Search the Community

"without taking earthly action"...is a First-tier concept. For example,...Meditators HATE me,...when I bring up the subject of Non-meditation. They have invested many, many years sitting,...it has become their opium. The most threatening thing for First-tier thinkers is the confrontation between everything they believe to be meaningful, and the reality that it is all meaningless. “If your purpose is to medicate dukkha,...then meditate. If your wish is bodhi,...practice absolute bodhicitta.” "Free yourself from meditation, practice non-meditation" - Kyergangpa Chökyi Senge Turquoise is a game changer,..it's the Great Juncture between Sense Beings and Spiritual Beings. Thus the First-tier speculation of Second-tier value systems , and First-tier understanding of Second-tier value systems, pivots from First-tier paradigms. Clare Graves was quite correct in saying, "First-tier thinkers (first 6 substance levels of Spiral Dynamics) cannot recognize the Second-tier on their own, and react negatively if challenged; lashing out whenever it is threatened." Spiral Dynamic Value Systems attempts to be a model for determining how we make a decision and set priorities in our lives. Value Systems within the 6 lower Substance levels of SD, being rooted in the senses, always pivot from falsity,...what Buddhists call the Five Skandhas. On the other hand,..."A wise man (Turquoise SD 8), recognizing that the world is but an illusion, does not act as if it is real" Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai. First-tier thinkers believe that the Turquoise (SD 8) who doesn't take action is unhealthy,...because unlike Turquoise (SD 8) they have no comprehension that Space-Time is One,...thus, there is no action to take,...only the following of Spirit without hesitation. Turquoise (SD 8) does not seek to be directly involved to solve complex global issues, but desires Sentient Beings to become aware of their sentience for what it is. Turquoise (SD 8) realize that suffering is a consequence of the desire for things to be other than they are. Buddha did not say don't desire,...but don't desire for things to be other than they are. Sentient Beings don't understand the way things are. "The senses do not grasp reality in any way" Socrates Because high functioning Yellow (SD 7) are open to learning at any time and from any source, like bees that gather nectar from many flowers, they are among the few who can converse with Turquoise (SD 8) in an unguarded way. Turquoise (SD 8) must engage the Substance Levels in carefully orchestrated ways, or find themselves being physically threatened. "People don't like their version of reality fucked with." Jed McKenna At Turquoise (SD 8) personal truths, 'me stories,' and individual versions of reality are irrelevant. Values of Turquoise include: Life is a Dream. Unfeigned surrender to the Spirit that underlies all Form. Metasensory insight. Absolute Truth. Elevating the Conscious Awareness of Humanity. the Other Compassion. Direct Gnowledge, not Past Knowledge. Emancipation from things Divine. Recognition of the in-breath/out-breath of rhythmic balanced interchange. Holistic view - Fulcum, One Lever, Yang and Yin. Unconditional honesty. Non-sensory intuition. Impersonal. Non-meditation. Transcender. Appreciation of the One Space-Time. Humility is merely a degree of pride. Real Emotion (vs positive and negative emotion). Unfabricated Present Awareness. Flow with Spirit without hesitation. Non-sensory integrity. Realization that Higher Self may be stuck. Aware of Absolute vs Relative. Avoidance of hope and fear. Liberation from the 6 senses. Simplicity and Ease. Selfless Living. Cooperative vs Competitive. One foot in the manifest, one foot in the Unmanifest.

I am not fully convinced either. I think having a pure heart is Good. People can agree on what is good or bad, and they do it all the time. For example, sticking your hand in fire for no reason is not good. Living with deception is not good. Going back on agreements is not considered good, especially from an impersonal standpoint. For example, If I were to hang out with one of you who do not believe in good or bad. And if we went out to dinner and agreed to split the check, and then after finishing my meal, I left you with the check. That was not good and any conscious human would recognize it as not being good. If we could not make the distinction of good and bad, I do not even think society would have evolved as complex as it is. To me Good is what is good for the whole. Fairness and Cooperation. Even monkey's understand Fairness and Cooperation:

@Angelite God may be genderless, but the gods are not. I realise these concepts are hard for a monotheist to accept, but you have to look at the origins of all this. El is gendered, he was the Ugaritic skygod, originally called An in Sumerian. Anunnaki / Elohim is also gendered, it can be translated as sons of the Sky (god), though it does cover both gods and goddesses ultimately. Who are the angels? Well, they are winged messengers of God. Where does this idea of winged beings come from? The gods of Sumer, who are also depicted with wings and they are most certainly gendered. Angels may be beings of light, as you perceive them. However, that is looking at them from a particular perspective. They may have many different aspects and incarnations, spread out over time, space and dimensions in ways that is hard for a human brain to perceive. Speaking of God and Gender, I have to borrow from Tantra for a moment here, to explain the concept. Brahman, the unmanifest absolute is indeed genderless, as well impersonal. It is conscious potentiality. However, in order to manifest and create, Brahman has to separate itself into opposing forces, thus duality and with it male and female are born. In Tantra, this is indicated through the duality of Shiva and Shakti, God and Goddess. Shakti (also known as the Shekinah in Judaism) is the female, creative aspect of God, it is what manifests everything there is. In our manifest reality, we exist in dualities, which includes male and female and that applies to the gods as well. I realise that referring to the gods as Elohim is controversial, but in my experience, that is what they prefer to be called in their collective consciousness state. Each individual god can easily go in and out of collective consciousness, as they please. When in "Oneness" mode, they are one, but they can also be separate depending on the situation, hence our confusion regarding the dichotomy and inherent duality in God/gods.

Is it by taking a high jump or perhaps by a rocket or through a mental leap [that you want to 'reach reality']? And where exactly out there is this reality, and what will it do for you, that you are so anxious to reach it? Don't you realize how funny all this is? • Trying to capture the unknown and unknowable within the parameters of the known is impossible: That which was prior to this body and consciousness, that which is ever-present . . . that is your true identity . . . that is reality. • When the impersonal consciousness personalized itself by identification with the sentient object, thinking of it as 'I', the effect was to transform the 'I', which was essentially the subject, into an object. It is this objectivation of pure subjectivity, this false identifying of the unlimited with the limited, which can be called bondage. It is from this entity-fication that freedom is sought. Liberation, therefore, can be nothing other than the immediate understanding that self-identification is false . . . . . – freedom is the unshakeable knowledge of your real nature; it is the total negation of entityness. Once it is understood that an entity is merely a conceptual notion, then what follows is a reintegration into universality. Then you just watch life 'being lived', realizing that relatively speaking, you as manifestation are but a puppet being manipulated in a dream world. When you apperceive this intuitively, spontaneously, thoughtlessly, then this itself will be the awakening from this maya-dream. Having understood that there can never be any individual entity with independent choice of action, then how could 'you' entertain any intentions? And in the absence of intentions how could there be any involvement with karma? Then, you become perfectly aligned with whatever happens, accepting events without any feeling either of achievement or frustration. Such living would then be non-volitional living, an absence of doing and deliberate non-doing, going through your allotted span of life wanting nothing and avoiding nothing, free of conceptualizing and objectivation. Then, when this phenomenal life disappears in due course it leaves you in absolute presence. Nisargadatta Maharaj

