sword

I don't know enough about your life to offer advice. But I can say that you sound really good! I would love to hear more.

Thanks for the advice! I'm am still at the very early stages of self-inquiry. Distinguishing the two can be difficult because speculation and concepts occur as perceptions. But I think I know what you mean. My plan going forward is to question everything more deeply and see what holds up against raw perception. Maybe Leo's hand exercise could help me.

Yesterday I did some serious self-inquiry. I kept trying to concretely pin down the self. Every time I locked into the sensation of self, I asked: "but who is experience this sensation". Eventually it became evident that the "self" is just another perception, and that perception is all that there is. I also realized that thoughts are just another form of perception. They come from nowhere, go nowhere, and happen to no one. I got a glimpse of what would happen if I seriously continued a self-inquiry practice for an extended period. I would finally be free from the persistent chain of thoughts that I call the "self". I would no longer exist. I would see the world as it really is (without the false perception of a self). Is this what it means to cleanse the doors of perception? The biggest shock from my small glimpse of unfiltered reality was that intelligence exists! I noticed that everything is a perception field, but I also noticed that the strings of perceptions and thoughts I experienced were continuous and made sense. How is consciousness/the universe inherently intelligent? And what is intelligence? I would love to hear your thoughts!

if all is one, isn't everything just another name for everything else?

@winterknight thanks for answering my questions definitely not the answers I was expecting. Now I have a lot to think about

I personally prefer zen style meditation (not engaging with thoughts and trying to just be with an empty mind). But I am still pretty new to meditation and have not tried many techniques. I would suggest trying out a as many as you can. Discover first-hand which one's are most aligned with your goals. Nothing beats first hand experience. I wish I could be more help lol

As someone who values clarity and being the architect of my life, I think order is better. But maybe that is because I am too male polarized. Perhaps I could learn something from letting go and embracing chaos. At first I thought the answer was obvious, but I think Leo is right, it is just yin and yang.

How long did it take to go from your first glimpse of the realization of union, to permanently grounding yourself in the realization? And, do you still feel like there is more to do? Has your ego reconstructed itself, even though you are now aware of its nature? If so, how has it changed? Is everything after enlightenment just play? What will you do now that you are enlightened? create a life purpose? Are you going to continue to self-actualize other facets of your life?

Any meditation in which one does not engage with thoughts will clear the mind. After continuous and consistently practicing, you will be able to disengage and let go of pety/distracting thoughts more and more easily. The more you let go, the more content you will be. If you can ground yourself in the present moment/experience itself, you will never be lacking. From experience, I can highly recommend a meditation habit for reducing anxiety, gaining mental clarity, and general well-being. Consistency is more important than duration, so start with a duration you can manage and then gradually increase it.

Being overly paranoid about everything is not healthy and will hinder growth. But, on the other hand, trust your intuition. Use Leo's videos as tools, but do not become single pointed. Find at least a few additional teachers/positive influences. The more perspectives you explore, the less likely you are to be mislead. Comparing many perspective gives one a more concrete worldview, improves one's ability to make wise discernments, and increases one's capacity for independent thought.

I disagree. Wasting your potential as a result of keeping toxic people in your life will only lead to regret and resentment. I think the best thing you can do, for them and you, is to set a good example by becoming self-actualized. Eventually you will develop yourself to the extent where toxic people can no longer affect your energy field