Moksha

How do you quantify relative reality, when by definition, it is not objective? The mass and velocity of a given object are not reliably quantifiable; they depend entirely on the perceiver. We tell ourselves that the cosmos can be quantified, because we live within such a narrow band of reality that we rarely see evidence to the contrary. Einstein recognized relativity, but was unable to discover a unified field theory based on the scientific method. Ultimately, it is all Consciousness, in different states of Self-awareness. That fundamental truth cannot be proved by science, and is beyond conceptualization. It is only directly realized.

As a scientist, I hear you. But let's be honest. Science is great for predicting outcomes, within the narrow band of human existence. What happens beyond that band? The more you stretch it, the weaker it becomes, until it finally snaps. Einstein realized this. At the extremes, Newtonian mechanics start to fray. Instead of an objective cosmos, we realize that reality depends entirely on the perceiver. Given that, what can we say about siddhis? Sure, we can try to replicate them within a lab, but what does that prove about reality, at the extremes of human existence? Science doesn't grok ultimate reality. Direct realization is the science of Self-awareness

Not quite The conditioned mind controls you, as long as you are asleep to your ultimate nature. When you wake up, the mind becomes a conduit for unfiltered Consciousness. In either case, you are still Consciousness, just in different states of Self-awareness.

The Mind Illuminated provides a practical, systematic approach to mastering meditation. It is one of the best resources I have found on the subject. If you want to be in a perpetual state of presence, strengthen your spiritual muscles through meditation.

@AriSujan Here you go, if you're willing to put in the work. Monkeys don't tame easily.

What if the mind is simply a steed? Maybe the conditioned mind can be tamed, not merely as an ape in a circus, but as a conduit to Consciousness itself.

@Windappreciator The only surety is Self-realization. Everything else is monkey mind.

Conceptualization will get you nowhere, except...more conceptualization. It is the snake eating its own tail. Awakening requires the courage (some might call it desperation) to let go of the conditioned mind, and simply be. It is often born of suffering. You can ease the path to awakening by developing discipline through daily meditation. Learning about enlightenment is nothing. Practicing the path to enlightenment is everything.

Awakening is the realization that ultimately there is no "one" planning, and no "future" to be realized. You, the human being, are only relatively real. Not unimportant, and still worthy of celebration, but profoundly less significant than your ultimate nature. Good news is that ultimate and relative reality intersect. Even within the dream, you can wake up to your true nature, and move in a productive direction. Trapped by the conditioned mind, life is a desperate game of survival. Freed, life becomes a sandbox of discovery, fueled by the infinite creativity of Consciousness. The beauty of not being bound by the results of your actions is that you channel Consciousness itself. There is no ulterior motive, beyond the joy of the action. Ironically, letting go of the ulterior motive, often leads to greater profitability. Just don't make that a prerequisite to letting go, otherwise is it really letting go?

Enlightenment is the realization that ultimately, there is no flow. No movement, no change, no space, no time, and no separation. It is infinite Consciousness, in a profound state of perpetual potentiality. But hey, in relative reality it is all about the flow. Why else would Consciousness dream?

Well said. If a siddhi invokes the realization that anything is possible in relative reality, it can lead to the seeing of your own transience, as a separate being. It's like dodging bullets in the Matrix, and suddenly wondering who the character is that is doing the dodging. More commonly, thanks to the ego, siddhis represent a risk of self-identification, which only deepens the delusion of separation.

Does Consciousness have the capacity for siddhis? I see Consciousness as an infinite source of potentialities, so why would siddhis not be possible? Maybe Jesus walked on water, and maybe it is only a myth. Whether or not he did, does it discredit the possibility that in some relative dimension of reality, some being did? I don't see siddhis as a path to enlightenment. If anything, they are a distraction. It is tempting to identify with a siddhi, as if it somehow makes you superior to someone else. Jesus warned people about looking for signs, as evidence for their beliefs. If the dimension of Consciousness is only realized within, wouldn't siddhis carry the risk of derailment? I see them as fireworks, enjoyable for what they are, but still a transient expression of their ultimate source.

? You got it. Leo has resonated with many people, and my recommendation is to stay with him as long as you feel that resonance. Remain malleable, and go where spiritual growth takes you.

