kieranperez

@Leo Gura I’ve been contemplating what you said @ 49:00 since this video came out. Is that possible simply just from decades of meditation and yoga? I’ve heard Ken Wilber talk about how he’s maintained awareness 24/7 even during sleep and that has me wanting to know how I can go about actually getting to that kinda level. However, the part about being conscious after the body dies really is a disorienting thing to think and meditate on right now.

Oh okay, now I get what you are saying. Sorry about that. I just would love to know the process of that actually can become possible just from "regular" consciousness work like meditation, yoga, etc.

@d0ornokey I just want to emphasize one point that I think @Leo Gura does a great job trying so hard to get across but I'll give additional emphasis to it because it really can't be overstated... If YOU work this course the best you can, it will be worth it. You buying the course (doesn't sound like you have given the way I'm interpreting your question) doesn't mean anything. You can go through the course and get some weak thing at the end. Why? Because the results you get from that course are in direct proportion to how much work YOU put into it, just like in any endeavor in life. I literally would cry in frustration with myself doing some exercises that were given, not because they were so hard but because I would be so stuck in victim mindset of feeling like "I just can't". However, I intuitively recognize when someone is giving me something of real value and real wisdom and I do agree that we take a lot of what Leo gives us for granted. I intuitively knew the moment I heard the sales video for the course and continued following Actualized.org (particularly when I started doing enlightenment work, really chewed on the idea in Leo's video of becoming a modern sage, and the lifestyle minimalism episode) that I need to this life purpose needs to get handled. That I can't keep twiddling my thumbs and complaining and being upset about life and how I have no sense of direction anymore. So I saw the value in it. Do you though?

It's still nerve wrecking because mine is very far out there and I also have no idea what medium I will use, can use, and want to use. Especially since I don't want to be just another "guru." Right now my life circumstances are very tricky. I work 1 part-time retail job, life in the most expensive city in the USA to live in (San Francisco), have a car I can't afford at all in terms of fixing it up, gas, etc. yet at the same time I hate living here SF and also need to be out of the city for the kinda work I want to possibly tie my consciousness work to which would be to my sport (running... track, cross country, mountain, ultramarathon, trail running)... that and it's also absurdly expensive here it's just a joke, etc. so there's a lot that I need to change right now and it's a bit overwhelming. Yesterday was a real emotional high (still grounded though) to the degree that I actually had a minor enlightenment experience (not going to into that) in my self-inquiry because I was so free and clear about what it is I want. However, right now the resistance, fear, laziness, lack of productivity, limiting beliefs, etc. is really back in full force it feels like so this is going to take some inner work too. I still don't take away at all from my original post about my intent in what not. These inner and outer conflicts and stuff I'm facing right now are yes really intimidating especially since I know I'm my biggest problem and not other people or circumstances out there, which for me at least is in a sense doesn't relieve stress it actually seems even tougher. However, I understand that this is really what it takes sometimes. What my life purpose is really tied to is to not only enlightenment but to becoming a sage. I recognize that as something that's not something I not only really want but also something that's actually doable, to reach levels of development like people like Buddha, Christ, Socrates, Leonardo Da Vinci (not saying he's enlightened but to have that kind of way of still seeing the world, curiosity, ability to observe, etc.), Peter Ralston (who is someone I really admire as an athlete myself), Osho, etc. go all down the list. Now, when I say "doable" I'm saying I recognize the possibility that I can get there. I also recognize that there probably have been hundreds of billions of people in human history who've never gotten to that level, and not even for lack of commitment, work, discipline etc. but simply because of talent. Then you also have people who are really talented who may even put in some work but nowhere near enough to get them there because getting to something like that I recognize is extraordinarily hard for most people. Which means I have to look myself in the mirror and see all of my weaknesses, things I need to outgrow, transcend, etc. and then fathom the work at hand and, guess what, that can be intimidating for me when I starting from ground 0 pretty much. I mean hey, I don't have a college degree, I live at home and haven't gotten laid in a year now, I don't really have an in-person support system, I don't have my own place (I live at home with my Dad and little brother who thinks that my vision (as the 2 extremely bloodthirsty atheists that they are... and I was for all my life, even more-so than them) is absolutely insane and won't fund a dime to help me, I don't have a foundation of strong work ethic, I just got off 5 psych meds 1 of which is Adderall for 17 years (I'm 23) and now my level of concentration (lack thereof I should say) is beyond weak, I have bills I need to pay off that my parents never paid, I have a low paying job, I have horrible credit, I have horrible spending habits, I'm stuck in victim mindset, need I go on? But hey, that just means that I need that vision that will inspire me to get me through even just the early period like right now of starting to move into that direction. This is the journey. It's kinda like a little kid finally putting an end to his kicking, crying, screaming, and tantrums to sit in this giant rollercoaster that will plunge him into these exhilarating drops at such high flying speeds and trusting that he will be okay, it will be really scary but, he will have the time of his life.

Do you read the original post that started this thread before you post something completely different from the original topic LOL?

I feel like this has almost a direct explanation on why there are so many crazy stories in human history of people flagellating and pretty much full on torturing themselves. - Which is to say, they're torturing and flagellating themselves to get to the point that their consciousness and degree of mindfulness is so attuned to what's going on that they no longer are being tortured and are no longer suffering.

