Johnny5

No need, just don't mistake dream you for real you. (easier said than done)

@Javfly33 Someone said people only exist when you're aware of them. But even that's not true. It's like patterns of light dancing on an invisible surface. Shadows on the wall in plato's cave. Nothing really there, never was. Direct experience or no. There is no overstating the degree to which none of this exists. Direct experience is like the lunatic reminiscence of an eternal soul, of what life could have been like if there ever were a universe. Thus shall you think of this fleeting world: A star at dawn, a bubble in a stream, A flash of lightning in a summer cloud, A flickering lamp, a phantom, and a dream. -- Diamond Sutra

It's way more shocking than that...

I don't remember ever having seen a single useful post of yours on this forum.

That's the way it works, big man. No effort required...

Just desert ☹️ ?‍♂️

@Meta-Man How close can you get to a mirage before it starts to break down...? Get yer phone out, don't wanna miss it...

Until it isn't... Story doesn't end until universe disappears, and you along with it. ?

Stop derailing threads? ?‍♂️

If I do that then how would I annoy you anymore...? ?‍♂️

Better question might be: Is there "deep sleep" during consciousness? Or "waking state" for that matter...

@zeroISinfinity Fuck off.

@zeroISinfinity You're good to go any day you're above ground. ?

I'm not ready. I don't know why...

It IS a trick... Red is no more red than pain is pain. Ask Ralston... Experience is not absolute, it is a mirage.

?

That's what it's for, and is why you're still here. Birds who've already learned to fly leave the nest...

Yes I meant the purging of specific, persistent things that may not be going as well as you had hoped. Inferiority and neediness was a big thing for me, and what helped me was self-love. Even if you need external "props" to reflect love back to you, whatever works is fair game and you can't afford not to. And indeed sex can be a big part of how that gets expressed. There's no downside here ?. Whatever you can do to love yourself, embrace who you are, be good to yourself, etc. by all means go for it. Self-love is what enables the "purge" ("releasing" might be a nicer way of thinking about it, considering).

@Danioover9000 indeed!

Could be that "being the witnessing presence" is really just a way of keeping your distance from that pain sothat you don't have to feel it fully. In other words a coping mechanism. Alas, the only way out is through. If something got purged, you'd notice. If nothing changed, even after some time to recover, then nothing got purged, or you're holding on to something. Don't be afraid to completely wallow in your feelings for as long as it takes, if it helps to purge them. They need to be let in and processed fully, not pushed away. Trying to purge them won't work, only letting them in works. It's your full attention that they're after, and only you can set them free. (Sound familiar...? ? ) Doesn't matter how "unenlightened" you think it may seem. You don't wake up by trying to act a certain way. Purging is messy, that's just how it is. Also, it's entirely possible that this is part of a deeper, more general issue like neediness / lack of (unconditional) self-love. If so, you may want to look into that too. That could also be a reason why purging isn't happening or why you keep recreating that pain, as the case may be.

Anything is possible. ?

I think it's possible for people to suggest Leo as a guest via the website. Assuming Leo would want to. Frankly I'm not sure it's entirely compatible audience, but hey why not.

Alan Watts was an essential stepping stone for me at the time (about a decade ago). Highly recommended for anyone with an interest. It's like "emptiness for dummies", an excellent start in deconstructing the rigidity of dualistic worldviews, and entertaining to boot. I used to listen to these over and over again: https://www.soundstrue.com/products/out-of-your-mind