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@zazenOke, fair enough The golden insight is that Jews are fighting for their naked survival. This is not a mere bias that can be shaken but is at the very core of every Israeli including very liberal ones. Another insight would be is that Israeli society is like family, very open, socially free, always ready to help or do their duty and from my well-traveled experience it is the most compassionate of all societies when it comes to the elderly, disabled and handicapped people. I’ve seen it, Israeli youngsters would pick up an old slowly walking grandpa and drive him to his home or help him with his groceries. On YT I even heard the story of a low life Russian drug addict who was’t even Jewish. He was picked off the street and stayed at the house of a very normal middle class Israeli family. Can you Imagine, having a drug addict where your children play and sleep. The addict reformed out of gratitude and became an devout orthodox christian, getting his life together. Even Naftalie Bennet, the former PM had a random mentally ill girl stay at his family home. She tragically committed suicide by dressing up in burka and charging at Israeli police with a knife. Israelis are not perfect and also bicker a lot and are sometimes too brazen and rash for my taste. But at the end of the day they create, build and take care of each other. And they get embittered and will close themselves off to the people that want to destroy that.

What Is Death - How Immortality Works https://youtu.be/1zjuDdysOL8 "Oh wow.. Oh wow... Oh wow..." - Steve Jobs' last words Death as an unchallenged assumption: Leo points out that people often accept the concept of death without questioning its reality or the assumption that it's unknowable. He challenges viewers to consider the validity of these preconceived notions. Equivalence of death to positive absolutes: Leo claims that what we perceive as death actually equates to infinite love, consciousness, God, immortality, paradise or heaven, and complete non-duality—a transformative state rather than an end. Materialism vs. experiential insight: He emphasizes that the insights he shares about death are not beliefs or ideologies but are based on direct experiences, urging viewers to validate these truths through their experience rather than accepting them on faith. Death misconstrued due to self-bias: Leo discusses how the fear-driven, self-centric view distorts the perception of death, causing humans to view it negatively while they lack an objective understanding of what it actually entails. Life as identity construction: He argues that life and existence are not merely biological processes but rather constructions of identity within the mind, suggesting that we perpetuate our own existence through continual reaffirmation of this constructed identity. Tree metaphor for self and identity: Using the example of a tree, Leo explains that just as there is no inherent tree identity from the tree's own point of view, humans project and construct their identities as well, implying that our conceptions of life and death are similarly self-created. Relativity and Arbitrariness of Identity: Our identities are not fixed or factual but are constructed based on various layers of identification such as race, gender, nationality, profession, and even the idea of being a biological entity. Identity Creation and Birth: Leo suggests that birth is not a biological process but an identity created by telling oneself what they are. If one stops affirming their identity based on any characteristics, they would theoretically have never been born. Constant Reaffirmation of Life: Staying alive is a continuous act of affirming one's identity, done every moment by affirming attributes such as humanity, gender, beliefs, and personal stories. Death Through Loss of Identity: Leo defines death as the end of identifying with any construct, explaining that the loss of identity within different layers leads to a figurative death, evidenced by the mourning of lost social status or wealth. Existence Without Identity: If one could completely relinquish all layers of identity, including the fundamental belief in being a living biological entity, life would continue, but it would be as if they had never been born—their existence would continue without a personal identity. True Self as Non-Identification: Removing all artificial layers of identity leads one to discover their 'True Self', a state of formless, infinite, and empty consciousness where the distinction between 'I' and 'everything' dissolves. Physical Death vs. Psychological Death: Leo argues that physical death is unnecessary for understanding death because the body is just another identity layer. By deconstructing this identity, one can experience death without physical dying. Direct Experience of Psychological Death: Leo speaks from his experience, claiming that he has repeatedly gone through psychological death, realizing that death doesn't involve going anywhere as there is no 'here' or 'there' in the state of true consciousness. Death as Demonized Social Construct: Societal views on death have been shaped by a cultural agreement to view it as something to be feared and avoided at all costs. This view supports the idea of survival but is based on the false premise that survival defends something real. Eliminating the Fear of Death: Imagining a life without the fear of death can lead to fundamental changes in attitudes toward work and relationships and could eliminate fear from life completely, as fear is shown to be a powerful tool of self-deception. Death Cloaked in Fear Hides Truth: The universal fear of death prevents the exploration of existential truths such as love, infinity, and God, which have been metaphorically tagged as death, adding to the depth of fear and misunderstanding. Duality of existence: Leo describes life as an expression of selfishness, delusion, and attachment, while death is seen as selflessness, truth, and freedom. He contrasts the two states, presenting death as a dissolution of identity and a merging with infinite consciousness. Existential love contrasted with human love: He distinguishes between human notions of love and existential love, which is formless consciousness. Leo suggests that death brings about an experience of existential love that transcends our conventional understanding of love. Death as transformation: Leo explains that at the time of death, personal identity dissolves completely, allowing one to merge with the universe and become indistinguishable from everything, leading to infinite and formless existence. Metaphor of water: Using the metaphor of water, Leo illustrates the transition from having a specific shape to becoming shapeless. He relates this to death, conceptualizing it as moving from a defined form to a state of formlessness, which he views as our truest nature. Living from a place of formlessness: He suggests that it is possible to live from a place of formlessness without physical death, by detaching from all identity. This detachment would allow for universal relation and appreciation of existence. Attachment as a spiritual obstacle: Leo highlights how attachment to material things like wealth or success prevents one from realizing formless and infinite identity. He echoes religious teachings that identify attachment as contrary to spiritual growth. The irony of fearing death: He acknowledges that despite his assertions that death is a state of absolute love and beauty, individuals remain terrified of losing their specific form and identity. Cycle of division and unification: Leo explains that life involves a continuous process of division (birth) and unification (death), with both existing within a universal formless identity. Tragedy and irony of human existence: He perceives human life as a series of elaborate schemes to avoid the profound reality of infinite love, which is so overwhelming that it obliterates finite existence. Infinite love as both terrifying and beautiful: Leo asserts that the most tragic aspect of human life is the denial of the total beauty and goodness of existence, termed infinite love, which we avoid to maintain our finite identities. Unified Consciousness Through Death: When individuals pass away, their separation dissolves, and they merge with the collective consciousness which is ever-present. Leo asserts that all who have ever lived, including historical figures like Caesar and contemporary loved ones, are part of this collective and have never actually gone anywhere. Societal Denial of Infinite Consciousness: Society, families, and individuals vehemently deny the concept of infinite love and collective consciousness, often labeling those who speak of it as delusional or insane. This denial, according to Leo, is necessary to maintain the illusion of being separate, finite beings. Relativity of Death: Leo describes death as being relative. What dies is merely the personal identity, while from an absolute standpoint, nothing really dies. He posits that existence is a constantly reincarnating phenomenon, with reality being a shape-shifting manifestation that is inherently immortal. Immortality Through Identity Shift: Leo reflects on an early insight he had about immortality that originated from a Zen parable. Realizing immortality entails shifting one's identity from being limited and finite, like a tree, to being the whole forest, and ultimately to identifying with the totality of the universe. Universe vs Universe: Differentiating between the finite, scientific universe (with a lowercase 'u') and the absolute, all-encompassing universe (with an uppercase 'U'), Leo claims that true immortality resides in identifying with the latter, which is neither created nor destroyed. The Irony of Resistance: Leo discusses how many people's skepticism and pessimism are actually a denial of the fundamental nature of love and goodness inherent in existence. He assures that regardless of resistance, everyone will eventually become one with this infinite love, which is the true design of life. Self-Deception and Alignment with Life: Leo speaks of life as a journey toward recognizing and transcending one's self-imposed limitations. Alignment with the process of self-transcendence results in peace and joy, while clinging to self-deception leads to suffering. Reincarnation as an Infinite Process: From the highest perspective, everything reincarnates infinitely. As such, after one's physical demise, identity or form becomes irrelevant because, at the absolute level, one is already experiencing existence through every possible form. Knowledge Through Death: Leo suggests the only way to fully understand these concepts of death and immortality is to experience a kind of death personally. To know these truths, one must go beyond intellectual speculation and engage with direct experience. Rejecting Physical Suicide: Despite discussing the illusion of death, Leo reaffirms that one does not need to engage in physical suicide—using this understanding as a means to deepen appreciation for life and to embody the paradox of being both finite and infinite. Discouragement of physical suicide: Leo stresses that physical suicide out of depression or misery is not necessary and counterproductive, emphasizing that it is done out of a misplaced sense of self, which is ultimately selfish. Advocacy for mental and existential transcendence: He advocates for transcending suffering and depression not physically but mentally or existentially, and for becoming an example to others of spiritual possibilities. Appreciation for physical existence: Leo encourages embracing and appreciating the beauty and wonder of the material world, acknowledging it as an amazing and remarkable manifestation of love in physical form. Impermanence of form: He acknowledges the temporal nature of all formed things, including humans, planets, and stars, noting that while they are mortal, consciousness, truth, and love are immortal absolutes. Oneness and immortality: Leo discusses the concept of oneness, asserting that in a state of total oneness, notions of death are irrelevant, as there is no 'other place' to go. Shift in identity towards the absolute: He suggests a shift in perception from identifying as a human to identifying as the totality or the absolute (God) to realize a form of immortality. Acknowledgment of residual attachments: Despite spiritual awakening, Leo recognizes that individuals may still harbor attachments to life and mortality, and he highlights the difficulty in completely detaching from all aspects of material existence. Joy in dual existence: He advises enjoying life's experiences and dual aspects—physical life and spiritual immortality—without choosing between them, stating the reality allows the enjoyment of both sides. Descendo

The Dangers Of Spiritual Work https://youtu.be/Oaiqh4OEtAw "It's all fun and games until someone loses an I." Off-the-cuff discussion of dangers: Leo addresses the inherent dangers of evolving one's self-help focus from basic improvement to existential and spiritual depths. Existential level importance: He emphasizes the unique personal challenges faced when engaging with spiritual teachings, which depend on one's own traumas, beliefs, and neuroses. Awakening as a unique journey: Leo suggests that awakening is not suitable for everyone, with many not prepared to relinquish materialistic existence. It is a highly individualized path based on personal history and traumas. Levels of consciousness and evolution: The idea is proposed that individuals are at varying levels of consciousness and may require multiple lifetimes to reach a state beyond materialistic desires. Yogic chakra system as a model for spiritual development: The seven chakras are used to represent stages in spiritual progression, with many people stuck at lower chakras due to attachments and addictions. Pursuit of Awakening based on personal interest: Leo stresses that awakening should only be pursued out of genuine interest in truth or dissatisfaction with material life, not simply because one hears about it. Leo Gura's personal drive towards understanding: His personal motivations come from a desire for understanding and are not tied to material success or social pursuits, suggesting past lives could influence his perspective. Life exhaustion leads to spiritual focus: He observes that as people age, they may exhaust their material motivations, leading potentially to a focus on spiritual awakening. Misconceptions about necessity of awakening: Leo warns against pursuing awakening simply because it is discussed often, highlighting the importance of an authentic inner drive. Differing spiritual paths due to unique personal obstacles: He underscores that each person's spiritual path is influenced by unique personal obstacles and formative experiences. Enlightenment requiring certain risks: Leo talks about the radical questioning and potential abandoning of major life aspects during the process of enlightenment, invoking challenges and dark phases. Risk of misunderstanding spiritual teachings due to ego: The danger of misinterpreting or corrupting spiritual experiences is discussed, emphasizing the importance of proper understanding and context. Awakening as rigorous and solitary: He notes that the process of awakening is rigorous and unique to each individual, emphasizing self-reliance and conquering one's ego. Emotional and psychological difficulties of spiritual work: Leo alerts to the possible emotional distress, depression, and suicidal tendencies one may face during spiritual awakening. True desires versus societal expectations: He encourages exploration of true desires and habits beyond society-imposed expectations to navigate unique spiritual challenges. Lifelong Challenges in Spiritual Pursuits: Some individuals may spend an entire lifetime unable to overcome certain desires, such as a preoccupation with sex, which may dominate their life's focus. Hypothesis on Metaphysical Progression: Leo hypothesizes that such deep attachments in life may teach a meta-lesson that carries over to the spirit, potentially influencing desires and behaviors in future incarnations. Self-reflection on Spiritual Motivation: Leo urges listeners to introspect and ensure they're pursuing spiritual awakening authentically and for their own reasons, and not merely mimicking others, like repeating what he advocates. Dangers of Inauthentic Ideals: He highlights the risk of adopting inauthentic cultural or religious goals, which can cause internal conflict and suffering when they misalign with one's true desires. Comparisons and Spiritual Aspirations: Leo points out the struggle and suffering that comes from trying to live up to spiritual ideals that are beyond one's current level of conscious development. Genetic and Spiritual Inclinations: He discusses how individuals might be genetically predisposed to being interested in truth and spirituality, or it can be interpreted through the concept of past lives, emphasizing personal authenticity in spiritual choices. Radical Nature of Awakening: Awakening is characterized as a radical and hardcore process that may involve sacrificing significant aspects of one's life such as relationships, business, or nationality. Experiencing Truth Despite the Cost: Leo states that genuine spiritual seekers pursue truth regardless of the potential sacrifices, seeking to understand life, God, and reality for its sheer value. Admitting One’s Spiritual Readiness: He stresses the importance of honestly assessing one's readiness for spiritual awakening instead of pretending to seek truth due to external influences. The Dark Side of the Spiritual Path: Leo warns of potential dark phases including depression and suicidal thoughts and the critical importance of having a proper theoretical foundation for spiritual experiences. Importance of Self-Leadership in Awakening: He reiterates that genuine awakening is a solo journey where self-leadership and independent troubleshooting are essential, without relying on a guru or external guidance. Dangers of Misinterpretation and Unsupported Environments: Leo shares a story about a woman who experienced awakening without context or support, illustrating the potential dangers and challenges of misunderstanding or being unsupported through the process. Existential Threats and Personal Development: Leo conveys that pursuing the truth can feel threatening, as it challenges one’s entire understanding of life, reality, and identity. A Call for Honesty and Authenticity: He encourages listeners to be brutally honest about their true desires and avoid pursuing spiritual goals for inauthentic reasons or due to external conditioning. Seriousness of Spiritual Awakening: Leo acknowledges the weighty consequences of spiritual awakening, noting that many in society choose suicide over facing the challenges of awakening. He emphasizes the individualized nature of confronting one's ego and the varying struggles each person faces, such as addiction to substances or material desires. Acceptance of Truth: The most significant challenge in spiritual awakening is not just experiencing it, but truly accepting and integrating the truth into one's life, which requires altering habits, thoughts, and emotions to align with newfound realizations. Self-Reliance in Navigating the Spiritual Journey: While external guidance from teachers can be helpful, Leo stresses that ultimately one must independently navigate their spiritual awakening, facing their unique challenges and figuring out their personal path. Oscillating Nature of Awakening: Leo discusses the fluctuating journey of awakening, where individuals repeatedly move between higher and lower states of consciousness, often experiencing inner demons, depression, and a sense of meaninglessness along the way. Physical and Psychological Challenges: He mentions that awakening can lead to physical discomforts such as sleep issues, restlessness, or psychosomatic symptoms, as well as psychological fears like the prospect of facing the void or losing one's mind. Recognizing Personal Limitations and Dangers: Leo advises against reckless spiritual practices, suggesting that one must understand their own limitations and readiness, to avoid potential dangers and cope with side effects like anxiety or panic attacks. Letting Go When Necessary: Using a James Bond analogy, Leo highlights the wisdom in knowing when to pause or retreat from intense spiritual practices to preserve one's wellbeing, rather than pushing beyond safe limits. Navigating Depression and Deep Challenges: He suggests that in instances of deep depression or spiritual crisis, one must be careful about whether to push through or back off, recognizing that not everyone has the same capacities or life circumstances to handle extreme practices. Potential Missteps with Psychedelics: Leo warns of the risks associated with careless psychedelic use, advocating for a cautious and responsible approach, as reckless use can lead to detrimental outcomes and impede spiritual progress. Strategic Pauses in Spiritual Practice: Recognizing when to temporarily halt spiritual practices is crucial, especially when facing intense psychological or physical reactions to avoid exacerbating issues and prolonging the journey. Personal Assessment of Spiritual Health: The onus is on individuals to discern whether their spiritual practices contribute to well-being or further neurosis, requiring a shift from seeking outside guidance to introspective self-evaluation. Tactical Retreats in Spiritual Pursuits: Tactical retreats from overwhelming spiritual experiences are necessary for maintaining progress and avoiding the risk of significant backslides in personal development and practice. Misuse of Psychedelics: Misapplication and overuse of psychedelics can lead to severe psychological trauma, illustrating the necessity of a measured and knowledgeable approach to these substances. Amateur versus Strategic Approaches: An amateur, often overwhelmed by overcommitment, is contrasted with the strategic practitioner who takes incremental, wise steps towards their spiritual or worldly goals, understanding the value of the "tortoise approach." Project Scope and Personal Limitations: Acknowledging one's limitations and managing project scope is essential to avoid failure, whether in spiritual practices, business ventures, or creative projects like video game design. Avoiding Dogmatic Traps in Spirituality: Spirituality must be kept free from dogma and rigid ideology, with an emphasis on flexible approaches and understanding rather than mechanical rule-following. Dangers of Model Over-Reliance: Over-reliance on any single spiritual model or teacher can constrict understanding and growth, underlining the necessity of a holistic and open approach. Misinterpretations and Inner Work: Misinterpretations of spirituality often involve superficially engaging in practices without undergoing the deeper emotional labor necessary for true spiritual growth and purification. Understanding the Barrier to Awakening: The rarity of genuine awakening implies the existence of significant barriers, which vary for each individual and must be approached with care to prevent negative outcomes. Risks for Vulnerable Individuals: Individuals with pre-existing psychological struggles may inadvertently worsen their condition through certain spiritual practices, highlighting the importance of cautious engagement. Risks of Hasty Spiritual Decisions: Leo stresses the importance of not making rash decisions, such as quitting jobs, abandoning families, or giving away savings, based on awakenings or revelations about life's meaninglessness. Highs and Lows of Spiritual Work: He advises to expect highs followed by lows in spiritual work, and to approach such phases with caution to avoid life-altering mistakes. Finding Supportive Conversations: In difficult times, talking to understanding people, hiring a life coach, or seeing a therapist can provide support, though not all therapists may be sympathetic to spiritual pursuits. Value of Theoretical Foundations: Leo emphasizes the need for a strong theoretical grounding via books, recommending his curated list that delves into spiritual nuances, potential pitfalls, and awakening experiences gone awry. Importance of Patience and Moderation: He notes that rushing spiritual progress can lead to longer journeys, while methodical and steady progress may yield faster and safer results. Support Options for Leo Gura's Content: Viewers can support his work on Patreon or visit his website for exclusive content, a life purpose course, and his book list. Navigating Spiritual Work with Nuance: Leo highlights the need for nuance in interpreting spiritual teachings, cross-referencing personal experiences, and understanding that teachings from teachers, including himself, are perspectives, not absolute truths. Potential for Misinterpretation and Error: The possibility of misinterpretation by the listener and error on the part of the teacher underscores the importance of personal verification of any spiritual teaching. Awareness of Absolute vs. Relative Perspectives: While the absolute perspective suggests that "everything is okay," Leo reminds his audience to consider their relative perspective for their own well-being and avoid unnecessary suffering. Upcoming New Content: Leo ends by mentioning his intention to cover new topics in the future and urges students to continue learning and growing with his content. Avifors

