Koyaanisqatsi

The message will apply when one is ready for it. Or not. I see Jim and Tony as sort of living koans--the message they speak doesn't give one anything to do or to seek. It makes the mind sort of trip up on itself, and in doing so it may question the erroneous concepts at the core. Or just let go. The Truth can't be known or spoken. To speak at all is to enter duality. All teachers and teachings therefore have shortcomings because all they have to use is this clunky thing call language, which is inherently dual. Subject and object are required to speak, yet they don't exist. "The Tao that can be named is not the eternal Tao." Also, the sign posts are not the destination. Don't cling to pointers or teachings--instead, look to where they point and see for yourself.

There is no tree, nor anyone standing next to it. Nothing to begin, nothing to end.

Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I’ll meet you there. When the soul lies down in that grass, the world is too full to talk about. Ideas, language, even the phrase ‘each other’ doesn’t make any sense. -- Rumi

Alan Watts is from a slightly different era, but he has great pointers and I find him easy to listen to. Feeling lost can be part of finding yourself, at least it was for me. Sounds like you're on to something. Who is it exactly who is lost?

While sometimes it's necessary to use a thorn (belief) to remove another thorn (belief), both should be discarded. I would recommend to all to not cling to any beliefs. They keep you in the dream. The thing is, they can be hard to notice. Many just feel like, "That's the way it is--it's not a belief." Sort of like you don't know what you don't know. If one is feeling stuck or frustrated, though, it could be because a belief is getting in the way. It can be seen that you don't actually know anything. No one does. That is the freedom (in a way). Nothing is real--it's all an illusion.

Any analogy, concept, teaching, word, etc. only goes so far. They all fail in the end. Interesting to play with, and they can point to the 'truth', but all will be discarded.

Here it is seen clearly that there is no one to die and no one was ever born. 'This' is all there is, and its everything and nothing. There may be memories in some people of so-called 'past lives'--some people seem to be born with 'leftover' talents, memories, etc. but to me that is a bit like considering that one 'wave' in the ocean (which is not separate from the ocean) is made up of water from past 'waves'. There is only ocean--waves are an illusion. One wave isn't 'reborn' as another wave, unless you just want to tell a story about that, which requires separation. It sounds like there are some beliefs still in the system about what 'this' is and how it works. Here it is seen that this is unknowable, without meaning, substance, intent, or 'reality'. It will be interesting to see what you have to say.

Beautiful, and it actually makes sense from my perspective. It's actually quite mundane, which is why it's overlooked. It's right here right now. It's everything. That which is constant is not noticed. It could also be easily said that everyone is already enlightened, but that isn't much help to a seeker. Glimpses and peak experiences can be filled with strong emotions, but liberation is not that way. It truly is the most ordinary extraordinary event. It is only by 'looking back' that one notices the change. I agree that our beliefs about what liberation is or will mean, and what is needed to 'get there' are maybe the biggest obstacle to dissolving the illusion of separation.

There are thoughts and feelings, but they don't belong to anyone. There is no thought that, "Oh, I just did that." It's more like, "Oh, that just happened." I don't know about sounding 'sweet', but it does soften language in a way because although 'non-sweet' things can still happen, there is no blame towards another. So no worry about why they did something, no thought that they could have chosen to do something else. It's all what is happening. I understand what you want to see. It would probably be necessary to follow me around for a few days, which would be dreadfully boring. It might also be necessary to have known me for a while in order to see any differences. To a large extent, nothing changes (but everything is different).

Yes, I had similar thoughts. It's a bit like a giant multiplayer game with one player. To make it interesting at all, the one player needs to forget that it is all players. Just a story, but it might be useful to think of it that way at some point.

This was a tough concept for me--cause and effect. Alan Watts did a great job of explaining it in the video I posted recently. On one hand, it could be said that what's happening now is a result of what happened before it. The problem is, this goes all the way back to the 'big bang' and even before, and there is no beginning (what would have been before that?). Also, we are talking about infinity here. Any attempt to isolate a so-called 'event' is to draw an arbitrary line around an illusion. You can't get outside of everything to view it. There are no events. If this is looked at, it can be seen then that if one thing causes another, then everything that will ever happen is already determined--in a way the future has already happened. Life is happening, and no one is controlling it. Cause and effect needs a 'controller' but there is no control. This is a cosmic avalanche, of sorts, and it's going to go as it's going to go. Just sit down, buckle up, and enjoy the ride. On the other hand, it can be seen that everything is spontaneously happening in each so-called 'moment' (it's always now), with no cause for it, no reason, no intention. The real mind fuck is that it's both and neither. It's a strange loop. These are concepts too. All must be let go of. I can't overstate what 'All' means. As for choosing, there is no free will, and no one to make the choice. It can be seen that this is all just happening (don't believe--explore and discover). It's what is happening, and what has always been happening. You have never been in control of anything that has happened. No one has ever had a thought or action they were in control of. This can bring tremendous relief when it's seen clearly. Who is feeling trapped and powerless? The so-called 'ego' (or a mind with the illusion of separation) doesn't like it because it's so sure that it is in control, it knows what it needs (and it's not this--it's always something 'else'), and life will go to hell if it doesn't 'do' something. Maybe try this--for some time period (I did this on a vacation once), just let go. Let whatever happens, happen. You may find that nothing is any different, only it feels easier, smoother. It's really about attitude. If your attitude is in line with the flow of life, it's all good. Suffering is resisting what is, and seeking something 'else'. It's futile.

