A Random Thread

[Telepresent]

Hello all the folks!  I hope you're all well.

This might sound odd, but... I have a compulsion to post on this forum, yet don't have anything specific to talk about.

I'm trusting the impulse to write here, but don't have any particular questions or discussions I want to raise.

So come say hello, and whatever arises arises

Edited March 2, 2017 by Telepresent

[Ananta]

Hi,

   I'm new here, but not to the spritual scene, so to speak. Started with Eckhart Tolle's books in 2009 and have been on Eckhart Tolle discussion forum since 2010. There I came across various teachings. Ive read "I AM that" and other books by Nisargadatta, Ramana, Adyashanti and others. Watched countless hours of various teachers on Youtube. I had my first "awakening" in 2011 I believe, then others since. My understanding now has grown and blossomed. I have now studied traditional Vedanta for the past year, which cleared up any confusion as to whether or not I'm truly "the Self" (awareness).

[Telepresent]

Hello @Anna1!

A pleasure to get in touch with you.  So you're new to Actualized: what brought you here?  What are you hoping for, what do you expect?  What do you think would challenge you?

I'd be very pleased to hear about your first awakening - or subsequents - and of very course I'd be interested in hearing about your perspectives on your self.

Of course, I'm also happy to answer any questions you may have in reply (which are hard to mention in the first post) - but I'm up for a chat if you is

Edited March 2, 2017 by Telepresent

[Ananta]

Hi,

  Lots of questions! Not that I mind

*" So you're new to Actualized: what brought you here? "

Luck of the internet draw I guess. The Tolle forum has slowed down since I started there in 2010 and I was looking for somewhere else to post, as well as there. Most sites that I found and went on were either not active at all or barely. So before you ask, no, I dont know anything about Leo and I am not looking for a Guru or someone to follow.

*"What are you hoping for, what do you expect? "

I've been on a forum long enough to know not to have too many expectations really. Whats hard is to be a newbie, but not much one can do about that. I am looking for a more active site with challenging questions I suppose.

*"What do you think would challenge you?"

That's the thing maybe, I've been on the Tolle site so long that no one challenges me, at least not often. So, at this point I'm not sure? I like to answer questions though. If I feel compelled to.

 

*"I'd be very pleased to hear about your first awakening - or subsequents"

Well, they were time bound Self realizations, therefore experiences. They come and go. The kinds where you have to pick your jaw up from the floor. No mind-full stop. Then, the mind comes back to say "what in the helllll was that!" And tries to make sense of it all. They don't happen anymore (not for a year now at leadt) and I'm currentry in the assimilation phase of the Self knowledge that's been gained or you could say the loss of Self ignorance. But I'm not saying I'm done, there's more work to be done.

*"and of very course I'd be interested in hearing about your perspectives on your self"

Anna, is an "apparent" person, mithya/illusion. She exists, because she can be experienced, but ultimately she is not real. The definition of "real" being unchanging, always present.

I'm awareness/consciousness, even when I slip and forget this, it doesn't make it any less true and it doesn't last very long. So, my default setting, if you will, is of myself as awareness, my true nature.

As far as my "worldy" life, I'm 46 and work as an RN home care coordinator at a hospital. Been a jack of all trades, as I have my EMT and cosmetology licenses also.

How about you? How long have you been on this forum? Do you follow what Leo prescribes/teaches? Have you had any awakening moments/epiphanies? And what is your perspective on yourself? What do you do?

[Telepresent]

Cool!  As for me... I've been on this forum since not too long after it started, so a little under a year.  I was watching Leo's videos before he introduced spirituality into the mix (so more of his self-help side), and it was through his videos that I started investigating spirituality/consciousness.  I was actually a little reluctant to join this forum at first for two reasons: 1) I feared it might be a distraction, and 2) I absolutely did not want to be in an environment where Leo, or anyone else, was treated as a 'guru'.  Thankfully this isn't the case here - people are generally very critical (in the good, intelligent way) of the content of his videos, and of course share a great deal of other sources as well.  In fact, the key drivers in my own journey have been introduced to me by this community in one sense or another, so I have to be grateful for that!

On 02/03/2017 at 4:23 AM, Anna1 said:

Do you follow what Leo prescribes/teaches?

Eh... ish.  When I was a bit newer to all this, his videos were my primary source of information.  As I move onwards, they're now something I check out to see if they have any further pieces to fit into the jigsaw, but it's becoming less and less.  I'm very deep into a self-inquiry practice, a foundation of which is that I cannot and do not follow any teachers: I source what they say for clues, but need to investigate and verify things for myself.  No outside authority!

On 02/03/2017 at 4:23 AM, Anna1 said:

Have you had any awakening moments/epiphanies?

