Search the Community

@abrakamowse Perhaps a thread bringing the nonduality out of all religions would be eye opening.

This journal is to help organize some of my thoughts about myself and the people around me. I encourage, no, request that anyone with insight jump in. I appreciate constructive criticism and feedback, and I know that simply talking to myself will not get me where I need to go. I know this because that's what I've done for the past ten years. Some background: Ten years ago, I went on a spiritual journey of sorts. It wasn't as deep as many of those here, but it was a start. I took a hard look at myself, my beliefs, my thoughts, my knowledge and threw it all away. I learned an important lesson during that journey: From there, I've tried to build my belief system from the ground up, accepting truths from many sources. I've spent a lot of time in my head as I've delved into a myriad of topics on a theoretical level, from Tarot to BDSM to public speaking and leadership roles to politics. I've tried to keep an open mind about all the things I've come across, although I can't say I've accepted everything I've heard as truth. That would be crazy. The problem is that I've had a lot of theory and almost no practice. I've never meditated, as I have a hard time shutting my mind down. I've attempted to several times in the past few weeks, but I never really felt like I had achieved it. I have a hard time accepting nonduality as a final state when duality is so useful in describing non-spiritual matters. I have a massive ego based around the knowledge I've gathered as I wish to be right more often than wrong. And I hate talking about myself, instead focusing on helping others. So this journal is going to be tough for me. I've never kept any sort of journal before, so I doubt I'll be able to write here daily unless I'm replying to people. To that end, I would appreciate any tips on how to start. Is there something that has spoken to you recently that you feel might help me to focus on? Are there any truths you wish to share? Feel free to post them and hold me accountable. I realize I am close-minded still about some things. This forum may not even be a great fit for me as I disagree with Leo's methods in many ways. But it's a start, and we all must start somewhere. I am willing to learn. Please teach me.

If nonduality is a part of your enlightenment, then you know that your path is my path.

@winterknight Exactly. To whom is it occurring. And you'll tell me that it isn't me. It isn't Paul. There is no Paul. There is no Shaun. There is no Buba. I don't have parents. You don't exist. My friends don't exist as real entities. It's all just God consciousness playing with itself. So how does therapy help at all? Therapy is designed to help people handle and process their emotions, particularly those which are suppressed. But they're not even my emotions, as I don't exist. It seems like such a huge paradox. On one hand, suffering goes away when you can accept that you don't exist and everything is 'as is'. But you're saying we needn't face this alone, and we need therapy to process and understand our emotions, which are probably all purely egoic and illusionary. Ultimately, it isn't my choice to pursue therapy/enlightenment or anything. Everything that happens is preordained. It's God playing with itself. Or life is a dream. Or a memory etc. Whatever interpretation we want to put forth on any given day. It's frustrating because everyone here is thinking that they have a choice in what they do next, which is egoic in itself. There is no you or me, just God that is experiencing itself. Paul isn't typing this, apparently. Or is he... I've asked a thousand million times on this forum how I might have misinterpreted nonduality and I just get word salad. Everyone says how it makes you more compassionate and loving when you reach and nondual state... you can't make yourself do anything... everything that happens, postivie and negative just happens. If I think another person is another person and is a knob, then I didn't think that.. God did! @Shaun @Buba Appreciate you looking out for me above. Wish you both the best and would always love to help in return (if Paul can, of course, as he doesn't exist...)

@Preetom Nope, not really. Becoming increasingly convinced that nonduality is not the answer the more I go down the rabbit hole. Check this forum out. Nobody has a clue what they're talking about. It's full of paradoxes. Sure, I'm open to investigating it through the practices. But something is telling me that this just isn't the answer. It can't explain everything. . The OP made a very good point but it seems a lot are caught up in a spiritual ego and will just dismiss anything and everything.

@luckieluuke thats awesome man. Trust me it's worth it, all this world will turn to be a complete illusion eventually. My path went like this; Baptist>Pentecostal>non-denominational (Christian spirituallity) >leo>Buddhism>advaita vedanta. And now moving into nonduality I'm starting to see how important it is. I wouldn't even say it's "important" as if it should even be questioned as non-important. It is the only thing that exists!

