Seraphim

@TripleFly Great answer! The only thing I can add to that is maybe try Shaktipat because it can raise one's level of consciousness instantly and if one is ready it can become a permanent improvement.

It's a good topic. I don't agree with any of the previous replies. Ramana Maharshi probably had the answer you seek, he seemed unaffected by pain, one example is when he got cancer and refused pain medication, I wish I knew how he did it. I listened to a channeling of Jesus, apparently he used a yogic technique to put himself into some kind of deep meditative state before his execution, that way he didn't suffer. I think maybe Ramana did a similar thing. It has to do with changing one's state of consciousness, going into a trance state or deep samadhi, something like that. Then there is also the yogic teaching that pain is a flow, and one can surrender into that flow in order to not be so affected by it, however that technique would probably not work well against torture, in such extreme circumstance we would need something more like what Ramana and maybe Jesus did.

@Leo Gura Yes! This is what these neo-advaita people refuse to accept or even consider. For most people consciousness is limited and stuck in their head, it has to be liberated so that one can see reality more clearly, only that will end the seeking. So many confused seekers are pretending to not seek anymore, because they want this to be it, or they had a partial awakening and say "there is no me so I'm enlightened" Even though they can't even meditate without thoughts, and don't know true happiness.

@mandyjw How do you know? What if someone is dealing with this and your advice to basically let go of fear and resistance doesn't work or takes too long?

I believe these things can cause illness, but most cases of illness is caused by our food and environment. I know some people who are masters at working with energy and keeping their body free from any energetic distortions, and it does keep their bodies quite healthy, but I believe that if they also started to detox and eat healthy that they could become even healthier and younger.

@peachboy Best answer! I think it's as close as one can get to an answer that will satisfy a materialist, linear thinking, logical mind.

Amazing! Some people in that high state feel the desire to quit eating, there are some interesting pranic/breatharian people who live like that, they function well from what I've seen. I had my self-realization thanks to a person like that.

@traveler There are all kinds of experiences available. Some awakenings include a change of perception, making us aware of something that was clearly not there before. Like when you begin to actually see and feel that everything is the Self. It changes one's experience forever. I think the true self is impossible to describe, maybe Leo was talking about that, being aware of and sensing the true self?

You won't "die". You go from feeling that you exist in the head, bound to the body, to feeling that you are like limitless open space. You still know you are a human (+ the Self) and get to enjoy being that character even more.

Such a great book! You could try to feel what your sense of self is, however it can be very subtle and difficult to do. I guess if someone is at 1000 they will feel that everything is the Self, very clearly and all the time? Maybe someone who is confirmed 1000 can answer how it feels?

Can you sense this intuitively? I know some people can do that. I wonder if my separate self is still there? I have had 4 awakenings, the first was when the sense of self disappeared forever, the next one I felt that I was the entire universe, next I became love, and a few months ago I had an awakening and now it feels like everything is me, or the Self, wherever I look I see that it is me so clearly, and I can meditate without thoughts. But of course, after each awakening we think we are done, because the initial honeymoon phase is so blissful How does it feel when the separate self is really gone?

You are a human. When you awaken you will be a human who knows that he is spirit, oneness, the Self. You still want to have a nice experience as a human and work to get what you want. Follow your feeling and intuition, this is more important than realizing the Self, because the intuition will help you be who you really are and do what you really want.

@WaveInTheOcean Yes, everything is the Self + I am not the body = It has been two weeks now, your awakening seems stable and permanent, very good! I had my awakening recently too, so we are both like infants, the integration is interesting but difficult for me, I have such a thirst for life now while living in this wonderful world of my Self, and when the ego/I-thought died my "control" or "restraints" disappeared which unleashed an old addiction, but it will be okay I will free myself from it. Have you got any problems with the integration?

Yes, that is Spira's definition of enlightenment, but he also say that after that there is an integration that needs to happen. The seeking will continue until this integration is finished, because the ego is still alive and it's nature is to seek.

There are people with almost no mental activity even though they are far from being enlightened, this is known in the field of psychology. These people suffer because of this because they have no creativity, they are "empty" in a bad way. However, after self-realization one can meditate without thoughts, it's the natural state for humans, we are not supposed to be addicted to thinking. One will still have creativity, ideas and can function like normal.

"Revolver" A movie about ego-death, it's silly but it depicts the ego and it's shenanigans quite accurately.

Interesting! I think Sahaja Yoga could help you get there. I like the Elohim, I asked Elohim Grace for help a few times and it worked! Now I'm wondering if my kundalini is raised to my crown chakra, I do see and feel that everything is the Self, and I can meditate without thoughts, but I haven't had any of those interesting kundalini-experiences you write about.

Yes I had the experience that everything feels familiar. I'm guessing you also have the sense of not being the body? That's amazing and it can become even stronger, that familiar feeling of the objects can turn into a never ending "everything is myself" feeling, and the sense of not being the body can also grow so strong that even the most powerful fears disappear, and the addiction to thinking will disappear, you can go for hours without thoughts if you want to at that stage. I think you should contemplate on the objects and that they feel familiar, but don't go into seeking, stay at the self-inquiry state of surrender, contemplate if it feels interesting and fun, also get spiritual transmissions, there are good ones for free on youtube, they enhance the contemplation. Blessing!

Yes, one of the good things about the non-duality teachings is that it doesn't force an awakening but instead prepares you for it to happen when the time is right and you are ready. Same thing with Buddhism, Sahaja Yoga, and other paths. There are people, even here on this forum who are self-realized and their kundalini has risen and is now resting in their crown chakra. However, the third eye can still be a bit inactive, and there is also a higher third eye chakra which is still inactive, so just because they are realized souls does not mean they have visions and things.

Are you speaking from the heart or the mind? What the mind believes today may change tomorrow, maybe one day you will ask a similar question. Or maybe you will talk about the weather or politics or movies. The heart will not judge, it is interested in you and values your experience.

@AlwaysBeNice Yea according to Ramaji, Benthino is at 700, at that level there's still an addiction to thinking and a seeking, and there is a feeling of having knowledge and wanting to teach the "others" but lacking that dynamic intuitive flow that teachers at 1000 has. I think Benthino is a good person though and he really does help people Yes I believe his family were Essenes. Sahaja Yoga is interesting, they also have classes in most big cities on the planet, and it's always for free. Jivanmukti is creating a modern Siddhanta Yoga lineage, it's very effective because of her powerful initiations and transmissions, it will have few but powerful teachers.

Hehe yes it's amazing to discover that these things are real. I'm open-minded but some experiences have just been so mind-blowing

Interesting topic. There is Mahavatar Babaji of course, however maybe he is too mysterious; we can only guess that the stories are true. A modern successful lineage is Ramaji and with his spiritual transmission, he has had few students because he only works 1on1 but so many of them succeed. Ramaji had his first awakening thanks to Ramesh Belsekar, so there is a connection to that lineage but the connection to Ramana Maharshi's lineage is stronger. Then there is the Essenes group which I think have awakened many, however they are also mysterious and unknown.

I think you have some misconceptions. You are a human, you want to have a nice experience. When you reach the step where everything becomes the Self; you will not pretend to not be a human, your individuality actually grows. You fully embrace this human experience and enjoy living in this world of your beloved Self. Only when everything is seen and felt to be the Self will the feeling of duality disappear, this "no one" state you talk about is actually limited, I'm not the only one who thinks so.

It's not loving. To say it's love may confuse people, it's too philosophical. It's okay, we are waking up and becoming more kind and peaceful, humanity is evolving!