Ananta

Because when you apprehend your true nature, it's not something that everyone else doesn't already have. It's who/what you are. So, why is it special? It's not. Some just haven't realized it yet. It's not something to be idolized, as if it's not "you" already. Ego likes to co-opt this realization, so one needs to be on the look out for that.

@Natasha I cover that by saying, "If you mean the are both made of/created from awareness, then I get that." People are idolizing him on this thread. I don't know if he doesn't see that or see's that and likes it. If it's the latter, it's all ego.

@Vladimir Don't worry about them... there are some who are taken care of...of course they see it the way they do. If you have real duties in the world you do them, knowing they won't get done otherwise. I have to go to work each day, that my duty and I do it.

I'm not trying to "attack" you, I swear. But, I call bullshit on this comment of yours. You're trying to tell everyone you don't recognize a difference between you and a shelf? Or is this again another metaphor? If you mean the are both made of/created from awareness, then I get that. If you mean literally you don't see a difference, then how do you know when your eating if you're feeding your mouth or the shelf?? Some of your comments need explanations, do you see that?

Lol, I know who "I am", but thanks. I also know If you literally stabbed yourself to "death", as you seemed to say, you wouldn't be typing here, hence me saying you'd be delusional.

Gee, I was hoping..lol. if not, I was going to say you were delusional.

What??

Success is in the eye of the beholder. One cant look at anothers life and call it a success, as you do not have their subjective perspective. Striving for betterment of one's life is part of Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Once you obtain one level, their is another, until actualization. On a personal note, I was 34 when I went to nursing school to become an RN. I'm now an administrative nurse. I was completely driven back then, I know longer have that kind of drive, but it did allow me to have a career now where I don't have to worry about money, but I'm not an excessive spender either. Having to earn money is part of life, unless you have someone taking care of you. Might as well earn a good living, why not?

I often prefer complete silence, it's peaceful. It's not required, but given the option I would rather sit in silence. So, I'll listen to a song or two, then turn the car radio off or not turn it on at all. Occasionally, I'll listen to music with my headphones for awhile and it can be relaxing after a tough day at the office. If you find music distracting right now, then don't do it. Personally, I think it's fine in moderation.

Do you want to talk about any them? I'm curious as to you saying you didn't realize them as such?

Welp, got a creepy PM, so decided not to go with my real pic anymore on this forum...lol

Ok No longer seeking, for me, was when I realized/apprehended without a shadow of a doubt that "I AM awareness" and not the body/mind. So, from there, there's a deepening ... and an assimilation process that has continued... (Vedanta has really helped with this), but seeking has stopped. It took 8 years to get to this point.

If you have a burning desire for liberation (freedom) it doesn't matter what anyone advises you to do. You will continue to seek, until you no longer need to. You decide when that is, not someone else.

Sounds like you need a bit more balance. Whenever one becomes unbalanced it seems as if problems can potentially arise. If your good with it, then it's not problem.

Maybe try meditating throughout the day, when your out and about. Where stuff really kicks up (emotions, thoughts, feelings). Other then tons of Self-inquiry, that's basically what I've done. I was not really one for formal meditation practice. Imo, 3-4 hours a day is too much.

Sorry, let's broaden the perspective for a moment. You "are" awareness, every-thing IS you, awareness. You awareness have a power within you called Maya (as you are limitless) and it has caused the "appearance" of this universal intellegence called Isvara (god/creator) to be superimposed upon/within itself. Isvara has created the phenomenal manifestation out of awareness. It is but a "reflection" of pure awareness (like a hologram). Your body/mind is part of that manifestation, but the real you (awareness/consciousness) is completely free of this phenomenal manifestation. You are whole, complete, limitless and attributeless. You "witness" this creation. So, whether the the apparent person reincarnates or not, doesn't effect you, awareness. The problem at this moment is you think you "are" the body/mind, because you (awareness) are associated with it, but "you" are the "witness" OF the body/mind (jiva). Use discrimination, I'm not this, not that..until there is only "you" left... The answer is in "negating" all objects, including thoughts. What's left?? I hope I didn't lose you...if so, I'll clarify.

Don't worry your memory would be wiped clean, just like you don't remember your last life, you won't remember this life, when the next comes.

@john5170 I think it's more conditioning and/or personality that tends to make people too serious. I can be this way too. I had the type of childhood where I had to be the adult many times. It made me have to grow up too quick, take things seriously at a young age. Don't get me wrong I've got a good sense of humor, but takes a minute (or some wine) to get there sometimes. It's just how I'm programmed.

Lol, could you imagine if I did that..8-9 years of "today I didn't dream". Lots of wasted paper..hahaha

I tried different things to try to provoke dreams the first few years, but they didn't work. I'm actually use to it now, it's only strange when trying to remember what dreaming was like. For the most part I don't think about it, except to think it's one aspect of life that I don't have to deal with..lol. Well, it's not drug abuse, I'm a nurse. So, wouldn't risk my career for a high.

@Dodo Yeah, I noticed your avatar was a copy-cat...lol. I love the yoga monkey. Anyways, I used to dream, the last partial dream I remember was about 8-9 years ago. It's very strange, because people will talk about dreams and I have to go on memory of what dreams were like, since I don't have them or dont recall them anymore. As a side note, I was in a coma for 5 days around the same time I stopped dreaming or recalling. Back on topic, there was no-experience experienced in the coma state.

Ha, all of it, but I was referring to the phenomenal perspective of waking, dreaming, deep sleep for the apparent person.

Which is what happens every night during deep sleep. You, had no experience, but you know when you wake up that you slept well. Actually, for me, I have two states. Waking and deep sleep. I probably dream (?), but I have absolutely no recall of dreaming.

Actually, you "can" realize/apprehend that you literally "are" it.

@Joseph Maynor said- "Is There A Distinction Between Awareness And The Field Of Perceptibles?" "All" is awareness/consciousness, one is real (satya) in the sense that it's the substrate of all, permeates everything, attributeless and unchanging. The other (universal field/manifestation) is an appearance (mithya-illusion) in the sense that it comes/goes and constantly changing. It exists, its experienced, it's just not "ultimately" real. The body of your post I didn't comment on because I don't understand what you're trying to say in the first 2 paragraphs. Perhaps it's the wordage used? Or it's just me. Example, what's your definition of "reality" in that first sentence (substratum or phenomenal?). What do you mean by, "Awareness is a kind of control-seeking". What do you mean by, "Natural awareness is very different from awareness as we often understand it." No need to expand if you don't want to. I was just letting you know what caused me to not be able to respond.