Kindle Notes & Highlights
by
Mark Gober
Read between
May 19 - August 1, 2025
“If the universe is meaningless, and you are embedded in that meaningless universe, then there can be no meaning to your life. It can’t be any other way. If there’s real meaning in/to your life, then there’s at least that much meaning in the universe. If the universe is meaningless, if there isn’t even a tiny little smidgen of it anywhere in the universe, then you have zero chance of ever finding it in your life.”
One Mind (2013) by Larry Dossey, MD; Transcendent Mind (2017) by Imants Barušs, PhD, and Julia Mossbridge, PhD; Entangled Minds (2006) by Dean Radin, PhD; Irreducible Mind (2009) and Beyond Physicalism (2015) by Ed Kelly, PhD et al.; Mind Beyond Brain (2018) by David Presti, PhD et al.; The ESP Enigma (2008) by Diane Powell, MD; Consciousness Beyond Life (2007) by Pim van Lommel, MD; Living in a Mindful Universe (2017) by Eben Alexander, MD and Karen Newell; The Reality of ESP (2012) by Russell Targ; Connected (2019) by Roger Nelson, PhD; The Sense of Being Stared At (2013) by Rupert
...more
The word paranormal itself is problematic because it assumes that we know what “normal” is. It’s conceivable that what we consider to be paranormal or impossible today only seems that way because of our primitive understanding of reality.
These studies suggest that there is an influence of collective consciousness on physical systems, even though most people don’t know the machines are running. The implication is that large groups of people impact physical reality when they collectively focus in the same direction. And
The truth is that we don’t even know what matter is. This seems problematic for a philosophy using that very thing as the foundational element of its reality. Nobel
Physicalism is problematic from a philosophical standpoint because it makes unnecessary assumptions and therefore lacks parsimony. It relies on a leap of faith that we don’t have to take in order to explain reality.
We’d think “science” would want to explore new frontiers. But instead, ironically, science is turning into a new fundamentalist religion. And compared to Galileo’s era, the consequences here are far more severe for our species.
Dr. Donald Hoffman’s research suggests that more evolutionarily fit organisms are ones that don’t see reality as it is. And that allows them to survive better than if they saw reality exactly as it is. We don’t need to see reality as it is in order to survive.
No existence can be proven beyond our own consciousness here and now.
From the Absolute, nondual perspective, there is no universe, no people, and nothing ever happened. It’s all just an infinite ground of all being, beyond space and time, without any separation.
wrong turn: it posits that consciousness is an inherent
“We aren’t human beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a human experience.”
Since each of us is made of the same water in the same stream, then it would logically follow that each of us is an aspect of God. This aligns with the spiritual notion that God is both immanent (within) and transcendent (beyond).
A corollary here is that the One Mind is not only Evolutionary in nature but is comprised of love. Under this idea, love isn’t an emotion; rather, it’s what the One Mind is. It’s a natural quality of the One Mind that manifests through vehicles of human bodies. When people experience love, it is a reflection of their tapping into the One Mind—their individuality is melting away, and obstructions to the broader stream are temporarily lifted.
The One Mind model suggests instead that memories are in the stream of consciousness, and the brain is a tool to access the memories. So certain parts of the brain might be related to the memory-access process, but they don’t house the memories.
We simply need to acknowledge that labeling things as “good” or “bad” is actually a form of arrogance. It’s like saying, “From the vantage point of my little whirlpool, I know what’s best for the stream.” We have no idea what the One Mind is actually up to, so it’s best to drop overly rigid positions.
Surrendering isn’t a justification for irresponsible behavior or dropping obligations and duties. A balance is required, echoing Paramahansa Yogananda’s notion of being “calmly active and actively
Let go of wanting to resist the feeling. It is resistance that keeps the feelings going. When you give up resisting or trying to modify the feeling, it will shift to the next feeling and be accompanied by a lighter sensation. A feeling that is not resisted will disappear as the energy behind it dissipates.
Hawkins often said that if you’re feeling something, you aren’t feeling enough of it.
The preferred attitude of nonattachment is one in which we are active in the world, give 100 percent effort toward whatever we are doing—with full passion—but have no attachment to what ultimately happens or when it happens. The quality of patience naturally emerges as a result.
Attachments can be sneaky. Sometimes the attachment is to a sensation that an emotion gives us—even negative ones.
If we want to get rid of negativity, the solution is to first identify the related emotion and then let go of the attachment to the juice we get out of it.
But the biggest issue with manifesting is that it is subtly arrogant. It is an imposition of the individual’s will, with its limited intelligence and perspective. The One Mind is infinitely more intelligent than the individual (even though, paradoxically, the individual is also the One Mind). Why not surrender to that broader intelligence, which knows much more about our Evolutionary journey than we do?
Furthermore, when we say we want a “thing,” what we really mean is we want a “feeling.” We view the thing as the portal into that feeling and mistakenly latch on to that thing. Why not go straight to the source and aim for the feeling? Ask yourself: “What is the feeling I’m trying to experience?”
Any desire we have is, at its core, a need for one of the fundamental qualities of the One Mind. That is so because we are the One Mind, veiled from itself, seeking itself.
