Arden said:

Excellent reflections, Chronic. Thanks for sharing.

I would say that the only ones who can attest to "letting go" are the ones who have been over the edge, but they never come back, alas. The same breathing meditation that compels a realization of no-thing, is still a process of interacting with things (whether they are mental notions or otherwise). Additionally, having a desire to share ideas on a forum is indicative of the existence of 'other', even if only as a faction of the mind to later be transcended.

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I feel this is a good point, as once you've let go, if you still interact in world, does it automatically mean you've become re-attached?

Perhaps you could say this response is evidence contrary to letting go, but could it be that while responding one can be inwardly unattached?
When the Buddha spoke to his disciples do you feel he was attached to his responses?
Is awakening so strict that your only allowed to sit under a tree & not move a millimetre?
Or would it not imply total expression, total freedom, but with no attachment?
Do we have to be attached in order to express?

Any process of expression is fine, as long as you know that your Self is not bound within the process, this is the point of letting go, to see that you are not a process, expressions emanate & play within you, but you are not attached, your not hooked in to any particular process.

When your not hooked into any particular personal process, you become aware of the universal process unfolding in all its glory
The universal includes the personal expression, so it is not dead, its fully integral

If an indication of awakening was not interacting with beings & your environment, it would be hiding from the world, not waking up

Thanks for bringing it up

BrainChemistry said:

observing is where you must start.

How can you think about that which you haven't first observed?

The quality of the observation determines the quality of the thinking and the quality of the choosing. If one fails to look at their own ideas, then one will quickly delude themselves

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BrainChemistry said:

Of course all of that has its place. But, observing is where you must start.

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How can you think about that which you haven't first observed? In order to develop any philosophy, first you have to see that there is a problem. First you have to see that there is a conflict..between people or between ideas.

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The quality of the observation determines the quality of the thinking and the quality of the choosing. If one fails to look at their own ideas, then one will quickly delude themselves into false and ignorant beliefs.

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Philosophy is merely discussing what you have observed. If you take any philosophical discussion as "fact", then you are missing the point entirely. Philosophy doesn't deal in "facts". It deals in concepts and ideas.

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The point that Chronic is making is that "letting go" is the abandonment of all concepts and ideas as "fact". When you let go, you cease to attach yourself to any concept or idea. You merely observe and investigate what is in front of you with an open mind.

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Putting this into any kind of desirable effect is another problem entirely though. Because, is it possible to perform any action without a concept?

I don't know. I can't say that I have learned to truly "let go".

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Icelander said:

I do not myself think there is any good reason for thinking that a rational and logical person need reject much of buddhist psychology. Unfortunately I think some buddhists do not understand what they are (as proponents of buddhism) and so turn it into another sometimes illogical religion.

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