Moksha

Through meditation, not by thinking what it would be like to withdraw the senses, but by letting go of thoughts entirely, and abiding in the silence of the Self.

@BlackMaze Seeing your true nature is only the first step of the spiritual journey. That realization doesn't instantly dissolve decades of conditioning. The real work of spirituality is learning to let go of our attachments, and surrender to the stillness of the Self.

It's said that the wise learn to withdraw their senses, as a tortoise draws in its limbs. The senses threaten to flood us from the spiritual path, but in stillness we discover the pure awareness that we are. The way to enlightenment is learning to remain aware, while reengaging with the phenomenal world. We are in it, and able to enjoy it, while realizing that we are not of it.

Realizing and surrendering to the divinity of the Self.

@Michiryoku Are you more likely to discover meaning by hiding from yourself, or by realizing your true identity? As I see it, the meaning of life is love, and love is who you ultimately are. It is already here, within you, waiting to be realized. There is nothing to fear about love.

@BlackMaze I agree. It is the difference between awakening and enlightenment. Realizing the Self is seeing the fire, and enlightenment is cooking upon it.

@sara373 Meditation has helped me develop the vigilance to remain present. Still, my greatest teacher has been suffering. You can meditate for decades and remain asleep. Suffering is the solvent of the ego. It is actually a gift in disguise, since it builds the courage necessary to let go of the conditioned mind. Human life is miraculous. When I say that it isn't ultimately real, it is not to diminish its beauty. The realization of our true nature actually makes life all the more precious. We are the same Self, appearing as separate beings, but no less holy for appearing as such.

@Terell Kirby ? @kamwalker So true. After years of suffering in the maelstrom of the mind, how liberating to discover the Self at the still center of the storm.

Yes. It is disconcerting to dissolve the illusion that we are our thoughts, when we have identified with them all of our lives. The ego thrives on thoughts, and the drama they create. It doesn't go down without a fight. Sometimes I feel like my brain is rewiring itself. It can be dizzying, and you have to pace your progress. When you discover the serenity of awareness, which is who you actually are, thoughts begin to lose their gravitational pull. Suffering prepares you for this serenity, and when you have suffered enough, you will finally be willing to surrender to the Self. It's more of an upward spiraling roller coaster than an effortless ascent. Your sincerity will be tested. It's all about the adventure of the ride. ?

It's impossible for the ego to bootstrap itself into a higher state, no matter how much time you give it. By nature, it is insatiable, and thrives on the chaos that it creates. Awakening happens when Consciousness makes it happen. You can prepare yourself for it, but Consciousness calls the shots. And yes, although rare, awakening can happen in a single day.

@Godishere Maybe I'm not understanding your self-reference, so let me ask: "yes I do believe that the cosmos dies with 'me'." Are you referring to the "you" that is typing on this forum, and thereby excluding the "me" that is responding to you? Or are you talking about the Self, which is the essence of both "you" and "me"? When you say, "I am the entire cosmos", it points to the latter, and if so I agree. Consciousness is all there is, including the apparent cosmos that it creates. Ultimately, you can't become infinite Consciousness because you already are. Consciousness doesn't change, it is nondual, and it is beyond time and space. It only appears to change, and creates the appearance of separate beings, who reside in a relative cosmos of time and space. It is all an appearance, not ultimate reality. When your apparent body is buried in the apparent ground, Consciousness still appears as other bodies not yet buried in the apparent ground. I don't know if you have awakened, but if so, when you look into the eyes of the people around you, what do you see? Like you, I can only speak to my direct experience. I see the sameness of myself in others, and the sameness of others in me. The apparent individuality is not ultimately real, and this can be realized even within the dream.

@Ry4n Well said. Consciousness creates the dream, and each form within the dream, for a reason. While human life isn't ultimately real, it is still Consciousness expressing itself, and as such is worthy of joy.

@Godishere I don't think you're narcissistic, was just making a general observation Solipsism is the belief that only your mind is sure to exist, and that other minds, as expressions of the same Consciousness, cannot be seen or confirmed. However, most spiritual traditions hold that the same Self inhabits a multitude of beings, within the dream. Not only this, but when you awaken to your true nature within the dream, you see this same Self in others. For example: They live in wisdom who see themselves in all and all in them. - Bhagavad Gita 2:55 The truth of the Self cannot come through one Who has not realized that he is the Self. The intellect cannot reveal the Self, Beyond its duality of subject And object. Those who see themselves in all And all in them help others through spiritual Osmosis to realize the Self themselves. - Katha 1.2.8 Absolutely, trust your direct experience over any teaching.

