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Ancestors watching over you?

polgara said:
I would never dream of scoffing...there's a reason so many different cultures seem to have the same types of beliefs! I even wish mine Happy Mothers Day and Happy Fathers Day. Does no harm to hedge my bets! :thumbs: And I do think they look at for us.

I also wonder if they look down sometimes and shake their heads, and think we're acting like idiots, fighting and arguing with each other over transient things that mean so little in the long run of the universe! Maybe so..... :peace:
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I have no doubt that you are right. I wonder what Bonz or even Nimbus would say. Never mind, I know, that was rhetorical.
 
Perotista said:
I have no doubt that you are right. I wonder what Bonz or even Nimbus would say. Never mind, I know, that was rhetorical.
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I consider my dead relatives, and by extension, my dead ancestors, part of the very grateful dead......................
 
Perotista said:
Here is something to think about. It is called the Four Noble Truths:
1. Life means suffering - To live means to suffer, because the human nature is not perfect and neither is the world we live in.

2. The origin of suffering is attachment. Suffering is attachment to transient things and the ignorance thereof. Transient things do not only include the physical objects that surround us, but also ideas, and in a greater sense, all objects of our perception.

3.The cessation of suffering is attainable. The cessation of suffering can be attained through nibbana. Nibbana means the unmaking of sensual craving and conceptual attachment. This idea is suffering can be ended by attaining dispassion. Nibbana extinguishes all forms of clinging and attachment.

4. The path to the cessation of suffering. it is a gradual path of sef-improvement, which is described more in detailed in the Eightfold Path. It is the middle way between the two extremes of excessive self-indulgence and excessive self-mortification. When achieved it ends the cycle of rebirth and death, others may know this as enlightenment.

Just thought I'd throw this out, for all things there must be a beginning and an end. Yet all things are impermanent.
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Pero, do you have any suggestions on possible books I could read on this subject? It's interesting! :thumbs:
 
Bonzai said:
I consider my dead relatives, and by extension, my dead ancestors, part of the very grateful dead......................
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I saw what you did there. :mrgreen:
 
Bonzai said:
I consider my dead relatives, and by extension, my dead ancestors, part of the very grateful dead......................
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Greetings, Bonz! :2wave:

Mention your name, and here you are! Scary! There must be something to this stuff! :thumbs:
 
Goshin said:
Curious as to what other religious or spiritual-minded folks think about this question:

Are your deceased ancestors watching over you from the afterlife? Do you think about this sometimes, often, never? How do you feel about that? Do you believe they can have any influence on your life?


I am a Christian, and I do believe our ancestors may be watching over us to some degree, and possibly even advocating on our behalf to God. I have some scriptual references for why I believe that, but a lot of it is based more on experiences and dreams I've had about departed loved ones.

We are, to a large degree, the end product of our family lines, of the good and bad that our ancestors passed on to our parents and to us. We owe them a lot, for good or ill.

This came to mind yesterday, when I took note of something my son does. He carries a silver dollar in his wallet that belonged to his Grandfather, my Dad. As well as being a rememberance and a "luck piece", when he finds himself unable to make a decision about something after all reasonable efforts to decide via cogitation (and/or consultation with his LIVING elders) over a period of time have failed, he takes that silver dollar out and flips it... says he feels that his Grandfather will make sure it lands on the right decision.

To be honest, that brought a tear to my eye. My Dad was a wise man, and many is the time in recent years I've thought how much I'd give to be able to confer with him before making a major decision.


It's a little quirky, I know... but its something he only does after much thought and discussion, having narrowed his choices down to the two best ideas available, when he finds he cannot choose between them.



Is this something you think about ever? Have any stories about how you think an ancestor or departed loved one was watching over you? Carry a remembrance of them you consider lucky?

(Remember: Religion forum. Respectful civility pls.)
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Yes, I believe my ancestors are witnessing my life and even advocating for blessings in it. My grandfather died of cancer. He literally held on to his life just long enough for me to tell him I got the job where he retired from, which he guided me to as soon as he saw my love of math. Less than a week after I was hired, he passed away. His funeral was precisely on my first day of work, so I couldn't attend. Naturally, I think of him sometimes at work.

