VeganAwake

It doesn't matter in the sense that whatever concept of Truth you place on top of reality has no real effect.... now granted it seems to, but ultimately that perspective experience is illusory. This is exactly why it's called Awakening. It simply cannot be grasped from the dualistic paradigm.... you will just keep spinning in circles. The first illusion of being a separate individual that can one day find the truth has to be seen through. So in essence the first misunderstanding leads to infinite misunderstandings on the journey..... which also doesn't matter at all. ❤

Everyone wants a better version or perspective of reality. Reality must feel so insulted ?

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Great video ? Yes, infinite different perspectives about the nature of physical reality and or the standpoint that it's unknowable or ungraspable, does not constitute it as being a complete illusion either. (Jim Newman calls it real & unreal) Some gurus are pointing to a bigger picture understanding that the nature of reality is impermanence and therefore dreamlike or ultimately unreal.... for example: The rock will eventually break down into smaller rocks and the smaller rocks into sand and the sand into dust and so on. The body that is temporarily perceiving reality will eventually die and decompose and so on. Obviously this big picture understanding gives a different feel to the meaning of the word reality. If everything is temporary then is there anything that's ultimately real? ❤

That would be like scuba diving in the ocean searching for water. Or Looking for hay in a haystack.

What you said reminded me of this. ❤

Better or worse are concepts within the experience of being an individual. The individual experience is created through infinite judgements happening so quickly and unconsciously that it's turned into a continuous self story which seems to be moving in time. Individuals with similar conditioning can have very similar experiences, while individuals with much different upbringings can seem to have an almost entirely different experience. So the robotic conditioned judgments create the dream characters experience. Enlightenment is the end of this individual character moving through time, which is already the case. ❤

Give that fear a big hug and thank it for helping keep that body alive. ❤

Remember dropping is just a metaphor describing what seems to happen. Don't try to drop anything. Inquire into who am I. ❤

? And things can get really wild when that same introspection is used on the "ME" assumption. Here is a funny video clip not exactly related but kind of ?

Searching for your glasses when there on your head. ?

It's freedom in the sense that there's nothing that needs to done and simultaneously the sense that something needs to be done is that exact same freedom disguised as something other than freedom.

It depends on your definition of existence. Does something that makes a temporary appearance such as a rainbow exist? Does a mirage of water in the desert actually exist? Is believing for three months that your roommate stole $500 out of your bedroom drawer only to remember that you moved the money to your closet.... Did that experience actually exist? Does an apparent experience = existence?

@Gabith I like your openness and willingness to examine it. ? It seems like a big important question doesn't it? Who is asking the question? Who wants to know? What does that one consist of?

I get what you're saying and agree and simultaneously its recognized here that Enlightenment is also the searching, is also the arguing, is also the mental masturbation, is also the addiction, is also the silence, is also the emptiness, is also the illusory experience of separation, all being experienced as something other than Enlightenment. Enlightenment isn't something found within everything, it IS EVERYTHING or THIS. ❤

Well it's the end of the individual that believes there are positive and negative outcomes. I guess you can call that a benefit for No One...?

There is a saying often used in the military that describes the mentality of this forum quite well. Too many chiefs and not enough indians. Or in other words Too many knowers and not enough students. It definitely seems like a generational thing in part. ❤

Enlightenment has nothing to do with thinking. It's freedom from identifying as the individual that believes it needs to meditate and work on cleaning out it's inner distortions. And once this is recognized it starts cleaning itself out sort of speak under the weight of Truth. And it's not an intellectual understanding. It's clearly seeing the sense of self is an illusion and never existed in the first place. ❤

Exactly because Enlightenment is the recognition that "you" does not exist.

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Ego is identification. It feels like a sticky center where things collect and build up an identity. ❤

? Hey man!

The illusory experience of "I am" places an the overlay of meaning purpose and value over top of reality and operates from that dream story perspective. Even if thinking isn't occurring every moment there is still an underlying assumption that "I am real" and everything means something. The clearer it's seen through the better in regards to Awakening, ultimately it doesn't matter at all. ❤

I've found being honest, upfront and working on communication skills can help greatly when dealing with people. I mean if you're honest and upfront with someone and they are still angry at least you were honest and did your part... we can't make everyone happy. Also most of the time our minds make it seem way worse than it actually is. People pleasing can be very challenging to work through. Working on it in baby steps is a good option.

I've heard it referred to as dancing emptiness, boundless energy, nothing and everything, absolute infinity. But it can't really be named or understood. It is beyond understandability. ❤