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@abrakamowse @pluto I've even heard him say that enlightenment, or what you would call awakening, is a freebie. That the hard part comes afterwards

It just does, that's probably the most truthful answer You could also say that music can help transcend the mind. For a brief moment language, concepts, the mind and its limitations are transcended and the beauty and love that's beyond the mind is tapped into.

@Preetom Yeah I resonate with this list. They can all cause frustration, but for some reason I actually like number 5. I've always enjoyed knowing nothing about the future, it's liberating

@cetus56 Thank you!! I've just listened to it, it's wonderful, very illuminating. I love how he changes ego from a noun to a verb, it's a very useful way of looking at it.

@pluto@ sorry, can't delete this tag @Nahm hahaha, that's a great analogy, that's what it feels like!!

@Preetom For me, thought can still bite and it has, particularly in the last couple of days. I don't think I'm in the clear yet from having spotted this, it feels like I need to practice coming back again and again to awareness. It's great that the tiger has lost its fangs on your end! @pluto@ wrong tag, sorry @SoonHei In my case, sometimes. I understand what you mean, thoughts that come from 'that deeper place' are peaceful and nothing to be concerned about. They can be beautiful thoughts, of gratitude, awe, admiration, love. However, the thoughts that I described are unpleasant. They don't come with peace, they come with restlessness. With craving. And once the spiral starts it's hard to stop. @Serotoninluv Thanks, I will check them out

You bet! This is all quite humbling

@Joseph Maynor Indeed.

@pluto Great thread, I loved that Bashar video you posted, the first one, it helped to put into simple words what I've experienced. I also get your distinction between awakening and enlightenment, it certainly feels like after awakening there is still so much to learn about how to live from this understanding.

You are mistaking concepts here. The substrate of reality is not awareness in the sense that something is always aware. It is prior to awareness, it's not even aware. No words can describe it, words appear in It. Remove the concept of consciousness, it is only confusing you. The substrate of reality is nothingness, and not even that.

There's no getting around the fact that girls like a guy who goes for what he wants. We have to understand that it is our duty to make the first move and to make things happen, girls are usually on the receiving end. I don't see it as bad boy/nice guy anymore, it's not a useful way to look at it. It's not that they want you to be bad, it's that they want you to take charge.

@pluto I agree with this. I've only taken psychedelics twice since being on the spiritual path and it was always at moments when it felt like the universe was prompting me to take them. Both trips were life-changing. The second one was incredible, I had been thinking about trying LSD for a while but being in a foreign country I had no idea how to find it. As I was on this social app, a profile appeared with a picture of weed, which was very weird, everyone always has a face pic. I opened the profile and the other pictures were of LSD tabs. I chatted with the guy and he was selling. It just felt right, it was a very strange "coincidence". Of course it was no coincidence

This is a misconception and a belief that needs to be dropped. Enlightenment is just realizing your true nature. You don't have to start doing crazy shit afterwards, or wear Indian robes, or even talk about it with other people. You've probably met enlightened people (if this could even be said, it's not ultimately true) and don't even know about it. Enlightenment is not out there somewhere, it is right HERE and NOW.

@Schahin Free will is a concept that appears in awareness (you). What you are is prior to free will and all other concepts.

Yes, but the human is also an illusion.

@SoonHei Yeah I think you're right

For me it is beginning to be very difficult to judge anyone. Ultimately that person is you. If you were given his ego and circumstances you would do the exact same things they do. So what's there to judge?

@possibilities Good luck on your journey, sincerely. All the best.

I know that it seems that way. I think one of Leo's most spot on teachings is when he suggests that you keep an open mind and keep the hypothesis - for a while - of something existing which is Absolutely True. You don't have to believe it. In fact you shouldn't, the work is about transcending all beliefs, concepts, all thought, all language... Some people claim to have realized a truth that is Absolute. This much you know. Instead of going against these people, why don't you just suspend your judgment for a while and try to find this Absolute truth? For yourself, because no one else can show it to you. Who knows, it might be worth it

This is a belief.

You're on the right track keep meditating and start relaxing attention. If you don't put your attention on any objects (thoughts, feelings or perceptions) you will eventually find out what awareness is.

I'm going to talk about the internal part, because I don't have experience with doing any of this with other people. Inner-child work is valuable, in my opinion. Yes, it is accepting the part of your ego that feels like a victim, or unworthy, or whatever else. This acceptance, when "practiced" enough, expands consciousness. Ultimately it comes down to full acceptance, which is already what you are (awareness). That's why ultimately acceptance is not a practice. But if this hasn't been realized yet, by all means take some time to talk to your inner-child. Close your eyes and imagine that child, talk to it, ask it questions, embrace him/her, go into difficult memories, change them, show your inner-child that he/she is loved. This can be quite healing.

The most limiting belief is the belief that you are a body-mind in the world. Question that belief and eventually you will understand exactly what a belief is. Those other beliefs cannot stand and will fall off on their own once you realize that you are already IT.

Yup, that's right And when you become conscious of it you laugh yourself silly because you realize the absurdity of all these discussions. But before you "see" it for yourself, it just doesn't register.

I've been listening to Rupert Spira and he says - and I agree - that devoting time to spirituality should come from the sentiment that it is the most interesting and enjoyable thing you can think of doing at that moment. Anything less and it's "blasphemous". So really, just do what you really want, what you find most interesting and enjoyable, with no regrets. If that is out there "in the world", that's absolutely fine.