I just thought of a metaphor to describe planes of existence.

Like in a glass of Coca Cola, there are all kinds of little bubbles clinging to the inside of the glass. 

They are all inside the same place, the glass of Coke being compared to the Void in that sense.  And they are all separate and distinct. 

One by one they let go of the glass, rise to the top, and pop into nothingness.

From what I have *seen* in the Void, the awareness there, the Spirit, Universal Mind, God, or whatever you want to call It, creates these planes of existence for Its own amusement, pleasure, and other reasons, of Itself, by Itself, for Itself, as there is nothing else, just nothingness.  its not all good, but it is all better than nothing.

What I *witnessed* in the Void that I didnt understand before is that creation is not past tense.  In the Void there is only now.  Creation is all in one moment.  All that exists is what the awareness of the Void is being *now*.  It all *is* being created *now*.  Nothing else exists except that which It is being now. 

And It can be anything, subject to change without notice.  It can shake the universal etchasketch and start over from scratch in an instant.

Coca plantation

I just thought of a metaphor to describe planes of existence.

Like in a glass of Coca Cola, there are all kinds of little bubbles clinging to the inside of the glass. 

They are all inside the same place, the glass of Coke being compared to the Void in that sense.  And they are all separate and distinct. 

One by one they let go of the glass, rise to the top, and pop into nothingness.

From what I have *seen* in the Void, the awareness there, the Spirit, Universal Mind, God, or whatever you want to call It, creates these planes of existence for Its own amusement, pleasure, and other reasons, of Itself, by Itself, for Itself, as there is nothing else, just nothingness.  its not all good, but it is all better than nothing.

What I *witnessed* in the Void that I didnt understand before is that creation is not past tense.  In the Void there is only now.  Creation is all in one moment.  All that exists is what the awareness of the Void is being *now*.  It all *is* being created *now*.  Nothing else exists except that which It is being now. 

And It can be anything, subject to change without notice.  It can shake the universal etchasketch and start over from scratch in an instant.

Quote: "yes yes, creation is all in the present tense, everything is reborn in every moment totally new, it is a drag sometimes, that this is less outwardly expressed, they speak in terms of histories and yet there is only the infinite bliss of seeing it all arise total unrelated "
.........

Every little bit unrelated, yet interdependent, *everything is reborn in every moment totally new*.

This is an understanding of *dependent arising*.

I just thought of a metaphor to describe planes of existence.

Like in a glass of Coca Cola, there are all kinds of little bubbles clinging to the inside of the glass. 

They are all inside the same place, the glass of Coke being compared to the Void in that sense.  And they are all separate and distinct. 

One by one they let go of the glass, rise to the top, and pop into nothingness.

From what I have *seen* in the Void, the awareness there, the Spirit, Universal Mind, God, or whatever you want to call It, creates these planes of existence for Its own amusement, pleasure, and other reasons, of Itself, by Itself, for Itself, as there is nothing else, just nothingness.  its not all good, but it is all better than nothing.

What I *witnessed* in the Void that I didnt understand before is that creation is not past tense.  In the Void there is only now.  Creation is all in one moment.  All that exists is what the awareness of the Void is being *now*.  It all *is* being created *now*.  Nothing else exists except that which It is being now. 

And It can be anything, subject to change without notice.  It can shake the universal etchasketch and start over from scratch in an instant.

"
.........

Such a nice dream you had! So, how did that dream help you today? And how did it help others?
"
.........

That *dream* helps me everyday, just like all the *others* I have talked with who have had similar *dreams* and now live in peace.

You havent found peace, have you?  You have found a way to be *comfortably numb*, and that is not the same as *understanding*.

"
.........

Now you are looking at yourself, but you can't see me. Are you a peaceful man? Does your dream really make you live in peace, and help you to bring peace to others? Because your talk of hiding on your "piece of the world" that you cut for yourself, and the fighting, and the anger...they don't sound very peaceful.

cool.

Im not angry with you, esoteric, Im glad for you.  You have found what works for you, at least for now, and that is very good.  You have ended your suffering.

The things we talk about here, and experiences we share, tend to support meditation and the benefits of looking inside for answers and solutions.  And that is good.

What you say supports that too.  The only problem I have had with you is your attempt to *correct* others to your way of seeing things.  What right for you is not necessarily right for everyone.  Everyone has to find their own answers and solutions within themselves. 

Zazen is a great accomplishment, silence of mind, but it is not Zen in itself, and it is not an end in itself.  Its working for you, and thats all that should matter to you.

Silencing the mind is only a step toward opening the mind,

becoming a *receiver*, and then what you need can come to you.

Metaphorically, its like most people are talking away on their two-way radio,

never letting go of the mic button long enough to hear what the *other* has to say.

Maybe thats why it is said that *prayer is talking and meditation is listening*.