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1. What guide post or guide lines do you have for pointing someone towards gaining useful nuance, genuineness, self honesty and awareness. 2. What makes you feel qualified to speak about enlightenment or waking up? I ask 2. since we seem to have exact realizations about enlightenment and its interpretations along with the dangers of not dealing with fetters/karma/ego/things that cause suffering. I first studied under Anderew Cohen who was big into accountability (sadly/funny enough his ego got the better of him and brought down his community), and this had a serious impression on me. Then like Leo is sharing, such ideals unconscious to me created a perfectionist state and a goal that may be impossible (i was not aware of this at the time). Down the road I spent a few years of following/letting in nonduality teachings of Paul Hedderman, Lisa Cairns, Papaji, Rupert Spira and some of Alana Watts, I let in the idea of nondoer ship and the recognition that all experience arises and is out of our hands no matter how real the "I" free will feeling, belief seems. This was profoundly healing and freeing and perhaps didn't create a egomaniac monster since I first started with accountability and not causing suffering to self and others as a prime principle. However I had two profoundly paradoxical understandings abiding in this shell of being. That seemed to have merged on a understanding level along with a direct recognition and understanding of who and what we all are.....god/infinity/oneness Along with this has come freedom and understanding. There is never not god, everything, matter, energy, thoughts, feelings, experience, the capacity for such things for thoughts to be able to happen, feelings to happen, experience to be possible, wisdom, all experiences of what realizers call waking up, all are god, and none of them are themselves the full picture of infinity, but are infinity none the less. Now comes some of the odd pills of truth along with this. I'm god, with all my ideas, views, beliefs, spiritual practices and disciplines that bring equanimity and fruits, such as dont rage at someone or I'll experience the flood of chemicals, pain that it may cause others, and self discomfort from my chosen action. Theres the experience of doing and being done, non action, arisal, no knowledge of where thoughts creativity, ideas arise from, the mystery. Knowing all of me is the creation of my original face. Theres also a very real understanding of why guru's do what they do and feel fine with it, like sleep with a student, harshly discipline out of supposed benefit of student, and any number of culty things out there. This freedom that comes from waking up seems to reveal that there is no actual moral barometer out there enforcing anything on anyone, almost the opposite, a unconditional love accepting and understanding all as Self/Love. What you and I call karma and fetters is another form of god/play of lila/maya, how could Self ever get anything wrong or cause itself any harm, and yet paradoxically Self is always consuming Self and causing Self pain somewhere in its infinity all the time. As Self it seems like whats done with this individual incarnation is self+Self creating Self in the mystery of itsSelf. What are your thoughts on Self consuming Self, never not Self, the relationship of Self and "right" action. And again I asked 2. to see what makes you in particular feel like your ready to teach and out of curiosity what was that turning point.

Thanks for your answer. My first question I think is very relevant, but the second may be non-usefull, but if you dont want to answer thats fine. New question: What guide post or guide lines do you have for pointing someone towards gaining "usefull" nuance, genuineness, self honesty and awareness.

@Arhattobe I have a few questions on the personal level. 1. What makes you feel qualified to speak about enlightenment or waking up? 2. What was the event that gave you the reason to go oh now I know enough? 3. What is it exactly that you want others to understand, and why?

Thanks for showing up and giving alternate views on this mystery, the forum needs it. That said drop the I know more then you vibe, or atleast look into it for your own growth (or perhaps once a Brit, always a Brit..... ). Do you have a website, videos, book, anything broader then what you've shared? I'd be curious, always looking to learn and grow.

Thats a really powerful practice your pointing to. Its bared great fruit in my life as well.

I don't know if this will help you but catching the ox has nothing to do with how much you think or don't think during the day. The ox is already here in the thinking and the non thinking, its neither of these (IT IS THE THINKING AND NONE THINKING) and it can be a trap to believe you need to stop thinking to find it. Shin posted a link about bentinho massaro free course, you may find it helpful since its very easily laid out. I'm not sure about the guy himself as having moved through all his ego, but he's got a good teaching for the most part non the less with some things beautifully laid out and easily followable.

Sorry but this guy is full of shit and an obvious troll.

Interestingly not necessarily. There are a few stories out there of people who have spontaneous awakenings but on some level are left without a vocabulary or context. Not until they reach a awakened master who basically recognizes there realization in that person and helps them understand whats taken place. I'll have to ask my dad since he knows a lot of these teachers stories of india, but it does happen. Also there are people in India called musks who have had profound awakenings but it psychologically split something that leaves them in a state of inability to function in the world, as a result they are institutionalized or left for dead and one Saint/Enlightened Master named Maher Baba tasked his followers to go out and find these guys so that he could work with the energetically to help realign what broke and get them back to a functionable state.

@Shin Everyone can benefit from looking into this I feel. After I had a major awakening I thought it would be interesting to see how teachers in general present their own method of bringing people to awaken to what they themselves discovered, since it was an interest of mine at that point. While I treated it like a research project, I found it very opening, deeping of my own experience and helpful. I got through the first 2 course and skimmed through the rest. I found tangents with his own experience of realizing at one point that there is more then he initially realized which I think he points to in his last teachings as god/infinity. Very fascinating. There seems to always be more in this development life game, I really do wonder if one can truly claim enlightenment by most traditional definitions since there always seems to be more to this infinity.

In my experience they are separate things yet at the same time feed into and support eachother. Sometimes you need to master your anger so you don't burn out your system and prevent spiritual purification or your hearts ability to come out. This can be said of fear, anxiety, loneliness and many other emotions. Also mastering your emotions generally leads to being able to not run away from your emotions which makes bearing spiritual purification easier perhaps. Just tip of the iceberg response, but hope that helps.

Thank you for posting, its not a common question. However despite that its pretty much the same for everyone. We all have our own unique suffering/challenging issues that confront us bodily, worldly, financially and anything else you can think of. That said it is harder for some then others, there is greater suffering and greater challenges, but don't let yourself get caught up in this, it won't help. Are you doing anything in particular already? Meditation? Self Inquiry? Watching video's of non-duality teachings or Buddhist teachings? If not, it may be a good place to start and implement some of these practices in your life. That said, in terms of you feeling dependent, try and flip that around and connect with your heart and gratitude that there are people who can help you. Times were not always so kind to the disabled in the past. Seeing this and letting it in may make it easier. Most important though is don't let yourself be a victim, it almost never helps, but if you truly do feel the sadness of your situation at times, just let yourself feel it, recognize it, take a few breaths, and then move your attention on what to be grateful for.

Ya SOUL has a good point, theres the flip side of the coin if your gonna accept one side. Focus on that instead and see what shifts.....or not.

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Nice video, two passionate people.

Congrats man. And if there was one episode that I could jokingly say that would wake someone up positively, it would be that episode only.

I dont know what Turquise, but these lyrics do sound to hold some aspect of Truth.

Sounds like you have a defensive mind set backed by spiritual knowledge. Its on them not me, they are responsible for them, not me. If you are also part of this picture and you notice your impact, are you okay with the impact you are having? Just food for thought. There is no right answer.

Sounds like you are being combative. Honestly like I was and still can be, but not outloud lol. Think about it this way. Yes you understand that its really hard if not impossible to nail something down as known, but if someone says for example: "Scientists have discovered that ______ (fill in the gaps with what you wish) You could instead say oh what lead them to this understanding, and how do these things work that they are talking about. THis could even inspire you to look into each issue, instead of just be combative and rub people the wrong way.

Sounds like some straight dope realization stuff and classic mind response neither of which you should hold responsibility for or get angry about or fear the future because of. You want to feel better through this? Just overstimulate yourself with things that feel good, just make those the choices you make for a while, forget about trying to do enlightening stuff. I don't mean numb out and get drunk and high out of anger or stress about your situation but because its what you like, what ever it is. Also some of the above advice from cetus is good, but it may keep trying ego backlash, I'd give "spiritual" investment of attention a break for a bit, come back later refreshed.

There are many approaches to this question and dependent from where your at. Perhaps start with looking into why do you regret these things? Whats a mess as a result? What can you do now to change this mess? Take these steps, and let go of the regret acknowledging whats done is done and regret will only hold you back from moving forward. And take note of this, and look at how this can apply to any negative focus you have inside, like anger about something in life, at yourself, at others, or fear of something.....its all roughly the same. Again this is one way. If you do the above enough and get some steady progress, then look into and add a more "Buddhist" lense. Inquire into what is an emotion, a though, a belief, who you think you are. Acknowledge regret is a just a thought and emotion about a past moment in time that is no longer happening now and let it go, embrassing the joy that period of time you may have gotten or the suffering it showed and finding peace in the now of what is......letting the regret arise, not clinging and fall like all emotions and thoughts do. And from here make new choices of how you'd like to live your life and how to make those changes..... The later approach is one in which could be a long investment of your life and you will probably need to read more about what I wrote in a book or video's or seeing a teacher.

Your asking a question that has no inherent answer. Truth is many things to many people. Or do you mean how its used in enlightenment context. Either way, same answer, enlightened masters and "religions" don't even agree. However this does not mean there is no mystery and wonder within the life you are already living and the reality of who and what you are.......

Building off what nahm said, it does sound like you have a genuine desire for pursuing what you tasted, are you using some of your time meditating or inquiring into life, your beliefs that cause you and others suffering? Dont hold yourself back from this thing you feel is more important, but also don't waste it if you don't have to. Perhaps you can augment where your at so you feel better about your usage of time. Ultimately you are already what your looking for and you can find that on any path. Your Uni studies could turn into something that helps humanity, yourself and allows you to do what you want. As nahm pointed to question into what you want and go for it. Also dont allow spiritual dogma to lead into believing you have to become a monk or live in india for a while to "wake up" AND don't let your fears of needing to finish school and live a "normal" life dictate what you choose......

The earth sounds like it could use help in the environmental department. That said, don't try to just live off water and use nothing unless you feel like its what you want to do. I made the choice to go 25% meat from humane sources and 75% vegi mostly organic. I try to recycle mostly and not buy things I really really dont need. I figure if the world did this, we would be in a much healthier place, so I feel good with this line of choice. Just dont get neurotic about it.

I didn't write #2 well. Yes anger is there but how you respond is another. Thats what i was getting at. Do you have a choice at how you respond to your feelings, in this case yelling. Or is it for you just what happens kinda thing? This is a interesting thing to understand since many "enlightened" share different things. For example the Dalilama (although I'm not sure he's claimed enlightenment) states that one should choose to treat others in a kind manner, insinuating a element of free will in the moment to perhaps say yell because your angry or not. And on the other hand some nondual teachers will say its not a matter of choice, the response just happens (some going stating that the response is in the best interest of the student/person since they are a perfect relfection/teacher for them) And some of these same people find themselves in precarious situations with their students despite saying they are enlightened or have dealt with their ego.

Either your a Buddha and its just an easy quick inquiry and blam done kinda thing, dust off your hands after one time and call it a day, or you are fooling yourself so hard you dont even know it, I'm not sure which.