Nahm Moderator 14,549 posts Posted 10 hours ago · The hardest thing about meditation is starting, because you don’t know how beneficial it is until you practice. The second hardest thing is feeling so good you start skipping the practices. Walking Meditation Walking meditation is a great way to begin integrating the power of meditation into your daily life. It is the first stage of meditation in action, that is, learning to be meditative while "out and about" in the world. It is great to do while, for example, taking a walk in the park, at the beach, or in another natural setting. Walking meditation is often recommended for people who are doing a lot of sitting meditation. If you are getting to sleepy, or your awareness is getting to "muddy," walking meditation can perk you up. Alternately, if you are getting to concentrated and mentally "stiff," walking meditation is a perfect way to loosen up a bit. Walking meditation is a common practice in Vipassana and Zen Buddhism. Pay close attention to the physical activity of walking slowly 1. Before walking, stand still in an open, balanced posture. Bring your awareness to the feeling of your feet touching the ground. 2. Now begin walking. Keep your gaze fixed on the ground about six feet in front of you. This will help you to avoid distraction. 3. Note and mentally label three parts of each step you take. The labels are "lifting," "pushing," and "dropping." Lifting - when you are picking your foot up Pushing - as you are moving it forward Dropping - as you are lowering it to the ground As you make each label, pay very close attention to the actual physical sensations associated with each of these actions. 4. After these three components become clear, you can add three more, so that the entire sequence is: "raising," "lifting," "pushing," "dropping," "touching," and "pressing." 5. Your mind will probably also engage in thinking extraneous thoughts, but just allow these to go on in the background. Your foreground attention should stay on the physical sensations of walking. 6. If you find that you have been completely lost in thought, stop walking for a moment and label the thinking as "thinking, thinking, thinking." 7. Then re-establish your awareness on the feeling in your feet, and begin the walking meditation again. 8. A typical session of walking meditation lasts a half an hour. CAUTIONS: Make sure to watch where you are going, especially if you are around traffic, other people, etc. https://sites.google.com/site/psychospiritualtools/Home/meditation-practices Awareness of Thoughts Meditation By learning to watch your thoughts come and go during this practice, you can gain deeper insight into thinking altogether (such as its transience) and into specific relationships among your thoughts and your emotions, sensations, and desires. This practice can also help you take your thoughts less personally, and not automatically believe them. Additionally, this meditation can offer insight into any habitual patterns of thinking and related reactions. Observe your thoughts as they arise and pass away. · By “thoughts,” we mean self-talk and other verbal content, as well as images, memories, fantasies, and plans. Just thoughts may appear in awareness, or thoughts plus sensations, emotions, or desires. · Sit or lie down on your back in a comfortable position. · Become aware of the sensations of breathing. · After a few minutes of following your breath, shift your attention to the various thoughts that are arising, persisting, and then passing away in your mind. · Try to observe your thoughts instead of getting involved with their content or resisting them. · Notice the content of your thoughts, any emotions accompanying them, and the strength or pull of the thought. · Try to get curious about your thoughts. Investigate whether you think in mainly images or words, whether your thoughts are in color or black and white, and how your thoughts feel in your body. · See if you notice any gaps or pauses between thoughts. · Every time you become aware that you are lost in the content of your thoughts, simply note this and return to observing your thoughts and emotions. · Remember that one of the brain’s major purposes is to think, and there is nothing wrong with thinking. You are simply practicing not automatically believing and grasping on to your thoughts. · When you are ready, return your attention to your breath for a few minutes and slowly open your eyes. Optional: · There are various metaphors and images you can use to help observe your thoughts. These include: o Imagining you are as vast and open as the sky, and thoughts are simply clouds, birds, or planes passing through the open space. o Imagining you are sitting on the side of a river watching your thoughts float by like leaves or ripples in the stream. o Imagine your thoughts are like cars, buses, or trains passing by. Every time you realize you are thinking, you can “get off the bus/train” and return to observing. Awareness of thoughts and emotions is one of the areas of focus developed when cultivating mindfulness. In Buddhism, mindfulness is one of the seven factors of enlightenment and the seventh instruction in the Noble Eightfold Path. The Seven Factors of Enlightenment: https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/piyadassi/wheel001.html The Four Noble Truths:https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths The Noble Eightfold Path: https://tricycle.org/magazine/noble-eightfold-path/ CAUTIONS: Please be gentle with yourself if you notice that you are constantly caught up in your thoughts instead of observing them. This is both common and normal. When you realize that you are thinking, gently and compassionately return to observing your thoughts. If the content of your thoughts is too disturbing or distressing, gently shift your attention to your breathing, sounds, or discontinue the practice. · Remember that you are not trying to stop thoughts or only allow certain ones to arise. Try to treat all thoughts equally and let them pass away without engaging in their content. · This practice can initially be more challenging than other meditations. As you are learning, practice this meditation for only a few minutes at a time if that is easier. · It can be helpful to treat thoughts the same way that you treat sounds or body sensations, and view them as impersonal events that arise and pass away. · Some people like to assign numbers or nicknames to reoccurring thoughts in order to reduce their pull and effect. Breathe Awareness Meditation Stress is an extremely unhealthy condition. It causes the body to release the chemical cortisol, which has been shown to reduce brain and organ function, among many other dangerous effects. Modern society inadvertently encourages a state of almost continuous stress in people. This is a meditation that encourages physical and mental relaxation, which can greatly reduce the effects of stress on the body and mind. Sit still and pay close attention to your breathing process. Take a reposed, seated posture. Your back should be straight and your body as relaxed as possible. Close your eyes, and bring your attention to your breathing process. Simply notice you are breathing. Do not attempt to change your breath in any way. Breath simply and normally. Try to notice both the in breath and the out breath; the inhale and the exhale. "Notice" means to actually feel the breathing in your body with your body. It is not necessary to visualize your breathing or to think about it in any way except to notice it with your somatic awareness. Each time your attention wanders from the act of breathing, return it to noticing the breath. Do this gently and without judgment. Remember to really feel into the act of breathing. If you want to go more deeply into this, concentrate on each area of breathing in turn. Here is an example sequence: 1. Notice how the air feels moving through your nostrils on both the in breath and the out breath. 2. Notice how the air feels moving through your mouth and throat. You may feel a sort of slightly raspy or ragged feeling as the air moves through your throat. This is normal and also something to feel into. 3. Notice how the air feels as it fills and empties your chest cavity. Feel how your rib cage rises slowly with each in breath, and gently deflates with each out breath. 4. Notice how your back expands and contracts with each breath. Actually feel it shifting and changing as you breath. 5. Notice how the belly expands outward with each in breath and pulls inward with each in breath. Allow your attention to fully enter the body sensation of the belly moving with each breath. 6. Now allow your attention to cover your entire body at once as you breath in and out. Closely notice all the sensations of the body as it breathes. Repeat this sequence over and over, giving each step your full attention as you do it. Suggested time is at least 10 minutes. Thirty minutes is better, if you are capable of it. If you find yourself distracted by a lot of mental chatter, you can use verbal labeling as an aid to concentration. For example, on the in breath, mentally say to yourself, "Breathing in." On the out breath, say, "Breathing out." Another possibility is to mentally count each breath. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=92i5m3tV5XY User Quote Bookmark Nonduality & Meditations Now “ ...every revolutionary act, is an act of love...” - Zach de la Rocha Quote this ivory Member 462 posts Posted 9 hours ago · If I had to pick two practices to maintain for the rest of my life I'd pick breathing exercises and going on daily walks. In learning to breathe properly a good majority of thinking is reduced. If I had to estimate, I would say that 2/3 of my thinking ceases when I am practicing regularly. Imagine being 66% less stressed out. Also, breathing reduces the intensity of emotion making it much more bearable. Sometimes, difficult emotions even have a "feel good" quality. I do also do a 45 minute brisk walk to get my endorphins flowing. With a daily practice I tend to be much happier even when I'm not doing anything in particular. I used to run, which was even better, but after so many injuries I decided to take things down a notch. Walking is at least sustainable. User Quote Bookmark peanutspathtotruth Member 410 posts Posted 15 minutes ago · @AwakenedSoul444 Next to of course going to the root of it, there is nothing more relieving I found than Yoga Nidra. It's complete, absolute relaxation of your body. You might not have done that for years. Even in sleep you are not as relaxed as in Yoga Nidra. I highly recommend "Tripura Mandala" on YouTube. Lovely man. Take the beginner Yoga Nidra session and work up from there. 1 hour in complete relaxation = you feel like a newborn. User Quote Bookmark Anton Rogachevski Member 788 posts Posted 2 minutes ago · Acceptance of suffering. Not wanting to not want it. The desire to stop suffering is in fact the source of suffering. User Quote Bookmark https://antonsjournal.home.blog "A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool." William Shakespeare Reply to this topic... Follow4 Actualized.org Terms Privacy

