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@How to be wise @Adam MLOL so many people saying I am a beginner because I asked a simple basic question which only shows their judgemental nature and their desire to go one step above so that they can feel better , I have been practicing spirituality since I was 14 and now I am 21, I know the answer to the question as given by other enlightened people like Osho and Krishnamurti, I am also familiar with Gyana yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Karma yoga,Samkhya yoga, Walking meditation, Mindfulness, Pranayam, Asanas, Mudras, Mantra meditatation, Trataka (candle light meditation), Vipassana, Anapanasati, Soham meditation, Do nothing meditation, Leo's enlightenment exercising , neti neti method , Dynamic meditation and other Osho's meditations whose name I have forgotten but have came across in the past. I have read Osho's book 'Yoga the alpha and the omega' 5 years ago and I still remember he saying- Even if you are completely focused on your toe, that can become meditation. I have read over a dozen of Osho books, but nowdays due to my busy schedule I don't. In addition I have deeply studied - The Geeta, The Dhammapada, Read bits of Tripitaka, Read many articles on Hinduism and Buddhism wikipedia and non-wikipedia, Read a book on Christian mysticism, Read Kierkegaard's fear and trembling, Read Hegel's science of logic, Read Metaphysics of Heraclitus , Parmenidies, Descartes and Spinoza, Watched 100s of videos from Leo, Osho, Krishnamurti, Sadhguru, Have also studied the art of living by William Hart as taught by SN Goenka and this is not my complete resume. I just wanted to ask what people have got to say about this, and stimulate a discussion and collect different perspectives (as described by Leo in his vid the 65 rules of a good life). Also I believe in going back to the basics no matter how many years you have been practicing your disicpline, whether it is spirituality or medicine, or art. Great masters always focus on basic, you should notice that in any training session on martial arts. We should cut out this habit of judging someone as a 'beginner' or a lesser then you just because now you can feel better. This only shows a sign that you are egoic and less developed spiritually and have not learned anything. Earlier I said to a user that you have small ego, this means that I am not biased but I collect the signs that the users display and put them in the category that they belong and then look at the corressponding category. Just like when I see that you are having fever, with chills and rigor, with nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting, lack of appetite and your ag-ab titre is more or your blood culture shows positive then I can suspect typhoid, or if you have fever and swelling the parotid gland area and you feel difficulty chewing and swallowing and your age is 5-10 then I can suspect you have Mumps which is caused by Paromyxovirus. This means that I should make my post such that I don't let people judge me in an inferior manner and I have to start with , "don't get me wrong I am not a beginner because ____", but my impression was that people are already developed enough to not make 'false inferior judgments' and feel better, but apparently I am wrong.

@AleksM Tnx great post, being aware of breath is great but there is also self inquir neti neti, being aware of awarness, kriya yoga etc

