Ananta

I've been married since 1991, that is 28 years. Also, my son is 27 years old and he is in a happy relationship.

You should not marry then, its probably a bad idea for you.

I've not been divorced, but here in the West the women and men are entitled to 1/2 of all assets, a judge doesn't allow a women to just strip away all assets. Also, the judge awards a custody arrangement, if either party does not abide by this arrangement. They can be brought back to court and held accountable, they may even lose their own rights if they break the arrangement. Men can even get full custody if the women are an unfit parent. I know this because my father was awarded full custody of me and my sister, but he allowed my mother visitation regardless.

Oh well, thanks so much for "letting" me work sir.

@Highest your post goes back to the other thread about, real or not real and I made my pov crystal clear on that thread already. I don't wish to continue discussing the same topic. We can agree to disagree.

Ha, well be careful, you got yourself into some trouble not too long ago. Maybe you had some drinky-poo's that night too.

Sounds like you are speaking from the "apparent" person's pov? Which is not the fundamental reality. Therefore, whether one has had a shift in consciousness or not doesn't affect fundamental reality. It only affects the mind of the apparent person.

Good example!

Yes, awakening is "from" the apparent person, not "for" it. Once you Self realize that you never were the ego or body/mind, then all you could ever do again is to "play" the character of the action figure. Sometimes you may believe what's going on a bit more then other times, but you can never fully believe it again.

Lol! I was recently given a promotion to clinical manager and I didn't even ask for the job. They came to me and offered it. So much for your theory. @Parththakkar12 Too many men having your attitude is what prompted the feminist movement to begin.

I find that when ppl say this, a lot of times they mean, it exists, but its not ultimately real. But, ppl explain things differently and mean the same thing all the time. I've probably misunderstood ppl in this thread, just because of the way it was worded.

By my definition of real (constant and unchanging), its illusion, but "feels" very real in the illusory world. Just like a dream seems real when you're dreaming it.

You can know the ultimate truth, what's real and illusion, but still enjoy the journey regardless. I'm not saying to deny one's humanness, just know what's ultimately true and real....or don't.

Ah, I see what you mean. I never promote that, no sense in it. Awakening for the action figure is to remove suffering or decrease it significantly by seeing through the illusion (s).

Ok, it "feeling" real, doesn't make it real, it only "appears" to be real. Big difference from saying it "is" real. Granted, it can "apparently" feel very damn real.

I added another sentence to my post. Anyways, yeah, there is coming full circle, understanding everything is one, etc. But oneness doesn't mean sameness and as I said, awareness is the most fundamental, therefore it has no need to care if one denies its reflective nature (maya) which is illusion. The illusion is meant to trick itself, ourself, but Its meant to be ultimately seen through anyways.

This depends on who you think you are? If you think you are the body/mind, then you will defend the illusory self.

Maya (illusion) is the Self, but the Self is not maya. Maya relies upon awareness (Self/Brahman) for its existence, not the other way around. Therefore, the Self/Brahman/awareness is absolute reality. What is prior to what? Awareness/Self is prior to Maya/illusion, meaning without it, Maya would not exist, so isn't ultimately real.

@VeganAwake I hope this is a typo.?

Well, what comes and goes is created out of awareness, but is insentient, unless also enlivened by awareness, which can only happen if it has a reflective medium, such as a subtle body. This is a little heavy for the average person to grasp, so I usually leave it out. So, you think a rock is self aware? I disagree, its insentient and doesn't have a reflective medium. So, it doesn't know anything. For example, I was referring to a thought coming and going. I don't know what you are referring to exactly.

“You don’t have problems; you are the problem.” – Swami Chinmayananda

@Nightwise No problem, you could have PM'd me instead of posting it here at all, but you didn't

You misunderstand what I mean. The seeing, hearing, feeling, etc... "exists" at the time its seen, heard, felt but is ultimately "unreal" as well (it comes and goes). The only thing that does not come and go is you, awareness. The one that "is aware" of the seeing, hearing, feeling, etc. So, one's definition of "real" may be different from mine, so be it. Also, to me, something "exists" if it was experienced or that's how I'm using the word, but that doesn't mean it was real, such as a dream.

And, in case it wasn't already clear ? From my pov is that it exists, but it is not ultimately "real". I will agree to disagree at this point.?

Don't get hung up on the real and unreal stuff. I don't, it exists and that's the reality in the present moment. Leave it at that. Whether someone agrees with me or not makes no difference to me.? It's a matter of perspective and how someone sees things, as well as their spiritual teachings. In Advaita Vedanta, the world exists, but is ultimately unreal, because it is always changing and in that tradition the only thing that is real is what "never" changes.