axiom

@Yimpa Nonduality may not be what you think it is, but that is ok. It sounds like traditional self-help might bring more satisfaction.

@Moksha Patient: There's nothing wrong with me. Should I get a prescription? Doctor: What for? Patient: My doubt. Doctor: Sure, take this empty medicine bottle. Try not to overdose - it's potent stuff.

@Yimpa There is no doer, but it can certainly seem like there is. I would tell you to carry on as if you were in control, but then you'd have no choice in whether you did that either. Life will always seem "as if" action A typically produces result B and so forth. And this can bring a sense of doership, satisfaction and progress - so there is nothing wrong (nor right) with apparently living this way, even if it is ultimately illusory. However, living with an innate sense of dissatisfaction which prompts ongoing desire and seeking does not seem to be the kind of freedom that purportedly comes from enlightenment. Last I heard anyway

@Vasu Jaggi Yes, I think a few times. Most of my posts here probably point to it.

@Vasu Jaggi Right, exactly. However later I realised that even awareness is not foundational. What seems to be "awareness" is not what you (or anyone) thinks it is.

I edited the post. Yes, it is something I have done myself. It was quite profound when it happened. At some point on the "spiritual path" people often talk about "pure awareness". This was the recognition that 'I' seemed to be pure awareness. Pretty shocking at the time.

A funny thing can happen with very strong determination sitting over a period of days or weeks. I am not sure how rare it is, but at some point the pain is seen as just another thing happening, the mind realises that in spite of the pain it is completely safe and untouched, and physical discomfort does not fade away but loses all of its significance. This was, on the face of it, something that happened to me at some point in the story of "my life", before I realised it was all just a story.

Some psychedelics appear to reduce brain activity in some "important" networks (such as the DMN), but can increase brain activity overall. It is an over-simplification to simply suggest that they "decrease brain activity" - this is a popular misapprehension because people are hooked into the idea of calming the mind, chillaxing, reducing negative thinking and so on.

To the extent any apparent thing can just be whatever it is, without seeking, there is enlightenment.

You might think you'd be able to become wealthy by starting your own business, but most fail. It takes a certain kind of genius to make money.

OH MY GOSH!!! I can't BELIEVE you just said that! We live in this INTRICATE, BEAUTIFUL, and most of all, HOLISTIC world, where everything is CONNECTED! Mental illness and sanity are like PEANUT BUTTER and JELLY – they go hand in hand! Just imagine, if our reality was a GIANT PUZZLE, mental illness and sanity would be those VITAL pieces that complete the picture! Each one is an IDEA, swirling around in the COSMIC SOUP of existence, and they DANCE together like stars in the night sky! And you know what? Our BRAINS are a part of this AMAZING holistic system, too! It's like they're the world's most COMPLICATED computer program, with BILLIONS of neurons firing away! So, how could anyone NOT believe in mental illness? It's like saying you don't believe in the color BLUE or the feeling of HAPPINESS! YAY for the HOLISTIC NATURE OF REALITY!

@Jowblob could be vaccine related?

??

I'm still here actually

"Seeing" the black void in a room where no light enters - for example a cave deep underground - is exactly the same as blindness. In both circumstances no light enters the eye. So yes, a blind person does not "see" black. But then neither do you.

Yes, good observation. “getting caught up in activity of mind” (or not) is not a decision one makes. - Notice that I am not complaining about anything here - “the whole point of consciousness…” There is no point to consciousness. As far as Leo being this way or that way… such things don’t concern me.

I promise you, there is no awakening. There is getting wrapped up in activity of mind or not getting wrapped up in activity of mind.

That sounds like something that needs work.

Yes it is just activity of mind. Take a look around the forum. Don’t you think all this supposed awakening and spirituality looks and smells like petty human shit? For most who open the door to spirituality, it ultimately mutates into strongly-held identity. In the end it is just another attachment. It is not important to be spiritual. All of this can be transcended. Honestly, look at the petty human BS here and see it for what it is. The lesson is staring you in the face.

Yes, nothing here is a big deal. If people think it’s a big deal then they should probably develop a few other interests and get their lives in order. Spiritual seeking truly is the most pointless endeavour. At some point it can be seen it for what it is : just activity of mind. In the meantime it amplifies neuroses. Leo is a very entertaining character with grandiose notions of Godhood. It happens. Whatever he may lack, he more than makes up for with his cartoon-villain appearance and persona.

The barrier is understanding.

What you describe is something easily “understood”, and does not require an arrogant teacher to explain. It can be directly encountered on 5MEO and other psychedelic substances at sufficiently high doses. It can also be encountered via meditation, breathwork, near death experiences. It is easy to have that peak experience. As far as understanding it… well, understanding is just the poor and misguided cousin of being. Once you get into “understanding” you are back in mind, back in ego, back in the dream of assigning meaning, purpose and value to that which is completely beyond it. And in so doing it is obscured, seen only through a veil. “Understanding” the sun is absurd. The sun is perfectly complete already without any understanding required. To suggest that following a series of esoteric tasks or teachings is somehow essential to grasp the true meaning of the sun, and that “no one else understands the sun like I do!” is completely ridiculous… and yet this more or less describes the whole spiritual endeavour. Infinity is infinity and the sun is the sun. Bask in its glow. Leo’s teachings are entertaining but ultimately useless. All such teachings are useless.

@Breakingthewall Exactly. There is no grain of sand. There is no Leo.

Arrogance and huge ego are not necessary for this. They will only get you so far, and usually will involve some degree of misery, explicit or not. As far as deciphering the essence of reality… yes, the illusion of such is possible. It never actually happens though. A grain of sand does not decipher the beach.

Ok, now you know from personal experience that you can be injured and that your body ages and decays. Project the cumulative effect of this forwards. Year 1. A few injuries, a few minor illnesses, no death Year 30. A few serious injuries, a couple of nasty illnesses, no death Year 70. Many serious Injuries, ongoing constant moderate pain, many severe illnesses, no death Year 1000. Countless serious injuries, many broken bones, a couple of lost limbs, body riddled with painful disease that makes existence constant agony, everyone you have ever loved or had the slightest meaningful connection with is dead. Making further connections is impossible as you have locked-in syndrome… still no death.