Is heaven more a state of mind rather than another dimension ?

Geomy

What's your interpretation of heaven ?

recedite

Sunny days, warm water, and a light offshore breeze to hold up the waves so that they break in perfect tubes.

gctest50

Geomy

Is heaven more a state of mind rather than another dimension ?

Very interesting angle on visions and other things


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/2865009.stm

Researchers from the University Hospitals of Geneva and Lausanne (Switzerland) have found that Out Of Body Experiences can be produced by direct electrical stimulation of a specific part of the brain. Dr. Olaf Blanke and his colleagues worked with a 43-year-old female patient who suffered from right temporal lobe epilepsy. In order to identify the location where the seizures occurred, the researchers implanted electrodes on the brain under the patient's dura. While the patient was awake, the researchers could pass electrical current through the electrodes to identify the function of the brain area under each electrode.


Electrical stimulation of the angular gyrus on the right side of the patient's brain produced unusual sensations. Weak stimulation caused the patient to feel as if she was "sinking into the bed" or "falling from a height." Stronger electrical stimulation caused the patient to have an Out Of Body Experience. For example, the patient said, "I see myself lying in bed, from above, but I only see my legs and lower trunk." Stimulation of the angular gyrus at other times caused the woman to have feelings of "lightness" and of "floating" two meters above the bed.


~ Blanke, O., Ortigue, S., Landis, T. and Seeck, M. Stimulating illusory own-body perceptions. Nature, 419:269-270, 2002.

tommy2bad

Geomy wrote: »

What's your interpretation of heaven ?

Somewhere all things are possible. I'm looking forward to the jam session with Hendrix and Lynot out front, Keith Moon on drums, Beethoven on keyboards and Elvis throwing shapes as he sings backed by the heavenly choirs.
I'm not sure heaven is a place in the sense of being a physical place, I suspect it's a state of being. I also think the kingdom of God is not heaven but heaven on earth. Slight difference but an important one.
It's all speculation any way. Fun to think about but not worth more than what it inspires us to do here and now.

Corkgirl210

my interpretation of heaven is like earth but not as dense --the soul continues to grow once you pass over.. to me it is both a state of mind and another dimension... another state of consciousness in another dimension...

one thing for certain is.. life goes on... and the glimpses I have gotten make it a beautiful place ... colours are more vibrant (indescribable) - you do not have to work like here but you can pursue your creative gifts, halls of learning etc mean you have access to knowledge... life is a million times easier than here... they say only the courageous souls come here to earth to live in such a dense place... oh and lets not forget the unconditional love ...

Lantus

there 'may' be an existence beyond this but there not a single shred of evidence to suggest that it exists except wishful thinking.

At the very best we help some flowers grow through our nutrients being recycled.

We should enjoy life to the full and ensure we leave the planet and its people in a better condition. If people did not believe in an afterlife I doubt they would stand for such a shoddy life on earth as easily or engage in warfare or other nonsensical activities. Instead they would dedicate them selves to improving technology, science, medicine and all manner of social and scientific endeavours to ensure that people enjoy the very best life they can. Beyond that all we have is 'guess work'.

kneemos

Rayanne2010 wrote: »

my interpretation of heaven is like earth but not as dense --the soul continues to grow once you pass over.. to me it is both a state of mind and another dimension... another state of consciousness in another dimension...

one thing for certain is.. life goes on... and the glimpses I have gotten make it a beautiful place ... colours are more vibrant (indescribable) - you do not have to work like here but you can pursue your creative gifts, halls of learning etc mean you have access to knowledge... life is a million times easier than here... they say only the courageous souls come here to earth to live in such a dense place... oh and lets not forget the unconditional love ...

Where did you get the glimpses?

kneemos

Totally forget who it was but there was some guy on the radio who had surveyed people who had near death experiences,the one thing I found very interesting was that those who had experienced something all got the impression that religion of any sort was irrevilent.
Some of them at least must have had religious beliefs so for them to denounce their beliefs was odd,never mind for them all to have the same impression.

antiskeptic

Geomy wrote: »

What's your interpretation of heaven ?