Meeting my wife is the event I believe my grandfather played a part in from heaven. Having a mother who was abused and had to raise my brother and me alone, my motivation all the way through grad school was preparation to be a good husband and father. My grandfather called me a 30-year-old in a 13-year-old body at one point. Near the end of grad school, I went overseas to lecture and met my soulmate. She was beautiful, never married and no kids at 35, a college-level educator, and almost entirely the same values and likes. The common belief I found in my wife which I thought would be the hardest to find is valuing traditional gender roles. The differences in our personalities and skills couldn't match any better.
 
polgara said:
Greetings, Bonz! :2wave:

Mention your name, and here you are! Scary! There must be something to this stuff! :thumbs:
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I'm usually around in the evening. I don't always comment because I've almost, not quite yet, learned to occasionally keep my mouth shut.................
 
polgara said:
Pero, do you have any suggestions on possible books I could read on this subject? It's interesting! :thumbs:
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Most of the books I have read were given to me by the monks when the wife and me visit the wats. Unfortuneitly, I have all my books packed up getting ready for the move to the LOS, which I am not too certain will happen any time soon.

But here is a link at Amazon for books on Buddhism. Look them over and concentrate on the books that will teach you about Buddhism. Start small and work your way up if you are interested.

Amazon.com: Favorite books on Buddhism

The wife and me are Theravada Buddhist, like what is practiced for the most part in Thailand, Laos and Camboida. Then there is Mahayanna Buddhist, Vietnam and of course Tibetan Buddhist to go along with Zen and Pureland. Lets face it, there are probably as many sects of Buddhist as there are Christian.

On second thought, read about the life of the Buddha, Siddharta Gottama first. Then if you are still interested move on. Usually a lot of these books will have a list for further reading.
 
Buck Ewer said:
... As I stated before there is nothing supernatural about it.
It is your memory.
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Of all the people, I would have expected someone located at "Colorado mountains" to have a more spiritual attitude! ;)
I do agree that at times mind can replay past experiences and events or just make things up, but no denying it that also there are times when during sleep, when the body and mind are both at rest, the spirit of man is free to make discoveries, communicate with other holy/good souls or even see events taking place well into the future. I have experienced this myself a few times and the feeling on waking up was utterly wonderful!
 
Goshin said:
Well, we're discussing the supernatural in a forum reserved for discussion of same... so don't be a Buzz Killington mmkay? :mrgreen:
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Well I just felt compelled to give my personal, reality based, perception of what is a common human fallacy implied here as factual phenomena.
So if believing in supernatural communications with persons no longer living gives you a buzz then have at it...buzz away with your fairy tale convictions.
Just be sure to define your "beliefs " as such and never to declare you know these things in a public forum or I will refute again.
To me, the reality of how our minds work is much more impressive and interesting than the childish make believe explanations many here are so quick to latch on to and define themselves by.
Jus'sayin'
 
Perotista said:
Most of the books I have read were given to me by the monks when the wife and me visit the wats. Unfortuneitly, I have all my books packed up getting ready for the move to the LOS, which I am not too certain will happen any time soon.

But here is a link at Amazon for books on Buddhism. Look them over and concentrate on the books that will teach you about Buddhism. Start small and work your way up if you are interested.

Amazon.com: Favorite books on Buddhism

The wife and me are Theravada Buddhist, like what is practiced for the most part in Thailand, Laos and Camboida. Then there is Mahayanna Buddhist, Vietnam and of course Tibetan Buddhist to go along with Zen and Pureland. Lets face it, there are probably as many sects of Buddhist as there are Christian.

On second thought, read about the life of the Buddha, Siddharta Gottama first. Then if you are still interested move on. Usually a lot of these books will have a list for further reading.
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:thanks:
 
Buck Ewer said:
So if believing in supernatural communications with persons no longer living gives you a buzz then have at it...buzz away with your fairy tale convictions.
Just be sure to define your "beliefs " as such and never to declare you know these things in a public forum or I will refute again.
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He did, in the initial post:

I am a Christian, and I do believe our ancestors may be watching over us to some degree, and possibly even advocating on our behalf to God. I have some scriptual references for why I believe that, but a lot of it is based more on experiences and dreams I've had about departed loved ones
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Bonzai said:
I'm usually around in the evening. I don't always comment because I've almost, not quite yet, learned to occasionally keep my mouth shut.................
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"Last night I played a blank tape at full blast. The mime next door went nuts!" unknown :2bow:
 
mbadii said:
Of all the people, I would have expected someone located at "Colorado mountains" to have a more spiritual attitude! ;)
I do agree that at times mind can replay past experiences and events or just make things up, but no denying it that also there are times when during sleep, when the body and mind are both at rest, the spirit of man is free to make discoveries, communicate with other holy/good souls or even see events taking place well into the future. I have experienced this myself a few times and the feeling on waking up was utterly wonderful!
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If subscribing to magical thinking makes you feel all that wonderful then by all means ...indulge yourself. Connections and the way known facts relate to one another can be "discovered" during mind active REM sleep.
I have solved many problems and resolved many conundrums while asleep, but I didn't pick up any new information I didn't have when my head hit the pillow. Perceptions made while awake but never realized can be (re)-discovered during active sleep thought. But no truly new information can be brought to light while experiencing somnambular thought. The only entity you can communicate with while asleep is your self. The fact that we do is impressive enough.
I appreciate the wonderful complexity and natural beauty of the place where I live and I would never dream of cheapening it with someone else's childish magical convictions and over-simplified explanations of why I am and how where I live came to be. I commune with nature on a fundamental level with no need for supernatural anything. Nature is by itself awe inspiring enough without throwing away understanding and making up pretended awe.
 
