allislove

Turn the search inward: is "I"/"others" separation exist in the direct experience? What is "I" that claims to think/want/have something? Who are you?

It sounds as a good map, one nitpick though: > the ego thinks it deserves to be punished somehow Meh, not really. There is no separate entity that may think something. There is just thinking, and I'd call the ego to be the identification with a thinking. Regarding, ACIM... It's a great book. I wouldn't force myself to read it unless the book resonates. Once it resonates - it all makes perfect sense. Anyway, ACIM is just a pointer, as any book, as everything

@evolving55555 Yeah, the video is eye-opening & quite useful exercise, ideal for the free time on the retreat

Meditate according to the instructions - don't slack. Meditate every day before the retreat bumping the duration to 1 hour. Watch this video: You will have enough time on the retreat to look at hand. Enjoy the retreat time. Good luck.

Ta-da ?

? ? ? You can contemplate the existence all day long, trying to prove something, making theories about existence - it's literally doesn't change anything - the fact of existence still is. It's like a dog chasing its own tail. Find in the direct experience who is contemplating, what is.

You are the most powerful psychedelic.

?? @tsuki Unknowability is unknowable, in other words, no mind is not conceptual thinking < feeling

@HereToLearn ^^ You are here to learn, that this is a heaven. There is no other place, enjoy!

Listen to your feelings, if a thought doesn't feel good - it's ego, as simple as that. Example of the thoughts that may feel bad: "I can't do it", "I hate him", "The situation shouldn't be like that". Let's call it a "pure ego". So, there is no agenda so to speak for a pure ego - "everything is needed, nothing is important". In other words, whatever comes in appearance is needed - welcomed with a deep gratitude, but it's not important - the fact of existence is. Daily morning meditation with focusing on a deep breathing, relaxation, bumping the duration to 1 hour over time. ??

Exactly, but the realization is not conceptual... it's the source of any concept, in other words, no mind is not conceptual. What comes to mind... there are different masks you want to play. You have to play (live through) the mask, so you can clearly see that this is just a mask, and not you. "ego" pointer is useful for some of the masks. The body is not separated from a direct experience so to speak. It's the one 'thing', hence non-duality. Meditation.

Yes... the point that the source is one: You, as separate entity, don't exist. Spot on ? Sounds about right ... if the definition of the 'ego' is 'everything'/'you' ??

There is no reality/actuality of the ego If you don't identify with any thought - there is no you Return all of your attention where the body is, try to find the one subject that switch on every object, by relaxation. No mind is not conceptual as @Nahm mentioned.

"I"-thinking is the root thought so to speak. "This is hard" for whom, for me, who are you? "It is far away" from where, from the body, are you the body? ... implicit "I"-thinking As @WelcometoReality mentioned it's crucial to realize the relationship between feeling and thinking, since the feeling is "the guidance system" in terms of Abraham Hicks vocabulary. There is no problem with thinking, in the same way that there is no problem with sound of a bird's song in the forest. I'd call the ego to be a mask, pretending that you are a separate entity living in the world, due to identification with "I"-thinking.

Since 'ego' is a noun it's a bit misleading, should be a verb - egoing. It's identification with I-thinking: "I am bored", "I like ice cream", etc.

@Someone here A B R A H A M H I C K S Was recommending it to you already like 1 year ago

@Ecocotton The way out of fear is to see for what it is. Is it something other than thinking? You can see 'the cup of tea' in the direct experience for example but do you see imagined 'hell' lol? If you see imagined 'hell' can you touch it? Stop identifying yourself with thinking that doesn't feel good. You don't need to accept anything, whatever you see around in the direct experience is already perfectly accepted. Daily meditation. ?

'real me' is also a thought. There is no problem with thinking - thinking is inside you so to speak. Just observe the thinking, it's like clouds on the sky - come and go, but the sky (you) is always present. Just relax and be like a sky, my friend.

Go for a walk in nature for example and wonder what is that "I" that want to know / that fantasizes about the levels of consciousness. Is that "I" other than thinking? What the source of thinking? Is it really me? Who am I?

With enlightenment 'how' is dropped, there is no 'how', just 'is', miracle. Manipulation exists if there is a belief in separation, there is no separation. "Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water."

? @spinderella Nice contemplation. Now, since you stumbled upon it conceptually, seat in meditation posture and investigate the direct experience with closed eyes: • what is a thought? • how far I can go with "my" attention? Is there any limit? • is there any borders, separation in the direct experience? • who am I? Just use the attention, try to switch the focus from thinking to a deep breathing for example, relax fully and find the source of "I"-thinking. Good luck

@Preety_India The freedom you are looking for lies in the freedom from the "I" concept that seems like wants to become free. Try to lessen the identification with "I" concept. For that you have to let go the "strong" opinions about everything and see that the existence is more important than the things that happening inside it. The moto can be: "Everything is needed, nothing is important". Try to live with this moto - whatever comes to your life is needed, take it with appreciation, but it's not important, the fact of existence is. The truth will set you free.

Unknowing = understanding You have to find your own balance between theory and practice. Seems like you've put enough energy on theory, perhaps, it's time to enjoy the spiritual practices.

@Javfly33 Breadcrumbs... indeed ??