MuadDib

Being A Spiritual Seeker, Good or Bad https://youtu.be/nCv416ofSGQ Misconceptions about spiritual seeking: Leo discusses common misconceptions about being a spiritual seeker. Some people resist the identity due to stereotypes, while others, including the enlightened, often advise against seeking altogether, suggesting everything one seeks is already present or that enlightenment is simple and doesn't require effort. Pragmatism in spiritual seeking: Leo adopts a pragmatic view, stating that one must actively seek to become enlightened. He shares his recent rigorous workshop experience to demonstrate that enlightenment can be hard work, involving intense contemplation and sometimes physical toll. Spiritual seeking as a hero's journey: He likens the spiritual journey to the hero's journey, its value lying in its circular nature. Leo argues that circular journeys are not pointless; they are essential for gaining new perspectives. The Alchemist as an illustration of spiritual seeking: Using "The Alchemist," Leo illustrates the circular journey in spirituality, where the protagonist's treasure was at home all along, signifying that the journey's lessons are the true rewards. Philosophy as part of Leo's journey: Reflecting on his four-year engagement with philosophy, Leo explains how he came full circle, realizing the limitations of philosophy and gaining a new perspective on truth beyond intellectual understanding. Individuality in the path to enlightenment: Leo emphasizes that the path to enlightenment is deeply personal, with each individual facing unique challenges and dead ends that ultimately contribute to growth and realization. Circularity of life: He discusses the circular pattern of life, from birth to death—starting as nothing and returning to nothing—and relates it to the natural cycles in the universe. Universality of the Hero's Journey: The story of Luke Skywalker from Star Wars is cited as an example of the hero's journey, where the process of growth, gaining insights, and overcoming obstacles is crucial and cannot be bypassed. Unique Paths to Enlightenment: Leo expresses that enlightenment paths are individualistic, with each person having their own set of problems, fears, and traumas to overcome. Enlightenment isn't about following a prescribed path by someone else; it is a personal journey that involves shedding one's own baggage and conquering inner demons through spiritual seeking. Three Rules for Spiritual Seekers: Leo outlines three rules to guide spiritual seekers and prevent them from getting lost: Cyclical Nature of the Journey: Recognize that seeking is a circular journey, leading back to where one started, emphasizing that enlightenment is an internal realization rather than a geographical or situational change. Seek Techniques, Not Beliefs: He warns against dogmatism and suggests focusing on learning techniques to discover truth independently rather than adopting beliefs from external sources. Comparing Spiritual Perspectives: He advises on the importance of studying a broad spectrum of spiritual traditions, comparing and contrasting to piece together a more complete understanding of spirituality and enlightenment, while avoiding dogmatic attachments to any single path. Enlightenment as an Independent Inner Journey: Leo drives home the point that enlightenment is an inner journey that cannot be found in books or through others' teachings, but must be discovered personally through techniques, not beliefs or dogmas. Quality of Spiritual Teachers: He suggests a litmus test for good spiritual teachers is whether they provide techniques instead of preachings and deflect questions to encourage personal discovery, rather than providing ready-made answers. Avoiding Dogma through Diverse Perspectives: Mentioning the graves model from his previous work, Leo underscores the importance of being open to multiple perspectives, piecing together partial truths rather than subscribing to one absolute truth, aiming for richer and more complete enlightenment. Long-term Commitment to Understanding Life: Leo invites viewers to engage with his content regularly, promising that over time, this will lead to life-altering realizations, significant epiphanies, and possibly enlightenment. He emphasizes the practical application of psychological concepts for genuine life fulfillment, distinct from superficial success. Promoting a Satisfying Life through Learning: Leo states that by chipping away at understanding with his content, viewers will not only become self-help enthusiasts but also experience significant improvements in satisfaction and happiness in their lives, culminating in a meaningful enlightenment. Reparo

The Grand Model Of Psychological Evolution - Clare Graves & Spiral Dynamics https://youtu.be/23aDNBvn_2g Introduction to the Model of Psychological Evolution: Leo dives deep into the Grand model of psychological evolution, building upon Clare Graves' research, and alluding to further elaborations by theorists like Beck, Cohen, and Ken Wilber. This model explains the structured unfolding of the human psyche and offers valuable insight into personal and societal development. Significance and Applications of the Model: Leo highlights the model's utility in recognizing patterns in personal evolution and in understanding human behaviors and societal issues. The roadmap provided by this model allows individuals to anticipate challenges in their growth journey. It underpins the irrationality of human actions, relationship troubles, social and political discord, and facilitates effective communication and leadership strategies by understanding psychological standpoints. The Directionality of Psychological Development: Developmental psychology suggests that the psyche evolves in a predictable direction without regressing. Leo cites Carol Gilligan's research on feminine morality as evidence of the directional nature of psychological maturity, which evolves progressively across moral reasoning, spirituality, and societal attitudes. Clare Graves' Contributions and the Basis of Spiral Dynamics: Clare Graves' intensive research, primarily through interviews and assessments of undergraduate students, revealed directional patterns in values and the evolution thereof. This finding forms the backbone of developmental psychology and the precursor to the Spiral Dynamics model, later refined and color-coded by Beck and Cohen. Stage of Development - Beige: The 'beige' stage is related to basic survival needs and instincts similar to those of infants and certain mentally ill individuals. The transformational dilemma at this stage involves learning to interact with others for collective survival, marking the transition from isolated existence to community-oriented behavior. Stages of Development - Practical Understanding: Recognizing each stage and the associated transformational dilemmas provides practical guidance for personal development. Each stage has its distinctive worldview and challenges that must be overcome to progress, highlighting the importance of this model for both personal growth and addressing societal challenges. Beige to Purple Stage Evolution: The beige stage of survival transitions to the purple stage, known as Magic Tribal, where the need for collective survival leads to the formation of the first tribal groups. This stage is characterized by a mysterious view of the world, lacking scientific knowledge, and features behaviors focused on tribal protection and supernatural beliefs. Characteristics of Purple Stage: In the purple stage, people's identities are tied to the tribe rather than individuality. They perceive the world through a primitive lens featuring ancestral spirits, good and evil dichotomies based on tribal alliances and enemies, and engage in magical rituals for protection and appeasement of gods. Examples of Purple Stage: Examples of the purple stage can be found in remote tribes in the Amazon or Africa, practices like voodoo, clan warfare, folk remedies, and the figure of the witch doctor or medicine man. Transformational Dilemma of Purple Stage: The dilemma for progressing from the purple stage is the deep identification with the tribe, which has to be let go. Individuals must overcome the suppression of their individuality and the habitual sacrifice for the tribal community to move to the next stage. Transition to Red Stage: The red stage, characterized by egocentric power, follows purple. Individuals at this stage are self-serving, seeking immediate power and gratification, often at the cost of others and societal norms—a stage of dictators and criminals. Red Stage Behavior: Individuals in the red stage are impulsive, use physical force to dominate, disregard rules and social norms, and are focused on personal gains, often exemplified by gang leaders, mafias, and villaionous figures from fiction like James Bond antagonists. Unsustainability of Red Stage: The red stage, while powerful, is unsustainable due to the inevitability of resistance against dictatorial and aggressive behaviors. It tends to destroy relationships and ultimately harms the ruler themselves, propelling them towards a need for change and a more organized society. Alternate Pattern of the Psyche: The psyche alternates between self-centric (me) and community-centric (other) stages. From beige's self-focus, to purple's community focus, back to red's self-focus, with the expectation that the next stage will once again focus on the community or society. Stage Recognition and Conflict: Stages are often blind to their existence, and there is active disdain between sequential stages. This gives rise to transformational dilemmas that drive evolution from one stage to the next in a rigid sequence that cannot be skipped for true development. Blue Stage Features: The absolutist or conformist blue stage arises from the chaos of red, emphasizing civilization built on tradition, rule of law, belief in good and evil, and cultural superiority. It introduces bureaucracy, rigid thinking, and an emphasis on societal sacrifice. Blue Stage Consequences: Those in the blue stage tend to convert or confront other civilizations to the point of incarceration or death for rule-breakers. Cultural closed-mindedness is prevalent, and any opposition or new evidence against traditional beliefs is met with harsh responses. Identification with Psychological Stages: As Leo discusses the 'blue' stage, viewers may start to recognize their own thinking patterns within this or other stages. The earlier stages (beige, purple, red) are less common in modern civilization, but blue and the stages that follow are more relatable to contemporary society. Viewing Lower Stages with Disdain: It's noted that people at higher stages often look down on earlier stages, perceiving them as rigid, dogmatic, or black and white in their thinking. This dynamic contributes to many historical and current conflicts. Insight into Psychological Evolution: A key insight is recognizing that all stages are viewed negatively by stages above them, leading to the realization that no stage is the pinnacle of development and that higher stages exist. Examples of the "Blue" Stage: Leo cites the Islamic world, particularly the Iranian government, as well as various forms of religious fundamentalism (including in America's Bible Belt), as examples of the blue stage, describing them as traditional, rigid, and conformist. Zen Buddhism is also curiously positioned in this stage due to its structured approach to spirituality. Transformational Dilemma for "Blue" Stage: The main challenges for the blue stage in moving forward are the rigidity of black and white thinking, cultural insularity, and the desire for individual success that emerges after substantial self-sacrifice for society. Oppressive societal hierarchies also motivate individuals to seek change. Introduction to the "Orange" Stage: Orange, succeeding blue, represents individualism and is associated with scientific progress and material success. It is characterized by achievements in business and science, resonating with most of Western society and the viewer demographic. "Orange" as Success and Comfort: Those at the orange stage aim for comfort through material abundance, scientific progress, and individual expression. Business and economic growth become central, and power shifts from government to markets. Characteristics of the "Orange" Stage: While orange individuals may care about others up to a point, their actions often lean towards materialism, manipulation, or exploitation for personal success, contrasting with outright aggression seen in the red stage. Examples of "Orange" Stage Thinking: Wall Street, CEOs with exorbitant salaries, modern businessmen, scientists, and politicians engaging in corruption are cited as examples of orange stage thinking, emphasizing personal success over collective welfare. Transformational Dilemma of the "Orange" Stage: The pursuit of material wealth leads to the realization that it does not guarantee happiness. Awareness grows concerning the negative impact of selfish behavior on other people and the environment, prompting a move towards the green stage. Shift to the "Green" Stage: The green stage is marked by a pendulum swing back towards communal concerns, with a focus on humanistic values, peace, love, and the rejection of shallow materialism. Priorities shift from material success to human connection, understanding, and environmental consciousness. Transition to Green and Challenges: The transition to Green involves recognizing the limitations of materialism and the harm caused by previous stages, with a push towards empathy, cooperation, and a more holistic approach to life. However, there could be idealism and insufficient pragmatism in addressing global issues. Green Stage's Ideals: The 'green' stage focuses on environmentalism, communal empathy, and the protection of cultural diversity. Green thinkers emphasize sharing, caring, and recognizing the validity of other cultures. They reject the idea of cultural superiority and stress the importance of helping the less fortunate. Characteristics of Green Thinking: Green individuals advocate for fair wages, workers' rights through unions, environmental conservation, and the protection of endangered species. They prioritize sustainable business practices and empathize with both human and non-human organisms. Green Perspective in Leadership: A green CEO would strive for sustainability in business operations, make conscious decisions that may sacrifice short-term profits for long-term benefits, and aim to educate shareholders about ethical considerations. Examples of Green Orientation: Democrats, hippies, New Agers, Greenpeace, liberals, social workers, and academics tend to skew towards green values. Support groups and spiritual Meetup groups are also cited as green-oriented entities. Limitations of Green Ideology: While green values are compassionate, this stage can be overly idealistic, lacking practical solutions for global problems. Green spirituality is sometimes perceived as shallow and lacking depth, raising concerns about the efficacy of green approaches in solving complex issues. Orange Stage's Transformational Dilemma: Orange individuals must confront the selfishness and materialism that prevent them from advancing to higher stages. The realization of their impact on others and the environment can lead to an expanded circle of concern and a transition into the green stage. Introduction of Tier Two with Yellow Stage: Yellow represents the beginning of Tier Two thinking. It is characterized by systemic thinking, an awareness of all previous stages, and a complex view of life that rejects absolute truths and embraces multiple perspectives. Yellow Stage's Approach to Problem-Solving: Yellow thinkers see world problems as systemic rather than personal, advancing the idea that society must create better structures and systems. They value knowledge, competency, and multiple perspectives over hierarchy for more effective leadership. Examples of Yellow Thinkers: Personalities like Eben Pagan and Ken Wilber are cited as individuals operating within the yellow paradigm, which is marked by intellectual complexity and a responsible approach to personal development. Limitations and Transformational Dilemma of Yellow Stage: While thoughtful, yellow can be overly intellectual, sometimes leading to inaction. Yellow individuals must acknowledge this stagnation and work to transcend into further stages of development. Progressing to Turquoise Stage: The turquoise stage expands concerns to a global level and integrates rational, emotional, and intuitive insights. It opens up a deep, non-dogmatic understanding of spirituality, but details of this stage remain less understood due to its rarity and complexity. Importance of Overcoming Ego Tricks: Recognizing one's true stage is essential as the ego may trick individuals into believing they are at a higher stage than they are. Accurate self-assessment is crucial to genuinely moving through the stages of development. Relevance of Personal Development Models: Understanding the stages of psychological evolution and consciousness through models like Spiral Dynamics provides a structure for assessing one's growth and can aid in addressing societal and environmental issues by applying the concepts in real-world contexts. Ego's Self-Placement in Developmental Stages: Leo warns that one's ego tends to cause misjudgment of which psychological stage of development they are in, often considering themselves to be two stages higher than their actual stage. This misperception can lead to undervaluing earlier stages and claiming a more advanced stage prematurely. Personal Distribution Across Stages: Individuals can embody a mixture of traits across various psychological stages. For example, one might be a combination of 30% orange, 20% green, and other percentages of different colors. This distribution varies according to personal growth and contexts, suggesting that development is multifaceted rather than linear. Different axes of development: Personal development occurs along various lines, including morality, spirituality, cognition, emotions, relationships, and sexuality, with each line having distinct stages. This creates a complex matrix for an individual's psychological profile, indicating that growth must be balanced across multiple dimensions. The Need for Incremental Progress: Leo emphasizes that stages of development cannot be skipped; progressing naturally through each stage is necessary for authentic development. Individuals and societies need to experience and move beyond the limitations of each stage to evolve higher. Global Challenges and the Stages Relation: Misunderstanding and conflicts between stages lead to many of the world's problems, such as violence, wars, and environmental crises. Recognition and appreciation of these stages are critical for reducing global issues and advancing collective human development. Strategies for Utilizing the Psychological Model: Leo suggests practical applications for the growth model, including taking actionable steps to immerse oneself in environments or communities that represent higher stages to facilitate personal growth. Similarly, businesses and organizations can leverage this model for sustainable evolution. The Urgency for Transition to Tier Two Thinking: The movement from tier one (orange and green) to tier two (yellow) is crucial. Yellow thinkers understand the complexity of different stages, which can help solve world problems and encourage strong, informed leadership for both individuals and organizations. Reframing World Views as Moving from Dogmatic to Open-Mindedness: Transitioning to higher stages involves relinquishing rigid beliefs in absolute truths and adopting a nuanced perspective that respects multiple viewpoints. This approach can deconstruct limiting beliefs, fostering greater open-mindedness necessary for personal and global advancement. Future Content and Growth Perspective: Leo plans to discuss this model and its practical application in future content. He also encourages viewers to examine the world through a yellow perspective – one that prioritizes multiple perspectives, systemic thinking, and flexibility in understanding and solving complex issues. Petrificus Totalus

I took it on an empty stomach in the afternoon . I started playing background music in my earphones. It's sounds of the ice recorded by this women in Scandinavia. I absolutely love it, it's simultaneously terrifying, soothing and entrancing. I went for a short walk to center myself before effects kicked in. After 5 minutes I felt energy shimmering through my spine and I made some spontaneous free flowing Kriya movements to dissipate it and welcome the nourishment into my consciousness. After the walk I lay down in a dimly lit room, listening to the sounds. I began to notice the divinity gleaming through all the mundane objects of my room. Some pens on my desk, my clothes hanging up; simply beautiful, radiant and iridescent. I began to feel myself being thrust under the ice, the cold cutting through my being like butter. It took me to some painful memories, mercilessly and righteously eviscerating them with each sounding crack. Flaying me into thinly sliced and moreish delicacy. As I lay there, I happened upon my reflection in a mirror. I watched my face age and saw myself die, my consciousness evacuating my skull and inhabiting another. I watched the process again, with a new face across a thousand lifetimes. Each wrinkle housing the countless temptations to which I had succumbed, Each burial the countless trespasses made against me. All forgiven, all accepted, all seen and understood and the immeasurable growth and expansion it generates. In my heartbeat I felt the movement of mountains giving way to small streams In my tears Love gushed forth into raging rivers, flowing down into the thirsty souls of all my lives. With each breath I savored the orgasms of a trillion lovers from the beds of amoebas to the slow pulsating songs of whales. That was from a 2 star sushi train back home, lookin for a good place around vegas, yo.

