The Benefits Of Enlightenment
By Leo Gura - April 4, 2016 | 77 Comments
Why enlightenment is really worth your time.
Alice says: Leo, you are making wonderful useful video’s. And I want to thank you again for sharing so many subjects with your viewers.
I feel that I should share something with you on this subject as well. I grew up around two sets of views: people who I dearly loved were atheists and people who made many obvious mistakes were orthodox. My college friends were world wide variety of things you are talking about like enlightment and no physical body many different theories, studies etc… I was struggling with understanding many basic things in life that you mention in the video cause suffering. I was trying to take your advice as in this video – if there’s no me, nothing matters. You contradict yourself saying there’s no body but we should be healthy individuals. If there’s no body then what does it matter how we live and what we do to it?
I was also wondering how come there are so many religions / beliefs out there while there are so many people who claim there’s only one higher being.
Well at the point in my life when I was confused the most I met people who showed an example of what happiness really is and inspired me to pray. Ever since I did it with an open mind and heart many miracles happened, including – what used to cause me suffering from that moment on not only made perfect sense but also made me a stronger better than I was person. Every experience I have proves things I’ve learned and keep learning.
We chose to be here and the reason we are here is to recieve a body and a few more things. Science also proves that there is higher intelligence.
You are teaching many wonderful principles but you should really look into a few things like where you come from, why are you here and where you are going. If life has no purpose – nothing make scence and suffering becomes a dramatic word.
One person I know said I want to be bad because good people always struggle the most with so many things and die “before their time”. This person was really looking around working with many people witnessing so many lives.
What is a soul in your opinion? Everything is energy : us and every material and living thing is energy. Energy is light. In many religions light is God. Light makes everything clear vs darkness the oposite. Everything is for a reason. As in physics every action has a reaction simply phrasing the point. Adversary is influencing us to believe we have no body, and nothing matters. He doesn’t have a body and other spirits who followed him as well. There is influence coming at us all the time to lose light and get lost in the darkness figuratively speaking. Enlightment should be all about the light. I know it because I feel the proof through the gift every human being can have when they go to the source of light, life, love and happiness.
Sending love you way! Thank you again for your videos.
Alice
Patricia says: Leo, this is a fabulous video! For those of us needing inspiration to return to a journey of discovery on self enlightenment, this has done it for me.
Thank you kindly
Patricia
(who does not see the LIKE button or would click it)
Ramona says: What enlightenment will reveal to you is, once again, that you are talking only to yourself about yourself week after week, month after month, year after year under the form of a guy with some gorgeous eyes. This realization scared the shit out of me a couple of months ago and i pulled back. Good luck on your journey and embrace your stupidity for the moment! There is nothing you/we can do anyway…
Elton says: Leo ain’t talking to himself,he is talking to me and millions and millions of people in the world who want to get on board, even you.. I really don’t understand why you have a problem with Leo, are you jealous? who does all this? Who shares wisdom with the world? No body.. instead of justifying why things in his vedios won’t work try to be a little if not lot ; open minded. Always remember dust thrown in the air comes back to the face of the thrower,so don’t judge.
Ramona says: I am sorry, Elton, but you totally misunderstood me. Maybe, someday you will get what I meant. As for Leo, I am very grateful for his work although I might have sound sarcastic sometimes when on the topic of elightenment. I am pretty sure that he got my point…And no, no jelousy here. Au contraire.
Ramona says: might have sounded
Hengame says: Super, the best video you have done, I have watched on Sunday in YouTube for almost couple of hours I was unable to do anything, your words were impressed me that I started to watch again your videos introduction and part 1and 2 again.
Hi Leo,
I found this video very something. I read once, you are only wise when your wisdom becomes part of your atoms. I have never known who or what I am, maybe the lines in between your words will push me towards enlightenment. I have read a lot of alternative books many years ago and yes they all said the same thing different words, it was like you said, chasing your tail, lol
I thank you for your wisdom.
Pauline
Mayur Ghule says: Some question –
1. After enlightenment can one again fall back to sleep( illusion) ?
2. How would it be to get enlighten at 20’s , is it possible?
3. On an average how long it takes to get enlighten ?
4. Can enlighten person switch form introvert to extrovert and vice -versa easily ?
5. Are small children enlighten ?
Thank You
The Wolf says: Damn hey Leo, oh man.