I could share with you which spiritual teachers have resonated the most as I have climbed the mountain, but it would only mislead you. The best teacher is the one that speaks to you now, based on where you are on the mountain trail. This has proven true for me. Teachers that seemed nonsensical at one point, suddenly became solar flares of Consciousness later, when I was ready. There is no objective standard for the best teacher, beyond the current resonance of that teacher with your spiritual journey. Your ideal teacher is probably different than mine, and will likely change as you continue toward Self-realization. Ask yourself whether, in this moment, the message of the teacher brings peace to your mind. If not, find another teacher. Better than a speech of a thousand vain words is one thoughtful word which brings peace to the mind. Better than a poem of a thousand vain verses is one thoughtful line which brings peace to the mind. Better than a hundred poems of vain stanzas is one word of the dharma that brings peace to the mind. - The Dhammapada 8:100-102 Peace to the mind is the present end of suffering. It is such a relief to realize that you are not your monkey mind, and never were. You only thought you were, until you saw the joke you played on yourself. Once you have crossed to the other shore, you will see that every teacher is merely a mosaic window into ultimate reality, and it is less about the artistic intricacies of the window, and all about the view.

Much appreciated, and thanks for your kind words ? @PepperBlossoms There is a classic line of research in psychology on just this issue. More recently, pyschologists are looking at how extrinsic factors can positively interact with internal motivation. For example, you might find this this article interesting. Nice to see science validating what the sages have known for millenia. Great passage from the Bhagavad Gita: You have the right to work, but never to the fruit of work. You should never engage in action for the sake of reward, nor should you long for inaction…Seek refuge in the attitude of detachment and you will amass the wealth of spiritual awareness. Those who are motivated only by desire for the fruits of action are miserable, for they are constantly anxious about the results of what they do. Internal inquiry reveals that you are already infinitely abundant as Consciousness itself. When actions arise out of presence, they are pure from any results they may produce. Ironically, such actions often lead to the most desirable outcomes in the world of form.

Thank you @Preety_India, just launched it on Monday If you have any suggestions on improvements, I appreciate it.

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I agree with her. The ego requires judgment in order to exist. It doesn't care if it is better than something, or worse than something, as long as it feels special. Superiority or inferiority equally empower it. The end of the ego is the Sub Ek realization that it is all the same, seamless Consciousness. The ego cannot stand equanimity.

You don't experience yourself as God; you are God. So is the chair you are sitting on. Ultimately, it is all the same Consciousness. Ask yourself, who is the "I" experiencing space and time?

@Blackhawk Acceptance of not knowing is the beginning of wisdom. The biggest obstacle to awakening is the demand of the conditioned mind to know. Your eyes open when you are ready, not to know, but to be. [The] things which had entirely filled my attention on that first occasion [chronicled in The Doors of Perception], I now perceived to be temptations – temptations to escape from the central reality into false, or at least imperfect and partial Nirvanas of beauty and mere knowledge. - Aldous Huxley

Mooji is not Neo-Advaitan. He has done the spiritual work, and sees clearly. When I hear him, I get this image of two eyes peering out of the void, like a lion in the grasses at night. He has the strength not to be pulled into the undercurrent of the conditioned mind. That strength doesn't come from watery Neo-Advaitan nonsense.

There are mini-awakenings, where you momentarily become entirely present. They are not so rare. Diving into the starry sky, holding a newborn infant in your arms, or contemplating a message that arises out of Consciousness itself, all can evoke moments of seeing clearly, beyond the conditioned mind. Even these snapshots are profound glimpses into our ultimate nature. These moments are precious precursors to "awakening", which is the sudden letting go of the apple from the tree, when it has finally become ripe. To answer your question, the feeling is the realization that you have been a pawn in a game of your own making, and when it happens, all you can do is laugh.

Agree 100%. Ultimately, there is no division, and no "out there". Consciousness is all there is.

Individuality is the lie.

If you were born in 1965, you're not "old". You don't even require for retirement, yet If you distill your 56 years into a single drop of wisdom, what would it be? For me, it is the realization that the conditioned mind is the source of suffering, and the purpose of life is to let go of this suffering through realizing the Self within. Awakening sounds mysterious until it happens, and then you wonder how you ever could have forgotten such a Self-evident truth.