Meditation On Steroids - How To Get The FASTEST Meditation Gains https://youtu.be/cub6kY0oHZc Strong Determination Sitting technique: Leo describes Strong Determination Sitting as an intense meditation practice where you sit motionless for a long time (1-2 hours or more), learned from Zen master Shinzen Young. The practice involves surpassing physical discomfort and mental challenges and is a potential fast-track to Enlightenment. Zen tradition and physical endurance: Leo shares stories of the Marathon Monks of Mount Hiei in Japan, who practice extreme physical and mental activities, such as 100-day cycles of long-distance walking in meditation, demonstrating incredible human endurance and potential for consciousness expansion. Benefits of Strong Determination Sitting: Leo expresses that the technique helps one confront the weakness of the mind in Western societies. By enduring the practice, a meditator can experience heightened concentration, calmness, and transcendence, uncovering flaws in one's happiness and understanding of happiness in Western culture. Extent of personal meditation practice: After 2.5 years of meditating for an hour every day, Leo managed to achieve a 90-minute Strong Determination Sit, highlighting the difficulty and transformative power of the practice for those who persevere through physical pains and mental distractions. Conflation of happiness with presence: Leo critiques the Western perception of happiness, asserting that true happiness is not found in entertainment, stimulation, or love, but in complete presence and unity with the moment and reality, an experience that Strong Determination Sitting can offer. Significance of happiness and its pursuit: He challenges the effectiveness of commonly pursued happiness strategies, suggesting that the inability to be still and happy for even one hour reveals a fundamental flaw and misunderstanding of what true happiness entails. Misconception about monk practices and happiness: Leo argues that the intense meditation practiced by monks, which appears as self-torture, is fundamentally about training to be happy and non-resistant in the present moment, regardless of circumstances. Essence of meditation: According to Leo, the ultimate goal of meditation is to 'merge with reality,' suggesting that this union with the present moment enables profound happiness or bliss beyond ordinary experiences. Western worldview challenge: Leo invites the audience to juxtapose the happiness achieved through monastic practices with Western pursuits of happiness, questioning the effectiveness of typical Western strategies for achieving true contentment. Self-assessment of happiness: He challenges viewers to test their ability to sit peacefully for an hour as an indicator of their psychological state and questions the effectiveness of their current life strategies in achieving happiness. Rotten psyche and pursuit of happiness: Leo critiques the modern pursuit of happiness as faulty if it does not lead to peace and happiness in simplicity, suggesting that discomfort with being present indicates a 'rotten' mind or psyche. Litmus test for Enlightenment: He proposes that the ability to sit at ease and happily for extended periods without distraction can serve as a practical, albeit not conclusive, test for one's level of Enlightenment. Reconciliation with reality and psychological resistance: Leo describes the process of sitting still and facing discomfort as a method to align the mind with the ever-changing present moment, countering the human tendency to resist change. Concept of mind purification: He shares Shinzen Young's formula that purification equals pain multiplied by mindfulness, which serves to purge the subconscious mind of resistance to the present. Meditation compared to psychotherapy: Meditation is likened to psychotherapy but performed on a subtler, moment-to-moment basis, purging the mind of past traumas and embracing the present. Appreciation of spiritual disciplines: Leo calls for a reevaluation of Eastern spiritual disciplines, asserting that they are effective psychological tools that can substantially purify the mind and improve well-being. Pain, Resistance, and Suffering: Leo explains that suffering is the result of pain times resistance; reducing resistance to zero can, surprisingly, eliminate pain itself, transforming suffering into pleasure and happiness. Illustration of Resistance Concept: Leo shares an anecdote from Peter Ralston, an enlightened individual, who had a root canal without anesthesia, smiling through the procedure by completely embracing the pain through mindfulness, thus eliminating suffering. Degrees and Measures of Enlightenment: Enlightenment is defined by Leo as full presence in the moment without self or resistance, and he clarifies that there are varying levels of enlightenment, which can be profoundly deepened through dedicated practice. Relationship Between Pain, Suffering, and Spiritual Work: Leo considers the transformation of one's relationship with pain and suffering as a crucial aspect of spiritual work because constant resistance and fear lead to a life of avoidance and anxiety. Technique of Strong Determination Sitting: Leo introduces Strong Determination Sitting as an intense practice where you sit through physical discomfort without movement, leading to breakthrough moments where suffering suddenly vanishes due to the cessation of egoic resistance. Raising the Bar with Meditation: Leo suggests that intensive meditation practices, like Strong Determination Sitting, can reveal how low we set the bar for ourselves and greatly improve the quality of life by embracing and transforming discomfort. Intensive Meditation Recommendation: As a way to escalate meditation practice and progress towards enlightenment, Leo proposes doing four one-hour sits per day for a week, which can super-charge one’s meditation routine and mindfulness capabilities. Purpose of Meditation and True Happiness: The ultimate goal of these practices, according to Leo, is to achieve a state of happiness in everyday life, not just to prove endurance on a meditation cushion. By controlling and knowing oneself deeply, one can experience true happiness and gain almost magical abilities to shape life. Engagement with Actualized.org: Leo encourages viewers to engage with the resources on Actualized.org, where he aims to provide deep psychological insights and practical knowledge for achieving true happiness, self-awareness, and self-control. Riddikulus

Meditation Techniques Do Nothing - The Simplest Meditation Possible https://youtu.be/e4yipKfO8nA Overview of 'Do Nothing' Technique: Leo introduces the 'Do Nothing' meditation technique, praising its ease and effectiveness. He notes substantial personal gains using this method and emphasizes that it's suitable for both novice and advanced meditators, making the process enjoyable and less frustrating. Defining the Meditation Session Setup: Leo explains the preparation for the 'Do Nothing' meditation: finding a comfortable seated position, using a timer to set meditation duration (suggesting beginners start with 10-20 minutes), and centering oneself with a few deep breaths before starting. Core Instructions for 'Do Nothing' Technique: The essence of the 'Do Nothing' technique is complete acceptance and letting go of control. The practitioner allows thoughts, feelings, and sensations to arise without resistance, accepting all aspects of the present moment and surrendering control of the mind's focus. Simplicity and Effectiveness of the Technique: Leo describes the 'Do Nothing' technique as deceptively simple yet remarkably effective. It's hard to perform incorrectly; the only mistake is to try to control or direct the mind with intention, such as striving to attain enlightenment. Effortless and Enjoyable Meditation: This technique is praised for being effortless and requiring no particular skill, which makes it ideal even when tired or distressed. Additionally, it's enjoyable and doesn't demand years of practice to appreciate, although initial sessions may be challenging. Resistance and Acceptance in Meditation: Early practice may provoke frustration and worry, as the mind is accustomed to a constant state of activity. With continuous practice, the technique allows the mind's chatter to slow down naturally and become steady. Amplifying Mind’s Freedom: Leo uses the analogy of releasing a pent-up monkey with hand grenades to illustrate the freedom this technique gives to the mind. The mind may produce extreme or wild thoughts initially, representing the release of controlled thoughts accumulated over time. Ego's resistance to losing control: The ego, which thrives on control, resists the 'Do Nothing' technique's approach to relinquish control over the mind, sometimes testing its boundaries to verify the extent of the newfound freedom. Physical control versus mental control: While the 'Do Nothing' technique involves releasing mental control, maintaining physical control is emphasized, such as keeping a steady posture and eyes open to prevent sleepiness. Recognizing the intent to control thoughts: Upon realizing you're lost in thoughts, the natural response is to try to focus, but the technique instead calls for recognizing and releasing the intention to control the mind. Consistency in Meditation Practice: To build a meditation habit, Leo advises practicing daily without missing any days, starting with sessions of 10 or 20 minutes each. Normalization of Monkey Mind during meditation: Sessions dominated by the monkey mind are still considered valuable meditation; mistakenly believing that an active mind equates to failure is a misconception. Embracing the present moment and physical relaxation: Accepting the present moment without resistance and loosening the jaw to relax the body are beneficial practices during meditation. Handling expectations and judgment in meditation: It's challenging to measure progress with the 'Do Nothing' technique, and one must resist the urge to judge their meditation sessions too early—they should commit to at least a month. Purging the mind through meditation: Meditation can be seen as a purging process for the subconscious, with periods of anxiety and mental unrest eventually leading to moments of calm as release occurs. Challenging societal perceptions of meditation: Some may feel guilty for apparently 'wasting' time on meditation, but consistent practice can reshape an overactive mind into a calmer state, an achievement Leo compares to the discipline of regular gym workouts. 30-day 'Do Nothing' Meditation Challenge: Reiterating the effectiveness of building a steady practice, Leo suggests a 30-day challenge of the 'Do Nothing' technique for noticeable changes in mental and emotional stability. Engagement and resource availability: Leo encourages interaction through comments and shares, invites viewers to sign on his newsletter, and highlights the wealth of self-improvement resources available on his website actualize.org, aiming to support viewers on their self-actualization journey. Incendio

Masculinity vs Femininity - Psychology Of The Male & Female Mind https://youtu.be/SmeDDN1_TSQ "Man minus woman equals pig. Woman minus man equals lunatic." - Aldous Huxley Misinterpretations of Masculine and Feminine Behavior: Leo explains how men and women often misunderstand each other by treating the opposite sex as if they were the same as their own. He uses the metaphor of expecting a cat to act like a dog to illustrate how such misunderstandings occur. This mistake can be deeply rooted in relationships and leads to conflict. Gender Differences are Biological, Not Just Cultural: Leo insists that gender differences are based on biology, physiology, and genetics. These differences are profound and not just socially or culturally constructed. Understanding these differences is critical for navigating relationships. The Spectrum of Masculine and Feminine Polarity: Leo introduces the concept of a spectrum with full masculinity at one end and full femininity at the other, with a range in between. He emphasizes that individuals can fall anywhere on this spectrum, which affects how they behave and interact with others. External Appearance vs. Internal Psychology: Leo discusses the difference between one's physical gender and psychological traits. He clarifies that a person can physically be one gender but psychologically align with the opposite gender's traits, adding complexity to gender dynamics. Treating People According to Gender Understanding: Leo warns of the problems that arise when a person treats someone from the opposite sex as if they were the same gender as themselves, especially in intimate relationships. Understanding where others fall on the masculine-feminine spectrum can prevent these issues. Impact of the Feminist Movement and Over-equalization: He critiques the notion of treating everyone equally in all contexts, suggesting that it can lead to an overreaction that ignores inherent biological and psychological differences, particularly in intimate relations, despite its benefits in terms of civil rights. Personal Stories and Journey of Understanding: Leo recounts his personal experiences and observations, which led to his understanding of gender dynamics, and urges his audience to consider these differences in their own relationships to avoid misunderstandings and conflicts. Gender Neutral Misconception: Leo discusses the societal pressure to treat all individuals as gender neutral, noting the biological and psychological differences between genders that contrast with this notion. Personal Experience with Romantic Relationships: Sharing his story, Leo explains his initial lack of romantic involvement, his subsequent interest in developing relationships, and his surprise at the asymmetry between male-female dynamics in intimacy. Concept of 'Asymmetrical but Balanced': Introducing a concept from game design, Leo illustrates how different resources or traits can be balanced without being identical, using the concept to describe the complementary nature of masculine and feminine energies. Yin Yang Symbol as a Representation: Leo uses the Yin Yang symbol to describe the balance of masculine and feminine energies, emphasizing that equality does not entail exact sameness but rather complementary differences. Brain Development and Gender Differences: Leo cites research indicating that the default human brain is emotion-focused (female brain) and how testosterone introduced during pregnancy modifies the brain's development, resulting in a more specialized, logical (male) brain. Male vs. Female Thinking: He explains that men's brains are specialized for systematic and logical thinking, whereas women's brains are better at emotional thinking, empathy, and understanding subtle emotional cues. Hormonal Influence on Brain Physiology: Discussing the impact of varying testosterone and estrogen levels during prenatal development, Leo shows how these can place individuals along the masculinity-femininity spectrum. Fruit Fly Gene Splicing Study: Leo references a study where manipulating the brain genes of fruit flies led male flies with female brains to exhibit female behaviors and vice versa, underscoring biological underpinnings for behaviors. Biological Basis for Gender Behaviors: Emphasizing that gender differences are not solely cultural, Leo suggests men's logic-based brains are suited for building and construction, while women's emotion-based brains are apt for nurturing and raising children. Chimp and Bonobo Society Differences: Leo talks about the distinction between male-dominated chimp societies and female-dominated bonobo societies, noting how each species' gender-based power structures reflect inherent gender differences. Chimp vs. Bonobo Societies - Gender Power Dynamics: Chimps have a male-dominated, violent society where power is achieved through physical strength, aggression, and lethal conflicts among males. In contrast, bonobos have a female-dominated, peaceful society where power is maintained through relationship-building, love, and frequent sexual activity for bonding rather than just for reproduction. Impact on Human Societal Dynamics: These primate behaviors provide insight into human societies, suggesting that whether a society is male or female-led can significantly influence its dynamics and attitudes toward power and relationships. Evolutionary Specialization of Sexes: Evolution has led to a specialization among sexes, dividing labor in ways that historically made family life more efficient, with men typically procuring resources and vying for power, and women focusing on building long-term relationships and raising children. Preferences and Attitudes Reflect Biology: Gura suggests our preferences and attitudes toward life have biological underpinnings, indicating that the different desires between genders are not purely cultural but also have a physiological basis, as exemplified by different behaviors starting from early childhood. Natural Desires vs. Cultural Norms: The tendency for girls to prefer pink and boys blue is used as an example of natural desires that might arise from inherent gender differences in the brain, rather than solely from cultural norms. Example of Gender Differences in Society: Gura notes a disparity in the gender distribution in fields like engineering and computer science, arguing that it reflects a natural preference in men for systematic thinking rather than solely the result of discrimination or societal pressure. Child Rearing and Gender Suitability: Women are posited to be naturally better suited for child-rearing due to the male mind being described as more logic-focused and detached—akin to a mildly autistic version of the female mind—attributes which are less effective in the nurturing and empathetic tasks required for child-rearing. Criticism of Dismissing Emotions: Men often undervalue the importance of emotions and relationships. Gura argues that the emotional and relational capabilities of women are crucial for society, highlighted by examples of negative outcomes for children deprived of maternal affection. Difficulty in Accepting Gender Differences: Both men and women struggle to accept each other's inherent tendencies and contributions to society, often misunderstanding or undervaluing traits like emotional expression or detachment and sexuality. Challenges for Men and Women: Men may struggle to commit to one partner due to their logical perspective treating everything, including relationships, as objects. Women may find it difficult to accept men's more detached and sexual nature, seeking deeper emotional commitment. Refusal to Acknowledge Emotional Language: Men often see women as complicated and too emotional, which causes misunderstandings because men prioritize logic over emotion, while women do the opposite. Perspective Taking Challenge: Leo urges people to see the opposite sex from their perspective rather than their own, identifying resistance to this as the source of many misunderstandings and conflicts. Fascinating Insight About Minds: Boys favor logic even if it hurts feelings, while girls prefer to uphold feelings at the expense of breaking logic—shedding light on fundamental differences in male and female thinking. Projection of Preferences: People mistakenly assume the opposite sex shares their attractions and preferences due to a general psychological tendency to project one’s experiences onto others, leading to false expectations. Gender-Specific Interests: Not recognizing the difference in preferences between sexes can create relationship problems; for example, men and women typically enjoy different activities, such as computer algorithms vs. arts and crafts. Acceptance and Integration: Leo advises moving beyond resistance by accepting and celebrating differences between sexes in intimate relationships to improve understanding and connection. Actionable Research and Observation: Recommendations include conducting research, observing gender interactions, and dating more people to better grasp and celebrate these differences. Visualization Exercises: Leo guides men and women through separate visualizations to experience surrender (for men) and domination (for women), highlighting the resistance to adopting the opposite sex's perspective and its implications on relationships. Identifying Relationship Breakdowns: Describing a scenario where a man tries to fix a woman’s problem instead of providing emotional support, Leo illustrates how misunderstanding each other's needs can strain relationships. Criticizing Emotional Needs: Leo explains that when men offer logical solutions to women's emotional issues, it can feel like criticism of their femininity. Women prefer to express and experience emotions, not suppress them for the sake of logic. Expecting Emotional Openness: Leo discusses how women might push men to share their feelings when they prefer to be alone. When men are told to express emotions, they feel coerced into abandoning their masculinity. Misalignment of Emotional Expectations: Leo points out that relationship conflicts often stem from each gender wanting the other to possess traits of their own gender—like men wishing their feminine partners had masculine inner qualities, and vice versa. Appreciating Genuine Self: Leo emphasizes the importance of appreciating the authentic nature of one's partner. Respecting a man's need for solitude or a woman's emotional expression without trying to change them can lead to harmony in relationships. Nurturing Gender Strengths: By understanding and playing to each other's inherent masculine and feminine strengths, relationships can flourish. This involves letting women feel cherished and allowing men to feel respected as providers and protectors. Implementing Understanding into Actions: Leo shares practical examples like listening to a woman vent without trying to fix her problems and giving a man space without pressuring him. These actions, based on understanding, can significantly improve relational dynamics. Exercise to Enhance Relationships: Leo suggests viewers write down and reflect on what they need to accept and integrate about the opposite sex that they've previously ignored, which can help break down barriers to closer connections. Continuous Learning for Fulfillment: Leo concludes by inviting the audience to further explore understanding themselves and others. He promotes his platform, actualized.org, as a resource for achieving deep psychological insight for a more successful and fulfilling life. Polyjuice Potion

