winterknight

In my opinion 'awakening to different facets' of things (including love, as if it's something separate) is a big confusion. There's a single truth (and not even that), which goes beyond concepts, people, facets, angles, degrees, etc. Though other people are free to believe what they want.

You can write them down, no problem. Self-inquiry has to be taken anyway from when you do it while doing nothing else to something that you do every waking moment. It is compatible with every other activity. While you are writing, put your attention on who that writing experience is occurring to.

Great . SSRIs shouldn't be a problem, but as always, look to your own individual circumstance -- your direct experience tells you that it doesn't hurt your spiritual growth. That's what's important. Listen to yourself, observe your own experience, and think.

Nope, nothing to be concerned about. Was it peaceful? There are all kinds of states that can happen when doing self-inquiry, and the response to all of them is the same: if a question about them arises, or any dissatisfaction, turn your attention to the light by which you are aware of these things. It isn’t necessarily a verbal question that’s needed (though it’s fine to use it if you want)... it’s a turning of attention to notice the one that is noticing.

Neither. Surrender just means you relax the muscle of the mind — the only effort remaining being to stay in that relaxation. There’s no “surrender to” any more than when you relax your arm you’re “relaxing it to” something. You’re just relaxing it. Whatever thoughts occur, occur, but you’re not putting any voluntary deliberate mental effort into anything.

This is a recorded session of a guidance session between me and a seeker who very graciously consented to be recorded. We have already had several sessions together, so he's familiar with many of the concepts and practices already. We cover self-inquiry, surrender, jnana yoga (knowledge yoga), and more, all in the context of his real-world experience.

From the spiritual standpoint, it's not that you either 'should' or 'shouldn't' but that you should be honest about what you do care about. If you do emotionally care about politics, pursue it. If you don't, don't. But the point is to be emotionally honest. "Who am I?" Engage in self-inquiry per my guide. Because you don't fully understand the meaning of your being alone. Pursue what it is what you emotionally want to pursue, only try to engage in self-inquiry, read spiritual texts, and understand the higher reality while you're doing it.

In fact, there is no such battle. If you self-inquire deeply enough, you will see this. It's impossible for the intellect to understand.

Follow the chapters on metaphorization and the science of desire in my book. That is the best way to deal with these kinds of questions about your feelings: about what it's trying to tell you, the messages it holds, how to understand what intuition is in this context, etc. Yes, the higher self most certainly does communicate through fear. And apart from doing that, get some other stuff from my recommended reading list and start reading.

Ramana Maharshi would never say what you've said, that's why he's Ramana Maharshi and not a confused person. Please, consider going and getting psychoanalysis if you can. I really think you would benefit from it.

Yes, because your question stems from confusion, and is an endless excuse to spin your mental wheels. I'd rather not contribute to that. Who is it that is aware that it can't find anyone? You don't need a verbal answer. Just put your attention there. You clearly know "I can't find..." The light by which you know that fact -- direct your attention there, and any time any thought comes up, redirect your attention to that.

I think you're addicted to concepts and to posting on the forum, like I said before, and that you cannot quit either one. Remember last time how you said you'd only be posting on this thread from then on? Well, that didn't happen. Do you ever stop to ask yourself why?

To whom do all these questions occur? Find that. If the answer is 'awareness,' that's a concept -- to whom does that occur? Who is aware of awareness?

Yup, exactly why I recommend psychoanalysis over CBT. 1. It doesn’t matter whether I'm real or not. Spirituality is about self-inquiry -- look to yourself and find out if you exist in the way you think you do. 2. Engage in self-inquiry and see if you're the one who has to decide how to deal with anyone else -- or make decisions at all 3. See #2

If you can realize you don't need your addictions and do that, then go ahead, don't pursue your addictions. But what's important is that you're honest about what you want emotionally. You can pursue your addictions honestly, while admitting this is what you want, and self-inquire at the same time (read my guide, pursue self-inquiry at every waking moment). Or if you want to give them, give them up. Or if you're not sure, be not sure. Surrender is something different. Surrender means not voluntarily thinking, and whatever happens, happens, addictions or otherwise. Don't get self-inquiry and surrender confused.

How about entering psychoanalysis? It's fine. Be honest about your desires and then self-inquire while pursuing them. These are all totally separate questions. Having a therapist has no relationship with fully surrendering. Anyhow, most people can afford a therapist if they really want it, but I have also detailed instructions for dealings with feelings and desires in my book -- the chapters on metaphorization and desire.

Reincarnation implies that you have had past lives.

I discovered it by accident a year or two ago. I don't personally follow his videos or content, but I respect his having established this community

They're usually both, but they can be a thing on their own. In the end, everything you feel is affected and colored by your past, one way or the other.

There wasn't any way I could endure them... that's why it was fortunate that I met my teacher when I did. And anyway meeting him was hardly the end of emotional turmoil. That took 20 more years of my own work. So go into psychoanalysis, read the great ancient scriptures, metaphorize your feelings, understand your desires, and self-inquire. (I know you've seen many of these links before, but I'm putting them in for others).

The question comes from a misconception of what awakening is (same wrong assumptions as your prior questions). Awakening is the realization that you are not the mind, not the person at all. There is no "you." Alzheimer's cannot affect that. Actually there are no awakened beings, in fact. There is only awakening.

I chant a mantra for about 5 minutes in the morning. You don't need to do self-inquiry any more when you know who you are. Do you need to keep asking yourself your own name? The conventional explanation is that someone like him -- if he is awakened -- would have done all that in previous lives.

It is is meaningless at that stage.

It doesn't matter where you start... but ultimately self-inquiry has to be done at every waking moment... while you are doing everything else in your life. Well, psychosis is a severe disorganization of thought. Enlightenment organizes thought. Dissociative disorders have a vague kind of relation, but they are involuntary, uncontrolled, embedded in a set of mistaken beliefs and a wrong story, and ultimately still egoic. The basic difference is that spiritual awakening is pursued in a conscious, disciplined manner with an intellectual big picture and work done on one's emotions, and that awakening is the result of a quiet, concentrated mind and these other two are the result of disordered, darkened minds.

I realize, reading back, that you know about analysis and may even be in it. If you are doing it and it isn't enough, it's time to play very close attention to precisely what the negative events are and why they are negative. What sorts of emotions are they bringing up in you? Use metaphorization. Check on things like your diet and your sleep patterns. See if there are elements of your life that you can simplify. You will have to figure out the areas of your life that are causing you mental conflict... discuss them with your analyst and work on it together.