PureExp

@Bodhi123 Yes, flip is only a start, it happens quickly and then the real work starts, which is to implement the new into life. I'm also in that process.

When you start progressing on the path of knowledge, you will notice a strange pattern - your old beliefs will be most of the time an exact opposite of new knowledge. This is quite amusing and enlightening. Everything you "knew" gets reversed gradually. I call this - the flip ! As you progress, your views go on flipping and soon the entire picture changes, the foreground becomes the background, and the background jumps forward. This is the figure-ground reversal that you will notice. We will take up some examples to demonstrate this. What's the point? Well, besides fun, it can be a good indicator of your progress. More things you flipped, more you have progressed. What's your score? Belief: There are many things, and I am one of them, separate and independent of things. Fact: There is oneness. There is no separation at all. Its an illusion created by the mind. B: Matter is most real, next is mind, and consciousness is well... some nebulous thing that cannot be seen or proven. F: Consciousness is most real, next is mind, and matter is flimsy illusion, its also mind. B: Matter is particles, arranged in an empty thing called space, and it changes with a thing called time. F: There are no particles. Space and time are illusions created in mind to make sense of sensory data. A kind of "data visualization". B: Reality is purely material. And there are things like energy, forces and fields. F: Reality is just information. There are only relations. B: Brain generates mental stuff and also consciousness. F: Brain is a structure in mind, perceived via senses. Consciousness is the ground of everything including world, body, brain and mind. B: All there is, is this physical universe, which can see experienced via senses and instruments. F: Physical universe, this one, is a tiny part of universal Mind. Areas of universal Mind can be accessed directly. B: Consciousness "resides" in a body. F: Body is an object, a content in consciousness. B: Mind is located in brain, and consciousness too. F: Brain is located in mind, which assigns it a location in space. Mind is non-local. Consciousness is not local, not non-local and is just a witness of all local and non-local phenomena. B: Books, mass media and people are reliable sources for all knowledge. I trust it when majority of them agree on something. F: My own experience is my surest source of knowledge. I believe no one blindly. I do take pointers from wise and try to experience what they teach. B: I'm ignorant, don't know anything. I must get more and more knowledge. F: I'm omniscient, I already know everything that can be known. Knowledge is covered up by layers upon layers of ignorance. B: I'm not free. I need to get liberated asap. F: I'm already free. All I need to do is get rid of that belief. B: I was born, and I will surely die. F: I am eternal, timeless and changeless. B: Others are independent entities, they have their own consciousness separate from my own. F: Consciousness (Self) is only one. Others are just structures in consciousness, same as I'm. We are all one at the deepest level, separations are illusory. B: My path is a series of gains. I get more and more as I progress. F: My path is a subtractive process. I lose more and more. B: I'm not happy. Suffering comes naturally. I need to do efforts to keep myself happy. F: Happiness is my real nature. Suffering comes out of ignorance, and it takes effort to hold on to the burden of ignorance. B: Happiness comes from external stuff like food, mates, shiny stones/metals, money, power and social status. F: Happiness comes from within. When above needs are no more present. Only minimum is needed to support a healthy body and an healthy Ego. B: I need more and more relations and friends. Need and dependency on each other is love, we need support and approval of others. F: I need exactly 0 people. Freedom from dependency and letting go is love. Love is about giving, not taking. We need to support, not ask for support. We don't need anyone's approval, I am me and you are you. B: Everything is a mess. Nothing is as it should be. F: Everything is perfect ! B: I need to run around like crazy until all my desires are fulfilled. F: I need to do bare minimum to survive and have a cozy life. Desires are unlimited, its madness to try to fulfill all of them. B: I must do what others tell me to do. Politicians and leaders dictate what's right and wrong. F: I can use my brain ! I know what's right and wrong. B: The whole point of life is - to hoard as much money as I can, to get a partner, reproduce, go on vacations, consume as much as I can, get shiny stuff, show them how great I am, save for old age and die in a hospital screaming and kicking. F: The point of life is to live. Walk on the path of my own heart. That's all. I'm sure there are more flips. A seeker is a person who knows this art of intentionally flipping things around. Here is a longer list of Flips !

@The Universe It is not possible to experience two-ness. Or multiplicity. And it is very easy to see that.

Common Myths About Enlightenment By James Swartz. http://explorevedanta.com/vbc-common-myths-about-enlightenment/ Very useful stuff !! The entire course is pure gold. Short and simple.

