Forestluv

I updated the post

This gets really sneaky. The ego says “my beliefs are neither true nor false”, then speaks about them as if they were true. There can be a subtle attachment and identification. One exercise is to hold the opposite belief and see if it feels the same way. For example: “I acknowledge my beliefs as either true or false. Saying that a belief is true/false is not a groundless assumption.” Does this feel different to you? If so there may be underlying attachments/identification to a belief. Essentially that the belief has truth to it. Intellectually saying “My beliefs are neither true or false”, does not cut to this deeper level. Another exercise is to see if a belief can be let go of as easily as the mind can let go of bird chirps that pass by. There is a deeper level to attachment/identification to the relative as absolute than the intellectual level.

@Truth Addict I’m not disagreeing with you. I was pointing to something else I noticed. “To say that something is either true or false is just to add a layer of belief upon reality which, to me, is unnecessary. I believe that true vs. false is. . . “ It’s such a sneaky squirrel ?

Some nice golden nuggets in there. Yet I think the title of the video is a bit misleading. Thoughts create an illusion of a story within a timeline. Yet, those thoughts are Now. Yet they also aren’t really a separate thing called thoughts because we would need a story for that as well. Thank you for posting it. ?

Do you feel the same with women? When you make closer friends with a woman do you get uncomfortable that she only wants to be friends with you because of her sexual desires?

? ♥️

@Lisa2525 It seems like your mind and body is uncomfortable with the amount and pattern of your drinking. Enough so that you have spoken to friends about it, searched for information online and started a thread on a forum to discuss it. Yet, I would be cautious about adopting an identity that “I am an alcoholic” or adopting the opposite of “I am not an alcoholic”. There may be something minor going on and few tweaks in perspective and behavior is all you need - such as making some new friends and engaging in new activities. Or there may be something deeper going on that needs more work to resolve, which may involve counseling or a support group. There are a variety of support groups available - both online and face-to-face. If you feel drawn to this route, I would encourage you to find one that resonates with you and feels healthy.

I don’t disagree with you. It’s relative to assumptions and how terms are defined.

Note taking notes and journaling can be a great method. If you want to post it here, perhaps you could start a journal.

The passage of the story you quoted doesn’t address that. I suppose we could imagine things and add it into the piece of the story above. Or perhaps one could contact the author of the story to see what he imagines. If we assume that there is a thing called enlightenment that is good and we assume that there are some beings that do not have access to this goodness and we assume that such beings are lesser, then I would say yes, it is unfair. According to the story you posted from Johnakan, no chance. According to the story you cite from Hindu and Buddhist scriptures, yes chance. Cool stuff. I like stories about reincarnation and souls. Sometimes I imagine each being is a pod exploring earth and all of our souls are connected to one Mothership. As pods break down and die, they get recycled into new pods. In one sense, it isn’t unfair since all pods are the Mothership. Yet if one assumes that pods are different, some pods are better, and one is restricted to a certain pod fate for eternity, then that would be unfair. It’s essentially saying there is a “me” that got stuck with a crappy fate for eternity.

@DrewNows Some nice spanish moss on those trees ?

When you write “enlightened person”, does that suggest clarity and understanding in all those components? Or could an enlightened person have degrees of clarity and understanding? For example, deep, clear, integrated understanding in #2 / #3, yet several gaps of understanding in #4 / #5.

Bud

In the U.S., psychiatrists are generally focused on treating mental illness through medication. Psychologists, social workers and counselors are much broader and can help with a variety of life issues. They are generally not so quick to recommend medication and use a wide variety of methods like talk therapy, CBT, EMDR etc. Depression is not necessary to gain benefits. Years ago, I saw a counselor to discuss regular life issues and to explore my personality. I found it helpful in a limited context. I’m not sure how things are structured in your country. You mention you don’t have depression or anything. What are you currently experiencing that raised questions whether you should see a psychiatrist?

Part of spiritual work is facing our fears. Standard doses of psychedelics may involve experiences that are uncomfortable. If that seems scary and overwhelming to you, you can try low doses of psychedelics. If that is still too scary and overwhelming, then you are not ready to explore consciousness with psychedelics. If that is the case, try something else. There are other ways to explore consciousness.

@Firebirdz From a nondual perspective, the question doesn’t make sense since the question assumes duality (separate things such as a person, product, a sale, money etc). Yet nonduality vs. duality is also a duality that dissolves. It is like asking: “If that is ONE carton, how can it include a dozen eggs?”.

This is dependent on your current understanding of “me”. You are conflating personal and trans-personal concepts. At the personal level, this is a recipe for disaster and will cause an immense amount of needless suffering. Notice how immersed you are in this narrative. It is as if you are convinced a stick is a snake and being held hostage by it. Assuming it is a snake and insisting on speaking about how dangerous snakes are will keep you trapped. Yet letting go of the attachment and identification of being held hostage by a snake can be extremely difficult. It doesn’t seem like it should, but letting go of that delusional identity is letting go of one’s identity. It can be hard to say goodbye to the stick, stand up and walk off into a new uncertainty.

@Aakash ? ♥️

Requiring that symmetry is necessary to realize God is an egoic idea. Realizing God may or may not involve symmetry. It is not a requirement. It’s like saying running 30+ miles per week is a requirement to run a marathon. It’s pretty good advice for most people, yet certainty not a requirement. A low mileage plan with lots of cross training is often sufficient.

Go to the space before you were born. Where there are no thoughts, words, images, symbols etc. Whenever a thought, word, image, symbol etc. arise, let it go because that came after your birth. If direct experience arises in this space, don’t try to explain it with any thoughts, words, images, symbols etc. Because all that came after your birth. That’s it. Yet it ain’t easy. That is an Orange level of exploration. That is totally cool and legit. There are many logical and scientific explorations that are sooo fascinating. I love that stuff. Yet be mindful of conflating and thinking it’s an expansive realm that includes more advanced stages beyond logic and reason.

No. You keep employing mental faculties. That’s not it. Ime, that is the #1 deterrent and it can be extremely difficult to let go of.

@Enlightenment My deepest experiences with 5-meo have come while laying down or sitting. I suppose it was symmetrical. Yet I did have one deep experience on 25mg doing yoga, which I suppose is asymmetrical. @kieranperez The key word is *requiring*

You are unaware of how many distinctions are here. As I said, it’s not mental. All this stuff dissolves.

@krockerman If you don’t have issues with mental illness and don’t have a strong strong family history of mental illness, the risks are very very low, unless you start off with monster doses. As well, you seem to be in an either / or mentality when you say “I’m afraid of taking psychedelics”. What does this mean? If that means taking 1,000 ug of LSD, using psychedelics three times a day everyday or tripping in Grand Central Station N.Y. during rush hour - then I would be afraid as well. You can microdose or min-dose. You can dose one time or once every six months. Perhaps a mini-dose once every few months feels right for you. Or perhaps a mini-dose opens a door and you feel curious to explore more. Or maybe not. . . The mind loves to create problems that don’t exist. If you are curious, try a few micro or mini doses and see how it goes. The risk here is much lower than the risk of eating unwashed fruits and vegetables.