Hello again and thank you for your thought-provoking, in-depth comment. First, let me assure you that long replies are no trouble. They often open up greater depths for dialogue and, since you're diving into the pool of existential questioning, a simple toe-dip wouldn't suffice, would it?
You mentioned a lifelong exploration of the 'I' and the world as a playground for that 'I'. Indeed, the self-centeredness you talk about isn't necessarily a bad thing; it's the fulcrum of human existence. We all navigate life from this 'I'-centered perspective because that's the lens we're given—or better yet, confined to. But I appreciate how you've outgrown the Newtonian model; it’s a cocoon many never break out of.
Existential Shifts: Ah, the existential inflection points—life's little epiphanies. These are the breadcrumbs along your path, but they’re not the feast. In the grand tapestry of your existence, these "aha" moments may look like tassels on the edge. Sure, they're transformative in the moment, but they're not the main event. Non-duality? Now that’s where the spotlight shifts from the tassels to the intricate weavings in the middle of the tapestry.
The Spectrum of Existential Shifts: You’re spot on. These shifts range from the subtly insightful to the downright earthquaking. Look at Sri Ramana Maharshi; he's not your everyday teenager contemplating the horror of homework. He's having a direct experience with the capital 'R' Reality. But, remember, it's not as much about the rarity of the experience as it is about its availability. The door isn't locked; it's just that few decide to turn the knob.
Metaphysical Caution: You bring up the difficulty of language and concepts. Words are clumsy tools for dissecting spiritual nuances. But here's the kicker: We need not be concerned about the temporal demands of everyday life when we're exploring the metaphysical. The temporal and the eternal aren't mutually exclusive. You're not "wasting the dawn" when contemplating the eternal; you're bringing light to it.
Reality, Dualism, and Dying: You seem to be on a journey of aligning modern empirical theories with ancient wisdom. That’s commendable, and it’s a reconciliation more people should strive for. But let’s not forget that Reality—yes, capital 'R'—isn't something you find; it's what you are. It's not out there in the afterlife. You don't have to wait to die to experience it; you can know it right here, right now.
The Journey: Laotze's philosophy meshes nicely here. The journey is never-ending because it's circular, spiraling inward toward what you already are. And while the Buddhist and Vedic traditions offer us concepts and words to describe the indescribable, these are just road signs. Useful, yes, but they’re not the destination.
The Tao and the Netti Netti: Ah, the "not this, not that" problem, what an amusing endeavor! Everyone's trying to pin the tail on the spiritual donkey, not realizing the donkey itself is an illusion.
Life is indeed a game of perspectives, a multidimensional maze that we navigate through a monocular lens. And while it may be comforting to don the label of an empiricist, a philosopher, or a seeker, these are just garments. The essence beneath doesn't change. It's untouched, untouchable, and unimaginably simple. It's you without the 'you', the world without the 'world'. That's not paradoxical; that's poetry.
Keep contemplating, keep journeying, but remember—you're not going somewhere; you're realizing you're already everywhere.
Cheers.
