Ananta

Lol!

@Quantum Mike Analogies are traps? I disagree.

@Quantum Mike The OP was very clear that he was describing an analogy. They are sometimes very effective in understanding this stuff.

True, except it's not nothing, it's "no-thing", as some-thing can not come from/be created out of "nothing". As for the analogy, as long as you understand the no-thing-ness "permeates" everything, including the orb. Also, the orb is an appearance and therefore only "apparently" real. It is said that this whole universe is but a "speck" of the infinite Being. If this is true, then your analogy is correct, imo.

My first Self-realization was mind blowing! No thought, at first, then thought came back and said, holy hell that's what I AM!" ... So, I don't know if your experiences have been partial or maybe your reaction is just more natural, like okay and...

Love this one!

I worship no-thing, but have gratitude to Isvara (God/Creator).

A rose on my ankle when I was 24. Never wanted a tattoo, but hubby wanted one bad, but said he wouldn't get one without me. So, I was like what the heck! Hurt like a bitch...lol

"Wisdom is knowing I am no-thing, Love is knowing I am every-thing, and between the two my life moves." Nisargadatta Maharaj

Nice thread!

I did not see Leo's reply when I posted mine or I wouldn't have posted it, but I'll leave it as is.

@Youssef This might be dissociation- "dissociation is any of a wide array of experiences from mild detachmentfrom immediate surroundings to more severe detachment from physical and emotional experience. The major characteristic of all dissociative phenomena involves a detachment from reality" "Dissociation is commonly displayed on a continuum.[5] In mild cases, dissociation can be regarded as a coping mechanism or defense mechanisms in seeking to master, minimize or tolerate stress – including boredom or conflict.[6][7][8] At the nonpathological end of the continuum, dissociation describes common events such as daydreaming while driving a vehicle. Further along the continuum are non-pathological altered states of consciousness." My advice, stop all practices for now. Engage in life fully 100%. Force yourself, if necessary. Until things get back to normal. Then, once rebalanced, take it slow... do only 10-15 min sessions in the beginning, see how you feel and advance from there.

@jimrich your welcome.

@jimrich Give it a rest... you changed your mind and now have no ego. Perfect, works for me. Although, I think you're deluding yourself.

Hmm, interesting. You've written a "lot" on this thread about healthy ego's, unhealthy ego's, boundries to maintain your ego, honesty for the ego, but now your saying.... nope, no ego.

Good, here's another, about a gold ring. Say gold was you, awareness. Gold is gold regardless of what shape or form it takes, right? So, gold is shaped into a ring. Is it a ring or is it gold? From first glance someone may say, it's definately a ring, not noticing what it's made of. It's actually just "appearing" as a ring, but tomorrow could be melted down to liquid. The gold remains the same, only the shape it "appears as" has changed. So, gold is both the substance and whatever shape the substance appears as... There's also the clay and pot analogy, but it basically the same as the gold ring analogy. Yes, it was an awakening "experience" and all experience ends eventually. That's why Vedanta advocates Self-knowledge (Self with a capital S means Brahman/awareness). Once the knowledge is "firm" it can not be negated. Then, there's a shift in identification. Yep, that's basically how we become deluded, endless stories. It's part of the game. Cover ourselves up and play hide and seek. Awakening glimpses are like playing peek-a-boo.

Awhile back I did ask my teacher after I had asked the other forum. He simply said, "it's the primordial sound of the universe". I was like ..ookayyy...lol.

Yes, if it's as you describe, then I agree. I know someone who unfortunately (or not?), became apathetic to his worldly duties to the point he quit his job, car was repossessed, kicked out of his home, is staying with a friend and is days away from being homeless. I suspect he has an incomplete seeing, but...he's sooo apathetic, he doesn't care. He doesn't care about much. Some people think "I'm not the doer" means the body/mind doesn't need to do, make decisions, work, ect. when actually it means you, awareness, are not the doer. The body/mind though is very much a doer and you (awareness) are associated with it.

A high percent of thoughts are just junk. Total garbage... you do still though have to pay attention to your inner promptings. Like the thoughts this morning that prompted me to get my ass out of bed and go to work. I didn't however, let it become some cry baby session, "but I don't want to..waahh". No, I just got up and got on with it and ignored/negated any negative thoughts that arised. Entertaining them beyond "necessity" is what builds up a "story", imo, usually one of either misery or inflation.