I agree, there are as many meanings of the word "enlightenment" as there are teachers and traditions. However, my personal quest shows me that every great master finally says that it is something really simple and underwhelming. Its so simple that people generally do not appreciate it. That's just Ego longing for fancy experiences, it has formed fantastic notions about what it is. It is just knowing and being the consciousness (Self). Its simpler than breathing Here is a video from another teacher I like. It just popped up in my stream. You can find more teachings on what that word means, especially Rupert Spira explains it nicely.

Nothing much to correct, you are advancing very fast. I'm happy to read things that match my own thinking, it gives me some assurance, that I'm not the only crazy out there. I'd like to add this. Just as in your example of a dream, just for a moment consider a universal mind dreaming a dream that is this world and us all in it. You will immediately notice similarities, except this dream is more vivid and more stable, it is still impermanent and flowing like a human dream, you can't hold on to anything here. Now don't personify the universal mind, don't add a body or limbs on it, let it be a non-physical structure in consciousness. Assume minimum needed. Try it as a hypothesis and see what are the outcomes. Do they match with your own experience? Does it explain reality better? Ponder on it, write about it. Do lets us know.

Basics of Vedanta. By James Swartz. http://explorevedanta.com/vbc-table-of-contents/ Very useful stuff !! Pure gold. Short and simple.

Yes , its easy And there is your error. Pure consciousness is not a "thing" that fits into a mind. Mind is a thing that happens in consciousness. Verify this from your direct experience. Not only one mind, trillions of minds (which are just contents like thoughts, emotions, memories etc) can occur in consciousness, which is one. I hope that helped.

I agree with @Toby , nicely stated. There is essentially no difference between a pleasant "spiritual" experience and a run of a mill worldly unpleasant one. The problem is your attachment to a particular kind of experience. All experiences are impermanent, you are trying to cling to some and avoid others. What else will you get except restlessness and frustration? A seeker prefers Equanimous state, not an extreme state. Pleasure/pain are in the domain of Ego. Transcend Ego. All the best ! We all have gone through such rough territory, don't worry it will be over quickly

We are all one. The following introspection (enquiry) shows us this clearly. You do not need strange states of mind to see it, its simple and self evident. Just a reminder, Consciousness = Self (Capital S), I use them interchangeably. Just look ! How many Selves can you see? Exactly one - that of your own. End of enquiry. Took two seconds. You must have guessed where it is going now. There will be ifs and buts of all sorts. So lets tackle some of them. How many Selves or "consciousnesses" have you experienced in your entire life? Just one. How many Selves or consciousnesses have others experienced? Again only one. You can ask them, and they too report only one of it. But all those people and creatures are conscious, they do look conscious and they report a Self of their own. So there must be many of those Selves, many little consciousnesses trapped in trillions of bodies. This is the usual argument your mind will put forth. Is it possible to experience "someone else's consciousness"? No. So now you know "someone else's consciousness" is only a belief, a made up concept. If everyone were blind (say) and everyone reported and felt air, would the air become many "airs", separate pockets of air attached to their bodies? Obviously no. There is one air aka atmosphere. This metaphor gives a first glimpse to your mind, of what's going on . But metaphors are fantasies, we need evidence. Self is nothing like air. Drop the metaphor. What evidence can I get that everyone who reports a Self, has a separate and unique Self? Clearly there is no evidence. Now you wonder why did you even think like that when there is no evidence for it. That's not very scientific or spiritual at all. You are now at a place of uncertainty, your belief is bared. There are separate bodies obviously, and there are separate minds, which you can infer from unique behaviour exhibited by all individuals. There is absolutely no hint that the witness which witnesses all these separations is also unique and separate in everyone. What happens is - people, even most intelligent and educated ones, simply assume that since bodies and minds are separate and many, consciousness is also separate, with each person having their own private consciousness. This error is a direct result of the assumption that consciousness is caused by a brain, which is separate for each of us. Many people confuse consciousness with mind and assume they are one and the same. Mind is an object that happens in consciousness and is witnessed as an object. They are not the same. Your mind will now shoot you back with your own arrow. What is the evidence that others are reporting about exactly the same Self that I'm reporting about? You will find that it cannot be done. The mind is trying to objectify the Self so that it can grasp it. If it sees only one object called Self, it can be certain of it. But the subject cannot become object, as soon as it is objectified, it becomes a concept which is being witnessed by the Self, the subject. In other words, the Self is beyond the reach of mind. If Selves are multiple, they are objects, and now mind can say there are many of them. However, the catch is that the Self is not an object, it is the experiencer of all objects. Mind cannot be certain either way. Now you are at a place where you as a person, a mind can finally say - "I don't know". Very well. That's an improvement actually. Beliefs are dissolved. Ignorance is bared. Lets use common meaning of the word reality and call the Self as the only reality, because that's what I experience, I do not experience anything except the Self. Now, if we assume two Selves, there would be two independent realities. Can there be two realities? You'd tempted to answer yes. So ask again: How can you know for sure that there can be two realities? You can only know that when you stand outside of both realities, and experience them together. But now both realities are a part of a bigger reality where you are standing. The reality again reduces to one. So if the Self is reality, it is only one. Conclusion We find that it is very difficult to provide an evidence or logical inference to support the belief that there are many consciousnesses out there, and every individual has his own private consciousness. Yet the belief of everyone having a separate private consciousness is rampant. It is very strange that people can believe such things. This belief also leads to another belief that when the body/person dies, his consciousness leaves the body and goes somewhere else. There can be many more derivative beliefs such as consciousness leaves the body during an out of body experience. A direct experience shows that the body is in consciousness, consciousness is not in the body. The above beliefs do not hold at all. This introspection also shows that the mind has a limited capability to grasp the oneness of the consciousness. What it does is creates divisions, and in the process divides consciousness too. When we see that there are no real divisions, there is no sharp boundary where I end and you start, the illusion of separation breaks down. This introspection also shows that the consciousness is one but it expresses itself as many. I, as a person, am just an expression of one consciousness, and so are you and everyone and everything. At the core we are all one. This realization has huge implications. A longer version which addresses more questions.