As though either of you actually know me or my own story. As though I really went into depth on my actual plans in my life. As though any of that is any of your business. I love how you 2 just think I'm going to just become some YouTuber that copy and pastes Leo's content, as though that was what I was saying or what my post was even about. Have you realized yet that the reason so many people on here are inspired by things like becoming a sage, enlightenment, self-mastery, philosophy, and/or self-actualization is because that's good marketing? "Find the people who are looking for you." That's well executed niche marketing. That's what running a business is. I also am inspired by people like Peter Ralston and enlightened people that were able to use their consciousness work and facilitate that into their own field in athletics given the fact that I myself am an athlete (runner). Easy to judge and project though. I know. I've been there hopefully you work on that

My questions are directly related to what Leo pointed out in his video at the time mark I listed. You can “die” multiple times but that doesn’t mean you’re conscious of that just like one is not conscious of what god is and such. I’ve lucid dreamed before but there’s still lack of “witnessing”. These comments are not addressing the question.

“This is unamerican”

That was Wei Wu Wei. Ralston just quoted him

These are excellent as well, also from Integral Life

How would you describe and distinguish the similarities and differences between a sage and a mystic? I feel like the similarities are more clear rather than the differences. I don't want to brush over this as I can intuit on a more subtle level certain differences that seem to be very hard to articulate. As you give your answer, would love to get some of your examples of who you would call a mystic and a sage.

I think this thread is getting away from my point. I'm not talking about Jesus's teachings per say or the nonduality component. I'm talking about the man himself, his story, studying his own development and he came to be relatively. I actually have thought about it and I'm glad you brought up the open-mindedness component as I think that would be the key to get the larger and more important juice out of something like that and really to put into context what's being said and also to weed out the bullshit from the nuggets of wisdom.

First off - I’m honestly startled inside that I’m asking this. 2-3 years ago I was pretty much the most hard nosed atheist you would ever meet that would love to shit on theists and listened to Marilyn Manson and had a satantic cross on his forhead for Halloween. So yeah... kudos to consciousness work and open mindedness LOL Anyways... would love to get some GOOD books, courses, etc. stuff learning about Christ. As funny as it is for me to say now... I’m actually really inspired by the general story of Christ that I already know of. Just the idea of his crucifixion holds a totally different idea and meaning in my mind now I’ve been doing consciousness work. Something about this complete surrender to Truth and absolute unconditional love and him sacrificing himself really inspires me on my mission of becoming a sage. Would love to get some good information on maybe his life, story, dig into the psychology, etc.

Dude I just looked through that entire Osho archive... That's incredible. That's such a goldmine right there. Thank you! Can't believe I forgot about that.

Believe it or not you're like most 16 year olds. Totally normal and absolutely okay.

I was just sitting down at a restaurant and saw this little kid (probably 4 years old or something). He was wearing these Nikes he was bragging that he just got these nice new Nikes and I was kinda taken aback by that because I could see so much modern culture right there. It was really something. I noticed I had judgment in me on his grandmother he was with who was picking up after this kid and getting his food at the counter while this kid kicked his feet up on the chair across from him. I started to wonder about just how we’ve dominated so much of the planet through such a state of ignorance. I mean it’s crazy if you think about it, in a sense we are evolving but in another sense it almost seems as though we’re devolving all while we gain more mass control of the planet. On the one hand, we could say I guess we're getting “smarter” but I think I could also make the equally, if not more valid in my opinion, we’re not getting any smarter. We just have more “high quality” beliefs. However, beliefs have nothing to do with the truth so for the masses of our population, we just have “more accurate” beliefs than before but we’re just as ignorant as past generations in a certain sense. This got my mind thinking more and then I realized just how powerful this self and ego thing is and all it’s for and all it is (no enlightenment experience, just a conceptual breakthrough if I’m honest with myself) - a tool for survival. Nothing more, nothing less. This kinda floored me when I actually realized this. Our biggest survival tool is our greatest illusion. A human self is just a survival tool like rhinos tool for survival is its tough skin and sharp horn on the top of its nose. Nothing more.

Ingram made a 2nd edition to this book btw. It's like 800+ pages now. Thought I'd share

I recently caught up with a friend. She and I are both competitive sub-elite distance runners. I'm currently working on my life purpose right now and she was telling me about the business she started and to be honest, I'm astonished at how something like this really fucking works. She's a runner, a writer, loves to travel, loves trail running and racing hard up and down mountains for events like 50Ks, 50 miles, 100Ks, 100 miles, etc. This is her business: https://runcation.org/ She literally get's paid to run (literally and figuratively) and travel with people, take them on amazing routes around the world for a week or so. The groups aren't big (4-10 people per retreat). She also has another option for people who want "custom trips". This has also helped her as a coach too. I share this with you guys so that you don't get stuck thinking you have to do your life purpose a certain way. Be creative and imaginative but also be practical. It'll take work but the way I see it is - it'll work, if you work.

"Living consciously entails a desire to understand our full context." - Nathaniel Branden

What are your Top 10 Values and what do they each mean to you? Me (need to tweak the ranking a bit): Self-Actualization: The unceasing pursuit towards the fulfillment of my mission in life, realization of my highest capacities and potential as a human being, self-discovery and self-mastery. Consciousness/Truth: The pursuit, discovery, and embodiment through direct consciousness of what is absolutely true about who/what I am and the nature of reality. Love: Absolute unconditional love, acceptance, compassion, and connection for all beings and all of reality. Authenticity: To express myself honestly with openness and in integrity with myself, others, and my highest values. Grit: Unshakeable passion and perseverance for something worth fighting for. Wisdom/Learning/Understanding: Deep comprehension of the genius of being through mindful observation. Mastery: Committing to the process of deliberately & deeply practicing to get better for the sake of practice itself. Independence: Living life on my terms consciously. Purpose/Vision: Creating a powerful higher calling, mission, and agenda for my life and following it. Romance/Intimacy/Connection: A deep intimate and romantic relationship that transcends all conditions.

Hahahaha that's embarrassing especially since I commented on that!

You're never too young to invest in your life.