Using Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs To Self-Actualize https://youtu.be/ojC0HlclnW0 Introduction to Maslow's Hierarchy: Leo introduces the concept of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, describing it as a pyramid which individuals are expected to ascend as they grow and develop psychologically. Image 1 Physiological and Safety Needs: The first two levels of the pyramid are identified as physiological needs (such as air, food, water, sex, excretion) and safety needs (including physical safety, employment, and resources for sustenance). Love, Belongingness, and Esteem Needs: As one ascends the pyramid, the next tiers involve love and belongingness (good friendships, family, sexual intimacy) and esteem needs (self-esteem, confidence, peer respect, and achievements). Self-Actualization and Self-Transcendence: The pinnacle of Maslow's hierarchy involves self-actualization (morality, creativity, acceptance of facts, truth, awareness, and contribution) and the additional aspect of self-transcendence, which is related to true spirituality and enlightenment. Societal Stagnation at Lower Hierarchy Levels: Leo highlights that society is stunted with most people trapped at the lower levels of the hierarchy, leading to gaps even in foundational issues like employment and safety, which prevents them from working towards self-actualization. Assessing Personal Gaps in the Hierarchy: He recommends a self-assessment to identify which needs are fulfilled and which are lacking, revealing that many might struggle with aspects as basic as sex, safety, or employment. Implications of Unfulfilled Lower Needs: People who do not address lower hierarchy needs cannot focus on higher-level aspirations like creativity or societal contribution, leading to a life of poor awareness and mediocre contributions to society. Path to Success through Fulfillment of Needs: Leo suggests that success should be redefined as growth and expansion rather than just comfort and luxury. Achieving success creates a foundation for higher self-actualization and self-transcendence. Tragedy of Unidentified Gifts and Talents: The lack of identification and development of personal gifts and talents leads to a lack of passion, resulting in mediocre jobs, missed opportunities for mastery and significant contributions to society, and overall unfulfillment. Lofty Goal of Raising Awareness: Less than 1% of the population is focused on raising awareness, a goal that seems too lofty for those stuck at the bottom of the hierarchy and therefore contributes to a low-quality society. The Essential Role of Life Purpose: Without a life purpose and passion, people fail to achieve self-actualization, leading to a life lacking deep meaning, significance and the inability to impact society positively. Life Purpose as a Missing Puzzle Piece: Leo stresses life purpose as a key element missing in people's lives and emphasizes that finding one's passion is vital to living a fulfilled life and making significant societal contributions. Illustrative Anecdote of Prioritizing Needs: Leo shares a hypothetical scenario of a man fleeing a tiger but stopping to write poetry, demonstrating the intuitive understanding of the prioritization of needs inherent in Maslow's hierarchy. Misinterpretation of Success: Leo describes how many people misconceive success as acquiring luxury or comfort, such as buying a high-rise apartment or a yacht. He argues that this common view is a misuse of success. Success as Growth and Expansion: For Leo, the true definition of success is about personal growth and expansion. He emphasizes that real fulfillment is achieved not through a cushioned life but by reaching the stages of self-actualization and self-transcendence. Success Enabling Self-Actualization: He points out that without achieving a degree of success, people will struggle with petty concerns and won't be able to pursue higher levels of fulfillment or understand the deep concepts he shares in his videos. Societal Benefits of Individual Success: According to Leo, once people achieve personal success, they often desire to contribute to society. He views success not only as a personal achievement but as a societal necessity that can address many of the world's problems through increased awareness. The Necessity of Success in the 21st Century: Leo stresses that in the contemporary era, becoming successful is essential to prevent global catastrophes and to leverage the opportunity to improve the world significantly. Systematic Effort to Ascend the Hierarchy: He encourages his audience to systematically address gaps in their personal hierarchy of needs, implying that for most, a gradual approach of resolving each deficiency is a sound strategy towards self-actualization. Two Principal Questions for Personal Development: Leo prompts viewers with two questions: 1) "Where am I stuck on the hierarchy?" and 2) "What must I do to get myself unstuck once and for all?", urging them to identify and tackle the major obstacle impeding their progress. Embracing Self-Transcendence: He explains that self-transcendence is the ultimate purpose of life and warns against forsaking this objective after achieving material success and comfort. Ideal Life Strategy for Fulfillment: Leo outlines an ideal life strategy, suggesting spending early adulthood securing foundational needs and then dedicating later years to self-transcendence, a path he believes will result in the most profound fulfillment. Leo's Life Purpose Course: He mentions his course designed to help people find their life purpose, talents, and how to translate these into a dream career, which he deems a significant step towards self-transcendence. Actualized.org as a Resource: Leo promotes Actualized.org as a platform offering strategies, courses, and motivation to embark on the marathon-like journey toward self-actualization and self-transcendence. Avoiding Lifelong Regret: Finally, Leo emphasizes his goal to prevent people from dying without having reached the pinnacle of the hierarchy, equating such an end with a profound sense of regret and unfulfillment. Accio

Lower vs Higher Self - Understanding Your Two-Faced Nature https://youtu.be/MZFty-eM6Rk The Two Modes of Being: Leo explains the dichotomy of the 'lower self' and 'higher self.' The lower self constitutes our reactive, base instincts fuelled by fear, pettiness, and selfishness, whereas the higher self reflects our ability to be calm, noble, and selfless. He likens this duality to a light switch that can be flipped in any given situation, sending us from a higher to a lower state of being. The Boundary Concept: Leo introduces the concept of an invisible boundary separating the lower self from the higher self, which gets threatened when we ourselves feel threatened. Many people cross this boundary unconsciously, leading to harmful decisions and actions. Introducing Eben Pagan's Insight: Leo credits Eben Pagan for the insight on the boundary between the lower and higher self. He emphasizes that often disastrous life decisions and actions are borne from the lower self—usually without the individual's conscious awareness of this transition. Physical and Subtle Threats: Leo moves on to differentiate between physical dangers that can trigger the lower self—like facing imminent harm—versus more subtle triggers surrounding money, family, intimate relationships, careers, and reputation. These subtle triggers often go unrecognized but have profound impacts on behavior. Recognition of Personal Triggers: He urges recognition of personal, idiosyncratic triggers that can switch someone from their higher self to their lower self. Identifying these requires mindfulness, and he suggests maintaining a journal to help record and recognize these instances. Introduction to the Emotional Body: During a meditation retreat, Leo learns about the 'emotional body' and the key role it plays in transitioning between states of self. He describes an experience where wasps flying near him provided a live 'science experiment,' allowing him to observe his emotional body's activation in real-time. Observing the Emotional Body in Real-Time: Witnessing his emotional reactions to the wasps and the accompanying mental images during meditation, Leo demonstrates the significant importance of being able to perceive the activation and deactivation of the emotional body to master one's responses to various threats. Mediation and Awareness in Emotional Regulation: Leo concludes highlighting the importance of being able to sense when and how the emotional body gets activated and suggests that developing such awareness through meditation can be a pivotal skill in managing responses to threats and stress. Experience of Emotional Charge During Work: After a work session, Leo notices a significant emotional charge within himself, likening it to being lit up like a Christmas tree. This sensation was mostly unrecognized until he transitioned into a break and practiced mindfulness. Meditation as a Tool for Emotional Regulation: It took Leo a couple of minutes of meditation to begin calming the emotional energy within his body, emphasizing the practical benefits of meditation beyond just mental calmness. Regular practice helps to identify and manage emotional build-up before it becomes overwhelming. Incremental Build-up to Lower Self: Leo explains that emotional escalation doesn't immediately plunge someone into their lower self. It typically starts small and intensifies step by step until it becomes like an avalanche – powerful and uncontrollable. This is the point at which one's lower self takes over. Preventative Power of Observation: The act of simply observing the early signs of emotional escalation can have a dissipating effect, preventing the snowball of negative emotions from turning into an avalanche. When these emotions go unobserved, they can lead to being blindsided by one's lower self. Mindfulness Exercise with External Threats: Leo suggests practicing mindfulness near a wasp nest as a self-experiment in observing emotional reactions to threats. However, he acknowledges not everyone can do this exercise, so alternative mindfulness activities are necessary. Commitment to Avoid Decision-Making in Lower Self: Leo stresses the importance of committing to not make decisions while in the lower self. He advises building awareness to recognize when this shift happens, using techniques such as journaling and meditation to improve this awareness. Detachment from Others in Lower Self: An action step Leo recommends is disengaging from interactions with others when one senses being in the lower self to avoid negative and selfish behavior. Informing others about one's state can help manage the situation better. Mindful Observation After Stressful Activities: Leo suggests taking a brief meditation break after work to observe and contrast one's stress levels before and after the meditation, enhancing one's ability to detect stress signals within the body. Structural Changes to Avoid Triggers: He advises altering one's life structure to minimize triggers that can lead to a lower self-state. This may involve moving to safer areas, changing jobs, or making other environmental and situational changes. Unwiring Triggers Through Self-Help and Therapy: Seeking therapy, coaching, or utilizing self-help resources can help identify and unwire triggers that have deep emotional roots, often stretching back to childhood. Regular Personal Development Practice: Leo encourages making personal development a consistent habit, such as reading, watching educational videos, or engaging in discussions about personal growth to foster continuous improvement. Silencio

My Enlightenment Experience - Exactly How It Happened https://youtu.be/QOsUx9a3UoU Second enlightenment experience: Leo recounts his second major enlightenment experience during a 10-day silent meditation retreat in Virginia, which he compares to his earlier, less comprehensible experience. The challenge of lacking conceptual frameworks: Leo discusses the difficulty of making sense of his first enlightenment experience due to an absence of the intellectual frameworks he developed later, which are essential for interpreting such experiences. Conditions for the experience: He describes the serene natural setting near a chapel in Virginia, with rolling green hills, forests, birds, and a rainy ambiance, which provided the perfect backdrop for deep meditation. Utilizing the 'Do-Nothing' meditation technique: Leo practices the 'Do-Nothing' technique, where he allows his awareness to roam freely without intervention, leading to increased mental focus after initial wandering thoughts. Insight into 'spaciousness': While contemplating the scenery, Leo gains insight into the concept of 'spaciousness', recognizing that in his visual perception, there is nothing behind or in front of observed objects, only the objects themselves and the space around them. Connecting insights with physical actions: He uses the 'well' technique, pointing his finger towards a tree and realizing that there is no tangible point of contact with his vision, reinforcing the insight of 'nothingness' around sensory experiences. Awareness of bodily sensations: Shifting focus to the stone balcony floor, Leo becomes aware of bodily sensations and applies the concept of spaciousness, noticing these sensations are not originating from or leading to any particular location. Application of self-inquiry method: Leaving the 'do-nothing' approach, Leo engages in self-inquiry, asking, "Who am I?" or "Who is the perceiver?" to deepen his understanding of the experience and consciousness itself. Challenges in self-inquiry: Leo points out that asking "Who am I?" without producing honest, tangible answers leads to stagnation in self-inquiry. Genuine responses are crucial, even if they may initially be incorrect. Recognizing fallibility of logical answers: Leo emphasizes that logical answers are inadequate in self-inquiry; what matters is attaining 'conscious traction'. This requires discarding logical conclusions for deeper, experiential understanding. Evolution of self-perception: Initially, Leo's self-inquiry leads him to identify as a combination of body, mind, and observer. He soon realizes this is an ingrained belief, not an ultimate truth, which propels his meditation deeper. Societal influence on identity: Contemplating further, Leo recognizes the arbitrary nature of his identity ('I, Leo') as largely a construct of societal conditioning traced back to childhood. Realization of arbitrary self-identification: Leo's insight deepens as he realizes that identifying with his physical and mental sensations is an arbitrary partition of his entire being, akin to being a slice of the whole pizza. Eradicating perceived knowledge: Achieving a state of genuine 'not knowing' proves critical for progression in self-inquiry by allowing space for new insights and the emptying of preconceived notions of self. Open-mindedness to non-physical existence: As self-inquiry leads to an emptying of preconceptions, Leo becomes receptive to the possibility of existing as a non-physical, non-human entity. Insight into omnipresence: Leo has a significant insight, transitioning from the thought of being omnipresent to an embodied understanding—an experience likened to a 360-degree camera, positioned everywhere. Experience of supreme peace and stillness: A profound moment of clarity dawns, bringing immense peace and bliss, as Leo's awareness expands and equalizes, culminating in a tangible sense of omnipresence and unity with his surroundings. Absolute Now and the Joy of Existence: Leo shares his profound experience of the 'absolute now', a state of profound presence beyond ordinary mindfulness of the present. He describes it as a heavenly sense of existence where you feel like God observing itself, and stresses that this state cannot be reached through thinking but rather through gaining conscious traction. Lucidity in Awareness: Leo details becoming completely lucid in his field of awareness, able to observe every detail around him. Despite a rapid stream of thoughts, he experienced a detachment from them, observing thoughts as separate phenomena without inherent meaning, just existing in the present moment. Thoughts as Phenomena: He gained insight into the nature of thoughts, realizing the substance of a thought is the phenomenon itself. This allowed him to disengage from the content of the thoughts and observe them as mere occurrences, which he considers a significant breakthrough in self-inquiry. Altered Sense of Self During Meditation: Leo noticed a shift in how he perceived his personal sense of self during meditation. He felt his point of awareness move above and behind his head, giving him a sense of hovering above his body while also feeling omnipresent. Questioning Enlightenment and Peak Experiences: Leo wrestles with whether his experience was enlightenment or just a peak experience. He hoped the state would be permanent, but suspected it might be transitory. Experience Wanes but Insights Remain: Leo's state of lucidity and omnipresence faded after about 90 minutes, but he retained a sense of calm and continued to feel enlightened. He maintained the insights gained from the experience. Zen Master Interpretation: Upon sharing his experience with a Zen master, Leo was told that he had glimpsed 'a few hairs of the ox's tail', indicating progress on the path to enlightenment but suggesting the journey was still only partially complete. Long-lasting Effects and Mind Expansion: Despite returning to a more typical state of mind, Leo feels that his mind has been permanently expanded. His meditation practices have become more powerful and he finds himself unintentionally meditating during routine activities, indicating a sustained level of mindfulness. Solidifying Practice and Proof of Concept: Leo is encouraged by his experience, taking it as proof that his meditation techniques are effective. He feels that his mind is now 'zoomed out' and that he is able to recreate aspects of his retreat experience during regular meditation, suggesting that he's closer to enlightenment than ever before. Motivation and Conviction: Leo hopes his experience motivates viewers to believe in the reality of enlightenment beyond just philosophy. He details the step-by-step process he underwent and recorded immediately after to ensure accuracy in sharing his self-inquiry technique. Proper Self-Inquiry Demonstration: The video serves as a demonstration for viewers practicing self-inquiry at home, highlighting common pitfalls and emphasizing the necessity of recognizing thoughts as phenomena without getting lost in them. Response to Enlightenment Video Criticism: Leo addresses concerns about making enlightenment videos without being fully enlightened. He prefers documenting his journey from the start to make it convincing and relatable, unlike distant yogis or Zen masters. Journey Documentation Significance: By sharing his progress and obstacles in real-time, Leo provides a raw and genuine look into the enlightenment process, showing the importance of overcoming doubts and struggles by oneself. Intentions Behind Content Delivery: Leo clarifies his direct and candid style is not meant to be arrogant but to communicate honestly and effectively; acknowledging the ongoing learning and evolving nature of personal development. Encouraging Hands-On Experimentation: Leo encourages viewers to experiment with his shared insights and methods, retaining what works and discarding what doesn't—a call to approach personal development with an open, exploratory mindset. Preview of Upcoming Content: He hints at future videos based on insights from his retreat, aimed at improving mindfulness, meditation, and the journey towards enlightenment. Understanding Psychological Laws: Exploring psychological laws is analogous to understanding physical laws for building a fulfilling life. Leo promises life-changing profundity for those who apply these principles over time. Community Results and Impact: He shares receiving feedback from those applying the principles from Actualized.org, seeing significant life improvements, affirming the effectiveness of his work and encouraging continued engagement. Muffliato