I am in a stage in my life right now at 19 years old and you’re right here is ALL I can fundamentally really say…
The crap I had been prioritising my life by has all been falsery.Even now I am living a HELL I am suffering under even though anybody would see my life as successful on the surface, even I had been…Damn I ..can imagion enlightenment
Where I am 100billion% aware, no nuerotic factors inbmy lifeboat all.Having zero sense of self identity. Man I don’t even see my own growth until I express it and speak of it and only then I realize how much I have grown.
I have all the priorities in this existence I am in changed now.Becoming enlightened and being strategic and intelligent enough to get to that point is what I am doing now.
Not because I am presently motivated and it’ll wear off NO. I know better now than my ego can possibly do for me in reality , won’t help anything in the reality
I close my eyes and it’s like “what am I existentially ?” Not even “I” what is reality??”oh man! What the fuck is reality!!!!???!?”
What here have I always beloved about who I “think” that I am. All illusery falsehood right there, oh Man.
My true aim for my 20’s Is to this year at 19 move to Canada to get that external in place (got my visa, moving in Autumn months) then through this year and my 20’s to be a life coach, I have plans, highly motivating strategic steps here….
Through that business organization I want to inspire as my career…in my life I am finding as you intended to get across in finding my true extistential Nature !
Really come Alive doing that
Hell isn’t life, suffering isn’t life, it’s modern day neurotic society and decaying human psychology as of those societies values..
I am not even touching down on the surface here let alone scratching it, dang it..I have the wisdom god damn it ..I am going to fulfill that, use that..not repress it anymore
I I may have zero worth here and zero meaning but it means to my higher self all of realities beauty. nothing mist be changed.I can be happy with no thoughts…I can have no self..
All starts NOW
When my eyes closed I see my potential on the world…I see my potential to change and to have true freedom and contentment…Time to start my life over…I will be there…My ego has already started to melt away
Mr.Gleeson
The Wolf says: So is it also kinda like we’re part of the being of Nature in reality, No ego .Like a Wolf in the Woods, doesn’t have an identified self of self,it’s just ‘being’, ‘existing’…
Living life’s joys, except as human beings we are capable of so much more higher conciousness levels that we can tap into with strategy and mindsets of truth…we can savour more richness of the reality in a way that’s kick ass and fundamentally un-natural but awesome!
It’s almost like we are like everyone else,we’re connected. We’re not special..that’s what the ego wants to think…but instead part of the existance and Nature in reality like that wolf example…
Consciousness is just our overall existential awareness of the reality within itself..
Then in that case, I have no need to identify with an ego and I can except reality for as it is.
I am part of reality…I am it…you are reality
sandy carter says: Yes.
Leo, from 37 minutes on, I searched for it, this is sheer joy to hear.
Freakin awesome.
Leo … You effectively explain what “really kind of” can not be explained … It just perplexes me how you shave off tiny segments into the KNOWING and then communicate it in such a way that can be (understood) … It boggles me when you talk in detail what I just kind of KNOW (but not heard before) …
It’s like when Neo wakes up in The Matrix and says, “I know Ju Jitsu” … YOU explain the Ju Jitsu that was injected (insight) into my consciousness … Your like a big brother on this oneness journey reinforcing the way …
Uldis says: Leo !
One question.
If I am consciousness field, what happens after my body dies ? Consciousness exists further without body ? Or – it gets new body ?
Leo Gura says: What you call “consciousness” is actually totally empty and “it” is prior to existence or non-existence. So it’s eternal. It is not inside of time, time is inside of it!
I love this. I am committed. I would love an overview of the entire process…the practical steps, as you mentioned, but listed out in entirety so that I understand the path and process of enlightenment. You mentioned all the benefits, and told us to watch all your videos, but my “Squirrel brain running around on crack” (laughed out loud at that) wants something like a larger map with the way stations we will arrive at, and what next station lays ahead. In the cheapest marketing speak, something like 50 (lifelong) steps one must take/do to get enlightened. (Sorry for cringe-worthy cheesiness) THen perhaps you have videos that walk us through each step, I imagine even numbered, or sequential in some manner. I can imagine, if the destination is Enlightenment, the order or path of each way station is important to stop at, learn from, before being prepared to travel to the next way station. I love seeing the largest picture possible – the birds eye view – so then I can hone in on each step understanding how this is affecting each of the other steps. Keep up your enlightened work. I am committed to joining the journey.
