Truth Addict

Because the mind is the map, not the territory. Watch Leo's episode: Direct experience vs concept. The mind can only take you so far, then you'll have to see what it's actually pointing you to.

@Actualizer777 Go on a retreat. Or simply, just limit your daily activities, and replace them with spiritual practices. I like walking, so there I meditate, sometimes for 5 hours straight. Also, stop thinking of your free time as an opportunity, that's the ego, and it's easily bored or angered. Instead, try to become present all the time, especially when you're doing dumb activities like eating and drinking and showering, etc.., do everything at a slower pace and give more attention to everything around you. Enjoy the beauty of reality. I would also ask myself : why do I want to grow? What am I running away from? What are the benefits? What are the motives? What is the worst possible thing that could happen if I waste this much time? Or, forget about everything and go back to normal if your life is going well. Treat yourself and others with more love and compassion. Enjoy your life man, do whatever you feel like doing.

How come we don't normally see that rocks are aware?

Throw away this belief that there is no watcher, and look for actuality, what is actually going on? Example: - Who am I? - the answer will be some kind of object, this or that, everything or nothing, blah blah blah... None of them is you, you are not the answer, you are the one who is perceiving the question and the answer. There will be a realisation that every answer you land on is not you, because the answer is an object, but you're not. You are what's made the inquiry possible in the first place. Also notice, the nature of the answer is merely a thought. Are you a thought? Yes or no? Either way, it's not you, because that's just another thought. You see how this works? You are the thing that is watching (perceiving) the thoughts, not a thought of it. You are it, but you don't know it yet. I hope that helps.

There is not a single bird.

But, whom am I gonna worship? ?

@Wisebaxter Throw away all of these concepts from your inquiry: "focusing, awareness, nothingness, Adyashanti, meditation, technique, 'no thought', void, quietness, etc..." Consider that the inquiry is like a radio interview, or a TV show. Who is watching?

@Highest Nice! There can not be anything apart from God. It's only that God doesn't like to admit it all the time I wonder, is every cell aware as well?

@Tony 845 Nobody here is enlightened. Run!

@Tony 845 You're talking about awakening as if it's some kind of object. I don't know about that, but I know I was more deluded before than I am today, if that helps.

@iamnotahumanbeing I mostly meditate whilst walking. It's working perfectly for me, especially after I reach the 2 hours mark. Self-inquiry requires concentration, so I do it sitting or laying down, depending on how I feel at the time.

@Highest ?

Who is watching the inquiry? That's you, that's the higher self.

It's kind of funny.. I never mean to offend anyone, but it seems like I usually do. I don't know how to be gentle with other people's egos, because I don't see my way talking offensive, while others somehow manage to see it the other way around. Even the times I offer some advice, I feel like I'm offending the other end. My "problem" is that I am very straight forward, and I'm not sure why that's offensive. I reflect on the things I say, and I don't say it unless I'm sure that I myself would not be offended by others saying it to me. In a discussion, I notice that people care about emotions way more than the main discussed issues which I go straight into. Of course, that does not happen here as frequent as in other societies. I want to solve this issue once and for all, because I care about other people. Any advice? Anyone been there before? Feel free to offend me! Lol!

@everyoneonthisforum This thread is gold. ?

@Markus Makes perfect sense to me. Thank you ? ?

Relative vs. Absolute. Not true. Grounding yourself in the Absolute is radically different from clinging to relativities. Nevertheless, the relative (illusion) is still relatively useful.

@abrakamowse ?

Yes, exactly. And also: Judging other people (criticism) is another trap. Judging ourselves (perfectionism) is another trap. With no one to blame, love shines and rules. ?

Sure. And hell as well resides in the now, when we run away from the now.

I don't like being a hypocrite either. But sometimes honesty creates resistance in the other end, and therefore limits and hinders the communication that we're aiming for in the first place. Not everyone is comfortable with facing truths, let alone opinions.

Exactly, that'll be heaven.

A thought, the ego.

When one reaches heaven, it won't be wrong anymore. Suffering is wrong when one is suffering. And when one is suffering, suffering is wrong. It's a vicious cycle. If you already have no problem with it, that's heaven.

These are synonymous to a high experience. Heaven is right here and right now. It's something that doesn't go away.