How Fear Works - Part 1 - The Ultimate Guide To Dealing With Fear https://youtu.be/meiMUbYEQ4U "Tell me who you are and I'll tell you what you fear. Tell me what you fear and I'll tell you who you are." Nature of fear: Fear is a fundamental existential issue, not just psychological, affecting all of consciousness and dominating our entire lives. It often goes unrecognized due to society's materialistic focus, which neglects emotions that cannot be easily quantified. Fear as a self-control mechanism: Fear acts as a sophisticated mechanism to maintain our identity and survive, controlling actions and decisions often outside our awareness. Survival and identity: Human survival extends beyond the physical—it involves maintaining social and cultural identities. Fear ensures the preservation of these identities, with each unique identity generating specific fears. Fear and identity maintenance: Fear is deeply tied to what we identify with, as it motivates us to avoid threats to our self-image, be it religious, cultural, or professional. Fear's link to our perceptions: How we perceive reality is greatly influenced by fear attached to our identities, impacting everything from our daily choices to scientific objectivity. Confronting Fear for Personal Growth: Acknowledging and confronting one's fears is crucial for personal development. Avoiding fear only leads to stagnation and a victim mentality. Fear as a self-fulfilling prophecy: Persistent fear can lead to attracting the very outcomes we are afraid of, highlighting fear's intricate connection with our psychology and actions. Fear and societal impact: Collective fear within groups such as societies and governments can lead to decisions that cause wider negative effects, like racism or bad legislation. Love as a counter to fear: Life's adversities challenge us to learn how to love and transcend fear, contributing to personal evolution and fulfillment. Understanding micro fears: Observing and analyzing our frequent 'micro fears' can shed light on the pervasive impact of fear and help us take radical responsibility for our emotions and their relation to our identities. Fear and Career Identity: For many individuals, a significant portion of life revolves around their careers, leading to fears directly related to their occupational roles. If one's identity is intrinsically tied to their career or business, the fear of losing that role or failing within it can become a dominant force in their life. Attachment to Possessions and Fear: When individuals strongly identify with material possessions, such as cars, boats, or any valued property, they become fearful of losing them. These fears are treated with the seriousness of life-and-death situations due to the emotional value attached to these items. Fear of Losing Success, Fame, and Status: For those who identify with wealth, fame, or status, the fear of losing these can be overwhelming and can be perceived as greater than personal losses. Leo points out that all fears, regardless of how society views them, are relative and stem from one's attachments and identity. Fear's Relationship with Identity: Fears are tightly intertwined with what one identifies as; for example, fears of losing attractiveness or being perceived negatively are rooted in one's self-concept. These fears act like inner demons that individuals battle throughout their lives. Identity-Driven Fears are Persistent: Unlike transient fears, identity-driven fears are deeply rooted and cannot be resolved through simple techniques. Fear resolution requires identity-level changes, as fears are inextricably linked to what we cling to as our identity. Fear in Religious and Scientific Identities: Leo explains that religious identities, including Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Judaism, are filled with fear, such as the fear of losing one's faith. Similarly, scientific and skeptical identities are not immune to fear; skeptics fear being wrong or deluded, and this fear can ironically lead to becoming what they fear most. Gender Identity, Fear, and Societal Controversy: The controversy over gender identity, such as transgender and LGBTQ+ issues, showcases fear's role in identity defense. Traditional and conservative individuals may react with fear to the fluidity of gender categories, leading to denial and projection onto others. Identity Formation as an Unconscious Process: From childhood to adolescence, individuals unconsciously construct their identities through interactions and experiences. Leo emphasizes that identities are not simply given but are created over time, which can lead to fear when challenged or threatened. Attachment and Identity Depth: Leo uses the Sun as an analogy to describe the layers of one's identity, with peripheral attachments like possessions being less integral and core attachments like being human or physical being much harder to detach from. Understanding the Ultimate Fear of Loss of Self: All fears ultimately boil down to the fear of loss of self, whether it's physical harm or psychological loss of identity. The fear of changing aspects of oneself that have been part of one's identity since early childhood is profound and challenging to overcome. Attachment to Identity and Fear of Change: People have an attachment to their identity, and sudden changes, such as altering one's career or religion, can cause negative reactions from others. This reinforces fear due to the desire to be perceived positively and the fear of identity loss. The Principle of Fear and Self-Loss: All fears fundamentally relate to the fear of a total loss of self or identity. Radical examples, like suicide bombers, illustrate that some fear identity loss more than physical death, highlighting fear's strong tie to personal identity. Identity and Relative Danger: What we identify with dictates what we perceive as dangerous. A scientist may view religious interference as a threat, whereas a radical Islamist may see the erosion of Islamic values as the ultimate danger. Danger is not objective but relative to our identities. Fear as a Construction of the Mind: Fear is not objective or natural; it's a mental construct projected onto the world through the lens of identity. What causes fear in one person might not affect another, underscoring the subjective nature of fear. Imaginary Nature of Fear: Leo argues that all fears, including the fear of death, are imaginary. The realization that fear lacks substance and is essentially "nothing" can significantly alter one's perception of life and relationships. Interpreting Fear as Falsehood: Since most people experience fear, it may seem normal; however, normality does not equate to truth. Fear is an illusion, a lack of consciousness, and complete awareness would lead to a fearless existence. Fear and Society's Materialistic Paradigm: Society operates under a materialistic paradigm, upholding the notion of objective reality, which legitimizes fears like death or financial ruin. Leo points out that danger, like fear, is a subjective concept based on personal identity and not inherent to situations. Fear Used as a Control Mechanism: Fear is exploited in society as a method of control through advertisements, politics, and social norms. Truth is fundamentally incompatible with fear and can help transcend it. Fear as a Product of Denied Subjectivity: What we project as objective is merely our subjectivity in disguise. What one perceives as a threat is based entirely on their subjective experience. Fear is not found in the external world but is created internally. Fear as a Falsehood Based on Reality Misperception: Fear originates from a false understanding of reality; it is born out of our minds misperceiving situations, which is why in full consciousness, fears cease to exist. Fear's Relationship with Consciousness: Achieving a state of full consciousness can lead to the realization that fear, including the fear of death, is an illusion. Fear cannot be fully understood without becoming individually acquainted with personal fears through mindfulness. Materialistic Paradigm vs. True Nature of Death: The materialistic view that death is an ultimate unknown strengthens fear, while Leo suggests that death might be just another misperception and not as physical and final as society believes. Practicing Mindfulness to Identify Fear: To comprehend fear, one must feel it in the body, identify its physical manifestation, which requires the development of mindfulness - a vital skill for gaining insight into the nature of fear. Fear and the Natural Instinct for Survival: Fear is an automatic reaction designed for immediate survival, interfering with the opportunity to understand or rationalize fear during moments of perceived danger. Creating a Mindful Gap in Response to Fear: To transcend fear, developing space between experiencing fear and reacting is essential. Observing and questioning fear mindfully is a counterintuitive yet powerful way to address it. Fear as Resistance to a Future Experience: Leo defines fear as a form of resistance to experiences that conflict with identity or desires. True power lies in consciously facing fears rather than reacting unconsciously. Overcoming Fear by Surrendering to Experience: Surrendering to and accepting the experiences we fear, instead of resisting them, eliminates fear. This requires a radical shift from the attachment to one's current identity. Mindfulness Exercise to Tackle Fear: Leo assigns the audience the task of practicing mindfulness with fears: identifying them as they happen, observing their connection to identity, and accepting potential future scenarios they resist. Solution to Overcoming Fear: The solution to overcoming debilitating fears involves a radical and counterintuitive acceptance of the worst outcomes. Leo suggests mentally preparing for and accepting scenarios that terrify us most in order to alleviate fear. Concept of Invincibility Through Fear Acceptance: Leo argues if fear were taught and mastered from early childhood, individuals would become invincible, as they would no longer be subject to the controls of society that leverage fear for power. Societal Control and Fear Management: Fear is not taught in schools as a way to cope because a society without fear would undergo drastic changes—potentially dismantling current power structures such as government, business, and religion. Misplaced Happiness on Material Possessions: Leo emphasizes the extent to which lives are built upon conditional happiness tied to material possessions, and how fear of losing them can cause intense anxiety and suffering. Building Happiness on Spiritual Development: True happiness, according to Leo, comes from spiritual development and consciousness—attributes that can't be taken away, unlike material possessions and circumstances. Practical Exercise in Surrendering to Fear: Leo suggests mentally accepting and surrendering to our fears, even those that are identity-based, such as sexual orientation. This practice brings relief but may require repetition and identity reevaluation for lasting impact. Strength from Acceptance and Surrender: Surrendering to experiences we fear most, Leo argues, is the real strength and the essence of spiritual growth—it involves the ability to experience anything without resistance. Conscious Alignment with Truth Overcoming Fear: The crux of overcoming fear is not about convincing oneself of any falsehood but about being totally aligned with truth, which requires a high degree of consciousness and spiritual work. Fear as a Fundamental Survival Mechanism: Fear operates at a more fundamental level than logic, ideals, or beliefs, making it resilient to rational counterarguments and necessitating direct experiential confrontation. Exercise to Confront Personal Fears: Leo instructs viewers to list their greatest fears concisely, aiming to realistically confront and address them for personal growth. Common Misconceptions about Fears: People often consider fears superficially, listing stereotypical ones like fear of spiders, snakes, or public speaking, without addressing fears that significantly affect daily life and self-identity. Stereotypical fears and their limitations: Stereotypical fears such as the fear of poison are seen as relatively superficial and not affecting daily life significantly. These fears are not as impactful as deeper, more personal fears which will be addressed. Donald Trump's fear of poisoning: Leo analyzes Donald Trump's fear of being poisoned, relating it to his connections with Russia and their reputation for using poison. This example shows how specific fears can be tied to personal experiences and relationships. Macro fears affecting daily life: Leo lists fears with substantial impact on daily life, such as fear of failure, financial ruin, relationship breakdowns, loneliness, aging, and the pressure to meet others' expectations. These fears shape behaviors and decisions. Micro fears shaping daily activities: 'Micro fears'—small, frequent fears occurring every day—greatly influence habits and decisions. Examples include fear of running out of toilet paper, lying, or offending someone. Though minor, their frequent occurrence has a significant cumulative effect. Physical manifestations of fear: Chronic fear can manifest as physical ailments like mental illnesses, obesity, and heart disorders, demonstrating the importance of recognizing and addressing fear both mentally and physically. Avoidance of fear leading to larger issues: Avoiding or denying fears contributes to victim mentality and does not foster growth or resolution of the underlying issues. Fear as an innate but complex response: While fear is a natural response to danger, in modern society, it can become complex and pathological, underscoring the necessity to confront fears for personal growth. Observation as a tool for understanding fear: Leo suggests observing everyday 'micro fears' to understand their pervasive influence and relation to one's identity, advocating for conscious engagement with these fears as a pathway to personal growth. Common micro fears: We constantly face small, daily fears such as fear of getting a cold, speaking to a boss, bad breath, something stuck in teeth, potential pregnancy, store closing before arrival, cleaning the garage, doing taxes, paying rent, confronting someone, honesty with parents, expressing opinions, missing gym sessions, doctor visits, making work mistakes, meeting outcomes, forgetting crucial tasks, people not texting back, finding life purpose, working overtime, being judged, and coworkers' betrayal. Fear of financial consequences: Fears extend to financial consequences like being fired, credit card fees, bank account checks, missed opportunities, and breaking good habits, which significantly impact our decisions and stress levels. Creative anxiety: A distinct type of fear experienced in creative fields, leading to stress and inhibition in artistic expression and productivity. Observation of micro fears: Leo urges to start noticing these micro fears and recognize how they shape our behavior and thoughts. Physical symptoms of fear: Fear is not just psychological but is stored as tension in the body, causing health issues like panic attacks, anxiety, heart issues, sexual dysfunctions, addictions, mental illnesses, obesity, insomnia, cancer, reduced lifespan, headaches, chronic fatigue, hormone imbalances, high blood pressure, back and neck pain, digestive issues, suicide, and violent ideologies. Fear's societal consequences: Fear can lead to social problems such as racism, closed-mindedness, bad decision-making, poor science, and irrational laws, emphasizing that individual fears also translate into collective societal actions. Life as a 'love simulator': Leo describes life as a simulator for learning to love and not to fear, suggesting that overcoming fears enhances one's capacity to love. Avoiding fear leads to stagnation: Avoiding or denying fear results in stagnation and victim mentality, while confronting fear promotes growth and immediate relief. Pathological behaviors from fear avoidance: Avoidance can lead to harmful behaviors like addictions, lying, and unethical ideologies. Limitations of manipulative fear coping: Manipulation can provide short-term relief but is not a lasting solution to fear and doesn't prepare one for unavoidable life events like death. Fear as counterproductive for long-term survival: Fear-based responses can maintain the status quo, impede personal growth, and attract the very outcomes people are trying to avoid. Fear as a self-fulfilling prophecy in relationships and professions: Fear in relationships and professions can lead to self-sabotaging behaviors that bring about the very issues one is afraid of, such as relationship breakdowns or professional failure. Bias and misperceptions from fear: Fear can lead to biases and the search for confirming information, reinforcing fears and causing conflicts. End assignment for understanding fear: List everyday 'micro fears', consider how they relate to personal identity, and reflect on the fears one is resisting to experience, to take responsibility for one's emotions and fears. Manipulation and Fear: Leo explains that while manipulating situations can temporarily circumvent fears, it fails in the long term and can't influence fundamental human experiences such as love, truth, and death. Fear as a Poor Long-Term Survival Strategy: He remarks that fear, while effective against immediate physical threats like facing a bear, is counterproductive in complex human societies where it often leads to self-fulfilling negative outcomes. Examples of Self-Fulfilling Fears: He gives examples like the fear of a partner cheating or a business failing and explains how these fears can lead to behaviors that ultimately bring about the feared outcomes. Fear, Bias, and Self-Perpetuation: Leo discusses how fear can perpetuate biases and conflicts, as seen in the fear of immigrants and how confirmation bias leads to reinforcing negative stereotypes and escalating tensions. The Loop of Fear: He describes fear as creating a yo-yo effect, where negative motivation only temporarily resolves fear, invariably leading to a rebound – like the cycle of losing and gaining weight. Fear and Personal Growth: Leo concludes that fear maintains the status quo and is detrimental to personal growth, creativity, and happiness, contrasting fear-based governance with visionary changes exemplified by Martin Luther King Jr.'s civil rights activism. Homework on Micro Fears: Leo assigns the viewers homework to observe, list, and analyze their 'micro fears' over seven days to understand how fears are projections of the mind and stem from identity, influencing our thoughts and actions. Part Two Teaser: Leo teases the upcoming part two of the lecture series, which promises to provide answers to common questions, introduce tools for overcoming fear, and reveal the most crucial quality needed for life success. Fidelius Charm

