B_Naz

Life isn't hard, you are just making it hard. Notice the word "you". There is no "you", it isn't like suicide since there was no "you" to suicide with in the first place. Your ego/identity (the you) is making life to be this extremely hardship, harsh and even happy place, when it isn't. Life is neutral. Life isn't the ego. If you feel like you want to belong or be something, be the universe, because that is what you are. You're not your ego, you are infinite and everything.

@7thLetter Very nicely explained. I did lack details out with the higher/lower consciousness mindsets, my bad. As a newbie, it can be hard to remove those distractions but only a newbie believes that self-actualization is a luxury. It's an actual need, to stimulate our mind and become more than humans... We don't improve ourselves for our own egoistic gains but because we're trying to stop our ego! Anyways, you are correct in saying that. We should be mindful of the actions rather than resist it. Once we're mindful, then we can control our lives

I think it's also important to not do actions that are distractions, so TV, social media, news media, porn, capitalism, consumerism, stuff like that. It's great that you're doing all of self-actualization, but beware of the actions that are distractions to your self-actualization as well and Self enquiry them. Why am I following this TV series, why am I on social media, why do I like porn or materialism? Be with the distraction and feel it, and beware of what you're literally doing. Link those actions to your ego and identity. Mindfulness on the actions that causes distractions, like a chimp in a zoo and you're the scientist observing the chimp. Commit 100%, everyday is self-actualization. How has this changed my life? Well I am doing more stuff that is stimulating, and become more aware of human nature. Instead of watching TV, I am reading and learning

Make it all of your time!

Hello all, and I hope you are having a lovely day So today I had an exam. Before I left off for the exam, I did my daily meditation to help me calm down and focus for it. I focused on awareness since I thought this could help me with my exam where awareness was key (by increasing my observation of everything). It was also to calm me down, and clear my mind of any worries. But I felt like I was in a paradox. I felt like I was using my meditation habit rather than selflessly doing it. I felt like I wanted an actual return from meditation and not in the sense of self-improvement results but more like "if I meditate now, I will do better in the exam" which to me seems ego since I only care about me?. Quesitons Is meditation egoistic? Is it about "me me me"? Do I meditate for my egoistic needs? If the answer is no, then why do I meditate, could improving ones self be egoistic since I am improving "me". Could self-actualized hide some aspects of egoism that I need to be aware of? By all means I am not criticizing or telling anybody to stop meditation or self-improvement works. I will carry on until I die I hope this post wasn't negative

Haha, it does seem a bit silly when you phase it like that but it's something to think about. I, by all means, do not want to stop meditating or any personal work. But the reason is so I can be, and not to benefit or expect a return . It's what I learned from this post, to be even more aware of manipulation

I've learned an important lesson. Because I've just noticed how easily the practice can be manipulated to benefit the "me". If it benefits the "me", then it's the illusion, just like you said.

But we're going to have to face them one day. Face the fear I guess

The best way I forget about the past is to hold the belief that the past doesn't exist and what exists is the present. The past and the future are only concepts, but the *now*, the reality, the experience right now is real. I also hold the belief that past is robbing your energy, in your case the emotional pain is draining your energy. But all of this can be stopped, and remember that too. This emotional baggage can be lifted from the past. Use the past to better yourself and to avoid making mistakes. Don't think about the negativity that past bought but the positively it can bring to you. So I try to find that positively or the learning from the past . So once that emotion or the thought of the past comes up, quickly try to think about what good came of it. E.g. if you break up with somebody, think about the other opportunities you can have with different people and find even a better person! This should ease the emotional pain. If the past comes up, the ultimate way to remove is to let go. *past comes up* - Oh fuck, it's here, I need to let go, forget about it, it doesn't exist, I have learned and I am now one with the now. If the thought keeps coming up, then the past is harder to let go. Remember, the past is only a memory, it doesn't exist, and the best way to forget a memory is to never think about it. This can be hard, so I advise finding a hobby or activity. Keep yourself busy so your mind will be off the past. Good luck, much love!

So yeah, it's egoistic. We need to stay clear minded, be aware of ourselves, and become one with the Truth. It's something we need to work on hard. Nothing makes sense, but go with it

You are right. I mean, it is only one meditation session when this really hit me, so it can't be applied to the entire practice. Just need to make sure I'm on the right path

You can say that those tools are helping you close off the ego world as well. But I don't know, I have this weird feeling that meditating to control anything in my life is deeply rooted in ego... I should just flow, so perhaps meditating for those specific purposes (anxiety and stuff) is a way flowing with the world? Like you said, getting through the ego world Great insights

So what should I do with situations like this? Where I want to meditate to help me calm down for an event, or become anxious over something. Where I want to meditate to help me for a specific instance?

