I think the more conscious you are

Science disagrees.

 

See, here's my problem with this idea that enjoying the moment, is something that you have to stop thinking for.

20 years ago, I had few moments of joy... I spent all my time chasing down the next sale and the next dollar... So I sat down and THOUGHT about life, and what I wanted out of it... and because of those THOUGHTS... I embarked down a different path... One that has brought many moments of joy as I made a step forward towards my goal...

Now I sit here after the main goal of the path was accomplished, and I sat down and THOUGHT about it some more (it being life in general) and refined my path and clarified some of the details I want to change/fix/improve upon... and each time I do something that makes this a little better... I have yet another moment of joy...

This is on top of the many many many moments of joy that I have daily here, that I never would have had, had I stopped thinking and acted like a chicken with an attention span of 1 second....

But hey, each to their own... shut your brain off, live with no thoughts to the future... it is your life after all... In 20 years, when you are in the exact same position you are in now, and your brain gets a bump and wakes up... don't bother asking why you are still there... you should already know the answer...

 

You take it too far. Your dreams and goals and responsibilities don't go away when you learn to live in the moment. You don't shut your brain off when you be here now, but there are beautiful moments where you can experience something without reference to yourself, and that is being here now. So I do agree with you but also agree with OP to some degree. There are a variety of ways to be here now, but I do think being a conscious, thinking person is one of them.

 

Actually, no, I'm not done yet...

When I sit in front of our nice warm woodstove with the doors open and bask in the warmth of the fire, or sit outside at the fire pit doing it, I experience quite a lot joy... then I THINK about the fact that the fire is a direct result of my actions... and I am enjoying it on my land that my THOUGHTS made possible... and I think about the fact that even if the whole fabric of society collapsed at that moment, we would pretty much be fine here, still sitting and enjoying basking in the results of my thoughts... and the joy of that moment is magnified by 1000...

 

:sifone: I feel ya man.

 

I'm not taking it anywhere... it is exactly what the OP said...

 

I didn't read it like he was advocating that we should be thinking less at all times, but maybe he was. I got the idea he meant when you choose to do something, you should think less about this or that and focus your energy on what you are doing.

I see both sides of this argument: using your intellect and thinking outside this moment can be extremely rewarding, but so is losing yourself in the moment and seemingly "waking up" to yourself realizing how amazing that moment just was.

 

I have no problem agreeing with the second part of this...

As to what he meant... I went back to re-read things to see if I had got the wrong impression...

What do the following things say to you?

I read this as an attack against reason and thinking in general...

The OP makes his feelings of 'smart people' (one would have to assume this means he FEELS he is a moron) quite clear...

This wasn't "Experience the moment for what it is", which I have zero problems with... it was It's better to shut your brain off and go with the flow... Which I have HUGE problems with...

 

Ya I guess I should read the whole thread next time lol, my bad.

 

Most restaurants that I visit take the menu away after you order and before your food is cooked.

 

Same here...

 

Bibbity-boppity-boo!

Chronic Thompson, I didn't come here with a clear understanding of what I was talking about and I switched my opinions as I went Anywho, I guess I feel that when you don't think and act on impulse you're feeling and you're going to go to the best feeling which may result in loss of things of value for sake of a good time. When you think you evaluate and see where you are. I guess no matter which path you walk on you won't notice you're out of money and clothes until you choose to sit down and think about it.

 

Did you go huff some gas before posting this?

There were a few different replies that I started to make then deleted because they just kept coming out way too negative...

I'm going to leave it as this... one of those things of value that you may (and in some peoples cases I would say most definitely already have) lose in seeking that good time, is your brain cells...

Stay away from the gasoline...

 

I think life has to be a balance between living in the moment and using each moment as a means to an end. Tom, for example, you mentioned cutting wood to make a fire. You may start the task with the end in sight, but you can still relish all moments leading up to the final goal. The feel of your sinews as you swing your ax, the sharp crack when the wood is split, the feel of sweat dripping down your chin, the satisfaction of using your body in a productive way. These are not things that need to be thought about, only felt. You may cut the wood to make a fire and at some point before the beginning of the task your brain was processing the fact that it would take x + y to = z, but you can still enjoy each moment as it comes to you.

 

I totally agree... but the mind is still involved in enjoying that moment...

Want proof?

Give an axe to someone who has never split or seen wood being split and see how much they 'enjoy the moment'

 

Wonderfully worded. Finally made the point I'm sure a few of us were trying to make.

 

This point was never in contention, as I've said at least a few times in this thread...

Why people keep trying to argue it is beyond me... Yes, feelings are involved in being in a moment... AND so is the mind... the mind is not an accessory that you turn on and off at will, it is a part of every single thing you do and experience... It is not greater then feeling, but it is also not less then feelings...

 

Well clearly, anyone with a basic understanding of neuroscience can tell you that. Senses collect information from the world around us and sends it to the brain where it is decoded and a reaction is initiated, creating our emotions or "feelings" towards a person or event. This implies that really there is no such thing as non-conscious "feeling" and our brain processes are involved anyway whether we like it or not.

The thing being debated for me in this topic is whether to go further with these emotions and feelings, to attempt to explain and describe them based on your current situation to create more reactions and extend the "thought" so to speak.

Its kinda confusing and I probably wrote it horribly but I'm just trying to get all the info out on the table.