Beyond Words

@Leo Gura Great resource! What day / week structure have you found works best for you? E.g. working 90m resting 30m or 45m/15m etc? If I'm not mistaken you've discussed working over 60hrs/wk to undertake your business while working. There are certainly times when opportunities / circumstances require a workload above 40hrs/wk (for example, working, attending uni and trying to launch a business simultaneously). What insights do you have in that regard? I find meditation to be the best form of rest. Stimulus often requires focus and tends to not rest the mind too well however.

I did an Electroencephalogram (EEG) which led to the conclusion that my brainwaves / brain activity is as if I am dreaming while awake. Could it be induced through meditation or LSD? I did it over 3yrs ago (under 18 at the time) and I've been meditating 20m/day for 400 days. I consulted with doctors who said that it may be the meditation but I'd like to know what you guys would conclude from the enlightenment path perspective rather than the sciency one I have so far. I barely meditate so I find it hard to believe that that could be the cause. But I'm very naturally enlightenment oriented. P.S. - No I don't hallucinate in my waking state so I'm not permanently tripping... I think

@Leo Gura That's very interesting. It's hard to tell if my state is optimal since I'm used to it. However, there were these IB Math exams I had to do in high school (like AP exams) that took 90 minutes. I'd do them in 90m (with an almost perfect score), but when doing past papers with brain wave music (from brain.fm) it consistently took me 45 minutes (with even better scores). The music has only been that effective for Math (I suspect because it triggers a flow state since I love Math). Could something like the music (or brain implants, wearable tech like thync.com etc) enhance general purpose cognition, and not just specific tasks? I will clarify that I'm definitely not cognitively deficient without the music. I got the highest diploma score in the history of my school (people go to Harvard etc from here).

Purpose Statement: I quantitatively optimize information to creatively advance collective consciousness. Quantitatively optimizing information: I absolutely love learning Math, solving Math problems and doing investigations. I constantly seek ways of doing things more efficiently without assuming constraints (rejection, current skill/knowledge level etc). Creatively: I have always loved exploring, whether it is via urban exploration, video games (e.g. Witcher 3 / Skyrim, but I don't play much at all), or my dreams. I love to create structures and draw. Consciousness: I'm naturally very introspective and philosophical and have experienced profound consciousness shifts and absolutely love meditation, self-inquiry and researching consciousness (even if it can be emotionally daunting). What I'm struggling to reconcile: I can get into almost any university in the world but I can't pick a field. While I have studied quantum, nuclear, particle, wave, thermal, etc etc Physics, astronomy and Math (and Psychology and Economics, but I'm not interested in studying them at a uni level), I have no experience in engineering, artificial intelligence, programming and other Math-related fields in which I could potentially merge consciousness work into. I'm taking an online course on artificial intelligence and am consulting with some people in those fields but I would like to know from you guys which fields you think could be advanced and merged with consciousness work if I were to master the field. Possible Fields: Quantum physics. Mathematics. Artificial intelligence. Specifically machine learning. I've played around with algorithms that create virtual neural networks, thereby learning how to do a task very efficiently. This definitely involves Math and efficiency and potentially could relate to consciousness. I'm doing some courses to find out as this seems like my most likely field. Cosmology: Finding evidence for and the nature of dark matter and dark energy. I don't know how much Math it involves though. Engineering. Aerospace engineering and mechanics. I think this could potentially be used to fulfill my value of adventure / exploration, but I don't see a connection to consciousness. Are certain technologies possible in that field to advance collective consciousness? Industrial and systems engineering. Involves engineering processes to improve productivity an efficiency and requires a lot of Math. This would satisfy Math and productivity but I wonder how it could relate to consciousness work. Summary: What fields involve a lot of Math that could relate to consciousness work?

@CaptainFlint That is a great way to enter the forum! I really appreciate the effort. I'm going to finish some courses on AI and Math and Computer Science etc and then I'll be able to give an update (in ~6 months probably). I definitely think AI, especially data science, is an interesting field. However, I also think that learning engineering may be valuable because I want to integrate adventure/exploration into my purpose. For example, designing tree houses or an augmented reality AI that shows what buildings used to look like before they broke down.

