Have you guys ever heard about a mental illness called Agoraphobia?
I actually suffered from it about four years ago. It stems from severe anxiety and panic disorder, the sufferer becomes so conditioned by fears of panic... they no longer feel they can be around strangers, friends or family without having a panic attack. So they end up staying alone in their house too afraid to go out their front door. As you can imagine it's a shitty existence... and very "impersonal".... and guess what it's completely personal as well! Because the sufferer is extremely identified with all feelings, thoughts, memories, sensations.
The only way to free yourself from the "conditioning" is slow exposure to the environment... to slowly uncondition yourself and let go of limiting beliefs.
The whole experience gave "me" some interesting insights into the power of thoughts, feelings, sensations, emotions, memories... Or in one word the personal... And gee how much the personal can become the impersonal!
I have come along way since those days... and could never see myself becoming strongly attached to my "fear stories" again. I have alot more knowledge now about the human condition.
Jeff Foster seems like he's comfortable sitting on the fence these days... Maybe he sells more spiritual books that way. But where would he be without the "original teaching" or Advaita pointers which helped him out of his depression and freed him from his limiting beliefs?
I actually don't have a problem with his article, but I do see it as another distraction from the main objective... which is to stop identifying with limiting - thoughts, feelings, sensations, emotions, memories - for sufferers of depression, agoraphobia, panic disorder, general anxiety disorder.
My signature below ... sums it up best.
