Wisebaxter

@now is forever I can wear one pair for three days running as I don't move around much it's a superpower.

@Serotoninluv Haha when you squeeze it you get responses like 'I love you, but are you real?' Or 'why can't I think my way to enlightenment?'

@Nahm Aww dude, that really made me feel good, hearing that. Thanks for putting that out there. I don't have the best self esteem (working on it) so a comment like that makes a big difference. You're a pretty swell guy yourself Nahm. In fact everyone on this forum is awesome...such a responsive, helpful community. I feel humbled that so many people are taking the time to help me discover the truth. Thanks to all of you guys and gals, love you all!!

@Shadowraix Cheers bro that advice might really save my ass in a pinch

@Aaron p Thanks a lot for all that man, I really loved reading it. It's nice to get some encouragement for asking these questions because quite often I feel like it's pointless, given that, like you say, there are no spiritual truths outside of our direct experience. Over the past week or two I've really been going in heavy on the practices and I'm realising more and more where the truth lies (in what's actual) and how bogged down in concepts I've been. There are some concepts that point to the actual quite nicely, but there seem to be more than tie you in knots, especially at an early stage of development. From here on in I'm going to stay as focused on the present moment as I can and not get lost in monkey mind. This is something that often perplexes me. If it's only the mind that adds meaning and distinctions to things, how come I can perceive separation between things, like leaves on the road etc? Whether my mind adds meaning or not they seem to be separate leaves...even if I make my mind blank, I can see two distinct objects in my sense perception. Uh oh, damn monkey's off again...lol

@Shadowraix That does make sense, thanks. Does it mean though that I'm also perceiving the awareness that 'she' is at certain points, like when we connect really deeply, or when I look in her eyes and see the life there?

@SgtPepper Woah, I love that picture. What were you up to just before that shit went down? I want a piece of that action

@valleyken Thank you very much for all that. I am aware that evil is created only by the ego mind and doesn't exist in reality. This is a fundamental teaching of Leo's that I picked up on a while back and has had some very profound implications for me. I'm under no illusions that my ego constitutes a 'good person' at this stage, as this would also be my own relative label and not something that exists in actuality. I appreciate your eloquent and in depth explanation of this truth, which is such an important one. I also like what you said about how the body is just inert matter until consciousness or life is breathed into it.

What about the people who say 'you have to really want it (enlightenment) more than anything else...' This always confuses me as just as many people say 'stop trying, you're already it.' If I gave up on the quest, I'd be like everyone else and never become enlightened, so that implies there must be some level of 'wanting' involved.

@Martin123 Lol you're messing with us right? I can't find any information about that version of events online

@Shadowraix Thanks for throwing a positive story out there to help me get a little perspective. Am gearing up for my next trip and was feeling a bit paranoid. @Nahm Haha she's quite cute for an illusion right? Yep, I do have a touch of the old monkey mind....but I'm slowly calming it down...with the help of you fine people @valleyken Let me have a good read of all that and shout you back when I've digested it all.

Well I never!! The cheek....and I'm the monkey....

@Serotoninluv Wow, that's awesome Very much enjoying hanging out here with this particular cluster

@cetus56 Very well put

@cetus56 Rupert Spira says there is one consciousness but all these different people (egos) having a unique experience of it. That does explain a lot

@cetus56 Thanks for reminding me of that, very good point.

Thank you I feel ok now, not stressed or anything. Whatever the truth is, I accept it. I don't need to know what it is in order to surrender to it and bask in the magic of existence.

@Serotoninluv @Nahm I like this perspective. There does seems to be a negative connotation attached to the word 'illusion,' but why? Perhaps it gets lumped in with 'delusion.' Well she's quite a pleasant illusion, that's for sure. The nicest illusory girlfriend I've had so far. Thanks to all of you for taking the time to contribute to this thread with your ideas and insights. As I raise my consciousness I may develop a deeper understanding, experientially. For now I'll just stay present and enjoy what's there. I think I understand things a little more than I did conceptually, which is that she is really there, as much as I'm really here, even if it constitutes an illusion. This is because, in terms of duality both existence and non-existence are the same thing. She's experiencing what it's like to be in her space, as an ego I mean, just like I am. But behind that there is the infinite awareness that permeates both of us, which is absolute, which is one-ness. This is what Leo meant by 'you are all there is.'

@Shin Or you're just messing with yourself

Good point there, thanks. I'll make room for surrender and peace instead That's awesome, I like it. Just like a pool of water reacts if I poke that. Is the external intelligence in presence the same as the external intelligence in my hand? Is it awareness?

@Leo Gura Ok, groovy, I think i get it now. In an absolute sense there's just myself, but in a relative sense, there are many different forms having a relative experience.

I just leant over and poked her in the arm...she feels really solid...she's looking at me funny now. Ok, I'll forget it all and stay present.

She's sitting next to me now...how should I act?

@Leo Gura Ok, that's cleared things up a bit, thanks. I was seeing existence and non-existence through an egoic perspective. So from an ego's perspective, she exists but in terms of the true Self, there is just me aka God

@Shin No, I'd have to say that the image appears very clear to me. My experience is, the image is there... @ajasatya Thank you, that's very helpful and clear. What would you say is the best way to get a mystical experience under my belt quickly? I have some LSD but people are saying ego death on that is very unpleasant. 5-MeO DMT? Or just loads of self inquiry?