Meditate, you dummy!

Yep. I've hit a wall We're becoming enlightened by being egoistic though? That doesn't seem right to me

So meditation is not an action, it's a being, it's a selflessness state? It's not something we can do, it's some we are? The meditation I did today is not true meditation then. It is when periodically clearing my mind and stopping the thoughts. But I was being aware to benefit myself, being aware for a return, for a better mark. Not for being? I've done it all wrong haha. Ultimately. I need to stop manipulating my meditation sessions into benefiting me.

Best way to motivate myself is using the Sedona method. Leo talks about it when talking about resistance. The method includes asking these questions (below) to yourself. This will, ultimately end your resistance and increase productivity. It's quite an amazing how these simple questions can make a huge difference. If you can't answer them, it's fine. You can answer no but keep on looping it and asking the same questions until your resistance is gone: - Could I let it go (let go of the resistance to do an activity) - Would I like to let it go? - When would I like to let it go - Could I get excited about the activity/motivation Or, you could *just do it*. DO IT. Nike. Close all thoughts of the activity or motivation, don't overthink, and just do what needs to be done. I prefer the Sedona method Goodluck my friend!

Sometimes our days become so busy. A western life really does rob your awareness of ego, life, and nature. Do you notice when your breathing? We never realize that we are alive and we are part of one unit, one whole, rather than just our little world. It's why It' so important to take a step back in life and observe nature. I've been doing this a lot. Whenever I am too busy, stressed, anxious or tired, I breath and become aware that I am alive and I am one with the universe. Maybe take a step back for a min and become aware of breathing

The past is an opportunity to learn form our mistakes, so don't dismiss or shun them. Observe them and be them! Accept that the past happened and the past is only the past. The present is the most important! You've haven't lost progress! You need to stay positive and see all the great things you have done, which you can see since you're better than the past. Yeah it feels shitty to go back into the state, but you know what's worst? Staying in the state! Please remember that the past doesn't define you, and only the present does! Think positively and keep on trying. Suffering is the most valuable lesson and it will leave you a scar, a scar that will change you forever. Homeostasis will not last forever, only time will change it! Goodluck! Please don't lose hope! Stay positive!

I wouldn't take a break. I would try and push through this anxiety that you have. It is the same thing that is happening to me currently. One of my first posts on this forum was an experiment where I try and not think for a whole week. So meaning I was in complete awareness, and whenever a thought occurred, I would completely shut it down and let it go. Quite a rough practise but it was just to explore the mind and stuff, just personal experiments I wanted to do. I wouldn't recommend anything like this, this is just exploring "myself". The title of my post was literally "Being is uncomfortable". I've experienced only a small aspect of what you're trying to achieved and the feelings it weights on you. As @molosku said, your mind is completely resistance this behaviour. It happens to all of us. Happened to me. But always remind yourself that uncomfortable occurance is normal. Just go with it. Be with it. Be in the present, observe why are you uncomfortable, observe what the ego is actually doing, blah blah blah. Once you accept you are uncomfortable and overthink, you can change! The most important advice I could give is that this anxiety will go. It will disappear, and you will finally become relieved from the overthinking, because once enough time has passed, your mind rewires itself, and the anxiety goes! Keep at it. If it does however get too real, scary and even hard to a point where you want to quit, then stop and go to a less extreme habit and build up to it. (So like focus on one stuff).

How do I become aware of what is authentic that I produce? So for example, I am a computer geek. I study Computer Science and enjoy looking at computer systems, technology, and programming. I see this as my authentic self (if there is such thing as a self but that goes onto a deeper level lol). But I clearly receive some sort of pleasure/comfort or even addiction to having these habits... So does this stem from the ego? Since it's about me and me wanting to do all of these things (such as study, watch, become involved in the technology world). Then we have other pleasures such as sex, games, TV shows, etc... But can these also be authentic? If so, how do I know what I should flow with and what I shouldn't flow with? Should I do whatever I want?

It's what I really try to find out. I guess I need to do more awareness of what I am doing like you said. Will focus on that. @Nahm Great insight.