Hello everyone. From the beginning I apologise for my poor English.Please show me a little leniency?.My name is Constantin, im from Romania and im 47 years old.After my enlightenment experience,i start looking for more enlightened common people , I mean not like Mooji, Tolle or Adhyashanti.?.So in my searches , found Leo’s videos and after seeing his videos about enlightenment, I decided share my enlightenment experiences here.I try to be a short story ,because I don't want to bore anyone with the story of my life. For a start I will have to make a short introduction about how my spiritual journey began.So it all started at the age of 4 to 5,when the night before I fell asleep I had a “dream”. It's the “dream “I could never forget. Actually it was not a “dream “but that is how I considered it at that age.After forty years the same “dream “has been repeated quite similar .Now after forty years ,I know it wasn't a dream.Then for first time in my life , just 4-5 years old ,i experienced a powerful and authentic mystique experience, where I touched the true nature of my being. Unbelievable isn’t it? How do i know it was that ? I'll explain later when we get to this point.I continued to have a normal life until I was 23 when I discovered yoga and started practicing hatha -yoga , pranayama and meditation ,especially with the Aum mantra . I was attracted from the beginning by all that yoga means and I started reading many books of the spiritual masters like Ramana Maharishi, Nisargadatha Maharaj, Sri Aurobindu, Shivananda, Osho, etc. This is how I first heard the question "Who am I?" It was a powerful shock, because it was the first time we realized that, I am not really ,who I think I am.What do you mean I don’t know who I am ? ?You know that feeling isn’t it ?Then I made a commitment to myself, and told myself that I won't die until I find out ,who I really am. I practiced hatha yoga , pranayama and meditation for about 10 years ,with some notable results that became discontent later.I was not happy with that because ,had not reached "where" all the spiritual masters were pointing. And I decided to do nothing for a while. But this period lasted about 7 years.I was very unhappy, stressed, depressed, sometimes I didn't even want to live anymore. Nothing was linked in my life anymore and I didn't know where to start or where to go. All this time, I started to practice the introspection, self-oservation and self inquiry trying to find answers to the multitude of questions that grinded me. A good method that helped me a lot during the spiritual journey was "Neti-Neti". Meanwhile, after seeing the movie "DMT The spirit molecules”, I became very attracted to the world of psychedelics and felt that a new opportunity open up for my spiritual evolution. There followed a period when I documented how well I could ,about the magic mushrooms, lsd, dmt and ayahuasca. But the problem was now, where and how did I get these substances, because in Romania it was almost impossible at that time to find something like that.But as nothing is left to chance and as everything is interconnected, life has given me a new opportunity and I moved in London,England. Here I was able to get my lsd and Dmt and I found out ,where can I have to experience ayahuasca. I had a total of 12 experiences with lsd , one in every months. The first one was the launching pad in the infinite field of consciousness. At that time this experience completely changed my life. I remember that feeling like I was heading to death , before i take first time lsd (220 mu).. I was very scared but didint give up. I became more and more aware of thoughts, emotions ,feelings and sensations.I became contemplative and introverted. At the same time I had 6 experiences with synthetic DMT ,but to be honest I didn't like it so much,because they didn't give me time to explore the field of consciousness voluntarily.The multitude of vividly colored and fractal geometric shapes is impressive but you seem to be stuck there.It was clearly not for me, I felt that I could not use this as I wished for self discovery.The next year I found a place in Spain where I could experience ayahuasca ceremony ,and a nice surprise, 5 Meo-Dmt. It was the first time I heard of this substance. After doing my own research , I was impressed and told myself that is what I need. Although it is the most powerful drug in the world and scared me to death, my intuition told me to try it. So I went in Spain two times,where I had a total of four experiences with ayahuasca and two with 5 Meo -Dmt. An interesting thing was that, before about two weeks to experience 5 Meo -Dmt and ayahuasca, this thought appeared in my mind ,"you will gonna die". And it was repeated as a mantra ,and the more tried to avoid it or resist it, the more powerful it was.Just imagine this for while ?. From this point whole my life became “pure madness “if I think that ,with a rational and logical mind. On the other hand, if you have a radically openmind to infinity, as Leo says, everything turns into authentic spirituality. Now I have reached the point where I can explain the so-called “dream “I had when I was a kid. So we are at the moment when I have smoked 5 Meo -Dmt , we smoked because his origin it was from that frog ,bufo alvarius. I mention that ,before I smoke ,I told myself that, all I want before I die ,is to know “who I am”. Because I felt like this are the last moments i have to live.I smoke all at once, as I was instructed and I have time to sit down in a meditation posture just about 5 seconds. I was instantly absorbed into an infinite and empty space.Everything was of a light darkness and in every direction I looked was without limits. Time was gone. It was just an eternal moment. An absolute quietness was everywhere.There was no trace of “I “ like self ,physical body, thoughts ,emotions or sensations .I just exist, I was pure existence.I was simply enjoying my own existence.Suddenly I was absorbed again into a small space like an atom but accompanied by the same infinity, lack of time and form,like one moment ago. I was eternal.I was an endless ocean of pure joy and happiness. In fact this was the taste that I had left afterwards, the taste of Eternity.The whole experience lasted about 45 minutes, afterward I practically began to feel as I entered the physical body as in some clothes. I translated different specific energetic bodies ,until i got to the physical body. It was a very painful emotional return. I felt that ,I did not want to comeback to the physical body, but i can’t do nothing against. Who want to comeback from Eternity? I lay down on the floor in the newborn position and started crying for a few moments. I don’t know why? I felt clear how all this was prepared for me ( as a person) beforehand,it could not have happened otherwise. Now ,if we remove just the part whit the comeback for the trip ,how you can describe this trip when you are child ?? Even like adult , when you suppose to know everything, How you describe indescribable ? It was dream? It was samadhi? It was a meeting with God? It was awakening? It was enlightening experience? What happened 8 hours later was even more unbelievable. So 8 hours later at midnight ,the ayahuasca ceremony took place . During the trip with ayahuasca, i had a flashback quite similar with 5 Meo -Dmt but with a strong infusion of Dmt vivid visons from ayahuasca brew.This time because the journey with ayahuasca lasts between 4-6 hours ,was much too much for me.I felt like it would never end.. As I closed my eyes I began to enter an infinite game of creation.I witnessed an endless creation of universe that unfolds with an indescribable speed. Panic began to dominate me. Me like a person did not control that . I went and woke up one of the people who watched us during the ayahuasca ceremony.. I tried to explain to her what was going on with me but I saw how helpless she was in helping me.The only thing I could do was give up myself to the situation.To be honest ,how can someone help you in this situation.? She stayed up with me all night and until 10 o'clock in the morning.She talked and walked with me outside in the garden all this time trying keep me here on earth. I had lost my entire egotic identity, now i am just Pure Presence. I was omnipresent and omnipotent. You know this infinite power scare you , if you’re not ready yet for her .After a period of time I became aware of the physical body ,but with great efforts and at the same time, I think due to the decrease of the dmt dose in my body system. I remember one time when I went to bathroom, I looked in the mirror to see if I still have my face.?.In the afternoon I tried to sleep a bit but couldn’t., my mind had become infinite, and this power that was present in me did not let me sleep.That strong energy was still present in the body ,couple days afterward. Like I was connected to a nuclear power plant. My mind was fucked up. Every vision I had blow my mind. I never thought someone can experience something like this. So now I ask you ,when you think the Awakening took place ?? When I was a child or two years ago when happened what I talking about?? Tricky , weird and amazing in the same time isn ‘t it. You remember that stupid thought, that totally upset me and got me scared ,“ I will gonna die”? Now it's gone by itself. You know why.? Because I was really fucking dead. Of course, I could write more in detail, but I tried to extract only the essentials. What I experienced directly in about 24 hours ,under the influence of this amazing