Understanding Survival - Part 2 - Advanced Insights About Survival https://youtu.be/CyGPqFMy6vY Observation work in understanding survival: Observation is crucial for comprehending survival strategies in personal experiences; without it, the information remains theoretical and won't lead to transformative change. Symbiosis in survival: Survival strategies can be symbiotic, supporting others while serving one's own needs, but usually, these are unconscious actions, as in the example of squirrels and oak trees. Complexity and obscurity of survival in humans: Unlike animals, humans have complex survival strategies that obfuscate the very nature of survival; these strategies are intelligent but not consciously recognized by individuals. Modern society disconnecting from survival: Society's infrastructure conceals the complexity of survival, making individuals disconnected and often irresponsible about their role in broader survival systems. Emotional responses tied to survival importance: People become more emotional in response to threats against objects that are central to their survival, with stronger reactions related to things like family compared to material possessions. Intelligence of survival strategies without consciousness: Survival strategies are sophisticated and ingenious but do not equate to the organism's consciousness; strategies may be executed automatically, without understanding. Failure of survival strategies: Survival strategies may fail and yet still function as strategies—for instance, robbing a bank is a strategy even if it results in death or failure. Survival linked to identity and state of mind: People maintain survival strategies that align with their identity or state of mind, even when those strategies are self-destructive, such as criminal behavior. Unconscious vs. conscious survival: Many survival strategies operate subconsciously, driving behavior without individuals realizing they are focused on survival, leading to potentially detrimental actions. Elaborate justification for survival: Humans fabricate stories about love, nobility, and goodness to justify survival strategies, masking the selfish nature often inherent in these actions. Improving survival strategies with consciousness: Reflecting on and becoming aware of these survival strategies can foster better decision-making, altering harmful behaviors into healthier, more sustainable practices. Complexity of Human Survival: Survival for humans extends beyond basic necessities like food and shelter; it encompasses elements of personal identity. Even harmful habits like smoking have survival aspects because they start as a means to fit in, gaining social acceptance, and eventually, despite negative health effects, they provide psychological comfort which people grow attached to. Social Aspects of Survival in Teenagers: Teenage survival strategies focus heavily on social acceptance, such as smoking to appear cool or fit in with peers. These strategies are not just about individual survival but also about navigating social hierarchies and establishing a place within peer groups. Addiction as a Survival Strategy: Once a person becomes physically addicted to substances like nicotine, the act of smoking transforms into a psychological survival strategy, providing comfort despite its damaging long-term health consequences. The smoker’s identity may become wrapped up in this habit, making it even more integral to their survival. Depression Signaling Change: Depression can act as a subconscious survival signal indicating the need for lifestyle change. When ignored, it can lead to extreme outcomes like suicide. However, it can also serve as a wake-up call for individuals to make necessary changes for their well-being. Suicide Bombing as a Survival Strategy: Suicide bombing, while counterintuitively destructive, reflects a survival strategy rooted in strong ideological beliefs and the conviction of rewards in an afterlife. The physical body's sacrifice supports the survival of an ideological self-image and ego. Survival Strategy Uniqueness: Survival strategies are not one-size-fits-all; they're unique to each individual's environment, needs, and personal perspectives. What works for one person may not work for another, emphasizing the variability of survival across different contexts. Cultural Imposition of Survival Strategies: Attributing universal effectiveness to one's personal survival strategy is flawed. Imposing a personal or cultural survival strategy onto others, without respect for the environment and individual needs, can result in failure and conflict. Influence of Environment on Survival Tactics: Survival strategies must be perfectly aligned with the surrounding environment. For instance, animals are adapted to their habitats, and humans have distinct strategies based on cultural and environmental contexts. Importance of Respect for Different Survival Needs: Understanding and respecting that each person has unique survival needs, based on development stages and personality differences, is vital. Parents and societies must recognize these differences to support the individual growth and avoid imposing non-compatible survival tactics. Diverse Cultural Survival Strategies and Cuisines: Cultural diversity, including distinct cuisines, reflects different survival strategies that are shaped by available resources in each environment. Every culture's survival tactics adapt to the local conditions, which influences their societal systems, including food. Survival's Infiltration into Social Institutions: All aspects of society, such as the military, schools, governments, and media, have been co-opted by survival. The survival strategies in these institutions reflect the human need to survive both individually and collectively within various sociopolitical environments. Politics and Survival: Leo discusses that politics are ubiquitous across various social institutions and environments, including small corporations, nonprofits, military groups, and sports teams. Politics is a human survival strategy equivalent to a chimp gathering food; it's an essential aspect of survival in social settings, even as intricate as the politics found within chimpanzee troops. Worldview and Survival: Identity and ideas are central to human survival strategies, not just material goods. Humans place significant importance on their worldviews; it operates like an ingrained operating system, more crucial than any material possession and extremely difficult to change. Worldviews govern interpretation and understanding, making the defense of them a critical survival mechanism. Resistance to Identity as Fantasy: When challenged with the perspective that identity is a fantasy, people react hostily and defensively. This is because the premise of survival is to create an identity, believe in its reality, and defend it. Admitting the manufactured nature of identity threatens people's survival strategies and is seen as very problematic. Ideology, Dogmatism, and Survival: Leo points out that ideological and dogmatic behavior is connected to survival; identities are formed from biases and beliefs which people feel compelled to defend. This defense is a significant obstacle to spiritual growth, which reveals identities to be constructions. Hostility to Undermining Beliefs: Presenting ideas that undermine a person's core beliefs, such as telling them their physical reality isn't real or challenging deeply held religious or gender norms, elicits defensive survival strategies. Such challenges trigger hostility, denial, bigotry, and various self-deception tactics to maintain their identity. Obliviousness to Survival and Selfishness: Leo asserts that people are generally unaware of their own survival strategies, especially if they involve low-consciousness actions. Remaining unconscious of one's survival tactics, like exploiting others for financial gain, serves to continue such behaviors without internal conflict. Justification of Selfish Survival Strategies: Societal survival strategies are often justified as necessary or for the common good. This moral high ground is used to defend one's survival strategies while criticizing others, which is itself a survival tactic. Consciousness about these strategies can lead to more responsible behavior. Evil as a Survival Strategy: Leo states that what is typically labeled as 'evil' is really just another form of survival strategy. From theft to cultural practices, these actions are survival tactics and should not be judged as they are part of the strategy to survive. Transcending Survival with Understanding: Leo suggests that to truly transcend survival strategies, one must embrace understanding and non-judgment. Recognizing that morality is a collective fantasy, and that survival itself is driven by various forms of love, helps in overcoming simplistic notions of good versus evil. Definition of Evil in Survival: Evil is perceived as somebody else's survival strategy. Acts like murder, theft, and war are means by which individuals ensure their existence, shaped by selfishness and lack of consciousness. Judging Survival Strategies: Judging others' survival strategies, such as rape or murder, is likened to judging a natural predator for hunting; it's simply an organism's way to survive and is misguided. Morality as Survival Strategy: Morality is used to gain a moral high ground, to suppress other people's survival strategies. Judging someone's actions as immoral is a way to enforce one's own survival strategy. Outrage and Moral Judgment: Moral outrage is in fact a survival strategy, serving to demonize actions that threaten one’s way of life, obscured by the collective illusion of morality. Self-Deception in Morality: Accusations of hypocrisy in survival strategies do not consider the bigger picture that everyone is engaged in survival, thus fostering personal and societal dishonesty about motives. Survival, Morality, and Law: Society's rules and laws are a result of collective survival strategies, shaping the environment according to one community's moral standards. Defining Evil Relative to Survival: The concept of evil is relative and serves as a label for anything that threatens one's survival, explaining why perceptions of evil vary greatly. Spirituality as Survival Enhancement: Spirituality often becomes a survival strategy rather than a means to transcend survival, manifested in religions and spiritual ego. Relationship of Survival and Love: All actions, no matter how seemingly selfish or evil, are done out of love; the distinctions lie in the expansiveness of this love from personal to universal. Spiritual Growth and the Fantasy of Survival: Successful spirituality eventually leads to recognizing the game of survival as a fantasy, guiding one toward transcending survival instincts. Understanding Victimhood as a Strategy: Victimhood is a prevalent survival strategy used to gain moral superiority and justify retribution in both individual and societal conflicts. Denial of Evil's Relativity: The refusal to acknowledge the relativity of evil is a survival function, protecting one's worldview and sense of security from potentially harmful truths. Counterintuitive Nature of Defeating Evil: Defeating evil is accomplished through love, which is a difficult and counterintuitive concept because it requires transcending survival instincts that are deeply rooted in self-protection and are relentlessly pursued by people throughout their lives. Relentlessness of Survival Instincts: Survival instincts are described as relentless, making life challenging and leading to suffering and ignorance. This drive is so strong that people act unconsciously, which perpetuates negative actions or 'evil'. Subconscious Control of Survival Functions: Many survival functions are controlled subconsciously, like one's heartbeat, because they are too critical to be entrusted to the conscious mind. Emotions such as fear, anger, and depression are similarly automatic and manipulate an individual's behaviors for survival. Devilish Irony in Unconscious Actions: Individuals who act unconsciously out of selfish survival instincts often view themselves as benevolent. However, their actions are generally short-term, unsustainable, and can lead to catastrophic outcomes due to a lack of awareness and holistic understanding. Short-sighted Selfish Survival Strategies: Short-sighted survival strategies that emerge from selfishness and separatism fail in the long term because they neglect the interconnectedness of people and the environment. Actions based solely on personal gain inevitably backfire as they disregard the reliance on others and shared resources. Unsustainability of Pure Selfishness: Pure selfishness may appear to be a good survival strategy in the short term; however, it proves counterproductive in complex systems. Trump's "America First" policy is used as an example of such flawed thinking, highlighting the importance of systemic thinking for holistic benefits. Evolutionary Need for Harmonious Survival Strategies: As society evolves, survival strategies must also develop to be more harmonious and less selfish. History shows a trend toward more interconnectedness and acceptance of diversity, suggesting a need for healthier communal survival strategies. Failure of Survival in the Face of Death: Ultimately, survival strategies are thwarted by the inevitability of death, pointing to the absurdity of trying to achieve permanence. Instead, one's relationship with survival can evolve, recognizing elements such as unconditional love and truth, which exist outside the bounds of survival. Transition to Pure Being State: Practices like meditation or psychedelics can help one transition from survival mode to pure being, a state where one experiences interconnectedness and universal love, potentially transforming survival strategies toward more ecological and universal approaches. Inevitability of Survival Failure: Survival is an ongoing process that cannot be permanently successful. It operates under the delusion that it can sustain life indefinitely, but due to the inherent need for change, diversity, and impermanence in the universe, all forms of life and organizational structures are destined to eventually end or transform beyond recognition. Survival as Tail-Chasing: The notion of winning at survival equates to an absurd concept of permanently freezing a dynamic reality, which would negate the universe's grand design of maximizing diversity and beauty. Humans and Immortality: If humans achieved immortality, they would inadvertently prevent the birth of future generations. By hoarding life, humans would undermine the cyclical and impermanent nature of existence, which diminishes the collective experience of life. Transcending Survival: While survival cannot be entirely escaped as long as one wishes to live, it is possible to change one's relationship to it. Through awareness, individuals can find freedom, relief, and significantly improve their survival tactics. Non-survival Elements: Unconditional love, non-dual consciousness, a state of Samadhi, and the very essence of being are elements that transcend survival. They provide a state of existence that looks beyond the survival-driven projections placed upon reality. Shifting Consciousness: Achieving a shift in consciousness, from survival mode to a pure state of 'being', allows one to view the world and objects without personal interpretation. This perspective detaches from utility and survival value, leading to an enlightened understanding of existence as pure being. The Farce of Survival: Survival has no inherent meaning or purpose outside of its self-constructed importance. Recognizing the formless, immortal aspect of one's identity frees one from the temporal and ultimate failure of survival. Survival and Reasoning: Survival instincts corrupt individuals' perceptions and reasoning as they are essential for survival. This limitation is why science and reasoning are challenging for most people as their thought processes are compromised by survival strategies. Survival Strategies as Collective Fantasies: Humans can agree on certain constructs, like money, making them part of their collective reality and thus effective survival strategies. However, for a fantasy to become reality, it must be convincing enough to gain collective acceptance. Survival as Social Constructs: Survival strategies must fit within the established web of societal constructs. Significant realities like Christianity, Islam, and science have become their own realities, shaping survival so much that deviation might lead to serious social consequences. Survival Strategy Observations: Leo assigns homework to observe and compare survival strategies of close relations and pets, emphasizing the relative and contextual nature of survival within even the same environment. Conflict Origins Within Families: By observing differing needs and irritations among family members and pets, one begins to recognize how conflicts stem from conflicting survival strategies. Animal Survival Strategies: Leo encourages viewers to study animal survival strategies through nature documentaries to appreciate their sophisticated adaptations to their environments, and to draw parallels with human survival strategies in different cultures. Environmental Influence on Survival: Survival tactics are heavily influenced by one's environment, leading to significant survival differences between various lifestyles and locations around the world, like urban New York City versus rural Alabama. Comprehensive Survival Understanding: Systematically studying survival strategies in different systems and environments leads to a broader understanding of the interconnectedness and intelligence of life. Reevaluating the Survival Series: Constant reevaluation and study of the survival series Leo offers is key to deeply appreciating the intricacies of survival strategies. Observation is Key: Rather than theorizing or judging, Leo stresses the importance of direct observation in understanding survival strategies and correcting any potential inaccuracies. Investment in Learning: Tackling the challenging emotional investment to understand life requires dedication and persistence, with the payoff being a more sophisticated grasp of life's complexities and interconnectedness. Passion for Understanding Life: Leo expresses his passion for understanding life from a broad perspective, collecting deep concepts about life, and hopes to inspire the same enthusiasm and pursuit of self-liberation in viewers. Bombarda

@Merkabah Star There are two main things here as I see it. On one hand Israel has to do everything to release them even if it means to cease the fire to even a year and keep a security belt all around Gaza. On the other hand, the long term goal of defeating hamas cannot be abandoned. If you care about the Gazans you have to know that if hamas stays there, Million of poor children will be under a cruel cult that will give them a gun from age 16 and posion their brains into the importance of killing and suicide, as it already happened and now probably be even worse. If you want Million of Gazan children to heal, you have to acknowledge the importance of defeating hamas. Otherwise they will end up killed inside in the psychological and spiritual sense. The second things is about Israel. If Israel's enemies see they can stop her, this can open a dangerous pandora box to them attacking Israel in the future in greater forces out of an improved self confidence and belief on their ability to defeat her. The whole reputation of Israel as a deterrent factor will be diminished.