Personalization is part of the contraction. There is a trans-personal realm. If we were having a discussion about a bizarre insect only found in the Amazon forest, it would be impersonal. We would both be curious and desire to explore and learn. Neither of us is attached/identified to being the Amazonian insect. This would be a Tier2 trans-personal exploration. . . . Adding in personal attachment/identification alters the energetics. . . Perhaps one person says "I've actually been to the Amazon and saw this bizarre insect". An impersonal response might be "Oh my gosh! I've only seen it on YT videos. What was it like in person?"". Notice how this open-ness allows for exploration and learning. . . What happens when it gets personalized?. . . "This guy think he knows more than me. He thinks he is special because he has been in an Amazon forest. He thinks he is better than me. Well, I've also been in forests. He has no idea who I am and he is judging me. I'm going to show him I know more than him". Adding in these personality dynamics alters the energetics. It is no longer a free exploration of an amazing insect in the Amazon. It is now a personal debate, rather than an exploration.In terms of evolving/expanding/learning, it can be a block. For example, I am at an intermediate level of Spanish. If I have an attachment/identity of being fluent in Spanish, it is a block. For example, if another person who speaks Spanish tells me "I noticed you haven't been using the subjunctive tense very much, it might be something to look at". I could reply "I know the subjunctive tense. I've actually lived in central and south America. You don't even know me.". . This creates conflict. . . Without the personal dynamic, I may respond "I hadn't noticed that. Maybe I am missing something. Could you give an example how I might expand my use of the subjunctive? I studied Spanish in Peru, perhaps the use the subjunctive differently. . . Oh, you studied Spanish in Spain. Super coool! What was it like living there? I've also wanted to visit. Exploring different dialects of Spanish is so fascinating to me". . . Notice how this orientation is very different and allows space for growth and expansion.

Fine. Just a question: how can someone prove that consciousness is not a byproduct of the brain? You need a body to experience consciousness. You need a body and a mind to prove consciousness. I'm not denying that consciousness exists. Consciousness exists but it can't be experienced without a body. That's why I'm saying that consciousness is objectively impersonal. Consciousness is absolutely impersonal. Just because you've had a psychedelic experience, that doesn't mean that you know the essence of reality. The mind is a very deceptive thing. Buddha didn't know everything. Jesus didn't know everything. Spiritual teachers don't know everything. @Leo Gura doesn't know everything. So... the answer is to find the truth by yourself and not expect it from somebody else. We are prone to get answers from other people and not derive answers from our own observations and explorations. There is always a possibility to delude ourselves even when everything seems clear to us.

A lot would depend on your own cultural and religious background. Without knowing much about you, say you feel closest to the Buddhist world view, you can relate to the Goddess in her form as Tara or Kwan Yin. You can find images of them online, which might help in establishing an energetic connection. When in a meditative state, preferably with your Kundalini raised as high as possible, you just have to reach out to the Goddess with your mind and energetically, then ask her to visit you and extend her Grace to you. Once you reach out to her, if you are ready, a visit might follow within a few days. This would work with any of her other myriad forms, some of which I mentioned in a previous post. You can just address her simply as the Goddess or even Kundalini, which is one of her forms and names. Others may prefer a more impersonal approach. It is really up to you, how you want to relate to her in your heart. As for me, I connected to one of her more ancient forms through an original artefact in a museum. I was suffering the effects of a Kundalini stuck at my heart chakra and when I asked for her help, she came and saved me. I have been in contact with her ever since. I did extend the Grace of the Goddess to you, in any case.

Because you are aware of your surroundings. You don't know what lies ahead in the Andromeda galaxy. You can't know for sure. That's proof for an impersonal Universe.

Alright. As the sky is beyond death... beyond coming and going, what next? What's there? What's the importance of things that are beyond the mind? Let's say consciousness for example. Consciousness is impersonal. I'm not saying that consciousness is nothing or a void or pure emptiness. Consciousness can be associated with "no thing". No thing is different than nothing. Anyway, as consciousness is impersonal... all I can say is this: why should consciousness be relevant to me? Why should consciousness be of importance to me? Even if I understand and comprehend what consciousness is, then what?