There is no one to be reborn, there is no one who was ever born or will ever die in the history of forever. That is illusion. There really really are no 'things'--no objects whatsoever. There appear to be, but they are emptiness appearing as 'others'. There is only 'this' and it's totally impersonal. But don't take my word for it, please. Just take it as a pointer. "I" is merely a thought--an idea. Find this "I" that claims it was born and has so many needs, wants to be perfect, and wants to be loved (etc.). You can't just believe others that there is no "I". Unless what is actually happening is seen enough, and clearly enough (not just once--an awakening alone is just a glimpse--it may take 1,000 times or more--who knows?), the belief in separation (that is so well ingrained) will remain. Keep looking, keep inquiring, until there is no need to any more.

I totally understand your desire (when the illusion of separation exists, the mind seems to always looking for 'something' it doesn't have), but it's not possible to tell if someone is liberated or not, despite the stories and beliefs around it. If anything, those stories need to be let go of. Liberation is not a certifiable event, and only you will know if it happens or not. There are already enough non-duality videos and books out there. Seeing me on video won't really help, I'm afraid. I don't float around in the lotus position or anything, nor have any magic shortcuts, nor any words that have not already been spoken. I can't put you in my position so that you can see it, but if you have had any awakenings, I can say that what was experienced in my awakenings are now seen as my direct reality, only now it's normal. The awakenings possibly were so profound because of the contrast between separation and non-separation. There is no concern at all if anyone 'believes' me or not. If anything, I say do NOT believe me or anyone--take the pointers, explore for yourself, and challenge everything you think is real. Drop all ideas about so-called 'enlightenment'. It's not what you think. You can't imagine no 'you'. You can only 'be' your true nature. The ideas of what it will look like or feel like will get in the way (and probably already are). This is basically the meaning of, "If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him." It's also not about mind. It's psychosomatic. Finally, there is nothing to gain. It's more about a loss, except the only thing to lose is an illusion--like a mirage in the desert. You will lose the story of 'you', the story of 'others', the story of 'things' and 'events', and see that what is happening is just 'this'. 'This' is an utterly unknowable mystery that is already whole and complete--it needs nothing, and feels like unconditional love. And you are it. Peace, Ken

I like your questions. What does one do with their life? there is no doer. really. what happens is what happens Do you seek to find pleasure? There is still a preference for pleasure (it's pleasurable), but not an attachment to it. It just is what's happening. Do you work towards satisfying desires or accomplishments? Things still happen. I own a business and 'go to work' every day but it's just what is happening. I follow impulses, basically. Thoughts and motivations arise from nothing, and that is what happens. And yet, it's experienced as if it's chosen. Free will doesn't exist, but the feeling of free will does. It's both an active and passive experience. Do you even hang out with friends, knowing they are just you and illusionary? So there is no one 'me' who is then alone in a world of ghosts. I guess that sounds a bit like solipsism. There is no 'me' or 'others'. There is no one to be alone. Hanging out happens--no one 'does it' though. If there is no one to worry about, why not sit in a room for the next few decades? I think the answer above suffices for this. The question assumes a 'me' and 'no one else world'. That is probably as close as mind can get with language, but it's not far enough. Everything is this. This is everything. There is no 'me', no 'other'--there are no 'things' (though it appears as though there are). There is only this, which is nothing appearing as everything. Lets say you get diagnosed with cancer. Do you go through the extensive invasive treatments that the doctors recommend, or do you just ignore them as it doesn't matter, as you don't exist to begin with? It's known here that nothing is known, and trying to predict the future is part of the dream, but that probably doesn't help (maybe it does?). There is no fear of nor concern with death. It seems like only a separate 'me' is worried about it. When the wave knows that it is really the ocean, does it really care about crashing on the shore? Having said all that, what I imagine will happen in general is this body will try to live (as it does), and decisions will be made (by no one, but as they have been). In the end, no one will really die (no one was really born) and from a relative perspective I've had an experience of almost dying and it was not bad (after I let go). I imagine it will feel something like sleep and/or going home. Really, though, it's just not important because it isn't what's happening. I'll deal with it when it comes is the basic attitude. If it isn't right here, right now, it does not exist.

I feel a strong impulse to share this. It is so spot on... (give it 10 minutes--the beginning alone is gold).