Joseph Maynor

For sure this has gotta be watched. I try to be the same on here as I am in real life. I try to be the same around everybody. But all of us gotta watch the desire to be a Spiritual Ego in order to try to feel superior to other Egos and to try to place ourselves at the top of the Totem Pole of Egos. That's a real trap that I know everybody on here falls into including myself on a semi-regular basis. You gotta see it when it's happening and feel your Ego swollen with pride and realize that you're caught up.

I don't want to speak for Leo. All I will say is I think this Forum is best when we have a free flow of ideas, even if those ideas are hostile or critical to our own ideas. I think we need to be less defensive and less protective and less controlling and allow this Forum to be an open place where a wide variety of contrasting ideas are considered and debated. Lately, I have had some concerns which I have expressed already and don't want to re-iterate here. The bottom line is I think the Forum is best when it's as free and open as possible. And that means that we get to hear ideas and perspectives that challenge our own. That means that we allow in more than we omit. It's that crucible of many ideas where the magic is allowed to brew and happen. (A) I would like some clarification from Leo as to what constitutes "Nonduality wars". We need to be able to discuss ideas and hash out ideas on here. This issue needs to be clarified. I would like Leo to look at this issue and give us some clearer guidance and leadership here. If the moderators are interpreting "Nonduality wars" in a way that deviates from the intention that Leo has for the Forum, and it might also cause people to be punished in way that Leo doesn't intend for the Forum. Or maybe the vagueness of the rule sets up a space of capriciousness where some people can be selectively punished while others are not. This is why we need clarification as to what "Nonduality wars" includes and does not include straight from Leo, straight from the top. (B) I also think we need clarification of what "trolling" means. I've received warning points by a moderator for trolling whereas I never thought of myself as a troll on here, at least that was never my intention. Please clarify what trolling means and includes Leo. That's another one that's rife for abuse and capricious application if it's not carefully defined. I'm sure all of us can be accused of trolling on occasion, so we need to tighten up when that rule has in fact been violated and when it has not. (C) I also think there needs to be an appeal system in place to Leo for review any decision to award warning points or to issue suspensions by any moderator -- that are appealed to Leo by a member of the Forum. Moderation can be abused and capriciously applied without proper oversight. This is the same reason courts are nested within an appeal framework. This is the same reason why there are checks and balances in government. Unchecked power can be a problem and lead to injustices within the system. And that just taints the whole system, like a bad workplace environment for those of you who know what I'm talking about. We're all human beings, subject to human limitations. That's why we need checks and balances for human beings. I've seen some bias, and I'll leave it at that. Leo knows. I'm pretty sure Leo understands everything I've said here regarding improving the Forum. Now it's on him to decide. I've done my job as I see it by raising some issues that I see are relevant to improving the Forum for the Future. But this is his baby and he's the leader ultimately. I think Leo and I have always had a respectful sharing of ideas, and that's all this is. (D) I see an issue where critical thinking may not be encouraged enough on the Forum . I think part of our work is taking a critical review of your teachings too Leo. And that includes critically examining all teachings, including Leo's teachings. A person can do two things at once: (1) critically examine yourself and (2) you critically examine all teachings too. I don't understand why this is even being resisted on the Forum. This is basic critical thinking. I'm wondering if critical thinking is being valued enough on here now. Video on point to watch for (D):

Are you sure you're not depressed in some way?

This is a pretty strong thing to say. So, are you liberated? Are you arrogant? Do you lack nuance? You might be projecting.

I know what you're going through. I went through that stage of the Path too. I popped out of that though. You will pop out of the Mind-Matrix at some point and stop conceptualizing reality at all in a metaphysical way. And then your girlfriend will not be defined by your Mind and you can experience her directly without any kind of preconceived mental filter there. And that will open up a new kind of closeness with her because you'll be relating in this very direct and intuitive kind of connection. I think I would have sucked in a relationship when I was in the middle part of the Path. That's just a shitty place to be coming from to try to have an intimate relationship with a woman. I think you gotta kind of let all that stuff go and be very natural, open, and intuitive with a woman, and then the relationship blossoms like you wouldn't believe -- like two teenagers falling in love without any ideas of love being there to filter things and distort things in a prima facie way.