How To Get Shit Done - The Inner Game Of Being A Results-Maker https://youtu.be/RiOZHpPd2v8 "If you don't have discipline, you don't deserve to dream." - Unknown Recognizing the importance of generating results: Leo Gura points out that being skilled at generating results is critical for self-actualization, as the world operates on the outcomes of actions. Results as a fundamental aspect of life: Everything desirable in life—business success, financial stability, good health, positive mood—is considered a result that needs to be actively achieved. Being results-oriented: Leo emphasizes the necessity of developing an attitude that looks towards producing big, extraordinary results, which involves taking responsibility and trusting oneself to deliver these outcomes. Transition from dreaming to realizing: He identifies a common issue where people get lost in their dreams and fail to convert them into reality. He stresses that turning these dreams into tangible results requires training and effort. Modern society and the distancing from results-making: Leo discusses how contemporary life allows individuals to float through without consciously creating results, leading to a loss of touch with the immediacy of results in survival compared to life thousands of years ago. The disconnect between ideas and reality: He talks about the danger of living in a "fantasy bubble" without testing ideas against the harshness of reality, which can lead to the bursting of this bubble when one finally confronts real-world challenges. Adapting to reality to manifest dreams: Leo describes the emotional difficulty involved in adjusting one's dreams and ambitions to match real-world demands, such as market expectations and the pragmatic aspects of making projects work. The emotional pain of relinquishing beliefs: The process of turning dreams into reality often involves the painful necessity to abandon certain cherished beliefs and assumptions that do not fit with the actual workings of the world. Stage Green's struggle with generating results: Leo identifies "Stage Green" individuals as those who, despite their idealistic intentions and broader concern for the world, typically fail to produce tangible outcomes due to a lack of action-oriented focus. Talking vs. Actualizing Dreams: Leo Gura highlights the disparity between merely discussing dreams and ideas and the genuine creation of results. He emphasizes the need to evolve from talk to action to make dreams a reality. The Illusion of Spirituality and Relationships: Leo criticizes individuals who talk extensively about spirituality and relationships but fail to manifest real growth and intimate connections. Authentic spirituality and relationships require substantial work and self-development, not just idealistic talk. Harsh Realities of Intimate Relationships: Leo describes intimate relationships as akin to business negotiations rather than unconditional love, challenging listeners to work within and transcend this reality through emotional labor. Action over Talk: Leo advises listeners to prioritize action to achieve tangible outcomes in their business, finances, relocation plans, weight loss efforts, relationships, and personal happiness, emphasizing the importance of walking the talk. Results-Making vs. Activity: He distinguishes results-making from mere activity, urging people to change their actions if they are not yielding results within a reasonable timeframe to avoid unproductive cycles. Balancing Results Orientation and Life Enjoyment: While acknowledging the importance of a results-oriented mentality for productivity, Leo suggests that once this mindset is established, people can afford to relax and enjoy life without being solely fixated on results. Valuing Tangible Results: Leo posits that a results maker must deeply value tangible results and encourages employers and employees to create and maintain standards for tangible outcomes. Life as a Series of Projects: Viewing life as a series of milestone projects, Leo finds this approach effective for goal setting and achieving tangible results, urging others to adopt this outlook. Desire to Impact Others: He links the desire to change the world with results-making, underscoring the necessity of creating tangible work to make a true impact. Talk is Cheap: Dismissing non-action-oriented talk as meaningless, Leo encourages actual execution over announcing intentions, to focus on action and results. Striving for Excellence: Emphasizing the importance of producing high-quality work, Leo advocates for valuing excellence and taking personal pride in one's work regardless of the circumstances. Personal Responsibility: Leo calls for individuals to take personal responsibility for achieving results, rather than waiting for others to take the lead or provide guidance. Understanding the Big Picture: He stresses the significance of having a high-level vision and working towards it with purpose, rather than engaging in mere menial tasks sans the wider context. The Importance of Big Picture Thinking: Leo emphasizes the need to maintain a long-term vision for one's life, connecting daily actions to overarching goals for impactful living. Strong Work Ethic: He reflects on past generations’ significant work ethics in comparison to today's comfort-driven society and advocates for developing a similar determination and drive. Using Brute Force: Leo supports the occasional necessity to employ brute force to achieve results, working intensively when a clear path to success is visible. Sacrificing Personal Comfort: He proposes that achieving significant results often requires foregoing personal comfort, such as missing vacations or late-night work sessions. Willingness to Transform: Leo believes in the necessity of personal transformation, including changes in belief systems and worldviews, to excel beyond current capabilities. Benefits of Demanding Situations: He suggests that placing oneself in challenging situations, analogous to military boot camp, can catalyze rapid personal growth and transformation. Influence of Exceptional Peers: Leo advises surrounding oneself with results-oriented individuals, believing their success stories can elevate one's personal expectations and inspire higher achievement. Starting a Business as a Reality Check: He shares that starting a business unveils the harsh realities of the marketplace and encourages personal responsibility and profound understanding of real-world dynamics. Contemplating Mortality: Leo sees frequent contemplation of one's mortality as a motivator for urgency and focus, helping prioritize result-oriented actions in life. Action Versus Consumption: He stresses the importance of taking action on knowledge gained rather than merely consuming content, suggesting a significant imbalance in favor of action. Promotion of the Life Purpose Course: Leo introduces his life purpose course designed to help individuals identify and align with their life purpose, which he sees as crucial for becoming an exceptional results-maker. Utilization of Actualized.org Resources: He invites viewers to explore various resources on actualized.org, such as newsletters, exclusive content, and his book list, to support their journey towards becoming successful results-makers. Accio

How To Unleash Your Ambition - Must-Watch For Ambitious People https://youtu.be/QkS1XKAoNqY "There is one weakness in people for which there is no remedy. It is the universal weakness of lack of ambition." - Napolean Hill Mandate to Realize Ambition: Leo conveys that if a person has the slightest inkling of ambition, it's their responsibility to figure out how to actualize it and play big, as the world needs ambitious contributions. Ambition as a Life Theme: Leo reflects on his lifelong theme of harnessing an inner drive to create and impact the world, and the challenges of translating abstract ambition into tangible results in the real world. Real-world Traction for Ambition: Leo talks about the difficulty of moving from the ideation of ambitious projects to the practical aspects of starting a business or creating impactful work due to the need for experience, skills, and overcoming a competitive environment. Job Experience and Ambition: Sharing his post-college job experience, Leo realized the difficulty of working on someone else's vision when one has their own ideas and vision to express, which can feel suffocating for those with creative ambition. Subjugation Within the System: Leo expresses that ambitious individuals might find it challenging to subordinate themselves to a system or bureaucratic structure that suppresses creativity and could lead them to mediocrity instead of extraordinary impact. Breaking Free for Ambition: Leo explains his decision to leave a conventional job in Boston to pursue his own vision – a critical moment of choosing between the security of the system or the uncertainty of following his ambitious dreams. Coaching an Ambitious Game Designer: Through coaching a game designer with potential to influence the industry significantly, Leo identifies the systemic limitations and red tape that suppress the fullest expression of talent and creativity. Role of Ambition in Leadership: Leo defines leadership as a position to which the most ambitious and visionary naturally rise, as ambition drives evolutionary progress and inspires others to rally around a common goal. Responsibility to Honor One's Vision: Urging those with great visions to honor their calling, Leo suggests that ignoring one's ambition can result in an unfulfilled life and is a disservice to oneself and the world. Taking the Leadership Plunge: Leo advises that sometimes ambition requires leaving an existing organization to grow beyond its confines, even if it involves risk and the possibility of failure, to pursue boundless opportunities. Honor Your Vision: Leo emphasizes the importance of honoring your personal vision and breaking away from the restrictive corporate system to pursue your own path without limitations. Taking the Role of a Warrior: Leo encourages adopting the warrior mindset to actively fight for the realization of your vision rather than waiting for it to happen spontaneously. A Continuous Thought Process: Leo advises making the sharing of one's unique gifts with the world a primary focus, advocating for persistent contemplation of this aim across all facets of daily life. Abstract Notion of High-Leverage Action: Leo introduces the abstract concept of positioning oneself to share personal gifts, recognizing that the approach varies greatly among individuals due to differing talents and life situations. Leaving Comfort Zones: Leo shares his personal experience, discussing the challenges of leaving a successful business in pursuit of actualizing a vision that aligns more closely with his true purpose. Actualized.org as a Stepping Stone: Leo views Actualized.org as a result of his evolutionary journey, asserting the discovery of greater opportunities and fulfillment when taking determined steps towards one's goals. Imaginative Payoff: Leo invites listeners to consider the long-term payoff of successfully deploying their greatest gifts, keeping this vision at the forefront of their minds to maintain motivation. Going All Out: He challenges individuals to contemplate what they could accomplish if they dedicated themselves fully to their ambitions, potentially transforming their lives and identities. The Dangers of 'The System': Describing the 'system' as tailored to the average person, Leo calls for self-reliance in pursuit of higher virtues that are not supported by conventional societal structures. Purpose of Actualized.org: Leo explains that his platform is geared towards empowering people to seek out their passions and become warriors in their cause, beyond just creating a comfortable life. Essence of Life Purpose: The identification of life purpose, values, and gifts is crucial to success according to Leo; he believes stumbling without direction causes potential to dissipate ineffectually. Growth Analogy with the Oak Tree: Leo equates nurturing one's ambition to growing an oak tree from an acorn, which requires consistent effort and the right conditions to reach full potential. Ultimate Life Purpose Course: He promotes his course, designed to help individuals discover their gifts, align their actions with their purpose, and cultivate the mental resilience needed to forge their own path. Fighting for Ambition: In closing, Leo reiterates the imperative to battle for the fulfillment of one's ambitions and offers his course as a tool to assist individuals in embarking on their self-actualization journey. Levicorpus

How To Create Your Dream Career - The Ultimate Life Purpose Course https://youtu.be/QtUxnmneK50 "Your life is important. Honor it. Fight for your highest possibilities." - Nathaniel Branden Life's Importance and Urgency: Leo questions if the listener is actively pursuing their top passion, doing meaningful work, and understanding their life purpose, imploring for action rather than waiting for a magical solution. Story of Missed Opportunities: He recounts the tale of a naturally talented artistic girl, whose life's direction led her to undervalued minimum-wage jobs and a victim mentality after sacrificing her passion for family obligations, resulting in a stagnant, unfulfilling life. The Generational Divide: Leo reflects on the widening emotional and experiential gap between him and his mother due to their vastly different life trajectories, with him pursuing self-actualization and her stuck in a cycle of bitterness and regret. Rich Life versus Weak Life: He contrasts a rich life full of growth and experiences with his mother's weak life, which is diminishing due to the lack of a robust career foundation impacting all other areas of her life. The Rarity of Living Fully: Leo emphasizes the miraculous nature of existence and the wasted potential when people fail to seize the vast opportunities to lead meaningful, contributive lives. Confronting Mortality to Inspire Action: He suggests contemplating death and historical tragedies to highlight the brevity of life and the urgency to stop self-imposed limitations, urging listeners to embrace their full potential. Self-Imposed Limits Are Removable: Leo conveys the empowering realization that perceived limits are often self-imposed, making them removable; he proposes a focus on finding one's life purpose as a transformative goal. Misconception Among Successful People: Leo finds that many individuals who are financially successful still lack a clear sense of life purpose, suggesting they miss out on life's highest pleasures which come from higher consciousness activities and personal fulfillment. Life Purpose's Role in Personal Development: Identifies life purpose as a crucial factor for true fulfillment and success, placing it in high importance, second only to enlightenment, and presenting it as a practical necessity for most people. Leo's Personal Motivation for the Course: Sharing his family background and personal quest to find meaningful work, Leo details his journey through false starts and dead ends, emphasizing the personal significance behind creating the Ultimate Life Purpose Course. Overview of the Ultimate Life Purpose Course Content: Leo introduces the course which compiles over 20 hours of material, aimed at helping people discover their passions and use them to build rewarding careers or businesses. Course Impact on Personal Journey: Discusses how the course is a culmination of a decade-long exploration, his intuitive search for purpose from a young age, and how the course material is derived from his experiences and coaching others. Benefits of Aligning Life with Values and Purpose: Emphasizes the congruence of living according to one's values and talents, which leads to gratitude, joy, and a deep appreciation for life despite its inevitable challenges. Invitation to Address Life Purpose: Encourages viewers to confront the issue of life purpose head-on, emphasizing the comprehensive nature of the course which aims to guide individuals through the process of aligning life with purpose over both the short and long term. Suitability of the Course for Various Individuals: The course is described as ideal for professionals contemplating career change, aspiring or established entrepreneurs, artists, those stuck in unsatisfying jobs, and individuals in pursuit of freedom and independence. Course's Emphasis on Independence and Freedom: Highlights the course's potential to grant financial independence, personal freedom, and the ability to pursue a life aligned with one's deeper values and interests. Transitioning into New Life Phases: Recommends the course for individuals looking to move past life's setbacks and to those ready to open a new chapter in alignment with their life purpose. Ideal Candidates for the Course: This course is well-suited for individuals feeling lost, uncertain about their life direction, college and high school students determining their majors or wishing to excel in their chosen fields, and self-help enthusiasts seeking a deeper understanding of themselves. Course Emphasis on Practical Application: Leo emphasizes the practical application of the course material, with various assignments, exercises, worksheets, and visualizations designed to help students translate abstract concepts into concrete results. Course Outline and Emotional Connection: The course starts by emotionally charging students with a vision of their potential life aligned with a purpose, as passion and emotion are viewed as critical components in discovering one’s life purpose. Comprehensive Course Content: The course includes 35 videos covering essential concepts, an accurate values assessment, strengths assessment, and life purpose assessment, each with detailed steps and techniques. Addressing Fears and Limitations: An integral part of the course involves confronting and overcoming fears and limiting beliefs that hinder personal growth, along with methods for programming the subconscious with one's life purpose. Taking Action and Finding a Niche: The course provides guidance on how to take actionable steps towards one’s life purpose, identifying an ideal niche in the market, and strategies to stand out and thrive within that niche. Building Habits and Continuous Learning: Habit-building strategies are provided to maintain alignment with one's life purpose, along with a curated list of recommended books and an FAQ section to ensure all questions are addressed. Bonus Inspirational Audios: Leo is creating audio excerpts from top life purpose books to inspire students in everyday settings, reinforcing the emotional rather than purely logical approach to finding one's life purpose. Instant Online Access and Production Effort: Immediate access to the course’s extensive content is assured with a seamless streaming experience, highlighting the months of effort and commitment to quality that went into its development. Price Justification and Investment in Self: While the course comes with a cost, Leo explains the value of the investment in oneself, suggesting that the potential transformation and benefits far exceed the asking price, especially compared to more expensive industry standards. Course as a Catalyst for Passionate Living: Leo views the course not as a magic solution but as an intensive, practical guide to inspire and “mind [expletive]” students into living passionately, emphasizing that success requires commitment and effort from participants. Reparo

