PureExp

@JohnThen again you answered your own question about when a student can examine them. However, I was hinting at the possibility that thoughts do not arrive on a schedule, they do not follow a time table. You can follow a time table, but thoughts don't. You have to be alert always and observe them always. Observation would not mean suppression. In my experience, when I don't observe attentively, the thoughts take my mind where ever they are going, but when I observe, the thoughts lose steam quickly, but only after the primary thought has already passed. It never gets suppressed. The primary thought is non-verbal most of the time, its not even possible to see it coming. Its not possible to stop the seed thought from arising, but it is possible to cut down the whole train that follows. Regarding the "voice" that comments on your observation, it is also a thought, just observe it. Its funny that it pretends to be an observer, but it is seen too, just like other "rogue" thoughts. The pretending voice pretends to be a "willful" thought, but it is rogue too. When it appears, shift your attention to the real observer. There can arise more pretentious thoughts like - "I killed the voice" or "I need silence here" etc etc, but these are all more thoughts. Let them come and go. It is unhealthy only if you believe these thoughts are yourself or "subtle self" or any kind of self, they are not, they are just events in the mind.

@Michael119 Yes, what he said ^^ You don't have awareness, awareness has you. Awareness expresses as you and as everyone and everything. Just look !

Ok as an aside, here is an interesting introspection (self-enquiry) on space. Just look at a big mirror. The ones that are wall to wall, like in a big bathroom work best. What do you see? What do you experience? Of course, you see the whole room on the other side of the mirror. It is flipped, but it is essentially the original. You see exactly the same space in mirror you'd normally see in a "real" room. 3D, vivid, bright.. very real. You don't really see the mirror (if its clean), you see a spacious room. Now try to touch the objects in mirror, its silly, but do it. You will find that there is this hard surface there, there is no space ! Your hand will not go through the mirror and grab the object no matter what you do. There is no space, no distance. Where is the space that you see in the mirror? Well, its somewhat surprising if you are new to this, but the only conclusion is - space is only in the mind. The mirror reflects the light (a signal that carries information) and the space gets created out of that data. Now you know, its your direct experience that there is no space in "world out there".

@Principium Nexus Yes I understand you. I agree that limiting perception is a necessity if the infinite self wants to experience something discrete. Its not only a few hundred or thousand years ago, the space started forming in mind millions of years ago. It is useful to know how much to move and in which direction. "How much" is proportional to the amount of energy needed (or change one must produce), and "direction" is a concept that defines which muscles to move. These two parameters define space. Space is imposed on visual data. I know its short and confusing, but the whole explanation will take many pages. I can't type it all here. Its a very-very interesting subject.

@Principium Nexus answered it beautifully. Thanks PN. I'd like to add the following. Why does mind construct space? The answer is - to organize contents of experience. It is its unique way of structuring the data it receives via senses (mostly from vision). Notice that other senses are poorly located, if at all. Sounds are approximately located, touch is fuzzy, taste and smell are not located. This may not be the case for other minds, e.g. perhaps a dog can locate a smell in space and run towards it (I really don't know, but possible). Other kinds of minds may form different structures to organize the experiences. Notice that our mind is not so good at it. A space that is too small or too big cannot be comprehended. Most of us do not understand the huge space between earth and the moon, or the sun. They appear flat in the sky. We can't grasp how small a virus is. We need to scale everything into a narrow dimension on paper etc to roughly know it. So perhaps mind fails after a few km and few microns. We are good within a range of say few meters, and that has evolutionary reasons. Notice that non-sensory content (thoughts, imaginations, memories, emotions and all that) are not localized at all. Why? There is no need. This produces the illusion of "in-here" and "out-there". If you see it as a whole, not dividing it up, you will see that everything is created in mind, there is no "out" or "in". Edit: Are we space? Is consciousness = space? Obviously no. It is that which experiences space.

@Nahm It is simple. Dig into the meaning of word "causality". You will find that it is empty, meaningless, an assumption, a fantasy, only a rough way of describing events. Useful for everyday tasks, not for contemplation. Once I saw this, I was sure. X causes Y is a meaningless statement for a seeker.

You answered your own question. By not denying or suppressing our experience and allowing the experience that needs to happen to flow freely. A better question is - do you really have a choice in regard to exactly when you are involved in thoughts and exactly when you do surgery on them? Can you fix a time table for that?

Yes, one needs to learn to live elegantly with not knowing. The goal will appear on its own. So far the goals and ambitions were fed in by the genetic programming, society and parents etc. and now those simply disappear. Now the goal has to appear out of your innermost core. I simply do whatever my heart tells me to do, while being highly aware of consequences. Simply put, do what you like most till a higher goal appears. I can suggest things like hanging out with people who are on a path, listening to teachers, sharing with and helping others, even teaching (not for money or out of superiority complex, but just because you love to share). And I also recommend finding a teacher who can suggest something better.

