Toby

That is not true. I know one enlightened guy who runs / did run a big internet forum on the subject. Also there are a lot in the show business that are enlightened or close to it.

Maybe he has siddhis, maybe not. Maybe he is enlightened, maybe not. Question is: how many are really waking up with him?

It depends on the retreat and teacher.

He almost allowed everyone to see him any time other than maybe short bathroom breaks or something. If that is not "returning to the world" then I don't know what is. But hey, I'm not interested in arguing.

I have no solution here but all I can say is I love the Enneagram to show the potential but also egoic strategies. Overly simplified, one egoic strategy to deal with sadness and neediness is "melancholy" (type 4), another is being driven towards success (type 3), another is becoming "the helper" (type 2). All as a way for getting love as a substitute as living as love. But all types have a deeper, more real potential of course. Even though everyone has a main-type, everyone can find every type and strategy and also the essential qualities in them. A good book that explores that: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1893840263/

because they are dealing with what is left as "vasanas". was the same with Jesus. ultimately they all return.

Ramana wasn't answering anything most of the time even if he was asked. He was silent most of the time. That was his main answer.

@username Karl Renz

Being aware and doing nothing is the same. So you really can't "do" one without "doing" the other.

No, they don't have dating easier.

The problem is it is very very hard to spot ones own delusions without a competent teacher. Even or especially in "advanced" "stages". Over and over again there are people that say "I'm enlightened" or "I've arrived" but they might not be aware what they experience is not the full picture or they might even be fixated / identified with a position. Sure, life is a teacher itself but it all is much easier with a teacher in human form. Even if he / she is ultimately you and directs you towards you.

There was even a report (assuming it was true) of a woman online some years back in a forum where she told that Eckhart made a move on her (in England after his shift) and - although she liked spending time with him - rejected him. So, it doesn't matter if someone is "enlightened" or not, clear in his intention or not, needy or not (could even be that you are awake AND needy) - there is always the other person that can say yes or no. Nothing to take personal.

4 weeks is enough time to judge if you want to get to know somebody or not. Just tell her you are not interested in wasting your time.

@Shin After reading this in "The Power of Now" I decided to look for a teacher:

never gets old

Won't watch the video because the tone of the voice doesn't resonate with me but for me what was very valuable regarding the "true teachings of Jesus": - Adyashanti - Resurrecting Jesus audio - Leonard Jacobson - Liberating Jesus DVD

http://non-duality.rupertspira.com/read/is_awareness_the_same_as_consciousness There is no end-goal in Advaita. And the "no self" thing is only an aspect of "Advaita". It is not the full picture and no teacher I respect said anything to the contrary.

It mostly is genetic. So nutrition and everything else will only help to a degree.

Well, watched some minutes more. Of course what he is describing is the quality of "chit" ("sat-chit-andanda"). Of course that is not final reality. Rupert would say the exact same. It's the kind of "'I-AM-consciousness' arises and subsides in Awareness".

1-2 minutes in, he thinks about "pure consciousness" as something individual that "someone" has or doesn't have and can do something with it. That's already wrong. No need to watch further for me.

Why would he be present at retreats and workshops that are not announced on his own website? Rather seems that some other guys that were authorised to teach in his name run workshops on their own.

Effortless and choiceless awareness is our real nature. If we can attain it or be in that state, it is all right. But one cannot reach it without effort, the effort of deliberate meditation. - Ramana Maharshi

Found this one the other day on facebook (both don't teach nirvikalpa samadhi as the final state)

Unfortunately she is nowhere near where I live and travelling to Utrecht would cost me like 150€. Not that exciting to spend that much for it.