Key Elements

I must say that if you do have an actual Satori, it does fall into place with your life very well. It's no joke. Otherwise, it's very hard to convince yourself that you had a Satori.

At this point in my life, I just tell myself to just do something. I know where to go at this point. Everything is interconnected and will fall into place sooner or later, whatever it is that you're pursuing, whether it's the absolute or not. When you're in the moment doing something, the main character is your actions and you being present. Your "ego," although non-existent, does play a role in this life.

@abrakamowse interesting... I wonder what you're doubting? You don't have to answer the question, but to me, you look like you're really doubting something but don't know how to approach and find hints/answers. I say this because I do wonder how to approach to get answers. This is the real work to anything in life. No one thing or person will have the full answer.

Leo, one question. Although Shinzen Young was saying in a video that there are many facets of the 10 Ox Herding Pics, one can't just interpret it whatever way he/she wants or feels like it. It is metaphoric of enlightenment. It will only make sense if it's realized. What do you think? I asked because someone in the forum said that this story is "exclusive." Well, he's right in a way because paradoxically, we are all enlightened. In that case, why even bother looking at the 10 Ox Herding Pics? Surely, there has to be a good reason for the 10 Ox Herding Pics to be written like that and pointing to something. Otherwise, it wouldn't exist.

At around 2:26 of Jay's clip, I do suspect that when he said, "We want to keep chasing love, but we don't actually want to fall into it," I highly suspect that this is a pointer to the Satori. Fall into it refers to becoming the No-self and transforming and falling back into your ego, which of course is your body & the world. Then, there is this massive bliss for the ego, indicating to the ego that it is in the to love realm, which is earth. That means our purpose has to be aligned with love when we go through life. Life is the school. Hopefully, we will learn this lesson, apply it, and graduate from life.

What was the thing that made you enter the other forum group in the first place? Think about it. I think it has to do with the decision that one made to enter the group in the first place. How about this? If you had your own child, where will you put him/her in school in the beginning? A school is a group. You probably would want to pick the best school, with the best ranking, in a good neighborhood. You probably research on that. Oh, you can't afford it? Maybe you may want to do self-inquiry in what you're good at & your interests, and make a career out of that, and then go for a calling. When I enter a group, I try to research and pick the best group. But, will I be in a win-win situation? Ask yourself, what is my objective here? What do I want? If I can't get it, if I can't be around "smart" ppl, could another goal/objective be achieved? If you zoom out, and look at life from a "bird's eye view," the biggest picture in life isn't to just look for someone to be with.

@now is forever I was thinking, could she be kind of green because of her acts and the way she dresses? Reminds me of Burning Man, the way she dresses sometimes. However, to me she's too flashy, glittery, and glitzy to be put into green, under the spotlight always.

To the OP, one thing I don't do is go and discredit what anyone said. I try to understand where that person is coming from first, and what he/she is pointing to. This is the main reason why I ended up in this forum because I discovered something within. It's something that Leo said, and it helped me to realize.

Living your life to the fullest also counts. It's a combo, not just one thing or another.

This "strange loop" will become the ?. (Just, hint hint) I can't say anything beyond this because, you know, Truth is realized, not learned.

Why not do both? When you get an inspiration (spirituality), write/make some music. Sometimes you could make music "without" spirituality. It doesn't matter. Does it? Everything around is spiritual. If you have a spiritual motivation, your music will be spiritual. Sometimes, when you go with the flow, the action itself is the biggest prayer. Your wish will eventually be answered automatically.

This is the orange of the 1950s, a very popular song back then. Unfortunately, oranges are just shooting stars. If you start a life purpose too orange, it'll also be a shooting star. To make a LP last throughout time, it probably must be a mixture of orange to turquoise. This story contains a Satori waiting to be realized.

"p..p..p..p..p..p..poker face! Maaa maaa maaa maaa!" ?????

This thread is going nowhere. @Lister if you want others' help and suggestions, stop judging their answers, and for once, listen to what they're trying to say.

@Lister I would suggest you try to answer your own question now. Everyone on this thread have been trying to help you. It's your turn to put the pieces together, or don't.

So, don't live it. What is the problem here? You act like you want to tell everyone something. If you don't want to live this life, then don't live it. If you want to do whatever, then do whatever. Either way, your lessons will come to you. If a kid touches a stove, and doesn't know his hands will be burned, then he'll learn that lesson. How old are you? Still in your teens?

Go live your life. Does that make sense now? I think I simplified it enough.

I knew it. Ppl asking others to prove it (enlightenment) to them. That's not how it works. It's not a belief system or a scientific system. Others don't have to prove anything to you. How does it work? Like this: If you had a Satori already, then you'll know. Then, all the spiritual work that others did will make sense. The 10 Ox Herding Pics will make sense. The term singularity will make sense. Until then, just live your life to the fullest. That counts too -- what you do in this life. Go and have an excellent life purpose first, and then incorporate the profound, if you have it, and it's your choice. They say that everything is spiritual. What goes around comes around.

I'm not going to go into it in a very complicated way like you are saying. If you want a Satori (enlightenment) to happen to you to see and become nothingness/No-self/there is no you, you still have an ego to deal with in this life afterwards. If you don't want to talk about this life, then don't. I was only answering the topic question. It's your responsibility to research and prove it to yourself. I'm not here to prove anything to anyone.

Ok.. I just live in mindfulness meditation in my daily life or try to. That's the best I could describe it. We all still have to live this life no matter where we are on our path. The biggest question for me and probably for everyone else is, do you know what is your objective in life? If you finally reach this objective, and it becomes a vista point for you, where are you going to go next till the end?

Plain and simple answer to the title of the topic: yes. It's just that you have to discover that for yourself if you haven't. We all have different paths to it.

Are you learning anything new from her that would take you further in life? Because what is the use of continuously judging and talking/gossiping about, let's say disabled ppl/children? They have nothing to do with her.

Wow, this is an interesting story. I wonder what is the "correct" way of interpreting it. Let me take a shot at it. I think the apple / fruit represents anything in life because we are all in the relative sense. However, the fruit also represents something that pulls you in and "tricks" (manipulates) you unintentionally and takes you further away from the Truth. So, with that said, an enlightened person, who has the true Satori, has to build a cunning life purpose nowadays, where he/she won't lead ppl/followers astray. Quite a challenge. An enlightened person has to realize that Truth is realized, not learned, and only those who are ready to hear it will hear it. In other words, you may have 100 followers and only one will understand what you're saying because that person has already had the Satori. Or, it could be 1/10,000 according to Leo.

Very interesting.