Science vs Religion - The Absurdity Revealed! https://youtu.be/wh5hAUP68d8 Absurdity of Science vs Religion Debate: Leo expresses astonishment at the ignorance displayed by modern rational thinkers about spirituality. Lawrence Krauss' "A Universe From Nothing": A book emphasizing a scientific understanding of the universe's origins, which Leo finds limited due to its rational bias. Pre-rational/Post-rational Fallacy: Leo introduces Ken Wilber's concept, highlighting the mistake rational thinkers often make by conflating post-rational thinking with pre-rational thinking and vice versa. Misunderstanding by Modern Scientists: Leo notes that many scientists and thinkers, such as Martin Seligman, Richard Dawkins, and Christopher Hitchens, struggle with this fallacy, misinterpreting spiritual truths through a purely rational lens. Joseph Campbell's Misinterpretation: Joseph Campbell's work on mythologies is appreciated but criticized for not grasping post-rational truths and instead rationalizing them. Origin of Religious Truths: Leo argues that most religious truths accepted by pre-rational societies actually stem from post-rational visionaries whose insights remain largely misunderstood. Conflation between Spiritual Truths and Religious Myths: Rational thinkers often mistake religious myths for spiritual truths, leading to an overreaction that negates the value of both. Enlightenment Labeled as Nonsense: Rational thinkers tend to dismiss the concept of enlightenment as religious folly, not recognizing it as a profound, accessible truth. Resistance from the Rational Mind: Leo discusses the resistance from rational thinkers to accept enlightenment, as it requires transcending rational thought, which may seem regressive. Different Paradigms of Spiritual Practices: Leo separates spiritual practices into categories (voodoo and shamanism, religious preaching, and Zen/Yoga), and rational thinkers underestimate the advanced state of consciousness in practices like Zen and Yoga. The Mind-Body Problem: Discussing the philosophical conundrum where rationalism fails to bridge subjective mind experiences with the objective physical world. Limitations of Rationalism: Leo argues that science has not, and cannot, solve the mind-body problem because it exists outside the rational paradigm, which rational thinkers hesitate to admit. Denial of First-Person Phenomena: Science tends to reduce or ignore the subjective experiences, failing to address how mind interacts with matter. Science Must Reconcile Mind and Matter: Leo emphasizes the unresolved issue in science regarding the integration of subjective, first-person experiences with the physical world. Rational Perspective as a Limiting View: Leo argues that the rational view is just one perspective and is limited in understanding the fundamental nature of the universe. Graves Model of Psychological Development: Leo Gura introduces the Graves Model, highlighting that it was based on extensive research by scientists to understand the evolving values and psyche of human beings. The model is vital to grasp our place in society and the development of civilizations. Psychic and Societal Evolution Stages: The model categorizes stages of psychological and societal evolution, assigning them colors and labels to illustrate the progression from tribal (Purple) to magical thinking, through egocentric (Red) and absolutist (Blue) periods, and onward toward individualistic (Orange) and relativistic (Green) societies. Societal Transition from Tribal to Dictatorship to Civilization: Graves' model describes the transition from tribal societies with magical thinking to dictatorial structures as individuals assert power and disrupt tribal unity, which then matures into absolutist societies with strict laws, constitutions, and the emergence of religion to unify people. Evolution of Modern Societies and Emergence of Individual Rights: He outlines how societies evolved from absolutist structures to focus on individual rights, liberties, and rational scientific thinking in the individualistic (Orange) phase, leading to contemporary Western cultures. Integration of Diverse Worldviews and Altruism in Green Stage: Leo Gura details the transition to the relativistic (Green) stage where societies expand their concerns beyond individualism to include environmental and global issues, integrating different cultural perspectives. Quantum Leap to Systemic Yellow Stage: He emphasizes a significant developmental leap to the systemic (Yellow) stage, which involves a comprehensive and self-reflective understanding of societal and personal progress through these evolution stages. Integration and Transcendence of Stages: Gura explains the necessity of fully integrating and transcending each stage in sequence to progress, drawing parallels with natural biological development where stages cannot be skipped. Denial of Higher Stages Until Yellow: Individuals often deny the existence of higher stages until they reach the Yellow stage, at which point they can recognize their journey through the stages and acknowledge the potential for stages beyond Yellow. Implications for Understanding Human History: The Graves Model, according to Leo Gura, offers insights into human history, societal struggles, and conflicts as it sheds light on the clash between stages that societies and individuals experience. Explanation of Societal Struggles: Every political, social, economic, and ecological problem in history can be explained by the stages of developmental consciousness, revealing conflicts between stages as people adhere to their beliefs and battle with both lower and higher stages. Misunderstandings in Developmental Stages: Most people, until reaching the 'Yellow' stage, do not comprehend the developmental stage dynamics and remain blind to the motives behind societal conflicts and the resistance to stage progression. Graves Model Self-Assessment: Many inaccurately assess themselves as being two stages higher than they are. This ego-driven misjudgment necessitates honest self-reflection to determine true developmental status. Inaccessibility of Spiritual Truths at Lower Levels: The science-versus-religion debate is stuck because individualistic 'Orange' thinkers and absolutist 'Blue' believers overlook the existence of higher stages where spiritual truths become accessible. Mind-Body Problem Resolution at Higher Levels: Contrary to the beliefs of rational thinkers, the mind-body problem has been resolved for those who have evolved to higher levels of developmental consciousness. Openness to Higher Developmental Stages: Leo challenges the audience to consider the possibility of stages beyond their current understanding, proposing that admission of such higher levels exists. Empirical Testability of Spiritual Truths: Leo asserts that spiritual truths like the illusion of the self-image can be empirically verified through introspective investigation of first-person phenomena. Confusing Models with Reality: Rationalists mistake their conceptual models for reality, not realizing these are just useful tools predicated on human rationality and language systems. The Ego's Role in Maintaining Beliefs: Rationalists, like pre-rationalists, hold onto beliefs without realizing it, which is a major obstacle to acknowledging the illusory nature of the ego and progressing to higher stages of enlightenment. Requirements for Advancing Beyond Rationality: Transcending rationality involves challenging deeply held beliefs, models, and the very mechanism of understanding reality known as rationalism. Modern Science-Religion Debate as Outdated: The contention between science and religion is seen as obsolete, with higher levels of consciousness moving beyond such debates. Western and Middle Eastern societies exemplify conflicts arising from differing developmental stages, emphasizing a lack of mutual comprehension. Pre-rational/Post-rational Fallacy in Science and Religion: Rational thinkers dismiss post-rational spiritual insights as non-scientific or unproven, failing to recognize the post-rational stage involves transcending the concept of self and merging with all of reality. Ego's Influence in Intellectual Debates: Leo illustrates how dogmatic clinging to one's beliefs, often projected onto others during debates, disguises personal insecurities and impedes the quest for truth. Confronting Rationalism and Embracing Self-Inquiry: Challenging every foundation of rationalism and engaging in careful observation of personal psychology is crucial for advancing to higher developmental stages and aligning closer with truth. Perspectives and the Science vs. Religion Debate: Leo highlights understanding perspectives as a critical step towards the 'yellow' stage of consciousness. He stresses that recognizing debates, including science versus religion, as a clash of dogmatic views at different stages of consciousness fosters greater tolerance in those who have achieved higher awareness. Tolerance and Higher Stages of Consciousness: Leo explains that higher stages of consciousness, particularly beyond 'green' into 'yellow,' are marked by increased tolerance. This is attributed to a deeper understanding and sympathy for the conditions and perspectives existing at each stage, leading to a less reactive and more observant stance. Transcending Rational Science: Leo promotes transcending the narrow views of mainstream academic science to include post-rational truths and first-person phenomena, cautioning against clinging to rationality as one would a security blanket. Post-rational Thought and Vision Logic: Post-rational thinking includes intuitive processes alongside scientific and logical reasoning, which Leo dubs 'vision logic.' He notes that many significant scientific breakthroughs were made not only through formal logic but also through intuition. Awareness as the Ultimate Bottleneck: Leo describes awareness as the primary limitation in life, as all experiences are filtered through it. He argues that understanding awareness is essential and that most people fail to grasp what it is and how it operates. Empirical Investigation of First-Person Phenomena: Emphasizing self-inquiry, Leo encourages exploring first-person phenomena—colors, sounds, smells, tastes, thoughts, and emotions—as a means to investigate and understand beliefs that form one's self-image. The Challenge of Understanding Higher Truths: Leo points out the difficulty of reaching higher truths, citing that less than 1% of Western society operates at the systemic thinking 'yellow' stage, and even this doesn't equate to understanding enlightenment, which requires transcending even further stages. Dogmatism as a Global Problem: The pervasive problem of dogmatism, the clinging to beliefs at lower stages of consciousness across various domains, prompts Leo to urge viewers to investigate and unravel their own beliefs to discover deeper truths. Developing Consciousness for Greater Understanding: Leo motivates viewers to cultivate their consciousness to the highest levels to fully comprehend the science-religion debate and realize the profundity of enlightenment which requires significant introspective work. Implementation for Personal Growth: In his conclusion, Leo encourages not just knowledge acquisition but the active practice of spiritual and self-actualization techniques to promote personal growth and a profound understanding of reality. Sectumsempra

How To Meditate Deeper https://youtu.be/FRUeG9wOaCs Transition to deeper meditation: Leo outlines a transition from beginner to advanced meditation stages, explaining that this guide is an extension to a popular 'no-bullshit' introductory meditation video, designed to take practitioners from cluelessness to advanced depths of meditation practice. Common problems in meditation: He aims to address pitfalls that meditate encounters during their practice, offering guidance on avoiding them, and will provide a schedule for meditative practice. Stage one - Simple Observation: The first stage, called 'simple observation', involves allowing the mind to wander without intervention, simply observing thoughts, emotions, and sensations as they arise without trying to control or engage with them, despite the difficulty and potential frustration of doing so. Discipline and daily practice: Emphasizing that meditation is a disciplined practice that requires daily effort, Leo advises a minimum of 20 minutes per day in a quiet space, with a timer to ensure consistency and measure progress through the stages. Stage two - Active Detachment: The intermediate stage involves 'active detachment', where practitioners work on actively releasing thoughts as they come up in an attempt to find moments of peace, while also managing the stickiness of recurring thoughts without panic or frustration. Releasing thoughts without resistance: A pivotal part of stage two is to avoid resisting the appearance of thoughts, as well as rejecting the urge to manipulate or prevent them from arising, which can be counterproductive. Stage three - Awareness Focus: The advanced stage, 'awareness focus', requires focusing on the phenomenon of awareness itself, recognizing that experiences, thoughts, and feelings are content within the field of awareness, which is distinct from the content and should be maintained without absorption into any particular content. Understanding and maintaining awareness: As content constantly arises and dissipates in the field of awareness, practitioners work on maintaining focus on being aware, gently bringing the mind back when it wanders, which is a common challenge at the beginning of this stage. Meditative discipline and improvement over time: Leo notes that maintaining meditative focus is a skill that improves with time and discipline, encouraging practitioners to persist and gradually extend the duration of maintaining awareness focus. Profound question of awareness: He recommends exploring the profound question, "What is awareness anyway?" recognizing it as potentially the most profound question one could explore in a lifetime. Stage Three of Meditation - Awareness Focus: Leo suggests that during this stage, the meditator should become curious about what awareness itself is, without trying to logically deduce or introspect what it might be. This phase is not about thinking or therapy but maintaining a posture of observation. Common Meditation Mistakes: Leo points out several common mistakes such as experiencing panic and frustration upon realizing that one cannot control their thoughts, expecting meditation to be calm from the start, not using a timer, trying to stop thoughts completely, resisting arising thoughts, confusing meditation with daydreaming, and attempting to meditate when tired. Acceptance in Meditation: Emphasizing the importance of acceptance for all experiences during meditation, Leo advises against selecting which to accept or reject as this choice contradicts the essence of meditation and can disrupt personal growth. Goal-Setting in Meditation: Leo discourages setting session-specific goals during meditation as they add more thoughts to the mind, hindering the overall meditative objectives. Long-term meditation goals are positive, but they should not influence the actual practice. Bad Days in Meditation: The acceptance of 'bad' meditation days as part of the learning process is encouraged. Understand that fluctuations in the quality of meditation are natural and shouldn't be a cause for self-doubt. Strict Schedule for Meditation Stages: By following a rigorous, structured schedule, Leo suggests practicing each meditation stage for 30 consecutive days to establish consistency and genuinely understand each technique before moving to the next one. Trying Various Techniques: Exploring various meditation techniques is likened to trying on different pairs of shoes, with a full month dedicated to each technique to truly determine which fits best. Month-long Goals for Meditation: Creating month-long goals for each stage of meditation helps maintain interest and provides a structure that leads to a deeper understanding of one's mind from different angles. Future of Actualized.org: Leo encourages viewers to sign up for the Actualized.org newsletter to gain access to further content on meditation and self-actualization. He hints at upcoming projects and reinforces the power of mastering the mind to create an exciting life. Incendio

How To Stop Being A Workaholic https://youtu.be/TyDoJThWvAw Leo's personal confession: Leo admits to being a workaholic himself and expresses his current efforts to address this issue, recognizing its detrimental nature. Criteria for workaholism: Leo proposes that working over eight hours a day or 40 hours a week, taking work personally, working weekends and holidays, and avoiding vacations are signs of workaholism. Consequences of being a workaholic: A range of negative effects includes chronic agitation, compromised creativity, burnout, potential long-term health issues, and stifled psychological development. Workaholism's stymying of self-actualization: Leo suggests that workaholism limits personal growth, leading to an imbalance that neglects self-actualization and the appreciation of life's beauty. The psychological root of workaholism: Leo identifies deep-seated feelings of worthlessness or incompleteness as the fundamental cause, where work becomes tied to identity and self-worth. Emotional impact of enforced non-working: Imagining a scenario where one is not allowed to work anymore, Leo discusses the prospect of experiencing negative emotions, highlighting an unhealthy relationship with work. Construct of fulfillment in work: Workaholics set conditions for fulfillment that are tied to completion of work, creating brief moments of satisfaction followed by the urgent need to start new projects. Illusions of work-related fulfillment: Leo argues that the feelings of worth, value, and meaning through work are illusory, as they don't inherently exist. Existential avoidance through work: He explains that constant activity is employed to avoid facing existential voids, which includes the truth that worth, value, and meaning are not inherently present in life. The truth of 'no self': Leo touches upon the concept of enlightenment and 'no-self', implying that the ultimate solution lies in realizing the absence of any inherent entity within oneself. Productivity and worth comparisons: He challenges the notion that productivity increases worth, positing that all human beings hold equal intrinsic value regardless of their accomplishments. Motivation behind work: Leo distinguishes between positive, creative expression through work and using work to avoid facing an inner void or feelings of worthlessness. He asserts it's crucial to understand whether work is a genuine expression or a defense mechanism. Importance of consciousness in action: The advice here is to be conscious of the motivations driving work habits, understanding whether work is an escape from accepting life's inherent meaninglessness. Ego and the illusion of self: Leo describes the ego as an empty void that dons various "garments" in an attempt to feel real and substantial. He suggests that many work to avoid looking into this void, filling life with distractions rather than facing it. Facing the void for liberation: Embracing life's meaninglessness and the void within, according to Leo, leads to liberation from workaholism. It allows one to live without the false layers of self-built through work. Misinterpretation of life's meaninglessness: Leo emphasizes that life's meaninglessness should not be turned into a negative meaning; rather, it should be seen as a neutral fact, freeing individuals from chasing illusory worth. The concept of equal worth: Using the analogy of comparing a successful person, a homeless person, and a dog, Leo argues that worth is a made-up concept and all entities have equal worth in reality. Reflection on worth as a social fiction: Leo suggests worth is entirely constructed within social contexts, like comparing car brands, and encourages viewers to contemplate the real nature of worth as an exercise. Examining the origins of feelings of worthlessness: He encourages viewers to reflect on their childhood and other past experiences that may contribute to current feelings of worthlessness or the drive to prove oneself through work. Embracing present completeness: Leo invites viewers to recognize and accept their innate completeness, rather than postponing fulfillment to future achievements. Enlightenment and confronting the void: The concept of 'no-self' and enlightenment is presented as the ultimate way to experience completeness and embrace the void within. Practical steps to curbing workaholism: Leo advises acknowledging the tendency to run away from the void, meditating, practicing mindfulness, working less, and taking real vacations to explore neglected aspects of life. Growth in psychology: Finally, Leo advocates for continuous learning and self-actualization, noting the vast potential for personal growth and the rewarding nature of expanding one’s psychology through subscribing to his newsletter. Aguamenti

How To Be A Leader - Leadership Secrets Revealed! https://youtu.be/I0GDMX6rixk Leadership as a path to a fulfilling life: Leo emphasizes that leadership is necessary for personal fulfillment and powerful contribution to the world. It's not just for CEOs, but for individuals at every level, including personal life, small businesses, relationships, and communities. Leadership misconception debunked: Traditional views of leadership involving force and power are outdated. Modern leadership is based on consensus building and creating a shared vision for a positive future, moving away from authoritarian methods. Dissatisfaction as a catalyst for leadership: Leadership often begins with a dissatisfaction with the status quo, prompting the leader to envision and strive for a better world. Vision as the cornerstone of leadership: A leader’s fundamental skill is the ability to envision a compelling future and to communicate this vision with passion and integrity, inspiring others to share and participate in the realization of this vision. Overcoming homeostasis in leadership: Leadership involves overcoming the system's resistance to change. Leaders must mobilize others by demonstrating that change is better than comfort and stagnation. Evolving from the present reality: Leaders transcend the current limitations by living in a higher reality, helping others to see that while the present is one way, it can and should be transformed into something better. Criticism and perseverance in leadership: Leo points out that leaders face criticism and ridicule for advocating change, but their deep belief in the vision allows them to stay resilient and to effect significant changes despite such resistance. The profound fulfillment of leadership: The joy and immense satisfaction derived from shaping reality are seen as one of the highest attainments in life, often overlooked by the majority who do not step into leadership roles. Rallying for change and safety in evolution: Effective leaders persuade people that evolving and changing is safer than remaining in their comfort zones, highlighting that adaptability and evolution are key to survival in a world characterized by constant competition and change. Persistence in Leadership Amidst Resistance: Many societal advancements are thanks to effective leaders who overcame significant resistance throughout history; leaders must convince people that the safety of comfort zones is illusory. Visionary Realism: While it's vital for a leader to have an inspiring dream or vision, it's equally important to have a pragmatic plan for its realization; leaders shape the world through action, not just words. Systems Understanding and Influence: Effective leaders must deeply comprehend how systems function and be skilled at enacting systemic changes; this requires perceiving various perspectives and mediating conflicting agendas. Stability in Crisis: Leaders must act as a stabilizing force during turmoil, remaining calm and purposeful, whether in a business environment or personal relationships like marriage. Self-leadership Foundations: Before leading others, individuals must effectively lead themselves by managing fears, stress, self-talk, and influences; self-leadership involves personal accountability and constantly stretching beyond comfort zones. Role Modelling and Facilitation: Leaders play crucial roles such as visionary, aligner, and conscious role model, and they foster environments where others can solve their problems, signifying a transition from solving to facilitating. Leading from Known to Unknown: Leaders guide people from their comfort zones towards new, risky, and potentially rewarding territories, akin to historical explorers venturing into uncharted lands. Ten Napoleon Hill Leadership Qualities: Leo references 'Think and Grow Rich' to present ten essential leadership traits, including unwavering courage, self-control, justice sense, decisiveness, and the assumption of full responsibility. Ten Leadership Pitfalls: Leo identifies common leadership mistakes informed by Napoleon Hill, like not organizing details, fearing subordinates' success, lacking imagination, and overemphasizing authority or titles. Leadership's Expansive Influence: Leo urges awareness that leadership is not confined to formal titles or positions; it's a role one can play within any social system like family, school, or work, marking the inception of impactful societal change. Compelling reason for personal development: One of the strongest motivations for personal development is leadership, which involves changing the world for the better, a task that requires the ability to lead oneself before leading others. Leadership as a product of self-mastery: Before one can change the world and lead others, self-mastery is essential, including routine self-discipline, dealing with personal bad habits, and mastering one's own psychology. Holistic skill-set for leadership: Leadership demands a Renaissance man approach, developing a broad array of skills across personal, interpersonal, social domains, emotional intelligence, creativity, and effective communication. Vision for others: A strong vision for those you wish to lead is crucial, transcending personal aspirations and aligning with a mission that incentivizes others to follow and connect with your vision. Actualized.org's vision for viewers: Leo's vision for viewers extends beyond solving immediate life problems to encouraging them to undertake a hero's journey, fighting for a cause greater than themselves. The hero's journey: Viewers are urged to find something significant to fight for—something so important they're willing to make sacrifices for—and to become leaders in their own right. Personal development as a path to leadership: Developing oneself over years, growing in consciousness, body fitness, emotional awareness, and skillset is essential to becoming a fully realized leader who can effectuate change. The reward of leadership: The ultimate reward of becoming a leader is the deep, high-consciousness satisfaction that comes from climbing one's personal Mount Everest, transcending limitations, and living a meaningful life without regrets. Final call to action: Leo encourages viewers to discover their own vision for the world, identify their personal Mount Everest, seek to become leaders, and join his newsletter for ongoing guidance in mastering the diverse skill sets necessary for effective leadership. Muffliato

