Ramu

You still need to think! He's not advocating not using your mind as a tool for day to day problem solving. He's telling you not to let your mind take over..get it?

You should read the "On Having No Head" thread. You realize that you are not living in consciousness..... Because YOU ARE consciousness. You are not just the emptiness, or the nothingness in the room, you are the empty space and nothingness everywhere. You are the Universe.

One thing you should be aware of with sleep is the body's natural circadian rhythm. The natural circadian rhythm is 1.5 hours. 9 hours is naturally the best solution for optimal cognitive performance. Anything less than that should be realistically manipulated in multiples of 1.5. 1.5 is better than 1 or 2. 4.5 is better than 4 or 5. Why? Because a full 1.5 hour cycle (and more in 1.5 hour increments) supports full cerebral restoration. When interrupted, the brain doesn't go through sleep stages 1-4 and REM stage which is vital for performance in wakeful state. REM state is the dream state. Why do we need this? Because despite all the fiction you've read about dreaming, its actual function is for the consolidation of memory. If you don't dream (REM), you don't learn as well as those who don't deprive themselves of sleep. My recommendation? Get on a regular sleep pattern. Its healthy, and when you're tired take a nap for at least an hour and a half!

Like I've stated previously in a different topic on the same category; once awakened or enlightened, it does not mean you stop working at your job or stop paying bills. The only difference is you are aware of a truth that others who are not awakened or enlightened are not aware of. It doesn't give you superpowers, just a different conscious perspective. You still think and experience emotion, you just don't identify yourself with them.

Actually science disproves. It does not prove anything. It disproves the Null Hypothesis.

But no one is saying that real life doesn't go on after enlightenment. One still has to earn a living and pay bills right? Enlightenment work is neither a cop out nor a way of becoming a superhero.

Mike Tyson? I'd be more concerned for my ears!

I would respond in a way in which the other would regret his decision to spit on me. By the way, who ever said that an Awakened or Enlightened person wouldn't assert them self?

Its the realization that you are something coming out of nothing that takes getting used to. However, its been there your entire life, but now it makes sense. You ARE consciousness.

I just think that charging for something that could lead to an Awakening or possible Enlightenment cheapens the concept. Its what's referred to as "Popular Spirituality". Give me a break!

Trying to let go is resistance.

I want to post an image as my member "image". New to smartphones. I have an android. Any answers would be appreciated.

Thank you.

YES!!! I had the same aha! You ARE Consciousness!!

Your True Self is "hidden" right in front of you and all around. You are Consciousness. No, you don't exist in consciousness... You're It!!

Actually you ARE Consciousness.

The Universe seeing itself through your eyes.

I recommend reading The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer. I believe its been published in several languages.

I definitely see your point of view. Keep in mind that I'm not anti mind. We need our minds to operate in the physical world. I would also go so far to say (and most reductionists would rip me to shreds for saying this), that our mind is a product of brain. 25 years ago as a college undergraduate studying psychology I was die hard set in stone against religion or any kind of spirituality, concepts I regarded as fluff and with contempt. It took several experiences of "glimpsing behind the curtain" for me to realize that there was something going on, something bigger than my concept of self or the world I experienced. On one occasion I had a peculiar feeling come over me. I had just come back home from my first day at a new job. I cracked open a beer and mused about my day..I then had the strange sensation that Something was observing my thoughts. I had never experienced it before and soon after I dismissed it. Looking back at those experiences of synchronicity and The Witness I was starting to awaken. However I didn't know I was awakening and I certainly wasn't "seeking" anything. Now I consider myself awake. I don't consider myself enlightened and honestly can't even attempt to intellectualize the concept. However I have been doing a lot of meditation and reading. One thing I've read about is the concept of being a nobody. Examples: if people are gathered around giving their opinions, resist the urge to jump in and state yours. If someone slights you with a negative comment (name calling, snarky comment), ignore the temptation to respond in kind with a retort. Now that being said you will experience a shrinking of your pride, but then you will experience a feeling of IMMENSE expansion. I read this in a book by Eckart Tolle. Now its fine to read about such comments and quite another to experience them. The same with intellectualizing that you are consciousness or you are the Universe. I had an AMAZING realization this weekend. It involved a supervisor at work neglecting to discipline someone for being late. She couldn't discipline this person for being late because she is constantly late herself (and very lazy). I was involved in covering for the late employee. At some point she made a below the breath barely audible comment calling me a "baby", for noticing her hypocritical behavior. What occurred to me is that she hadn't insulted ME at all. I realized that if I am indeed Consciousness, and if my True Self is indeed Formless, Eternal and Infinite than no words at all directed at Form could affect my True Self. This hit me like a ton of bricks. Its through these insights that my intuition tells me I'm realizing Truth, no matter how agonizingly long it takes. In the end, a unbelievable feeling of freedom and peace prevails.

Part of the reason is because I've had glimpses behind the curtainin the form of synchronicity. I also have the experience of observing my thoughts and emotions as a Witness to them. I didn't come up with this stuff by myself but in meditation which calms the "popcorn maker" mind, after being in silence I feel a presence that's silent and very subtle. Eckart Tolle mentioned in A New Earth that ego will always fight to keep itself intact and to do that it creates a sense of separation. Its "me" and "them'. However if you detach yourself from egos mind and sense of self you realize through the Witness something greater than the egoic mind could ever be. What is this Witness? What is this Silent Observer? Its Consciousness, your True Self. Through my physically manifested nervous system the Universe (or Consciousness) is seeing itself. To quote a passage from Chris Grosso's Indie Spiritualist, "..'The personality is the costume of The Self. The mind is a mask, a facade. What is shining through the senses, seeing itself through you? The Universe sees itself through our eyes. The universe is shining through our nervous system and to have this perspective takes work, it takes effort. There's a lot of conditioning that needs to be stripped away.'. I recommend reading The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer for more perspective on this fascinating topic. However no words can ever do justice to Being. I simply Am.

Its my interpretation that the "no-self" is meant to mean no ego. The ego is a false construct created by years of conditioning. The ego tries to derive a sense of self by associating with objects or things "in form". The brain is also a thing or object that the ego associates with and identifies a sense of self with. The brain is a machine that is necessary for our physical bodies to move and process information. However, the true self is not the ego or anything associated with the physical. Your mind isn't in your brain nor created by it. Your body is in your mind. That's also perceived in consciousness. However you don't exist in consciousness. You ARE consciousness. You ARE the room your body is projected into.

Hi Cly. Its funny, but I'm kind of the male version of your bio. I'm 49 and have no children and have never married. Ive had my share of girlfriends, the most serious being two years in duration. I'm actually quite happy. Its just The Me Show everyday,(sometimes thats challenging enough). I have two nephews who are college age. The great thing about being an Uncle is that if the nephews ever get out of hand I can go home! I've seen many of my friends and family get married at a young age and subsequently get divorced years later, sometimes on multiple occasions. Living the single life and LOVING IT. Have a great weekend! Ramu.

@Pinocchio everywhere

Actually, you ARE the Universe. You are consciousness so therefore the universe is self aware.

And......that empty space that is YOU that sees everything is consciousness. You don't exist in consciousness however, YOU ARE CONSCIOUSNESS. To summarize a passage in Chris Grosso's Indie Spiritualist, "you are the Universe looking at itself".