Ananta

@Joseph Maynor thanks

What author/translation did you read? Just curious

James Swartz, Advaita Vedanta teacher

Yes!

Yes, you are correct!

Glad we agree. ?

I hate to nit pick, but don't cave in just because ppl here dont understand. Nonduality means "not two", not one. God IS the Self, but the Self is NOT God. Oneness does "not" mean sameness. Brahman/Self/awareness is WITHOUT attributes and the fundamental background (of even Isvara/God). Where Isvara/God is Brahman /Self/awareness WITH attributes. Ok, carry on, lol

@Dumb Enlightened You welcome, glad it was helpful.

All you can do is act as though you do have free will. Listen to and act on your inner promptings. From your (jivas) point of view, there is "apparent " free will", but from Isvara/God's point of you, you are a puppet and he the puppet master. However, your free will IS Isvara/God's will, so it's a paradox.

Sounds like your meditations took you into Nirvikalpa samadhi. Samadhi's will come and go. They have a benefit so long as you can extrapolate the knowledge from them, that "you are that", but then this knowledge has to be assimilated into daily life. Meaning apply this Self-knowledge to every experience you have. Are you the body/mind mechanism or are you awareness/Self/Brahman having a human experience?

Your "apparent" free will betrays your causal programming. Meaning, gods "will" (God is simply a personification of the dharma field/manifestation with its physical/psychological laws, etc) is done through your apparent choices and decisions. From the ultimate perspective, you don't have much choice. From your jiva (Dodo) perspective it will continue to feel very much like "free will" and you must choose wisely and put forth effort (for relatively "good" results), even if it ain't so free after all. Even this post (through cause/effect and karma) was "ultimately" destined to happen. So, there are never any mistakes, really, as the dharma field is acting and reacting, as it was designed and created.

I have somewhere to be and have to shower. This could become a very deep conversation, but I'll just say, you didn't exercise your "apparent " free will to find a job. Hey, I don't have a job either, so don't get upset with me.

@Dodo Oh no! ? I'm so sorry. I wish you would've applied for jobs anyways. --------------- I'm Brahman/awareness (no-thing) "associated" with the apparent person, so only an "aspect" (like a puppet) of God/Isvara, but I get that's a sore subject on this forum. To me, God is the puppet master, imo. Isvara/God-is Omnipotence means God is all-powerful. This means God has supreme power and has no limitations. Omniscience means God is all-knowing. ... Omnipresence means God is everywhere at the same time.

I feel your pain. All you can do is keep applying for jobs and do what you are internally motivated to say/do regarding the situation. I'm currently unemployed also and not much luck here either, although I have dozens of applications out, but only had one interview so far. Good luck

Mikael has "repeatedly" stated on this forum, thread after thread, that he has social phobia/anxiety. This disorder is listed in the DMS-5 "The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association (APA)" and is a significant mental health issue. So, I'll post this here- "People with social anxiety typically know that their anxiety is irrational, is not based on fact, and does not make rational sense. Nevertheless, thoughts and feelings of anxiety persist and are chronic (i.e., show no signs of going away). Appropriate active, structured, cognitive-behavioral therapy is the only solution to this problem. Decades of research have concluded that this type of therapy is the only way to change the neural pathways in the brain permanently. This means that a permanent change is possible for everyone. " https://socialphobia.org/social-anxiety-disorder-definition-symptoms-treatment-therapy-medications-insight-prognosis ----------- * So, "persistent" CBT therapy with a qualified therapist is in order, but if someone doesn't think it will work, because they tried a therapist or even CBT a "few times", with no results, they often give up. Hence the word, "persistance", is the key to change, regarding this problem, according to the medical research I've found. Medication can have add-on benefits as well.

Yes!...and it's not even problematic, until we think life is happening to .."me", then it gets sticky.

A restless mind

?

In duality, for the apparent person, it's all quite interesting/fascinating, gives the apparent person experiences to chew on, while chasing there tail, maybe for a lifetime or lifetimes But, if you want to go beyond flashy, worldly experiences, then its Self-knowledge (to remove ignorance) of your true nature that's needed, imo. Vedanta teachings is one such way to remove ignorance.

I would leave your statement just like this....

I don't think so, not that he named kundalini at least. I've read three of his books, listened to many YT videos over the years and cant remember him saying anything about experiencing kundalini. Also, I was on a E. Tolle forum for many, many years and don't recall anyone saying that E.T. mentioned any kundalini stuff happening with him. But, I could be wrong..?

??

Thread title: "Is it actually possible to escape the wheel of death and rebirth?" The escape is the realization you were never born in the first place, therefore can not die and certainly can't be reborn. It's not some sort of soul emancipation from the wheel of samsara.

Lol!