Hello. I'll start by saying this: DEATH IS A REAL THING WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT. Why am I saying this? I'm saying this because life is temporary. I'm not denying that after death remains nothing or darkness or a state of dreamless sleep or (a) void or even emptiness. After death, there might be something like consciousness. I don't deny it. Death means the dissolving of your body, your character or the disappearance of life as you know it. A lot of people don't like the concept of death because they resent the fact that life is temporary. Even in my case, I don't like the fact that life is temporary. Let me tell you why. The reality we live in is extraordinary. Life comes with an amazing structure. Noting is more beautiful than life. Not even the consciousness itself. Not even the entire universe. Because consciousness and the Univers itself are impersonal. Consciousness is not comparable to the human mind; the human mind is something unique; it's something much more beautiful than anything else. Why do you think that there is a human mind? Why do you think that the human mind is as it is? Because the human mind has found its way out of everything else... and that's the beauty of it. Our minds are unique and foreign to consciousness. They are not from this realm. Let me state it a little bit different. Our minds are alien to anything that consciousness produces because the mind is not a product of consciousness. This is not a delusion or merely just thoughts. It is something that has to be discovered by yourself. The only thing foreign or alien to everything that exists in consciousness is the human mind. Nothing can be more beautiful than the human mind.

Absolute love = god/reality/consciousness not giving a fuck = indiscriminate = free will = absolute impersonal intimacy.

P A N T H E I S M Pantheism is the view that everything is God also may be stated the Universe is God or nature (in the total sense) is God The concept has been discussed as far back as the time of the "Upanishads" of Vedic Hinduism, and the philosophers of Ancient Greece (including Thales, Parmenides and Heraclitus) as well as in Kabbalistic Judaism. Types of Pantheism Classical Pantheism: This is the form of pantheism that equates existence with God without attempting to redefine or to minimize either term. It believes in a personal, conscious and omniscient God, and sees this God as uniting all true religions. In many ways, classical pantheism is similar to Monism, in that it views all things, from energy to matter to thought to time, as being aspects of an all-embracing personal god. It is distinguished primarily because of its simplicity and its compatibility and inclusive attitude towards other world faiths. Classical Pantheism is represented by many religious traditions including Hinduism and Kabbalistic Judaism. Biblical Pantheism: This form of pantheism (vehemently condemned by many traditional Christians) argues that some pantheistic aspects are expressed in the writings of the Bible. The Biblical equation of God to acts of nature, and the definition of God within the New Testament itself, all provide the basis of appeal to this belief system. Naturalistic Pantheism: This is a form of pantheism that holds that the universe, although unconscious and non-sentient as a whole, is nevertheless a meaningful focus for mystical fulfillment. Thus Nature is seen as being God only in a non-traditional, impersonal sense. Critics have alleged that this constitutes an intentional misuse of terminology, and an attempt to justify Atheism (or some kind of spiritual naturalism) by mis-labeling it as pantheism. Naturalistic pantheism is based on the relatively recent views of Baruch Spinoza (who may have been influenced by Biblical Pantheism) and John Toland, as well as contemporary influences. Pandeism: This is a kind of naturalistic pantheism, holding that the universe is an unconscious and non-sentient God, but also that God was previously a conscious and sentient force or entity that designed and created the universe. Thus, according to pandeism, God only became an unconscious and nonsentient God by becoming the universe. This is a sort of synthesis of pantheism and Deism. Panentheism: This belief has features in common with pantheism, such as the idea that the universe is a part of God, although Panentheism argues that God is greater than nature alone and so the physical universe is just a part of His nature. Panpsychism is the philosophical view held by many pantheists that consciousness, mind, or soul is a universal feature of all things.Some pantheists also subscribe to the distinct philosophical views hylozoism (or panvitalism), the view that everything is alive, has a soul or spirit.

@7thLetter You have made an identity out of simple, mechanical, impersonal, conditioned biological processes, and now that self is threatened. What would happen for your success if you saw through the identification? Saw that the identification is a phantom created by thoughts? Would there be any fear? You're not in any real danger talking to someone. So your endocrine system shouldn't really be firing up with stress hormones when approaching someone you want to have sex with. It's only sex.

You as the observer, life as the object which you as the subject, are observing. Or observer (subject), life (object). Once identification has ceased and life reveals itself as impersonal and therefore benign that is enlightenment. To say that there is duality inherent in that state is a misunderstanding of duality. The comment wasn’t in regards to a state. Again, we might be saying the same thing here, and this might be linguistic. Perhaps because actual duality has not been seen and transcended? ? Actual duality can’t be seen or transcended ultimately, because duality is not actual. It's easy to speculate what enlightenment would be like, but until you have had an actual experience of what reality really is, then you could be mistakenly assume that duality is actually real. Nor can one actually experience what reality really is. That again would be subject (you) and experience of object (reality). It's very simple, all that has to happen is disidentification, then duality is no longer the case. Just saying again, this could be ‘talking over each other’ / linguistic, but there isn’t a subject which disidentifys with an object.

@Nickyy I’m with you in sentiment for sure. However, there is a duality present in life living by itself, with me as the observer. Life being separate from potential ‘interference from the egoic identity”. There is a collapse of the duality of personal & impersonal.

People’s habituation to psychological self-referencing is conditioned conscious knowledge, whereby such thought is predominantly in terms of habitual self-reification relative to the personality. Unfortunately, through the economy of pure habit, conscious knowledge of one’s inherent absolute impersonal nature is obscured, and people loose their connection to unified objective discernment. Therefore, use of discriminatory conscious knowledge isn’t a moral pejorative, in terms of ego, per se, but by habituation to patterned psychological response, one’s fidelity to its inherent foundation in objectivity, being true knowledge, is lost, as the projections of psychological temperament become increasingly sintered into the compounded delusional matrix of karmic momentum. No matter whether projections be subtle or extreme, when reality has been long lost, the authentic teaching of reversion to purity being the natural operation of spiritual alchemy is that which all prior illuminates of the school of Complete Reality (Quanzhen) profess for the benefit of those whose karmic disposition resonates with the path of working directly with essence.

The spiritual is not actualized, much less clarified, by psychological consciousness. What makes enlightening activity “spiritual” is simply due to the fact that it is nonpsychological, as it has nothing to do with the person, words, reason, morality, right, wrong, good or bad. In other words, it is void of self-referencing, which is the working definition of spontaneous impersonal adaption. Being that it is a matter of impersonally seeing reality as is, it only requires awakening to and continually clarifying the perfect emptiness of one’s inherent open awareness to actualize the natural enlightening function. Hongzhi said to “just accept the function, take the forward step with open hands and share yourself with the world.” It’s not a separate reality, it’s just right now wherever you are in perpetuity before the first thought. Taoism calls this resting in the highest good. It has been likened to a cat waiting at a mouse hole. It is the very point of incipient upwelling of potential. How subtle would such a continuous concentration of intent have to be to constitute one’s perpetual arrival at the homeland of nothing whatsoever? Would it be obvious that the highest good of taoism is not relative to moral conventions of self and other, good or bad, or else otherwise conceived as employing one’s psychological apparatus whereby one dubiously amasses karmic debt by acting on "triggered" personal bias? Just what could one’s penetration and arrival at selfless accord in reality without remainder be?