This is their problem after all the suicide bombing they did and when a terror organization is in charge there, they cant expect maritime and air ways. Gaza shares border with egypt too.

Since reality is infinite and everything is imagined into being, why wouldn’t it be? If you’ve seen my threads on the dating sub you might know my craving to have a whole bunch of sex with lots of people is powerful enough to create a googol multiverses If channeled. Problem is, I’m stuck in this dense, 3d prison reality in which every single aspect of life is set up in a way to prevent me from achieving my one true purpose for existence as much and effectively as it possibly can. Maybe I imagined this experience for myself, maybe I chose this life before being born. Idk. All I know is I regret immensely my decision to be born into or whatever caused this pathetic, worthless pile of pig shit excuse of an existence where I’m not even allowed the one thing I long for more than anything in the universe. So my question here is: Is it possible (and easily doable) to create your own world after death while keeping all your memories and ego from this life that way you can experience everything you were denied here once you’ve crossed over? I know that since everything that is is imaged into being by us all, technically there must be some way to create all the sexiness I want while in this life, but the amount of work it takes to make things happen in this reality is highly unacceptable. If I’m god and I created everything, it should be very possible to get all the women I could ever dream of easily and without all the years of mental and emotional torment of trial and error. Death should make that a whole lot easier because it’s like a great reset; an opportunity to actualize my needs and desires because I’d have much more creative ability since I’m temporarily outside the laws of physicality. The only utility of this life is that it has shown me exactly what and who I want. So now my only hope is being able to keep all those memories and desires after death while remaining with the exact same ego I’ve developed so I can have everything fulfilled once I’ve returned to the pure, creative power of the great beyond. Im asking this here in hopes of getting some insight from some people who remember past lives, have navigated some of the territories of the great beyond or know how to design future lives based on desires from this one. And if anyone has experienced higher dimensional sex with feminine entities, tell me all about what that’s like in great detail and how you achieved it Disclaimer: This is not a suicide post. I have no intention of killing myself anytime soon. Not within the next five years at least. But you’d have to be a clinical moron to take this bullshit life on earth over having all you want of these bitches, imo

What Is God - Part 2 - Clear Answers To 70+ Commonly Asked Questions https://youtu.be/YMLuA2MzV40 "We are small pieces of God's mental apparatus." - Freeman Dyson Leo's clarification on being part of God: Leo establishes that depending on one's interpretation of 'you', an individual can be both a part of God and God themselves. In the conventional sense, 'you' refers to a part of God, but the deeper sense of self, realized through awakening practices, is God in its entirety. God's nature as tricky: Leo elaborates that God's nature requires trickery because reality itself is born of illusion. The physical world is a persistent disguise of God's true formlessness, which makes it challenging to recognize God in everyday experiences that we often take for granted. Experiencing God: Leo posits that individuals are constantly experiencing God but aren't aware of it because such awareness isn't necessary for survival. Noticing God requires becoming conscious of the truth that everything, including mundane objects and actions, is God. God's hiddenness: Leo addresses why God appears hidden by explaining that God's trickery is a creative necessity. The deceptive nature of God allows the experience of different forms and realities from formlessness. Recognizing God's true form would hinder practical human pursuits due to the realization of the illusory nature of concepts like money and material success. Claims about God and their falsifiability: Leo argues that God is the elemental truth and, as such, isn't subject to falsification in the traditional scientific sense. God's claims are verifiable through personal experience, and realization of this truth is self-validating. The burden of proof: Leo suggests that the burden of proof lies on individuals to discover and understand the truth of God, instead of it being something external that needs to be demonstrated or proved scientifically. He emphasizes that knowing God requires a more profound, introspective form of knowledge and understanding. Power of self-deception and God's capabilities: Leo emphasizes the absolute nature of self-deception, equating it to God's power. He asserts that God has the power to deceive itself into believing it is not God and, conversely, the power to awaken from that deception, illustrating the duality of God's capability. Rebuttal to 'God of the gaps' argument: Leo dismisses the 'God of the gaps' argument, explaining that while science aims to demystify reality, it will never succeed entirely because reality's infinite nature eludes complete understanding. For Leo, God embodies the mysterious 'gap' or nothingness that unifies all appearances. Differences between atheism and God as 'nothing': Addressing the materialist's stance on reality, Leo outlines the practical distinctions between his concept of 'nothing' as God and the atheistic view of non-existence. He lists multiple points where atheists' understanding diverges, such as reality being subjective, human beings as non-existent entities, and the sentient, intelligent nature of reality. Atheism's shortcomings in comprehending reality: Leo critiques the atheistic worldview, pointing out that it fails to recognize the subjective, relative nature of reality, the non-existence of humans as separate entities, the mechanistic view of reality, and the illusion of physical properties like time, space, and matter. Limitations and capabilities of consciousness: Atheists don't understand that their skepticism and doubts are tied to their current state of consciousness, which can change. Leo highlights the notion that consciousness is not a byproduct of the brain and that science has epistemic limits when trying to understand God or paranormal phenomena. Paranormal phenomena and the nature of God: Leo argues that atheists ignore the existence of paranormal activities, underestimate science's potential to answer all questions, and don't recognize that they are God, part of an infinite reality with no physical limits. Impossibility of God being a hallucination: Finally, Leo clarifies that direct consciousness of God cannot be a hallucination or delusion. Realizing God as the absolute truth leaves no room for misinterpretation as it doesn't rely on language, symbols, or perception. God as absolute truth: The concept of hallucination and delusion arises when the mind thinks rather than directly interfaces with absolute truth. When one is fully conscious of absolute truth, the idea of God as a hallucination is not applicable because in that state, there’s no room for doubt or the perception of hallucination. Experiencing God beyond the brain: When taking 5-MeO-DMT, reality is flipped inside out to the extent that the concept of having a brain or chemicals is forgotten. Leo emphasizes that in this state, 5-MeO-DMT is not a brain state, chemical, or neurotransmitter; it's a direct experience of God, which one must undergo to understand its profundity. Psychedelics as a pathway to truth: Skeptics question the validity of psychedelic experiences, but Leo argues that consciousness is all-powerful and can create any experience, including the realization of absolute truth. Leo invites doubters to partake in breakthrough psychedelic experiences to understand this personally. Understanding the meta-truth of God: Leo refutes the idea that God could just be part of a computer simulation, emphasizing that God is the ultimate realization of absolute infinity. He uses the concept of nested matrices to explain the scope of God – an infinite recursion of realities, indicating that all of existence is a hallucination, which psychedelics can help reveal. Infinity beyond God debunked: Leo addresses the idea of something existing beyond God by explaining that God is equivalent to "everything" and "totality," enveloping all potential aspects of existence. This realization, once reached, leaves nothing more to understand, and the concept of totality precludes the existence of anything outside of God. God cannot be a mere component: Leo clarifies that God cannot be just a part or product of something else, like a computer simulation, because God encompasses all possible phenomena. The notion of a computer simulation is a finite concept within the infinitude that is God. God's self-creation explained: Leo discusses how God interacts solely with itself, imposing self-limitations in the form of physical reality to create the potential for experience and surprise. This necessity is why there can only be one absolute infinity, representing true totality. God's capacity to create limitations: God incarnates in various forms, each with its limitations to experience existence. For instance, humans can lift certain rocks but not others, demonstrating God's self-imposed limitations. The formless Godhead, being infinite potential, cannot engage in such actions and must express itself through forms. God and self-destruction: God, in its formless state or as the Godhead, cannot be destroyed since destruction only applies within the realm of form. Although incarnated forms of God, such as humans, can experience destruction, the formless Godhead remains eternally intact. Formlessness and impermanence of forms: God, as formless, is eternal, but incarnates into forms such as humans or stars, which are transient and can be destroyed, like a star by a black hole or a person by jumping off a building. Overcoming confirmation bias in spiritual experiences: Leo discusses how genuine spiritual experiences shatter existing conceptual understandings and offer truths that are self-validating and often shocking, despite previous exposure to similar ideas. Denial of specific religious affiliations: Leo clarifies that he is not covertly adhering to any religion such as Christianity or Buddhism. His teachings are based on direct awakening experiences, not on a desire for God to be real or preexisting religious beliefs. Certainty vs. humility in speaking about God: Leo addresses the perceived arrogance of speaking with certainty about God. He explains that absolute truth is known without doubt once realized and expresses this truth without false humility. Possibility of misunderstanding God: Leo acknowledges the potential for misinterpretation or false experiences of God. He defends his understanding by referencing consistent awakening experiences, cross-referencing spiritual texts, and an openness to reevaluating his insights. Rejecting the notion of unknowability in spirituality: Leo counters the idea that asserting 'we don't know' is more scientific or humble. When true knowledge or realization of God is obtained, claiming ignorance would be dishonest, and one must remain open to astounding insights. Non-existence of evil from God's perspective: Leo argues that evil is a human projection based on survival, not an absolute reality. From God's universal viewpoint, there is no evil or suffering, just the perfect manifestation of existence. Perfect nature of the world from a higher perspective: The world, despite apparent imperfections when perceived through ego, is seen as perfect from God's higher perspective. Analogies of movie watching and rollercoaster rides illustrate the subjective experience of suffering and the illusory nature of evil. Absence of duty towards God: Since humans are embodiments of God, there is no duty to worship or pray. Leo suggests the real duty lies in awakening and raising awareness oneself, rather than adhering to traditional religious practices. Leo's certainty and the nature of absolute truth: Asserting knowledge of God, Leo shares that with direct experience, there's an undeniable certainty about this absolute truth, contrasting it with the nature of scientific knowledge and speculation. Rollercoaster and skydiving experience as an analogy for God’s interaction with human life: Leo compares human existence and the thrills and fears it brings to a rollercoaster ride or a skydiving experience. He suggests that as God incarnates into human experiences, it deliberately places itself into various situations, which, while sometimes terrifying or uncomfortable, also offer exhilaration and a form of enjoyment akin to the ultimate virtual reality, such as described in the movie "The Matrix." Skydiving as a metaphor for confronting fear and questioning life choices: Leo recounts his personal skydiving experience as a metaphor for life’s moments of intense questioning and fear of one's chosen path. He relates to the jarring realization during free fall that one may never choose to face such a terrifying situation again, representing moments of existential questioning that arise during human life. The addictive nature of excitement and suffering in human experience: Leo points out that humans instinctively seek excitement as well as the paradoxical allure of suffering. He suggests that people secretly enjoy their suffering and even might not wish to relinquish it, as it is a crucial part of their experience and identity. Unconditional love of God and non-judgment: Addressing the question of why God wouldn't judge actions such as murder or rape, Leo explains that God is all-loving and does not judge because it embodies every possible experience, including those we label as negative. Judgments of good and bad originate from the ego's perspective and serve the purpose of survival and identity defense rather than a divine perspective. The radical nature of God's love and the human perspective: Leo describes God's love as too radical for human beings to embody because it extends to everything in existence, contrasting with humans' selective love constrained by survival and defense of identity and moral constructs. God's relationship with evil and hate: Leo argues that evil and hate, as understood by humans, only exist as a perspective of the ego. To experience these emotions, God incarnates into limited forms such as human beings. From God’s ultimate perspective, it loves all aspects of creation, including those seen as evil or hateful. The nature of mainstream religion: Leo explains that mainstream religions are limited by the cognitive development of the times they were created and are often filled with metaphors and stories that cater to the understanding of those eras. Hence, they may seem confusing and diluted compared to direct experiences and teachings about God. The origin and dilution of religious teachings: He goes on to discuss how the teachings of enlightened individuals like Jesus, Buddha, and Muhammad, when passed down through less enlightened individuals and over extended periods, are subject to misinterpretation and dilution. God, evil, and the Devil: Leo clarifies that God is responsible for all creations, including those perceived as evil, as there is nothing outside of God. He explains the concept of the Devil as God’s incarnation experiencing separation, ego, and survival mechanisims—"the Devil" is another form through which God experiences itself. Challenges of straightforwardly explaining God: Finally, Leo addresses the challenges faced by mainstream religions in explaining God in a straightforward manner, attributing these to historical cognitive limits, cultural metaphors, and the distorting effects of interpreting and recording religious teachings over time. Adaptation of religious teachings: Religious teachings often involve moral codes like defining right and wrong or lawful and unlawful. These were advanced for their time and served as a form of legal and moral infrastructure before the establishment of countries and legal systems. Corruption of spirituality by ego: Spiritual teachings and religions can be co-opted by the ego for its purposes. Rulers and nation-states have historically used religion to control masses and justify wars, leading to the spread of confusion, delusion, and egotism. Challenges in codifying and spreading God's realization: The personal and subjective nature of realizing God makes it difficult to codify and mass distribute this knowledge through books or videos without misunderstandings and misinterpretations. Differentiating dated teachings from timeless wisdom: In studying religious texts like the Bible, it is important to distinguish outdated practices from enduring wisdom. Some archaic teachings must be recognized as products of their time and not applicable today. Commonalities across diverse religions: Despite the surface disagreements, various religions share a significant amount of core teachings, emphasizing the importance of direct experience and mystical insight to discern universal truths and recognize commonalities. Integration of religions: The modern idea of integrating religions to understand their common essence contrasts with the traditional perspective where each religion aimed at a monopoly on truth. An integral approach can help resolve superficial disagreements. Evidence of spiritual truths across history: The consistent mention of spirituality and God across all human history and cultures, often reflecting common themes, suggests there's more to it than mere superstition, mass delusions, or groupthink. Misconceptions regarding religion: Religion's historical involvement in conflicts doesn’t negate the personal discovery of God. Technology and other societal elements also contribute to wars, separating the potential misuse of religion from the experience of God. Usage of the word 'God': Despite misunderstandings, the term 'God' effectively captures the divine experience. Using non-specific terms might dilute the extraordinary aspect of the experience. Interpretation of religious visions: Visions of deities or religious figures during mystical experiences are symbolic interpretations by the mind, influenced by cultural and personal backgrounds. These are not arguments against God but reflective of cultural filters. Authenticity of spiritual teachings: No spiritual tradition has a monopoly on God or spirituality. Truths about God existed long before contemporary spiritual traditions and are global rather than exclusive to any specific region or culture. Understanding religious differences: To discern the underlying unity in various religious teachings, one must approach them with direct experience and mystical insights, rather than solely through intellectual study. Leo Gura's perspective on cultural interpretations of God: Leo notes that different cultures, such as Christians, Buddhists, Jews, and ancient Greeks and Egyptians, all have knowledge of God. He emphasizes that no single culture has a monopoly on the truth about God; these insights are accessible across cultures and history. Buddhism and the concept of God: Despite common misconceptions, Leo explains that Buddhism does have a concept of God. Buddhism’s "God" is expressed as No-Self, Buddha Mind, the Dharmakaya, Nirvana, etc. He clarifies that the difference between Buddhist No-Self and Hindu Self is a matter of degrees in awakening, not different endpoints. Experience versus direct consciousness of God: Leo uses the term "experience" loosely when discussing God, suggesting that "being" or "direct consciousness" is more accurate. He advises expanding the notion of experience to include these ideas. He also discusses integrating the direct consciousness of the formless God with earthly experiences to recognize that everyday existence is, in fact, an instance of God. The need for cross-referencing sources: Leo highlights the importance of validating one's spiritual experiences through high-quality, diverse scriptures and teachings. This helps to guard against self-deceit and ensure interpretations are consistent with established wisdom. Why not commit suicide to become God: Addressing the notion of suicide to become God, Leo argues for valuing one's current incarnation and the experiences it offers. He promotes early enlightenment to fully appreciate and live one's life rather than postponing realization until death. Existence in the presence of the all-knowing God: Leo explains how God sets up scenarios to forget and then remember itself, suggesting that the formless God understands itself by incarnating in various forms, including human life, and experiencing different aspects of existence. Realization of diverse forms of God: He talks about God's need to manifest in innumerable forms, including humans, fish, or galaxies, throughout time. This process allows God to fully experience and understand what it means to be God across the entirety of existence. Nature of God's self-knowledge: God doesn't fully know itself until it lives through its manifestations; self-realization occurs through direct experience. Purpose of discussing God: Talking about God is to make people aware of their potential to realize God, transform their lives, and overcome suffering and delusion with techniques to actualize this realization, while noting the pitfalls along the spiritual path. Utility of spiritual teachings: Repetitive teachings serve to inspire and solidify understanding; they motivate individuals to practice until realization, and guide post-awakening development and application in the world. Compatibility of science with understanding God: Current science, based on concepts and symbols, cannot comprehend God, which is beyond symbolism. However, science may evolve to include mysticism and non-symbolic methods such as first-person experiences and psychedelics. Science recognizing God: Future science could acknowledge concepts like absolute infinity or nothingness after integrating mysticism, departing from traditional materialism. Transformation of modern science: Science must adopt a more mystical perspective, acknowledging truths beyond conceptual understanding, for a holistic comprehension of reality. Integration of science and spirituality: By redefining science and mysticism, cultural barriers can dissolve, leading to a closer merger and new understandings in both fields. Science's role in reality beyond the mind: Science will need to accept aspects of reality that are beyond the mind and traditional materialistic proof to truly advance. Potential synergy of science and spirituality: Future collaboration between science and spirituality is expected to lead to revolutionary advancements, benefiting both fields. Loneliness of God: The formless Godhead does not feel loneliness. Still, incarnated forms like humans can, even though ultimate realization quells the sense of loneliness despite intrinsic aloneness. Varied curiosity about God: Differences in metaphysical curiosity may stem from brain types, genetics, environmental upbringing, and exposure to spiritual concepts during formative years. Curiosity about God penetrates the surface of reality and can disrupt established worldviews. Mechanism of God's creation: God's creation has no mechanism; the universe spontaneously exists without cause and effect chains or mathematical rules. Reality simply "is," a challenge for materialists to grasp without a shift in perspective. Mechanism of Creation and Cause-Effect Chains: Materialists resist the realization that the universe appears without mechanisms or mathematical equations; it manifests spontaneously as an indivisible miracle. Understanding the Fundamental Nature of Existence: Instead of seeking ultimate particles like quarks as explanations, Leo suggests treating the present moment as fundamental with no underlying mechanism. Eternal Nature and Self-Creation of God: God is eternal but is also in a constant state of self-creation. God, as formless, has always existed, and as form, is creating every moment anew. Impossibility of God Being an Alien or AI: God cannot be an AI or alien as these are finite forms within the totality that God is. God encompasses everything, not limited to any form or entity. God, Evolution, and Continuous Creation: God is both eternal and evolving. Evolution in a traditional sense and God's continual creation process are essentially the same, happening within God's mind. Reconciliation of Darwinian Evolution with God: Leo argues that traditional evolution occurs within God's design, implying a directed, intelligent process rather than random mutation and natural selection. Reasons for Undesirable Life Experiences: Individuals have the power to change their lives. Difficult life situations are part of God experiencing all forms of life, and spiritual awakening allows one to navigate these gracefully. Possibility of Constant God Awareness: Sahaja Samadhi is the permanent awareness of God in everyday life, a state beyond peak experiences or meditative moments. Difficulty of Permanent Awakening: Full realization of God takes time and effort due to the tremendous scope of absolute truth and the need to deconstruct long-standing illusions. Challenges in Realizing God: The struggle to realize God stems from deep-rooted survival mechanisms driving behavior, thus conflicts arise when one pursues the formless nature of God, which opposes survival instinct. Deconstructing the Illusion of Life: Truly understanding and maintaining the realization of God requires active deconstruction of life’s illusions, allowing one not to fall back into the hypnotic seduction of dualistic existence. Challenge of realizing God: Realizing God is difficult due to deeply ingrained habits and the brain's slow process of change. Neurons need time to rewire to alter behaviors and habits, impacting one's ability to sustain mystical insights. Ease of realizing God: Paradoxically, realizing God can also be simple. Theoretically, if one were to sit in isolation for 30 days with absolute stillness of mind and body, they could become conscious of God by the end of the period. However, this level of stillness in practice is extremely difficult to achieve. Commitment to the spiritual journey: The difficulty in realizing God significantly decreases with a serious, focused commitment. The likelihood of realization within a short timeframe, like a month, increases dramatically when an individual dedicates themselves fully and without distractions. Balancing spirituality with family and career: It is possible to realize God while maintaining family and career commitments. However, it's advisable to stagger these pursuits to prevent being overwhelmed. In India, certain schools of spirituality offer techniques that householders can use alongside their family and career responsibilities. Visualization as a method to realize God: Visualization practices from Tantra yoga and Tibetan Buddhism can be powerful, concentrating the mind intensely on a deity to facilitate a non-dual mystical experience. Yet, one must take care not to become overly attached to the representation to break through to the formless aspect of God. Pursuing God at a young age: One is never too young to start thinking about God or spirituality. It is possible to realize God as a teenager or in the early 20s. However, it is equally important to focus on practical skills and responsibilities, balancing spiritual development with other aspects of life. Experiencing God at different cognitive stages: People at all stages of cognitive development can experience God, but the interpretation will depend on their level. Higher cognitive stages allow for a more holistic understanding and ease the process of mystical experience and proper interpretation. God's need for self-realization: God itself does not have a need for self-realization and is content with all forms of existence. However, as humans, when we awaken, we can experience and understand our divine nature, something not possible for non-conscious forms. God as personal and impersonal: God is both personal and impersonal. While the Godhead lacks human traits and is impersonal, it is personal in the sense that it experiences itself as humans with uniquely human qualities. God's involvement in human lives: The passive Godhead by nature does not manipulate lives actively; however, as the manifest form of God, it can be seen as steering lives through human thoughts, emotions, and actions. God's agenda or plan: In essence, God has no particular agenda or plan; its purpose is in existence itself. Yet from a human perspective, it seems that the universe is on an evolutionary path towards greater complexity and self-awareness. God as a complex singularity: Leo imagines a future where God experiences life through various forms, feels emotions like humans, and processes information with supercomputing capabilities, all interconnected into an ultimate singularity. Pantheism vs. Panentheism: Both pantheism (everything is God) and panentheism (everything is inside of God) are true in non-duality. The distinction is seen as trivial since the formlessness of God (panentheism) is not different from the forms (pantheism), creating a paradoxical overlap. Mankind's discovery of God: Likely, humans have had knowledge of God for over 450,000 years. Leo speculates that the early spiritual awareness arose from a lack of distractions, meditative lifestyles, natural spiritual gifts, use of psychedelics, and possibly shamanistic practices among early human ancestors. God's incarnation as individuals: God embodies every form simultaneously, so one's unique human form is just one among countless expressions of God. Leo stresses not to take personal form too seriously as God experiences everything at once. Reasons for God creating diverse life: The variety of life forms, like humans and animals, allows God to experience rich complexities and emotions, contributing to an ongoing evolution towards greater complexity and depth of experience. Utilization of God's realization by humans: While the ego might seek to use the realization of God for material gains, deeper purposes include elevating humanity's consciousness, teaching, improving personal faculties, and nurturing conscious growth in all aspects of life. Special powers from realizing God: Realizing God may lead to paranormal abilities or 'siddhis' due to spiritual awakening, but its pursuit by the ego can become a distraction. Though these abilities exist, they are not guaranteed nor should they be the focus of spiritual practice. Possibility of miracles: Miracles as paranormal occurrences, like healing and synchronicities, are considered possible by Leo. He views all existence as miraculous and highlights the nuanced nature of what constitutes a miracle within the physical reality. Truth and falsehood in the Bible: The Bible contains both wisdom and outdated misconceptions. It holds truths, such as the 'I Am' concept of God and the inward kingdom of heaven but also has misleading elements due to its human authorship. Man's duty towards God and worship: No objective duty exists toward God, as humans are manifestations of God themselves. Practices like worship and prayer often reinforce a false duality and can obstruct the realization of one's divine nature. What God desires from humans: Fundamentally, God desires nothing from humans; each being is free to exist as they choose. However, Leo encourages individuals to strive for consciousness and appreciate the magnificence of life. Following religion's relation to God realization: Leo advises abandoning religion due to its potential to hinder realizing God. He views personal direct experience of God as more profound than adhering to religious dogma. Religion, often filled with brainwashing, can be less enlightening compared to personal realization. Misconception about teachings: While it may seem that Leo's teachings echo traditional religious scripts like the Quran or the Bible, he clarifies that he presents spirituality from an integral, holistic perspective, encompassing insights from modern disciplines such as psychology, quantum mechanics, and sociology—something ancient texts do not incorporate. Evolution of spirituality: Leo emphasizes the necessity for spiritual practices to evolve and adapt to modern complexities and technological advancements, pointing out that sticking to medieval spiritual traditions is insufficient for the current era. Higher-level instruction and avoiding traps: He distinguishes his teachings by aiming to discuss spirituality at a cutting-edge level, incorporating contemporary knowledge, and providing guidance on avoiding pitfalls like cult dynamics, which are not addressed in traditional spiritual teachings. Essential requirements for realizing God: Leo identifies three core requirements: laser-focused concentration, radical open-mindedness (to the extent of considering concepts like death and evil), and a genuine metaphysical curiosity about existence, reality, and God. Critical thinking and self-validation: Leo encourages viewers to not blindly trust him but to cross-reference, explore different sources, and personally experiment with yoga, meditation, self-inquiry, and psychedelics to validate the truths he presents. No shortcut to understanding God: He acknowledges that understanding God isn't achievable through Q&A format nor through seeking previews of awakening; it requires actual awakening and multiple experiences for a comprehensive understanding. Usefulness of Actualized.org: Leo concludes by promoting actualized.org as a helpful resource for those serious about realizing God, indicating that the site offers practical teachings and powerful spiritual techniques that can lead to significant awakenings in a relatively short period. Avis