Henga says: Hi I commit to follow Leo’ instruction to this journey . Looking forward his respons. Thanks Cyrillic, I am with you. I need all you stated above.
Leo Gura says: I will shoot some videos on that soon.
Alice says: I am so grateful for your channel Leo because other than your videos I get to read all the comments on the subject.
You are bringing up so many valuable topics.
In this video there’s a great point on ego you make.
I started a personal education page myself to simply share all kinds of information that was once useful to me.
Here’s what I learned on the subject of ego. From reading the scriptures I learned that our natural man is an enemy to God. What that means is we are granted body with the whole package of qualities. We used to be only spirits in the spirit world. Natural man is the ego in a body and only by humbling ourselves going through life with accepting what happens and being understanding that it’s happening for us to learn something we didn’t know before.
Also there’s joy that comes from personal progress as we discover ourselves more and more. We learn what love is and realize that sharing love is the source of lasting happiness even during harsh learning experiences.
You mention romatnic love, parenting love, loving friends, unconditional love…
If it’s not unconditional it is not love. You don’t need to add this word to love. When we come to know what love is – romantic love? What is it in your opinion?
Love is when no matter how that person (spouse, parents, friends, strangers) treat you, you feel the same towards them – no other feeling will overpower this feeling. True love is greater than anger, hate all those other feelings. When those feelings overpower love we feel bad, we feel lack of love. No matter towards who. Sex is not romantic love, sex a physical (again body) and emotional, mental and spiritual thing to make that special person, your companion to feel special and bring more spirits here givings them physical body. We love our parents and freinds but don’t have sex with them to show love, right? We still hug them and kiss them (differently of course, no passion involved here) A pet on the shoulder is a physical showing of love to a stranger you know.
And another thing is captivity vs freedom. Freedom of choice is the best thing that we have as human beings. That’s why adictions are so dangerous and lead to captivity of the body, mind and everything else we are.
If we are nothing why would we need anything? If we are nothing, came from nowhere, don’t exist and going nowhere, than there’s no point in your work, but if there is something – the sourse of love and more than just that – your study of humans and how we feel, act, perform and how to help us has a great amazing value! And this is your calling, your special service to us your listener who has a body and the spirit to work on, improve for bettering ourselves to feel love and have joy. You are like Budda – a teacher.
Our Saviour is different though he suffered for us (he bled from every pore feeling all our physical and emotional pains) I know it because when I ask him to take my pain away he does. And his love for you and me and all of us is greater than nothing, look around you look at the green grass, listen to the birds, smell the flowers.
Study meditation more. One guy I met from India told me I’m gonna meditate before we eat and I asked wait, I thought that’s for clearing our mind from thoughts. He said – you are from Ukraine I’m from India. You pray in Ukraine we meditate in India. Prayer is meditation.
That was an to answer to my question about meditation. Ever since I studied it everything proved it.
Hope my experience is valuable to you Leo. Please keep sharing what you learn with us. Sending love your way!
Alice
Leo Gura says: Human nature is not an enemy to God. Human nature IS literally God. Only most people have a real hard time wrapping their mind around that.
I’ll shoot a video explaining the different kinds of love.
jusgivithere says: “I will shoot a video”
What I? You don’t exist?
How are you going to shoot a video when you don’t even control your body?
The Wolf says: WE ARE ALL JUST PHILOSOPHYING!
EVERYTHING WE ‘THINK’ WE KNOW IN OUR MIND IS JUST MORE FUCKIN STORY
IDEA THOUGHT OF NO SELF=STORIES
MY POST RIGHT HERE YOU’RE SEEING=STORIES
WHETHER YOU AGREE WITH THIS OR DO NOT AGREE WITH THIS=STORIES
EVERY THOUGH RIGHT NOW IS REAL BUT WHAT IS IT?
WHAT THE FUCK ARE THOUGHTS WHEN YOU CLOSE YOU’RE EYES? ASK YOURSELF…
WE MUST FIGURE OUT ONLY THROUGH DIRECT PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WHAT OUR EXISTENTIAL NATURE IS.
PAST AND FUTURE= STORIES
GOOD NEWS! WHAT WE THINK OTHERS THINK OF US=STORIES
THE VISUALIZING OF WHAT NOTHINGNESS LOOKS LIKE=STORIES
I AM NOT ENLIGHTENED HERE. EVEN ENLIGHTENMENT IS NOT A REAL PHYSICAL PHANOMANA. JUST LANGUAGE.