This is the meaning of the phrase, “the world is the sage”, in that situational potential is completely the world at large without remainder. It’s not the person, therefore it is not a matter of discriminatory knowledge relative to the thinker, knower, and liver of life. The criteria of subtle adaption is up to the situation, not the person. The point is, there is nothing one needs to know, in terms of conceiving habitual projections of (one’s) psychological patterning, so subtle spiritual adaption does not employ the use of one’s (the personality’s) own power. This is how unified consciousness really works in the midst of everyday ordinary situational delusion in which oneself has never transformed karmically as an otherwise separate absolute. How else would unified consciousness come to be referenced as such? Unified consciousness is not somewhere else. It’s your own nonpsychological awareness right now in terms of one’s impersonal observation of situational potential. Therefore, those who see situational potential as reality’s underlying selfless unity are sages.

@SoonHei You have created a distinction/duality between "waking state" and "dream state". Within your construct: "Waking state" = awareness of "true state". You've now added in a second and third dualities (awareness vs. unawareness and true state vs. false state). Further dualities are added with "true self vs. false self" and "knowing vs. unknowing". There are lots of inter-related dualities to deconstruct. For example, your "aware vs. unaware" duality overlaps with the "knowing vs. unknowing" duality. To me, there are a lot of tangles that can be deconstructed to aware vs. unaware. Imo, the waking vs. dream part is a distraction. Someone can be in a waking state daydreaming and unaware. Someone can be in a waking state and drunk and unaware. It boils down to aware vs unaware. I would take a closer inspection of this duality. Who/What is aware/not knowing? Who is aware/knowing. What thing is being awared? What thing is known? . . . From the OP, it looks like you might say awareness of the "true self", yet this sets up another duality. What is the "true self" vs. the "false self". These dualities have practical purpose. A human won't survive without making distinctions between things like waking life and dreaming life. As well, there are realizations of self vs. Self that few humans realize. . . You are asking some advanced questions which boil down to this: What is "True Knowing" vs. "False Knowing"? This gets into ineffable zones. As well, remains aware adds in a timeline. "Remains" requires a construct of past, present and future. This is one of the things humans commonly construct and chase. They create a construct of "awareness/enlightenment/awakening", believe that state/ISness can become permanent and desire/chase that permanence. This has practical purpose at the human level, yet it opens up another can of worms, because there is another dual construct to deconstruct. For example, many people see Eckhart Tolle as permanently enlightened. Yet what does that mean? This can vary. One might say he has transcended the personality and no longer has egoic impulses. Yet what if a single self-centered thought appeared in his mind? Would that invalidate his "permanent awareness of knowing"? Would he need to start the clock over? . . . Others may say that enlightenment is the permanent transcendence that is aware of all happenings. Yet what if there is a nano-second in which Eckhart doesn't have transcendent awareness of all happenings? Would we restart the clock on Eckhart's enlightenment streak? What about when he is asleep? . . . Others may say that at the human level, there is a process of "forgetting" and "remembering", yet the transcendent awareness is eternally present and accessible, even when the human "forgets". Yet at the human level, what is an acceptable amount of "forgetting"? To me, it looks like you are digging into some deep trans-human zones transcendent of human experience, perception and construction. In the context of human stages, one generally transcends the personality construct first and recognizes that the entire personal story is simply appearances, Now. Identification/attachment to personality dissolves. Yet even after transcending the personality construct, there is still the human construct. A being can have trans-personal awareness, yet still be identified/attached to being an impersonal human. Transcending humanness goes beyond theory, because all theory is a human construct. . . Trans-human essence trying to describe itself through human words often sounds wacky and nonsensical. For example: "There is nothing you can see that is not a flower; there is nothing you can think that is not the moon" - Matsuo Basho