Reality is not non-dual Reality is dual Reality is fragmented Fragmented into so many tiny pieces Pieces, things made up of things, and more things That can not be explained, or known, or understand All forming one reality But reality is dual so there is many uncounted things in Existance Since reality is only many things, Reality does not exist, it is only the sum, the total of all that exists. And there are many totals. So a total does not exist. Reality is an illusion Existance, is an illusion For what existed formally does not appear now or enter our senses. Concuousness, is just a mechanical system done by your brain. However, no one can say that Existance or non existance exists or does not exist. It can only be known through concuousness. And you cannot say you exist or not as a body because you cannot say if anything is a thing or not a thing. Because it could exist or it can not exist. It can only be known through concuousness You can not know if concuousness exists, or not But you are conceous. Yet concuousness is the only one thing to be known to exist. Nothing else Yet everything exists So what's the difference between concuousness and non concuousness And who's to say that anything contrasts with Existance. There is not a thing that contests Existance So it is eternal it is infinate It is one, it is all It is whole and the sum of the parts In what it is. And who's to say that there is a distinction between the reader or me The typer and you Anything and you Not and you It is all I I

@SQAAD Bingo. My thoughts entirely. Nonduality seems very shame based to me. The 'you' or 'ego' is very shameful. So we must shame it. Does shame cure shame? I'm not sure. If you weren't meant to have a sense of self, or a thinking mind, then you wouldn't. Simples.

No! You guys still do not understand distinctions. Distinctions are NOT mind made! Distinctions are NOT concepts nor thoughts! Mind is a distinction. Made is a distinction. Concept is a distinction. Thought is a distinction. Enlightenment/nonduality does not eliminate distinctions. Elimination is itself a distinction! Instead, you just become conscious what the true nature of a distinction is. So, what is a distinction? You have no idea. Contemplate. Maybe it's not anything

I think 2g offers a good range. If after an hour, it feels strong I would just relax, let go and go with the flow. If it feels underwhelming and the mind-body wants more, I would “participate” in the trip. It can take some practice, yet it sounds like you have experience in some deeper levels of awareness and nonduality. When I’m on a light trip just a bit higher than threshold, it may appear to be underwhelming. Yet this can be a powerful “transitional” zone. Work with and and boost yourself up and explore. Sober, it can be difficult to get into these spaces, yet in a light trip it is much easier - if you are in tune with it. In this zone, a mind can ground itself in “normal” reality or take itself into a nondual mystical state. During one trip, I was walking in nature and it felt like I underdosed. Yet then I entered a er mystical state and was like “Dang, I just did that”. Then I ran into a maintenance worker and snapped back into “normal” reality to have a brief conversation. Then, I snapped back into the mystical state. It was super cool and helped me to develop this ability sober (albeit to a lesser extent).

@Lister read Hegel and get back to me. Plenty of philosophers at that time had a grasp of nonduality. I'm using "enlightenment era" to mark a certain time in philosophy in the 17th & 18th centuries because I'm trying to make the distinction between how idealism often came to be understood in say Ancient Greece where they had cults like the Eleusinian Mysteries.

@bejapuskas I normally break it up as well, but I think the content itself is what’s turning me away. I’m a yellow/turquoise and I understand nonduality and have had multiple experiences with it (in meditation and psychedelics). It’s almost impossible to grasp with words, so I just don’t need 6 hrs of video to help me. Nor would it even if I didn’t understand non duality. If you want to understand it, do the work leo talks about constantly. It does nothing for you to simply listen to words about nonduality. Only creates more belief.

Interesting report. I smoked DMT and I actually met Shiva and Genesh (who I had no clue about) and they showed me something, but I didn't get the feeling I was god (although I know I am) perhaps because I didn't know of nonduality several years ago. Although i didn't get the god feeling, did you get the feeling that everything else was fake except the trip? Like your entire life was a setup and you were meant to trip; and that trip is the only real reality? That you already did this before? That's what I felt during mine, wondering if you did.

In my experience, it does. All I wanted in life was sex and if I didn't get it by 35, I was going to give up and kill myself. Now after delving deeper into nonduality, being a virgin doesn't matter at all to me anymore. All I am doing is surviving, meditating and contemplating. Take action to change stuff if you can, if you can't change it, accept it to the best of your ability.

@Inliytened1 You can’t be both at the same time. That would be duality. You can’t be two. That’s Why. That. is. Why. Human and not human, alive & not alive, is thinking, twoness. Thinking is ‘second order’, ‘appearance of’, Love. Duality & nonduality are Love, One, Actuality. Magically, and extraordinarily. The “formed state” is not any form at all. Go deep enough into any branch of twoness; science, philosophy, psychology, astronomy, spirituality,....and you’ll find it “ends” in infinity....superposition, potentiality, infinite regress, nonduality, singularity, oneness.... The words are different because they are of the twoness. They all point to the same One, and it is you. This serves best as a conviction in understanding thinking is the traditional sense is pointless and can safely be let go - because no matter what direction you point it in, it indeed can literally go on forever. You are thinking form. You are not experiencing form. You do not experience touching a second object, you experience sensation. You do not experience seeing a second object, you experience seeing. You are not aware of a second object, you are aware that you are aware. How dare you call me a “formed state”. Lol. Just kidding. “Really think about that”. Nice one. ? ?? Like driveways inconspicuously connect every road, ‘cells & air’ elusively connect us. It does appear we are separate, but only in twoness. And there is no twoness in your direct experience. It’s always risky, stating one’s direct experience...it doesn’t usually help, because there is often the reinforcement of “other”, and the disparaging of the self not “being there yet”...only perpetuating the twoness.