technology that is 5 Meo Dmt and ayahuasca ,can never be accurately described. And not because we do not have the necessary resource, but because we are the resource itself. How you can describe , indescribable.? You can’t. In fact Here is nothing to be described. So what followed in the next two years after and until today, is a intense process which led me to enlightenment and in which all knowledge must be incorporated into daily life. Now I will tell you what happens in the next two years after the spiritual awakening.After this deep awakening, at a distance of a month and a half, I experienced the second ceremony with ayahuasca and 5 Meo Dmt, in the same place in Spain.There is a lot to say about the second experience with 5 Meo-Dmt, but maybe another time.After all this I decided to start meditating again, because I still had doubts about the method by which the spiritual awakening took place.I still couldn't believe that psychedelics can do so. Mostly it was due to my deep rooted belief ,that spiritual awakening can only take place just through the traditional methods,like meditation, self- enquiring, contemplation.I was wrong, they working better together. A single experience with 5 Meo -dmt makes ten years of yoga and meditation no longer matter.But yoga istill counts as the foundation of any psychedelic experience.Because if the foundation is not good then the house is ruined. If you want real progress, on the spiritual path, this combination of traditional yogic methods and psychedelic could be the ideal method, if you have an open mind ,of course . After the awakening experience, I became very conscious and reach a high level of consciousness ,this helped me a lot in practicing meditation effortless All this time I saw again after many years a lot of the teachings of Mooji, Adhyashanti, Sadhguru, I saw the whole category with films about enlightenment, non-duality, meditation and not only on Leo's blog. I read again a lot of books of Ramana Maharshi, Nisarghadata Maharaj,, Eckhart Tolle, Lao Tzu,books like Vivekachundamani,Yoga Vasistha,Baghavad Gita, Patanjali- Yoga Sutra,documents about Wei-Wu-Wei, zen buddism,holographic reallity ,non -duality. I suck all the information like a sponge, because now I understand everything, and everything makes sense.The meditation session were initially about 40-45 minutes ,after which they rose at one and a half hours and later ,at three and a half hours. I started meditating again with the mantra Aum, but soon I replaced the mantra with a method taken from the book Vijnana Bairava Tantra. This technique involves following the breaks between thoughts ,and penetrating through this pause beyond the mind in absolute silence. This is an advanced technique, but wasn’t a problem for me. I felt that I needed a very powerful method to invest whole the spiritual energy, that I had accumulated from previous experiences .This technique implies a very good concentration and the power of observing thoughts without identifying with them. Basically you are always careful not to cling to any thought, always remaining in the void between thoughts.At the beginning, of course, the pause is practically unobservable or very small, let's say for a second, but as you progress in practicing it the pause will get bigger and bigger.Virtually all you have to do is to be careful that every time you notice that you are clinging to a thought, you will remember and return to the void between them.And at the master's level of technique you will remain absorbed in the pause between two thoughts, which have now increased considerably, regardless of the flow of thoughts running in the background. An advice, don’t trust in your rational mind. Three or four months later after I started to practice this technique, during a meditation, I suddenly began to hear an inner sound.This sound cannot be described in words, others called it "the music of the spheres", but I called it "the sound of absolute quietness ". Of course, silence cannot be a sound in a rational explanation, but this is a paradox.Have you ever tried to listen the silence ? You will be surprised when you understand that ,here is nothing just Absolute Silence. I was surprised by his appearance ,and in the first phase, I did not understand his meaning. Then I realized that this is the reward of my work. I had passed beyond my mind. I had passed through the void between thoughts in the Infinite Emptyness. From this point, my meditation turned into absorption into Infinite Tranquility. Thus I understood that sound was a huge help in my meditations. In fact I was doing nothing ,but sit and listen to the “sound of quietness “.And I continued to meditate until ,I realized the true nature of my being. .Only in absolute tranquility the light of the True Self can be seen. To be able to understand that ,,I am a Pure Consciousness.”, I must gave up even this divine sound , (don’t understand wrong sound is here , he can’t go anywhere ?) Now i am aware about my awareness. In these last two years I have had many illuminating experiences( satori) on different levels of understanding. Do you know that “ A-HA” moment which every enlightened being talking about, is so very thrut ,profund and simple. This is the reason why is called “A-HA” , because is so simple.What is Real Self ?, what is Reality?, or what mean enlightenment? Is nothing you can imagine or thinking. It’s beyond your imagination. Because whatever you will imagine ,you already are.Here exist just one infinite reality, that is Reality of I AM . To this Reality you cannot give it any form and no name, and no matter how hard you try, you will not be able to comprehend its infinity in any form, regardless of its nature. I have even experienced the awakening of the kundalini energy, for four times. Years ago I was curious to experience this, after reading the stories of others. I didn't ask for that, but my intuition was telling me it was going to happen.But now after it happened to me ,I’m not sure if I would like to experimence again anymore. I did not know never when it will happen, but when he woke up it completely paralyzed me. It is so strong that I remained with the jaws clenched , I had the impression that my teeth would break. My mind was stuck, my whole body was vibrating strongly and I could do nothing but observe how this energy walks through my body like a snake. Yes indeed, was feeling like a real snake inside my body , making space through my head. It was so terrifying the first time,after that I started getting used to it a bit.But if I add the element of surprise, that I never knew when the next time would be ,and under what conditions it will happen, nothing changes much ?.These traditionally techniques boosted with lsd, ayahuasca, dmt and 5-meo-dmt , make me feel like a rocket that did not deviate from its path to Mars. It's the best combination ever.It doesn't matter that I am involved in daily activities or not, that I meditate or sleep, that I have sex or watch a movie, that I contemplate or think, I am present Here and Now .Finally I transcended the mind, Now I am this Infinite Monolithic Presence.I am the center, that has no center. I am beyond all Gods who have ever existed and will ever exist.I am a Pure Being. I will share with you ,two things that others call paranormal powers (siddhis), they are like a gift received for my work. 1. Now I am so concious, that no thought, emotion or feeling that appears on the screen of the mind ,can’t pass unnoticed and of course that, I do not identify with anything. They can no longer cling to me.The strongest laughter I have ever had and I still have , when I see how rationally mind and thoughts work and how they can create an identity where there is none. You understand how unbiased you must be with yourself and others to have this laugh? To laugh at your own thoughts and not to believe them?. That mean zero judgement. Doesn’t matter mind is active or not,I am always the invisible still witness, which rest on highest level of consciousness of myself . I am Here in this Present Moment,always . Can you imagine what it is like to remain still and silent in the midst of a mental storm of daily life,for a day? Or for a week? Do you can imagine how is to use mind just when you need? 2. Now I can be in any body I want, I can practically feel what it is like to be in another body and have a different shape. I can be you, no matter how you look and who you think you are.I can feel through your body. I can take any form and feel what it is like to be any form. I am anything ,everything and nothing simultaneously. Now there is no difference between me and the others, because there is no "me" and no "the others". Here only One and Infinite Consciousness exists.They call that Omnipresence. They are permanent state of “mine”. But i am so aware about that ,even these high states cannot define me, because I am the Pure Being from whom nothing can be attached. I am in a state without any state. I am Nothingness . I just exist. I hope this example will motivate and keep you on the spiritual path to the end. However, all that I have written here is not real and ultimate true, you no need to believe me. Do your own research and then open it for the Ultimate Truth to fill you..This is a dream that is part of another bigger dream, which in turn is part of another biggest dream, and that goes on into an infinitely fractalic dream..Here exist only One and Absolute Reality ,and it cannot be expressed by any form of expression. IT JUST IS. Thank you everyone.?