Is flying being the best, or is it being?

Not directed toward you, but this question feels like spiritual narcissism. Do people seriously believe that when your form dies, the entire cosmos dies along with you? I have 2 children, and yes, I have a will. Ultimately, we are all the same Consciousness. Still, we created the cosmos, and it will continue, regardless of the end of our apparent existence. The dream goes on. Solipsism, nihilism, and every other ism are products of the human mind failing to understand the infinite. Let go of the need to conceptualize, and lucidly enjoy the dream. Even dreams have meaning. TLDR: Write the will.

Make music. Who cares what you are born with, or not? Ask yourself what your true motivation is for making music. Is it for fame and money? Or does the music itself bring you joy? Fame and money will not bring fulfillment, even for the most gifted virtuoso. Making music for the joy of making music will.

Have you tried letting go of the thought that you don't exist, and simply being? It's all about presence. Sweet solitude from the constant chatter of the monkey mind.

Lack of empathy and love. Awakening is seeing the sameness of yourself in others, and narcissism is only seeing the value of yourself.

The afterlife is no less real than this life. Does the dream end when this form ends? I don't know. I've read some credible NDE's that suggest it may not. It's possible the dream continues, through your dream character, in another form. If you read the mystics, they believed that even within the dream, we create impressions that carry forward into another form. Eventually, when you are ready, the cycle stops and the dream ends. I have not directly realized this, but the Upanishads suggest the possibility: He who is dying merges in consciousness, and thus consciousness accompanies him when he departs, along with the impressions of all that he has done, experienced, and known. As a caterpillar, having come to the end of one blade of grass, draws itself together and reaches for the next, so the Self, having come to the end of one life and dispelled all ignorance, gathers in his faculties and reaches out from the old body to a new. *** When the dweller in the body breaks out In freedom from the bonds of flesh, What remains?... I will tell you Of this unseen, eternal Brahman, and What befalls the Self after death. Of those Unaware of the Self, some are born as Embodied creatures while others remain In a lower stage of evolution, As determined by their own need for growth.

In my experience, they are qualitatively different. Most of my dreams are run-of-the-mill processing of experience, but some few have been profound.

Ordinary dreams are the brain's way of processing experience. If you are worried about something, it often manifests itself in a dream. Extraordinary dreams go deeper. I have had dreams that tunnel through the subconscious, to the Self beyond. They can be a direct pathway to insights, creativity, and beauty that aren't normally available to the waking mind.

Presence. It is less a habit, than the decluttering of the dysfunctional habits you have developed over the course of your life.

The Self that you are is always aware. The human brain is not. Even in your deepest, dreamless sleep the Self within is still entirely aware. Pure awareness is what it actually is.

@Ry4n Great insights, you are on a good path. While it's true that insecurity can motivate you, it never delivers the fulfillment that it promises. When your life is aligned with the inner Self, it becomes more about the journey than the destination. The simplest moments are deeply satisfying in their own right. People waste so much of their lives chasing accomplishments, or numbing themselves to suffering. That's ok, it is part of the spiritual journey too. When we are finally ready, we realize the futility of looking for meaning outside of ourselves, and discover the abundance that is already within. You're young and have your whole life ahead of you. Couple of caveats to keep in mind. Be careful about developing the identity of an enlightened being, rather than letting go of identity entirely. If someone is truly enlightened, they have no need for self-esteem, because they are essentially transparent. They still have a personality, but rather than being defined by it, they are translucent and Consciousness shines through them. Also, realize that enlightenment is a lifelong journey. It's easy to fall into the trap of believing you have "seen the light!" and will never fall asleep again. For most of us, awakenings are punctuated by periods of unconsciousness. Especially when a deep awakening occurs, the ego becomes increasingly desperate, and it's not unusual to go through a dark night of the soul. Eventually, things smooth out, but be patient and kind to yourself in the process.

Consciousness is always aware, even when it seems not to be. It imagines moving between the dreaming and the waking state, but it is still aware, regardless of the apparent state. No matter where it swims, the fish never closes its eyes. ? It is said of these states of consciousness that in the dreaming state, when one is sleeping, the shining Self, who never dreams, who is ever awake, watches by his own light the dreams woven out of past deeds and present desires… But he is not affected by anything because he is detached and free; and after wandering here and there in the state of dreaming, enjoying pleasures and seeing good and evil, he returns to the state from which he began. As a great fish swims between the banks of a river as it likes, so does the shining Self move between the states of dreaming and waking.