A snippet from my blog. Food for thought The advent of virtual worlds generated via computers has rekindled an interest in theories that propose non-existence of a material world. These days the simulated worlds look as real as the real world, especially when high end hardware is employed. Total sensory immersion into a simulated world is not a fiction, it is inevitable. As we know, these extensive, rich and life like worlds on our screens are nothing but numbers. What makes us suspect that our everyday world is also nothing but numbers? There are many reasons. Quantum description of the matter immediately suggests that there are no actual entities, only values. In other words, the matter is just numbers. Strangely, the physical universe satisfies many requirements of a simulated world. A short list of such requirements is as follows: Things are quantized, finite and limited. Processes are algorithmic, logical and mathematical. A VR appears out of nowhere, however it can evolve via evolutionary algorithms and can go from simple to complex. There is a limit on the “frame rate". In other words, things take time to happen and the effects appear after a delay. In the case of our world the speed of light is the limit. There would be some constants, some global fixed values, that appear for no obvious reason. E.g. there are physical constants like c or G or h that appear in many equations. Some phenomena would appear non-local. A program can modify two values together without simulating the mediating behaviour. So we have things like entanglement. Loading of processors can happen when there is a huge amount of data to be crunched. We see such effects near very large bodies, such as stars, where time slows down near their surface because there are too many particles to compute. Statistical nature. Some outcomes are predicted instead of being calculated exactly. This is faster but less accurate. So we have laws of thermodynamics, gas laws or fluid dynamics, probability distributions and uncertainty principle. Instances of entities may appear. If there are trillions of entities, a program can simply use instances of one model or a class to create those trillions. This saves enormous amount of memory and computing but the result is that all those trillions of entities are exact clones. We have electrons, protons and all such entities here, that are identical in every way. Strange phenomena may appear. Such as apparitions can appear out of nowhere requiring no cause, no matter and can disappear leaving no traces. Its the special effect equivalent. Strange effects like healing via intention or placebo effects can happen, as it would be possible to steer a program in desired direction if one can manipulate the inputs. Non-virtual (real) entities can assume discard-able virtual forms. Avatars in gamespeak. In physical world we have bodies - the avatars for non-physical players. There are more similarities. There are experiments to prove the simulated nature of the universe, such as the famous double slit experiment and the delayed choice quantum eraser experiment. There are theories and proofs for the simulation hypotheses. However, there are some ridiculous assumptions too. Once you say that the universe is simulated, there arises a need for a simulator, a computer and operators of that computer. So people imagine all sorts of things from aliens to future humans. It is perfectly possible but highly improbable. Plus there are big holes e.g. the presence of avatars, if the avatars are aliens or humans from future, they would know beyond any doubt that they are playing a game. The only possibility left is that we are just bots, dummy players, which is not anyone's experience as far as I know. Bots would mean no consciousness or subjective experiences. No amount of simulation would produce that. So far only Thomas Campbell comes close to a satisfactory answer, which is - the consciousness itself is the computer, aka the simulator, of this universe. And since it is simulating the stuff out of itself, it is only natural that everyone experiences a consciousness behind oneself and everything else. This is my direct experience and also of many of you. This is the original claim of non-dual teachings, that are unchallenged since thousands of years. Useful links: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simulation_hypothesis http://www.my-big-toe.com/ https://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/0801/0801.0337.pdf http://www.theuniversesolved.com/evidence.htm

