What distinguishes the real from the unreal?
Your mind. With a free-enough mind (note I am not saying disciplined, I am saying free) that which is unreal can be seen as real, and that which is real can be not seen. With an overly-disciplined mind, nothing is seen as real. Everything is a construct. With the balanced mind, one recognizes that there are things that appear real yet are not, and there are things unseen that are real. With wisdom and insight, one can tell the difference, and that can lead to not seeing that which is not real, and seeing all that is real.All is illusion, yet nothing is illusion. Everything, all times, places, and things are with us at every moment, yet none of them are here. It sounds like a koan, and that's because it is.There are many other definitions of "real" and "unreal", but they work only within a pre-supposition of what is "real" and "unreal". Within that pre-supposition, they may be "true" or "false", and this is not dimunitive of us - 99.9% of us must operate within our pre-suppositions. The opening to enlightenment is asking if our pre-suppositions are "true" or "false". This is not dimunitive of us either, all but the most close-minded adjust our pre-suppositions. The question is whether you look through that opening as an end in itself or look away when your "true" and "false" no longer contradict. Through that opening is where true real exists.
Is insight acquired, or innate?
Hi, I think it's probably a bit of both. Insight requires intelligence, perception and a sensitivity that perhaps cannot be learned. Wisdom is the application of accumulated knowledge and experience with common sense and insight. Insight I feel is something slightly deeper and more spiritual. There can be different types of insight: intuitive insight, paranormal insight, emotional insight - being able to sense what someone is thinking or feeling; karmic insight - the accumulated karmic tendencies that we carry from our past lives if you believe in this. How does one become 'insightful'. Perhaps through observation; through constant questionning and lifelong learning; through meditation and spiritual searching and through experience? Polly
What is difference between the word "reflection" and "insight"?
Having an insight is an instance of apprehending the true nature of a thing, esp. through intuitive understanding, whereas having a reflection might be a thought occurring in consideration or meditation. I can see how the line between the two sometimes can be blurred. Reflection is like a visual echo, copy or repeat of what's knowledgeably true, whereas insight is more of understanding a larger picture of something that is knowledgeably true. Insight (also known as an epiphany) can be used with several related meanings: • a piece of information • the act or result of understanding the inner nature of things or of seeing intuitively • an introspection • the power of acute observation and deduction, penetration, discernment, perception called intellection or noesis • an understanding based on identification of relationships and behaviors within a model, context, or scenario (i.e. artificial intelligence) An epiphany is the sudden realization or comprehension of the (larger) essence or meaning of something. Introspection may be used synonymously with and in a similar way to self-reflection.
Where does insight come from?
The correct question to ask is, “Are insights real”? “Are they useful”? “How do we classify something as insight and other as random thought”? One man's insight maybe another man’s silliness.The Buddha gave a simile of someone being shot in the leg by a poison dart refusing to take treatment unless he gets answers to, “Where did the dart come from”, “what kind of poison was used”? “Who was the person that fired the dart”? etc… This man in the story would not survive if he insists of getting the answers to these questions before his treatment starts. What is more important is that the dart is there and there is a doctor to give treatment.The Buddha is practical he will say is this “Insight” taking you towards wellness and happiness or is it just making you run after “Stuff”.When we lose sight of what is important then we tend to be like someone refusing to take treatment when the medicine is available.The most important thing is to train the mind and we learn HOW the mind works and how thoughts arise. Once you know this then you will be able to distinguish between a random thought and insight. You will have control over the source of all insights the mind.So learn about the tools that give you access to the mind. Don’t get caught up in philosophy.Dhamma Sukha Meditation Center
What are the valuable differences between knowledge, wisdom, and insight? Beyond their basic definitions, what benefits do they hold?