Cult Psychology - Part 2 - The Big Picture https://youtu.be/3P1R-wHd0bI "Men, it has been well said, think in herds; it will be seen that they go mad in herds, while they only recover their senses slowly, and one by one." - Charles Mackay Cult Dynamics in Everyday Life: Leo emphasizes that cult dynamics permeate all aspects of society, including mainstream organizations and institutions. He points out that what people normally don't associate with cults, such as science, politics, or sports teams, often exhibit cult-like characteristics. Ubiquity of Cult Behavior: Human history and the evolution of society reflect cult-like behaviors that extend as far back as the existence of early human tribes. Modern societies and large nations can also be seen as larger versions of these tribes, with their own sets of beliefs and cultures. Reality Splintering and Mainstream Society: Leo challenges the assumption that conforming to mainstream society equates to being aligned with truth. He describes reality bubbles created by society for survival rather than truth, highlighting the difficulty for individuals to step out of their bubbles and see reality from a meta-perspective. The Pitfalls of Herd Mentality: He discusses how groups naturally develop herd mentalities, leading to stereotyping, judging, and devaluing outsiders, which in turn carves out in-groups and out-groups. This behavior becomes ingrained and dictates societal interactions and personal judgments. Influence and Contagion of Judgment: Leo illustrates how judgments are often passed down and adopted from authority figures, such as parents, shaping individuals' perceptions. He uses his own experience with his father's judgment of Chevrolet cars as an analogy for how biases and stereotypes are transmitted. The Blurred Line Between Cults and Mainstream Society: Leo posits that there is no clear boundary where cult-like behavior ends and mainstream society begins. Cults can be seen as offshoots of society, and it's more about degrees of cult-like behavior rather than a strict binary distinction. Cult-Like Stereotyping and Judging: Leo Gura discusses how people stereotype and judge others, often devaluing groups based on arbitrary distinctions such as product preferences or cultural backgrounds. This process leads to viewing others as evil or insane, driven by the chasm created through gross oversimplification and abstraction of the group's identity. Ridiculing and Humiliating Differing Perspectives: Leo explains the common practice of ridiculing and humiliating other groups, especially on platforms like YouTube where political debates often descend into belittlement. This behavior fails to understand different life experiences and stifles the opportunity to learn from diverse perspectives. Oversimplification and Straw Man Fallacies: He describes how minds often oversimplify complex arguments into straw man caricatures for easy dismissal, preventing any real engagement with the alternative viewpoint or potential learning from it. Cliché Pejoratives and Simplistic Labels: Leo criticizes the use of cliché pejoratives and oversimplified labels like "axis of evil," "socialism," and "cultural Marxism" to demonize and dismiss other groups without understanding their complexity, history, or true nature. Black-and-White Polarizing Narratives: He expresses concern over how labels polarize society into simplistic, binary narratives that prevent nuanced understanding and acknowledging partial truths within opposing viewpoints. Lack of Critical Self-Examination: Leo notes that stereotyping and judging cause individuals to overlook the limitations and partial falsehoods in their own perspectives, emphasizing the danger of cult-like certainty in any view presented as objective, factual truth, such as in science. Cult Dynamics in Science and Interpretation Denial: He criticizes science for sometimes presenting itself as the ultimate, objective truth without acknowledging its inherent interpretations, leading to a false sense of certainty and closed-mindedness about other theories. Projection of Collective Shadow: Leo discusses projection in the context of cult psychology, describing how disliked traits or actions of a group or nation become part of its collective shadow and are projected onto an 'enemy', exemplified by how American geopolitical actions are projected onto the concept of terrorism. Projection and Collective Shadow: Leo suggests that the heated emotional responses to terrorism may stem from an unconscious projection of a collective shadow. He indicates that some nations, including the U.S., have attributed an "axis of evil" label to others while overlooking their own harmful actions, such as civilian casualties. Judging and Stereotyping by Groups: He notes how various groups, including online forums, sports teams, corporations, and political or religious groups, exhibit judging and stereotyping behaviors. These actions create 'enemy' figures and reinforce the concept of 'us vs. them' within these communities. Claims to Absolute Truth and Denials of Relativity: Leo draws attention to groups making claims of absolute truth and denying relativity. He differentiates between those who have and haven’t had a direct experience of absolute truth. Leo clarifies that his teachings should not be taken as absolute truth because absolute truth cannot be spoken. Organizational Self-Righteousness and Certainty: He points out that cults and cult-like groups often exude an aura of self-righteousness and certainty in their doctrines and behaviors, which correlates with their tendency to claim absolute truths. Monolithic Worldview and Discouraging Exploration: Cults tend to present a single, monolithic worldview that purports to solve all problems. Leo contrasts this with organizations that encourage exploring multiple perspectives, which he deems less cult-like. Organizations and the Tendency to Monopolize: Leo discusses how many organizations, including corporations and religions, attempt to monopolize their areas of interest. He praises the structure of reality for enabling diversification, thus inherently limiting such monopolistic endeavors. Emotional and Psychological Manipulation: He explains that cults use emotional manipulation, targeting lower consciousness emotions like fear, anger, and guilt, to prompt actions beneficial for the manipulator. However, such tactics lead to unsustainable dynamics and eventual collapse. Materialism and Pragmatism in Cults: Despite the appearance of loftiness and spirituality, cults often operate with materialistic and pragmatic motives, focusing on recruitment, financial gain, and influence, similar to business practices. Materialism and Pragmatism in Religious Organizations: Leo discusses the contradiction between espoused spiritual values and the materialistic, business-like functioning of religious organizations like the Catholic Church. They focus on practical financial management and bureaucracy despite promoting non-materialistic values, revealing a departure from true spiritual principles. Ethical Compromise for Success: Leo condemns the prioritization of success over ethical standards. He uses the example of pharmaceutical companies making profit-driven decisions to market drugs with harmful side effects, indicative of a broader trend in business where success often comes at any cost. Marketing Tactics in Cult Dynamics: Leo illustrates how marketing often exploits human emotions like fear, greed, and vanity, which reflect cult-like behaviors. He also points out the prevalence of controversy, polarization, and sensationalism in media as a method to garner attention, paralleling cult strategies to manipulate and control. Demonization and Propaganda in Government and Organizations: He cites historical examples where governments, such as the US during World War II, demonized enemies to rally public support, a method also used by various groups to create a distinct identity and vilify their opposition. Heightened Sense of Self-Importance and Divine Mission: Gura emphasizes how cults engender a belief in a divine mission and inflated self-importance, which can justify immoral actions. This dynamic is common in groups chasing power, money, fame, or purpose, and can be observed in business, religion, and other social structures. Pride and Tribalism in Sports and Other Groups: Leo examines pride as a dynamic within cult behavior, often present in sports and national identity, showcasing how tribalism and collective ego manifest in various aspects of societal enjoyment. Formation and Demonization of Subcults: Leo discusses the tendency of organizations to splinter and form subgroups. He highlights how these new groups often demonize the parent group to assert their identity and how this mirrors the broader historical splitting within religions and businesses. Rejection of Personal Perceptions: He criticizes certain scientific attitudes that dismiss first-person experiences and subjective phenomena, suggesting that such denial is itself a cult-like behavior that can lead to the demonization of mystical practices and subjective exploration. Fear of Apocalypse as a Motivational Tool: Gura discusses how the fear of societal collapses like economic, ecological, or moral decay can galvanize collective action and foster cult-like ideologies, with each level of consciousness projecting its own theory of global catastrophe. Identity Through Rule Keeping: Lastly, Leo observes how cults and social structures cultivate identity through adherence to rules, where individuals derive their sense of self from being 'good rule keepers', often preferring loyalty and conformity over independent thinking and critique. Rule Keeper Identity: Individuals derive a strong sense of self from enforcing rules, viewing themselves as the 'good ones' in contrast to the 'evil' others. This can be seen in various professions and belief systems, fostering an ego-based sense of moral superiority. Loyalty Over Competence: Organizations and leaders often favor loyalty to the group over actual competence, especially among less developed or conscious individuals. This bias can lead to discriminatory hiring practices and is counterproductive to organizational success. Indoctrination From a Young Age: Cults and society use education and religious teachings to indoctrinate individuals from an early age, impacting their beliefs and preferences profoundly and often permanently. Exploitation and Overwork: Various groups, including cults, the military, corporations, and professional training programs (e.g., medical residencies, law firms), use overwork as a technique for indoctrination, preventing time for reflection and cementing alignment with the organization's ideology. PR Campaigns and Deception: Organizations, not just cults, create sophisticated public relations campaigns and front groups to mask less savory practices and intentions, painting a deceptive picture of benevolence. Doublespeak and Rule Addiction: Cults and other institutions use language that inversely represents the truth (doublespeak) and enforce obedience to mechanical norms and rules, fostering dependency and a lack of critical thinking. Imposing Impossible Ideals: Cults often impose unattainable ideals that result in guilt and lowered self-esteem among members, making them more susceptible to further indoctrination. Comfort in Authority Figures: People seek comfort in authority figures, especially when they've had dysfunctional family backgrounds. These figures offer certainty and a diversion from the arduous journey of personal growth, leading to personality worship and dependency. Pleasing Authority Figures: There exists a human tendency to please authority figures, which extends beyond cults to various societal domains. This dynamic creates a dependent relationship between the leader and the followers. Idolization of Leaders: Cult members often idolize their leaders, viewing them as infallible dispensers of truth who provide direction and allow followers to avoid making hard decisions. Certainty and Authority in Cults: Cults provide a sense of certainty and authority, and reject criticism and feedback. Whistleblowers who challenge the leadership are typically blamed and demonized, similar to how Edward Snowden was treated after exposing the NSA's activities. Pyramid Structure in Society: Society mirrors the pyramid structure found in cults, where constant growth is needed for sustainability, such as in corporations and governments. This structure often encourages individuals to position themselves at the top to exploit others below. Information Control: Cults maintain control by restricting access to information, ensuring secrecy, and lacking transparency. This behavior is also present in businesses and government where operations are carried out behind closed doors. Restricting Contact and Denial of Collateral Damage: Cults often restrict contact with outsiders and deny the collateral damage caused by their actions, behaviors that can also be seen in various societal organizations, such as pharmaceutical companies that underplay the consequences of their products. Cult-Like Focus on Defeating Others: Cults may prioritize defeating others as part of their mission, which is an outward expression of what should be an internal spiritual journey. Members are often kept busy with this external focus, preventing self-reflection. Sexual Manipulation and Irresponsibility: Cults can engage in sexual manipulation and irresponsible behavior, a dynamic mirrored in other societal structures, including governments, businesses, and families. Importance of Balance: Cults and organizations often lack balance, taking a good concept too far and becoming detrimental, as seen with pharmaceutical companies overly marketing opioids. Review of Historical Cult-Like Behaviors: Gura reviews cult-like dynamics throughout history, from the Crusades to McCarthyism, the Soviet Union, Nazism, the KKK, sexism, Trump and the alt-right, demonstrating the prevalence of these dynamics beyond traditional cults. Education’s Role in Mitigating Cult Dynamics: Leo highlights the importance of incorporating understanding of cult psychology into education to inoculate people against susceptibility to cult dynamics and to help prevent the rise of ideological extremism and dogmatism. Bitcoin and Investment Fads: Leo reflects on a personal experience where he nearly invested in Bitcoin at its peak. He perceived it as a fad, and his hesitation saved him from financial loss as the market eventually crashed. He uses this to illustrate how cult dynamics can drive economic bubbles, comparing it to the 17th-century Dutch tulip mania, which also wildly inflated the value of tulip bulbs before the market collapsed. Terrorism and Political Stereotyping: He notes that both terrorism and Islamophobia are examples of cult-like activities fueled by extreme ideologies. Moreover, he criticizes the polarization of political viewpoints, using liberals as an example. He observes that even liberal media outlets such as TYT and The Majority Report can engage in the demonization and oversimplification of conservative viewpoints. Echo Chambers in Media: Leo advises viewers to diversify their news sources and avoid echo chambers, which lack diversity of perspectives. He acknowledges that while liberal news sources may demonize conservatives, they often have a more accurate direction than the alternatives but still warns against their potential cult-like dynamics. Cult Dynamics in Academia and Propaganda: He touches on the presence of cult thinking within academia and the use of wartime propaganda. Leo uses North Korea as an extreme example of cult dynamics at a national level. He recommends reading literature on North Korea to understand the advanced indoctrination techniques used. Science and Philosophy Polarization: Leo calls attention to cult dynamics within scientific and philosophical communities, which often pit various schools of thought against each other instead of promoting collaboration and understanding. Cult-Like Movements in Modern Culture: He identifies various current cultural phenomena that exhibit cult-like characteristics, including online movements such as incels, red pill, Jordan Peterson's followers, new atheism, nationalism, patriotism, and celebrity worship. Cultural Rituals and Traditional Practices: Leo lists traditional practices like circumcision, baptism, female genital mutilation, animal and human sacrifice, and the Hindu ritual of sati (widow suicide) as examples of cult dynamics that have been ingrained over centuries. Social Media and Modern Cult Dynamics: The spread of cult dynamics into social media and technology is addressed, predicting its evolution with the advancement of virtual reality and online games. He also mentions conspiracy theories as an example of cult dynamics in digital spaces. Wide-reaching Impact of Cult Dynamics: Leo describes how cult dynamics influence various facets of everyday life, including gender roles, beauty standards, fashion, and even abusive relationships. He emphasizes that relationships can have cult-like dynamics, such as dynamics seen in authoritarian and cult-like families. Self-Development: He stresses the importance of self-observation and development, advising viewers to recognize cult dynamics within themselves as part of their growth instead of just pointing fingers at others. Democracy and Authoritarianism Education: Lastly, Leo emphasizes the need to educate people on the epistemic foundations of democracy and the problems of authoritarianism, moving beyond historical examples to understanding authoritarian tendencies in every individual's ego. Cult Dynamics and Democracy: Leo stresses the importance of education in understanding cult dynamics to safeguard true democracy. People must be conscious of their biases and susceptibilities to authoritarian figures who can surreptitiously introduce cult-like behavior that undermines democracy. Devilry and Unconscious Behavior: He explains that many people harbor authoritarian traits. Most exhibit 'devility' unconsciously and maintain a facade of goodness; power, fame, and wealth can reveal these traits more overtly. Recognizing Cult Dynamics Everywhere: Leo encourages viewers to identify cult dynamics in all facets of society and within oneself. He asserts that so-called 'devilry,' or the manipulation found in cult dynamics, is a natural part of life that should not be demonized but understood and mitigated through consciousness. Limited Communication through Actualized.org: Leo acknowledges the limitations of his platform, Actualized.org, in conveying the vast and complex nature of reality. The majority of his understanding remains uncommunicated due to the challenges of articulation and the medium's limitations. Encouragement for Personal Understanding: Leo advocates for personal exploration and self-teaching as the path to true life mastery. He urges viewers to undertake self-improvement work, which takes thousands of hours, to deeply understand and practically apply life's intricacies to one's life. Significance of Self-Actualization: He conveys the depth of self-actualization and the lifelong rewards it offers. Leo encourages viewers to make self-actualization the focal point of their lives, offering a deeper, more purposeful way of living akin to the true essence of religion. Episkey

