JayG84

This is intersting. I like the concept of manifesting realities. Could you elaborate on this please? How would this work? What type of meditation would I have to practice? I practice mindfulness, and self-inquiry, but I don't think It'll take me to this level.

Thanks, that is a very helpful explaination of how it works. So there is some "realness" to our actions. Like the butterfly effect for lack of a better model. Everything we do has a ripple reaction in the rest of consciousness. That is how we are all connected? I don't think trying to understand it using the word "Illusion" helps me very much. Because "real" or not, it is still manifested by consciousness right? So that should be our baseline. Just like materialists use "Matter" as the baseline for their understanding of reality. But reality still IS. And "We", as in, probes that consciousness has manifested to understand itself, still have an effect on our and other's "reality".

Interesting. That's another thing that's hard to conceptualize, that time is an illusion. It feels relative. But the idea that the past and the future are happening right now in my imagination, and that we have no say in the grander intelligence of it all. If you give someone advice and it affects their behaviour. Did you not use free will to change the course of future events?

Yes, I see. Great way of looking at it. I'm becoming more and more conscious of the interconnectedness of my actions and words in other peoples lives around me. I tend to often take conversations in a meta direction with my best friends and we fall into deeper conversations about life. But sometimes I'll say something to someone that might challenge an unconscious paradigm they have and they'll seem shook up by having to face their egos in that moment. I don't know if I'm doing them a service when I do this. I'll think "maybe their ignorance is bliss". But then again, if they're not ready for it, then their ego with provent them from thinking about it deeper...or they'll just think I'm crazy...lol But really I'm just talking to myself, so sometimes I think that this is all just me being selfish, trying to pick apart other peoples (and my) unconscious behaviour so I don't fall in the same ego traps. But if we are all connected, I guess I'm raising the whole thing's awreness by a bit, right? Do you guys ever feel that way talking about this stuff in person with people who aren't ready for it? Or do you see it as a net positive? This forum is a safe space with open-minded people to talk about interesting stuff, but do you ever think that some people are better off being unaware of the true nature of reality?

Yes. But I would like to have a more nuanced conversation about it. This is the answer that usually is given. "You are all there is". I understand that, and it has led me to great improvements with inner work, ego desolution, and overall decrease of suffering in my life, and I'm grateful for that. What I'm saying is that I'd like to talk about HOW it is that YOU are YOU, and I am ME. What have to experienced that has led you to the conclusion that no one else exists. Like I know you ARE me (metaphysically). But how is it that we both think we are talking to eachother? This stuff is so hard to talk about without the "You are God" reponse. I think that leaves a lot of people frustrated because they are trying to understand on a deeper level something that is so hard to communicate. Like intuitively we KNOW that all of this is an illusion, but why are we all on this forum if we know that it's an illusion? Deep down we must believe we are making a difference by giving advise to SOMEONE right? We believe that there is someone on the the other end who is hearing what we are saying. If we truly inhabited the notion that there is no one else. Wouldn't it feel like we are speaking into a meaningless void?

I try to think of it as: The only difference between a genuine desire and an egoic desire is your thoughts, beliefs, and perceptions of that desire. And since that also makes up our reality, if you're coming from a place of Self-Love (living in the moment, and not judging it, and expressing gratitude) You can manifest anything within the realm of your perceived limitations.

If our reality is an "illusion" that the ego creates for us (through thoughts, beliefs, and perceptions, etc), then is the only reason we can't do something just us believing we can't? If we diminish our ego to the point that it doesn't limit our reality, couldn't we manifest whatever we want in our lives? Like the only thing holding me back from succeeding in my life purpose is my various beliefs that "things might not be in the cards for me" or "other people (gatekeepers) are standing in the way of me succeeding"or "I'm not good enough". Theoretically, could everyone be successful if nobody had an ego telling them they couldn't be successful? What would that world look like? Is this the origins of the "Law of Attraction"?. Thinking positively about something and having a Vision is just getting the ego out of the way so you can manifest it into your life. Like you're free to make another "illusion" in a way slightly more in line with your vison. I tend to think that things are just a result of fortune or misfortune, right place at the right time kind of thing. But there is no such thing right? It's all ONE thing, right NOW. The only thing creating this is our perceptions of it, the story we tell ourselves. So if we tell ourselves another story, will it change? Are the people holding me back just manifestations of my ego? Are all of you just manifestations in consciousness helping me break down my perceptions, to help me succeed? It's so interesting to think about this being a fractal of perceptions that ultimately lead to being ONE and being able to literally manifest ANYTHING. I'd appreciate your thoughts on the matter. Thanks!

