seeking_brilliance

@Nexeternity lol ok. I think it's a matter of trying to take things too literally 'over here' and it works against me. But I suppose it can be altered to suit an individual's (lol) needs.

This is something that I'm still stuck on... With no separation how can you not be anything you observe? Isn't the idea that - there's no 'separate me' that can be anything I observe, because that implies separation ? I'm starting to wonder if a better inquiry phrase would be - 'there is no I that can be observed, there is only One." or if you like to call the One the big I, you could say-" that which i observe is not me, I am everything. " Any clarification on this would be great!

If you have an android phone, download the app called 'lucidly'. It will send you reality check alerts, can use it as a dream diary, and has a section that lists all the popular lucid inducing techniques

@Anirban657 from what I can tell, the "path" is just a lie. But the mind needs (wants) a path to follow in order to accept the truth. The mind likes baby steps. It has to come to the point where it thinks truth was its own idea, by some how "discovering" it.

@Mikael89 to ask this question is to assume that a 'Mikael89' exists after that body dies. But Mikael89 does exist now, when the body is alive. There are alot of thoughts about Mikael89, and that body's mind interprets these thoughts and translates them into every thing you see, hear, feel, and think in every single moment, like a virtual reality game.... We'll call it - Mikael89' s life. How would this continue after the body dies? The only way would for there to be some sort of memory bank for the memory of all these Mikael89-thoughts to be uploaded to. If this is possible, I can't tell you.

@EvilAngel oh good.... Although I'm also looking forward to his answer

What is pain? Does anything actually hurt? Or does the nerve signal that is triggered only signal a thought that there is pain? If there were no nerve endings, there would be no signal to signal a thought of pain. You see this in people who have problems with that from damage or born that way. All suffering, whether physical or emotional, is a thought. Nothing more. Now are thoughts real? That's a different subject and for you to decide.

It might help if you try and define suffering, and where it comes from and how it's experienced

@winterknight ok, ok, I hate that I need so much reassurance... (hmm good topic for therapist lol)

@winterknight thanks so much... I've been doing lots of 'check - ins' throughout the day and in formal sittings (which unfortunately never last long)... I suppose this is just something that cultivates over time. I'll say that I'm looking for the feeling of me, but it really just feels like I'm getting in the present moment, which is something this mind is definitely not used to... I'll notice my breath and try to keep them slow and deep, which seems to help me center on this feeling of being me, right here, right now, experiencing this moment. Then I say : "this is not me, this is a thought of me." Does this sound like good practice? I keep expecting this strong feeling of me, to be located somewhere in the body like the head or chest, but it's more of a subtle thing, huh?

@winterknight sorry, I edited my post i guess after you were answering... Also, it seems that the point of self inquiry is to live in (or at least come to) the paradox of : that's me because it's in my awareness, and it's not me because it's in my awareness. Can you explain again to me why it's the not me, it's because all of those things are only thoughts, and there is no thinker of thoughts? I see thoughts as an interpretation of reality. Which means everything I experience, which are only thoughts, are only an interpretation and therefore not 'it'

(sorry can't delete the quote box, it's a phone bug) @winterknight was there a point in your illusionary self-inquiry journey, where this feeling of me became to be more than the body, more than objects and people around you, more than your surroundings, the world itself, the universe, reality itself.... And did you have a drive to get to that point just so you can inquire it? Also, it seems that the point of self inquiry is to live in (or at least come to) the paradox of : that's me because it's in my awareness, and it'snot me because it's in my awareness. Can you explain again to me why it's the not me, it's because all of those things are only thoughts, and there is no thinker of thoughts?

@winterknight I have been toying with an anology of oneness, or no separation. (and yes, let's add all those "within the illusion of Maya disclaimers") --- It is like a large jello mold (and then imagine that the jello mold is all there is). In a jello mold, you can find many cubes of different colored objects(fruit, candies, etc) , but once the mold is made, it's all jello. The bits of fruits can't move around inside the jello mold, not because they are stuck, but because they literally ARE the mold. In a similar sense, we think we move around in empty space called air, but the air itself is also part of the mold. There is no room to move around. We are in fact still, while thoughts say that there is movement.

@winterknight I loved your website's post on self-inquiry. I finally put two and two together that self inquiry is to go from an intellectual knowing of no-self, straight to the direct experience. No need to sit around waiting for the experience, there's actually an interesting and fun way to draw it to you. You don't even need to encourage concentration practices, because it is of itself a concentration practice, and any attention given to another concentration practice takes away from time to do self inquiry. Also, no need to meditate. Stop focusing on those chakras unless you just really enjoy doing it! Self inquiry is a great meditation! All of this has been said before in this thread, I know, but it's funny how the mind doesn't want to accept things unless it thinks its it's own idea. I've found myself doing self inquiry randomly throughout the day, except for when I am really busy or irritated. I hope for more "check-ins" (we'll call them) through these more difficult times. Your help (and shout out to @Preetom@Preetom) on understanding self inquiry has been the biggest blessing, because I couldn't wrap my head around it and so chose to ignore it. (by the way, that's a huge bad tendency that I'd love to work on with therapist.) Much thanks and love ( if you can find a you to accept it)!

question: (sorry, I didn't watch your video on this) is it ok to blink whenever I want, or am I supposed to hold off blinking? I just know that in trataka you're not supposed to blink...