Self-Deception - Part 1 https://youtu.be/Xi_K402KU0A "The first principle is that you must not fool yourself. And you are the easiest person to fool." - Richard Feynman "Self-deception covers its own tracks." - Daniel Goleman Importance of the self-deception topic: Leo considers self-deception to be the most critical topic he has talked about, calling it the "mother topic" that spawns other topics linked to Actualized.org's content. : Leo considers self-deception to be the most critical topic he has talked about, calling it the "mother topic" that spawns other topics linked to Actualized.org's content. Reference to René Descartes: Leo mentions René Descartes as an influential philosopher who doubted everything in search of an indubitable foundation for truth, leading to the famous statement "I think, therefore I am." Critical oversight by philosophers: Philosophers tend to engage in skepticism regarding various concepts, but often fail to recognize that the human mind itself is the primary source of deception. First law of epistemology: Leo introduces his list of epistemological laws with the foremost being that our own minds are inherently self-deceptive. Totality of self-deception: The self-deception of the mind is so complete and vast that it is extremely hard to detect, with the mind controlling aspects like perceptions, emotions, logic, memories, and interpretations. Self-deception as a distraction: Focusing on external threats like conspiracies is part of the mind's self-deception mechanism, distracting us from the more significant truth that the mind is the primary source of our deception. Self-deception's depth affecting reality: The reach of self-deception transcends personal and psychological levels, impacting our very perception of reality and the fabric of existence. Mind's illusionary power: The human mind can create an undetectable illusion indistinguishable from reality by governing our emotions, desires, logic, and even what we consider real or illusory. Self-deception beyond cognitive biases: Leo clarifies that self-deception covers much more than the recognized psychological cognitive biases, affecting every aspect of life at an existential level. Psychological and psychosomatic power of the mind: The mind has the capacity to manipulate our thoughts, emotions, and even physical reactions to maintain self-deception. It can distract us with daydreams, erase memories, and rationalize avoidance, preventing us from confronting the truth. Resilience of self-deception: Attempts to uncover self-deception are met with strong resistance from the mind, which can induce physical ailments or psychological distractions to avert attention from the truth. Circular defense mechanism of the mind: The mind reassures its own trustworthiness, creating a circular logic that prevents one from recognizing personal self-deception. The mind's self-assurance is a barrier to realizing the depth of self-deception. Underestimating high fidelity deception: People typically assume self-deception is easily detectable, but high fidelity self-deception, possibly crafted by a superior intelligence or even divinity, could be indistinguishable from reality and goes undetected. Mind's initial self-deception regarding its fallibility: The foundational self-deception is the belief that self-deception is not a serious concern or that one is immune to it. This belief allows for a myriad of other deceptions to arise unchecked. The gravity of self-deception in life: Leo suggests that self-deception is not merely an abstract philosophical problem but a crucial real-life concern, potentially being the most critical matter one must address for authentic living. Deception's role in the mechanism of creation: Leo posits that existence itself may arise from self-deception, where God or reality brings forth differentiation and form by deceiving itself into believing in finiteness as opposed to its true infinite nature. Existential function of self-deception: By maintaining the illusion of self-importance and the necessity to survive, self-deception creates our reality and shapes the way we live every day, suggesting that we are constructs of accumulated deceptions. The depth of self-deception and its implication on reality: Leo invites us to consider a perspective where self-deception extends to the fabric of existence and is not limited to psychological phenomena, implying that our very reality may be shaped by the intrinsic self-deception of the universe. Existence and Creation Through Self-Deception: Leo Gura explains that self-deception is fundamental to existence and creation. By lying and conceiving truths, the mind ensures the individual's survival. Our attachment to life and the cycle of living assigns meaning to our existence, making life appear meaningful when it's actually an illusion perpetuated by self-deception. Utility of Lies Over Truth: He argues that lying is often more practical than telling the truth, serving pragmatic needs such as survival and self-interest. People may claim to value truth but often prefer falsehoods when it benefits them. The mind fabricates a world where what is false is considered truth and vice versa, a world where self-deception is performed under the disguise of truth-seeking. Pragmatism vs. Self-Deception: Gura critiques the pragmatic approach to life that dismisses philosophical or spiritual exploration as impractical. This preference for the concrete and immediate, he suggests, is itself a self-deception that ultimately leads to depression, frustration, and a deeper disconnection from reality. The Misconception of Being Alive: He poses the notion that the pragmatism of living might be yet another layer of self-deception that people indulge in, rather than acknowledging the lies and illusions that they live under which prompt a life filled with depression and other emotional issues. Survival of the Idea of Self: Gura clarifies that the mind's primary goal is not just physical survival, but the preservation of the idea of self. This explains why individuals may sacrifice their bodily well-being for concepts that align with their self-image, such as martyrdom, which is ultimately a selfish act to preserve their idea of self. The Irony of Enlightenment: He points out that while enlightenment is the ultimate unveiling of self-deception, it's also a distraction from recognizing self-deception in other aspects of life. Additionally, he suggests that people take pride in martyrdom not for selfless reasons but to preserve an idea of themselves that can live on beyond physical existence. Life's Self-Deception in Various Aspects: Gura lists various aspects of life such as money, ownership, security, laws, and entertainment as forms of self-deception. He discusses how we fool ourselves into believing in ownership and security, how we engage in movies and other entertainment to escape into fiction, and even how family and social constructs like nations and corporations are based on self-deceptive notions. Owning Nothing, Gaining False Security: The idea of ownership and security is highlighted as an absolute self-deception. He explains that the notion of owning things is an absurdity and that seeking security, for example through acquiring weapons, only fosters insecurity and is a manifestation of self-deception. Legal Foundations Built on Collective Self-Deception: Gura tackles the concept of laws and rights as fabrications grounded not in inherent truth, but in human consensus, used as a tool to provide a sense of order and protection. Entertainment as a Vehicle for Self-Deception: He identifies the consumption of movies, novels, and porn as classic self-deceptive behaviors where individuals embrace fiction for enjoyment, knowing that it's not real, yet allowing themselves to be absorbed and thus deceived for the duration of the entertainment. Family and Social Constructs as Illusions: Gura explains how people deceive themselves by attributing special connections to family members based on genetics, as well as fabricating identities and allegiances to nations and corporations. Equality and Democracy as Self-Deceptive Constructs: He suggests that our belief in equality, fairness, and democratic principles are self-deceptive ideals imposed onto a reality that is neither equal nor fair. The expansive nature of self-deception: Leo Gura illustrates that self-deception spans across various aspects of life including concepts like equality, status, cultural practices, video games, and even the pursuit of realistic graphics in entertainment as a means to deepen the illusion of reality. Self-deception in knowledge and learning: Self-deception is present even in seemingly reliable sources of truth such as science, logic, philosophy, psychology, and personal development. Knowledge, especially self-knowledge and meta-knowledge, is carefully controlled by the mind to reinforce self-deceptive practices. The pervasive role of society in self-deception: Society itself is a manifestation of a collective self-deception designed for mutual survival. Institutions such as schools and governments do not typically promote self-actualization as it threatens the underlying self-deceptive structures. Self-deception beginning from birth: Like North Korea's isolation from other forms of governance, society begins indoctrinating individuals from birth to limit their imaginations and to perpetuate self-deception, making the truth a potentially frightening revelation. Evidence of personal self-deception: Personal experiences of lying, rationalization, and double standards reveal an individual's self-deception. Noticeable discrepancies between one's reaction to others' actions and to their own actions signify self-deception. Global prevalence of self-deception: The widespread belief in various ideologies and systems worldwide suggests a universal propensity for self-deception among humans. The irony is that one can recognize this in others but often fails to see it in oneself. Debate as a reflection of self-deception: Arguments and debates highlight the self-deception inherent in conflicting beliefs. Each party in a debate focuses on exposing the other's self-deceptions without recognizing their own. Labeling others as 'evil' as a form of self-deception: The tendency to label others as evil is a mechanism of self-deception, which allows one to justify actions against the labeled party, ignoring one's own similar tendencies or selfish motives. Duality of “Evil” between Groups: Both sides in a conflict label each other as evil, using this accusation to justify aggressive actions. This labeling of "evil" serves as an externalization of one's own selfish tendencies, allowing individuals and groups to prioritize their agendas without considering opposition views as anything but malevolent. Nature of "Evil": Leo defines evil as inherent to life, equating it to the selfishness necessary for survival. While people generally like to view themselves as good, they project their own "evil" or selfish behavior onto others by labeling them as such; this projection of evil allows one to override others' interests with less guilt or moral reservation. Deception in Human Civilization and Progress: Gura points out that human history is marked by barbarity and self-deceptive beliefs. Successive generations look back on their predecessors as less enlightened while believing themselves to be free from the same self-deceptions; this only deepens the deception, perpetuating a false narrative of progress and enlightenment. Self-deception in Judging Others: While it's easy to see self-deception in others, such as public figures notorious for their deceit, one's own deceptions are often harder to notice. Even the act of judging others becomes an opportunity for self-deception, highlighting how criticism of others can cloud one's self-awareness. Reason as a Tool of Self-Deception: The trust in reason and intelligence is itself a form of self-deception, as the mind uses reason to justify personal beliefs and agendas. Gura challenges the notion that reason leads to truth, emphasizing that logic and objectivity can be compromised by underlying emotional investments and biases. Emotional Nature of Self-Deception: The struggle against self-deception is deeply personal and emotional, not just a matter of logic or intelligence. Facing the truth about oneself can be intensely painful, sometimes leading to extreme emotional reactions like the retreat participant who vomited in response to confronting his self-deceptions. Resistance to Self-Actualization: The mind naturally resists change, often resorting to old habits and self-deceptions to maintain the status quo. Even attempts at self-actualization are met with internal revolt, as any significant change implies the death of the old self, which can be a frightening and difficult process. Resistance to the truth and self-reflection: The mind-body organism often rebels against acknowledging its own self-deceptions, leading to physical and emotional discomfort, cravings, and a tendency to indulge in distractions. Homeostasis and the illusion of desiring change: While individuals may believe they want to change, change entails the death of an aspect of the self, which is why plans such as meditation or New Year's resolutions often fail. This resistance is the mind's way of maintaining the status quo. Personal nature of one's demons and the customization of growth: Personal development is highly individualistic; fears and problems are personal illusions that won't resonate with everyone. This necessitates a broad, customized approach, as specific solutions that work for one individual may not work for another. Inadequacy of scientific methods for personal development: Scientific methodologies and clinical research cannot address the deeply personal challenge of overcoming self-deception. This requires introspection and facing one's own internal struggles. The irony of the mind attempting self-reflection: Self-reflection is hindered by the mind's own design to maintain the illusion of reality. When attempting to 'jailbreak' the mind, one encounters resistance as the mind is both the jailer and the prisoner. The final leap to enlightenment cannot be controlled but must come from beyond the mind. Limits of enlightenment for self-deception: Enlightenment is not a catch-all solution for self-deception. It's a significant step towards becoming less deceived but one must remain vigilant, as self-deception continues in various forms even after enlightenment experiences. Self-reflection as the solution: The process of self-reflection involves questioning all certainties about oneself and the world to avoid distractions. It leads to the melting away of illusions and liberation from self-deception. Self-deception as a continuum: Personal growth is a journey from a place of high self-deception to a place of lower self-deception. Complete eradication of self-deception is improbable, but significant reductions can lead to profound transformations in one's life. Misalignment with Truth Leading to Suffering: Leo Gura suggests that suffering arises from the misalignment of one's life with truth. He illustrates this concept by pointing to public figures such as Donald Trump, whose constant lying, as Leo perceives it, results in personal suffering and extends to the people around him and the nation as a whole. Deception's Deep Roots and Denial: People deeply deceive themselves, building layers upon layers of lies to avoid facing their own suffering. Some are so entrenched in self-deception that they prefer death over the pain of acknowledging and dealing with it, sometimes leading to suicide or living in denial until natural death. The Inescapability of Self-Deception: No one is immune to the pitfalls of self-deception, which is compared to a minefield. Avoiding one trap doesn't mean safety; it is a continuous process filled with potential pitfalls. Leo warns against overconfidence in one's own enlightenment or understanding of self-deception, which is a sign that one is falling back into deception. Self-deception as Art: The complexity and skill with which self-deception manifests is described as a form of divine art. While it can be a horrifying revelation to discover the extent of one's self-deception, there is also a grandeur in realizing the vastness and intricacy of how reality is constructed. Infinite Existence and Individual Significance: Self-deception allows us to experience life as if we are separate from everything else, enabling the marvel of discovery. It serves to remind us that reality is much larger than our individual selves and our personal agendas. Navigating Life's Self-Deceptive Illusions: Leo emphasizes the importance of recognizing and overcoming self-deception. He posits that by reducing self-deception, one can transform a life filled with depression into one of joy and appreciation. Self-Deception as an Ongoing Project: The process of overcoming self-deception is an unfinished and ongoing journey for Leo, who mentions writing a book about epistemology and self-deception and shares his plans to discuss specific mechanisms of self-deception in future content. Humility in Facing Self-Deception: Leo acknowledges his and everyone's vulnerability to self-deception. He insists on humility and the recognition that we and our understanding are fallible, and there is always room for improvement and growth. Actualized.org's Mission: Leo Gura outlines the purpose of Actualized.org as a platform to assist people in realizing and navigating their self-deception. He aims to provide tools to understand self-deception better and live with reduced suffering and greater joy through self-awareness. Furnunculus