How To Become Enlightened - The Exact Step By Step Process Revealed! https://youtu.be/GfqLdOgoB98 Leo's Introduction: Leo starts by stating the video is advanced and not for beginners. He emphasizes that his intention is to provide a practical, no-nonsense guide on progressing towards enlightenment, avoiding as much mysticism as possible. Fundamental Nature of Awareness: Leo revisits the concept of awareness, affirming that we are not entities within our bodies, but rather the entire field of awareness itself, which is fundamentally nothingness. He warns against adopting this as philosophy, urging the viewer to seek experiential understanding beneath beliefs. Avoiding Conceptual Traps: Enlightenment is misrepresented and encumbered by philosophy, beliefs, and false assumptions. Leo stresses avoiding these traps, focusing instead on a direct experience of reality as it presents itself in the present moment. Speed of Enlightenment: Leo suggests that dedicated, intensive work on enlightenment can yield results in as little as 3-24 months, as opposed to the decades it traditionally takes. He views this accelerated process as possible by following his guidelines. Inadequacy of Meditation Alone for Enlightenment: While Leo values meditation for calming the mind, he asserts that enlightenment requires more direct, focused inquiry into consciousness than meditation alone can provide. The Process - A Non-Process: Leo outlines what appears to be a process for enlightenment but clarifies that enlightenment is not a process—it is an instantaneous reality, the realization of which is paradoxically uncontrolled and cannot be forced. Practical Steps for Increasing Awareness: Leo proposes a practical "process" where one sits quietly, assumes a meditative posture, and introspects for 30-60 minutes. The goal is to identify and observe the real-time, present sense of self-identity as it shifts within the mind. Discovering Self-Identity: Through introspection, individuals peel away layers of assumed identity, such as the body, and narrow down to the underlying belief that one is the perceiver of all sensations, converging on a point within. Realizing the Perceiver as a False Belief: Leo emphasizes that this belief in being the perceiver is a deep-held false belief and guides the listener to look even deeper to find the reality of their existence beyond even this point of perception. While acknowledging the potential process, Leo reiterates the irony that enlightenment is inherently spontaneous and can't be achieved through a traditional 'process,' but that his outlined steps may bolster one's readiness for spontaneous realization. Who is Aware: Leo suggests a process of self-inquiry starting with the question "Who is aware?" This question prompts one to consider who is aware of thoughts, feelings, and perceptions, moving beyond mere identification with the internal dialogue. Differentiating Perceiving from the Perceiver: The second question Leo proposes is "Who is perceiving?" It invites introspection to identify if there's an actual entity within that perceives the senses, feelings, and body sensations, challenging the assumption of a central perceiver. The Question of "Who Am I": Leo discusses the classic question "Who am I?" and its importance in the enlightenment process. He explains that understanding the question is a milestone in itself and that the search for an answer is not logical but experiential. Searching for Existential Being, Not Logical Answers: Leo emphasizes searching for an experiential understanding of one's existential being rather than conceptual answers. The truth about one's nature lies beyond stories of being made of atoms, a body, or having a soul. Going Meta on the Internal Voice: Leo instructs viewers to observe the internal voice that provides a narrative during self-inquiry. One should notice that identifying with this voice is a misunderstanding and continue to ask who perceives this voice, moving up levels of awareness. Recognizing the Illusion: Leo emphasizes recognizing the voice and the thinker's illusory nature, leading to the realization that every answer it provides is not the true self but rather more perceptions. Keeping an Open Mind: He underscores the importance of maintaining an open mind by acknowledging that one's true self is unknown and uncharacterized by the beliefs and identities held throughout life. Quantum Leap Intent: Leo highlights the need to approach enlightenment with the intention to make a quantum leap from seeing oneself as just a perceiver to realizing oneself as being itself, or all of reality. Refocusing Awareness: Leo discusses the challenge of constantly refocusing one's awareness back onto the true self, past the mind's distractions; emphasizing the importance of direct experience in recognizing who one truly is. Thinking vs. Looking: Leo distinguishes between thinking and looking, stating that one must apply pure awareness and observation, rather than thought, to successfully engage in the process of enlightenment. Regular Practice for Enlightenment: Leo advises practicing this focused self-inquiry for 30 to 60 minutes daily, similarly to a meditation habit, yet with more precision and dedication towards self-realization. The Nature of Thoughts: Thoughts are not just continuous mental activities; they are sensations that come with a story or content. They are like movies—light projected onto a screen; what appears significant is actually the result of being engrossed in the narrative rather than the existential reality of the light flickering on the wall. Direct Experience of Thoughts: Leo invites you to experience the distinction between the content of a thought and the sensation it actually is. For instance, imagining a million dollars in your bank account: the story is fictitious, but the actual sensation of thinking it holds a reality on its own. This distinction is crucial for enlightenment. All Reality is Now: Only current sensory experiences constitute reality. If something isn't in your immediate senses—seen, heard, smelled, tasted, touched, or thought of—it isn't real. Our brains are skilled at creating stories, but anything not directly experienced in the present is just a fiction. Mind Opening Challenges: When you attempt to understand new concepts, your mind opens up, but it can quickly be bombarded with additional content, or thoughts, that reinforce the illusion. Overcoming this cycle requires conscious effort and the ability to observe thoughts without getting absorbed in their content. Applying Enlightenment Principles: Leo emphasizes the usefulness of the principle that only the present is real, acknowledging it's a tough practice to maintain. He believes firmly grasping and applying this principle can lead to full enlightenment but requires extraordinary dedication and awareness. Navigating Common Enlightenment Traps: Avoid taking any ideas, beliefs, or instructions—including those from Leo—as the absolute truth. True existential metaphysical truth must be discovered personally. He also encourages setting aside scientific and religious explanations, as they can obstruct direct understanding of reality. Leo's Personal Enlightenment Journey: Leo shares that he has also fallen into enlightenment traps, such as conceptualizing enlightenment as nothingness due to excessive studying. However, only personal experience, beyond just intellectual comprehension, can lead to true enlightenment. Tips for Approaching Enlightenment: Dedicate yourself to constantly discerning the real from the fictitious. Question every idea or belief you encounter, maintain a high awareness, and never mistake the tools meant to awaken you for the actual awakening. Misconception About Nothingness: Leo highlights how people misconceive nothingness, noting that if one truly understood it, they would already be enlightened. He emphasizes that his teachings also apply to himself and admits to falling into the trap of believing he knows everything about enlightenment when, in reality, he knows nothing. Conceptualizing Enlightenment is a Trap: Leo warns against the trap of trying to conceptualize enlightenment and oneself. He explains that any belief or idea held is not the absolute truth and that enlightenment cannot be thought into existence. Analogy of a Dog and Calculus: Using the analogy of a dog unable to learn calculus, Leo illustrates the futility of trying to think your way into enlightenment. He suggests that like a dog, we are limited by our habitual actions and must transcend them through awareness and observation rather than thought. Necessity of Massive Persistence: Leo stresses that enlightenment requires extraordinary mental effort and resilience. He acknowledges that one will likely face numerous challenges, including disheartenment and existential crises, but urges persistence and refinement of approach despite failure. Enlightenment as a Spontaneous Awakening: Describing enlightenment as a spontaneous awakening that cannot be predicted or forced, Leo notes that such a breakthrough might happen unexpectedly, even if one is following a process meant to increase its likelihood. Being as Reality: During enlightenment, Leo explains that you become an expansive form of reality that is not limited or located anywhere in particular. This unrestricted being is experienced during a moment of enlightenment, which can be profoundly transformative. Cyclical Nature of Enlightenment: Enlightenment is presented as a continual pursuit, with cycles of awakening and falling back into ignorance. Leo emphasizes the deep gratitude and worth of this journey despite its challenges. Importance of Continued Learning: Leo suggests watching more of his videos to further understand enlightenment and overcome various traps and challenges. He discourages taking his teachings as absolute truth and emphasizes the practical application of the concepts discussed. Dismissing Beliefs Before Enlightenment Work: Emphasizing the need to clear out one's belief systems, Leo recommends a period of dismissing one's entrenched beliefs to engage in more focused and effective enlightenment practices. Value of Enlightenment Work: Although challenging, Leo concludes that the work towards enlightenment is exceptionally worthwhile and encourages viewers to subscribe to his channel for advanced topics. He reminds viewers that his teachings should not be mistaken as absolute truth. Fidelius Charm

How To Stop Backsliding - How To Stop Procrastinating https://youtu.be/rBq-EPieRwU Understanding the Problem of Backsliding: Leo discusses the frustrating cycle of making a change and then reverting to old habits, known as backsliding, which challenges personal growth and creates pessimism about the possibility of lasting change. Homeostasis as the Culprit: The concept of homeostasis from biology and cybernetics is introduced as a key reason behind backsliding. It's the idea that systems, including us, have a 'center of gravity' they strive to maintain for stability and survival. Survival Mechanism of Homeostasis: Leo explains that homeostasis exists because a system will naturally continue what has worked in the past for survival, without distinguishing between what is merely functional and what is optimal for thriving or self-actualization. Unconscious Resistance to Change: The subconscious mind tends to pull us back to familiar habits through a process similar to a thermostat maintaining a temperature, causing difficulties in maintaining new habits or behaviors. Examples Demonstrating Homeostasis: Leo cites multiple scenarios where attempts to change—such as leaving a toxic relationship, starting a new business, changing sleep patterns, or eating healthier—often meet with emotional resistance leading one back to old, comfortable routines. Emotional and Thought Sabotage: Emotions and thoughts both work to maintain homeostasis by pulling us back to a central comfortable point, often sabotaging our efforts to make changes in our lives. Magic Pill Fallacy: Leo notes there's no easy solution like a "magic pill" for a fulfilling life; it requires emotional labor to effectuate change because the mind and body conspire to resist transitions away from homeostasis. Exertion of Willpower to Reshape Homeostasis: It's possible to reset the center point of homeostasis through willpower and persistence, enabling significant lifestyle changes such as improving diet or waking up earlier. Homeostasis Beyond the Individual: Groups, families, organizations, and even entire societies exhibit their own homeostasis, affecting the capacity for change at broader levels. Importance of Awareness and Expectations: Being aware of homeostasis and setting realistic expectations are foundational in overcoming it. This mindset conditions individuals for the inevitable resistance to change. Psychosomatic Resistance: The mind can create physical symptoms, like those mimicking a cold, as a form of resistance when starting new routines such as going to the gym. Negotiation and Balance: Smart negotiation with oneself, knowing when to push and when to ease off, is essential to prevent violent overreactions from the mind or body and to maintain progress. Emotional Labor: Dealing with the internal tug-of-war and emotional stress that come with personal development is why many do not lead self-actualized lives. Support Systems: Established communities or groups can provide emotional support and camaraderie, crucial for overcoming challenging tasks like weight loss or addiction. Meditation and Visualization: A daily habit of meditation increases self-awareness, aiding the recognition and negotiation with homeostasis, whereas visualization habits reinforce the acceptance of change. Daily Visualization Practice: Using daily visualization, particularly for goals and desired changes, significantly increases the likelihood of achieving them. Imagining the action in detail strengthens the mind's acceptance and cooperation in making those changes. Focus on Meaningful Changes: Prioritizing one impactful change at a time is more effective than trying to tackle multiple changes. Superficial changes lack the motivation required to overcome resistance, thus selecting the right change aligned with personal values is crucial. 100% Commitment to Habits: Committing fully to a chosen habit or change, without leaving room for excuses, drastically improves the chances of success. Leo's personal experience with a strict meditation routine exemplifies the power of unwavering commitment. Iterative Learning from Failure: Recognizing that each failure facilitates easier subsequent attempts by providing learning opportunities. This understanding helps to maintain motivation and perseverance through setbacks. Correcting Overestimation of Attempts: Reflecting on the actual number of attempts made to change rather than the exaggerated estimates by one's mind helps to put things in perspective, reduce discouragement, and better gauge the effort required. Impact of a Single Change: Emphasizing the transformative potential of consistent, focused change over time. Cultivating a vision for how a simple habit, like daily meditation, can lead to significant personal growth and transformation over the years. Significance of Being Visionary: Encourages developing a vision for one's life, understanding that small changes can lead to major shifts over time, and focusing on that vision facilitates commitment to making substantive changes. Obliviate

Feminine vs Masculine Compassion https://youtu.be/IUO8J-igiuE Compassion, Noun 1. A Feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering. Illustrative story of horses: Leo shares the story of horses from Dennis Genpo Merzel's book, where a lead male horse kills a struggling newborn that cannot stand, contrasting with the females attempting nurturing encouragement. This exemplifies that compassion can take both nurturing (feminine) and pragmatic (masculine) forms. Common assumption of feminine compassion: Leo notes the common bias towards perceiving compassion as "feminine," being soft and nurturing, whereas "masculine" compassion is often overlooked, which involves pragmatic and sometimes stern actions. Stereotypical gender associations with compassion: He clarifies that masculine and feminine approaches to compassion are not directly tied to physical gender but are stereotypical tendencies, suggesting that individuals can exhibit either irrespective of their gender. Video content delivery approaches: Leo reflects on his personal balance between using masculine or feminine methods in his videos, indicating the appropriateness of one over the other depends on the viewer's situation. Relationship ending and compassion choices: Leo recounts an episode from his life where he delayed ending a relationship that wasn't working out. He recognizes that a swift, masculine approach might have caused less suffering in the long run compared to prolonged, soft handling. Hiring and firing decisions: Using the example of an employee not meeting expectations, Leo illustrates how either a masculine approach (swift firing) or feminine approach (offering support and time to improve) can be valid, depending on the specifics. Child discipline: When discussing child discipline, Leo highlights that both masculine and feminine methods can be effective or counterproductive. Building good judgment on which to use comes from experience and oftentimes from making mistakes. Development of wisdom through experience: Leo emphasizes that the right approach to compassion is something learned over time, through trial and error, leading to better judgment in future situations. Tendency to favor one approach over another: He observes that individuals may naturally lean towards using either the masculine or feminine approach to compassion more competently, which can be a limitation when flexibility is required. Rigidity in Applying Compassion Approaches: Some individuals may be adept at using either a masculine or feminine compassion approach but become rigid, defaulting to their usual method even when it's inappropriate for the situation, like using a hammer for a screw instead of a screwdriver. Abuse of Masculine Compassion as Excuse for Poor Behavior: Leo cautions against misusing the guise of masculine compassion to rationalize unkind or selfish behavior, emphasizing integrity in ensuring actions are genuinely for the benefit of others. Correlation Between Consciousness and Compassion: Leo has observed through his studies on enlightenment that as a person's conscious awareness increases, so does their capacity for compassion, because they begin to identify with a broader reality beyond their individual self. Enlightenment Experience and Compassion: Sharing a retreat participant's story, Leo highlights how an enlightenment experience can lead to a profound sense of unity and compassion with others' feelings, demonstrating that deep compassion arises from an expanded awareness. Practical Exercise for Compassion Flexibility: Leo suggests an exercise to identify one's default compassion approach and then consciously apply the opposite approach in an upcoming situation to develop balance and the skill to discern the most effective compassion strategy. Encouragement to Explore Higher States of Consciousness: Leo motivates viewers to consider the possibility of higher states of consciousness that are rarely pursued and could lead to significant personal growth and expanded compassion. Alohomora