Lol, you have this too? ... I brought it up on another forum and no one knew what I was talking about. I hear it throughout the day, but if I'm very distracted it goes away.

You've realized the cosmic joke! It is funny!..then it just is. What is all of this? From my point of view (and Vedanta), it's all made of/created out of the substance-less substance which is you, pure awareness. How this is so, gets a bit tricky and too lengthy to write in a post. It's not something neo-advaita is going to explain to you. They just dismiss the world as not existing and call it a day. Have you heard of the wave and the ocean analogy? The ocean is you, pure awareness. The individual waves are "apparent" objects within and created from the ocean. Is the wave different then the ocean other then in appearance? No, they are both water. Does the wave depend upon the ocean for its apparent existence? Yes. Does the ocean depend upon the wave for its existence? No. They are one, water, there is no difference, therefore non-dual. There is no seperation between the ocean and the wave. However, nondifference (nonduality) does not means sameness. From the Self's point of view (pure awareness), there is no difference, but from the person's perspective (reflected awareness), there is difference. As there apparently appears to be duality. One is real (Satya), the other is just an appearance (Mithya-illusion). It exists, but isn't real. All analogies eventially break down as they are just pointers. Anyways, it was learning Vedanta from James Swartz and Ted Schmidt that finally answered my questions. The teaching needs to be unfolded in a certain way to make sense. James has a full 16 part Satsang series on youtube. He also has a website with tons of written email Satsangs, if you're interested. I've been emailing Ted for about 18 months with my questions, ect, but they do want you to have at least the basics of Vedanta before you email them. If that's something anyone is interested in.

You definitely want to be mindful throughout the day, be in the place of seeing from "being" as often as you can. Thats where you will catch unconsciousnes mental tendencies arising in the mind, through your interactions regarding situations, events, people and experience in general. However, thought will also be needed throughout the day, that's a given, just pull back attention from it as often as possible. First off....lol. Second, everything is senses...but, even "subtler" then that is ...thought. So, when doing Self inquiry don't stop at the senses (which you may already know). The trickiest is the mind/thought. The mind interprets the senses through thinking. Right , it's "apparently" real. I'll warn you, this may not last, but it may. Depends upon many things, but one hurdle is over coming ingrained mental tendencies (AKA-conditioning), they're a bitch! Another is the belief that you are the body/mind, therefore ego. Negation/tracendence of ego is the goal....not destruction. I know many have a different view...that's okay. Remember ego is just the "I-thought", how can you destroy a thought? You cant. You see its unreality. It's an awakening. A "seeing" of your true nature (being, awareness, consciousness). There is further to go, many more insights/epiphanies/realizations to be had, before it could be called enlightenment. Many have preconceived notions of enlightenment, that aren't enlightenment at all. Don't let ego co-opt this seeing to think "it" is enlightened. You've seen "it" (ego) is only "apparently" real, right? ...hint, hint That's another reason it's not yet a complete seeing. However, the first stage is the separation of you, awareness, from the apparent "objects". Stay with this as long as you need to...get clear on it. The "sign post" that you will need to investigate further (in the other direction) or your just deluding yourself, you'll say something along the lines of, "I don't exist". This is the ego trying to convince itself that it doesn't exist. It never works and is a trap. I went through that phase....that's how I know. Of course we exist, we experience ourself "existing" every day. It's just that "ultimately" it's illusion from the greater perspective. I frequently want to clunk people over the head with a brick when they say it, just to ask, "do you exist now?" Anyways, you're doing great!

@jimrich You blocked me earlier, but have since unblocked me. Wonder why? Especially, since you said in your post- "I'm very glad there is an IGNORE list here!" And "healthy boundary which prevents a damaged ego (won't mention her name) from offending others." Strange decision to unblock someone who "in your opinion" has a damaged ego and is sooo "offensive" to you?

Mind blowing when it first happens, isn't it? You are alone, but it's the ego that's come back and is stating it's uncomfortable. Not you, witnessing awareness. You have just re-identified with it (ego), whereas during your experience you had un-identified with it. From the absolute perspective, it is "ultimately" an illusion, but experienced none the less. So, on one hand, you have the knowledge you've gained (and continue to gain), which will wipe away the ignorance, of your true nature/identity, so you gain clarity. On the other hand, you continue to live as the apparent person you "appear" to be, until the death of the body. Simultaneously holding both perspectives is key to assimilation while discriminating which is real and which is only apparent.

Classic case of, can dish out criticism, but can't take any.