REALIZE WHAT YOU ARE IS THE WHOLE FUCKIN REALITY.I AM FUCKIN REALITY.
START OBSERVING WHAT YOU’RE THOUGHTS ARE TELLING YOU IS REAL AND QUESTION IT.
Well, 38 0 or so onwards could possibly scare away the people I want to show this video to. But we’ll see!
Dora says: Hi Leo,
As always,Thank you so much!!!!!! You do not have any idea about how much I enjoy your mission, your videos, your contribution!!!!
I have a question:
Do you think that the meaning of Jesus Christ cruxifixion could be referred to Us as a daily way to Surrender the Ego?
Thanks to you I knew who Joseph Cambell is and part of his work… Which I really agree and enjoyed; However, in another video you mentioned that even J. Cambell was very rational and that confused me.
I personally believe that surrender is a way of freedom… It is painful to really surrender the juices of the ego… And it is a constant activity where we surrender one thing and then that space is filled with another thing to surrender like the layers and layers of an onion
Thank you so much for expand my awareness!!!!
With gratitude and admiration
Dora
Leo Gura says: The crucifixion should remind you of what the egoic social structure does to those who try to become egoless.
Joseph Campbell studied enlightenment but for him it was all mythological, not literal. He never fully grasped what he was studying. We was studying it like an academic, instead of actually embodying it, the way that is necessary.
Campbell’s descriptions are still great and useful, but also not hard-nosed enough for those who really want to become enlightened.
Dora says: Hi Leo,
Thanks for the answer!!!
Question:
Could the resurrection of Jesus means Enlightment?
Thanks
Dora
Leo Gura says: No, Jesus was enlightened (presumably) long before that.
Resurrection is just a poetic way of saying, “Going back to the Source.”
Dora says: Joseph Campbell. I apologize for my mistake!
Thanks
Dora
neil byrne says: im on board
Tamzin says: You are a blessing for all of us; seekers and the ones yet to become seekers!
Mark says: Hi Leo, great video. We cannot change the past so why regret it. no remorse over what we have chosen to do. you are so right about enlightenment only being understood through direct experience. thank you for helping all of us who were feeling alone in our practice.
Tc says: How does an enlightened person understand evil? Like terrorism?
Leo Gura says: In the same way you understand an earthquake or a hurricane.
Hengame says: I went back and reviewed Leo’s videos on this subject to undrestand more with details. What I am looking for is his self inquiry to ask who am I video but not found such video only self image. Could somebody tells me exact name of this video, I be thankful, Hengame
Leo Gura says: How To Become Enlightened
Matt W says: Hey Leo! Your work is absolutely inspiring and I would like to thank you for bringing your passion to life!
I have been studying enlightenment for a while now & one thing I don’t understand is how you can be a coffee table as much as you are your own body. I mean you cant feel a coffee table or make it move without touching it. How is everything in the world ourselves experiencing ourselves? Is that just a way of saying consciousness is in everything and that is what we truly are? If so why the heck is our body the only thing we can feel & control?
Leo Gura says: Your body is actually not the only thing you feel or control.
Do this: take a look at your coffee table right now and realize that it is literally you! No less so than your body!
You “feel” it with “your” visual awareness. If you didn’t feel it, it wouldn’t exist!
The mind of course tells you that that doesn’t count. Your mind says, “Why can’t I feel inside of it like I can with my body?” But that’s a separate issue.
You think your eyes are perceiving the table. But this is in fact false. Your eyes are just another perception themselves. They are not perceiving anything. They are being simultaneously “awared” by the omnipresent, empty field of awareness that you are.
Sit down and carefully investigate all this. Don’t just believe me.
Ask yourself, “How can a perception (my eyes) perceive another perception (the coffee table)?” Do perceptions perceive other perceptions, or does awareness contain all individual perceptions?
The reason you’re struggling with this is because you’ve confused perception with awareness. Which is normal when you begin this journey.
Oh, and BTW, you don’t really control your body! Your mind just says you do So the issue of lack of control is moot. You have as much control over your body as you do the coffee table, which is zero! The only difference are the believes you hold about yourself.
jusgivithere says: LOL
Really just trying to hard now with this enlightenment sham.
Do your next video in the form of the coffee table?
You are it.
You are my coffee table. Just talk to me through that from now on ok?