Welcome to Conundrumville. The question I am droppning here may be too "basic" for most of you, so I honestly appreciate your time to help me out. Basic yes, but this is perhaps the most important, most fundamental contemplation one could undertake. Good for you man. Enjoy the coming metadventure. I'm actually struggling to make a distinction between brain activity and consciousness. As I’m sure you’re aware, that’s because it is the brain, or rather the duality of thinking, which is trying to assess itself. That can get loopy. A thought can not think a thought, much like a sensation can not sense a sensation, and perception can not perceive a perceiver. Contemplating those can bring some realizations about, of direct experience vs indirect ‘experience’ - actuality vs ‘sneakery’. With a daily meditation practice, those three facets become calm and quiet, and the space ‘in between’ the thoughts and activities of the body begins to be directly experienced and realized as ‘prior to’. A thought about this will not do, as ‘this’ is prior to thought (prior to duality). There definitely is ‘experience’ - without thought activity, referred to typically as, being, or knowing. The way I see it, injuries or drugs, for example, have a remarkable impact on the brain and our whole perception of reality, so, undoubtedly, there is correlation (yet not necessarily causation). But when the brain shuts down (when we are deeply asleep or even dead), conciousness stops, there's no more perceptions, no more reality. It doesn't matter if it's 8 hours or 5 minutes, you cease to be aware. That is a very convincing and understandable perspective, but it’s not entirely accurate ime. Your post cuts right to the heart of the personal and impersonal nature of absolute. I would begin to be very critical in questioning anything and everything, with the strict filer of direct experience. As in, if you have not directly experienced death, nor been without thought activity, just notice anything about it, is a belief and or assumption. Ultimately, this is critically important to not only continuing your self exploration, reaching the ultimate satisfaction, but also to knowing the actuality of reality. Some would say that when every belief is inspected - they disappear, and all that can remain without belief - is the actual truth. Wether you actually want to know it, is something to do a serious gut check about. I am also very triggered by that emotion occasionally, to the point where I even loose my mind whewn thinking about my non-existence. I has hit me really, really hard sometimes, 8 times or so in my life (I'm 23), and is unchained as easily as watching a movie. The rest of the day I am OK with my own mortality, so I just can not grasp the singificance this rare and uncommon psychotic attacks. Sensation within you is like an infinitely intelligent guide, the ‘higher self’, or, ‘inner being’. It’s important to tune into sensation, and to listen to it, above all thinking. Sensation is nondual, one, a direct ‘link’ to the source of all that is. Thinking is twoness; the same one, but diluted by duality. In a way, Thinking is like a paper thin smokescreen, covering up the actuality of reality. Psychosis is, roughly speaking, the inability to distinguish a thought accurate of what has or is transpiring, and a thought which is not indicative of what has or is transpiring. Without alignment with sensation, that can be a rabbit hole I’d wish on nobody. I’ve worked with people heavy lost in psychosis, and I’ll just say, it is rough. The reason you are having those ‘psychotic attacks’, is because sensation is saying, to your thinking of non-existence...”that’s not true!”. But, you are ignoring the sensation, believing your thinking, and then essentially mislabeling sensation - the very ‘thing’ which is guiding you to truth. Do the counter logical thing here, and tune into the sensation, not away from it - assuming you have to suffer because you’ll die one day, or cease to exist. Take notice of the very word - non-existence. It actually points to - that which does not actually exist. So, there simply is no such thing, as, non-existence. It’s initially hard to grasp, but, look for the humor of this, and you will find the relief undoubtably. Feel for the actuality, the truth of this, in your heart, in your bones, in your very being. Let it really wash over the body, releasing a lot of past misconceptions you’re holding. Choose - set the intention - to know this truth, and to let thoughts about go. Feel the ‘answer’ which arises from deep in the body, not the ‘head’ / thought. On the other hand, I have seen the "Why brains do not exist", but I just can not see through. Conceptually, I feel like I'm missing some essencial point. No offense, I say this in love and and helpfulness...but it’s like you are standing in Peru, talking about the top of Mt. Everest. There’s a very big slice of humble pie we all eat when we get on the path. The realization that everything we think we know, is, pretty much, well, entirely, not true, or, not grounded in what is actual. It feels like we got duped, and there’s no one to blame. It’s difficult, but imo, most worthwhile. Absolutely worthwhile. I think the following video explains, more or less, my point of view (just don't watch the whole thing, from 4:50 - 6:35 is enough). So the quiestion arises... Doesn't that brain-conciousness relation prove that? Doesn't consciousness emerge from matter? That’s the greatest question there is. This is going to take (most likely) a lot of meditation, contemplation, and self exploration. I like to frame this up as the metadventure - regular life being the adventure, the journey - and the metadventure being the simultaneous undertaking of discovering the real, actual, truth. At times these jive perfectly, and at other times the meta can basically blow up your life. Again though, most worthwhile imo. Some suggestionS of what you might contemplate, to begin opening up the mind to the actuality... I’d use a pad of paper, just to jot down realizations that arise, which are felt - beyond just thought. This helps ‘tune in’ to being, to sensation, and to life’s greatest delight, the intuition. This is later known as and referred to as that ineffable childlike nature & joy, we all seem to have lost along the way.... What, in your direct experience, has ever occurred - outside of - your own consciousness / awareness? Make a list of ‘things’, “matter”, ‘objects’ - which you, or any human being ever, has found to be outside of, and more specifically, prior to - consciousness. Find the actual proof - that consciousness is separate, in any way. Find the actual proof, that consciousness arises from your brain, in your direct experience. Contemplate and write down, a list, in order, of how you think the population prioritizes the expereince of being human. What is valued the most, what is valued the least, etc. Research, contemplate, research, contemplate, etc....the substrate of matter, quantum mechanics, and the intimate & most personal implications of the findings. Be open minded, very open minded, so much so, that you allow for the possibility that you might discover a truth, which reveals that pretty much everyone on the planet, is “wrong” about matter & consciousness. Also, because I get the sense you are pretty serious in your investigation, going straight to the heart of the ‘matter’, just some recommendation...as a scientist and teacher of these “matters”, @Serotoninluv Is arguably one of the best people on earth to help you bridge the ‘gap’. If and when you ‘don’t like’ what @Leo Gura says, when it stirs you up emotionally - stop everything - and listen to what he’s saying, and listen to your sensation - not your thinking. A lot of whacky stuff gets said in his regard by a lot of whacky folks, unfortunately, but imo, you will not find a more knowledgeable, nor more honest person on earth to help you in your endeavor. And again, you’re the ultimate filter & authority, direct experience is always king, but at the same time, you can take pretty much anything @ajasatya says straight to the bank. When the well being, health & nutrition comes up, @Michael569 is a living wealth of knowledge and kindness. And for the energy work, the tuning in, that Uber refinement stage... @pluto can’t be topped. (Sorry for the singling out peeps )

I've had many experiences with psychic entropy or cognitive dissonance or 'Dark nights of the soul' and so this is a part of the path I'm on Beginners mind allows for possibility Which I also read about between the reoccurring occasions of dissonance At one point it became a part of the dread which drove the mind wild in increasing cycles of intensity. The it. A spiraling down in fear which is no problem in the end Distant territories of the mind make connections Inner quiet knows when it knows and doesn't challenge the Cosmos Hell becomes more real with every recurring visit The fullness turns into a desert again and there's no oasis in sight I'm so tired of this routine If I allow for the possibility of it in an impersonal way I'm not as likely to freeze up or become possessed if it comes my way This is inner quiet felt as a mild knowing Understanding people becomes understandable I have no idea at all what other people should do though I'm steadily losing interest in other people unless I can see a way to be a friend A friend doesn't get in your space unless he forgets himself This in itself can become a jarring sensation or plant the seed for an unfolding realization Because it's plain to see how this kind of an idiot is innocent of malice That's the source of its power with remembering that going against the way is an invitation to being completely humbled again Jesus is the archetype of the friend. I know I'm an idiot without out doubt or regret I just gave evidence. Only an Idiot would say that There's no negative connotation in my felt experience And so it's not a spell I'm putting on myself This kind of Idiot is intimate with the Witness Idiot is something completely different from how the rest of the world puts a negative frame of reference around it. My ordinary idiot is good friends with Beginners mind Beginners mind is just watching There's inner quiet with trust and appreciation I'm pretending to be a poet also

It’s impersonal. I’m pointing to something prior to self constructs. At a personal level, I'm impressed with their abilities and development at such a young age. It’s great to see young people exploring consciousness like they are. Yet, it can all get deconstructed to Nothing and re-constructed to Everything.

There is no one to be reborn, there is no one who was ever born or will ever die in the history of forever. That is illusion. There really really are no 'things'--no objects whatsoever. There appear to be, but they are emptiness appearing as 'others'. There is only 'this' and it's totally impersonal. But don't take my word for it, please. Just take it as a pointer. "I" is merely a thought--an idea. Find this "I" that claims it was born and has so many needs, wants to be perfect, and wants to be loved (etc.). You can't just believe others that there is no "I". Unless what is actually happening is seen enough, and clearly enough (not just once--an awakening alone is just a glimpse--it may take 1,000 times or more--who knows?), the belief in separation (that is so well ingrained) will remain. Keep looking, keep inquiring, until there is no need to any more.

