Forestluv

@zoey101 I’ve been there too. Most of it is programming/conditioning from my parents. I’ve found it helpful to relax the mind in meditation and observe the thoughts and emotions without identifying with them. As if I was watching a documentary of other people. Just watching without identifying can have a “Hmmm, well isn’t that interesting” kind of feel. Also, I changed the frame from “I hate myself” to “I lack self love”. Then my mind shifted from focusing on why I hate myself to how I could love myself. I’ve experienced realizations that the self is an illusion. Yet during my process of actualuzation, that self returns. At times, I’m aware if it and witnessing. Other times, there is immersion into the character. Immersion into The Story of me and my life. I’ve found it helpful to love this character. When the personality relaxes, there is space to experience what’s happening and for insights to arise.

I did the same thing. It helped to relax the personality. Yet, in the moment of truth - one either surrenders or resists. I would much rather have zero prep and surrender than a year of prep and resist.

@tashawoodfall I try to get "in touch" with the environment. E.g. kneeling down and stroking grass.

"You" doesn't become enlightened.

Indeed.

Indeed. There is awareness of the self construct and loss of identification. This goes against millions of years of human evolution and a lifetime of social conditioning. I've had to return to that awareness over and over and over. . . Eventually, the self stops being the "Main Act".

@Capital I've found when the personality relaxing there is space for creativity to appear.

For me, it took an Ayahuasca retreat in Peru to crack the shell.

@MM1988 Meditation is like sitting in a soothing hot tub vs a psychedelic mindfuck.

This is like discussing the flavor of an apple vs. taking a bite and tasting it. Take a bite yourself. It’s always availble, free and oh so juicy,

@Victor Mgazi It’s been a process for me. There are cracks in the self construct and glimpses of truth. Then the personality returns and there is no space. I return through the cracks into the present “what is” over and over. But my person can’t do it. Relax the person, let go and it may appear.

@blazed Your list is missing the most important person of all

@Ferdi Le well said. It’s sublime ridiculousness

I think a simple example of the importance of context is an “inside joke”. Without the context, it makes no sense at all.

@Max_V I’m still trying to work through it. One thing I know as an empath: energy vampires, like narcissists, are attracted to me like a magnet.

Are you aware of “reality checks” to help induce lucid dreaming?

Yoga worked wonders for me. Mind-body-spirit balance.

It’s totally impersonal. You are speaking your truth, based on your genetics and life conditioning. But it’s not The Truth. It’s just appearances and a desire to express oneself. And all these thoughts in my mind are also appearances with no more relevance than a dog bark.

If you observe your beliefs without attachment you will realize they have no more relevance than a bird chirp.

@Pluck A lot of thought and emotion underlies that perspective. And the strength of attachment to the perspective is impressive. What would happen if you sat with each of those beliefs and simply observed them without attachment and let go of the beliefs for a a little while?

@pierce_the_heavens There are appearances. Adding a reasons to an appearance is just another appearance. I wonder if there is a reason humans want to attribute reasons to appearances.

To take it a step deeper: the idea that the room you were looking at is not true is also just a thought, with no more relevance than a bird chirp. Talking nonduality is really hard since language is dualistic.

I haven’t had a drink in 26 years. All this time, I had no idea that not drinking alcohol was a hindrance. I better have a standard drink tonight! ?

I can see how it might be perceived as uncommon, yet how is it an error? “Error” implies that something is “wrong”. It’s happening exactly how it should given the complex interplay of genetics, life history, physiology and environmental input.

@Sockrattes Is a 7 ft. tall man an error?