Consilience

@Leo Gura Your standards of the enlightened mind and in general, enlightenment, are way too low.

Ironically, it partially stems from my use of psychedelics, having very profound past life experiences. These experiences deeply opened my mind up to the possibility of this whole cyclical nature of death and birth. As I've further meditated on and contemplated the possibility of rebirth, I've realized the only reasons Id hold death as some kind of permanent end is from cultural programing. The fact of the matter is, consciousness already manifested as as this individuated form once, why wouldn't it happen again? It's already happened. To claim it wouldn't happen again actually goes against what's already happened, ie a spontaneous emergence of perception and life as this individual we identify with. Couple this logical analysis with the direct experience of past, parallel, and future life experiences I've had with psychedelics and in meditation, and it just becomes so obvious this single lifetime isn't in anyway indicative of the torrent of consciousness. How do I know it's true? I cannot know with the logical, egoic mind whether rebirth is true. When stepping into states of deep samadhi and openness, it stops being a question though. Moment by moment, life and death are blinking into and out of existence, as existence. One can start to penetrate this dynamic birth death process as being driven by one's karma. To link the process of karma and the existence/nature of mind to the physical body would be to deeply misunderstand the existence/nature of mind, to deeply misunderstand one's direct experience. There are levels of mind that are very much affiliated and karmically intertwined with this current physical body, but from my own experience, there are also deeper, more primordial all encompassing depths of mind that still function through sankharas that are independent (yet still inextricably connected with) the physical body. This whole mechanism of mind that is deeper than the surface of mind typically associated with the physical body is what drives birth and death. If this whole mind actually relinquished itself, what would unfold is a complete union with God. This is what happens on 5-MeO. Mind at ALL levels completely drops away. Yet because psychedelics numb the mind, in a sense, the sankharas driving this whole process of egoic identification and self clinging (a clinging so so so much deeper than the nonsense Neo Advaita espouses) are not uprooted. Hence they regrow, return, reconsolidate. Meditation, on the other hand, through means that I currently do not understand due to a lack of training, can uproot these sankharas. How do I know all of this? Through so much careful examination of my direct experience. At this point, multiple thousands of hours of meditation & contemplation. I'm still not 100% clear on all of this, and am open to being wrong, but this is what I've seen through my past with psychedelics, and a maturing, deepening, and clarification of view from manual practice. Yeah this seems to match my experience as well. In Buddhist terms, this is talking about the distinction between the path of an Arahant and Bodhisattva. I've always been more drawn to the path of the Bodhisattva, the kind of consciousness that willingly returns to try and help others rather than extinguishing the whole thing and permanently merging back into the Godhead beyond existence and non-existence. To be honest though, the type of consciousness an Arahant or Bodhisattva possess is so far beyond where I am on the path I cannot really comment on what would motivate an Arahant or Bodhisattva. I would just say, be careful dismissing the Arahant's ambition; it's coming from an incomprehensibly deep place of wisdom and clarity. Both paths are immeasurably noble, in their own way.

My own direct experiencing watching the subtle ways psychedelics have left my energy body feeling weeks post an intense trip and how the mind and attention is less clear and precise following a trip. Even though there is certainly the classic after glow effects on the surface of perception, in the depths of extremely subtle mental activity, there is this underlying dis-harmonization effect I started to discover after trip sessions that I just literally never noticed because of a lack of meditation experience. It’s very hard to describe.

Not exactly the same. In the thread you’re asking about if psychedelics have specific karmic consequences. What Im claiming is psychedelics do not uproot the karma that leads to suffering in future lives. However, yeah that thread is extremely fascinating and along the same lines. What Ive seen on this forum is psychedelics promote a kind of greed and delusion that will 100% have karmic consequences. There are already consequences in this single life, never mind the immeasurable incarnations waiting for us. The type of purification meditation facilitates is so much subtler than anyone without serious contemplative training can imagine or access. Im only just now beginning to truly appreciate it. Psychedelics are too energetically overwhelming to even begin to understand the nuances of these subtle sankharas. Yet we can rest assured, the nature of these sankharas is that they keep going and going and going and going, life after life after life, until the point is finally understood. It’s a beautiful, immaculate, but horrifying design when seen with true wisdom and treated with reverence.

Besides one of these methods being wildly more sustainable and accessible, there may be energetic consequences on the energy body and mind with chronic use of psychedelics as well as the fact that they aren’t uprooting karma in the same way meditation does, which could have very real, very painful consequences in future incarnations. In general I do agree though. But from what I see from most psychonauts, they massively undervalue meditation. Somehow even the serious one’s like Leo do as well. It’s a huge and apparently common trap one can deceive themselves into.