With that said i ended up just using 3 tabs of LSD, i had a wonderfully confusing weird and epic trip. I believe i became conscious of how i create reality and my experience, but most of that stuff is too much for me to integrate currently. I was so out of it during the trip, i couldnt even understand what was going on around me. Things lost their context and became something new, it was very cool. I did some weird things too, but thats the name of the game. That would be wonderful to have a master to talk to. At this point, i think i just need to push myself a little. Im doing more meditation now but its a bit less formal. I used to move to a different seat to meditate, but i found that adding the extra step to move-brings about 10x more resistance than just staying put and meditating, so im having an easier time. But now i just need to find out what methods to use. I did a little bit of the neti neti method and will probably continue to throughout the day, and my friend showed me techniques of yoga such as pranayama and kriya supreme fire, but i havent done those as much. By the way, download whatsapp on ur phone and add the number i sent you over our DMs, well make a group chat w my friend :). Excited to make this group chat !

To go a little deeper, i mentioned i don't quite want to take all five tabs at once. This isnt just because im scared of a bad trip or im not ready for it, but the bigger part of why im resistant to that idea is because i want to save it to have for another day i case i think to myself “i wanna have a trip today.” But to me it almost sounds like im saving the tabs simply because im feeding into my brains neurotic tendencies to desire excessively. If thats the case, and it also turns out to be the case that im ready for a major breakthrough, why shouldn't i just take all 5 tabs? But with that said i dont really know that i am ready for it so ill have to wait on that decision. I think its really important that i figure out what i can handle without falling back into fear at the sight of something bigger than me and regressing, so how can i gauge that for myself? Also what else do you think i should do before a big trip? Any rituals i should consider? Any of leos videos i should watch before or during? Perhaps some methods like the neti neti method? Anything that you think will help me figure out how prepared i am or anything that will assist my trip in being more productive post here for me please, thank you its really appreciated .

