Hi and you're both very welcome,
Daniel T Johnson:
I liked your post about "time"... however, this makes me more confused about the word "quickly" means then? Isn't "quickness" dependent on time? Isn't progress dependent on time? or no?
The concept of "quickness" typically uses the concept of time as a basis, in simple form it could be (the sum of effect divided by time) wherein the measurements of highest return may be regarded as having had more effect occur per unit of time; ergo "more quickly." But from this example, you may be able to see that time is simply a constant used for measurement, and not a malleable condition that acts as a force upon the effect(s). It follows then that progress is not dependent on time, it is dependent on an array of conditions (which were represented by "the sum of effect" above) and it is that sum that can be measured based on the agreed-upon concept of time passage.
Daniel T Johnson:
Would that mean that "progress" happens in the timeless now (so to speak)? And, that something can happen "quickly" - but also outside of time?
No, there is no "timless now," there is this eternal moment in time, and nothing exists outside of time. Have you ever noticed that the time is always "now" irregardless of whether it is 2pm or 2am?
Daniel T Johnson:
But, also isn't it a bit unrealistic to assume that the world of mind and mater doesn't have a process of cause and effect and that things grow (with time, or with energy, or with whatever)
I have made no such assumption...the world of mind and matter are only ever actually the same world. Here in this universe, in eternal time, the various conditions (energy, understanding, motivation, patience, practice, and so many more) that cause an effect (stream-entry) may align in a way that causes that effect "quickly" or "slowly" which are relative comparisons in and of themselves and which are based on a concept of time passing (the time never actually passes, it is always now). You can actively set out to cause such an "align(ment)" or you can wait for an arbitrary amount of time to pass in which you then decide to actively set out to cause such an "align(ment)" or perhaps you win the statistical lottery (this is unlikely to happen, so to speak) and the conditions passively fall into place ("align") while you wait. Do not mistake me, the concept of time is a very useful one, it just seems to cause problems for practitioners when it is taken to be something actually existing.
Daniel T Johnson:
I sat this morning, and I did really strong insight practice for about a half hour, and my body was going wild, sensations I'd never felt before, lots of energy flow - very intense. Screaming like a little baby. A deep happiness I haven't felt since childhood. etc... It seems like after that, it is very hard to maintain strong insight practice and just power through to a higher intensity level. It seems more like "Fuck! That's going to take some integration" Sometimes it seems like even just a few minutes of very strong insight practice can create a very intense shift which may resonate for days or weeks.
"Fuck! That's going to take some integration" eh? Why?
Daniel T Johnson:
I'd love to just sit down and "power through it" and just "go for stream entry quickly"... but I really think that's just my ego talking! And, i think my ego is getting egged on by the dogma about "quickly"... and I think what I really need is to go at the "perfect pace"... neither too fast, nor too slow. The more perfect the pace, usually the more quickly I progress anyway. But, it doesn't seem like it's up to me to decide how fast that progress happens, but rather to just keep fine tuning into whatever the "perfect pace" is for me.
Perhaps it is your "ego talking," or perhaps it is your "soul" doing the talking...how do you know which is which and why does it matter either way? I cannot think of a way to achieve stream entry without wanting it and giving yourself permission to achieve it...
Speaking personally, the "perfect pace" for 'me' was as fast as 'I' could possibly seem to do it, and 'I' was in that over-drive mode for years to get where I am now...'I' threw caution to the wind, so to speak. What is it that makes up the "perfect pace" for you? Have you set limits on your ability to progress based on beliefs about "dogma about 'quickly" or beliefs about yourself or anything else of the like? That might be worth investigating.
Best,
Trent