I’m being intentionally harsh here toward traditional manifestation because, if misused, it can be dangerous and lead to entrapments of the ego. If manifestation is used perversely, it is using spirituality to bolster the ego, which is counter to the Evolutionary process.
the highest form of prayer becomes not to ask for anything at all, but rather to fully surrender to the One Mind’s intelligence and will. Prayer thus transforms into a willingness to serve because we reach a point where we stop craving anything
After all, in the life review, what seems to matter is whether we acted from a place of love. Orienting in that direction can help us recontextualize many otherwise difficult situations in life and enhance already positive ones.
“Choose to be easygoing, benign, forgiving, compassionate, and unconditionally loving—toward all life, in all its expressions, without exception, including oneself.”
prioritizing spiritual aims doesn’t mean being foolish and ignoring self-defense or your own needs. Common sense doesn’t go out the window just because you’re trying to be spiritual!
Being loving and compassionate doesn’t mean we have to say yes to everything. If you say yes when you mean no, you not only make yourself uncomfortable, but you give the other party inaccurate feedback about his or her behavior.
“Love yourself more by saying no to things that feel draining and burdening for you. Saying no when you want to say no, instead of saying yes to please other people, that’s a true act of self-love.”
People often act because of what society or their family tells them they “should” do and not because of a natural passion or intuition. It’s difficult to live that way for too long. I wonder if many health problems are caused, at their core, by underlying inauthenticity. The body becomes weakened trying to fight the uphill battle. It takes energy to be something other than who you are!
If we’re interconnected, what better use of our skills could there be than to help others in some way? Thus, we have a responsibility to the One Mind—the truest version of our self—to use our skills to their fullest benefit.
there is a natural tendency to want to claim personal credit without acknowledging external factors. David Hawkins called this “the narcissistic core of the ego.” It’s just a natural part of who we are in an animalistic body. The ego distorts reality. When we examine accomplishments from a more holistic view of reality, pride starts to look silly.
I’m not suggesting that we drop all of those, live in a cave, and not care about daily living because it’s too mundane. I’m instead advocating deep engagement in everyday activities, mundane or not.
simplified version of the four traditional pathways: A focus on knowledge and wisdom (Jnana Yoga) A focus on selfless service (Karma Yoga) A focus on love for and devotion to the divine (One Mind) (Bhakti Yoga) A focus on energetic aspects (for example, meditation, breathing exercises, physical yoga, qigong, and so on) (Raja Yoga)
With commitment to continued spiritual practice (in any of the four categories), we are regularly dipping our cloth back into the dye. Eventually, our normal state of being becomes increasingly tapped into the stream of consciousness.
“If you are willing to devote your life to continued growth, there are virtually no limits to the levels you can reach.”
When awakenings are significant, one’s sense of identity can shift from being an ego/individual to feeling like pure consciousness (that is, the One Mind). But even after that initial realization, there are often many additional steps toward further awakening that occur. It doesn’t end with one flashy experience.
“Awakening is an accident, but spiritual practice can make you accident prone.”
there are a number of famous cases throughout history, both in the East and the West. One noteworthy compilation is Dr. Craig Pearson’s book The Supreme Awakening: Experiences of Enlightenment Throughout Time—and How You Can Cultivate Them (2013). He
When we fully embody this state, we live each day in full alignment with the One Mind. Some call this stabilization state “liberation,” a concept often referenced in Eastern religions (moksha in Hinduism or nirvana in Buddhism). As Bonnie Greenwell put it, “We become liberated from our old identifications, compulsions, demands, and suffering.”
Flashy awakening experiences can create an ego that is actually counter to the intent of the spiritual endeavor in the first place. Judging our own experiences against those of others can be counterproductive and distracting. Each of us is wired differently, and awakening manifests differently for different people. And we don’t know how karma and other factors play into
The basic idea is that people develop in distinct ways across different aspects of their being. For example, someone may be incredibly awakened, psychic, and capable of perceiving interdimensional realities, but at the same time have serious interpersonal problems.
Therefore, if we’re on the path toward Evolving ourselves, it’s useful to engage in a combination of spiritual practices and some form of traditional psychotherapy.
Just because a teacher is awakened in some way doesn’t mean that he or she should be allowed to get away with otherwise unsavory behavior. There can be a tendency to sweep negative traits under the rug and give teachers the benefit of the doubt. That’s how cults can and do form. It’s dangerous to give people a “pass” for unacceptable behavior just because they’re “spiritual.”
We shouldn’t automatically worship someone (or ourselves) just because seeming powers arise. Perhaps they can be helpful, but they can also be potential distractions from our Evolutionary path if they are misused or lead to narcissistic egocentrism.
More recently, many well-known channelers have emerged, such as Edgar Cayce, Jane Roberts (channeling a being identifying as “Seth”), J. Z. Knight (channeling a being identifying as “Ramtha”), Abraham-Hicks, Paul Selig, and many others. I recommend Kevin Moore’s show They Call Us Channelers
“What I had been chasing was what I am.” Our true nature as the One Mind is where love, peace, and bliss reside. That’s what we’re all seeking.