Yes. I'm sure.

You are experiencing detachment. (Vairagya) This can be a fruit of your practice or can happen on its own. In any case, you have reached a stage in ripening. It is a good stage actually from the point of view of a seeker. Seekers spend decades and sweat to get to this stage. You are naturally changing paths, from a worldly path to a path of your heart. Yes, its natural to feel stupid chasing after a mirage, no sane person will do that. Do not try to get back to the old and rotten, let go of it, simply change your goal, build up motivation to pursue that new goal. What is the new goal? You need to decide it yourself. You cannot walk on someone else's path. Your goal needs to be according to your current needs. You surely do not need worldly stuff except the essential stuff that makes life comfortable and cozy. You do not want your life to become a struggle for mere survival again. So then which goal remains? Usually it is in the direction of more freedom, absolute freedom. Be free.

@brovakhiin You are right. Musk is not really into simulation stuff, he is a businessman with a passion for high-tech. He is merely repeating the "mainstream" ideas of "materialist simulation hypothesis", which does not dare to deviate too much from established dogma. IMO, we are the base reality, each of us is same consciousness. The persons or "agents" in this simulation think they are separate individuals and think that the world is out there separate and independent. It is very effective and a successful simulation.

James Swartz Great and fairly detailed introduction to Vedanta. Swartz is a brilliant teacher. That's in 16 parts totaling 16 hours, but it saves 16 years of your life.

http://www.astralpulse.com/ A treasure box for Astral Projection lovers. Yes, I post there too and I prefer the term AP, "out of body" doesn't make sense and sets you on a wrong direction. We are not in the body, the body is in us, and so is this physical world. Its easy to switch to another body or another world. Its all Mind.

Another interesting link, with Musk video. https://futurism.com/the-simulation-hypothesis-is-reality-all-just-a-computer-simulation/

@Lha Bho I feel sensations all the time in upper skull, like pressures or contractions. I guess headaches are felt in brain, but are not so sharply localized. Those who concentrate on 6th and 7th energy center know the internal sensations well. But still not so sharply defined. It is odd because brain has no pain or touch receivers, no peripheral neurons there (as far as I read). So my best guess is - neurons on inner skin/muscles generate those sensations.

@jse My real worry is what if it is written in javascript and runs on windows No limit to "what ifs".

@jes Don't make that newbie mistake. Ego is very useful. Its the operating system for the body. You don't need to destroy it, you need to transcend it. How? By abiding in Self (aka higher self or pure consciousness or witness that you are essentially). How to do that? First realize what you are, rest follows. How to realize it? Self-enquiry. Or join any other path or a good teacher of your liking. This forum is full of advise about all its aspect. Learn it, practice it, apply it.

Yes, he is waking up from the Matrix, so to speak

@100rockets It seems you are now taking baby steps towards liberation, aka absolute freedom. Yes, the external stuff is like a mirage, and chasing happiness in objects, situations and people is bound to fail, its like grasping air with bare hands. Once you see through it, such feelings like yours arise spontaneously, it all appears meaningless or even disgusting. This is the perfect time to detach and seek a teacher who will pick you up from this mess and show you a path to liberation. Do not try to fix the mess, its not there, fix yourself, be free.

He is touring those 5 countries. I don't know the exact schedule. I'm not going too, but I guess it will be on youtube anyway. I watch all his videos, and also ask occasional questions directly to him via his forum.

For anyone who's interested in hearing him live.

@bigzbigi You are surely not crazy. You just need to see more, but its a good start. Those who ask questions go much further than those who simply believe crowds and overlords. I was pretty crazy not so long ago, I firmly believed that my consciousness was a tiny part of my brain. Now that's what I call crazy thinking

That made me laugh But I guess you are a budding philosopher. Keep reading and studying, you will progress fast beyond such fantasies. And don't forget to practice. Why make up things when you can know firsthand? All the best !

What you are asking is - where is the carrot which I can chase. This is Ego, it wants something in return of work. Practice is non-doing, when you meditate you are still, you are not doing, you are not doer. The Ego cannot comprehend it, it demands stuff. The returns of meditation are exactly nil, instead you will lose stuff, the Egoic stuff - wants, desires, attachments, lower tendencies. Of course it is against the agenda of Ego, whose job is to amplify them. So you do not need motivation, Ego needs it, and it will never get it, its goals are opposite. The desire to practice is not external, it is Grace. When you had enough of worldly/Egoic stuff and you are sick of it, you start to become still, you seek company of those who are free and wise, you start practicing, a path and teachers show up. So you cannot force a motivation and cannot force yourself to practice by hook or crook. Anyhow, keep reading, watching, and doing whatever you think is best for you. Surround yourself with people who are on the same path. Hangout on this forum. And when you think all of this is too boring, take a break, do ordinary stuff for a while, and then back to practice. Your path will pull you back, ensure that it is the path of your heart.