take a long distance shot with a sniper rifle, or, look your victim in the eye and blow his/her head off with a shotgun finishing your mission in about ten minutes

:run:

Wow... well, to start...

Favorite flowers.... Sunflower or Carnation
Kickboxing
VW "Hippie Bus"

And finally... I HAVE to? As in, the fate of the world is at stake? I assume this person is truly morally bankrupt?This is hard as I don't spend a good amount of time thinking about methods of killing people. (Surprise) I'm going to take the cowards route and say I wouldn't assassinate at all. Not because It would be wrong to kill, but because I wouldn't have the stomach for that kind of work. But my cop out should still reveal something about me.

:camp: