Consilience

You’re right.. that’s weird. Try this one!

Can't offer any success stories, but I would recommend loving-kindness meditation. It's kind of an underrated, under discussed topic on this forum, but it really helps pry open your heart center. And the more you do it, the more open your heart becomes. Just a simple mantra really, May " " be free from suffering. May " " be free from ill will. May " " be filled with loving-kindness (or just love if you prefer). May " " be truly happy. When doing this, make sure you give this love to yourself as well. As in, say "I" rather than only giving it to others, self-love is important as well. When you're doing this, don't just go through the motions, really try to mean what you're saying with sincerity. Truly recognize those you're speaking out to as their own beings with their own lives. It also helps to visualize them actually receiving the love you're giving them. Over time you'll open yourself up more and more and genuinely feel the love. I'd also recommend holotropic breath-work for working through and processing emotional traumas. This will help circulate and clear out your energy and help you uncover where you're body is holding on to trauma, particularly in the torso, stomach area. I'd recommend this video to start: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-2d2... Yoga. Get your body feeling good, feeling healthy. When you take care of your body, your body will help take care of your mind and emotions, truly. As you're working towards opening up to love, making sure your body is ready to receive and give this love back out is an important step. As odd as this may sound, your emotions are very much grounded in your body such that an unhealthy body will not be as conducive towards processing and opening up to emotions as a healthy body. So I really recommend hath yoga, and honestly probably kriya or kundalini too. Also, just a bit of normal, daily meditation. Literally just breath and be, nothing else. It doesn't have to be anything crazy. 5-15 minutes per day or more if you like. It's amazing how healing a small meditation practice can be. I'd start with loving-kindness, and end with normal meditation. As your mind begins to build calm and focus, it will naturally begin to open up to the subtler emotions like happiness, joy, empathy, etc. as well as connecting you with an authentic reservoir of love, which is none other than you. And last point, just be patient with yourself. If your intention is to feel love, the universe will help you achieve this end, as this is in alignment with your true nature. So just be patient, be kind, but be persistent with this goal. You'll make it, no doubt

To everyone saying there never was an ego, you are misunderstanding what’s being said. Ego = the psychological survival of particular communication styles, preferences within form, the way you dress and look, the fact that a body continues to eat and survive, etc. The self is falsely identifying with this force of survival and thinking it is a static and consistent ‘thing’ when it is fundamentally a stream of appearance surviving, while also never truly surviving. This force, this energy has nothing to do with enlightenment, with truth. Saying it never existed is one perspective yes, or acknowledging the force of the energy’s existence is another. Just keep in mind the relativity here. There is survival post awakening.

Eat the oats! Oats are fine in moderation. As long as you're not binging, you'll be good.

Interesting. This is a contracted view of ego. While in a sense, there is certainly wisdom to this perspective, we can also expand the ego's meaning to anything that carries out survival both biologically and psychologically, the sense of separation, and the individuality of your specific experience of life and 'the way things are.' Believe it or not, this force of survival, this energy of survival, PERSISTS after one awakens to who they are. And this stream will continue to cascade after one steps out. Enlightenment is about stepping out of the stream and watching it pass by, not disrupting it, not casting judgement on the stream and trying to stop it. The stream will flow regardless as it as been doing for eternity. At least... That's what I think From this pov, freedom cannot obstruct ego anymore than ego can obstruct freedom. Freedom is your natural, authentic state. Ego is merely appearance, it's form, it's distinction. The Truth is always true, that's what makes it truly true. And plus, the stream is beautiful beyond description, it would be a shame to fight against it.

Fantastic post!

Yeah I bet so ? Edit: In terms of what I wrote earlier, I was kind of making a joke. There are a lot of non-dual teachers that claim how everyone is already enlightened and have always been. I see the wisdom and validity in such a statement, but I also dont always feel so enlightened even though sometimes I see how it could be no other way.

I never said I was enlightened. Im pointing out something in experience and trying to point out how this experiential insight can only be communicated through duality/distinction because all language is dualistic in nature. For my experience, meaninglessness doesn't really come up no. Reality is. Being simply is. Nothing more, nothing less.

The meaningless being talked about is beyond distinctions. You can create the distinction “meaninglessness” which you must do to discuss it with language, but the real, direct experience of meaninglessness is beyond meaning vs. meaningless distinction.

Believe it or not, all of these are relative. Im also an INTJ ? Merely by creating objects for which descriptions or processes can apply [water (object) is transparent, light (object) has a speed (description), sun (object) converts (process) hydrogen to helium (objects)] you are creating relativity. There are no objects, there is only the undifferentiated whole of existence. All is one, from the most object standpoint.

@Stakres because Im not a primate, but this was an important reality I lived years ago. And in a way, identifying as a primate makes more sense than identifying as something like “awareness” because the primate is literal experience whereas awareness is an idea being projected into experience. But even both seem to be slippery identities and still not quite it.

The thing doing all the focusing throughout the practices is not me. Neither is the thing creating the joy, happiness, and equanimity. So... What am I?

Super interesting perspective, thank you

Close ???

How can a verb happen through Now?

@AlphaAbundance I would agree insofar as whatever your mind thinks is true, is true for you. So, yes suffering and joy and very much real because that’s what your mind creates. My mind does this too, Im not enlightened. I mean... I am haha but nevermind. Honestly, contemplate this shit. How do you derive meaning and purpose for life if it’s all meaningless? There wont be an answer that comes to you in the form of the intellect though, I’ll spoil that much. Perhaps there is a form of happiness that is completely formless and intrinsic to your direct experience. And perhaps as you become more conscious, as you embody selflessness, self love, truth and honesty you will begin to spontaneously take action which is congruent with your life purpose and higher values. I say perhaps because I don’t know what your experience will be upon investigation. For me, I no longer act out life purpose from a place of rationality or success, it is done because it is an authentic, spontaneous manifestation of my body/mind system’s energy. When you stop identifying with what you are not, you will start exerting your highest will, so to speak. But it’ll happen on its own. I hope this makes sense.

Yes. This means if you didnt do any of these, that is perfection. It means, if you did all of these, that is perfection. But hey since there’s nothing to do, and life and existence are already perfect, why not live life to its fullest potential? Edit: Even perfection is meaningless ?

From what I heard, this will be the last apprenticeship he does so if you’re serious about it, this is probably your last chance @Chumbimba

Im getting to the point where I have to almost make myself trip... sometimes it’s hard going so deep into the mind’s fears and the shadow side of humanity ? Doesn’t feel addictive but Im only using shrooms and lsd

@LfcCharlie4 It is. But if you like his style, it could be life changing. I met someone at the workshop who'd done the apprenticeship and had nothing but positive things to say about it and how it transformed his life. Personally, Im just too independent for something like that. I also don’t find Ralston’s approach to be the end all be all for consciousness work but hell... what’s 6 months out of a lifetime? Im sure it would be a crazy learning experience, albeit expensive lol.

It’s 15k for like 6 months or more for the apprenticeship

Highly recommend his workshop. Can’a say Im interested in an apprenticeship. Though I've gained tremendous value studying his approach to consciousness work, I felt like what I learned about in his books and workshop aren’t the only facets of awakening Im interested in. There are many deep awakenings/insights to be hand beyond absolute truth and teachers to learn from. For example, I find psychedelics to be a form of the teacher/student dynamic. I see meditation as another teacher. Both of these methods wouldn’t be in balance with brute, focused contemplation which is what you get out of an apprenticeship. I think there is tremendous value in a holistic, personalized approach towards spirituality. You are your own best authority so trust your gut on what you think is best.

@Aaron p You received more insights from DMT than hardcore daily practice, which totally makes sense. What about long term transformation? Did DMT provide more of that than daily practice?

@Gili Trawangan Absolutely, glad you found value @StarStruck For sure. It’s a very interesting addiction that seems to have multiple moving parts associated. But yes what you said haha.

What I was meaning is that women enjoy being attractive when it comes to the interaction of a relationship between man and woman. But a man who responds to the attractive and seductive tactics a woman uses with neediness, this is going to be seen as unattractive. There are a myriad of men you can read about across the internet who have failed with being with a woman, whether for sex or a relationship, because they were too needy. There are many ways to attract a woman yes. I don't disagree. "Being you" as you say, involves having the groundedness to not need a woman. Being 100% me means I could walk away from a woman's attention and be 100% good. This is preciesly confidence. Confidence is not caring what another thinks and is being grounded enough in their self to not need another. That's true confidence. All versions of attraction and seduction are a form of manipulation. That's the whole mechanism of the game. And that's what I was becoming conscious of. It's one big mind game whether the intent is malicious or not. Even being yourself while trying to attract someone is trying to manipulate the other to be with you. The porn thing is complicated. All I can express is that porn is a collective phenomena that men are collectively addicted to. Porn itself is a form of strong, feminine energy addicting men. There are masculine components to the porn industry no doubt, and patriarchal components as well in terms of how some women are treated by the men in the industry. However, the way that the collective man uses porn is as a hedonistic release for the feminine. And that's why I saw porn as a collective manifestation of the divine feminine, because it is a collective group of women who are creating an engine for collective PMO. I would disagree with "You don't gain 'man-like' power back if you abstain." As a man, I always can tell a difference in my energy levels, motivation, and even acute testosterone levels if I abstain for an extended period of time. Many other men have reported similar and other benefits that one could easily define as masculine. Yep that's basically what I said in the trip report. Confidence. Self security. Non-neediness. Being 100% grounded in ones' self for their own happiness. Not needing another to fulfill that. This is the most attractive thing a man can do. But it would be foolish to think all actions don't matter. Because not all actions are grounded in true authenticity and confidence, so if you're trying to attract a potential partner, the actions very much do matter. Thank you. I don't feel limited at all, I actually feel quite the opposite after this experience