@Cykaaaa You're welcome. I just discovered this one. You may like it as well. http://www.consciousnessandbiofeedback.org/diagram/ States of Consciousness Diagram A Map of Intrapersonal, Extrapersonal, and Transpersonal Consciousness Seven Major Levels of Consciousness, Substance, and Energy Physical matter exists on a continuum with spirit. Thus matter may be considered to be the densest form of spirit, or conversely, spirit may be considered to be the subtlest form of matter. The Indian sage Sri Aurobindo similarly said that every prakriti (substance) has its purusha (subtle essence or soul) and, further, that each purusha is in turn a prakriti in relation to a yet subtler purusha. In other words, behind each form is a subtle essence, and behind that is a progression of yet-subtler essences, ad infinitum. From this perspective, the terms matter, energy, and spirit refer to a single continuum, and may be considered interchangeable. This parallels the concept in modern physics that matter and energy are equivalent, and exist on a spectrum of energies that range from low to high frequency. Hinduism similarly teaches that all manifestations, physical and non-physical, are manifestations of mind. From this perspective, mind or consciousness is equivalent to both energy and matter. From an esoteric perspective there is a spectrum of seven levels of consciousness/substance/energy. These range from the densest, which is the physical/etheric level, to the subtlest, which are levels of spirit. These seven levels are mapped in the accompanying States of Consciousness Diagram. Each of the seven levels, labeled E1 to E7 in the diagram, may be subdivided into seven sublevels. E1 to E7 are levels of energy/substance/consciousness within both the microcosm – the individual – and the macrocosm. Though E7 is higher on the diagram than E1, it is important to remember that “higher” on the diagram is not a geographic concept; it doesn’t describe an altitude or a place. Instead, “higher” is a metaphor for subtler. All of the states of consciousness/energy/substance represented as Levels on the Diagram coexist and intermingle with each other. They are inherent in one another and inseparable. Details of the Seven Levels of Consciousness, Substance, and Energy Level E1 is the physical/etheric level. Within the physical/etheric realm the densest three sublevels are the solid, liquid, and gaseous phases of matter. Subtler than or “above” physical matter in the diagram are what are known as the four ethers. The densest ether is ordinary electricity. The other ethers are various forms of subtle energy, also known by such names as prana or chi. The four ethers may be referred to as either etheric energy or etheric “substance,” since energy is a form of substance, and substance is a form of energy. The etheric substance known as electricity consists of electrons, and electrons are an inherent component of the atoms that comprise physical substance. Likewise, the three subtler forms of etheric energy are inherent components of physical substance and, under normal conditions, etheric energy is inseparable from physical substance. E2, the next major level, is emotional substance. This level is also called the astral level. The substances/energies of Levels E2 to E7 are as real as physical substance, though less dense. While we think of emotions as insubstantial, we easily feel them in our bodies as well as feeling them psychologically; thus they have physical manifestations which we easily perceive. Seers who are sensitive to etheric, emotional, and mental energies can experience them synesthetically as having visual form, or can feel them kinesthetically as heat, cold, vibration, or as a field that is palpable in much the same way that static electricity can be felt as a palpable field. The seven sublevels of E2 vary from extremely unrefined to extremely refined, sublime emotions. The lowest and most coarse emotional realm is Hell. The highest astral sublevel has heavenly characteristics, and is one in the hierarchy of seven heavens in the Kaballah, but it is much less refined than the ultimate heaven. E3 is the level of mental substance. Thoughtforms exist in this realm, and are made of mental substance or energy. The highest sublevels of E3 correspond with highly refined and subtle mental states; advanced mathematicians and physicists tune into these levels in their work. The third highest mental sublevel is a level of abstract and creative thinking for figuring out how to do things that are known, such as to write a novel, create a business, or design a bridge. It is a Thomas Edison-like level of abstract mind and creation. The second highest mental sublevel is the realm of grand master chess players, theoretical mathematicians and physicists, creators of that which never has come before, innovators who materialize visualizations. It is a rarefied, Nicola Tesla-like level of abstract mind and creation. Within an individual, the highest and subtlest mental level is the so-called High Self. It serves as the bridge or intermediary between the personal levels of the individual and the transpersonal or spiritual levels. Levels E1 to E3, being the physical, emotional, and mental levels of reality, are the realm in which the personal self exists. The personal self is an aggregate of physical, emotional, and mental elements; it is literally made of E1 to E3 substances. That which exists at E1 to E3 is subject to change, and is not permanent. Thus the physical-emotional-mental aggregation that is the personal self is mortal. After death of the body, the soul finds itself in the astral or astral-mental realm. In Tibetan Buddhism this after-death realm is called the bardo. The bardo consists of many gradations or densities of emotional and mental substance into which the soul metaphorically “rises” like a balloon until it reaches that level of the Earth’s emotional-mental milieu which corresponds with the density or subtlety of the soul’s emotions and thoughts, conscious and unconscious, during its just-completed life on earth. In contrast to E1 to E3, Levels E4 to E7 are increasingly subtle levels of spirit. They are thus transpersonal. They correspond with Heaven. In Hinduism and the western esoteric tradition, the transpersonal aspects of the self are considered the True Self. That which exists at transpersonal levels is beyond the realm of time and change, and is eternal. (“Eternal” is a tricky concept here. It doesn’t mean lasting forever since this is a state that is beyond time. “Without beginning or end” is closer to being accurate. It would also be relatively correct to simply say about this level that “I Am,” or “It Is” rather than saying that “It is eternally.”) In Hinduism and the western esoteric tradition, the transpersonal aspects of the self are considered the True Self. The Cosmos Levels E1 to E3 are comprised of the substances – physical, emotional, and mental – of which the personal self, the microcosm, is made. From an esoteric perspective, the macrocosm – the cosmos, the known universe – is composed of the same three types of substance. Inherent within physical substance are astral and mental levels of energy/substance. Thus the esoteric “cosmos” includes more than the physicists’ cosmos, which is only physical, E1. The entire spectrum from E1 through E7 constitutes “all that is.” Elmer Green refers to this totality as the Kosmos. The cosmos includes the levels of reality within which the microcosm, the personal self, exists. In contrast, Dr. Green’s term Kosmos includes both personal and transpersonal levels. In Tibetan Buddhism, the personal level, E1 to E3, is the realm of the four bardos: the bardo during birth, the bardo during life, and the bardo during dying, and the bardo after death or between incarnations. Again, the bardos are equal to the personal or cosmic levels of reality, while spiritual levels are transpersonal, transcosmic, and transbardo. Dream consciousness, the collective unconscious, and the after-death bardo are all unconscious realms, that is, outside of ordinary waking awareness. These three terms describe approximately the same realms of consciousness, occupying the same territory on the Diagram. Dreams may potentially occur on any level of consciousness, personal or transpersonal, though most dreams concern personal issues and thus focus in the personal levels of the diagram, E1 to E3. Likewise, the collective unconscious includes all seven levels of the diagram; however the levels of it which an individual may glimpse will tend to correlate with the level of consciousness to which they have developed–again personal for most people. Meanwhile, the