At the moment of physical death, all of this philosophizing, all of the psychedelic highs, all of the egoic titillation will be gone, completely gone. All that remains is the karmic momentum of the mind, the true mind that generates reality. The momentum of this mind is what facilitates the expression of a new incarnation. If you haven’t noticed, the overwhelming majority of life is a just a bombardment of misery, stress, pain, and suffering. It is a very, VERY, rare gift to be given a life capable of aspiring to enlightenment, to abide in true happiness and truth. If one hasn’t actually cultivated and purified their minds, the likelihood of getting another shot at walking the path is slim. Again, look at the overwhelming majority of humans and other life forms. Devilish delusion and stress reign supreme. To actually begin walking the path towards truth, to actually begin transforming the mind, is an ineffable gift and the only thing you’d take with you at the moment of physical death. All of these psychedelic highs, no more significant than dust.

Do you see how utterly childish and egoic this is? It’s actually profound and a great teaching for those who can see with wisdom.

Likewise, truth doesn't care at all if you're on a peak 5-MeO trip or a meth addict. There are no levels or degrees to what is Absolute. We're talking in circles. I've said this before and I'll say it again, in 10 years when you're still having to take 5-MeO to access God, we'll see who's "much more conscious." I pray there are those on this forum that see through the delusion.

If you understood the horror of rebirth and how really, the only thing you can take with you is the quality of your karma, you'd have a different perspective on the necessity of walking the path. Also, this 'you' you're referring to is just self clinging, pure ego. Best to let go of self referential thought. If you're living an egoic and stressed life, you haven't realized God. The end of suffering and the realization of the nature of reality go hand in hand.

Accessing absolute truth means your mind doesn't suffer. So no it's not pretty easy. Again, try sitting for 2 hours. Watch as your addict like mind clings to itself, its addictions, and cuts itself off from this "easily accessible" absolute truth. I'm not making the claim it's easy to access, I'm making the claim that it is beyond all distinction, duality, levels, and peak/mundane experiences. It makes peak meditative and psychedelic experiences obsolete. To say this moment is not the highest expression or understanding of God is to fundamentally misunderstand the nature of God.

The entire paradigm “levels of consciousness” is the barrier to truth. A truth so absolute, so indiscriminatory, so profound, it cuts through even a peak 5-meo experience. This entire framing of your writing points to such profound, astonishing delusion about the nature of this work. This community has devolved into the blind leading the blind.

+1 Psychedelics in this community, for all their strengths, seem to promote one of the most notorious hinderances, perhaps the worst one from a certain point of view - Doubt. Doubt in the path, doubt in the practice. If you cannot overcome this doubt about meditation, you’re really screwed, especially in future lifetimes.

The fact of the matter is psychedelics do not produce the kind of fundamental shifts manual practices produce. After many incredibly, heart wrenchingly deep trips, I always came down. Sit in meditation for hours on end and you’ll discover VERY quickly just how disconnected from God you are. It’s the easiest litmus test. If one is actually conscious of the nature of God, simply being is not only an activity impossible for suffering to arise, but it is one of the most fulfilling activities available. I would challenge anyone who disagrees with Peter to attempt sitting for 2 hours and seeing whether the mind is in complete harmony, clarity, equanimity with the moment by moment flow of reality, or whether your lost in thought, confused, overcome with hinderances. What Peter is talking about is absolutely spot on and a couple of years ago when I still *believed* Leo’s claims, I thought he was a fool. It’s only after at this point multiple thousands of hours of manual practice and I starting to directly realize how right Peter is and the limitations of psychedelics. Leo has a survival agenda, a bias, a sales pitch, an “offering” as the psychedelic guy who shits on other spiritual teachers. It’s just a new ego and he’s consolidated around it, his current brand relies on it. But if you really want to fundamentally, radically change your life and and actually, permanently rewire your mind, psychedelics can only show you the way, but are inherently limited and not it. If you aspire to such goals, hours upon hours upon hours of meditation, contemplation, and silence are the way. The best part - these hours will be some of the most fulfilling times of your life, and only becoming increasingly rewarding and accessible as practice develops.

@The0Self I never replied but wanted to say thank you for such thorough replies man. Your views are very interesting and paradoxical on the surface yet totally congruent in the depths. ❤️ @ardacigin Great additions! Thank you man! I have a feeling many readers on this forum benefit from your perspectives. ?

With high levels of mindfulness reality does take on a perception of being vibratory. Always wondered if that’s where the metaphor came from.

@Raptorsin7 If you don’t see the deulsion of the Neo Advaita movement, I’m not sure anything can be said or any advice given, it’s something you must experientially grasp. After a certain level of attainment, the trap this group has fallen into becomes very clear. They’re still not only identified, but clinging to self in one of the most counter intuitive ways. The tragedy is they’ve fully convinced themselves they’re free. All I can offer is a heart felt warning not to fall into this delusion, and instead, walk the path of transforming the mind until the mind truly, honestly, experientially, sees not only its own nature, but the nature of all phenomena and reality. That is happiness.

A self isn‘t what drives the continuation of practice, purification, and awakening.

Can confirm. Living in a semi monastic SD stage green bordering yellow community has skyrocketed personal development and meditation results. Finding a high quality community you resonate with is extremely, extremely challenging though.

