ground

That's the point. Mind has the capacity to overcome its own ignorance. Mindfulness is appropriate if it is embedded in appropriate view.

Some teachers were valuable, some not. It's a matter of resonance.

It's reasonable but there isn't any truth. Same applies to your words and for 'It's reasonable but there isn't any truth.' So ultimately there is an infinite regress if one is looking for what is true. That's the sphere of language and conceptuality. That isn't true either. Challenge is to not getting attached to words/concepts while communicating. This is achieved through concomitant contemplation. That's the advantage of rational intellect: it enables to see deception. This is helpful in all forums or meetings where people trade beliefs, And people are trading beliefs all the time. Rationality is the Guru's protection against manipulation, brainwashing and cult. One does not get trapped in beliefs. That is why one can fully rely on rationality once one has received the Guru's blessings and one knows that everything is the Guru's blessing. Nothing is missing and everything is perfect.

Meaninglessness cannot be grasped/apprehended because as soon as you think 'meaninglessness' there is meaning, i.e. the meaning of 'meaninglessness'. However once you dissolve in meaninglessness - thinking, fabricating and imputing having ceased - bliss may arise spontaneously without needing any meaning.

That's an appropriate view to start with. So one may say: self is not an illusion but like or similar to an illusion since the way it appears is not the way it actually exists. Seeing it that way self is not negated. What is negated is it's way of appearance.

I do not remember the moment when the sense of self first arose. But as far as the understanding is concerned you have asked for I've come across many narratives about 'existence and life' so far and investigated into some of them and I understand now that it's all about narratives only. And this understanding is liberating, especially if it is integrated in daily life.

Sorry your words do not cause a consistent meaning in my mind. Also I do not know what 'do spiral dynamics and raise consciousness' shall mean and 'unconditional love' isn't a concept in my teachings. Maybe you wrongly assume that I would be following the teachings you are following?

In a worldly context to do what has to be done and in a spiritual context to investigate the teachings and apply what is conducive to well-being.

Isn't 'evidence' only a belief, too?

Depends on the context. In worldly contexts the intention to create a better life may refer to a better life for oneself or for one's family or children or for those who are worse off. In spiritual contexts 'creating a better life' may be not applicable or only applicablle for particular spiritual paths. For other paths 'devotion' may be more appropriate. If one devotes onself to ... the path, the guru or whatever ... then the question 'for whom does one devote oneself to ...?' does not really apply, right?

It is just an exchange of views.

This is a forum, right? If people did physical yoga and meditation and let go of the intellect and 'surrendered for other modes of being' when joining this forum then no communication would happen and this forum would be a joke. So a forum is nothing other than an appeal to the mode of being called 'conceptuality'. In order to apply conceptuality the intellect is needed. Otherwise one would not be able to construct sentences. Now if conceptuality and intellect are required to communicate in a forum then you have the choice to either think and express yourself irrationally or rationally. Either way is fully compatible with mental yoga or - if we expand the meaning of 'meditation' - either irrationality or rationality AND meditation (mental yoga) can be practiced simultaneously.

Beware of general rules. Every individual is unique and has different needs and requirements. Also there may be different phases when different types of meditation are needed. It's trial and error to find the best way.

Hmh ... mindfulness is practice, isn't it? Maybe it's the best of all practices. Endless debates are no problem if mindfulness accompanies them. Actually the implications of endless debates are enlightening. There are traditions debating since thousand years. Still they do not agree. Their debates are great.

'I’m not enlightened.' is a delusion of so called 'ego', too. So called 'ego' is nothing but this 'I'. But both, 'ego' and 'I', are merely ideas empty of truth.

Ok. I let them be what they are.

Well if you 'do not fight with concepts.' and you 'see through them' what's the cause of all these questions?

Interesting, isn't it? 'Basically, everything is an illusion.' is so simple. One might ask: if it's so simple why does he produce all these videos? To what other than illusions can all these videos lead if 'Basically, everything is an illusion.'? The only reason why simplicity always proliferates into complexity is that language and thus ordinary mind has no middle in between 'is' and 'isn't' and trying to express this lacking middle leads to accumulations of 'is's and 'isn't's.

you are already enlightened and something ... whiich reminds me of these threads with the topic 'why is there something rather than nothing?'. isn't it funny that affirmation vs negation and acceptance vs rejection seems to be the never ending circle ('samsara')? That could be the decisive insight, right?

you are letting language and concepts deceive yourself. That's what is called delusion.

There is nobody eating anything.

Don't deceive yourself. Talking as 'we' when actually you are expressing yourself may be common parlance but it is the sphere of delusion.

That's a funny statement. Just let go of belief.

you are cultivating a beginner's view. you should let go of that. Appropriate meditation may help to let go of beginner's view.

'What if' is speculation. If meditation is appropriate you let go of speculation.