Preetom

The ultimate nature of Reality has been discovered, argued over, proven empirically by generation after generation and well documented in the form of Upanishads/Advaita Vedanta even before the birth of Gautama Buddha. Moreover, there has been rediscovery and retranslation of this same Truth over and over again in almost all regions of Earth during all of history. So my question is what are we doing really? We, as a species are still dumbfounded by the nature of Reality as much as a common folk from three thousand years ago. The only difference is we believe in some new groundless stories and behave in different ways as our culture and surrounding has changed a lot. We, as a so called 'modern' species are still in the cave when it comes to the Truth. Where are we going with all our plans and projects in the world? What are we honestly waiting for? Are we waiting for some ultimate groundbreaking miraculous discovery to happen which will transform our lives? But it is already done like 3 thousands years ago lol (that too considering only written documents), yet only infinitesimally small population knows about it, far less have realized it. Would like to hear your thoughts and perspective on this issue guys. Also do share how your worldview has changed after coming across this knowledge

@Nahm When did you get into the Jed Zone?

I double down on this one. For the last week, I've been doing contemplation (Spiritual Autolysis) and honestly haven't found a single difference between what I call my personal past, memories as a person and last night's dream. It feels like absolutely Nothing is trying desperately to appear as something; to appear as a person, yet never ceases to be Nothing. This thing keeps getting sick af

@Mikael89 Are you aware?

Science till has no clue what was discovered thousands of years ago. And they consider themselves Cutting edge and infallible lol

@haai14 How do you achieve real growth? By mapping/observing and changing your identity.

1) What is the source of Knowingness/Consciousness? 2) Is there any immutable center to the Universal order? what is it? 3) What is it that differentiates and finds sameness? 4) what is a question? 5) what's the assumption behind the notion that an answer is the solution to a question? 6) Why most things in Universe circular/polar running in circles non stop? 7) Why does pain exist? what's it's function? Why there can't be an alternative to it? 8) Is anything in Reality completely unnecessary/discardable ?

watermelon therapy

For most people, the true search for Enlightenment does not begin without a serious crisis and rabid dissatisfaction. The story of Gautama Buddha portrays this perfectly. All Jed Mckenna books are pretty much about it. Spirituality only becomes a serious, personal, hardcore business when there is no other way out. Before that, it's all fun and games. I think Jesus tried to imply this by that quote. Love and all that goodies may come after the journey is over and the seeker is exhausted.

this is so weird...It seems that the only way the incessant play on the stage can go on if the characters are ignorant about their real identity. Once someone understand even if a little bit, there seems to be no way back. The non-duality bug has already bitten and infected the system lol. I just wonder how deeply Enlightened people go through the day with this constant make-believe. No surprise that most of them are sort of recluse, hermits and often regarded as heretics if they open their mouths...

Yeah that's the function of Maya. It seems to make the impossible into possible. That is the only thing it can do. Nothing really surprising about it once you get a hang of it. Just like conventionally, fire only burns, Maya only make the impossible into possible. How can anything exist at all? Maya accomplished this impossible feat. But alas...it still is non-existent. Only a shadow of the Absolute, yet seems so real. LMAO!!! there seems no other way to spin this gigantic system we call Humanity. The deceptions run so deep that the only way to spend the days seems to dumb down our senses and just let the years and decades pass by. That's where humanity is at large.

@GreenDragon you've done quite well. I would recommend the book ''Presence: The art of peace and happiness'' by Rupert Spira. It's a very nice experiential book which the potential to lead you all way without any bullshit. And a hack for non-duality work: Stop imagining yourself as an object no matter how gross or subtle. whatever you can perceive is not you. You are the awareness that knows the object. Keep this attitude all the time and keep observing yourself in present moment. The feelings in your head, heart that 'feels' like you, is NOT you. You're the knower of those feelings. This one hack will supercharge all your other spiritual practices and inquiry. All the best

that's a nice way to put it. Reminds me of something i read in Eckhart Tolle's book called 'A New Earth'. In it, the author said that he likes to contemplate on the first day when a boom happened all over the world and Flowers covered the entire earth with colors and fragrance for the 1st time millions of years go. Before the flowers came, trees existed for millions of years but there was no flower. He uses these analogies for Enlightenment. From Tree to flower. From Reptiles to bird. From rocks to diamond. From ignorant man to Enlightened man. A total transformation. But this widespread boom may take few more thousands of years lol. We still haven't learnt to crawl, let alone coming out of the cave

dude the torch was passed 3 thousands year ago and look where we are now. what's the point?