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Mathematician said:
Meeting my wife is the event I believe my grandfather played a part in from heaven. Having a mother who was abused and had to raise my brother and me alone, my motivation all the way through grad school was preparation to be a good husband and father. My grandfather called me a 30-year-old in a 13-year-old body at one point. Near the end of grad school, I went overseas to lecture and met my soulmate. She was beautiful, never married and no kids at 35, a college-level educator, and almost entirely the same values and likes. The common belief I found in my wife which I thought would be the hardest to find is valuing traditional gender roles. The differences in our personalities and skills couldn't match any better.
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That is such a cool story- thanks for telling it. My life has seemingly been a long series of quite synchronous events, resulting in the most wonderful tapestry of life: one filled with wonder, happiness, and joy, and also filled with pain and sorrow at the same time. I often wonder what is the guiding hand of a life such as mine, as it is too filled with oddities and weird surprises just to be the work of blind fate.
 
Man's relationship with the Earth, given a few exceptions for individuals, has remained a purely exploitive one . Just like every other animal. "Man" is not the measure of anything................................
 
Goshin said:
I understand. Sometimes the pain of my losses ambushes me suddenly amid everyday activities, and I struggle to control myself... it is like a dagger through the heart.

But I accept it... I don't want to ever forget how much I loved them, and it makes me appreciate the ones I love that I still have with me even more.
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That's it, Goshin. Forgetting is a betrayal. Mostly, because life does go on, and bills have to be paid and pets fed and so on, you find, one day at a time, a way to muddle on. I'd never thought of these experiences this way, but "ambush" is the perfect word. Even decades later, you can be ambushed. It's always such a shock to rediscover that those almost unimaginable pains of grief are still...right there under the surface.
 
Life is not all that it's cracked up to be. They are in a better place.........................
 
Why, yes. Yes, they are. But that doesn't mean that we aren't here and without them.
 
nota bene said:
Why, yes. Yes, they are. But that doesn't mean that we aren't here and without them.
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We should have thought of that beforehand.....................
 
You're being a little too cryptic for me. What are you trying to say here?
 
nota bene said:
You're being a little too cryptic for me. What are you trying to say here?
Click to expand...

I'm noting that acting like death comes as some big surprise is sad.........................
 
Goshin said:
Curious as to what other religious or spiritual-minded folks think about this question:

Are your deceased ancestors watching over you from the afterlife? Do you think about this sometimes, often, never? How do you feel about that? Do you believe they can have any influence on your life?


I am a Christian, and I do believe our ancestors may be watching over us to some degree, and possibly even advocating on our behalf to God. I have some scriptual references for why I believe that, but a lot of it is based more on experiences and dreams I've had about departed loved ones.

We are, to a large degree, the end product of our family lines, of the good and bad that our ancestors passed on to our parents and to us. We owe them a lot, for good or ill.

This came to mind yesterday, when I took note of something my son does. He carries a silver dollar in his wallet that belonged to his Grandfather, my Dad. As well as being a rememberance and a "luck piece", when he finds himself unable to make a decision about something after all reasonable efforts to decide via cogitation (and/or consultation with his LIVING elders) over a period of time have failed, he takes that silver dollar out and flips it... says he feels that his Grandfather will make sure it lands on the right decision.

To be honest, that brought a tear to my eye. My Dad was a wise man, and many is the time in recent years I've thought how much I'd give to be able to confer with him before making a major decision.


It's a little quirky, I know... but its something he only does after much thought and discussion, having narrowed his choices down to the two best ideas available, when he finds he cannot choose between them.



Is this something you think about ever? Have any stories about how you think an ancestor or departed loved one was watching over you? Carry a remembrance of them you consider lucky?




(Remember: Religion forum. Respectful civility pls.)
Click to expand...

Yes. It isn't though as if they are standing around watching and turning traffic lights green for us. At least, my ancestors aren't doing that for me. ;)

We are no less present than they are or they are no less present than we are, if you like. Either way. It is, I believe, a matter of energy, vibration. When we really need them I believe we often can get their attention and they help if they can and when appropriate. They were also never there to help me with math tests in school. But that wouldn't have been appropriate.

Think of it as getting someone's attention in a crowded room. There are certain people, people close to you, who will always be able to get your attention compared to people you are not close to.
 
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