The best thing to do is to embody good habits yourself and to be a good example for others that way. People are more influenced by what you do and who you are than by what you say. If what you say doesn't comport with what you do yourself, your talk will immediately lose all credibility and you will lose credibility. But if you live it, that is the strongest statement you can make. People will notice that and be influenced by that. You gotta be the change that you wanna see in the worlds. Now, notice this isn't talk about the change you wanna see in the world, it's be the change you wanna see in the world.

Don’t think of your girl as a mental construct. She can read that energy off you and it’s not good. You’re stuck in the middle part of the Path where you’re “thinking” everything is a mental construct. But what is that which thinks? Here’s a good video for you:

Can you please give us more details about your childhood and any conflicts you’ve been involved with?

I’ve noticed this too. Watch out for this. This is a real trap for some people who are not free thinking enough.

It's hard. Green really needs a Big Picture Life Purpose: this means a career that is aligned with your values, passion, strengths, and life's calling. Otherwise Green tends to feel very compromised and miserable at work. Leo's Life Purpose Course is like a godsend for Green people looking to create a career that is aligned in this way. Green does not work for mere money alone. Green works for a greater purpose -- including but not limited to contributing to something they care about, helping people, and making a positive difference with their work.

I'm not sure Enlightenment and Personal Growth are linked in any hard way. Enlightenment is simply (1) locating being, (2) transcending the Ego, and (3) transcending the Mind.

Most definitely. Or narcissistic people use Enlightenment to further entrench and rationalize their narcissism. The God Complex. This is not a theory actually, I see this all the time. The narcissistic Spiritual Ego. What better way for the narcissistic Ego to protect itself than to attempt to conceal itself in the clothing of No Ego? The Ego-Mind is a tricky beast. In fact, I was thinking about this the other day -- just how many narcissists are drawn to spirituality and Enlightenment work. It's another way for the Ego-Mind to try to place itself on the top of the totem-pole of Egos. It's like a thief who goes into a store and tells the clerk, "don't worry about me, I won't steal anything." Or a fox who goes into a hen-house and says, "don't worry about me, I'm a nice fox."

Lemme ask you. How many times does one need to say the same thing?

This is nuts:

Have you found Awareness yet?

@zambize I love having female energy on the Forum from actual females. I think it's super healthy for the Forum. Otherwise things do tend to become quite the sausage-fest around here. I hope more females stick around. I know there used to be many women on here that I don't see around much anymore, although I often see them pop their heads in from time to time. Women are like the natural counter-part to men and vice versa. Men benefit from women and women benefit from men. Without integrating the other sex, you can become quite lopsided in your growth. There are some men on here who have integrated feminine energy a lot, but still I think that isn't enough to replace having some actual female energy on here. Women who have integrated the masculine are also super cool and often hot as well. We men tend to love women who have integrated the masculine, and I think women love men who have integrated the feminine just the same.

This is the kind of deep insight that most people will not fully appreciate although it's placed right here in front of you.

Thanks man, I appreciate your insights. Movies and art are delusion too, yet somehow we can learn a lot from these things. I remember when I was studying at UCLA, I was compelled to watch all the classic films and I was kinda neurotic about this -- and this experience had a kind of profound impact on the rest of my life, even though on some level all films are rubbish.

I don't care about the issue at all. I don't try to define things like that or try to know things like that anymore. How can I clarify this further? I know this is a mindf*ck of a different way of being for people who are trained to want to know things. The issue died on the vine for me. It died when I transcended the Mind.

I don't really care about metaphysics. In Zen, you get popped out of thinking about reality or metaphysics. I just don't really pay the issue any mind, if that makes sense. It's not an issue that I cling to as relevant 99% of the time. I'm not clinging to knowing reality in some kind of metaphysical way anymore. It's like I've outgrown that, like outgrowing a hobby or interest that you previously had when you were a kid.

I don't take psychedelics to be anything literal. I think that's a trap. You learn from the experiences but then you come back into regular life where you do have an Ego. People who take psychedelics literally I think are misled. It's a temporary brain-state like a dream that you're conscious in. I think it's important to know when to stop using psychedelics on the Path too otherwise you can become pretty deluded.

@Consilience Thanks. It's weird that Leo has never mentioned these interviews before.

Have you ever actually done psychedelics? You're the kind of person I can see psychedelics actually helping.