I am unsure on what I have experience or if I can even communicate it in words. I was doing the neti neti method using Leo's video as a guide just before bed. As the video played my body was experiencing a lot of things it was overwhelming. I tried to locate who is experiencing these sensation... as I try to look and identify with the I....it felt hopelessly absolute...this nothing. Then sudden loneliness rush all over me my body convulsed then tears poured. It wasn't out of sadness but acknowledgement. Then I woke up...it was 4am. As I write this at work...I went through my morning routine and I can't help but feel happy...it is the way it should be. Nothing more nothingless.

In my humble opinion this is most potent self inquiry gudie on yt for beginners i got my first awakening after doing this for 2 weeks. It breaks all traps of self inquiry such as menttal mastrubation, monkey mind.... So radical, this is masterpiece

Go here , (excellent PDF by Sri Sadhu Om), and read what self inquiry is really meant to be in accordance with Ramana's teaching. It does away with many mis-conceptions regarding self inquiry and it's practice. Real self inquiry is Self-Attention,which means keeping the attention on the already inherent,unlearned,natural knowledge/knowing "I AM". It's to Be aware of Being i.e.,Be aware of your own primordial existence (amness). Minus objective thoughts (i.e.,mind), body,breath and the 5 senses(tasting,feeling,smelling,hearing,seeing). The already abiding knowledge "I AM" ,that is prior to any words,thoughts or feeling.The silent,empty background of awareness. This silent, thoughtless "I Am", is pure consciousness,Pure Being,devoid of objectness or self- individual identification. Attending to this "awareness of pure existence" is what Nisargdatta Maharaj referred to as "abiding in the knowledge/knowing (i.e.,the awareness) "I Am" , to the exclusion of all else. This is proper self inquiry or Self-attention. Who or What am I?,is a question to bring one directly to the 'emptiness" of "self" or the "small I-ego" also known as the "I-thought". Abiding in that "emptiness" of "no individual self" or "I"-thought, is an effortless relaxing of attention,and a resting (i.e.,abiding),in Pure Being. "Emptiness" or "empty" means,free of the conditioned attachment to a conflicting, dualistic and presupposed concept of a non-existent, personal identity (ego). The link above should clear up a lot of questions regarding Ramana's self inquiry. The guide also clears up the differences in his more direct teaching vs. Vedantic self inquiry. Both approaches are valid,but Raman's is more direct in avoiding a lot of the "neti,neti(not this,not this)" process involved in traditional Vedantic inquiry. Note that for self inquiry, or any contemplative technique or exercise,a quiet-silent mind is conducive and the majority opinion of those experienced with such. An agitated,busy mind is highly counterproductive to self inquiry. This is where meditation and/or pranayama as a means to quiet the inner workings/activity of the mind are invaluable. The gate-less gate to God, is in our own inner silence and stillness.