It is really sad what has happened to you. So much potential as a motivational and success speaker, maybe even more potential then Brendon Burchard, but you got caught up in this utter nonsensical enlightenment bullshit and it has ruined everything. All you do now is contradict yourself every video and then say ” its not black and white” keep an open mind lol.
Seriously this place has become the biggest joke it is disgusting.
jusgivithere says: “sit down and investigate all this”
But how is that possible?
How can they sit down when they don’t control their body?
jajajjajajjajajajjaj please just stop
Leo Gura says: Look how that ego reacts!
jusgivithere says: The ego reacted? How did it react. By typing that message? But my ego doesn’t control my body or my fingers so clearly it couldn’t have been the one reacting according to your ridiculous logic.
jusgivithere says: In that one sentence reply you confirmed exactly how insane and inconsistent your ridiculous enlightenment theory is. You just told everyone they don’t control their body but then attributed a typed message that my body typed with its fingers to the ego.
Paula says: Leo please shoot a video about how to quit living in fear, thanks!!!.
Dora says: Hi Leo,
Thanks again for your time !!!!
I think I am trying to look for the steps of the hero’s journey of Jesus that will help me to understand my every day journey, like what is the meaning of the cruxifixion, resurrection of Jesus on my own Journey?
Thanks
Dora
Dora says: My personal development Journey!
Matt W says: Thank you Leo. I think your absolutely right and I still don’t completely understand the difference but I appreciate your insights. I was under the impression awareness and perception were one in the same.
Ill let ya know when the light bulb turns on. I’m going re-watch your videos on awareness and hopefully you shoot more soon! I’m sure I’m not the only one confused about this topic. Thanks again
Mark Patrick says: Hi Leo, your answers have made it all must clearer, but i have my own expeiences of non-dual consciousness …and it makes all the difference!
self/ego identity is just another perception just like the coffee table in your example where as Self/ prescene IS the feild of awareness that underlies and is the esssential Reality of both. (please correct me if I am wrong).
hope you are well, the life purpose course was definitely money well spent.
Kind regards, to you and all that make actualized .org possible.
Leo Gura says: That’s right. The ordinary self we identify with is technically just a mental image + a body sensation + a mental sound. Those things intermix and synergize so strongly that we lose touch with the fact that they are just sensations.
Mark says: I have noticed the strong negative reactions you are getting from some who are taking the things you say about enlightement literally. it’s very brave of you to face sacrificing all you have built to move in this direction. please be mindful of this reaction i wouldn’t want to see all you have built go to waste. there are many who are simply not ready for this. i am very grateful that you sharing this journey with us but as casteneda says…”it doesn’t matter what you reveal or what you don’t. if someone doesn’t have enough personal power the great wisdom will mean nothing to them. however if they have enough personal power three words can change their lifes”.
Mike says: To achieve enlightenment do I need to let go of my individuality. I love hair dye, tattoos, working out partying and playing music. Will I have to stop all that to achieve enlightenment?
When you’re enlightened, you realize that yourself is just a part of greater whole.
Thus, you’ll optimize it to self-actualize. a.k.a giving back to greater whole.
It could be on form of visual stuff like hair dying or tattoo; or music.
Mark says: it isnt so much as loosing your individuality than the cability to “go naked” sometimes. you can still get dressed in personhood again whenever you wish.
Leo Gura says: There is no you to have individuality. Individuality is a fraud.
You can still get tatoos and die your hair, but you will probably discover that all these are just gimmicks to fill the emptiness of not knowing the True Self.
Discover the True Self and all those things will look like child’s toys by comparison.
Imagine a chimp in the zoo putting a banana on his head to look cool. That’s basically what you’re up to
How about that chimp put banana in head not just to look cool, but because he loves it himself—just imagine that chimp live alone in a cage and unaware that he was in the zoo.
But I agree that enlightenment will make you don’t want to impress people—which clearly for the sake of ego. It makes you want to help people. Play your part in the whole cosmos.
Leo Gura says: It’s possible in theory.
But you gotta wonder if the chimp would still find that amusing after he stopped being a chimp
Haha. Interesting.
You know what Leo.
That’s actually the part that I hard to digest, from your enlightenment descriptions in this video.
It’s hard to think the implementability.
Let’s imagine that, 99% people in this world are already be that way. Enlightened as you describe. Fully aware their nothingness root. Fully aware that’s there’s actually no ego. But also, have no personal liking on anything whatsoever (like a chimp who don’t want decorate herself visually with banana or anything).
