Consilience

? nah no triggering but your response makes me laugh. Have a great day good sir. Im glad you’re aware that no one is aware and that you’re aware awareness is a lie

@Truth Addict then why say something as silly as “there’s no actual awareness” ? Who is aware at this supposed lack of awareness?

That’s the paradox of formlessness (awareness). It is literal nothing. You cannot point to nothing and yet it is the underlying nature of reality. Whenever one tries to talk about it yes of course duality arises. Real awareness, real formlessness, real nothingness can only be pointed to with language, and one can only become conscious of this absolute via itself. Awareness knows itself by being itself, awareness cannot point to itself. This is the key insight you misunderstand. To deny awareness is to deny your very direct experience.

This is amazing What’s your YouTube channel? Id love to check some of your videos out

"Epistemological realism is a philosophical position, a subcategory of objectivism, holding that what you know about an object exists independently of your mind. It opposes epistemological idealism. Epistemological realism is related directly to the correspondence theory of truth, which claims that the world exists independently and innately to our perceptions of it. Our sensory data then reflect or correspond to the innate world." - Wiki Epistemological Idealism is in line with what this community's approach to epistemology is. At least, that's what I'm assuming. Hadn't heard of this until tonight and felt like giving my armchair philosophy rant. What frustrates me about this perspective is that it very clearly is institutionally taken on by mainstream science and philosophy. I recall asking my philosophy of mind professor back in university what the academic philosophy's viewpoints where on materialism vs. idealism vs. dualism and he said the overwhelming majority of philosophers were materialist, which if the case, would mean their views on epistemology would correspond to this form of epistemology. But see their is a huge problem with this viewpoint. This form of epistemology requires the fact of an objective, material world to even work, even though a material world is already assumed within the arguments of this epistemology. The entire argument is circular, each stance relying on the other being an axiom. In other words, in order for epistemological realism to be a "correct" epistemology, it would require materialism as a starting point (axiom) and then vice versa. Moreover, it completely dismisses the subjectivity of our conscious experience. There is no such thing as "independent of your mind" unless one is referring to a state of no-mind, in which case there is no such thing as "independent of conscious experience." I don't see how it's possible to deny subjective conscious experience and I don't see how all of these high level thinkers don't how irrational this supposedly rational metaphysics is.nHow is it that the majority of academics don't see that all of our experience, OBJECTIVELY, *is* conscious experience? The 5 bodily senses and our minds all are various forms of consciousness... Yet because brain states correlate so consistently with conscious experiences they make the metaphysical assumption that consciousness is simply the brain, and that there exists an object-ive physical world. However, WHY does everyone miss the fact that this is, in the strictest, and even most rational sense (which is what these type of mind's tend to cling to), an assumption, an axiom, a metaphysical starting point taken on by faith? Where is the attachment to materialism coming from? Why so many great minds of humanity clinging to this philosophical assumption?

No response to my response? I was genuinely looking forward to objections haha

Where do brains appear? Awareness Where does the world appear? Awareness Where do mystical experiences occur? Awareness The distinction you must make is form vs. formlessness. Notice that form (physical brian states) can only interact with more form (conscious experience). But equally notice, that form cannot directly interact or manipulate formlessness (awareness). Form is great at interacting and manipulating itself, the 6 sensations (sight, taste, touch, sound, smell, mind) are all this entangled amalgamation we call reality. What you have to become conscious off is formlessness and moreover, that this formlessness is not only the underlying nature of reality, but it exists a priori to ALL forms within reality AND that form does not ever manipulate formlessness. Formlessness is infinite nothingness. Form only interacts with more form in a strange loop like manor (watch leo’s strange loop video to understand this phenomena more deeply) Sorry if this sounds redundant but Im trying to drill home this distinction is needed to understand why brains do not generate consciousness. Brains correspond with various experiences but not consciousness itself. I wont even say create conscious experiences because causality is its own rabbit hole not worth getting into.

this makes me so happy

@Scholar Me explaining anything with words by default creates a framework. You are mistaken, however. Direct experience needs no framework. Idealism is a language based framework to explain and communicate actuality but all linguistic communication is framework based. You need to read between the lines my friend.

Idealism doesnt require axioms other than that experience is evident. This is the only axiom required which is self evident. Existence validates itself. There is form, look into your direct experience and verify this. The contradiction comes from using epistemological realism as your epistemological framework for proving materialism because E.R. itself requires an objective world to already be true(aka materialism), by definition which is what I pointed out in the op. Moreover, materialism requires E.R. as an epistemology to be qualified as a true metaphysics. Actual direct experience is the most objective pov because it is the only aspect of reality we can be certain of. Naive realism throws extra metaphysics on-top of the actuality of direct experience, which when looked at, this extra metaphysic’s substance is more mind, which is more form being observed as direct experience. This isnt even taking into account the infinite regress problem all forms of rationality have when trying to make truth claims (all axioms ultimately either having to be taken on as faith or having to have their own logical arguments for why they are true, which then require more axioms). The only axiom we can find within reality is the axiom of direct experience. If you cannot see this, if you are not aware of this observation, I cannot help you.

@Jakeem Ortiz Great explanation

@Scholar Because philosophers, whether they’re aware of it or not, hold it as true even though naive realism is a metaphysical belief with axioms that have to be taken on as faith in order to work, which is contradictory to the rationality they further hold as being the end all be all tool for truth seeking. Moreover, naive realism when examined from the most objective point of view (actual direct experience) is an untenable stance, but this is not acknowledged. Does that make sense?

@Inliytened1 great points. @How to be wise Yes that’s true. I guess I never saw a snake in the first place and it’s confusing to me that the bulk of society sees and argues for the snake.