Equating attention with narcissism? I am very sorry for your ego, man . You are an ego. The story you live out is important, and you are important too. The meta-narrative you're providing is no more valid than living out the story of being a loving person from the point of view of the absolute. Your aunt that is dying of cancer gave you the dog you've been playing with as a child. That dog has been severely mistreated and can't function properly among humans. You don't need that dog for anything because it so happens that you are a functioning, but lonely individual. Don't talk about other people. It's your dog. You are not talking about anything. You are playing neti-neti with me. Talk, for once. Woof!

Here's a list for the things I know about you: You're male. You're married. You're Polish. You have multiple journals on this forum. You took LSD last month or so, and realised some things. Assuming that I know more than that requires me giving you a lot of attention. It's kind of narcissistic to think so, don't you think? You're obviously not the most important person in my life. Because if I want to be completely honest, I can't. It's not possible. I'm simply using the neti-neti with you. Not denying your stories, and not hiding behind smoke screens. No sir. ? That's a funny example. You already mentioned one way of how power is used in that hierarchy. But I will tell you exactly how power is the basis of that dynamic: First of all, like you said, a dog isn't conscious that it can kill me because it has been raised in captivity. But what is raising dogs in captivity but forcing power? That's the core of the dynamic, and it's completely based on power. Second, no. I don't teach the dog out of concern for his safety. That's just a story that people like to tell themselves and others, a nice cover they put on a 'zombies' magazine, to remain asleep. Thus, tricking the dog, themselves, and other people. But not me, haha ? I can easily see through their bullshit. The real motives behind having a dog and teaching him, etc... basically converge at preserving a 'status quo' among other people (stage Orange), or at living in the story of being a caring and a loving person (Blue or Green). Both of which, boil down to gaining more power in order to climb up the hierarchy. That's how the ego works, and that's how sneaky it is. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. There's also the ego at stage Yellow and beyond, but it's more tricky and slippery. Believe it or not. You don't need to worry about what paradigm you operate from, as long as you are aware of it. What I'm talking about goes beyond disidentification from negative emotions, way way beyond. It transcends the duality of passive vs. active effort.

Garbage answer. Thanks anyways. I woke up and remembered Neti Neti. First thought upon waking. Thanks Leo!

@Peo Ask Who is the one who is frustrated mind will say "me" then see that you are aware of that answer so you cant be that Ask again who is that is aware and look. Or you can try to do neti neti - not this not that step by step go through all body parts, emotions feelings, thoughts images and see that they are not constant you are but then who are you.... if you get to the peace or no mind stayin that place or focus on awarness omnipresent I hope that helps

How can I possibly not be this body. I get that Neti Neti shows that I am not located in the feet. But I still feel my feet, and I don't feel yours.

Self Inquiry and Loving Heart (for lack of a better term) are the practices. One is the neti-neti, the other the yeti-yeti. One excludes all, the other welcomes all. One is totally empty, the other totally full. One is totally alone, the other is totally together. They are really similar.

Nature & unnatural are perspectives. Being 100% down with nature...just spent days ‘in it’...not bashing nature at all, or pointing to “unnatural”...I’m just saying consider a neti neti approach too... Like sit in nature and say, “how am I not at all like that tree”...”in what ways am I not like that rabbit”...etc. What about “my” or this experience is different? There is a worthwhile revelation in it. Another pointer through analogy might be...I am dream, I love being surrounded by this dream, it’s alive and wonderful. And also saying...in what ways am I not like this dream? A noteworthy contemplation might be something like ....How come I’m not reacting at all to what I think that squirrel is thinking about me? He’s lookin right at me, he must be perceiving me, he must be thinking about me. Must he though? Does the squirrel think he was born, too? Does the tree? It’s being, so it must be thinking about being, right? This would have to be pretty elaborate if the tree is being, yet not perceiving me, - is not thinking about me. Why are all the trees thinking there are all the trees? Maybe intelligence has nothing to do with trees. Maybe it has everything to do with them. Ever occurred to you to ask one, and actually listen to the answer? *Again - in addition to, not opposite of.