In that imaginative world, I suppose our civilization will jump into a status quo state. We will be just some walking, living, dying, beings on this earth. A personal liking is a must in a innovative progressive world. You may argue, “But enlightenment doesn’t require you to innovate and progress”.
I love your reference to “living like a child” to describe the enlightenment state.
In this case, doesn’t any child also have their personal preference? Some child love to explore tech, some into visual art, some into music, etc.
But when we see kids, we know that they don’t really stressed out with ego stuff. They don’t understand ego. Not like their older brother/sister who gradually have the ego concept. The “me, me, me, me, me, me”.
But still, kids already know the ‘self’ concept. They just don’t see it a separated ‘self’ who they should help to win over anything. Kids know themselves and their preference.
To be AWARE (enlightened), but still have self-awareness (on hobbies, physical advantages, personal talent), and give our unique best gift to the reality, is more practical to me. It’s more applicable to 99% people in this earth.
====
Other very important question.
You inspire me to create ‘Actualize.org version’ to Indonesian. And I’m amaze with your video quality.
Could you tell me about your camera, lavalier mic, and lighting setup?
Thank you. For teaching this to the world.
I agree, the best gift to the universe around you, is to be enlightened.
Leo Gura says: You’re misunderstanding enlightenment as some kind of cold, loveless, dispassionate state, when in fact it’s the most loving and passionate state possible.
Ego is what prevents you from experiencing profound LOVE and PASSION for existence!
This “nothingness” is not a dry thing. It’s a very juicy, alive, divine thing!
Where do you think religious passion comes from?
Ah.. the passionate feeling when you realized you’re one.
BTW, could I read your answer like this?
“to be enlightened, it doesn’t mean you can not have your own personal taste/preference, or leave your love for a hobby. You won’t be a robot, you just be enlightened—or in other words you realize that you are just a part of any possible things which were originate from nothingness. Thus, you’ll use your hobbies to self-actualize and give back to you. Yes, you ‘the everything’.”
Leo Gura says: Yup!
Could you at least tell the brand of your camera, mic, and lighting prop?
Please, help spread this ‘awareness’.
Mike Grubert says: Thanks for your replies guys I actully started dying my hair and getting tattoos after I started meditating and watching your videos. Before discovering actualized.org I never had the confidence to do stuff like that. I was too worried about what others would think (including strangers). I was particularly inspired by your video about how to stop careing what people think and I am eternally greateful for that.
I also do have a childlike sence of humour, which is something that I have embraced more since I began meditating. I actuly would find it amusing to put a banana on my head and I’m really not ashamed of that. I work with kids and that aspect of me is something that the kids and parents love about me.
I do wonder why you think the psychology behind the deliberate visual aspects of my appance is much different from my own. I know I would probably look rather unusual to you but doesn’t everyone make some kind of deliberate choice about their appearance? Leo you are clearly a well groomed man that has purposely grown and trimmed facial hair. In one of your previous videos (how to have amazing sex) you even advised us to trim our lower bodily hair (good call btw dude).
Also it seams like even the most enlightened people do express themselves through their appearance. Buhdist Monks essentially where a uniform, a rather fabulous one at that. I’ve even seen some monks with cool hair styles (kind of a poneytail Mohawk thing)
How is that any different from what I’m doing?
Antonio Reho says: Hey Leo,
I would like to ask when do you know you are enlightened ?
I guess you’ll know when you are but I’m confused…
I know and understand all of this that we are the sum of all our perceptions, right? ‘We’ are ‘we’ is what we say (body, thoughts and whatevermore) but in the end it’s just an awareness, a sensation… Right ? I understand this or better, I SEE this. Already since I was quite young actually, I know I thought that everything could be an illusional actually except that what we SEE and EXPERIENCE RIGHT NOW (the experience itself) and even that could be an illusion but an existent one. I came to this conclusion after investigating myself, like: who am I, where does the perception come from ao questions alike.
But those benefits you talk about, I don’t seem to have them (or maybe just very very slightly) and the fact that the table and me is the same and unseperated, that’s really a bridge too far for me…
Leo Gura says: What are you?
Do you know for sure?
When you do — not as an idea, but as the ultimate truth — then you are enlightened.
