Joseph Maynor

Watch this video. Leo talks about 4 kinds of meditation in it: (1) Do nothing meditation (2) Awareness-focus meditation (3) Active release meditation (4) Mindfulness meditation

@Aimblack There are people on here who know more than me, but I think the answer is that the Ego is an illusion. It is not real. Therefore, it should not be honored. I thought like you until I realized fully that there is no free will and that honoring the Ego only causes a lot of mental suffering for me. Basically, thoughts are thinking they have control over you -- which they don't. Reality is already doing what reality is doing regardless of what thoughts think about it. The Ego is fully an illusion. So, when it is clung to, it only causes you suffering through bad Karma. Bad Karma can be thought of throwing sand into the wind and having it come back into your face and eyes. It's sowing the seeds of suffering basically. Honoring the Ego causes bad Karma. You gotta realize there is no Egoic you, no free will, and no control. The Ego is thoughts fooling themselves that a "part" of reality is a self-controlling thing. There is no part of reality though, that is a thought. Reality is non-dual. You can see the no-free will realization by letting go and realizing that your life still goes on! It's a bit freaky when you see this. This was one of my most profound enlightenment experiences when I noticed this for the first time. There's no you in there controlling things! It's all just happening as one giant reality flow. Videos to watch:

THIS IS A LYRICS ALBUM. You gotta read the lyrics. http://www.pink-floyd-lyrics.com/html/animals-lyrics.html

Just to play a little devil's advocate for a moment, here's another video on point:

Leo made a video regarding this. Watch:

@Hero in progress Very well put. Thank you! I will try to follow this very sound advice.

The advice you need depends on where you are in your personal development. Relevant video:

You can't stop every loonie with a deathwish who wants to take a few others out with them. The greatest threat to security is the lone accountant who goes apeshit.

@egoless There is a choice in maintaining awareness and there is an increased ability to be aware of how the mind and ego operate. That allows you to control the mind to a greater extent over time. You can decide to not feed the bears basically. Once you see this, you'll see that you are creating the dream. This is paradoxical to the no free will belief. In a sense you lack egoic free will, but through being and awareness, you actually create your dream! This is what I think I'm starting to discover. If you stay in being and in a clean environment, the mind has less fuel to monkey about. Then you can just let your authentic dream flow forth with less monkey mind interference.

You need to just let your authentic self be which can only happen by letting go. You will still do, but what you do will be totally authentic. Basically you will stop pretending like you have control. There is no partial enlightenment. That is just unwillingness to leave the Ego Consciousness Paradign.

We should have a forum member conference at some point. It would be fun to meet all ya'll in person.

Enlightenment is a journey not a destination. There is always more awareness and more mindfulness that can be attained. So, I wouldn't worry about any percentages. Just worry about raising your awareness and see for yourself what changes in your life. Get a taste of the honey on your own tongue and then you will see for yourself. Probably start with just developing a daily meditation habit. 20 mins to start. Watch:

I used to lie a lot in my youth too. What you gotta realize is it doesn't help you. Best to be honest. But to do that you gotta do spiritual work. Start from the beginning of the process and ease into it.

Kids are smarter than us from a being perspective. Hippies try to return to the child; which is what makes them so lovable.

@haai14 It depends on where you are in your development. Earlier on I benefitted from the following types of meditation besides "Do Nothing Meditation" : 1. Awareness-focus meditation: keep your focus on your awareness during the meditation. 2. Mindfulness meditation: notice what's a sound, thought, touch, sight, etc. 3. Active-release meditation: actively release things as you meditate like thoughts, sensations, emotions, etc.

The mind and body exist they're just not your mind and body. This is kind of a loose way of speaking, but I think you see my point. What is illusory is that the mind and body are yours.

Take your time! You can't rush good art.

Ask yourself these -- What is physical death? What is psychological death? You have to do some inquiry for yourself. A theoretical answer will do you no good. Tell me what you come up with and I will respond to that.

@Brimstone Everything is born out of that blank canvas. Without silences music could not exist. Without whiteness the black marks of writing could not spin their tales.

The Upanishads. I read them a couple of months ago. There's a lot of fluff in there but also juicy bits of non-dual theory. It's amazing when you see it. You realize -- damn! These early peoples were smart! All the non-duality theory we have today is in there! You'll be shocked when you read some sections. It's like you hit some kind of time-loop or something. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upanishads This guy is a good author, but I don't think this is complete, but you might get this one and read it. https://www.amazon.com/Upanishads-Classic-Indian-Spirituality/dp/1586380214 Here's what I read -- it was 4 volumes. I read all of the Upanishads, but there is a lot of fluff in there. The juicy bits are spaced out in the fluff like diamonds tossed into a sandbox. https://www.amazon.com/Upanishads-1-Swami-Nikhilananda/dp/0911206159/ref=sr_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1506807988&sr=1-7&keywords=upanishads