@Salvijus @winterknight Dear winterknight my understanding so for is Self Enquiry is getting rid of sense of I am.Focussing on I am till it vanishes. Self Enquiry is getting rid of the identity. Neti Neti is the basic fundamental principle that the what ever perceived cannot be the perceiver. Self enquiry technique is based on this principle of Neti Neti or the perceived cannot be the perceiver. So what is this i am feeling ? Thats self enquiry - Now why self enquiry need to be done and why the I am sense must be annihilated ? (The body mind i thought i am) all are appearing in conciousness. So why it is important to get rid of I am feeling ? Or the yogis or meditators made it so complex ???? Like vedantins say there is no need of meditation no need of samadhi ? ??? -------------------------------------------------------

Neti neti is just a concept. Self-inquiry properly done is a focus on something which seems to be literally in your experience every second -- the sense that "I am." No method is effective unless it gets you to look closely at this "I am"... all the other rivers just lead to that in the end. It's not really comprehensible until your ignorance (which doesn't exist) is gone. Basically ignorance is a concept... all concepts are false. That's what enlightenment reveals.

What's the difference between atma-vichara, self-inquiry form like Ramana Maharshi or Mooji is teaching and neti neti? I sometimes feel like there're many ways to do self-inquiry. But they all seem to produce somewhat different results. Like they have a differerent taste when you do them. Yet it also feels like the basis is the same. Sometimes I observe the effort, sometimes I observe the movement of my mind, sometimes I observe my identity or self-image, sometimes I question who sees the self-image, sometimes I do neti neti, not this, not this while also observing the identity, person. So many ways to do it. Is it all the same or It's actually different?

Kryia yoga 25/30 mins Neti neti 30 mins I'm very disorganized in my style though, I'm missing a few days here and there. However I think there is an element of health to this, but I also feel as though it's very very powerful to do it EVERY SINGLE DAY. Get enlightened, and realise that I am not one of many humans who is also becoming enlightened...but that I am infact the only one who will ever be enlightened.

Belief is a big big problem. It's just another trap. A week old baby has veryyyy little knowledge/belief about anything and thus is closer to enlightenment than most of the people here. If you cannot understand this, then your not gonna get far before you set up camp in the realm of blind faith. You might as well go join Islam or Christianity. The thing that leo is trying to point you to is in your direct experience RIGHT FUCKING NOW, and nowhere else. Leo has never experienced "you", but you have! Notice...Leo is not an expert about you, nobody is...the only one who truly knows you, is you. See this. See how everyone else can never experience you, like you do. Do not believe, do not disbelieve, find the one who created both. The ONLY thing that increases consciousness are kryia, vepaasana, neti neti, phycs, retreats. Everything else is a complete illusion. Remember, the only one in the entirety of existence who has ever experienced "you" IS YOU. Not leo. Leo is within your imagination. As am I.

@tsuki AHAHA please man! you finally made me understand existence is nothing! it doesn't even matter about consciousness, its prior to consciousness, therefore prior to everything lol. Its the neti-neti of everything and nothing.

@Ibn Sina Osho says it is not an experience and so says winterknight so says the scriptures. The practice of Neti Neti and Self Enquiry is based on this. If it is an experience they would have said it is an experience. No matter one try to understand with mind one cannot. All books read heard elaborate writings are just pointers and need to discarded. Dont cling to the pointers. So discard them and start your practice. There is nothing to read,hear or understand anymore from anybody except the doubts difficulties in the path one may have. Leo too emphasizes the same dont try to understand what Self or awareness is with your mind.Leo too is emphasizing the practice.Nothing more. What ever practice one may do finally one will have to come to self enquiry - The direct path.

This is some of the best Neti Neti guidance I came across. Stephen Wolinsky is a student of Advaita Vedanta and especially Nisargadata Maharaj. He presents 'a map', which is aiming to help you get out of your rut into the Absolute. Watch this, pay attention, allow this to hit you hard!

