Our thoughts can't be read? Then how is this (alleged) power possible among mystics?

[GEddie]

Its part of all of the main stream religions and developmental psychology.

Archbishop Fulton Sheen spoke of the ego, the false self often in his teaching.

St John of the Cross described it as the “appetites.of the senses.” The term “ego.” wasn’t used back then.

Jim

Of course not, “ego” was coined by Freud.

There’s only one self, though. Philosophers like to parse into physical self, mental self, etc, but there’s really only the human being.

ICXC NIKA

 

[Ben_Sinner]

The main eight are:

• Aṇimā: reducing one’s body even to the size of an atom
• Mahima: expanding one’s body to an infinitely large size
• Garima: becoming infinitely heavy
• Laghima: becoming almost weightless
• Prāpti: having unrestricted access to all places
• Prākāmya: realizing whatever one desires
• Iṣṭva: possessing absolute lordship
• Vaśtva: the power to subjugate all

How is that even possible?

Some of these are very concerning as well.

Prākāmya sounds like kind of a type of solipsism

Vaśtva sounds like being able to control other people’s free will, which if this power was true, that would also undermine the faith because it is taught that our free wills can never be controlled by others.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Of course not, “ego” was coined by Freud.

There’s only one self, though. Philosophers like to parse into physical self, mental self, etc, but there’s really only the human being.

ICXC NIKA

The term was coined by Freud, but the false self, pride, disordered appetites, have been part of spiritual teaching from the masters in Christianity as well as in Eastern Religions.

As I said, Archbishop Fulton Sheen May 8, 1895 – December 9, 1979, used the term and taught about it.

Jim

 

[Ben_Sinner]

Ben, I’m curious.

You seem to read a lot of things, and then use them to doubt some aspect of Catholicism.

Because I want to make sure I’m not being duped in the faith I have chosen.

Are you convinced in your own mind that Catholicism is false?

No. I assume that the Catholic faith is true while reading up on all of this first. I’m not the type who likes to accept my choice of faith without seriously researching the “facts” of other religions. This is what happened when I became a Protestant. I didn’t bother researching because it might challenge my faith. I eventually did and ended up reverting back to Catholicism. I don’t want to make that same mistake twice. It’s a horrible feeling, crippling actually, realizing that a religion you’ve put your life into for years is wrong.

If not, then do you understand that you have an obligation to avoid things that are seriously undermining your faith?

I’m testing the spirits as St. Paul would say. Similar to my response above.

What is it about the angelic or demonic influence that you think could not adequately explain such phenomena?
**
The teachings of our faith say angels and demons can’t read our thoughts, so if the teachings are incorrect, then its hard to trust who to believe on this matter, which can lead down into a dark rabbit hole.**

 

[Vico]

How is that even possible?

Some of these are very concerning as well.

Prākāmya sounds like kind of a type of solipsism

Vaśtva sounds like being able to control other people’s free will, which if this power was true, that would also undermine the faith because it is taught that our free wills can never be controlled by others.

I think Jesus Christ can do all these things, but it does not mean that he would. I believe the sense of these powers is that once a jiva-atma (soul) becomes united to the Purusha, those powers are available because they are powers of Purusha, but then they would not be exercised through ego (ahamkara or I-maker) because that would have been subdued in order to achieve the union.

 

[Dorothy]

Evil spirits cannot read our thoughts, but they can take a very good guess by our demeanor and mood.

 

[multitude]

You can talk of not wanting to be duped all you want, but even among East Asian cultures, mysticism like this is generally seen as secret knowledge, and something that dilettantes should stay well away from, just because it is so dangerous. There are several reasons why Christianity is spreading rapidly among Asian cultures; I would guess this is one of them. If there are truly any candidates for Gnosticism of the most unfortunate variant, Eastern Mysticism is at the very top of my list.

No, the demons cannot read our thoughts, but why is it a question that they can make some good guesses that will make it look like such? They’ve had thousands of years of practice.