I've had a couple.  I had a definite 'experience' a while ago - I'm not sure what it's best to describe it as, but I became profoundly aware of the emptiness of everything that I was looking at: that there was nothing 'beneath' or 'inside' the things I was seeing, was hearing.  They just were, and that was that.

I recently had a bit of a major blast to the brain, which has reshaped my perspective on pretty much everything.  It's not an 'awakening' - yet - more akin to what Jed McKenna calls 'the First Step', or what Stephen Davis calls 'going into the cocoon': again I'm not sure how to describe it, except that in a shocking, frightening, and absurdly exciting flash, reality made clear and obvious sense.  I threw off layers of assumed 'understanding', and found what was underneath.  And now there's a lot more stripping away to do, but I'm certain I've taken a major step down a road that leads somewhere I can't quite conceive of at the moment.  I don't know how that sounds - it's all a bit new and I haven't developed the language to discuss it yet - but it's a fascinating place to be.

On 02/03/2017 at 4:23 AM, Anna1 said:

And what is your perspective on yourself? What do you do?

Well... that's the question, isn't it?  I'm a British guy, early thirties, work in the theatre and teach at university, but recently all of these things have stopped being idenitifiers for me.  They're just descriptions of what this body/mind does.  My perspective on myself is therefore a little uncertain: a big tangled mass of emotional reactions to the events that happen within, to, and by the perceived body/mind, perhaps?

Nice to make your aquaintance!  Out of curiosity, what kind of practices do you engage in?

Edited March 3, 2017 by Telepresent

[Ananta]

4 hours ago, Telepresent said:

I was actually a little reluctant to join this forum at first for two reasons: 1) I feared it might be a distraction, and 2) I absolutely did not want to be in an environment where Leo, or anyone else, was treated as a 'guru'.  Thankfully this isn't the case here -

Well, from experience with spiritual forums I can say they are both a distraction and helpful. You have to take the good with the bad or so it seems.

4 hours ago, Telepresent said:

I'm not sure how to describe it, except that in a shocking, frightening, and absurdly exciting flash, reality made clear and obvious sense.  I threw off layers of assumed 'understanding', and found what was underneath.  And now there's a lot more stripping away to do, but I'm certain I've taken a major step down a road that leads somewhere I can't quite conceive of at the moment.  I don't know how that sounds - it's all a bit new and I haven't developed the language to discuss it yet - but it's a fascinating place to be.

Yep, I'd call this "awakening" moments with insights. They are helpful to peel back the layers. We all start out with what I'd call ignorance of our true nature. The peeling of layers is the removal of ignorance (of our Self, as awareness), because the road that leads somewhere is really leading only to yourself, but most don't know this because of ingrained conditioning. Conditioning that says "I'm a limited person" that's who/what I am. This belief is hard wired! So, constant vigilance is required, because even when you know "I'm awareness" this is not the end. There is still a mental tendency to identify as the "person" you appear to be. It's not that the person will dissolve or disappear. It's just seen through as only "apparently" real (Aka- illusion). Like a hologram within you, awareness.

 

5 hours ago, Telepresent said:

Out of curiosity, what kind of practices do you engage in?

Gee, I've been around the block, so to speak..lol. Which I stated in my first post on this thread. So, over the years I've done/tried alot! I can't even remember everything. Lots of Self inquiry, that's been my staple practice through out the years. I'm not a sit down, legs crossed meditator. I meditate all day long, noticing what happens during normal every day activities. What's the mind saying? Is there a tendency to follow the thoughts? Are reactions happening?  If so why? Am I identifying with something/someone needlessly? 

Depending on the answers to those questions inquiry may be needed to go deeper to the root of it!

Mostly, I'm "present" and aware during the day. Even if a reaction is unfolding..but I know there is still a tendency to identify with the "little me" false self, at times. This is loosening though...it takes time and constant effort to break through it, even when you know and the truth of who you really are.

[Telepresent]

Hello again. I don't have a specific reply to what you've written above, but there are a few key words and a feeling that I want to keep up a dialogue with you for now, so that's what I'm doing. I hope that makes sense and doesn't seem rude as a motivation for writing this? I'm playing with / working out how to follow ripples or clues from the universe as to my next action, and right now it's a bit of a blunt instrument!

how are you doing?

[Ananta]

Hi,

    I'm great, I work for 3 more days, then I'm off for 10! I'm going to Las Vegas for 6 of them. Well, with travel time, I'll be there technically 5 days. I've never been there, so it'll be interesting. 

4 hours ago, Telepresent said:

I'm playing with / working out how to follow ripples or clues from the universe as to my next action

Ok.. like intuition?