Very strong and yet simple... No need for joy, no wanting the joy... Just enjoy... Thank you

Yeah. Enlightenment should not be forced. If you don't understand the meaning or concepts now, you can just wait and feel the moment as @Crystalous said. A point I'll like to address. You enjoy life so why "kill" the ego? Well the ego is all about "me" and will always have a hunger to improve life and when that improvement is not met, you start to swim in emotions and thus, become suffered. But sometimes you may feel like that work on enlightenment is not worth it? Perhaps it isn't. Ultimately, be in the moment and enjoy the flow

Heres the thing about the issue you're currently having. Leo is simply telling you to be open minded. To destroy your materialistic paradigm. So of course nothing makes sense right now, so that is why people responding "Do spiritual work" and "You will find it in yourself". I think the issue is that you feel like you have to try to exist. When you're talking about "how do I enjoy stuff", its the fact you're trying to enjoy stuff. You're "doing" to enjoy stuff rather than simply "enjoying". This is the main difference between "doing" and "being". You assume that since there is no ego after enlightenment, there is no enjoyment but you see after only you've been enlightened, you can finally understand why enjoyment is not needed, since there is no self. So HA, if there is no enjoyment, then why do I want to be enlightened! I won't be able to enjoy things anymore! But why do you want to enjoy things in the first place. EGO. That goes onto another point, then why bother doing anything if nothing I do is for me or if nothing is actually real?. THAT is the question you need to be asking. You must BE and not DO. Why bother doing things if it isn't real? It seems like its a chore. But that's way meditation is needed. That's why we need to think about why we do things. That is why we tell ourselves to clear our minds when we meditate, so we can "be" rather than thinking, which is essentially "doing". Only when we are true absence of the thoughts we are being. This is why we become mindful of our actions. What are we "doing". You see the common theme? You're doing. Not being. So I'm going to try to answer these questions in a way to keep you in line with actualized.org. To stop you from backsliding How can reality be nothing? The universe is created by the big bang. Outside of that is nothing. So if you want to apply logic to this question, the only way the universe could be made if it was equal to nothing. The big bang was nothing. Reality is nothing, because it was made from nothing. assume n is nothing and R is relationship. nRn. Nothing has a relation with nothing. But that doesn't make sense and hence you need to work on it by BEING. It is why you can't explain how reality can be nothing with Science. And if you use science to explain why reality exists, it goes backwards. OK how am I made? Atoms. How are atoms made? Stars. How are stars made? from the explosion of the big bang, antimatter and matter, collision. Ok? How is the big bag made? It's not, its made from nothing. So we are nothing. This makes no sense at all because of the materialistic and idea of "objective" paradigms. Find these answers, then you find why reality is nothing Why bother doing anything if nothing exists? You don't need to do anything even if reality does exist. Nothing is forcing you to do something but "yourself" which is the ego. You can just sit in silence and be content and one with the universe. That is what Leo actually promotes. Will this affect your day to day life to a point where your life is going to be ruined from doing nothing?!. No. Again, it's your ego saying "DO THINGS". It only affects your interpretation of the universe. You can still work in a 9-5 job or study at school but ultimately, you've realised that nothing exists, so I am just being and you become content. After enlightenment, there is no ego, there is no need for enjoyment The ego is all about "me". So you do not need enjoyment! You don't need to do anything! So is it shameful to enjoy things? No. But what is shameful is for not realising you're inline with the ego and doing. That is something you have to explore by yourself. But what I can say is that is a lot of these topics are repetitive, and you come to ask yourself the same questions... The same responses.. The same everything because you're questioning your logic in every way. You do not need enjoyment because there is no self. So what about it. Oh I won't enjoy things anymore, how sad. Again, your ego is telling you its bad to not enjoy things, and you get addicted to enjoying things and never become content with what you have. Nothing is sad. Nothing is real. This is a beautiful flow of nothingness! So with the Why Brains Doesn't Exist. Leo was really strong about the materialistic paradigm, the paradigm where we believe there must be some sort of material or substance to hold us all together. When we look at this more deeply, there is no such thing. The big bang supposedly "created" the universe. But where is the universe created from? Nothing. This is because the laws of science doesn't apply to outside of the universe. The "appearences" does not apply to the outside mythical universe. But heres the thing, there is no outside of the universe, this is only a manifestation. This is all a hallucination, its all for nothing. But that's the thing, if its all for nothing, and nothing is real, why do something. That is the point I'm trying to make with this post. There is no need to DO. There is only to BE because nothing exists. You can be nothing. Now to say nothing exists is never truly an correct answer. We just need to find out if what Leo said is true. Sorry for being naive if I am. If I am wrong in any way, PLEASE tell me. I am a new comer to the forums and haven't actually expressed my opinions before!