after death bardo is the portion of the collective unconscious at the personal levels, E1 to E3. The after-death bardo is mainly centered on the astral realm. Since the bardo is, by definition, the personal realm, and since fully enlightened individuals have developed to transpersonal levels, the consciousness of such individuals is not “in” the bardo after death, i.e. their consciousness is not focused in the personal/ bardo realms after death. Instead, their consciousness of focused at Level E4 or higher. The Boundaries of the Personal Self and Conscious Awareness In the States of Consciousness Diagram, the individual is represented by the cylinder that runs from top to bottom in the middle of the diagram. Levels E1 to E7 are the Kosmic ground within which the individual, represented as a cylinder, exists as figure. Near the bottom of the cylinder, the Diagram shows a drawing of a brain. Because the brain is a physical structure, it is drawn entirely within the physical level, E1. Partly superimposed on the drawing of the brain is a structure that is shaped vaguely like a light bulb. This represents the approximate boundaries of conscious awareness in a typical human. Conscious awareness is drawn as narrower at the physical level, since we are unaware of much of what goes on in our bodies. It is wider at the emotional and mental levels, where we normally tend to be more consciously aware. The area of the diagram outside the light bulb shape represents that which is outside of conscious awareness (for a majority of people). The macrocosm, which is outside the individual cylinder, and the spiritual levels of the individual are outside of ordinary conscious awareness. Though the brain may be considered the seat of consciousness, we are unconscious of the substance of the brain itself, thus the area of conscious awareness overlapping the brain on the Diagram is small. Porous Ego Boundaries Allow Perception of Extrapersonal Information The ego or personality or ego may be defined as that which separates the individual from the environment. The Diagram represents this separation of self from non-self with solid lines in the wall of the cylinder at the personal levels of the diagram, E1 to E3. The solid lines symbolize the fact that, under ordinary circumstances at least, extrapersonal information does not cross the boundary of the ego or personality. Individuals are aware of what is in their own minds and bodies, but are not psychically aware of what is in the minds and bodies of others, nor aware of information from distant locations in the world. (Paranormal perceptions such as subtle energy awareness, ESP, or clairvoyance are exceptions to this. Individuals with such perceptual ability would be represented on the diagram with breaks in the lines of the cylinder at personal levels. Such breaks would be few or many, depending on the degree of paranormal awareness.) At transpersonal levels the walls of the cylinder are drawn with broken lines symbolizing that a separate self does not exist at those levels and that, in the absence of ordinary ego boundaries, information can be exchanged. Thus, if a person is developed to the Lotus Level within E4, i.e. is fully enlightened, they might have extrasensory awarenesses about their environment or other people. Of people who are not enlightened, a percentage have gaps in their ego boundaries for a variety of reasons. As a result they may perceive extrapersonal information including, for example, emotions of other people or experiences of “the other side” or the bardo. This can potentially occur in cases of: psychologically healthy people who happen to be psychic some people who practice certain forms of meditation people with brain deterioration due to dementia people with serious physical illnesses of many kinds which compromise brain function people under the influence of mind-altering drugs people with psychosis, which is a decompensation of ego boundaries people whose ego boundaries are incompletely developed, as in autism or severe personality disorders. The High Self The High Self exists at Level 21, the highest mental level and the highest of the personal sublevels. Though technically within the personal realm, the High Self is refined enough that its energies or communications typically seem to the ego to be spiritual in nature. People may interpret such input as being from God. The High Self’s function is, in part, that of guardian angel of the personality. High Self energy is associated with the seventh chakra, at the crown of the head. Causal Levels Levels 19, 20, and 21 are shown on the Diagram as “Causal,” meaning that they cause manifestations at lower levels. Specifically, incarnation into levels E1 to E3 is stimulated from the causal levels. The skandhas, which are the reservoirs of personal characteristics that are transmitted from one incarnation to the next, exist at the causal levels. In the same way that physical DNA encodes and carries physical characteristics from one generation to the next, the skandhas act as “spiritual DNA,” transmitting certain personal characteristics from one incarnation to the next. The Antahkarana and the Abyss The Diagram shows a narrow channel at Level 21, at the top of the bulb-shaped conscious awareness. Above this is a gap, and above the gap is the Lotus (represented in the Diagram as a lotus flower below the word “LOTUS”). The narrow channel represents the antahkarana which, in Hinduism, is a metaphoric conduit through which spirit connects with the ego. The antahkarana is within the levels of the ego, rather than being transpersonal. It is symbolized in Genesis as Jacob’s ladder, which connected heaven and earth. In dreams, the antahkarana may be represented as a narrow passageway or a dark interior space through which the dreamer ascends, emerging through an opening at the top into light. The dreamer may emerge onto the top of a structure, such as a building, and there may be no means of going higher. This represents the furthest upper limit of the personal self. The story of Marty in The Ozawkie Book of the Dead describes a dream containing antahkarana symbolism. Though an ego focused at this highest mental level is highly developed and refined, it may seem to the ego that an unbridgeable gap exists between itself and spiritual levels. This gap is shown on the Diagram between the antahkarana and the Lotus. The gap is sometimes referred to esoterically as “the Abyss.” The word abyss means an unfathomable gap or immeasurably deep gulf. In dreams the abyss may be represented as some form of gap or expanse which appears too formidable to be crossed (until the individual has further developed spiritually). Elmer Green’s dream of the swans contains imagery of an abyss which he and Alyce are able to cross. The Lotus At the spiritual levels of the individual are two foci, the Lotus and the Jewel. These terms are drawn from the Tibetan Buddhist and Hindu traditions, which refer to them in the widely known phrase Om, Mani Padme Hum (which is often translated as Hail to the Jewel in the Lotus). Great teachers who have achieved full Enlightenment, that is, who have released all physical, emotional, and mental attachments, have their locus of consciousness at the level of the Lotus or higher. Enlightened individuals, being unattached to that which is personal, are able to manifest their personality at times when it is needed in some of their interactions with people, but can voluntarily drop the persona at other times. Lotus consciousness, while impersonal, is a locus of unconditional love and compassion. In the Kabbalah it correlates with the Seventh Heaven, known as the Heaven of Heavens. Lotus energy is transmitted through the eighth chakra, which is located above the head. The Lotus is located at Level 22 in the Diagram, the lowest sublevel of the transpersonal realms. It may be thought of as the spirit behind the High Self. The Jewel The spirit behind the Lotus is the Jewel, located at Level 42, the highest sublevel of E6. It is also known by the Western term monad. While the Lotus is a locus of unconditional love, the Jewel is a locus of spiritual will. Its energy is transmitted through the ninth chakra which is located above the head, above the eighth chakra. TransKosmic Levels According to teachers whom Sri Aurobindo consulted, there is an infinite progression of levels of consciousness/energy/substance beyond E7. Teachers or spiritual forces/entities above E7 are so subtle that they are not able to make contact with the human realm, that is, the Kosmos. Levels beyond E7 are transKosmic and are not shown on the Diagram. http://www.consciousnessandbiofeedback.org/diagram/