Brandon Nankivell

Contemplate your own death. Imagine what it feels like when your about to die. Feel the five sense. Perhaps you're in a coffin. Or about to get eaten by a shark. Accept and relax into it. Sit out in nature for at least 40 minutes. When the 40 minutes is up, stay aware for 5 minutes as you get up and walk away. Do this frequently. Watch Leo's Neti Neti method video Read some Peter Ralston books

The Book of Not Knowing is amazing. Still going through it. Feel I could have accelerated my journey if I had found this years ago.

Ripped Maharshi.

Did a decent bump. Felt like my point of consciousness behind my eyes zoomed way backward. Felt disasocciated (surprise surprise!). Especially if a stayed still. I could still function well and was still 'there' in the physical world. Thinking was a little different. Had strange thoughts about ex-girlfriend and ex best friend. Kinda like how LSD makes you see things in different ways. It was dreamy-ish. Providing I remained still, everything around me blurred out / zoned out. Took it recreationally. There was no underlying healing/spiritual intention. Felt like I got nothing from it in that regard, although I could see how with intention it may be of use (to say nothing of the undesirable side effects like potential addiction etc.)

See it as a growth experience. Write a rough action-step plan down, even if it's not perfect. Some basical small steps to follow. Then one step at a time .

It's a pretty broad question. The niche you're in and video style/format would help. A few suggestions based on having 2 channels with a combined 15-20m views or so: Go broad like Mr. Beast - If there is a wide appeal, then YouTube can give more impressions which can lead to more clicks and then to more views This can even work for newer channels, but the title, thumbnail, and topic has to be on-point Always make the first 15 seconds engaging AF and give them some kind of impression that there is more value to come (this can be indirectly communited in the video title or thumbnail without having to say anything in the video itself) Video topic - This is everything. Moreso than title and thumbnail. You can select topics based on Google Trends, however I'd suggest looking at 3-5 popular competitor channels and get a feel for what pops in your niche Have similar videos on your channel so there's a logical sequence of watching for the viewer to follow. For example, 'Sadhguru's Top 5 Tips on Loneliness', then have another video, 'Buddha's Top 5 Tips on Loneliness' - since the viewer may also be interested in that too and it may show up in suggested.

Keep doing the spiritual work. You can try things like imagining a scenario where you were alone forever, and imagine accepting all the discomfort.

Can be normal to feel this way occasionally on the path. If you really want to continue your spiritual development though, you will in spite of this.

Yes.

It can feel like there is nothing to do once you're there, and that everything you had done had been pointless. But doing always precedes it, so the communication can evoke confusion.

Have done nos alone and multiple times on different doses of LSD. Its highly highly pleasurable. I've never conflated it with God-realization. I suppose the sense of self does evaporate for 20 seconds, it's hard for me to say what I'm experiencing, but it definitely feels good, and there still is a tiny hint of being on planet earth (still hearing sounds in the environment in which I'm in). Maybe I just don't get God-realization like others do, or maybe it is but I'm just not calling it that. I feel like it's not. I think there'd be more conviction that it is if it were.

DPT

Name: Brandon Age: 26 Gender: Attack Helicopter Location: Gold Coast, Australia Occupation: YouTube Strategist Marital Status: Single Pringle Kids: No Hobbies: reading, synthesising knowledge, chess, self-inquiry, meditation, online business, rhetoric, philosophy, piano, nature, walking I was 17 and bored after school, scrolling through my 4th gen iPod touch. Opened the iBooks app, came across this book called the 2-week lucid dreamer, had my first lucid dream, was wow'd how awesome the book was so started reading more books, which lead to Rich Dad Poor Dad, which lead to trying and failing some online business attempts until YouTube took off for me and been doing that since. Ended up travelling the world doing the digital nomad thing, all while reading more books and self-developing. Psychedelic experimentation, a little public speaking, podcasted 40 episodes with world class experts and millionaires including Grant Cardone and others, all of this stuff intermixed with periods of anxiety, loneliness, varying levels of depression but fortunately not too much. Around comes mid-2020 and have my first experience of Joy as a state of being that lasted 6-months straight. Started taking enlightenment work seriously. Became obsessed with Osho. Soon had first minor experience of realizing the self is an illusion. Early 2021 my first stream-entry enlightenment experience. Currently conversing with an advanced spiritual mentor who I met spontaneously whilst listening to Krishnamurti, Leo, Peter Ralston, Shinzen Young, and Adyashanti to integrate what I've experienced + further my pursuit of enlightenment. Personal challenges I've overcome: Accepting the death of my Mother Mindset of employed versus investor (overcoming) Stuck living with parents to living independently with heaps of free time doing my own thing Exited Christianity Didn't fit in at school, now I feel I fit in socially and have nearly 0 issues Beat the water temple in Zelda Ocarina of Time multiple times What I'm working on now: Enlightenment Scaling business with a team Intimacy Understanding society and politics Winning Chess Establishing in-person discourses, something like what Terence McKenna used to do Preparing food with love Learning how to clean stuff properly and be a responsible tenant/adult