All there is, is Experiencing. Its pure and perfect. Something interesting happens in the Experiencing - appearance of a Mind, the universal Mind, organizer of all experiences. Mind starts building structures - knowledge. The Self finds itself surrounded by structures. This view is nothing but knowing, knowledge itself. While the structures are still forming, the knowledge appears incomplete and is seen as ignorance. It takes more experiences to complete the knowledge, which is done, but not before incomplete knowledge does its job - of causing suffering. This incomplete knowledge is Ignorance. Ignorance How does ignorance start? In view of the above it starts as soon as the knowledge gathering starts. And when does knowledge start? It starts as soon as Experiencing itself starts. Experiencing is beyond time too, it is Change, which does not happen in time. So all we can say is - ignorance is, knowledge is. Why does the all knowing Self get into ignorance, why does it even allow it? Self is not ignorant, Mind is. Mind creates knowledge, and hence also creates ignorance. When does ignorance end? It ends as soon as knowledge is completed. The completion involves realization that everything is Self. This dissolves all ignorance instantly, and the Mind is freed, ending suffering. A happy ending. How to end ignorance? It is simple. Realize who you are. The direct experience of Self completes the knowledge. How to get that experience? It happens when the time is right. I call it Ripening, some people may call it Grace. You can surely make efforts to get there, once you get a hint of it. Can the Ripening be quickened? I don't know. There is no harm in asking for "more Grace", "more Ripeness". It may work, or may not work. Reading about Self, singing its praises, being with wise, attending meetings that discuss it, practices that focus on mind, body and energies are said to quicken it. Sometimes just presence of a master is enough. Layers of Ignorance If you are under the Grace, Self-Enquiry or introspection is the fastest way to get there. Once we start questioning, which is essentially what path of knowledge is, we begin dismantling ignorance actively. The ignorance is removed in the reverse order of its accumulation. So we go from outer to inner layers progressively. Its of utmost importance to note that we do not destroy the structures that cause ignorance, we merely see past them. In other words, we do not destroy the incomplete knowledge, we just complete it. So removal of ignorance is a process of gaining more knowledge. The following is my understanding of layers. It matches my own experiences. Some of you may find more or less of them depending on your experience. 1. Inert matter is the first layer of ignorance. Its just gas, crystals and rocks. Self "thinks" its inert, rigid, bound in tight laws. Self itself is "inert and sleeping". 2. Active matter is highly energized matter, such as reactive chemicals (e.g. fire), or radioactive elements. Sun, water, some planets etc. are active but are still tightly bound by mechanical laws. Self "thinks" its nothing but such activity. 3. Living matter, which is just plain matter but with some interesting and complex organization, is the third layer. DNA, unicellular organisms, plants, fungi etc. are structures of matter that grow, replicate and act in complex ways. They are mechanical and chemical, still bound by laws, but have a tiny bit of freedom. Self "thinks" its life. Its engaged in a play of germination, growth, reproduction and decay back to inert matter. 4. Rudimentary minds are forth layer, where there is ingrained learning (genetic), basic memory and survival instincts. Insects, fish and reptiles have such minds. I can safely put machines at this level, as they currently are (2017). 5. Animal minds are fifth. They have even more knowledge, learning ability, emotions, rudimentary Ego and even some intelligence. Apes, mammals and birds are in this layer. Self is engaged in a survival game here, completely unaware of itself. 6. Human minds are sixth on the layers of ignorance. Human mind can reflect deeply, express and learn effectively, and has higher cognitive functions to override the lower (more ignorant aka Ego) ones. Teachers, teachings, transfer of knowledge and students appear at this level. So humans have the needed potential to complete the knowledge. 7. Parahuman minds are seventh. I'm on a borderline here, and I'm including these non-physical "beings" only speculatively. They already know what Self is, but they are not very interested, they are engrossed in desires. Self is enjoying heavenly pleasures here, it is also not interested. 8. Rishis or Buddhas are eight. It is a thin layer, almost non existent. Only thing is - these minds still experience individuality if they choose to. 9. Universal Mind is the ninth layer.It has a tiny bit of ignorance. That's a surprise, but remember that wherever there is structure, there is knowledge and ignorance. Universal Mind is still dwells in duality, even if it itself is one. It still divides. The first division it creates is that of experience and an experiencer, just like we, human minds, do. Anyhow the ignorance is almost nil. It always knows it is Self. When we reach here, we become one with the universal Mind. If you are on a path, just knowing this landscape eases everything. Remember that you can quicken it, if possible, but there is no hurry, you are already the Self. A more detailed version of this is available here - Layers of Ignorance.