@Leo Gura Of course. I completely agree that all distinctions are arbitrary. Unfortunately, like you said language is inherently dualistic. I was mostly playing around with the notation. Talking about enlightenment is hard.

@Leo Gura Do you know how long it could take to recover from working 80+ hrs/wk for 1 year (and another year before that with around 3 months of break in between)? Every hour was spent very intensely studying very hard topics at a very quick pace. What would you do for the rest of your day? What about tasks such as meditation which involve diffused thinking? Do they count towards those hours? How can one possibly rest while knowing that they're only working 40hrs/wk? What about Elon Musk who works 80hrs/wk and successfully manages Tesla and SpaceX?

@Cammy Be weary of whether you authentically want to travel now or if it is a sneaky form of resistance. Without a direction in life it can be very easy to look for escapes to delay facing the harsh reality of having to ask yourself the tough questions that will lead you to a clear direction. Your mind knows that once you set an ambitious direction in your life, you will have to do the work to achieve it. A lot of work = resistance. I love adventure and exploration so recently I've been doing some research on transforming a van into a mobile home that I can travel the world with. As I get clearer with what exactly I need to do, how and why, that urge has settled because right now I really need to focus on generating income (which I had no clue how to do and hence was resisting reconciling it). In other words, I wanted to travel because I was avoiding the tough work of starting a business, learning sales and marketing etc. For now I Geocatch once a month and do some urban exploring. It's like traveling, but on a smaller scale. You can always make a small travel plan to really test your authentic desires and figure out if resistance is playing tricks on you. Hope that makes sense.

@Pramit Sure

@Leo Gura So... S = {Consciousness, Reality, Non-Duality, Meditation, Self-Inquiry} Where S is Enlightenment Scientific method ∉ S Set theory, category theory and its relationship with nonduality and the Absolute Infinite set sound awesome. Thank you Leo!

Sure there is no need to justify consciousness in terms of quantum mechanics; however, from my research I've found that most people who try to explain quantum mechanics in terms of consciousness are dismissed because people assume they are misinterpreting the findings since they are not theoretical physicists. I'm just wondering if it would be somehow helpful for the advancement of collective consciousness to master both consciousness work and a scientific field such as Physics. Maybe people would become more open to the path of enlightenment. It's kind of sad to see people trapped in their perception of the world through the lens of Physics or Biology etc if it is fundamentally limited in its ability to fully explain the universe.

Hey, from my direct experience and deductions I definitely do agree with what we're all saying about reality. However, as we obtain new ideas from research on consciousness etc it is important to verify the validity of our assumptions, e.g. "this book is undoubtedly true." Sure, we can directly experience the truth, but I plan to have a meaningful impact on the world so how can it possibly be done if such revolutionary work (let's assume the research is true) is readily dismissed by the common people? If it is all seen as pseudoscience, how will the frontiers of science expand? Is the core of science just fundamentally flawed such that a proper understanding of consciousness can't be integrated?

I'm only mentioning the name of a book. Since it is on the list, does it mean I can't discuss the book? How can we discuss any of the books if we don't know which ones we're talking about? It's important to know that it is on the list as Leo is listing it as one of his top books (there are others which I would question in an equal manner about their credibility). Let me know if you see an alternative, as I would especially like Leo's input since he's the one running this whole thing.

Computational Neuroscience sounds interesting; however, I'd have to get a Neuroscience degree which requires Biology and Chemistry... courses I haven't studied. It is not an option as a Bachelor's or Master's degree for me if I am to enroll in one of the top universities. I know what university I go to matters less than my major; however, I could apply to more Physics/Math related majors that I do meet the requirements for (e.g. Engineering, Mathematics, Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence). Did I mention that I love to build things and explore/adventure? I think I may just major in something that could combine that with Math, and then do consciousness work on the side. I'm sure I will be able to combine those things into a business some day. Artificial Intelligence interest me as a field regardless of whether it translates to enlightenment work. Does it involve a lot of Math or mostly programming? I think Machine Learning may be interesting. I'm currently working up to a Machine Learning Udacity course to confirm, but want to know what you think as your project sounds intriguing.