By which video did you discover Actualized.org? What made you stick around? Here's what happened to me ~ First I found Leo’s pick up criticism because it was posted on a popular pick up forum and I was into pick up. I was shocked at how blindly I was following the group-think of PUA and agreed with Leo that it can be highly manipulative. The people in the forum we’re bashing him like crazy so I immediately felt disenchanted with their ability to hear the criticisms. Then I watched the episodes on how to stop moralising, 40 signs that you are neurotic and 30 ways society f***s you. These videos really started to challenge my world views and I would often think about the ideas which stuck out to me like moral relativism and why society functions the way it does. Watching Leo’s older videos on Spiral Dynamics (and obviously the newer ones) began to make me really see how profound the personal development content was of Actualized.org and I kept watching the earlier videos but never once clicked on a spiritual enlightenment video. I never clicked on the spiritual enlightenment videos because even though I learned techniques like meditation in order to become more present and be more mindful, the PUA culture never once fully explained the full teaching of the teachers they follow like Eckhart Tolle. I had even heard off hand comments from the PUA community calling people who pursued spiritual paths as beta or passive etc. So it’s not like I wasn’t interested in Spirituality it’s just that I was stuck in a frame of it not being important as I wanted to pursue success. I was already moving into stage green at this time as I stopped eating meat and started finding success not as fulfilling as I thought it would be. Then my stoner friend helped me smoke weed and get high for the first time in my life and it was truly the first time I had experienced a radically different state of consciousness. It opened my heart like crazy as I felt like I truly forgave the wrong doings of people in the past who I’d criticised, I could see the ugliness of the right wing commentators hating on the LGBT/sjws and most of all it was the first time I truly empathised with the starving people of the world. I began smoking weed for over a year just because I enjoyed it so much and it honestly helped expand my consciousness, which even though I don’t smoke it anymore has stayed permanently. My friend that introduced me to weed was a bit eccentric in the fact that he’d tell me things like he has had experiences of realising his parents are imaginary and that he himself doesn’t exist, he told me that it just seemed so true to him that no matter what he did in life he will always know that truth. I obviously thought what he was describing to me was intense as well as interesting which lead me to being interested in checking Leo’s video - Spiritual Enlightenment, the most shocking TRUTH you’ll ever hear. The first time I watched that video it didn’t really hit me, but I watched it several times, then I watched all of the sequels to the original video. Then I followed along to Leo’s Neti Neti method, and this is where I started understanding that everything I believed had to be deconstructed. A big insight to me is that all I ever had experienced was sight, sound, taste, smell, inner feelings, outer feelings and that this is what constructed reality. Let's just say after I got a taste of the true radical nature of spirituality I realised this is the most profound thing I have ever discovered and it is the missing piece of life that everybody is looking for. Over the last year I've watched almost all of Leo's videos from the past two years, I've kept meditation a priority in my life, I've contemplated like crazy and I've done self inquiry. I've had glimpses of enlightenment experiences during my self inquiry but I just need to keep doing it. On a whole I'd say my consciousness has deepened slowly from contemplation + self inquiry rather than achieving a full blown enlightenment experience. My desire for truth has grown to the point where I can no longer say success in my career is my highest goal which would terrify the shit out of me a couple of years ago as my whole egoic structure was based on my career success. I'm currently in the process of doing the Life Purpose course and i'm lucky enough to say I only need to work about 20 hours a week to support myself and I'm making steps to fill my time with awakening techniques as much as a I can. I moved to Japan 8 months ago and drugs are a no-go here so i'm planning that within the next year or 18 months I can travel to another country for some kind of psychedelic retreat to try them for the first time. I know that was a bit long but I’d love to hear your story as well.

I love paradoxes and enjoy trying to hold two seemingly opposing ideas as both simultaneously true. However I would appreciate anyone else's considered view on this. The 'So Hum' mantra (I am that) seems to point towards the Samadhi experience of seeing everything as one. If I am one with the chair that I am staring at, then I am equally one with this hand. The 'Neti Neti' self inquiry (not this, not this) seems to point towards the true self being not my car, not my thoughts, not my hand. Are these two thoughts opposite of each other? Is it a technical subtlety (ie I am that, but I am not this)? If so can some please illuminate. Is it as simple as both are true? Is it a mistake to take anything spoken or written as true? Is it that I am not this (neti neti), nothing, no-thing, no separation, everything, I am that (so hum)? Thanks.