@Deep Your post deserves the "Pinned" at top status. You are saying something very important, everyone should listen to this.

@RossE This too shall pass. The path will pull you back very soon. You do not choose a path, the path chooses you. You take up a path and at some point the path takes over. There are some points where it wants you to just stand still. The old is gone and new hasn't arrived yet. It feels all empty and meaningless. Why even bother seeking - I used to think, and I think that even now sometimes. But it happens that I get pushed back into the journey no matter what I think I came to know it as "surrender". Study what it really is.

I agree. Agnostic viewpoint is a great place to start. It shows that you lack unfounded beliefs and your cup is empty, you are ready to receive. I'd like you to consider a hypothesis - "there is an universal mind that knows everything there is to know". Secondly - "our individual minds are a tiny part of this universal mind, and are separated by some barriers (we don't know what barriers)". You take these two assumptions and contemplate the implications. You will find that this elegantly solves the riddle of minds. I don't know your mind and your experiences, I know only mine. How nice would it be if there is a bigger entity that knows all minds..... Just entertain that idea without taking it as truth. You cannot accept it as truth because you don't know the universal mind, so its only a theory. Now next step - try to find any evidence of something resembling an universal mind, some indirect clues etc. Its fun

I agree with you and some great man has said that if you want to tell truth, make them laugh, else they will kill you . I have tried that and on some occasion it works. Of course, it had no effect on some because, well it was a "joke"... On some occasion it backfired and they felt insulted and were not happy at all, it ruined whatever little relation was left. So I suggest to joke only if your friends have a good sense of humor.

@The Monk The cost of freedom is loneliness. You will find that very few people are interested in improving themselves or in freeing themselves. Preference to bondage and old beliefs is a norm, oddly. When you do not participate or support their old ways, they get fearful or feel offended. Most will leave you, but some will try to push you back to a "normal" life. Parents, partner, friends, anyone you encounter. You need to maintain a balance, just leaving them all won't be good and staying and becoming like them won't help. Let those who don't like you anymore leave you, and you can distance yourself from those who you don't like. Slowly it will settle down. You may find new people (of more "spiritual" kind), but do not have too many expectations from others. This is where forgiving and unconditional love comes in. Finally, one needs to live in the world, but not be of the world.

@jse Thanks for your kind words. Personal attacks...hmm . Typical strategy of any Ego when its beliefs are shaken Well its normal. Its ok if your understanding of a word is different from others.

Probably useful for those on energy paths. I guess a few of them will match up.

That's a good sign. Never be so certain. I say, all I wrote here can be simply BS, do not take my word, experience it yourself. Thats the whole point of it.

Top 10 Unknowable Things http://listverse.com/2012/07/13/top-10-unknowable-things/ I'm not even into metaphysics here. Just plain ordinary unknowable stuff. More: https://www.google.co.in/search?num=20&newwindow=1&client=firefox-b&q=unknowable+philosophy&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjVnZShk9nSAhVJLo8KHSWLDAkQ1QIIogEoBg&biw=1920&bih=943

Tom Campbell talking with Graham Nicholls Two giants in the non-physical exploration.