Raptorsin7

@erik8lrl The ego can still block my true nature even if i'm not lost in thought? I thought the ego was the thought story of ME, or is there more to the ego?

@erik8lrl But I thought my true nature is always present. Shouldn't this be more of "aha" moment there it is, vs just sitting in this no-mind state waiting for something to happen? Is this one of those things where once i recognize my true nature, I will able to recognize easier and faster every time after i get the first glimpse. Or is it going to be a wait and see for a while now.

@VeganAwake Ok. So I understand that my true nature is not the body, because I am observing the body and it's just an appearance that is always changing. I understand that I am not the mind, or the thought story centered around "I", because the mind can be quieted and there is still presence and awareness of sensations without all the accompanying mind chatter. Now when I recognize both of these properties of my reality, my attention is mainly on the sensation in my head and my third eye region. I have had a lot pressure there recently, and when i meditate after yoga I get a deep massaging sensation in that region, it almost feels like it's thawing the muscles in my face. Like whatever is in the region between my eyes is going through my face and massaging and prying from the inside. I also recognize the ability of awareness to jump to different targets in my experience. Attention can go from my feet, to my eyes, to my stomach, all around. Up until recently I always thought this was MY attention moving around at MY direction. But i guess without the accompanying "I" thought this is just awareness moving around. But i don't what to do with this awareness/attention. Do you recognize my current level of meditation practice? What should i do next?

@WelcometoReality When thought arises and I become lost in thought, I can subtly bring myself back to present moment where I am no longer lost in thought. I can't really get to a point where I can just watch thoughts with ease as they come and go. Its usually me recognizing the thought story going once its gone on for a few seconds then i bring myself back.

How do you actually recognize the intrinsic non-dual state of reality? And how do we know if we got it or not. I can quiet my mind during meditation and be present, but I'm not sure what the next step is. I try to just be, and relax into the moment but i'm not sure how exactly go about realizing oneness.

@Raphael When you go to an hour look up self inquiry meditation and start doing that. You have to start looking for your self!

@Raphael Keep it up. I feel like I was where you were at a few months ago, where I was just doing 1 hour sits and not noticing a huge difference. I've been meditating for about 3 years now, about 30 minutes average per day over that time, (and like 2 hours a day recently) and I feel like i'm close to awakening and my meditation sessions are almost effortless. It's going to get really good! (:

@Matt23 You have come to the right place. Keep posting all the time, ask questions, try and learn from people further along the path than you. Find a technique or a post that feels right and run with it. Check out Nahm's thread on using a dream board.

@Knock Tell them to keep doing what they're doing, and see if it works. When they realize what they're doing is never going to work then they will come.

@integral Just ordered a bottle off amazon. I will report back if it makes a positive difference.

Is this prescription stuff, or is it over the counter? I will definitively look into it.

@Surfingthewave I think i'm expecting a certain level of bliss and happiness from my meditation. So when i sit and down and meditate, I can recognize that i'm not there so i guess that disturbs me. There is also just a physical sensation or feeling that my mind uses as evidence of my non-enlightenment/ non-happening.

Very cool. I like your posts about using meditation for joy and happiness, that is what i'm trying to do right now with my meditation. I will keep following you, and i want to try these techniques. Thanks (:

You should talk to him about your feelings. If you keep it locked inside it will manifest in nasty ways and you may destroy your business. Also, try meditating or doing yoga to find some time where you can quiet the mind.

@hamedsf How long did it take you from day 1 of meditation to the point where you could access this state with ease. Do you have any tips to access it? I feel like after I do yoga, and then meditate I can get close but there is still resistance.

I got depressed because I was losing my hair. Then i realized I was way off with my path to happiness. Then i started meditating. Now here i am trying to become enlightened.

@LfcCharlie4 I agree with your sentiments 100%. One of the main drivers for me on my spiritual journey is the fact that I never feel like I lived up to my potential playing sports. I always had moments of brilliance, but I was always in my own head about everything and I never really got into flow or enjoyed the sports as much as I felt I could have. I think the answer to my problem was awakening to being fully present, and giving everything I had in the present because that's all i could ever give anyways. I think sports could work will with spiritualist if you're interested in them, because I think a natural a byproduct of spiritual work would be to make you better at any sport you're playing, because you have the ability to actually try your best and your mental game would be on point. I think a similar thing could be said for video games too. But i think sports is better than video games overall.

Wow very good insight. Yea i was thinking that the dream board is likely only useful for getting what we really want. I am going to another round of wanting later tonight, I will definitely keep that in mind.

@dimitri Yea, the board is prime. I love having it in my living room, can't imagine the room without it. May the force be with you! (:

Thank you (:

@dimitri It's going... Lol. I had huge benefits early on, and I still have positive momentum, but i've sort of stagnated over the past few days. I had Nahm post a comment in another thread, and I think my issue is i'm not dreaming big enough to inspire action and change. But overall, it's definitely worked I feel like i'm very close to becoming fully present, and awakening. My meditation practice has gone nuclear since I started using the board, whereas before using the board I was pretty stagnant in my practice. Expect an awakening thread from me very soon!

Go get em @dimitri

How easy is for you to get into a mental state of no-self through meditation. A state where are you fully engaged in the present moment, and there is complete satisfaction and loss of self?

How do we quiet the mind, without using the mind to quiet it? I find after a hard workout or something the mind tends to be quieter and it is easier to meditate, but sometimes the mind is very active and there is no depth to the meditation. I believe connection to the present moment in a way that is ultimately satisfying is the entire goal of spirituality, but how do we go about connecting fully to the present if we do not have experience with it?

Yes, i need to do some more days of multiple hours of meditation. I did 1 day of 6 + hours of meditation and yoga, and i had an ego backlash but overall I felt i made a lot of progress. Did you notice your third eye opening (a sensation between your eyes around your forehead)? I was very close to getting into a state of being while watching an ekkart tole video, but i didn't fully let go and become one with experience. I felt a subtle resistance to fully immersion into the present. My difficulty is just being whatever i am in the present, without thought and without resistance. I have difficulty going deep in the meditation. Do you have other sources of being and happiness in your life other than meditation. I find yoga followed by meditation gets me the closest to a state of no-self/ego, but if you have other ways of accessing the present moment then meditation may not even be necessary.