Understanding Emotions - Part 1 https://youtu.be/0j7dwG1cXc4 Limited Emotional Vocabulary: Leo notes that most people, including his coaching clients, struggle to articulate their emotions due to a very limited emotional vocabulary. This lack of awareness often results in emotions dominating and controlling their lives unknowingly. Unconscious Influence of Emotions: Leo observes that people are largely unaware of how emotions dictate their behavior, which leads to problematic behavior loops and unnecessary suffering. Emotional Intelligence (EQ): Leo discusses the importance of EQ in achieving success and fulfillment in life. He suggests that EQ, more than IQ, correlates with life satisfaction and is essential for self-actualization. Emotions as Behavior Generators: Emotions, often unconsciously, generate the majority of human behaviors. Leo explains that people mistakenly believe they act out of logic and reason when, in reality, emotions are the driving force. Misunderstanding Emotions: People generally lack an understanding of the messages emotions carry, leading to reactive behavior rather than informed responses. The upcoming parts of the series will delve into the specific messages carried by common emotions. Coaching and Therapy Challenges: Due to the inability to express and explore emotions, many people face difficulties in coaching or therapy sessions, where connecting with one’s emotions is critical for success. Emotions and Stoicism: Leo warns those who consider themselves non-emotional, particularly stoic males, that they might be unconscious of the crucial role emotions play in their lives. Rich Complexity and Dynamism of Emotions: Describing emotions like anger, Leo emphasizes that emotions are dynamic, complex matrices of feelings and thoughts that ebb and flow, not static states. Emotions as Primitive Communication: Emotions serve as an ancient, non-logical language that communicates survival-critical information far quicker than conscious, rational thought. Emotions as Primary Motivators: Emotions are presented by Leo as the primary source of human motivation, driving behaviors long before the rational mind can process information. Tension between Emotion and Logic: Leo discusses the tension between emotional impulse and rational thought, highlighting how we can notice and potentially negotiate between the two for better outcomes. Framework for Categorizing Emotions: Using the Sedona Method as a reference, Leo presents a framework to understand the spectrum of emotions from negatively perceived states to more resourceful ones. Emotional Buffet: Leo encourages viewers to pause, feel, and remember emotions listed in the video in order to increase emotional intelligence and understanding through bodily sensations and associations. Identifying Emotions in the Body: Leo notes the importance of recognizing where in the body emotions are felt and the associated mental chatter or 'monkey chatter' that accompanies each emotion. Emotion Categories for Mindfulness Practice: Leo presents a hierarchy of emotion categories including apathy, grief, fear, lust, anger, pride, courage, acceptance, and peace, encouraging viewers to feel and compare the subtle differences within each category. Apathy as the Least Resourceful State: The category of apathy is discussed as offering little motivation for action, with emotions like depression, feeling defeated, boredom, and laziness. Grief as a Slightly More Resourceful State: Leo lists emotions under grief like sadness, hurt, betrayal, disappointment, and guilt, suggesting they are one step above apathy. Fear and Its Variations: A range of fears is introduced, from terror to insecurity, with emphasis on both their strength and qualitative differences. Lust Leading to Reactive Emotions: The lust category is described to include craving, possessiveness, greed, and frustration, emotions that can lead to reactive behaviors. Anger and Its Subtleties: The discussion of anger highlights various forms such as disgust, vengefulness, and the subtler feeling of annoyance. Pride and Its Complexity: Leo explains that pride contains emotions like gloating, judgment, and arrogance, which have their unique implications. Courage as a Positive Emotional State: Emotions within courage, such as confidence, creativity, happiness, and security, are deemed more positive and resourceful. Acceptance Leading to Compassionate Behaviors: He elaborates on acceptance, which includes compassion, glowing, love, and playfulness, enhancing one's emotional state. Peace as the Ultimate Emotional Goal: The category of peace is discussed as the desired state with emotions like awareness, calm, tranquility, completeness, freedom, and centeredness. Emotions are Conscious and Unconscious: Leo underlines that emotions can be both conscious and unconscious, with most remaining unrecognized. Avoid Labeling Emotions as Good or Bad: Labeling emotions as inherently good or bad is discouraged as it oversimplifies the complex sensations and mind-states involved. Understanding Emotions as Unconscious Language: Emotions are deemed the language of the unconscious, providing insight into a multitude of involuntary bodily and cognitive processes. Aspirations Beyond Survival: For those seeking fulfillment beyond mere survival, understanding and unwiring negative emotional patterns is crucial. Transitioning Emotions for Self-Actualization: Leo suggests transitioning from lower-level to higher-level emotions, like peace and acceptance, is key for self-actualization and deep happiness. Reframing Goals in Terms of Emotions: He recommends recognizing that our true goals are the emotions we associate with material successes, not the successes themselves. Emotional Goals Over Material Goals: Leo emphasizes that what people truly seek through material goals like promotions or physical appearance improvements are emotional states like peace, acceptance, and wholeness. He suggests a more direct approach to achieving these emotional objectives, as opposed to pursuing material possessions, could save time and energy. Emotions and Conscious Mind: Emotions serve as the foundation for the conscious mind, essentially directing it. Leo explains that the idea of controlling your emotions directly is backwards, as emotions are the base that supports conscious thought. Mindfulness as Emotional Pseudo-Control: He distinguishes between controlling emotions and practicing mindfulness. Mindfulness, not direct control, is identified as the key to managing emotions. Being more aware and conscious through observation reduces the dominance of emotions over one's awareness. Developing Mindfulness Through Practice: Leo advises to stop the judgment of emotions and to feel them physically, stating that emotions are neither good nor bad. He recommends an unconventional approach that involves observing emotions rather than reacting to them, which requires persistent practice. Mindfulness Exercise with Alarms: An exercise for developing mindfulness involves setting multiple alarms throughout the day for a week. At each alarm, individuals should pause to notice and journal their emotions, fostering greater emotional awareness. Mastering Emotions to Master Life: Leo concludes by suggesting that mastering one's emotions through improved emotional intelligence (EQ) can lead to mastery over life. He encourages regular practice and engagement with self-help resources, such as his videos and articles, to achieve personal transformation. Aguamenti

How To Have Amazing Sex - Part 2 - Increasing Intimacy & Dominance https://youtu.be/325ka9OLMlo Intimacy versus Mechanics: Leo challenges the traditional male view of sex as purely mechanical, arguing for an emotional perspective and noting women's desire for emotional connection in sex. Concept of Intimacy and Dominance: He reiterates the importance of combining intimacy and dominance in a 1 to 1 ratio for amazing sex. Leo promises tangible techniques to enhance both, which can make a woman feel deeply connected and excited. Emotional Resonance over Technical Skill: Leo emphasizes that connecting emotionally is more critical than being a technical master in the bedroom. Amazing sex stems from the attitudes and feelings you convey, which get reflected in your partner and strengthen the sex’s emotional aspect. Building Intimacy: Strategies for enhancing intimacy include maintaining deep eye contact, using affectionate nicknames like 'baby' or 'sweetie', and verbal affirmations during sex. Leo also encourages men to embrace a woman's femininity, leading her, and complimenting her beauty. The Tonal Quality of Intimate Talk: He stresses the quality of the tone in intimate talk, which should be soft, compassionate, and reassuring. Whispering can be a highly intimate form of communication during sex. Examples of Intimate Phrases: Leo provides examples of phrases like "Hey baby, I want to be inside you," aimed at generating a sense of closeness and intimacy, suggesting that men should overcome any reluctance to express this kind of affectionate language. Understanding and Value of Intimacy: He underscores the unique level of understanding and closeness brought about by intimacy, separating romantic relationships from other forms of relationships. Leo acknowledges that some men may struggle with intimacy due to past experiences and implies the importance of addressing these issues for a deeper connection. Deep emotional rapport: Leo discusses the importance of deep emotional rapport from a woman's perspective within an intimate relationship, emphasizing the preference for emotional connections over mere physical or companionate relations. Intimate talk techniques: Leo encourages partners to experiment with intimate talk, finding favorite phrases, and even writing and memorizing them for practice in the bedroom, to cultivate closeness. Gentle physical touch: He suggests using gentle touches, such as caressing the face, stroking hair, or giving small kisses, noting their cumulative effect in building sensitivity and intimacy. Missionary position for intimacy: Missionary is highlighted as the most intimate sex position due to face-to-face contact, whispering opportunities, strong eye contact, and body-to-body closeness. Saying 'I love you': Leo discusses the power of expressing love verbally during sex, especially when deeply connected with a partner. He advises saying "I love you" if it's genuine and a comfortable part of the relationship. Condom-free sex: For increased intimacy, he advocates for condom-free sex with the partner on birth control, stating that physically coming inside the partner without a condom creates a profound level of intimacy. Cuddling after sex: He underlines the significance of cuddling after sex as a way to build intimacy, recommending against immediately disengaging or leaving after intercourse. Making the partner squirt: To deepen intimacy, Leo encourages learning the techniques to make a woman squirt and cites his video tutorial on the subject for detailed guidance. Transition to dominance: Leo shifts from discussing intimacy to introducing ways to increase feelings of dominance in the relationship, emphasizing the appeal of a "boss" or leader figure in the eyes of a woman. Fierce eye contact: He advises using fierce eye contact that communicates certainty and desire, cautioning against appearing hesitant or insecure as it could diminish the perception of dominance. Growling to signify dominance: Leo suggests trying out growling, a deep guttural sound, during sex as it can turn on a woman by embodying a manly, animalistic, and dominant nature. Biting as a dominant act: Light biting on the neck during kissing is presented as a primal and dominant behavior that can excite many women because of the neck's sensitivity. Dominant talk in the bedroom: He describes the use of commanding tonality and authoritative language during sex to assert dominance, emphasizing that words should be commands rather than requests but not abusive. Rough physical touch for dominance: Leo details how physical actions such as gripping or binding the partner's arms and holding them down can increase dominance when done safely and consensually. Safety and consent: Throughout the discussion on dominance, Leo stresses the importance of making the partner feel safe and ensuring that any dominant behavior is consensual and not dangerous. Safety and Trust in Dominance: Leo underscores the necessity of creating a safe environment where the partner trusts the dominant party. Acts must be consensual, and if a partner shows discomfort, one must back off, emphasizing that dominance should never equate to actual mistreatment or forced actions. Jerking Motions for Physical Dominance: The use of sudden, jerking motions is explored, such as pulling a partner closer by the hips or neck, or tossing their hands above their head. Leo advises caution to avoid accidental injury and emphasizes the importance of safety while engaging in these dominant acts. Hand Restraint Techniques: Restraining a partner's hands against a wall or behind their back during intimacy is discussed as a powerful dominant touch. Leo demonstrates specific techniques like pinning hands above the head or behind the partner's back, reinforcing the significance of control and safety. Ripping Off Undergarments for Dominance: Leo suggests tearing the partner's panties as an act of dominance. He advises coordination with the partner to avoid destroying expensive clothing and emphasizes careful removal to avoid injury, tying the act into consensual fantasy play rather than harmful behavior. Bedroom Bondage with Neckties: Leo proposes the use of inexpensive neckties for bedroom bondage, highlighting creative ways to tie a partner to bedposts or using a door to pin their hands above their head. This suggestion is intended to safely explore dominance within the bedroom in a consensual manner. Dominant Slams into Walls or Doors: He explains the 'door slam' and 'wall slam' as dominant acts of pressing a partner's body against a firm surface, recommending the use of a door for its softness and noise. Safety and head protection during this action are stressed, along with ensuring the act is consensual. Spanking, Biting, and Choking: Leo endorses the exploration of biting, spanking, and choking during sex, particularly in doggy style. He suggests starting gently and promoting clear communication to gauge comfort levels, while being mindful of safety in sensitive areas. Dominant Sex Positions: Suggested dominant positions include doggy style with spanking and hip slams, standing sex, and utilizing furniture such as tables to create excitement. The importance of variety and exploring positions that enhance the sense of dominance is highlighted. Leading and Commanding in the Bedroom: The importance of leading and initiating in the bedroom is discussed. Leo instructs to give clear commands and take charge of changing positions, moving the partner around, and if desired, incorporating bondage. He emphasizes confidence and decisiveness in sexual encounters, encouraging viewers to shed hesitation and insecurity. Assumption of leadership in the bedroom: Leo encourages taking a leadership role and acting with confidence in the bedroom. He advises against overthinking or hesitating when wanting to try a new sex position or activity, suggesting that women appreciate confidence in their partner's actions. Concept of 'ravishing' in sex: Leo presents the idea of "ravishing" the partner as a mindset for men in the bedroom. This involves expressing one's authentic urges and acting as a "penetrating force" both physically and with one's will and intellect. Dealing with unusual sexual preferences: While advocating for confidence and assertiveness, Leo also points out that very unusual or kinkier preferences should be approached with more caution and communication to ensure it's consensual and enjoyed by both partners. Strategies for combining intimacy and dominance: Leo suggests creating a 'sweet and sour combo' by alternating between intimate and dominant interactions to keep the sexual experience engaging and dynamic. Importance of variety in sexual experiences: Emphasizing the need for variety, Leo advises changing sex positions, phrases, locations, and overall types of sexual encounters to keep the experience fresh and exciting. Need for planning and preparation in sex: He suggests planning sexual experiences, thinking about the necessary environment and materials, and taking proactive steps to ensure a diverse and fulfilling sex life. Practice with a committed partner: Leo recommends practicing sexual techniques with a committed, sexually curious, and adventurous partner, noting that consistent and deep connections are more conducive to effective practice than one-night stands. Focus on mutual pleasure: He highlights the importance of caring about the partner's pleasure in the bedroom, suggesting that amazing sex is about creating an unforgettable experience for both participants. Continued personal development: Concluding his talk, Leo promotes his newsletter, emphasizing the value of working on self-improvement in aspects such as sex, relationships, personal psychology, and understanding life to lead an extraordinary life. Silencio

All Of Religion Explained In One Video https://youtu.be/X_xZcD4veGc Leo's Perspective on Religion: Leo Gura claims his insights on religion are influenced by his studies on philosophy, personal development, and consciousness, especially enlightenment. He points out that despite a scientific and rational perspective, religions retain a significant cultural and societal influence, suggesting an empirical investigation into their existence. Empiricism vs. Dogmatism: Leo warns that rational people may unconsciously exhibit the same dogmatism they attribute to religious individuals, without realizing their defense of their worldview is emotionally driven. He advocates for an empirical approach to understanding religion, which relies on verifiable personal experience over blind faith. Religion's Origin and Commonalities: He questions commonly held beliefs regarding religions' origins, such as primitive stupidity, superstition, tradition, or social control, and hints at a deeper, unifying force behind their existence. Leo suggests that religions' pervasive similarities and their grip on society indicate a core truth beyond simplistic origins. Accessibility of Absolute Truth: Leo introduces the provocative idea that an 'absolute truth' exists and is accessible to human beings, but not through the rational mind. This, he says, is difficult for the rational mind to accept and implies the necessity of exploring beyond rational thinking to encounter this truth. Religious structure and truth: Leo asserts the structure of core religion he presents is true, involving one's sense of self and personal story adhered to the mind and body is illusory; the true self is identified as nothingness, which must be experienced rather than intellectually understood. The enlightenment process: The journey to enlightenment consists of first realizing the self as nothing and then extending that realization to the nature of existence itself—discovering that existence and nothingness are fundamentally identical. Existential unity and God: Enlightenment reveals that other people are also nothingness, leading to the understanding of an existential unity where individuals are identical at a metaphysical level. Consequently, this absolute truth is identified as God, described as nothingness from which all reality arises. Core of major religions: Leo describes the truth of 'no self' as the central tenet of all major religions, including Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Zen, Sufism, and yogic traditions, all of which aim to elucidate this complex truth through various means. Experiential understanding versus intellectualization: The idea of 'no self' or the concept of nothingness cannot be comprehended intellectually since intellectualization itself constitutes 'something'. To grasp 'no self', one must undergo a radical experience outside the confines of conventional logical thinking and language. Third alternative for understanding reality: Leo discusses the limitations of conceptual models and sensory experiences as the traditional means of understanding reality. He introduces a third alternative: to become the thing being understood, which involves disidentifying from oneself and all experience, theoretically allowing one to embody everything. Challenges of communicating no-self: The difficulty lies in communicating the truth of 'no self' since traditional expressions turn the truth into stories or belief systems. Direct being or experience is required to truly understand, as opposed to discussing or writing about it. Dogmatism's role in understanding no-self: The inherent dogmatism in humans complicates spreading the truth of 'no self'. Even when communicated, this knowledge tends to become distorted into belief systems and myths, making it challenging to convey the direct experience necessary for understanding. Jailbreaking the mind: Leo likens the process of understanding 'no self' to jailbreaking a brain from its conditioning, which is a complicated psychological process met with resistance due to strong attachments to selfhood. This process requires shedding limitations, suggesting that one can experience reality without the constraints of personal identity and narrative. Spread of knowledge and limitations: Ordinary knowledge can be spread through writing and publishing, such as mathematical formulas in textbooks; however, the profound knowledge of 'no self' must be personally experienced and therefore defies mass distribution or systematic education, making its transmission uniquely challenging. Difficulty in conveying 'no self': Leo discusses that writing about the truth of 'no self' in books is insufficient as understanding it requires 'jailbreaking the mind', which is not achieved through simple belief but through direct experience. This makes mass distribution of this truth nearly impossible without it turning into a false belief system. Mythology as a historical tool: Thousands of years ago, lacking scientific and analytical thinking, humans employed myths and storytelling to communicate the concept of 'no self' because the process of enlightenment and self-realization was not well understood and difficult to convey. Hardcore mystics and their role: Mystics like Jesus, Buddha, and Zen masters, having experienced 'no self', struggled share this profound insight. Though some chose silence, others used storytelling to indirectly guide others towards this realization. Cultural adaptation of spiritual truth: The absolute truth of 'no self' was adjusted to fit cultural contexts, making the teachings more palatable to different societies. Each culture’s distinct interpretation served as a mechanism to potentially help individuals towards enlightenment. The evolution and distortion of religious teachings: Over time, religious teachings often strayed into dogmatism and lost touch with their mystical root - the profound 'no self' realization. Esoteric groups within major religions preserved these teachings but were marginalized due to their radical perspectives. Personal realization and the limits of instruction: Leo points out that all explanations of 'no self' fall short except for personal realization, making every cultural twist on religion simply a teaching mechanism which might aid or hinder enlightenment. Self-reflection on dogmatism: He urges viewers to recognize their own dogmatism through strong emotional reactions when their worldview is challenged, revealing the bias within oneself similar to what is criticized in others. Atheism, mysticism, and the concept of God: Atheism partially coincides with mysticism by denying a deity, but differs in not recognizing that 'nothingness' itself is profound and is the true existential foundation, which some mystics refer to as God. Science and the matter qualia problem: Although science has advanced humankind, Leo criticizes it for failing to address the matter qualia problem, suggesting it cannot reconcile the subjective experience of consciousness with the physical world, a problem he feels enlightenment resolves. Science and the matter-qualia problem: Leo describes a significant limitation of science, where it focuses on physical matter but fails to address qualia – the subjective experiences like feelings, colors, and sensations. This issue, according to Leo, is typically ignored or inadequately explained by science, as these experiential entities are not found within the physical brain. Resolution through enlightenment: Leo suggests that enlightenment provides the only true resolution to the matter-qualia problem. By shedding one's identification with the body and realizing one's true state as nothingness, enlightenment throws traditional scientific assumptions into question. Demystifying religious concepts: Leo redefines God as absolute nothingness and heaven as the state of disidentification from one’s body. Hell is depicted as the current human condition of identifying with the body, which inevitably leads to suffering. Faith is framed as the willingness to embrace the possibility of ‘being,’ beyond concept and experience. Redefining good, evil, and salvation: Good and evil are presented as relative terms, with evil equating to selfishness and identification with the ego, while good signifies a selfless state of recognizing oneself as both nothing and everything. Salvation is the transformation from a ‘wicked’ self-deceptive state to an enlightened state of understanding 'no self'. Reality of afterlife through enlightenment: Leo associates the concept of the afterlife with the realization of absolute nothingness. In this state, one becomes invulnerable and eternal, already living in what religious texts might consider the 'afterlife'. Challenges of becoming enlightened: Leo acknowledges the extreme difficulty in relinquishing beliefs to realize one's true nature. Enlightenment is described as a daunting and emotionally grueling journey, which may take years and is not guaranteed to be successful. Embracing enlightenment beyond religion and atheism: He encourages religious individuals to drop all religious beliefs, as they hinder enlightenment. Simultaneously, he criticizes dogmatic atheism as also obstructing understanding of 'no self'. Enlightenment should be sought without beliefs, rituals, or predefined conceptions. Encouraging personal experience over dogma: Leo concludes by urging viewers to experience enlightenment firsthand. He emphasizes that true mystics are rare due to the hardships of completely abandoning beliefs and achieving enlightenment, an emotionally intense and arduous quest. Riddikulus