@Aldo good god slow up. I know dudes that have lived in the ACTUAL hood. I’ve hung out in gang territory. If you ACTUALLY think those guys in gangs are who are fulfilled higher conscious human beings... man... go with me to deep East Oakland here in the Bay Area with me east of 51st and International. Go with me to the Iron Triangle in Richmond in the East Bay. Go with me to Hunters Point here in SF. If you think gang members aren’t attached to their ego... man you’re kidding yourself lol. You’re just kidding yourself. Dont make the mistake of thinking I’m saying everybody in those areas is some criminal, rapist, gang member. That’s not what I’m saying at all. All because people elicit basic human compassion has nothing to do with nonduality and Absolute Love. That’s just having good character and basic common sense and compassion for your fellow person... so long as you don’t violate their agenda too much. This isn’t a matter of debate. The fact that you think that these people are “dying joyfully” just shows how much you don’t understand what these guys have to live through. How afraid they are. How much they live in fear and have to bottle that up for the sake of their survival. These are all mental projections for you. These people who are part of gangs are not happy and they are not fulfilled, much less conscious. I’ve met and have had friends who were ex gang members and ex blud gang members. These people will break down because they’re so happy they escaped. This is utter immaturity if you think these people are like Turquoise blissful enlightened yogis. Which is not to say yogis are not above them in some absolute sense. These hedonist rappers are often insanely miserable because they often just chase titilation. Yeah they make music that has some idealistic talk but that doesn’t mean they truly know of what they run their mouth on. There’s a reason Mac Miller and such people commit suicide. That’s not an accident. These aren’t happy joyful people. The fact that your comparing their life to GTA just shows how foolish this view is.

@studentofthegame I hope he gets proper backing too. It's been a strange couple of weeks. One day they were beating PSG 3-1 with an impoverished team, the next games they have been losing consistently. I wonder why that is. Learning to walk before learning to run... very true. You will find that this forum is packed with people who believe nonduality to be some sort of magic pill to cure all their problems (spiritual bypassing). And they project those beliefs onto others, leading to wildly out of touch advice like "you are not your ego identity yada yada". They are trying to help others the same way they're trying to help themselves. With wishful thinking and dogma. I'm not saying there is no merit to these ideas, but preaching about nonduality as some sort of magic pill is dishonest, out of touch and in most cases, not at all helpful. Fun thing is, these "advanced" modes of thinking usually arise naturally once you start resolving those emotional issues holding you back (where good sleep, good nutrition etc. could come in handy). So actually dealing with the problem at hand would likely be more helpful if awakening is important to you. I have noticed that myself too, that unwinding from stressors can take a surprisingly long time. I have noticed it can be greatly reduced however if I spend some time calming myself, but it's so easy to get distracted by other things. Like watching YouTube, and then "oh shit, I have to study" etc. That's actually a big motivation of mine for cutting out the smartphone. It promotes a distracted way of thinking and is not at all relaxing. It very much is. I made a a quite lengthy post about integrating your past some time ago, where I talked some about self-compassion: It might sound weird at first, but if you spend a couple of minutes thinking soothingly to yourself you will probably notice yourself relaxing. IFS is VERY relevant when it comes to this.

No he didn't skip any stages. You don't skip stages. He had a non-dual experience he had no context for at all. That's not anything against. He's fuckin' Mike Tyson dude. You think this dude has a high level understanding of nonduality? No. He took 5-MeO-DMT not knowing what he was really doing. It helped him and yeah that's awesome! I'm happy for him. It was awesome to hear that but that doesn't mean he understands or is any more "awake" as far as nondual understanding of reality freedom from self. That's not a put-down on anyone. I love what I've been hearing from him and his growth in his life. There are people at Stage Purple and Red who have total nondual God experiences but that doesn't really move them up a stage in their cognitive understanding, spiritual intelligence, etc. Mike Tyson is not Turquoise lol. Nondual experiences don't make you Turquoise dude. You need to do your homework. Jesus, Buddha, Muhammad, etc. were not even Turquoise. Turquoise also doesn't even necessarily mean you necessarily have mystical experiences. Turquoise means your perspective is World-Centric. You don't skip stages. We're starting to see a more Green Mike Tyson and that's AWESOME. That dude has been through a lot of shit. Having a psychedelic experience doesn't make you some mystic or anything. You had an experience. Cool. That's all. An experience. That doesn't mean you grasp or understand.

@Shaun And you know it for sure that nonduality is the truth that all religions are based on? You know this? In a universe of infinite possibilities, that is the one truth?

