UnbornTao

We could start with the observation that happiness is caused by you.

Good question. You contemplate it and tell us what you find.

Until you personally have an awakening, you can simply trust that it is possible. It might seem paradoxical or nonsensical, and yet it is possible - for you and everyone else, just as they are now. After all, you already are you, and you are conscious. What's that about? Be wary of mistaking the failure to grasp something for its being impossible. Particularly in this context, belief is detrimental. Relying on hearsay is worse than worthless. The truth is unknown; deepen that recognition. Become aware that, in your present experience, you really do not know - you aren't directly conscious of what existence is. Doing so should help you open up beyond your current knowledge and assumptions. From this state, you can question in a more real and powerful way. The investigation is about what is actually true now. So, what is my nature? That is the core question to ask oneself. A breakthrough is the goal - not a conclusion, fantasy, philosophy, experience, idea, conviction, or worldview.

Turned the moon into a boomerang: Meditation's paying off.

"Being too broke too soon"

As a background sense or subtle form of fear, sure. You're asking about "being oneself" in a social context, which seems to show up in the character and behavior you present to others, although we could get clear on what that business consists of. I don't think this struggle is uncommon.

Then, discover what everything is - at any level. It's not an ideal; it's simply whatever is already the case, about anything. We can start with our experience as it is, right now. For example, since you mentioned it: What is bias? Also, begin to notice anything within you that is inauthentic - any form of pretense, phoniness, affectation, and so on - and drop it. That act of letting go alone already calls for a transformation of oneself. At the same time, pursue absolute consciousness: What am I? What is another? What is life? Just a few suggestions off the top of my head.

We could start by acknowledging what's what in our experience. A principle consistent with that would be calling things by their name. Avoid the common trap of idealizing "the truth." Start with what's right in front of you. Recognize that what's true - the nature of anything - is often actually unknown. That shift in perspective can help steer us in a more useful direction. For example, as a grounded exercise, consider your experience of a particular emotion. Telling the truth about anything requires being conscious of it in the first place - personally experiencing what it is. In the case of anger, for instance: what is it made of? Why does it exist? Once we discover that for real, we can begin to communicate what anger is from a place of genuine insight. And we also have 'ultimate Truth' as a possibility to be personally realized.

@Loveeee

@Natasha Tori Maru 😂😂

It was a joke; I'm skinny myself. There's no reason an enlightened guy couldn't be physically strong, though. Jesus might even have been ripped.

hahaha You'd win by a landslide

Ramana could have used some bench press. Still:

Nice

@AION tacos?

Storage Truth

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A useful model - not to be taken too seriously though, as it is still a model.

Love it. Here's my attempt at reproducing it, would love to hear your thoughts!

Superman, of course - now that Ramana is dead. Seriously though, better questions would be: What is the self, what is Being, and, for that matter, what is existence?

@Yimpa's doing fine; she told me she's working hard on her life purpose, so that's great to hear.