Bruce Moen
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Matthew,
From a certain perspective I could agree with Focus 27 being a sort of advanced Belief System Territory. Advanced in the sense that the inhabitants have available within F27 the resources from which to learn and grow out and beyond of their beliefs.
Many arrive in F27 still holding the belief that they require a humanoid body in order to exist. Many continue to believe in the need to eat solid food, drink liquids, walk instead of fly, sleep, etc. F27 appears to be a place where these beliefs are supported by the environment. It also appears to support changes in one's beliefs as we learn more about who and what we really are.
Realization by F27 inhabitants that a humanoid body is not necessary for continued existence can lead to one's realization that we have a choice of forms, or lack of forms. Realizing that food, water, sleep, atc are not necessary can lead to existence in which we have not need for them. Realizing that movement from point A to point B can occur in ways other than walking can lead to one's ability to "travel" by other means.
All of these things can be thought of as "shedding the body." As for indulgence in our various desires being supported there I see that as a way of "getting off the wheel of desire." If I can have any sports car in any color, horsepower, size, shape etc. at some point having them is going to become ratner boring. At the point where I become bored with having any such car I desire that desire sort of runs out of gas. The best way I know of to removed a desire for something, like a favorite kind of candy is to eat that candy so much that you can't stand to eat another one. Some desires are weak and boredom comes quickly, some are strong and indulgence will last longer. Oh well, we only have all of eternity to deal with them so at least there is plenty of time available.
Giving up attachments can be seen as a loss of self, I suppose, if we think of it as losing the part of self that had the attachment. And if that part of self came into being as the result of taking on some erroneous beliefs, like "I am a human physucal body" giving up my attachment to the part of self holding that belief has the potential for that part of self to cease its existence (that part of self holding that erroneous belief). And in the exchange perhaps I become more aware of who and what I really am. I think that is a good thing. Loss of beliefs I hold that are false certainly carries the potential for a "state of clarity of perception and love where we can think in a different way" as you put it.
Carried to its extreme, this loss of attachment to false beliefs about the nature of my being might just lead to real knowledge and understanding of who and what I really am. I see F27 as a sort of advanced training ground for those of us who have come to believe that we are human beings. The potential I see for this training ground is help us understand that "human" is just a form we have taken on for whatever purposes we made that choice. And as Rebecca use to say, we are always free to choose againg.
Yeah, interesting thread.
Bruce
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