@Scholar I don’t believe in idealism. I observe the actuality of direct experience, and this observation can then be conceptualized as idealism. Idealism as a theory is still not it. @Jakeem Ortiz Thanks I’ll definitely check it out

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These are really great results... Thanks for taking the time to write this up and sharing with the community

Great report man. Really happy that book worked out for you and great advice on finding what works. Also jealous you got to talk with Doshin. He has a great youtube channel. Although I don't have ADHD, I had been getting frustrated with persistent mind wandering during my own meditation sessions, and actually ended up buying the book upon @ardacigin's recommendation as well. And I was too blown away with how much sense the approach made and the quick results I was getting. It seems that in order for one to stablize various existential insights into everyday experience, concentration ability is a great tool for this integration. At least it has been for me. SO learning how concentration naturally cultivates and develops over time on the meditation path was huge. Another +1 to The Mind Illuminated as a great meditation resource.

@Truth Addict why do you hate him exactly..?

Boom. The analogy fits. When you can understand how, then you’ll have an answer to your question.

@whoareyou how much experience with psychedelics do you have?

@DoTheWork Nice One thing Ive tried to focus on as Ive walked this path (although from the way your post describes your experiences, Im nowhere near as advanced as you) is always keeping a sense of gratitude. This one life you’re living as a human is infinitely unique and precious. The odds of you incarnating as your specific life are essentially a 0% chance. So even though you feel lost in terms of meaning, well... perhaps feeling grateful for everything you’ve managed to see and understand, being grateful for your particular life circumstances, understand just how sacred and special it was to have YOUR life could help imbue this lifetime with more... meaning haha. And yeah it’s all meaningless in the end... but it was enough for God to want to explore right? You’ll never get this time back. In the end, impermanence reigns supreme. So... idk if this is a helpful perspective at all but I know for myself, I sometimes have lost touch with just how lucky I am to stumble into the insights and life circumstances needed to do this work. And I make it a point to appreciate everything which has occurred thus far. Edit: moreover, there’s a difference between gratitude, and Gratitude with a capital G, the kind of divine Gratitude which seems how precious each moment in time is, precisely because despite it’s infinite beauty and perfection, it is utterly fleeting. Gratitude, from my pov, is like understanding the infinite significance of the mundane world. Understanding that a coffee mug is just as spectacular as all the psychedelic realms of consciousness. It’s all one, and yet the paradox is, you only get this one life before it’s over forever. Feels kind of tragic in a way.

Sounds like you havent really awakened your heart, only mind. While still impressive and commendable, id still focus on doing the work And exploring existential love and compassion. Perhaps Im mistaken though.

Not that you wouldn’t do this, but try to remain as grateful as possible that you have this opportunity. Even if it starts getting difficult (4-5 hours per day is NO joke...), make sure to keep dat gratitude for this amazing opportunity. This is awesome though Will you have access to the internet? Or is it like an off the grid type of thing?

In light of Leo’s recent video on love, I’ve been contemplating what it might mean that reality is Absolute Love and that Absolute Truth and Absolute Love are really identical. During one of my recent meditation sessions, I had an incredibly powerful insight into the nature of this love and wanted to share and hear feedback from the community What is love? What is actually going on in my direct experience when I experience love? I realized that that 1 common facet about this phenomenon was that love has always been accompanied with an overwhelming acceptance of whatever it is I am loving. That is to say, when I feel love towards someone, or something, there is also a full acceptance of that object necessarily. In other words, it could be said that loving and accepting are two sides to the same coin. When scaling this insight up to the level of Absolute Love, this should mean that there is also a component to Absolute Acceptance. And this is where things get interesting – First, a bit of philosophical infrastructure: We are reality. I am reality. I am the whole of my subjective experience, while also not really being any of it. Sight, taste, touch, sound, smell, mind, emotions, ego, etc. are all contents appearing within consciousness. Consciousness is aware of an infinite field of distinctions, all of which may be identified or dis-identified with. Both of these perspectives being equally valid and invalid. But even to say this is too much, because all that really is going on is Being. The unified field of phenomena and the empty nothing underlying their existential nature is the essence of Being. I am Being. What “I” noticed while meditating was that regardless of whether the ego is accepting the present moment or not, Being is always accepting. This is critical to notice – Being is ALWAYS accepting whatever is. While ego may not be able to accept the potential pain and suffering reality can take on (war, rape, murder, torture, etc.), the true I is always accepting whatever arises. In this way, Being is in a constant, harmonious moment of Absolute Acceptance with itself. I am that Being. I am Absolute Acceptance. So even when it feels as though there is resistance to whatever is occurring within consciousness (suffering), this resistance is in fact an illusion; the True I is in total acceptance. When we can tap into this total, Absolute Acceptance, and open our hearts to understanding the sacred nature of all moments (really one moment), the infinity of form that consciousness takes, then we can understand what Absolute Love really is – a form of divine Acceptance and Being. You are infinite, and Absolute Love; no form can be denied, to deny any potential would be to limit Infinity, limit Acceptance, and limit Love. All pain, all suffering is being Accepted by virtue of the fact that it is Being. You accept all suffering. You love all suffering whether you’re conscious of it or not. It is a total mind fuck. Key take away: - Being (aka YOU) accepts all that is by nature of Being's very nature, and full acceptance equals love. You are Absolute Acceptance, you are Absolute Love, which is really Absolute Truth. I look forward to exploring this insight further.

Thank you. My body reacted when it first hit me haha. But yes, I will keep following the trail. I definitely plan on utilizing psychedelics to help explore this further. Thank you and thank you for these questions as well. I'm not sure that's possible!