UnbornTao

Mental breakdowns are not awakening. Take some time to ground yourself, and don't take your beliefs so seriously.

Oh, this is great for studying systems of belief. It can go either way - I'm X or Y (Or I'm not X or Y.) I do agree with the sentiment - admitting one's experience and not trying to superimpose notions onto it, pretending that they're true for you. I bet there's A LOT of that going around. As far as I'm concerned, the whole field of spirituality is based on these kinds of affectations. Do we know the difference, though?

Shit, my condolences. I'm sure she had a loving life. Dogs are the best.

And honestly? That's rare.

I thought that was a good thing?

You're talking about TES VII in Quote #678. Skyrim in... space underwater.

It is what it is.

@Natasha Tori Maru Woohoo!

Okay then.

Ironic that the AI bubble post shares an AI-produced video and channel.

I'll take that, and I agree for the most part. It would be better not to mistake the self-image of being 'highly conscious' for something real and grounded in actual consciousness. What's actually happening underneath, beyond the claims? If that's what's going on, it needs to be called out plainly - the justifications people use to feel superior to others, because they believe they've landed on the right set of ideas, don't hold up. The whole story is convenient, but false. I shared a video on authenticity earlier that's quite relevant here. To put it crudely and oversimplified: your shit stinks just like everyone else's. If you think otherwise... pay attention. You're not special. Also, take a hard look at your ideals. And if you want to socialize, do it. Don't dress it up as you being the reluctant outsider forced to play along with 'lesser' games, or anything like that.

We use terms differently. The way I use 'becoming more aware' refers to a process that encompasses perceptive experience. Becoming more mindful and attentive may be seen as forms of increasing awareness. Noticing one's state of mind, body, mood, thinking, emotions, feelings, etc., too. This is more aligned with a meditation session.

Same underlying dynamic. But if it helps, then great. At some point it may be seen as irrelevant whether it resonates or not.

And it's already been settled by you that that's going to be me, right? It's also possible that neither party is right, and that we're engaged in conceptual games to which we may have attributed the characteristic of absolute truth. Hopefully the interchanges bring to the fore dynamics that are taking place - without us noticing - as we operate here. To put a spin on my response, consider the nature and process of your verification.

My questions above, yes. If what you want is to become more aware, there are better questions for that than 'what am I?' For example: What is attention? What is awareness?

It actually makes complete sense, if what's actually true is the goal. (Not our mental picture of "the truth.") Of course we don't want to investigate what pain or hate are, for example. We want love and spiritualism and to feel good. But this will subtly and grossly taint the investigation throughout. What is dislike?

Direct relative to what? He said he wanted to become more aware, and that he was going to meditate. I get the sense we fall into worldviews and forget that the truth doesn't fit into any of them. Why exclude things? What are awareness, deception, fantasy, preference? What is value? Why do we like some things and not others? What is pain?

"Who's the tree that is asking?" before considering what the nature of that tree is - kind of thing. If we start with what resonates the investigation is already biased from the beginning. As an aside, if we use the question in the background to subtly validate our own already-established "knowledge," it's not really a question but a confirmation of preference, ideas, etc.

If it is a meditation, then maybe focus on "what is the act of being aware of being aware?" Or again, focus on what's present in your experience now. Just pay attention and "ask" what is there - not intellectually but actually. Maybe it's just boredom, it doesn't have to be transcendental or fancy, just what is really going on for you.

'Who' first.

It's fine

For sure. We can also get easily confused about what we're calling 'direct experience.' We already live as if our experience were absolute - that, for example, what we perceive has some kind of ultimate status when it comes to the nature of things. It's also possible for us to, either deliberately or unconsciously, 'generate' experiences consistent with our mental input, knowledge base, assumptions, or whatever we want to call it. I don't think that most propositions here, or rather, what they're based on, would stand if you were to take away conceptualization. Huge influence on our experience.

Fuck me. Hatewatch unsuccessful.