Self-Love is the short-cut, and all of this is counter-intuitive. We tend to think we can brut-force self-actualization, but it doesn't work like that. We must surrender all of that. Our thoughts, beliefs, and perceptions manifest our reality. If you - Then, Love all of it, and then create a vision for your life that you can Love. And then Love every step that God will lead you to manifest that reality. Asking this question on this forum is one of those steps. And we are God trying to help and guide you back to yourself. And we love you.

So is Love, with a capital L, the appreciation and acceptance of everything that is trying to bring me to the realization that I'm ONE with everything? Like a mirror in a mirror in a mirror etc., showing itself ITSELF, until you finally see? And the more Love I give and let in, the more God will reveal himself to me? And the more of the life I wish to live will manifest itself?

Yes. I see that. Interesting. So even the fact that I posted this question on this message board is actually ME, as the only thing that exists, wanting to step towards my vision of understanding and surendering my ego. You guys are ME, talking to MYSELF, guiding me through life. Which is a real mindfuck because I know that you all have your own lives and are not just here to serve and help me. BUT that IS essentially whats happening. And my openness to it, is what's expressing Love for Infinite Consciousness? Do I have that right? If I wasn't open to your teaching, that would be my ego, or devil, getting in the way?

Do you think it's enough to just think positively about something? Is there a difference between a pipe dream that will never happen, and a legitimate vision for my future? Is all that's preventing this pipe dream from happening is the fact that I think it's a pipe dream? Meaning there is no external "people" and "situations" preventing me from achieveing my goals. Just my belief that there is? I'm just trying to see how this all works.

Music is something that I've found difficult to contemplate where in fits into consciousness and spirituality. I'm a musician, and it's such a huge part of my life. It affects me deeply, it helps me process things, it can change my perspectives, it can bring people together and understand each other. Music seems like it's all around us. Every culture has it. Shamans even use it in ceremonies to help bridge the gap to the the spiritual realm. To me it almost feels like a fundamental part of the universe, like it's the sound consciousness makes or something. What do you guys think? What is your experience with music? Where does our connection to it come from? Do you think it's fundamental or just the ego assigning meaning to meaningless sounds?

I'm starting to lose interest in everything that use to bring me joy. The more I contemplate, the more I see that everything is an illusion of the mind. Sports, politics, fashion, entertainment. It's all just marketing, ideologies, and stories we tell ourselves. If nothing is real, and the universe is perfect, and everything is up to the intelligence in the consciousness, then how can you care about anything at all? How do you find meaning, when all meaning can be deconstructed? How do you build a life when everything you engage with in society is "chimpery". It doesn't make me want to live life to the fullest, it makes me want to disconnect from all of it. I came to self-actualization work to try to be happier and find a purpose to my life. What I got was an existential crisis and sadness that the world is meaningless. Now I feel like I'm trying to build a house with hammer made of pixie dust, and I'm ready to give up. How do you build a life when all you see is illusion? Some people say "Just play the game called life. Like, I was once a pawn in the chess game, but now I can be the chessmaster. But what if I don't want to play the game anymore? How do I find my way back to living in this world?

@Leo Gura Do you think it's healthy to think of ego as a director of a movie called "Life" and that he can make this movie whatever he wants it to be? He can choose to make a bad movie or good movie depending on the setting, characters, the story he creates, and the meaning he assigns to things within the story? Maybe a good director could represent a healthy ego. I seem to be under the impression that, to awaken, means that I should take a sledgehammer to the whole production, fire the crew, and shoot the director in the head. But maybe realizing that the whole thing is fantasy, and being the creator of that fantasy can bring you joy, is the whole key to this?

At first, I was thankful for this, and I thought that if I just keep doing the work, I will be able to drop everything that's holding me back from having the life that I want to live. I guess I'm just getting frustrated that 4 years later, it hasn't helped with my anxiety and fears of making those bold life decisions that I know I have to make. I catch a glimpse of the illusions, consciously I know it's not real, but I still can't drop that fear of the unknown. Maybe this is what's keeping my anxiety in control of my actions. The ego is resisting the unknown, so it doubles its efforts to sabotage any progress in my understanding. I love this quote, I definitely have to keep this in mind. Thanks.

Would psychedelics been a good idea to try with such a powerful subconscious mind? Or would that not help at all? Can it help you to face your subconscious to have a dialogue with it, or would it just overwhelm me at this point in my spiritual journey? I'd like to find out, but I'm afraid of what I might see in there.