Nonduality is the truth on which most religions are based. The issue we face here is that a discussion about nonduality isn't really possible as those practising it can't agree on the colour of shit. You can only do the practice yourself and discuss it in the meantime.

It could be but then that comes under solipsism which is not the same as nonduality and it trips a lot of people up. I'd also assume that you could see your screen and keyboard otherwise how would you have responded?

@Charlotte Good stuff. Yeah, it helps to have a deep theoretical foundation in spirituality to make sense of experiences like this. Yeah, nonduality is so radical it does not make sense to the lowercase self. Takes a lot of trips to make sense of it all. Psychedelics make it much easier as that breathing is hard work and gets pretty messy. The breathing works more at the bodily level than the mental/understanding level. That's still useful, but don't be surprised if it doesn't make sense.

@Leo Gura Thanks for chiming in. My question to Rupert was to ensure that my desire, which I feel strongly and is what naturally comes from within, wasn't ego. And that's the thing Leo, my so-called desire does not steam from an idea, philosophy or religion, but from within myself as if I am the embodiment of justice or something. Sounds corny, but it is almost as if my soul IS justice; that I seek to balance things, whether it is correcting someone making a spelling mistake or trying to debunk a fake narrative, stopping two drunk people from fighting, or protesting against wars. Me feelings toward war are not reactionary; when I was 18 at first was all for that Rambo life. But when you see people blow up; along with the unjust death and destruction of innocents on a massive scale, the fantasies end. Ever since I got out of the service I would tell everyone who asked me if they should join the military not to. I would not wish anything like what I saw on any people. But I know that this is part of reality; its not like war is new. Allan Watts also made a point about this in one of his speeches where he uses the analogy of the cells fighting in our body; that if we were to observe this phenomenon and see it as one side killing the other in some war, we may get too sucked in and start rooting for one side; when it is necessary for both sides to fight in perpetuity for us to even exist as an organism. (again paraphrasing) So yes we can zoom out of the world and see these wars similar to cell wars, I have come to peace with that. We can even argue that war is an evolutionary process that breed stronger humans or something, but that doesn't mean that my nature is to not be the cells that fight the other cells. And I wanted to make sure that it wasn't my ego. I had a feeling it wasn't, and most of the questions I asked above I already knew the answer to (as I alluded in them) and wanted to see his take since not all teachers teach the same way. But the reason I asked was because if we are all one, then who the hell can have the desire to make change? His response is clear: The light is just and so it is my nature. Even the terrorist is just, in his way as your comment implies. BTW Leo, your videos had much influence on my acceptance with things which brought me great peace that I have not felt, probably ever in my life. The things that I used to punch holes in walls for don't bother me. anymore. The addictions and vices I had, no longer exist. My PTSD has reduced mostly to physical things rather than emotional. I have become more stoic and content. I have learned to control my anger, which was a huge problem in my life. I have transformed so much since I found Actualized and the rest of the teachers of nonduality. So thank you for your work. And that is why I wanted to make sure that this desire was not something that needs to be changed.

Okay... yes. There are SOME artists in mainstream culture who are aware of eblightenment... even then though I wouldn’t call them mainstream either. Artists like Alex Grey, he’s a great example of someone whose perfectly aware of enlightenment. However, he himself had admitted that he’s never had any sort of enlightenment experience. He’s had glimpses and tastes of God on LSD but that’s really about it. Again, that’s not anything against Alex Grey. I love people like that. They’re art work is amazing and is inspiring. Having said that... there’s a huge fucking difference between talking about oneness, unity, etc. and actually KNOWING it. This is often just lip service to the Truth. Again, nothing wrong with that. Just be aware that it is only lip service, fantasy, and heresay for most people in culture who talk about it because even their ideas about it is still dualistic and metaphorical (despite them saying they mean it “literally”). I’m not trying to belittle anything but even the idea that Future knows anything about enlightenment is just funny LOL. If you think those guys know a damn thing worth anything about nonduality... lol yeah I don’t know what to tell you other than no. LOL the idea that Future is doing what Jesus did is honestly funny. That’s like calling LeBron James a mystic as far as I’m concerned lol. Having compassion and being humble really doesn’t have much to do with nondual realization. Those are side-effects. You can meet people in your neighborhood that have good character, integrity, humility, and a solid amount of compassion. Keeping your seeking and expectations of nonduality grounded man.

@kieranperez you'r right but thats not the point. The thing is that im looking for artists that are conscious about enlightenment and are consciously singing about nonduality. Like this guys for example that have some grasping of true union. Look at the meaning behind the lyrics. They sing about true compassion and and becoming humble. Not everyone who is that fameous is humble enough to be devoted to the low life. In a sense they are doing what Jesus did.