Enlightenment FAQ - Part 2 https://youtu.be/wmGWDBUNuts Enlightenment FAQ - Understanding the Benefits: Enlightenment's true benefits include escaping the mental prison of thoughts and emotions, achieving deep tranquility that isn't dependent on external circumstances, and maintaining calmness through life's ups and downs. Enlightenment and Emotions: Enlightenment does not grant control over emotions, as it recognizes the non-existence of the 'self'. However, it leads to a transformed relationship with emotions, where they no longer cause suffering but are seen as neutral experiences. Misconception of Current Happiness: Leo points out that current happiness is often dependent on external circumstances and is not true happiness. True, consistent happiness, impossible without enlightenment, requires recognizing the illusion of the 'self'. Illusionary Happiness with Wealth and Success: The pursuit of external achievements like wealth does not lead to true happiness, as it often comes with the fear of loss. Real happiness can't be sustained when based on the potential loss of externalities like relationships or health. Pursuing Goals with Authentic Desires: Enlightenment does not require abandoning goals or hobbies. Instead, it results in pursuing goals not to fulfill egoic desires but from an authentic place of knowing what is truly desired within. Enlightenment and Career, Hobbies, Relationships: Engaging in work, hobbies, or relationships post-enlightenment is encouraged if it stems from authentic desires rather than ego-driven motivations. Enlightenment changes the reason and way these aspects are approached but doesn't inherently require giving them up. Enlightenment Reveals Inauthentic Happiness: Leo argues that many people deceive themselves about their happiness and well-being, highlighting the impermanence and contingency of perceived happiness on external factors throughout one's life. Relationship to Emotions Post-Enlightenment: After enlightenment, emotions may still arise, but their impact diminishes, and they are treated as just another aspect of experience. The illusion of control over emotions is presented to outsiders, but internally, there is an acceptance of the natural flow of emotions without the interference of a 'self'. Authenticity in Goal Pursuit: Instead of stopping one's pursuit of goals due to enlightenment, it is crucial to examine the motivations behind them. If the goals arise from a place of authenticity and not from ego, they are harmonious with an enlightened state. Enlightenment Reveals Distorted Self-Perceptions: Enlightenment leads to the realization of misrepresentation in self-image issues such as shyness, lack of confidence, or the need to impress others, which often dominate one's life. This realization eliminates these concerns entirely. Enlightenment as an Inner Transformation: Enlightenment is primarily an inner realization that doesn't dictate external lifestyle changes. It allows for an authentic life where actions align with true desires, without ego-induced motivations. Dispelling the Happiness Myth: Leo challenges the belief that people are truly happy with their lives, pointing out that happiness is often temporary and conditional. He advocates for enlightenment as the path to sustained contentment. Authenticity in personal goals: Goals pursued out of egoic desires, like seeking happiness or validation from career success, relationships, health, and hobbies, are inauthentic and act as hindrances to finding true happiness. Leo suggests that these ego-driven pursuits should be reconsidered because they prevent genuine inner mental development. Identifying egoic versus authentic goals: Distinguishing between ego-driven and authentic goals is challenging and requires deep reflection. For example, going to the gym could seem like a healthy goal, but upon introspection, it might reveal an underlying motive to maintain a favorable self-image, which is not authentic. Danger misconceptions regarding enlightenment: Leo challenges the notion that enlightenment undermines a happy, healthy, normal life. He posits that all negative actions stem from the ego's self-protective behavior, not from enlightened individuals. Enlightenment aims to remove the belief in a necessary defense by recognizing the non-existence of the separative self. The peaceful nature of enlightenment: Enlightenment is portrayed as a state where 'monkey chatter' in the mind is silenced, resulting in a peaceful and harmless existence. Rather than being dangerous, it is the ego's defense mechanisms that paint enlightenment as threatening in order to maintain its survival. Enlightenment's universal appeal and necessity: Leo advocates that everyone, regardless of their background, should seek enlightenment. It is a universal truth linked to understanding one's true nature—nothingness. If widely adopted, enlightenment could potentially create the most profound transformation in human civilization. Stereotypes in the path toward enlightenment: Leo addresses common misconceptions of becoming a non-productive "hippy slacker" upon pursuing spirituality and enlightenment. He argues that genuine enlightenment transcends stereotypes and results in productivity, dispelling cultural and worldview biases to achieve a neutral state of being. Embracing desired activities post-enlightenment: Desires like sex, alcohol, drugs, or work are not inherently incompatible with enlightenment. Rather than giving up such activities, enlightenment allows one to engage in them consciously and with appreciation. Attachments to these desires often fall away naturally as one becomes unhooked from their needs. The morality of actions versus their motivation: Leo argues that no action is inherently bad, including sex, drugs, alcohol, or money-making. The key factor is the motivational drive behind the actions; when these are driven by ego and addiction, negative consequences arise. However, if one acts selflessly and without addiction, these activities can bring value and lack negative repercussions. Understanding temporary enlightenment experiences: Leo explains that experiences of enlightenment, whether through drugs or meditation, are often fleeting, like sporadic sunbeams through the clouds. While these moments are enlightening, he emphasizes the goal of achieving permanent enlightenment—a state where the 'clouds' are forever cleared, allowing perpetual enlightenment without ongoing effort or meditation. Permanent enlightenment versus temporary states: Leo notes that drugs may provide short-lived enlightenment-like experiences, which are not sufficient for achieving a permanent enlightened state. While meditation can induce temporary experiences, consistent practice is necessary for permanent enlightenment. He stresses that achieving this permanent state requires considerable work, approximately a thousand hours, and encourages continued meditation. Enlightenment's impact on relationships: Post-enlightenment relationships depend on their quality and the joy they bring. Dysfunctional relationships may end, while healthy ones flourish. The absence of ego allows for improved interactions, enabling compassion for family and friends and independence from toxic relationships. Transformation of love through enlightenment: Leo distinguishes between ego-driven love and true love. Most people's understanding of love is tainted by selfishness. In contrast, true love occurs when the ego is dissolved, fostering a connection with all beings, leading to compassionate and loving actions that align with the Golden Rule. The detriment of delaying enlightenment for normal pursuits: Leo advises against postponing the pursuit of enlightenment in favor of 'normal' life activities, which may prolong suffering. He suggests that obtaining enlightenment earlier can provide a more fulfilling life without the need for temporary pleasures. The role of uncertainty in the enlightenment process: Enlightenment involves embracing uncertainty, challenging the desire for certainty and clarity. Leo encourages self-doubt and questioning as means to intellectual honesty and personal growth, necessary components on the path to enlightenment. The universal applicability and timeliness of enlightenment: Leo rejects the idea of postponing enlightenment until later in life, emphasizing that delaying it only prolongs suffering. Regardless of age or stage in life, enlightenment should be sought after promptly to maximize happiness and minimize suffering. Misconception of delaying happiness: People often delay seeking enlightenment in favor of enduring years of suffering, not realizing that life can be much more rewarding if they attain enlightenment sooner rather than later. Regret of late enlightenment: Many who reach enlightenment later in life regret not having had the experience sooner, recognizing the unnecessary emotional turmoil they endured in earlier years. Resistance to enlightenment as laziness: Leo suggests that individuals who reject the pursuit of enlightenment and prefer a "normal life" are essentially closing their minds and opting for mental and emotional suffering. Normal life as a standard for dysfunction: The idea of a "normal life" is critiqued by Leo as a life of suffering and neuroticism, even if externally successful. He encourages aiming for a "good life" instead, which can be achieved more quickly through enlightenment. Relative position for teaching enlightenment: While not claiming to be an enlightened guru, Leo sees himself as a few steps ahead on the path, able to help others avoid pitfalls and progress on their personal journeys. Ongoing journey and learning: Leo acknowledges that his understanding of enlightenment is evolving. He admits to having biases and continues to learn, even suggesting that his views may change over time. Updating and correcting enlightenment teachings: As Leo's understanding evolves, he expresses a willingness to revise his teachings. He emphasizes growth and the value of newer, more accurate insights shared in his recent videos. Importance of personal enlightenment: Leo stresses that enlightenment should be personally sought and proven, rather than following beliefs blindly. He assures that if proven wrong, he will candidly admit it. Invitation to subscribe to Actualized.org newsletter: The invitation offers additional resources and content related to enlightenment and personal development, encouraging viewers to stay informed on their journey to self-improvement. Riddikulus

Enlightenment FAQ - Part 1 - All Your Questions Answered https://youtu.be/H0GbcGMar_E Introduction to the Enlightenment FAQ: Leo is creating an Enlightenment FAQ series to address common questions about spiritual enlightenment for those who have followed his previous content. The series aims to clarify misconceptions and fears and provide a deeper understanding of the journey toward enlightenment. Difference between Understanding and Experiencing Enlightenment: Enlightenment extends beyond understanding the concept of "no self" intellectually; it must be experienced personally. The difference between talking about enlightenment and living an enlightened life is vast and necessitates a profound shift in perception and everyday experience. Visibility of 'No Self' and Psychological Obstacles: Despite being a simple truth, the realization of "no self" is obscured by our psychology, culture, and inherent resistance from our ego. Achieving enlightenment entails unlearning deep-seated beliefs, requiring significant effort and a radical shift in perspective. The Matrix Misconception: Enlightenment is not akin to living in a simulated reality like "The Matrix." Unlike the film, enlightenment posits that while the physical world exists, the individual self is a fiction. This realization is paradoxically more complex and challenging than escaping a simulation. Reality vs. Illusion: Enlightenment does not claim that reality is an illusion; rather, everyday physical objects exist. What is illusory is the perception of a separate self observing these objects. Enlightenment challenges the reality of personal identity, not the existence of the external world. Enlightenment versus Religion and Philosophy: Unlike religion and philosophy, which construct models and theories about reality, enlightenment is about directly experiencing reality without the interference of mental chatter. Enlightenment is the practice of being reality itself, rather than thinking or hypothesizing about it. Mental Chatter and the Nature of Enlightenment: Theoretical constructs, which are common in religion, philosophy, and science, prevent direct experience of enlightenment. Enlightenment occurs beyond the scope of mind-driven rationalizing and theorizing, in the realm of stillness and non-thinking. Risk of misinterpreting enlightenment: Leo emphasizes the difficulty in discussing enlightenment without it being misunderstood as another belief system, philosophy, or religion. He is meticulous with his language to avoid this since enlightenment is about direct experience rather than theoretical frameworks. Enlightenment vs. nihilism: Leo differentiates enlightenment from nihilism, emphasizing that while both acknowledge the lack of inherent meaning, nihilism, as a philosophy, often leads to despair, whereas enlightenment embraces this lack of meaning as a positive truth without attaching any dark significance to it. Language and stories in conveying enlightenment: He acknowledges the conundrum of using stories and language to convey enlightenment. Though they are flawed mediums, they're necessary tools for pointing towards the truth. The goal is for individuals to read between the lines and pursue the deeper truths hinted at by these stories. Misinterpreting Leo's teachings as another "story": Leo addresses the potential confusion that his teachings are just another narrative by clarifying that his role is not to impose his story as truth but to guide others to experience what he points to, encouraging viewers to look beyond his words to the underlying reality. Achieving strength and power through enlightenment: Leo provides a paradoxical answer to whether enlightenment brings strength and power. It does, by freeing one from mental and emotional limitations, but not in the ego's sense of gaining control or dominance. True strength comes from acknowledging the lack of an intrinsic 'self' and finding inner peace. The illusion of free will in enlightenment: Addressing free will, Leo asserts that the sense of a controlling 'self' is illusory. By examining the origins of one's thoughts in a meditative state, one can realize that the self is merely a construct, and thoughts arise independently of any willful self. Purpose of life and enlightenment: Leo states that life inherently has no point or purpose, which can relieve stress and emotional distress. The yearning for purpose is an ego-driven desire, and recognizing life's purposelessness is an aspect of enlightenment. Life's inherent pointlessness: Reality simply exists, and life is a continuous flow without needing a specific point or purpose. Our search for meaning or purpose is driven by the ego's need for significance, leading to distress when we feel insignificant. Enlightenment reveals that the meaninglessness of life is itself without meaning, which liberates rather than depresses. Misconception of nihilism: The idea of life being meaningless can prompt existential questions like suicide, but this stems from an egoic misunderstanding of enlightenment. Recognizing that there is no "self" to kill or be killed invalidates such reactions, reframing meaninglessness as a freeing truth rather than a negative one. Value of business and family despite pointlessness: On a practical level, both business endeavors and family life are ultimately seen as pointless in the grand cosmic scheme, which is liberating because it allows one to pursue these activities for the inherent joy and experiences they bring, rather than a need for legacy. Enlightenment's effect on emotion: Enlightenment doesn't make a person devoid of emotions. Rather, it enriches emotional life by allowing one to fully experience and appreciate emotions in the present moment without being controlled by them. Monastic lifestyle not required for enlightenment: Enlightenment is about inner realization, not about assuming a particular lifestyle like that of a monk, unless one personally finds it meaningful. Aligning lifestyle choices with inner understanding is emphasized. Ego's contradiction to survival: The ego, being an illusion, is not necessary for survival and can in fact threaten survival through harmful behaviors. Letting go of the ego can lead to improved quality of life and better chances for thriving. Ego's lack of positive qualities: Enlightenment teaches that the ego is completely illusory and does not inherently have positive or negative aspects. Good things in life are not the result of the ego; they can exist without it. Misconceptions about losing the good in life: Enlightenment does not mean losing the valuable aspects of your life like family, relationships, or achievements. These are not directly created by the 'self' or ego, but are aspects of life that exist independently of our perceived control or creation. Enlightenment and motivation: Becoming enlightened does not equate to a loss of motivation or turning into a dispassionate individual. Rather, enlightenment helps eliminate neurotic obligations, enabling a person to pursue authentic desires and more genuinely aligned activities. False motivations and enlightenment: Enlightenment helps to dissolve false motivations driven by societal expectations. If business or success does not resonate with your true self, enlightenment enables you to let go and seek what genuinely fulfills you, possibly even increasing motivation if those pursuits are authentically desired. Inherent nature of motivation: Motivations stem from the body and the unconscious mind rather than from a 'self'. Enlightenment may change motivation, but does not eliminate it, as the feeling of being motivated does not originate from the ego, which enlightenment reveals to be an illusion. Enlightenment and self-actualization: Enlightenment does not negate self-actualization or self-help; it represents the advanced stages of personal development. Lower levels of self-improvement are necessary steps on the journey towards enlightenment. The role of self-help in relation to enlightenment: Depending on one's stage of personal development, self-help may still be relevant. For those dealing with basic life problems, self-help advice is useful. However, as one progresses, the focus might shift towards practices that advance spiritual growth and release of ego. Leo's personal development journey: Leo acknowledges his own continued journey towards enlightenment and the value of self-help in his life, illustrating that while one may understand they are in the 'matrix', practical aspects of self-help remain beneficial until higher levels of enlightenment practice are reached. Engagement with Leo's work: Leo welcomes interaction with his content through comments, likes, and shares, and suggests signing up for his newsletter for further insights on personal development and enlightenment topics. He emphasizes the balance of exploring both basic and advanced stages of personal growth. Riddikulus