Hi guys. Been listening to Leo for about 4 years. This is my first time reaching out on the form. Glad to be in the community. I started working with a therapist about 6 months ago just to assess how far along I was coming along because I still have a lot of problems that I'm struggling to take action on, like a binge-eating disorder, loneliness issues, life purpose (I bought the course). etc. He identified that I have an overactive sub-conscious mind that was overpowering my conscious self and keeping me in this "comfortable" state in my life. Like I have 2 people living inside me. One is scared, doesn't like change, feels inferior to the rest of the world, and is mad about it (Which I think is my ego). The other one is a confident, adventurous, intelligent, empathetic being who wants to grow and love unconditionally (Which I identified as my authentic self). The therapist said doesn't seem to have the same definitions of these things as I do. We did this exercise the other day called the Empty Chair Technique of Gestalt Therapy, where you picture those 2 entities who are inhabiting you sitting in empty chairs in the room. You can also picture all the "roles" that you play in your life in chairs too, like the inauthentic "work self", or the side of you that wants to pursue sex and money at all costs. You have a dialogue between all these sides of you. You can sit in a chair and talk as one of these entities to other ones, or speak to them as if you are outside looking in. After a while of putting on this "play" of different roles, and talking openly about all the things you wish to change and forget about all these entities, you slowly start to realize that what you're witnessing is a battle inside of you. At that point I had, what felt like, an outer body experience. I started looking at all the roles I play on a day to day basis as just the actors that were created and put into the play to tell a part of the story. I saw the conscious entity that wants to change, grow, and love, as the audience who is looking at this play, wanting it to be better, and believing that it can. I turned to the chair that had the entity who is scared, mad, and hates change. I have an feeling wash over me that I've only had watching horror movies. I saw the Devil. He was smiling at me. He looked like me, but he was ruff looking, dirty and sitting there with immense arrogance. It felt like he was laughing at me while he was engaging in all the lowest conscious behaviors that I've been doing over and over in my life. It felt like he had so much power over the whole situation. I just stood there looking at that chair, terrified, astonished, in disbelief, and I finally said to myself, there's the Devil. There he is, sitting there in that room pulling all the stings. He's the director of this "play". He hired all the actors, he built this set, he controls what you point the light at and don't - He's micro-managing all of it. The audience is not happy and trying to tell him what they really want to see, but he just keeps on with the show. I finally realize what is meant by saying that the Ego is the Devil. The Ego is the mastermind who is fabricating this whole production. He's stubborn, ignorant, and thinks he knows best. He only wants to serve himself, not the audience. So I have to find a way to convince him to change the production, or get rid of him entirely. He definitely scared me. I don't know how he got in there and why he's so scared. But this devils got to go. Have you guys had any experience with seeing this side of your psyche? Maybe when taking psychedelics? How did you deal with it? Thanks guys.

@Leo Gura Thanks Leo, your advice really helped me put it all in perspective. I have perfectionistic tendencies, and I get caught up in trying to do it all at once and as soon as possible. I have to remember to take it one step at a time. Much appreciated.

@Leo Gura So are the True Self, the conscious self, or the authentic self all ego? Where does your intuition come from? What is that tells you to move forward and not give up? Where do you get the motivation from? I'm having trouble reconciling this. I want to let go, surrender, and listen to the part of me that wants to align with passion and service. Is it not ok to want to make the world a better place? I just want to make sure that this is not still the Devil in disguise. How do I trust that my life decisions are correct when the devil has made me fail so many times? I'm just frustrated because I thought that I was becoming very aware of my (and other people's) ego, and making good strides to get past it. But, I feel like the more aware I am of the "chimpery" in the world, the more I realize how insignificant we are, and that everything is a construction of the mind - the less interest I have in everything that I used to, and ultimately find it harder to follow my passions, and it leads to more suffering and despair. My therapist wants me to unite my conscious and sub-conscious mind to find a compromise. Is this a waste of time? Can I not relieve suffering that way?

@Leo Gura What is that part of the mind that knows what I should be doing? I want to be comfortable I want to be calm I want to be emotionally un-reactive I want to be ok with failure I want to be free of my addictions I want to be fully present I want to be self-sustaining I want to be grounded in my authentic self I want to be true to my core values I want to be of service to people I want to be moving towards my greatest purpose and passion But another part of me wants to be a complete fuck up. How can it be so fragmented?

@Leo Gura I agree. He is me. At least the me who's in control right now. My authentic self controls my mind, and the devil controls my actions. I can armchair philosophize all day, but he won't let me do anything about it. He zaps my motivation, gives me this cloud of depression, makes me afraid of everything, and tries to convince me to give up. Sad thing is, I thought I was making some real progress. But he seems to be more powerful now than ever. (Ego backlash)?