Took over 30k words worth of notes and it took hundreds of hours to finish the whole thing, but it was worth it. Even if you find that you want to dwell deeper on the theory of life purpose, the books along with the course are more than plenty. Assuming you do your due diligence and do the course fully, your only limitation is life experience. However, the course helps you find the most efficient ways of gaining experience that will help you gain clarity on your purpose. This is easily the most comprehensive course available for creating a life of maximum fulfillment and meaning. The price is nothing relative to the value you get. Your real cost is having access to it and not following through. That will cost you a lot more.

Leo, I've had a direct experience of levitation during a permanently consciousness/perspective changing LSD trip. I went to sleep while still tripping. I could see with my eyes closed. I literally ascended above the bed and all material reality fell into a void until I was floating in space, in nothingness. It sounds bizarre but it was one of the most peaceful moments of my life. I could have died and it wouldn't have mattered. At all. The event was real in my reality. I can still recall the moment in vivid detail as well as how it felt. That's the tip of the iceberg of what happened during the trip; however, this event alone makes me forever curious about assumed truths about reality. To get to the point, are you referring to being able to directly experience levitation?

In Leo's 5-MeO-DMT video he suggested that with 5-MeO-DMT (and meditation, self-actualization, self-inquiry) enlightenment can be obtained in a year. I plan on achieving enlightenment by 22 and would appreciate review / guidance regarding the plan below. I'm ~18.5 so I have 2.5 years to prepare. My current relevant results: Meditated for 20 minutes daily and consecutively for 1 year. Had 2 profound enlightenment-like glimpses / insights with psychedelics that raised my consciousness permanently. My results, values, habits, motivations, etc changed radically. Have done intense self-development for ~2 years. I've done almost no self-inquiry work or reading on enlightenment (except for "The Power of Now" and Leo's videos). The Plan Years 18.5 - 21: Meditate for 20 minutes daily. Read Leo's books on consciousness, spirituality and enlightenment (~30 books, +9,000 pages). Sit alone in a room and do completely nothing at least once a month (I did it once and lasted 5 hours). Questions: Will this be enough to use 5-MeO-DMT to help trigger enlightenment? Should I deliberately practice surrendering to psychologically / physically unpleasant experiences? I know I'm not ready to psychologically experience my own death. I would be self-deceiving if I said otherwise. Years 21 - 22: Meditate for 60 minutes daily. Do self-inquiry for 180 minutes daily. Take 5-MeO-DMT once every 2 months. Contemplate experience / insights, integrate book knowledge into trip experience. Repeat until I take a 30mg dose and reach enlightenment. Questions: Should I do more meditation / self-inquiry work? I know more is better but it has to be sustainable so I need to set a limit and spend time on my finances. Will 5-MeO-DMT be still available in 3.5 years? Right now it's suspiciously easy to get legally in certain countries (and cheap) considering its power. I also can't buy it now because it has a 2 year chemical stability.

Sure, but how many of those people have studied enlightenment intensely, meditated and done proper self-inquiry work for years? I'm pretty sure that those who have obtained enlightenment through this approach had a much different process in place than those who failed. Statistics hardly say much considering all of the variables involved.

Thank you so much for your reply, I genuinely appreciate it. I just started doing the "short term fix" and noticed that I couldn't get my mouth to twitch when I was genuinely smiling. Maybe it just doesn't happen while genuinely smiling or I can't really feel it when my fave muscles are stretched. I could only sustain an intense twitch once I fully released my face and did a halfway smile with my lips (without cheecks). It got much more intense and easier to sustain when I forced thoughts about everyone hating me and being a worthless piece of shit and wasting her time and being a pathetic loser. I don't consciously have thoughts like the ones I forced nor do I believe them. I think unconscious negative beliefs about myself and how others perceive me and/or negative unconscious thought patterns trigger and intensify the twitch. I would like to know what you think and I'll let you know what other conclusions we arrive at as we continue this. Thank you

In Leo's video "The Amazing Power Of Psychedelics - Leo Does Magic Psilocybin Mushrooms!" Leo discussed the importance of doing self-development work to get the most out of psychedelics. I've been doing self-development work for 2 years. Is that enough? I tried LSD 2 years ago before doing any self-development work. My trip "awakened" me and I've been spending almost all of my time on self-development work ever since. Would it be worth taking more now, or should I develop for a couple more years?