@cena655 That is the real taste of the 'witnessing position''. You can develop it 24/7. No matter what shit breaks loose, you are untouched by that. Congratulations on this breakthrough. I tasted it for the first time during my 3 day self inquiry retreat at home

That's the byproduct of deep enlightenment. In non-duality philosophy, the bliss or unconditional happiness that they talk about is NOT a feeling that is felt. It's the joy of abiding in non-dual awareness, a non-objective experience. If you've have some genuine glimpses of non-duality, you will start to intuit and open your mind about the possibility that the Best sort of happiness is the annihilation of the constant URGE for happiness that you have right now. That is indeed worth all the way! this sense of being stuck and limited inside something is the root of all movements of mind driven by lack and fear. This is all a joke. Sometimes I have hard time figuring out how so many people take life all too seriously. I thought about posting this in a different thread. But guys..tell me something honestly please. In your 20/30/40 years of living, you've had many experiences. But when you silently look inside yourself honestly, do you feel like you've become something 'new'? or do you feel like you've been somewhat unchanged and untouched by all the changes in your appearance? Most people go through childhood to adolescence to youth to middle age to old age...gaining new identities one after another. They dress differently, surround themselves with different people, jobs and puff themselves up all the time..believing that they are going somewhere or becoming something new lol They think they've grown from the little boy to a big man. But you can see the so called adults are just as immature, if not more than children. At least children are more authentic! is it just me or do you guys notice it at well? reminds me of Jed Mckenna mentioning in his book that in his eyes all he sees are confused children running around desperately until he come across someone enlightened like him lol @MarkusSweden Loved your detailed take on this man. The scene really seems gloomy. Actualized.org tries it's best to bring these ideas into mainstream. it's audience has people under 15 as well. Still the number is so small compared to the entire population. Maybe the percentage of high conscious people remain always the same. There seems to be thousands of Enlightened people now because the population is in billions... Those who listen and work towards this, they conquer themselves after decades of ups and downs and suffering beyond the ordinary. What's the chance for the massive population who haven't heard or can't even imagine such a thing is existing for 3 thousands years. And I get your virtuoso example (being a guitarist myself ). But I must say guitar playing has been refined or evolved a LOT over the decades. Yes Hendrix started the fire, but it's being taken to new heights everyday by modern virtuosos. But still, this guitar playing is Worldly knowledge. All Worldly knowledge seems to improve with time. But Enlightenment is nothing worldly. No wonder it is still sitting where it was 3 thousand years ago that sure is a convenient explanation lol

Plus 1 book of daddy Jed Mckenna per year

All I heard in school was How Great ALLAH was and that He is the master and we are his slaves. Come join the slave union party

I'll be answering from what I've understood from Prior to Consciousness lectures of Nisargadatta Maharaj. There will be a note at the end, make sure you read it as well. No one in particular is responsible for any of this. This is all a spontaneous happening. Only the Absolute is. Ever present. Out of that, this knowingness/consciousness appeared spontaneously with birth and from Consciousness came the world. Consciousness is that seed in which the whole trea of life resides. There is no individual cause and effect. Just a spontaneous happening. That Consciousness appeared as an expression of Absolute without anyone's permission. And similarly it will dissolve spontaneously into the Absolute at some point without anyone's permission (after your death). All the while, the Absolute is only reality that exists. untouched, unaffected, unchanged, ever present. That's an optical illusion of Consciousness from your part. There is nothing personal in the Absolute. You are already and only the Absolute. But just because you don't know that, you identify yourself with all other stuff and that creates the illusion of individuality. You're not here. Once again, that's the optical illusion. No one was ever here. A seed of knowingness appears at birth and with it comes the optical illusion. The Absolute is beyond knowingness and unknowingness. The Absolute can't know itself. Because there is nothing else in existence for the Absolute to contrast with and know itself. The Absolute just is. The question ''who am I'' arises in Consciousness because it perceives many other objects. The absolute just is. That is where a Jnani is. Note: Talking about these questions are nothing but mental masturbation and idea building. The only purpose answering these question can serve is when the questioner gets his mental itch scratched, so that he can actually start the journey while putting aside his doubt. Whatever is said about The Absolute, is by default false. These questions will be satisfied completely when you discover yourself as a Jnani.

yes. Nothing is outside you. You have to BE there in order for a world to exist. There is no creation without your being. Nurture that formless being. Do not imagine yourself as an object

@Mikael89 Whatever you're going through right now, hope it gets better. For enlightenment work, hold this conviction firmly that you're not an experience. Your true self is not an experience, object. Whatever you can perceive is not you. Contemplate on this idea as much as you can while honestly exploring your own present experience or while doing self inquiry. What you are, the Absolute..it is untouched by any experience that arises. Hope you discover the freedom in that in your own experience, deeply rooted in your heart

Someone who isn't yet honestly convinced about Enlightenment, he/she does need to play this ''earn money, fuck bitches, repeat'' game for a while to find out if that is really the holy grail or not And if you're already convinced and shooting for Enlightenment all the way, make sure you're educating yourself properly about the main works of Enlightenment form quality sources while leaving as much bullshit out as possible. It's so easy to waste decades on this so called spiritual path masquerading as an attempt to escape from life

You've already answered your question here. You see, both of the options that you've mentioned in your post are ideas of happiness in the future at some point. You really have no idea actually how it will turn out if you're honest. And you'll never truly know until you actually go down that path. So all this discussion is futile. Maybe that's your journey right now. Maybe you have to hammer this nail called addiction over and over again until you finally get over it realizing it's futility. Not everyone's path is the same and not everyone will have the same experiences.