Right. Well this hasnt been my experience. Catching the Ox is only the 4th picture out of 10 in the Zen Ox Herding pictures model. Initial enlightenment is just warming up. Or you could stop there, but suffering and delusion won’t be uprooted. So if your goals are either truth, or happiness/end of suffering, initial enlightenment won’t cut it. If your goal is to see your true nature and that’s that, well great yeah stop practicing.

It does account for the surrendering of doership once the insight into no self has emerged. For those who believe applying a meditation technique contradicts surrender, I would point to a lack of clarity around the dynamics of intentionality and the composition of the self activity and ignorance of the nature of impermanence. The neo advaita crowd, for example, is utterly clueless about what meditation actually is. It does not imply or need a doer, even when intentionally concentrating and cultivating states. Surrender, is in fact, already the case, always. Practically, be careful with throwing the baby out with the bath water. Intentionally practicing with deliberate techniques will eventually lead you into a state of total surrender, but usually this is only after very large amount of practice. In the meantime, enjoy the power and autonomy of intentional practice, and the happiness, bliss, and peace it provides. I would recommend just staying committed and not trying to prematurely jump to the end of the path. If you really feel like you need surrender, the do nothing technique is always an option and is extremely powerful. Make no mistake about it, intentional meditation practice starts to rival and in many ways, surpass the states available with psychedelics.

Im actually not sure what this means haha. In my experience, it was only through voraciously exploring jhanas, the ñanas, developing ridiculous, psychedelic levels of samadhi did the whole thing start to collapse and a truth independent of states of consciousness emerge. Im still exploring consciousness and states but more so out of compassion for other beings; a more purified mind naturally and spontaneously brings harmony to the world. I cannot separate any part of the path from itself. It’s a paradox that although this has always been true, unconditioned, unhindered, empty, selfless, utterly lucid and clear, self-knowing, and most importantly, completely equal and without levels, degrees of depth, recognition, and realization are available. This is why a dog does not, in fact, have buddha nature yet obviously has buddha nature - a crucial koan to understand.

Shinzen’s unified mindfulness system is far more complex than “just do mindfulness” and therefore, not simple. This lack of simplicity is both it’s greatest weakness and strength. You should read his articles on Mindfulness and the See Hear Feel technique. If you’re looking to cultivate/manipulate/investigate energetic phenomena, Shinzen’s SHF flow techniques are what you’d want to explore. But it’s all connected. As one becomes more mindful, the entire perceptual field becomes increasingly energetic. The mind can see the moment by moment arising and passing away of all phenomena, impermanence, so clearly, that all solidity, objectivity, and dullness evaporate. High levels of mindfulness are what create psychedelic like experiences during practice. Please note, this is not the ultimate goal and can turn into a roadblock for advanced practitioners. Another immediate and crucial way to improve your practice is to go on a meditation retreat. The necessity and importance of this seems to be commonly ignored on this forum. Which given Leo’s recent criticism of meditation makes sense, the collective ego just adopting new belief systems. If you watch his older videos though, he stresses the need to go on retreat. Ill just say, the liberating power of spirituality has very little do to with energetic phenomena even if in the beginning this direction feels appropriate and helpful. Getting fixated or stuck in the wrong frameworks, such as fixation on energy, is another way to be a seeker for 20 years with nothing to show for it.

@Shambhu Absolutely beautiful, high quality post. Thank you. This too is my understanding, however the teacher I'm training with actually intentionally has me using either noting or following the breath and wants me to do these until I recognize the illusory nature of a doer doing a technique. He knows my go too technique is the do nothing technique or surrender as you've described it in other posts. At the highest level, there is no doer involved in intentionality and the mind following this intention, yet the possibility for integrity and honesty remains. How can one do, act, intend, and be trust worthy while no one is there? How can one directly experience this lack of doer within the doing? Quite mysterious.

Leo has spread this very false idea that Buddhists fixate on stilling the mind. Stilling the mind is not only not the goal of Buddhist meditation, but it is not necessary for entering incredibly deep states of samadhi through mindfulness or even more concentration based practices. The “stilling” of the mind is really the stilling and falling away of the hinderances, unwholesome thoughts and mental defilements that obstruct wisdom, clear seeing, and samadhi. Eventually one becomes so mindful that the activity of thinking is itself seen so clearly that all meaning, attraction and fixation on thoughts fall away. Again, even amidst the activity of thoughts. Thoughts can only have meaning when one is ignorant of the reality of time/impermanence. When one truly sees into the nature of impermanence, thoughts along with the rest of one’s sense of reality, have no ground for existence or for the activity of self clinging or craving to arise. I wouldn’t trust someone who hasnt actually explored Buddhist meditation very deeply on this subject.

I should say it’s incredibly dense and not at all easy to read. But the depth and breadth of the writing is itself a teaching on the vastness of reality, in my view. Ive barely scratch the surface with it. Good luck with it ?