Can you see that

a) an imagined boogey man under your bed (substitute anything that could frighten you), and the subsequent feelings/emotions that arise because of those thoughts

is no different from

b) imaginary thoughts about yourself in the future, and the feelings/emotions that arise because of the idea that this 'future you' will need security

???

Jim,

I would say we're fearful and defensive because we're protective of a phantom self. We believe the self, a psychological "I," is actually us, but it isn't - - it's a totally imaginary thought construct, an idea. This mental construct exerts overwhelming power over us because we have an almost religious belief in its reality. I wonder if it's possible to see that this belief is a mistake. If it can, it seems reasonable that everything fearful and bad associated with the self disappears along with the self.

At its center the self, the "I," is a single thought. We make certain that all fact and experience in our life is filtered and evaluated in light of this fictional being, so obviously all of our thought is tied to the self, the "I." If we do away with the self, what happens to thought? It appears to me that thought disappears as well. Thought is something different from the formation and recall of memory and image. Thought is a motivated mulling over of memory to see what effect that memory has on the self. The undistorted formation and clear recall of memory and image is true thinking. For true thinking to take place, the "I" must be absent.

The self serves no purpose (actually, just the opposite), yet it thrives almost like a parasite in the human being, world-wide and home-grown in every culture. It's a curious fact that because of the universally held belief in the actual reality of the thought construct called "self," humanity is allowing constructs to control the world. Constructs. Billions of them. Truly, we are living in a WORLD OF THE WALKING DEAD.

max

max greene wrote:
We believe the self, a psychological "I," is actually us, but it isn't...

For Jim's edification, tell us again, what you are.

"See thought arising; watch it. Without that, all else is illusion and becoming."

Jim F wrote:
b) imaginary thoughts about yourself in the future, and the feelings/emotions that arise because of the idea that this 'future you' will need security

"Imaginary thoughts"? Aren't all thoughts imaginary?

As for the "future you", it will need at least as much security as it has now if one expects to keep living.

nick carter wrote:
"Imaginary thoughts"? Aren't all thoughts imaginary?

Yes, I was just emphasizing that it's imagination.

nick carter wrote:As for the "future you", it will need at least as much security as it has now if one expects to keep living.

I'm refering to a psychological future you.

This whole process of imagining myself in the future psychologically, is the creation of psychological time, and the erroneous search for psychological security.

Jim F wrote:
This whole process of imagining myself in the future psychologically, is the creation of psychological time, and the erroneous search for psychological security.

"This whole process of imagining myself" at all, "is the creation of psychological time..."

But it isn't necessarily a problem. In order to function in society you must pretend to be somebody, play a role, fashion a character. It's just an act, but it becomes a problem when you're seduced by your own fashionability.

nick carter wrote:
"This whole process of imagining myself" at all, "is the creation of psychological time..." But it isn't necessarily a problem. In order to function in society you must pretend to be somebody, play a role, fashion a character. It's just an act, but it becomes a problem when you're seduced by your own fashionability.

Whilst you believe that to be true you will continue to live a life of confusion and suffering.

Jim F wrote:
Whilst you believe that to be true you will continue to live a life of confusion and suffering.

Oh no! You mean I can't be a sanctimonious prig like you, Jim?

nick carter wrote:
It's just an act, but it becomes a problem when you're seduced by your own fashionability.

carrying a problem and its solution.
gb

We are watching, not waiting, not expecting anything to happen but watching without end. JK