Joseph Maynor

I don't see why a Scientist could not also be Enlightened. They would be watching themselves play the Science game. There's much worse ways to make a living, I can tell you. Scientists are just explicit theorists. Most people keep their ideas to themselves. Science tries to shove theirs down everyone's throat. They attempt to do this by proving their hypotheses. That's the only difference. But we are all dogmatists. At least Scientists are basing their beliefs on testability -- much of the time. But Scientists are theorists about reality and about the truth. Science could be thought of as Natural Philosophy, which it used to be. I believe Physics was still called Natural Philosophy in Isaac Newton's day if my memory serves me well. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Newton

Stop clinging to that Ego. That's takes a lot of work to get to though. But that's the answer. The Ego is what makes you sensitive.

This is trying to encapsulate reality in a thought. Ain’t never gonna happen. People have tried to do this from the beginning of time to today. Brahman is that which concepts exist within, to use a metaphor. Trying to fit Brahman under a concept is like trying to fit water into a net. Just be ok with reality being reality. Be mindful of what’s here. You should have little need for questions after that point. All thought-stories are laid on top of reality — like scribbling all over the glass that covers the Mona Lisa. The painting underneath is unmarred, but the obsever’s view is left muddied up. That’s what thought-stories do to reality. Let those go and just admire the painting underneath the glass for what it is. Don’t try to fit it under categories. Treat reality like this. Those scribbles on the glass are irrelevant to the reality that lies up underneath. All they do is block your clear view of reality. And that’s no good.

Once you become Enlightened you’ll watch yourself develop yourself. Enlightenment doesn’t change reality. Reality will be whatever it is without your illusion of control. There’s a difference between Egoic detachment and Enlightened detachment. Egoic detachment is what causes your life to decay. Enlightened detachment is just stepping back and letting life live in whatever way life lives. Of course you have no control over any of this. That’s the bitter pill no one wants to accept — you have no control. That control that you think you have is a total illusion. Those who accept this will have a different ride through this life than those who do not. You will do whatever happens in this life — successful or otherwise. But beware of Egoic detachment — that’s a trap and assumes you have control. Get out of life’s way and let life live life. The Ego is like the worst backseat driver ever. Totally useless and irrelevant. Just watch the Ego but don’t identify with it as ME. You are Brahman, Reality. All you gotta go is be Aware in the moment — that’s Atman. And Atman = Brahman. Brahman = Atman. Maya is clinging to Belief. Pick up beliefs when they’re useful, but put them back when they’re not useful. The mechanic doesn’t have all of his tools under the car when he’s working. He has the tools he needs, and after they’ve served their use, they go back into the toolbox. After the job, he’s not gonna be carrying those tools around with him. He picks up a tool when it’s useful and puts it back after it’s served it’s purpose. We need to treat beliefs like this. Beliefs are tools not truths.

Here’s a good question for contemplation: to what extent are my morals MY morals.

Stay on the path. I was like you 1 year ago. Enlightenment — especially the seeking phase is a long, arduous process. But it’s worth it. The most important thing in this work is to keep doing it. You just keep on keeping on no matter what. What you work on is what you improve.

Good question eh?

It’s funny how things look from the perspective of Brahman versus the perspective of Maya. It’s like the difference between night and day. But both night and day are here, part of reality. But Day is so different from night and vice versa. It’s like the difference between being awake and dreaming.

How much experience do you have with Enlightenment work?

A nihilist is still clinging to belief. When you reach the state of Brahman nihilism doesn’t make sense.

The Forum is a great place for people to grasp around until they realize that it’s all right here. It’s always all just been right here. It’s like an anti-training academy. It’s going from Maya to Brahman.

The Mind is a thought story. It’s a useful fiction.

You won’t lose your morality. It will just no longer be YOUR morality. Enlightenment is not about changing yourself. It’s about detaching from a concept that says all of those bits of reality are MINE. You’ll go Meta and just be mindful of reality instead of believing that reality means anything about a separate sense of self.