WISDOM:Wisdom is the fruit in the tree of Knowledge!Some think wisdom comes only from experience. It is not right.There are other ways to get wiser or be wise such as:1) Listening to all, whether they are your friends or foes, near ones or far ones.2) By observing others silently and keenly thinking of the "WHY" of everything.3) Serving elders and wiser ones, who share their wisdom.4) By acquiring a good G.K.5) Each person in this world is unique. Even mono-zygotic twins are not exactly the same. One may be good at something by nature and another may learn the same thing with great difficulty. You may call it Karma, Past birth Experience, or, if you are bitten by the science bug, you may take it to be "the way the person's brain wired is such that he/she is wiser than others."The demi-god Ganesha, a Hindu deity, is a symbol of wisdom. His life story hints at how to get wise. He served his parents and acquired the knowledge of the entire world without even seeing the world himself.Big ears of Ganesha are symbolic of listening to all people even if they are near to you or far from you.Ganesha's Trunk indicates, poke your nose into everything. i.e. learn something about everything and everything about something.Big head indicates to think well before you talk or take decisions.You dont have to die yourself to know what happens when you die. You can learn from others' experience.Instead of discussing whether it is possible to fix an elephant's head to a human body, we can try to understand the symbolic meanings hidden in the Indian Gods' Statues.INTELLIGENCE :It can be defined as the degree of freedom of mind.There are different types of intelligence.It is also the creative ability and the ability to solve problems quickly.COMPARISON:A villager can be wise but not intelligent.A townsman can be intelligent but not wise.So, all can acquire wisdom in various ways which is the way to success.An intelligent person may find success very hard but it is easy for a wise man!Intelligence can be rented, but wisdom has to be sought humbly.A person who remembers more information has greater knowledge than others who remember less.Knowledge is potential powerandWisdom is the practical power (the ability, gained by experience or otherwise, to use the knowledge).i. e. the ability to use the knowledge is more important than the knowledge itself.Even an illiterate person can rule the world if he/she knows, i.e. how to use the knowledge of others.
Due to the lack of insight in NPDs, how can you really tell that you (the victim) aren't in fact the real abuser? What if the supposedly NPD is the real victims, since NPDs don't usually question their own state of minds?
To someone with NPD they are the victim.To a person abused by someone with NPD they are the victim.To someone who is over it they are a survivor, not a victim.It's very possible if not certain my exs feel they were the true victims in our relationship. Even dispite being able to offer up sound logical reasons for why they are not, makes no difference to how they feel because as you say they rarely question their own state of mind let alone see things from someone else's perspective.Will this convince me that I am infact the true abuser? Lol no. Because I do reflect greatly on my state of mind, I don't lack insight and I'm capable of understanding all human emotions not just a select few.Through process of logical reasoning snapping the hyoid bone in my neck because he were caught cheating is not on any level acceptable behaviour. But he did, and still to this day tells the world I cheated and that's why he lost his cool because he loved me so much and accidentally snapped my neck. Either way I do not see him as the victim in that senario even if his version were true which it isn't, makes no difference. He went to prison for his actions and was the victim throughout that also. People actually had conversation about me on fb saying how I was a bitch for showing up to court. Oh well. I showed up, he got three years and I was labelled the the abuser him the victim.It's all a matter of perspective, and to me the only one that matters is my own.Hope this helps, thanx for the request ✌❤
How real do the visual hallucinations seem to a person with schizophrenia? Is there anyway a sufferer of this affliction can distinguish hallucinations from reality?
1. How real do visual hallucinations seem to the person with schizophrenia?It varies. To some, visual hallucinations seem very real and they do not doubt the the hallucinations for a second. To others the hallucinations are questionable- possibly real, or real sometimes and not real other times. To others visual hallucinations are distracting and annoying as they assume that they are not real.2. Do they have a tactile component? People with schizophrenia can have tactile hallucinations, sometimes as a component of visual hallucinations, as suggested by the question, other times as symptoms independent of any other symptoms. However tactile hallucinations are more likely to be the result of drug use (stimulants), drug or alcohol withdrawal, or neurological problems.3. Is there any way a sufferer can distinguish hallucinations from reality? Partially answered in answer # 1- it depends upon the severity of the illness. Some people can reason themselves out of the hallucinations, and some can not. Additionally, the degree to which people can reason themselves out of belief in hallucinations is to a great degree dependent upon the stage in the illness. As people begin to improve, most of them gain some insight into the nature of their symptoms. If they relapse (which is not uncommon) they typically lose insight and lose the capacity to distinguish the hallucination from reality. It should be remembered, however, that the hallucinations most commonly experienced by people with schizophrenia are auditory. About 1/3 of people with schizophrenia have visual hallucinations. Very few people with schizophrenia experience tactile or other hallucinations. It should also be remembered that hallucinations of many types, and other symptoms of psychosis can also be caused other mental illnesses, very intense emotional experiences among people without mental illnesses and by a long list of medical illnesses, among them urinary tract infections, dementias, neurological disease and hyper thyroid disease.