Same as here but without sin and the effects of same. Pretty mind blowing thus.

antiskeptic

Lantus wrote: »

We should enjoy life to the full and ensure we leave the planet and its people in a better condition.

What if enjoying life to the full involves taking what you can get and damn anyone else? I mean, you'd have to have some absolute argument as to why someone should conform to your idea of life to the full.

Good luck with that without an Absolute foundation to point to

If people did not believe in an afterlife I doubt they would stand for such a shoddy life on earth as easily or engage in warfare or other nonsensical activities

War makes perfect sense if wanting what others have - and they don't want to give it to you.

Instead they would dedicate them selves to improving technology, science, medicine and all manner of social and scientific endeavours to ensure that people enjoy the very best life they can. Beyond that all we have is 'guess work'.

You spoke earlier about the lack of evidence for an afterlife (many would disagree with you on that). What there is evidence for - all you need - is that selfishness is to mankind as is the air he breathes. Belief in the afterlife or no.

Corkgirl210

Lantus wrote: »

there 'may' be an existence beyond this but there not a single shred of evidence to suggest that it exists except wishful thinking.
Beyond that all we have is 'guess work'.

There are religions based on the PROOF and not guess work. Spiritism and Spiritualism to name but a few..

Jesus was the biggest proof of all? He was a healer and a medium.

Corkgirl210

just came across this..interesting!


one expert claims he has evidence to confirm an existence beyond the grave – and it lies in quantum physics. Professor Robert Lanza claims the theory of biocentrism teaches that death as we know it is an illusion created by our consciousness.

NIMAN

I have always seen this as the silliest argument ever, as we will never know if it exists or not.

If it does, no-one has obviously been able to come back to tell us it exists.
If it doesn't, no-one will ever know.

Corkgirl210

NIMAN wrote: »

I have always seen this as the silliest argument ever, as we will never know if it exists or not.

If it does, no-one has obviously been able to come back to tell us it exists.
If it doesn't, no-one will ever know.

Isn't that what mediums and channellers do? They bring through the "dead" to prove that it does exist?

NDEs? the Same?

Yes most definite a silly argument..

Safehands

antiskeptic wrote: »

Same as here but without sin and the effects of same. Pretty mind blowing thus.

What about Hell then?

Philo Beddoe

Rayanne2010 wrote: »

Isn't that what mediums and channellers do? They bring through the "dead" to prove that it does exist?

No, that's what they claim to do.

antiskeptic

Safehands wrote: »

What about Hell then?

Same as here stripped of all that is good I'd warrant. No ability to relate, no joy, no comfort, no peace, no contentment, no satisfaction, no pleasure, no creation, no creativity, no hope, no escape.

I suppose our existence here exposes us to hints of heaven and hints of hell. This in order to equip our choice. The reality might (as the Bible puts it) be beyond our ability to imagine it but that refers, I think, to the extent and scope of it rather than the essential quality of it.

I can begin to imagine what heaven or hell is like, I just have to let my mind (and my memory) wander down the roads which travel towards those destinations.

shadowcomplex

1.Consensual sex with Kate Upton

2.Mind to be wiped.

3.Repeated for eternity

tommy2bad

shadowcomplex wrote: »

1.Consensual sex with Kate Upton

2.Mind to be wiped.

3.Repeated for eternity

Hers or yours?

hinault

Heaven is being in the presence of the Beatific Vision.

antiskeptic

tommy2bad wrote: »

Hers or yours?

I don't think her having a mind is pertinent to shadowcomplex's view of heaven.

robp

gctest50 wrote: »

Very interesting angle on visions and other things


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/2865009.stm

To be fair, out of body experiences are not usually described as a experience of heaven.

lazybones32

I've read Revelation's description of Heaven and I've heard those who claim to have visited it but I don't care what or where Heaven is: I simply want to be in the company of Jesus...be it a Palace or a matchbox.