The Theme Of Things Going Full-Circle https://youtu.be/O7COBxw71MM "There is nothing that fails like success." - G.K. Chesterton "When you add to the truth, you subtract from it." - The Talmud "God is best known by not knowing him." - St. Augustine Theme of Things Going Full Circle: Leo introduces the profound theme of 'things going full circle' in life, which is seen in personal development and various life aspects. He distinguishes between a conventional understanding, like the hero’s journey, and a more paradoxical interpretation where extreme opposites on a spectrum, such as black and white, can actually loop back to connect with each other in unexpected, transformative ways. Conventional Full Circle vs. Paradoxical Full Circle: The conventional understanding of full circle involves a starting point, a journey with varied experiences, and a return to the origin—much like the hero's journey. However, Leo emphasizes a second, paradoxical meaning where the extremes of a spectrum can loop around, leading from one extreme to the other, such as pure black transitioning directly to pure white, implying major life shifts when these points are reached. Frivolous Examples of Full Circle: Leo shares whimsical instances of full circle phenomena, like art that is so bad it becomes good and jokes so unfunny they're funny. He notes these are more light-hearted and don't capture the more significant examples he's collected that illustrate how reality can be counterintuitive. Atheism vs. Theism Full Circle: Atheism and theism, typically seen as diametrically opposed, can actually transition into each other. Atheists may find God in the experience of profound nothingness, while theists may encounter nothingness as God, challenging both atheists' and theists' conventional beliefs. This example epitomizes the full circle theme by demonstrating how extreme views can shift dramatically, flipping one's understanding entirely. Hedonism and Asceticism: Leo contrasts the hedonist, who seeks endless pleasure but ends up unsatisfied and miserable, with the ascetic, who finds greater, unimaginable joy through solitude and self-awareness. This example illustrates how the pursuit of indulgence can paradoxically lead to despair, whereas extreme self-denial can culminate in profound happiness. Realignment with Reality through Full Circle Understanding: Leo expresses his hope that by explaining the full circle theme, listeners will develop the ability to see where these kinds of situations occur in life, helping them to understand life’s paradoxes and design a better life for themselves. Asceticism Misconstrued: Most people view the ascetic path to happiness—which actually works—as a route to suffering. This misconception prevents them from considering or seriously pursuing this viable strategy, highlighting how easily people can misunderstand the nature of certain paths to happiness. Selfishness Misinterpreted: Selfish individuals assume happiness comes from greed and personal gain, yet the greatest joy in life comes from selflessness, which appears counterintuitive to them. True selflessness involves contribution and doing good for its own sake, not personal gain. Effective Selflessness: People often mistake selflessness for a lack of boundaries, allowing themselves to be taken advantage of. However, true selflessness includes boundaries that enable one to contribute more effectively. Selfish individuals might only appreciate selflessness after an "inflection point" where they choose to become selfless, transforming their lives. Freedom Through Discipline Misconception: The pursuit of freedom without discipline often leads to collapse, whereas discipline, like forming healthy habits and working hard, leads to an unexpected deeper freedom. People chasing freedom fail to see this paradox. Empiricism Leads to Mysticism: Hardcore empiricism, when followed to the extreme, breaks down concepts until material reality becomes mystical. Skeptical empiricists don't see this coming as they conceive empiricism and mysticism to be at opposing ends. Nihilism's Inflection to Meaning: True awareness of nihilism reveals that nothing has inherent meaning, which paradoxically flips everything to become incredibly meaningful. This is missed by those who superficially subscribe to nihilism and those overly attached to finding meaning within concepts and physical forms. Morality versus Amorality Comes Full Circle: Taking amorality to its extreme reveals that nothing is inherently evil, transforming one's worldview to see everything as good. True saints understand this, choosing to embody goodness not because of imposed morality but out of conscious choice. Misunderstood Nihilism and Morality: Misinterpretations abound when nihilism isn't fully realized, leading to depression rather than peace; morality is confounded with lip service, whereas true understanding of amorality results in saint-like behavior. Both concepts often fail to be embraced to their deepest extents, reflecting society's limited comprehension of these philosophies. Moralism versus True Morality: Leo discusses the distinction between surface-level moralism and the depth of true morality. He criticizes moralistic approaches that follow rules and should statements in the hope of rewards or to avoid punishment. True morality, as he describes, arises when one realizes that good and evil are constructs and chooses to act virtuously out of intrinsic desire rather than obligation—demonstrated through the saintly example of Jesus versus the emulation by priests and popes who fail to grasp the full-circle journey. No Purpose versus Strong Purpose: Leo tackles the criticism of his discussions on life purpose in the face of inherent purposelessness. He asserts that recognizing the meaninglessness of all paths allows for the freedom to design one's purpose, arguing that this realization paradoxically leads to a strong sense of purpose. Historical figures like Jesus and Buddha had impactful lives stemming from the full-circle understanding that their purpose was ultimately pointless. Weakness versus Power: The video explores the paradox of power, suggesting that the acquisition of traditional forms of power (money, military force) leads to weakness, while relinquishing the desire for power results in true strength. He cites Gandhi's nonviolent resistance and philosophical anecdotes to illustrate that the greatest power comes from having nothing to lose. Introversion versus Extraversion Paradox: Leo posits that extreme introversion can circle back to complete extroversion through intense self-reflection and the realization that there is no interiority to the mind. By recognizing that thoughts and emotions are part of the external world, a deeply introverted person can live fully extroverted, dissolving the false duality between inner and outer worlds. Divine versus Mundane: Leo emphasizes that the mundane becomes divine when examined closely, challenging the perception that divinity is separate from everyday life. He encourages seeing the ordinary as divine by becoming conscious of the inherent magic in reality that is often overlooked or taken for granted. Life and Death: Discussing the relationship between life and death, Leo states that preoccupation with avoiding death can make life miserable. He suggests that accepting and embracing death as a fundamental part of life can lead to more authentic living, thus connecting the seemingly opposite concepts of life and death in a full circle. Duality versus Non-duality: Leo elucidates how duality and non-duality are not distinct but interwoven. From a non-dual perspective, recognizing duality as an aspect of non-duality is key, whereas being trapped in a dualistic mindset prevents seeing the unity inherent in all things, including the dual and non-dual aspects. Duality of Non-dual and Dual Realities: The concept of duality is highlighted, where Leo points out that in the non-dual state, the distinction between dual and non-dual disappears, emphasizing the interconnectedness of both states. Knowing vs. Unknowing Revelation: Leo describes the paradox of knowledge, explaining that the pursuit of knowledge can lead to a form of ignorance, while a conscious effort to unlearn can lead to the ultimate understanding that everything is fundamentally unknowable. Personal vs. Impersonal Interconnectivity: He discusses the illusion of a personal and impersonal reality, revealing that when one fully embraces the impersonal aspect of reality, it flips to become a deeply personal connection, intertwining the two seemingly opposite concepts. Subjective vs. Objective Experience: Leo touches upon how the division between the subject and object can collapse, leading to an experience where complete subjectivity results in becoming one with the object, leading to absolute objectivity. Solipsism and Universal Nothingness: Leo explains the full-circle concept of solipsism, stating that the realization that one's own self isn't real leads to the understanding that all beings share the same fundamental nothingness, thus connecting everyone. Genuine Skepticism: He emphasizes that true skepticism involves not just doubting external concepts but also one's own skepticism, which can prevent falling into self-deception. Ordinary vs. Unique Dichotomy: Leo's explanation suggests that trying to be unique often results in conformity, whereas embracing one's ordinariness can paradoxically lead to a unique identity. 'No Self' vs. 'True Self': He elucidates the mystical concepts, explaining that realizing 'no self' leads to understanding the 'true self', which is the recognition of one's inherent nothingness. Nothingness and Infinity: Leo discusses the equivalence of nothingness and infinity, explaining that embracing nothingness leads to an experience of infinity, and vice versa. Absolutism in Relativity: He explores the idea that while many view relativity and absolutism as opposites, in truth, reality is so relative that this understanding becomes the only absolute. The Power of Inaction: Leo suggests that, counterintuitively, inaction—such as meditation—can lead to significant personal growth compared to constant action, which may result in little actual achievement. Ego Death and Flourishing Personality: The video describes how ego death does not result in a loss of personality but rather enhances and strengthens one's personality and consciousness. Masculine vs. Feminine Attraction: Leo offers insights into attraction dynamics, asserting that exhibiting feminine traits such as expressiveness and spontaneity can actually make a person more attractive. Attachment vs. Detachment in Success: He outlines that neediness and attachment can decrease the likelihood of success, whereas detachment can paradoxically increase success in various life aspects. Masculinity and Attraction: Leo explains that true masculinity includes being comfortable with one's feminine side, thereby allowing spontaneity, emotionality, and expressiveness, which are attractive traits to women. Acting overly serious and stoic—like an unsmiling James Bond—can repel rather than attract. Attachment and Success Dichotomy: Neediness, or attachment, reduces the likelihood of achieving one's desires. In contrast, detachment increases the chances of success, whether in negotiations, business, or personal relationships. Success Through Failure: Embracing failure is essential for success; failure should be frequent and used as a stepping stone. Conversely, success can breed complacency and laziness, potentially leading to downfall. Rationality and Paradox: Highly rational individuals may struggle to accept that rationality embraces paradoxes and can contradict itself. When rational thinking becomes self-aware and acknowledges its limits, it transcends its own boundaries. Suffering Leading to Peace: Excessive suffering can paradoxically lead to peace, as illustrated by the story of Eckhart Tolle who, on the brink of suicide, experienced ego death and found peace. However, this difficult path is not recommended. Wisdom Misinterpreted as Stupidity: Profound wisdom can appear as stupidity to those at a lower level of consciousness. This misunderstanding is common when people encounter teachings from Zen masters, yogis, and mystics. Ideological Rigidity Versus Openness to Paradox: Ideologies can set rigid, linear expectations that block recognition of life's paradoxes. Breaking free from these limitations requires recognizing that reality is more counterintuitive and non-linear than ideology suggests. Merging Ideologies with Deep Reality: Empiricism can lead to mysticism, and philosophy or nihilism can limit understanding if not delved into deeply enough. Life's complexities call for flexible thought, beyond ideological rule of thumb. Reading Books for Profound Learning and Self-Actualization: Engaging with books is an essential part of deep learning and enlightenment, as they offer in-depth knowledge and inspiration that cannot be fully captured in audio-visual content. Power of Books and Action: Reading prompts thinking and reflection, leading to personal insights and a deeper understanding of life. This knowledge is best supplemented by action, implementing strategies from readings into practices like meditation. Engaging with Self-Improvement: Watching videos is not enough to master self-actualization, and one must read and apply the knowledge from books diligently to progress in mastering life and understanding complex concepts. Protego

Hamas suicide bombers exploited in Jerusalem bus stop in 1996. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaffa_Road_bus_bombings

The Jews will never give up on conquering their God promised holy land. The thing is ground troops need to move in with air support otherwise it is just a suicide mission. Terrorists would pop in and out of buildings and tunnels and shoot with bullets and RPGs; you see even with air support, over 170 soldiers have died fighting in Gaza. So in conclusion the buildings and tunnels must be destroyed before moving in; lets not forget about the rockets and rocket launch sites, in case you guys missed it, here are two video:

But by that logic, what lead to the second Intifada with suicide bombings twice a week in the early 2000's was Oslo agreement (1993), Oslo 2nd agreement (1995), Hebron agreement (1997), Y agreement (1998), Camp David negotiation (2000)... By using I mean it was pre-trapped (before the war) and the logic behind that is that in the same way hamas has invested every second since 2005 to build a 400 km length tunnels city, it also has invested in trapping entire neighborhoods all across the Gaza strip way before the war started. What I think is that just like the undergroung tunnels-city, also this was already made before the war. I agree with you in this logic but the question is, if this is really the case in Gaza because according to the ever arming-race of hamas the situation there is, I think, very different. Why do you think that?

