Ananta

Hi!... Welcome to the forum. I don't make any claims of permanent enlightenment or liberation/Moksha, but have been Self-realized for many years, which waxes and wanes, full assimilation of this "realization" proves to take time. Of course this depends on how ripe one is when awakening occurs. So, with that being said, yes, it's normal for there to continue to be thoughts referencing a "sense of self". Why is this? Because, it's not real to begin with, so how to rid oneself of an illusion? You just know it's an illusion. Yes As to your last question, there will probably be different thoughts on here, but unless you're a yogi sitting in deep Nirvikalpa samadhi to "remove the world" (which is temporary), then you will have thoughts. Contemplation/thinking happens as usual, remember they aren't you.. or "real" anyways. Thoughts can become more in-line with Self-realization, as a side effect, but assimilation of "the truth" with the "apparent" person can take quite awhile to work itself out.

I don't have a fear of death, so none. I do have an aversion to pain, starvation and disfigurement. So, with that in mind, decisions are influenced.

My pleasure, anytime

@abrakamowse Oh, I never thought about it like that. ?

Hm, I've heard ppl say this, but it wasn't my experience, of the non-experience. Hehe. But, there was no one home during. It wasn't until "after" that thought came back and said, "whhaatttt?".

I think you need to see it as unreal, an illusion, yes. Yet, it exists, even if the existence is only "apparent" and occurring only here and now. Okay, I'll choose takes God seriously. Fear isn't in my vocabulary along with spirituality. Yes, see, this is where I was going when I said fear of being an independent, individual "real" entity... I meant and all its "problems". The belief in all that is some scary shit. Yes, okay, I see what your referring to, I just don't use the same terms. Like I would never say "remain faithful to God", because ultimately I'm awareness and that is primary/fundamental, but to each their own. Yes, I understand Self-inquiry. What some may not understand is that the Self (capital S) is awareness/Brahman and that is the fundamental reality, therefore one's true Self. I can't say I'm on board with this. I don't get the fear thing, but I respect it's your point of view. Can I ask what tradition has taught you this? If it's too personal, no problem. Just was curious.

@Truth Addict @jbram2002@abrakamowse Thank you all for your time. Much appreciated.

I'm using Chrome too. I'm just not too tech savvy. I'm okay, but not advanced, intermediate at best. Hehe.?

Say that I quoted you, as I just did and I want to break this quote up to say something to you about the first sentence, then the second sentence, then the 3rd sentence. Instead of going back to the same post and using quote function (it's hard to find posts somtimes!). Perhaps I just have to quote it many times as @jbram said earlier. @jbram2002 I'm on a android cell phone. Thank guys!

Hi, How so? This has not been my experience. What I find fearful is the thought that I am a finite, individual, volitional entity. Knowing it's Isvara/God that is in charge of all of manifestation, including the "apparent" person is comforting, I think. Haha ? Perhaps I just don't understand this?

Does it work if post I'm quoting is a couple pages back? I was able to quote you twice easily since there weren't multiple pages. I'm on a android phone, so it's probably more difficult? Thanks ?

@Truth Addict Hi, I don't know if you can help me, but I have forgotten how to break apart a longgg quote to answer/reply/post to someone. I get the quote on my post and I'm clueless???

@Inliytened1 Love to u too! ❤ (use heart from your keyboard) Thank you for the compliment. I appreciate it.

@Inliytened1 I think he desperately wants to be enlightened, have others look up to him and praise him. He wants to be this "enlightened master". The problem is he's not and he has a very bad case of enlightenment sickness. "Enlightenment sickness is when the ego is claiming to be enlightened, then the ego has co-opted the knowledge and is using it to glorify itself. In such a case, “enlightenment” is just another badge of honor that the apparent individual person is pinning on himself and using to set himself apart from and usually higher than the rest of the ignorant masses in order to compensate for a deep-rooted and ever-obtaining sense of incompleteness and inadequacy. "

@Inliytened1 Don't get me wrong, although the Vedantin tradition teaches truth and Self knowledge. It is a systematic teaching using some Sanskrit words and a methodology, so no, Leo is not teaching Advaita Vedanta. David Hammond has issues, he had issues as "Feel good" and "Etagnwo" too. That's why he was banned...twice.

@Inliytened1 Hi, Once again, Advaita Vedanta is not a religion. "Though sourced in the Vedas, the scriptures that contain the prescribed rituals and knowledge that form the basis of Hinduism, Vedanta is not a religion. As commonly conceived of, a religion is a set of dogmatic beliefs that one is required to adhere to and a code of behavior that one is supposed to act in accordance with. This is not the concern of Vedanta. Vedanta does not require one to believe anything, but rather serves as a means of knowledge through which one gains direct and irrefutable knowledge of the non-dual nature of reality and one’s essential identity as pure, limitless awareness." http://www.nevernotpresent.com/faqs/difference-religion-spirituality/ Ok, carry on?

Haha ?

@abrakamowse Aww, you too. Thanks for listening to my POV also.?

@Inliytened1 Okay, good. To combine the two, I would add that when you refer to looking at the finger that would be the outward movement of attention vs when focus is placed on the hand, that's the inward/dispersed movement of attention. Well, that's my opinion at least.

I have found that a shift in "attention" has the same or similar effect. Perhaps it's what you are describing, but using different terminology, since this stuff is hard to describe. For me the result is BEing aware that you ARE awareness/reality, here and now. There is a knowing/being that every-thing perceivable, both subtle and gross, is me and isn't me, simultaneously. (Nisargadatta- wisdom is knowing I am no-thing, love is knowing I am every-thing, between the two my life moves). So, attention is awareness (absolute/reality) focused through the mind onto objects. The more contracted the focus, the more one is concentrated on individuality. The more dispersed and turned inward the attention (awareness aware of itself) the greater probability that one is BEing their true Self/awareness (shifts identity) and if youre not used to this, could be a spiritual awakening. Just my 2 cents

@abrakamowse Well, in Advaita Vedanta the term Isvara is used more commonly, than God (although it means essentially the same thing). What is meant by Isvara is very clear, but to make it very simple here, Isvara is Brahman/awareness/Self/absolute with attributes (gunas/energies). So, it is all of manifestation (the dharma field), both subtle and gross. Where as Brahman/awareness/Self/absolute is without attributes. So, is the fundamental reality, of even Isvara (or God). Therefore, there is a distinction, even if slight, between what you would call reality/absolute and Isvara/God. According to Advaita Vedanta. So, for Vedantin's you would not say, "I'm God-realized", you would say, "Self-realized", as the Self (capital "S") IS awareness/absolute/fundamental reality. Just my 2 cents. Giving another POV.

Hehe, thanks! I was picturing you both in recliners in the living room on cell phones. Boy, was I wrong.

@mandyjw @jbram2002 Curious, since you're married, are you sitting next to each other, across the room or in seperate rooms while posting?

This is why I dont, or should I say rarely, use the word "God". Unless it's meaning is defined and clear, by the user, then it's meaningless, imo.