Right now you don’t know. Because of the way you’re speaking it is obvious. You THINK you know, but that’s not actually direct consciousness of your existential nature. That’s just confused thinking, all of which is wrong. Everything THINKS they know what they are, so this counts for nothing. The fact is you don’t know what you are.
You will not get those benefits until you have a direct consciousness of your existential nature, which for you practically means thousands of hours of deep self-inquiry and self-analysis.
You’ve got much work to do. So go ahead and get started. This is not a philosophical endeavor. This requires looking at actual direct experience.
Maybe a better way to understand this process is how Gandhi explained his entire life purpose: reducing himself to zero. He says, “Something magical happens when you are able to get out of the way. To let God take over, and God to shine through.”
In Brian Johnson’s video review of the book The Great Work of Your Life by Stephen Cope, he tells us that we need to have extraordinary discipline to control this little version of yourself. If you want to move beyond the small egoic self, and let go of that, first you need to have hold of it. If you can’t get yourself to floss your teeth or meditate regularly or cut out sugar, good luck in letting go of your ego! It is impossible. It is nearly impossible to “reduce oneself to zero” and it is particularly impossible if you haven’t cultivated a deep level of self mastery. Gandhi was one of the most disciplined human beings on the planet, and what he did to control and get a hold of his mind and thoughts and behaviors is extraordinary. That allowed him to reduce himself to zero.
So if you are serious about that from a spiritual perspective, get serious about the little things. Develop your fundamentals and develop your core practices that allow you to be a healthy human being such that you can actualize and then move beyond that and transcend yourself.
I think this is when we become the coffee table, the plant, the everything, the light.
Great work, Leo. Your stuff is bettering lives. Three cheers for your dharma!
Dora says: That is beautiful!!!
Thank you!!!
Dora
Leo Gura says: That’s right.
Which is why I create other videos besides just enlightenment videos. Almost none of you are ready to seriously take on enlightenment because your mental and emotional development is so poor. It’s like teaching physics to a goat or relationship skills to a serial rapist. Even if he wanted to, he couldn’t muster the strength to embody it.
Dora says: Hi Leo,
I must say that besides the messages on your videos, there are two things that I deeply appreciate because they make me move forward:
1. The paradoxes involved
2. And your constant underestimation of our capacity to expand our conscioness and awareness
And for that Leo, I am and I will be in deep gratitude with you!!!!
With respect, admiration and gratitude!!!
Dora
Dora says: I am looking forward to reach the moment when I prove it to myself!!!!
Less and less identification with the ego.
Thanks
Dora says: Oh I love what you said!!!! You see, that is the attitude that moves me!!!!
Thanks again!!!
Dora
Marc Solzan says: Suggest investigating THE DHARRMA OF RECOVERY.
Talks about the same paradox.
FYI you got it RIGHT.
Keir Fabian says: There are dangers on the journey, Leo – at least for some. I think it would be responsible to warn your viewers of this.
I listened to an interesting radio programme recently called ‘Mindfulness: panacea or fad?’. You can hear it on BBC iplayer (though I have no idea how long for).
Leo Gura says: There are dangers either way.
What is more dangerous, living “normal” life or waking up?
Suicide, abuse, violence, rage, heart attack, addiction, obesity, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, drugs, and cancer. These are the greatest dangers today. And they don’t come from enlightenment, they come from the “normal” neurotic mode of living.
Alan Travers says: Great Vid Leo! Loved the way you tried to manipulate and trick our ego’s towards the end in order motivate us!
I started my journey towards enlightenment at the start of the year, it was a ‘conscious’ decision and so far haven’t fallen off course. I’ve already experienced many benefits but have so much more to learn and undertake.
The stupid ego is so powerful at finding new ways to bring us back to our illusory reality just when you’ve thought you’ve made a break through
I’m off on my travels to Australia at the end of the year and will continue to undertake my own internal journey in a new environment including a vippasanna retreat in New Zealand for 10 days that will hopefully take me further along the path than I’ve ever been.
I am dedicated to staying on this journey for the rest of my life, it feels right and is so important not just for me but for all humanity to get involved and make the world a better place.
Please keep the videos coming in, they help get me back on track whenever I stumble.
Frey says: Leo,
It’s absolutely wonderful and refreshing to the point of being miraculous, that someone is able to explain material of this matter as efficiently and coherently as it was just explained here. I no longer feel as alone in this pursuit.
I am eternally grateful.
Thank you
Frey