You’re right. They value it significantly more. Hence I forgot the exact number but women say yes to men at an insanely lower rate than men say yes to women on dating apps. And the main factors that make men stand out on dating apps is face and height. It is fucking IMPOSSIBLE to get a less than 200 lb girlfriend if you’re some 5’8 socially inexperienced guy in a 60k population city. And I definitely don’t blame myself for not being able to move out. I didn’t ask for this shit. It hurts me to bring weight into it because fat chicks are some of the coolest, funniest people I’ve ever met. But they aren’t very fuckable if we’re being honest. But they’re way more fun to hang out with than hot girls in my experience. Seriously, there are no chances for us. No opportunities, no connections. Nothing. What do you do in this state? Go knocking door to door in your neighborhood asking to see available women in the family? Go cold approach at malls, college campuses you don’t attend and bars/clubs where one wrong move gets you harassed by authority figures who don’t give the tiniest speck of empathy for your suicidal desperation? Go wedding crashing? Party crashing? 80 percent of this struggle would be solved if we weren’t so unfortunate to be born in a small city because god is some sick and twisted motherfucker that strokes his fat goober and gets off to the sight of us being ruthlessly tormented by seeing happy couples rubbed in our faces like taunting a starving child with delicious food, and being heavily punished for our mistakes when we goof up socially trying to climb out of our hell hole. But no. God fucking hates our miserable, suffering asses and is constantly working overtime to keep us stuck. A big city would take most of that away because social mistakes don’t carry nearly as heavy of a penalty. That’s because you can go out every night and rarely see the same people twice. Word gets around about you faster and you stick out like a sore thumb because people have less to focus on in smaller cities. NO ROOM FOR ERROR This too can be debunked by looking at the numbers. There are twice as many male virgins in the 18-29 age range than female virgins. Also compare the suicide rate between genders and that should tell you something This right here speaks volumes about the female threat detection mechanism. Women are afraid those socially inexperienced, 5/10 guys are the dangerous ones when really those kinds of guys would treat them like queens, but they aren’t attracted to them because “weirdo vibes”. Meanwhile they consistently get involved with the actual dangerous men and suffer dire consequences because of it.

@Karmadhi I can take your what I think a sickingly twisted logic and say what you ARE in denial about and filter out: 1. The fact that Israel built a 1 Billion dollar smart fence out of the fantasy the thecnology will prevent wars. 2, Israel let Thousands of Gazans to work in its areas for years out of the hope it will make them moderate. 3. Israel did more than 10 careful operations with good surgicality lead to anything but worsen the situation in the long term. 4. Israelis soldiers are many of them boys in theirs 18-22 years that are also humen being with broad heart and worried mothers and familiy that are putting their lives in a serious risk in one of the most dangerous areas in the world. Thousands of them are doing that right now for more than 3 months straight. 5. The fact that almost no other military warned civilians so many time in many ways before their attacks. 6. The fact that a hostage suffering is X100 times harder than any other soldier or citizen from both sides. Imagine have a gun on your head for 100 days when you never know when the bullet will be shot on you and if it will. 130 of them. Now imagine this is one of your friends or family members. 7. The fact that Gaza kids are indoctrinate into killing and suicide from birth and already been damaged psychologically to a mental condition not less severe than any other mental disorders and need an urgent recovery if such a recovery is even possible, Million of them. Where was the world when that happened during all those years before the war?

The material constituents, or whatever cascade/milieu of consciousness that composes of reality, seems distantly secondary to the "stupidity" I mentioned above. If hypothetically, I scientifically proved the universe was made of superstrings or whatever, and that above-stupidity continued to exist, that would simply mean I don't know what's going on in a meaningful way. (I consider things concerned with the definition of "meaning" to be unavailable to communication.) That would weakly suppose consciousness, or rather, whatever subjective properties precede that notion of "stupidity", has a role in constructing reality, if not for the fact that in the absence of consciousness that stupidity is merely replaced with a kind of existential suicide; the same stupid sans subjectivity. I'm sure there's more recreational things to say, perhaps as it relates specifically to the scientific enterprise, but what I said prior is enough to capture my beliefs and the ignorance it's composed of. If there's more to explore outside those beliefs than my ignorance, than that ignorance ought be considered first.

You're fine. I have free days when I do nothing. I have days where I have breakthroughs. Work influences me. Society influences me. My bad habits influence me. I can act only on a free day and I have to go to a different location to play my instrument. I haven't lost my ability etc., it has gone a bit better acctually. There are times I envy everyone who is living a more traditional life, but I yet I fail to see a reason why and acctually I don't want to live like them. I just need to calm down and continue. Still have to figure a lot of stuff to have a sustainable lifestyle and a good foundation for the future. And then work on my life purpose. You are fine, if you don't want to do anything today, sit and visualize what you wanted prior, write on paper. Remind yourself of your core values. Just sit and relax. You can't fault yourself that you feel bad, so many things are influencing you. You feeling guilty about it leads to suicide. I sometimes envy people who have time to play their instruments more too, but I have what I have. So no reason to feel bad and just relax. Also, me and people I envy and I am envied by all have this fear of losing the ability to do the things we love. Remember that. Sustainable lifestyle is also very important. Don't kill by yourself overstressing and overworking too.

@Karmadhi Only one side is taught to kill and suicide. I have never learn anything bad about the Arabs themselves besides that we have wars and we signed peace agreements and wanted to do peace also with Syria and to co exist with the 20% of the Israelis which are Arabs. I remember that I was in 6th grade.

@Merkabah Star I understand the situation in Gaza hurts you and you are right it that! But blame hamas on that because he has at the very least 90% of the responsibility and likely even 95%+. Thats the truth according to my impression. You can think something else and I really don't want to just argue with you. But I wonder, where was the world before the war, when one Million of poor kids where brainwashed every single day by their education system into the importance of killing others along with the importance of suicide in the name of their religion?

@Princess Arabia The problem is, his brother committed suicide and shortly after his cat died.. and our breakup (which happened way before that) was all so hard on him my heart aches so much for what he had to go through and drove him to the addiction. I try to distance myself from the situation of blaming myself but I cannot.. I could've reached out to him that day and we could've talked it out but I didn't know.. I was his only friend

I lost my ex boyfriend to a meth overdose (laced with fentanyl).. Last time we spoke was just few days before his death he said he does not want to speak to me again anymore and I did not say anything; I decided to reach out few days after and I realized he's dead. we had a really good friendship after our breakup (almost 3 years ago) but it really affected him and made him depressed that we were no longer together; the last few months were really hard for him after his brother's suicide and death of his cat who was his best friend. I know it is not my fault; I know I did not cause him to overdose but I am still overcame and defeated by guilt and what ifs.. what if I had reached out to him sooner what if i had been a better gf at the time what if i had been a better friend. this is the very first death I deal with in my 25 years of life. any tips? words of comfort? anything will help.

How You Lie - All Your Dirty, Sneaky Lies & Manipulations Exposed! https://youtu.be/XulpS3cAkOM Foundational Concepts for Self-Actualization: Leo states that understanding one's own tendency to lie, manipulate, and engage in self-deception is crucial for personal growth and self-actualization. Warning of Disturbing Revelations: He warns that the forthcoming revelations about self-deception may be shocking but are ultimately beneficial for long-term development. Self-deception as Life's Central Theme: Leo positions self-deception as a central theme in life, significantly affecting all areas where success and results are pursued, and is a major obstacle to personal growth. Introduction of the "Self-Agenda" Concept: The self-agenda, a concept Leo learned from Peter Ralston, drives our actions and is focused on preserving our self-image rather than our physical survival or wellbeing. Truth vs. Self-Survival: The primary operating principle in life is not truth, but self-survival, with most people prioritizing the preservation of their self-image or self-concept. Seeking Comfort and Certainty: Leo argues that people primarily seek comfort and certainty rather than truth, even when they claim to act out of love or altruism. Protecting the Ego: All actions, even seemingly self-destructive ones, are directed towards protecting and maintaining one’s self-image or ego. Low Awareness as a Defense Mechanism: Low awareness protects the ego by shielding individuals from facing the painful reality of their self-deceptions and lies. High Awareness Requires Responsibility: Gaining higher awareness involves confronting the lies one has lived by and is a challenging process that may stir cognitive dissonance by challenging one's identity. Self-Deception Through Lack of Awareness: The mind is wired for self-deception; lying to oneself effectively serves the self-agenda, as the very concept of the 'self' is a lie. The Ego as a Fabrication: Leo explains that one's entire identity and the understanding of reality are fabrications created by the mind, sustained through low consciousness. Evolution's Role in Self-Deception: The human propensity for self-deception is tied to survival and evolutionary mechanisms that prompt organisms to value their well-being above others. Lying to Uphold a False Sense of Specialness: The idea that our lives and those close to us are more important than others is identified as a fundamental lie driven by ego and survival needs. Survival vs. Truth: Leo suggests that survival/reproduction interests and the pursuit of truth are often at odds, leading to a dilemma where one might have to choose between self-preservation and honesty. Self-Image as Truth Defender: He points out that some people perceive themselves as champions of truth, but living true to this self-image is extremely challenging unless they abandon their self-image entirely. Early Onset of Lying: Leo explains that lying starts at a very young age, becoming so habitual that it is like a fish not realizing it's in water; people become unaware of their constant lying. Consequences of Lying: He lists numerous negative physical and mental health outcomes—from stress and anger to heart attacks and suicide—claiming these are often consequences of living a life filled with lies. Subtlety of Lying: Leo asserts most lying is not overt but subtle and unconscious, which makes it particularly insidious and a manifestation of low consciousness. Examples of Subtle Lies: He catalogues various forms of deceptive behaviors, from fake smiles and politeness to withholding important information and pretending to be more spiritual or compassionate than one really is. Hypocrisy in Self-Professed Virtues: Leo criticizes those who claim to be spiritual, loving, or altruistic as often being the most deceptive and selfish, using their 'virtues' as a smokescreen for ulterior motives. Manipulation in Relationships: He describes the extensive use of manipulation and subtle lies within intimate relationships to avoid conflict or to influence partners' behaviors. Lies Stemming from Self-Agenda: Leo reiterates that many lies derive from protecting one's self-image and agenda, which ultimately backfire and reduce the quality of life. Cultural dishonesty about sex: Leo criticizes society's false modesty about sexual behavior, stating that many people lie to themselves about their sexual activities and desires to maintain a "good" image. Deception in marketing and sales: He points out that professionals in marketing and sales often lie and manipulate consumers through deceptive advertising tactics and urgency to make sales. Withholding information in leadership: Leo emphasizes that leaders, bosses, and CEOs frequently withhold crucial information from their teams for self-serving reasons, not respecting the principle of truth. Reluctance to admit mistakes: People often refuse to acknowledge their errors and concoct excuses to maintain their self-image instead of admitting they were wrong. Hiding weaknesses and insecurities: Leo highlights the common practice of hiding personal flaws and insecurities to appear confident and put together, which is often exaggerated during dating. Failure to express emotions: Many individuals suppress their emotions, such as anger or sadness, and lie about their well-being by claiming they are "fine" instead of sharing their true feelings. Watering down opinions: He discusses how people often soften their opinion in social settings as a way of avoiding conflict and protecting their self-image. Manipulative use of humor and sarcasm: According to Leo, humor and sarcasm can be used to manipulate, belittle, and divert attention from true intentions or real issues. Secret scheming for self-preservation: Leo mentions that in situations like anticipated layoffs, individuals will secretly plan to avoid personal loss, often at the expense of others. Seeking validation through deceptive niceness: He criticizes people who behave nicely just to receive validation, approval, and love from others, viewing it as a form of manipulation. Pretense of not being hurt: People often pretend they aren't physically or emotionally hurt to appear strong, which is a self-image preservation tactic. Indirect ways of expressing desires: Leo points out how individuals express desires and emotions in covert ways to maintain a humble self-image, like showing off new possessions subtly. Unawareness of personal hypocrisy: He argues that most people are not conscious of their hypocrisy, giving the example of holding in one's stomach to appear thinner as a self-deception lie. Solution to lying and self-deception: Leo suggests becoming mindful of one's lies, manipulations, and self-deceit and advocates for truth-telling, especially when it has personal costs. He explains the three levels of truth-telling: being honest with oneself, communicating facts honestly, and expressing one's emotions truthfully. Self-Agenda vs. Truth: Leo highlights that people primarily care about their self-agenda and self-image over the truth, and stresses that only through extensive work on oneself can this prioritization change. Levels of Communicating Truth: Leo describes three levels of truth communication: level one is noticing one's self-agenda, level two involves accurately reporting facts regardless of consequences, and level three is about expressing emotions related to the facts. Service to Truth: Gura argues that genuinely serving truth through communication and behavior is emotionally difficult, which discourages most people from doing it, but it is essential for personal integrity and life quality improvement. Integrity Issues: Lying and manipulating, Leo contends, harm personal integrity and, by extension, the individual's mental and emotional well-being, leading to depression, stress, and physical health problems. Embracing the Consequences of Truth: He warns that truthful communication can have serious consequences, but fears are often overblown, and that in reality, honesty can lead to a more appreciated and refreshing life experience for yourself and others. Practical Mindfulness Exercise: Leo suggests wearing a colorful rubber band as a reminder to stay conscious of manipulations, lies, and self-agenda in daily life, to prevent slipping back into unconscious deception. Supporting Actualized.org: Leo encourages the audience to support the platform by engaging with the content, signing up for the newsletter, and delving into the deep, transformative material provided. Silencio

I know, my childrenhood has been an absolut nightmare on some points. I finished so neurotic at one point that I went so far as to make two hours of bodybuilding per day, while eating little and even by doing water fast and even a dry fast. I even ended up taking hormones to increase my sporting performance and it largely has to trigger my very scent insomnia from which I begin to get rid of. Now I find it a little even but there have been a long way and there are still some, I could have committed suicide in the process. Lots of super honest introspection and experience have changed the situation. Psychedelics have also helped to change thought patterns, may be simply by sending strong epigenetic neurological signals, IDK. You should think about it.