Based on my experience of 'stream-entry' enlightenment (the first of four stages outlined in Buddhism), it's like: Awareness on steroids and auto-pilot (unless it is a temporary or 'non-abiding' enlightenment) Peripheral vision widens slightly Focal point of your vision widens slightly Clear mind Permanent change in sense of smell, taste, and body sensation Contentment Peace A conviction that the change is permanent No doubt that it can go even higher than this Non-identification with self - It now feels absolutely false to identify as your name or believe that there is a self It's understood that there is 'just things happening' to quote Jim Carey, or 'things ocurring' to quote Shinzen Young Realization that there is no watcher - the instructions from spiritual guides to become the watcher are just that - instructions, the watcher is just another thought Sit-down meditations are easy and you feel like you can do nothing for hours and be content Decreased heart rate and breathing rate Body lightness, like a feather First few days were overwhelming, there was an adaption phase for me, because the shift is so distinct with permanency, there's this feeling like you'll switch back into the normal self how you always lived your life but when awareness is hyper and switched on and won't turn off, feelings of anxiousness can well up - I had insomnia the first few nights - Everything that I was experiencing was very clearly shared via stories from others in Adyashanti's book: The End of Your World - Thank heavens there was a book for this. It's not every day someone writes a book on how to deal with enlightenment after enlightenment and has the direct experience themselves along with students who also have direct experience. Realization that enlightenment doesn't mean you don't make mistakes, make you automatically morally pure, don't have negative feelings arise sometimes etc...

States in Australia have been in put in lockdown again, and it's been ordered that wearing masks is mandatory. How effective do you believe masks are for helping to stop the spread of Covid? Do you think that mass compliance to this order (and the residual effects caused) is enough of a concern that it could lead to a dictatorship or some form of authoritarian rule within the next few years? Is it enough of a concern that may make sense for a minority (let's say 1-5%) not to comply with the order, in order to reduce the likelihood of supposed creeping authoritarianism, whilst still maintaining a high capacity of mask-wearers to help stop the spread of Covid?

Great point. Recently been listening to Leo's conscious politics videos which have been good.

Yeeha

Anyone know of any enlightened masters like Adyashanti, Shizen Young etc... If they've taken DMT (or similar substance) and what the experience is like? Is it unique versus when you're still identified with a false sense of self?

How much self-inquiry do you do?

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How do you know this?

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It's only after my 4th what I call a 'interactive hallucination' that I've finally considered that this may have something to do with higher levels of consciousness, but I'm not sure, and that's why I'm writing this post. Hallucination may not be the correct term but bear with me. Background: 26 now, been doing the whole personal development stuff since 17 and overall live a peaceful life, apart from one main thing that's been knocking on my door which is the call to intimacy. Hallucination 1 I experienced my first one about 1.5 years ago after waking up a little hungover and drowsy. I lost my notes on it but from what I recall, it was lucid-dream-like but not a lucid dream. It had a dreamy feel to it. I was in a room, without my body, a point of consciousness, and I got sucked into a point across the side of the room that I recognized as DMT dust. There was a profound message that my Dad was hyper-committed to my Mum because of love, in spite of the hardships of caring for someone with heavy mental illness. This has always scared me, but I understood why Dad stuck around after that experience. I woke up in a shock which I can describe as neither good or bad. I had 2-3 more between then and now, spaced about 6 months apart. Hallucination 2 Another one during my 6-months of my stint of unconditional love outpouring and absolute joy! I was drowsy in the afternoon, and in minutes I entered this sleep-paralysis-like state and I started seeing clear psychedelic geometry, and my body was merging with everything other than my body! Buzzing sounds... This is why I describe these experiences as interactive. They involve more than just seeing something. It typically involves the body merging with the outside, and I'm completely awake, yet kind of in a dream space and my body is immobile. It also has a spiritual presence to the experience, unlike previous sleep-paralysis experiences I've had when I was a young teenager, they had nightmarish themes. Hallucination 3 (today) Context: Around 2pm, in bed on a work break Journal entry: Was feeling tired, wasn't sure why but biggest suspect was the amounts of fat I'm eating on a non-keto diet. The 2 giant strips of bacon, 4 eggs, and butter I had this morning. Anyway... Shit got interesting... I was listening to Leo from Actualized.org talk about Jordan Peterson. Just 5-minutes-ish in and suddenly I found myself with my body paralyzed, fixed in place. The voice of Leo in the background. Conscious. Aware. I heard a continuous stream in the background, something that was similar to the 'bye woody' scene in toy story, that echooey 'byyyyeeeeeeeee wooooooooooooddyyy' with a bit of chime, ring and spin. Subtle. I saw blackness. I felt my body on it's side, slowly beginning to automatically penetrate. There was a feeling that this is all my body wanted to do. It was begging for it. Maybe my minds projection, but nonetheless that was what was happening. Automatic penetration. The dick wants to penetrate a woman. ***I was not using my will to do this, it was automatically happening, it was as if I was an observer of it yet feeling it at the same time Maybe the mind speaking again, but whilst and upon awakening from this experience, it's clear to me that penetration into a woman where I'm truly aware and loving, is what needs to happen to break through. ***note - this has been a recurring theme for a long time now, including on psychedelic experiences, to get intimate with a woman - it's been a long time and I often avoid it because I find it more comfortable to do things on my own It feels like there is something to break through. I felt my body merging with everything outside of me. At one point I saw visuals. Like a blurry painting right in the centre of my vision, taking up 15% of the composition. The rest black. It's a divine space. Common themes: Happens when I'm drowsy in the afternoon Lasts no more than 5 minutes Pretty clear visions Peripheral is always black Feel completely conscious Body immobile Ringing, buzzing, or feint spiritual ambient music A slight 'holiness' feel to the experience Merging of the body with the environment outside of it This is probably the biggest reason I feel this isn't an ordinary dream, lucid dream, sleep-paralysis, or hypnagogic experience - it's so potent and lines up with many accounts of experienced meditators - I can best describe it as 'merging with the universe' I feel like if this merging were to get any stronger, I would become everything and completely engulfed in euphoric bliss, it feels amazing, although I don't feel there would be 'me' anymore in my body, just one giant all encompassing infinity - I don't really have the words Thoughts on what I'm experiencing?